are not imputed but pardoned in Christ all Mortall in the Reprobate M. Fulke conformably deliuereth Allsinnes are pardonable to the Penitent and faythfull and without fayth and repentance euen the least and ligh est sinne are damnable and deadly Against whom I reason thus 2. If there be any sinnes which euen then wheÌ„ they are voluntarily committed without repentance can stand with grace and Iustice the life of our soules they are of their owne nature neyther damnable nor deadly but there are some suchsinnes Therefore there are some sinnes which neyther of their owne nature Prou. 24. v. 16. cause the spirituall death of our soules in this life nor damnation in the next That there are some such sinnes I proue out of Scripture out of the Prouerbes Seauen tymes doth the Iust man fall and rise againe If he be Iust how falleth he into sinne If a sinner how is he called Iust vnlesse some sinne may consist with Iustice Out of Ecclesiast There is not a Iust man vpon earth who doth good and doth not sinne Out of S. Iohn If we shall say we haue no sinne we seduce Eccles 7. v. 21. 1. Iohn 1. Aug. l. dâ— natu gra c. 36. Haeb. 5. our selues and the truth is not in vs. Where S. Augustine expoundeth S. Iohn of the sinnes of the Iust and speaking of our Blessed Lady absolutly pronounceth This Virgin excepted if all holy Persons whilest heere they liued were assembled togeather with how great sanctity soeuer they shined c. they would all crie out If we say we haue no sinne we seduceour selues Out of S. Paul Euery Bishop ought as for the people so also for himselfe to offer for sinnes Whence S. Hierome collecteth He Hier. apud Panigarol part 2. lect 12. Iaco. 3. v. 2. lacob 1. v. 14 Hier. in CoÌ„menta c. 5. Mat. Psal 31. Math. 5. 1. Cor. 3. Orig. bo 5. In Leuit. Amb. in Psalm 118. Naz. or at 2. Iulia. in Cbrys bo 24. in Mat. Hier. l. 2. con Pelag. Aug. l. de natura gra ca. 38. in Enchir c. 22. 71. ser 41. de Sanct. Fulke in c. 1. Iaco. sect 6. Ezech. 18. 4. Rom. 6. 23. Iacob 2. 10. Aug. Ep 29. Cbrys bo 35. in Mat. should neuer be commanded to offer for others vnlesse he were Iust nor for himselfe if he wanted sinnes Out of S. Iames In many things we all offend And in his first Chapter Euery one is tempted of his owne concupiscence abstracted and allured afterward concupiscence when it hath conceaued bringeth forth sin but sinne when it is consummate engendreth death Behold three things in man Concupiscence the ground or entisement to sinne Conception the first and imperfect motion which yeeldeth therunto ConsuÌ„mation the absolute deliberate consent Concupiscence is no sinne Conception is a sinne but not damnable not deadly ConsuÌ„mation or full consent is only that which engendreth death S. Hierom agreable heereunto maketh a great difference betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Desire with Consent and withous Consent Many other places I omit cited out of King Dauid S. Mathew and S. Paul I omit the Fathers who acknowledge this diuersity of Veniall and Mortall sinnes Origen S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Augustine c. 3. M. Fulke obiecteth by Ezechiel and S. Paul Of all sinnes in generall it is sayd The soule which sinneth shal die And The wages of sinne is death I answere They speake of haynous sinnes not of euery small offence For God were too seuere his leagne of friendship intollerable if for the least idle word or sleight default he would depriue his Friends of grace and persecute them to death S. Iames also writeth of grieuous sinne the breach of Gods Commandment in the place you commonly alleadg against vs He that offeudeth in one is made guilty of all For S. Augustine teacheth that he is made guilty of all because he breaketh the band of Charity which is the totall summe and perfection of the law Or can no lesse escape the sentence of death and damnation who transgresseth one commandement then if he were guilty of all as the Authour vpon the imperfect worke vpon S. Matthew singularly well expoundeth S. Basil and S. Augustine I grant make great account of Veniall sinnes in that they diminish the feruour of Charity are somewhat contrary to the Easil in quaest q. 4. q. 293. Aug. Con. 3. super Ps 118. tract 12. in Ioan. law and now and then dispose to the transgreslion of it in that they truly offend the infinite maiesty of God yet in a matter so light and with such imperfect apprehension as it diminisheth the indignity and wholy altereth the quality of the fault For if the want of all knowledge and all consent in children and mad men vtterly taketh away the guilt of sinne then imperfect knowledge imperfect consent must needs cause imperfect sinnes Not such as absolutly violate the law of God or throughly incurre his high displeasure but such as are to be shunned notwithstanding as dangerous infirmities and diseases of our soule Which is all that S. Augustine and the rest of the Fathers intend when they exaggerate the enormity of small offences Thus much in confutation of our Aduersaries second ground Concerning the third 4. We stand not vpon the name but vphold the thing that is a certaine penall estate or cleansing of some soules after this life which cleansing we call as Suarez Tom. 4. in 3. par disp 45. sect 1. Esay 4. Malach. 3. Suarez well noteth Purgation and the place where it is made Purgatory which the ancient Fathers themselues haue constantly gathered out of sundry texts of holy Write In the old Testament S. Augustine teacheth it from the mouth of Isay Our Lord shall purge the dregs of the daughters of Syon and shall wash the bloud of Hierusalem out of the middest therof in the Spirit of iudgment and in the Spirit of Aug. l. 20. de â—iuit Dei c. 25. Hiero. in hunc locuÌ„ Amb. in Psalm 36. Orig. ho. 6. in Exod. combustion or as the English Protestant translation readeth By the spirit of burning He teacheth it likewise from the mouth of Malachy Our Lord is like a purging fire and like fullers sope he shall sit downe to trye and fine the siluer he shall euen fine the Sonnes of Leui and purify them as gold and siluer Where S. Augustine addeth That these wordes cannot signify a separation only of the polluted from the pure in the last penall iudgment c. but must intimate a purgation of the good who haue need thereof With whome S. Hierome S. Ambrose Origen consent in the interpretation of that place The same S. Augustine and Venerable Bede deduce out of that passage of Aug. in Ps 7. Beda in Psal 37. Psalm 65. Amb. in Psal 36. ser in Psal 118. Orig. hom 25. in Numer the
them into his true and proper flesh that the body of life may be in vs as a certaine quickening seed Eusebius Emissenus The inuisible Euseb Emiss ser de cor Domi. Cyp. de coens Dom. Priest Christ Iesus turneth by his word with a secret power the visible creatures into the substance of his body and bloud saying Take and eate for this is my body S. Cyprian who liued before any of these This bread which our Lord gaue to his Disciples not in outward apparence but in nature changed by the omnipotency of the word is made flesh The like he hath in other places In so much as a famous * Vrsin in commonef cuiusdam Theol. de sacra Coen Aug. ser citato à Bedain c. 10. â— Cor. Humfrey Iesu pâ— 2â— ca. 5. pag. 626. Matth. 4. v. â— ProtestaÌ„t confesseth That in Cyprian are many sayings which seeme to conforme TraÌ„substantiation S. Augustine and sundry others euidently also graunt our Reall mutation or Transubstantiation of the elements Which doctrine Gregory the Great and Augustin our Apostle brought into England as D. Humphrey teacheth and the Diuell himselfe acknowledged to be possible when he sayd vnto Christ Dic vt lapides isti panes fiant Commande that these stones be made bread 18. Secondly if we respect the conueniency it was meet we should really eate and really drinke of the reall victime truly slaine and offered for vs. It was meet that he who became our companion in the manger our teacher in the Temple our Priest at the Altar our price sacrifice and ransome on the Crosse should likewise be our food and sustenance at the table It was most meet that he who imparted his owne diuine person and all the riches of his Godhead by Hypostaticall vnion to the flesh and bloud of a pure and vnspotted man should also coÌ„municate the same flesh and bloud and all the treasures of his diuine and human nature to the soules and bodyes of As our first Parents were not infected by a Metaphoricall but by a true eating of the accursed Tree so we cannot be healed by a Metaphoricall but by a tru eating of the Tree of life NisseÌ„ orat catech ca. 37. Ignatius Ep. ad Ephes Athan. de huâ—â—atur suscep Cyril in Io. â—p ad Calosy â—re 1. 4. c. â—4 l. 5. c. 2 alibi Cyr. Alex. 1. 10. in â—o c. 13. Spaâ—kes in his answer to M. Iohn d'Albins pag. no. 257. his faithfull seruants The wisedome of God requireth that as our Forefathers and we were first impoisoned not by the desire but by the true and real eating of the forbidden apple so we should be cured by the true and substanciall feeding of this blessed fruit For S. Gregory Nissen proueth After the manner of the poyson so likewise the medicine must enter into our bowells the vertue therof be traÌ„sfused into all partes of the body 19. Againe the poyson which Adam receaued was a venemous fountaine of a double contagion ioyntly infecting both body and soule two wounds it inflicted it defiled our soule with sinne our body it enthralled to death and corruption What could be more behoofull for our Redeemer then to prepare a medicine against both these wounds A medicine to wash our soules from sin and rayse our body from dust to beautify the one with grace and cloath the other with incorruptioÌ„ And what could sooner worke this admirable cure then the glorious flesh of this holy Sacrament Which is not only the Ocean of Grace but the medicine of immortality the preseruatiue as S. Ignatius calleth it against death The first fruites of glory as Athanasius writeth The liuely and reuiuing seed of our bodyes as S. Cyrill sayth The pledge the earnest the hope or expectation of Immortall life as Irenaeus affirmeth According to that of Christ He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will rayse him at the later day The body then must eate his flesh and drinke his bloud that it may partake the benefit of Resurrection our soule by fayth might enioy the dowryes of blisse But this terrestriall nature of our body cannot as S. Cyrill of Alexandria teacheth be aduanced to immortality except the body of naturall life be conioyned vnto it 20. Yet D. Sparkes maugre S. Cyril or whosoeuer els obstinatly persisteth that the body of Christ cannot be really conioyned with ours Because Christ is ascended into heauen sitting at the right hand of his Father and the heauens must Bils 4. par pag. 788. 789. c. Ioan. 20. Read S. Aug. ep 3. ad Volus Amb. l. 10. in cap. 24. Luc. Hila. l. 3 de Tri. Iustin q. 117. Cyril l. 12. in Io. c. 53. Bede Theoph. Euthym. Ruper boc loco whoproue Christs entrance the dores being shut containe him vntill the restitution of all thinges As though good Syr he could not be at the same tyme in diuers places to wit in heauen sitting on the right hand of his Father and heere vpon earth in euery consecrated hoast not naturally as the Fathers copiously quoted by M. Bilson constantly teach but supernaturally by the power of him vnto whome nothing is impossible For so he hath wrought many wonderfull workes aboue the course of nature He came forth of the Virgins wombe preseruing her virginity rose out of the sepulcher not remouing the stone entred into his Disciples the dore being shut ascended to his Father not deuiding the heauens when he penetrated them But as in these examples diuers bodyes were supernaturally in one place so by the same supernaturall power one body may likewise be at the same tyme in diuers places for it is a common Axiome approued by Philosophers that Contrariorum eadem est ratio Amongst contraryes the same reason holdeth on both sides Moreouer we are instructed by fayth that the single person of Christ is vnited to most distinct diuers natures to the nature of God and to the nature of man that the sole essence of God is in three persons really distinct that one and the selfe same moment of eternity is answerable correspondent to most different and contrary tymes to tyme past tyme present and tyme to come But as one person sustaineth diuers natures one nature is communicated to diuers persons one moment coexisteth to diuers Amb. orat in Auxen Aeges l. 3. de exid vrbis Hieros cap. 2. â—o Dams orat de B. Virgine tymes why cannot one body be resident in diuers places 21. Els how could our Sauiour after his Ascension haue met S. Peter flying the persecution of Rome as S. Ambrose and Aegesippus record How could he haue descended to honour the funeralls of our B. Lady as S. Iohn Damascen and Nicephorus witnesse How could he appeare to S. Paul as in the 9. Chap. of the Actes of the Apostles in the 22. and 23. For in none of these apparitions could he Calu. in c. 9. act l. 4. Instit c. 17. §.
all kind of sinne another guilty of mortall the third only spotted with some veniall fault The first whither goeth he To Heauen immediatly The second whither goeth lie To Hell no doubt The third whither goeth he Not to Hell because he is departed in the grace and fauour of God Not to heauen immediatly Apoc. 21. v. vlt. because Nothing defiled can enter that kingdome Therfore to some purging place where his soule may be cleansed froÌ„ the staines of infection 22. No such place is necessary sayth M. Field for Field in appen 1. p. fo 65. 66. by the dolours of death at the moment of dissolution all impurity of sinne is purged forth But how can this be so Death is the punishment of Originall and not any remedy against actuall sinne It is the state and condition of our corruptible nature inflicted on the Reprobate as well as on the Elect. And so neither by it selfe nor by the ordinance of God hath force and vertue to scoure out of our souls all the rust of sinne a prerogatiue denyed by you to the holy Sacraments of God And such a prerogatiue as is proper indeed to the excellency of Martyrdome and not common to the departure of euery faythful sinner whose panges are often more short and farre lesse painefull then the grieuous dolours of the cleane and vnspotted 23. Besides to procure this abolishment of sinne Field ibid. fol. 60. M. Field requireth Charity and sorrow in such perfection as may worke our perfect reconciliation to God And may not thousands or some at least with the spot of veniall or remainder of mortall crime be taken out of this world either in their sleep or vnawares before they arriue to that depth of sorrow It being so hard a thing in perfect health much harder in the agony of death impossible in tyme of sleep to attaine vnto it Or if you pretend the prouidence of God to be so carefull of his elect as they cannot be surprised vpon a sudden to what effect I pray are those exhortations of Christ so often repeated in Scripture Matt. 24. Matt. 25. That we pray and be watchfull least death preuent vs before we are aware To what effect the Parable of the foolish Virgins the Parable of Death stealing vpon vs like a thiefe To what effect are the labours and works of Pennance many zealous followers of Christ vndertake to expiate the faults of their former life when euery faythfull belieuer let him be neuer so slouthfull in this behalfe shal be sure in the last houre to haue grace inough to redeeme the debt and cancell the obligation of his sinnes This is a doctrine I graunt sutable to Protestant professioÌ„ it tendeth to the restraint of vertue it tendeth to all vitious and Epicurean liberty it ministreth occasion of slouth to Christian people and maketh God tooto indulgent to their idle sluggishnes But they that make him authour of the horrible iniquityes of the Reprobate what meruaile though they would haue him a fauourer of the smal imperfections and negligences of his Elect And rather then they will iniury as they fondly surmise the bloud of Christ they iniuriously blaspheme and truly wrong heerin the Iustice of God 24. To be briefe Caluin and Plessy Mornay affirme The hereditary naughtines and corruption of Originall sinne drowneth Calu. lib. 2. Iâ—st cap. 1. §. 8. 9. l. 3. inst cap. 15. §. â— Plessy l. 3. de Eucbar cap. 2â— as it were with a deluge the whole nature of man so that no part remayneth free from this filthy contagion Secondly they auouch No worke proceedeth from man be he neuer so perfect but is defiled with the staines of sinne Graunt these assertions true which commonly all Protestants defend how can there be either charity or sorrow in such perfection as is able to purge out all impurity of sinne When the most perfect Charity it selfe is impure and stayned how shall these staynes be taken forth By some other act of charity or worke of repentance But this worke also issuing from the inward rottenes of mans corrupted nature shall still be putrifyed with Originall infection 25. For this cause D. Field is so vnconstant in resoluing Field in append 1. part p. 66. p. 65. ibid. in appeâ— 1. par p. 4. p. â—4 65. how or when the whole vncleanes of sinne is washed from the soule as he wauereth and reeleth vp and downe not knowing where to take hold One while he sayth It is purged out by Charity and sorrow of sinning otherwhile by the dolours of death then by the very separation of soule and body wrought by death but when he dareth not auouch and therefore stammeringly vttereth It is in or immediatly vpon the dissolution of soule and body in the first entraÌ„ce of the soule into the state of the other world What giddines is heere If by the dolours of death al sinnefullnes be expelled how in the moment of dissolution If in that moment how immediatly vpon it How in the first entrance into the next life Or if in that entrance how doth Charity then worke or sorrow procure it Read his wordes Field in append 1. part p. 4. 26. The vtter deletion and full remission of their sinnes the perfect purging out of sinne being in or immediatly vpon the dissolution in the last instant of this life and first of the next and not while the body and soule remaine conioyned Pitty it is great pitty to see vnto what distresse a man of wit and learning may be driuen by the weaknesse of his cause For heere M. Field in these few wordes maketh either two instances immediatly togeather the last of this life and first of the next and so composeth diuisible tymes of indiuisible moments against the principles of Philosophy or he supposeth the instant in which sinne is remitted to be intrinsecall to this life and extrinsecall to the next and so crosseth himselfe in his owne speach affirming this full remission of sinne both to be and not to be while the body and soule remaine conioyned Or he taketh the instant of Purgation to be extrinsecall to this life and intrinsecall to the next And contrary to the whole stream of Sectaryes he alloweth with vs a remission or Purgation of sinne and Purgatory-place after this life at least for a moment For that which is done must be done in some place or els it is not done at all To which of these inconueniences he will yield I know not to one he is constrained And if I may gesse at the meaning of his variable and vnconstant speaches seeing he will not haue the perfect purging out of sinne c. while the body and soule remaine conioyned he alloweth it after the dissolution and so admitteth a remission and purgation of sinne in the next life which his fellowes renounce he himselfe would seeme to impugne 27. But when I pray is this perfect purging out of of sinne
cut his garments with the rest of his company which he likewise did for Abner 4. Yea this praier for the Dead hath beene a thing so generally receaued so inuiolaby practised amongst the Iewes euen then when they were Gods chosen people as when Iudas Machabaeus appointed publique Sacrifices 1. Reg. 3. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Machab. cap. 12. Ioseph de Bello Iudaic c. 19. Baruch c. 3. vers 5. Vrbanus Regius baec verba Baruch to be offered for them not one was found amongst the huge number of souldiers not one amongst the Priests and Leuits of Hierusalem not one amongst the Patriarches and Prophets of God most vigilant alwaies in checking Superstuion who euer reprehended that charitable deed But Iosephus the Historiographer plainly alloweth it And Baruch the Prophet as Vrbanus Regius a Protestant of no small account beareth witnesse made supplication himselfe for his Predecessours soules saying O Lord omnipotent remember not the iniquities of our forefathers And now at this present time the Iewes aboue all other Nations peculiarly wedded to the Traditions of their ancestours obserue by prescription a solemne praier for the Dead called * Paulus Fagius in c. 14. Deut. Genebrard in fine Chronol VVbitak cont Duraeum p. 85. See Caluino-turcis l. 4. c. 8. and Hilalar deca 4. feria 5. post dominicam 4. Quadrag Luc. 16. Haskaba pronounced by their Hazan or publike Minister of which M. Wnitaker auerreth I know the Iewes haue Rituall books which they read in their Synagogues and I am not ignorant that euen now they are wont to vse certaine praiers for the Dead 5. Neither was it any Ceremoniall Rite proper to the Iewes but a generall law or print of nature stamped in the hearts of all both sauage ciuill Nations In Grecians Indians Moscouites Aethiopians Turkes Persians Mores Arabians c. Who with a dissonant and disagreeing manner yet with one and the same hope of relieuing the departed offered their Praiers and Sacrifices vnto God To leaue Iewes and Gentiles and come to Christians 6. Our blessed Sauiour seemeth to exhort hereuÌ„to saying Make your selues friends of the Mammon of iniquity that when you faile they may receiue you into the eternall tabernacles Where by friendes S. Augustine and S. Gregory vnderstand the Saints in heauen whose necessities we once succoured heer vpon earth and who when we faile that is depart this life not so pure from the reliques of sinne as we may by our good deeds presently enter the kindgdome of heauen then they supplying our wants as we once relieued theirs receaue vs by their praiers and merits into the Mansions of euerlasting rest By their merit saith S. Austen charitable men obtaine mercy and pardon and Aug. ser 35. de verb. Domini l. 21. de ciuit Dei cap. 27. Greg. l. 21. moral c. 14. 1. Cor. 15 S. Gregory If by their friendship we gaine eternall Tabernacles we ought to consider when we bestow vpon them that we rather offer presents to Patrons then giue almes to the Poore 7. Secondly S. Paul sayth What shall they do that are Baptized for the dead if the Dead rise not againe at all Heere the Apostle argueth not from the erroneous practise which long after his tyme was broached by the Montanists Marcionists and Cerinthians who ministred true Baptisme to the liuing as profiting the departed for whose sake it was receaued but he taketh Baptisme heere Metaphorically for punishment and affliction as Christ vseth Luc. 12. Marc. 10. the word I haue a Baptisme to be baptized withall And Can you drinke the Chalice which I drinke or be baptized with the Baptisme wherewith I am baptized After which manner S. Nazian orat in SS lumina Cypr. ser de Coena Domini Gregory Nazianzen acknowledgeth a Baptisme of teares and Pennance And S. Cyprian sayth He baptizeth himselfe in tears Therefore the force of S. Pauls argument is to this effect What doth it auaile the faythfull people to punnish fast pray and afflict themselues for the soules departed if the Dead rise not againe and receaue the fruit and benefite of their prayers 8. Thirdly S. Iohn writeth There is a sinne to death 1. Ioan. 5. for that I say not that any man aske This sinne to death is not euery mortall sinne which killeth the soule but that Aug. v infra Aug. l. 21. de ciu Dei cap. 24. 1. Ioan. c. 5. v. 16. only as S. Augustine teacheth In which a man dyeth without repentance because the Apostle dehorteth not to pray for remission of any mans sin during life And the customâ— of the Church is to pray for Heretikes Schismatikes Apostataes or whosoeuer while they liue But If there be any sayth S. Augustine that persist till death in impenitency of hart doth the Church now pray for them that is for the soules of them that are so departed For these the Apostle exhorteth vs not to pray but if we know our Brother to sinne a sinne not to death that is in which he dyeth not with finall impenitence for him he perswadeth and willeth vs after his departure To aske with confidence to obtaine pardon saying And life shall be giuen him sinning not to death Which Burchar l. 19. de poenit decret Vas c. 2. 4. Carth. vide Burchard Cabilon cap. 39. Florâ—â— in initio Dionys Areo. de Eccl. hier cap. 7. Cypr. l. 1. epist 9. Tertul. l. de Corona militis Greg. Nazian orat in CaesariuÌ„ reliq Field in append x. part p. 13 Ibid. p. 4. Chrys hom 69. ad Populâ—um Fulke against Purg. pag. 303. Fulke in c. 21. â— ad Cor sect 22. is a most forcible argument and a great encouragement vnto vs to pray for such as depart not this life in state of deadly sinne Agreeable heereunto it was defined in the Councell of Brachara as the learned Bishop Burchardus who liued about 600. yeares ago recordeth that for such as should cast violent hands vpon themselues no mention should be made in the oblation for them yet for others oblations and prayers were offered as the Councel of Vase of Carthage of Cabilo of Florence and many more haue decreed 9. All our forefathers with vniforme consent absolutly teach and confirme this doctrine their wordes I need not rehearse because the Protestants freely graunt they taught defended and commonly vsed Prayer for the dead Only D. Field to file their sayings to his purpose affirmeth first That the ancients commemorated the departed by rehearsing their names Secondly They offered the Sacrifice of the Eucharist that is of prayse and thankesgiuing for them Thirdly They prayed for men in their passage hence entrance into the other world Fourthly They prayed for the ResurrectioÌ„ publike acquitall in the day of Iudgment and perfect consumation of the departed All which customes obseruations I allow sayth M. Field and approue But he vtterly denyeth That the ancient Catholike Church did generally intend in her prayers and
places The same S. Paul writing to the Corinthians sayth As we haue 1. Cor. 15. v. 49. borne the image of the earthly let vs also beare the image of the heauenly but the Image of earthly Adam we haue truly borne by the deadly impression of internall and hatefull sinne Cent. 3. c. 4. Column 48. therefore we must truly beare the figure of Christ by the beautifull stampe of internall and acceptable grace as Origen cyted by the Centurists doth plainely insinuate and the Apostle likewise confirmeth in his Epistle to the Ephesians Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which according to God is created in Iustice and holynes of Ephes 4. v. 24. truth behold we haue not the new man imputed vnto vs but we put him on vs formed and created not in signe and sanctification but in iustice and holynes of truth and that according to God Besides it is sayd We are buryed with him by ad Rom. 6. Baptisme to the end that as Christ did rise from death so we may walke in newnes of life Vpon which wordes S. Augustine auerreth Aug. in Enchir. cap. 52. That as in Christ there was a true resurrection so in vs there is a true iustification Whosoeuer then detracteth from the truth of our infused iustice detracteth from the verity of Christs resurrection and whosoeuer impayreth the perfection of this darkneth also the glory of that S. Chrysostome commenting vpon that passage of S. Paul aboue cyted You are washed you are sanctifyed you are â— ad Cor. 6. v. 11. iustifyed sayth He sheweth that you are not only made cleane but holy and iust Illuminated and made perfect sayth S. Clement of Alexandria Of old made new of humane diuine sayth S. Gregory Nazianzen Which are most euident testimonyes Clem. l. 1. Pedago cap. 6. Nazian ora in san bap for my purpose yet to leaue no place of tergiuersation to wrangling Sophisters I will further corroborate this chiefe and fundamentall article with other most cleare and irrefragable arguments 8. That grace and renouation is perfect entire and not the effect but the true cause of our iustification by the VVhitak l. 8. aduers Dutaeum very consent of our Aduersaryes which absolueth vs from sinne endueth vs with purity and holynes in the eyes of our Creatour engrafteth vs into Christ vniteth vs vnto God and giueth vs life in him maketh vs his adopted children entitleth vs to the right and purchaseth the inheritance of our eternall kingdome All this is wrought not by any other precedent cause but by that inherent Rom. â— v. 4. iustice or infused charity which God deriueth into our soules therefore that maketh vs truly righteous and iust before the Tribunall of his highnes First it cleanseth vs Ibid. v. 7. from our sins as S. Paul to the Romans defineth saying We are buryed togeather with Christ by Baptisme into death Rom. 8. v. 2. Tertul. l. de resur carn c. 46. Basil de spir san c. 15. Aug. l. 1. de nupt concup c. 22. Lib. de lib. arbit c. 14. 15. 16. de sprit liter 8. 17. What death but the death of sinne of which it immediatly followeth he that is dead is iustifyed from sinne to wit is released and absolued from sinne by the newnes of life wherin he resembleth the resurrection of Christ Againe The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath deliuered me from the law of sinne where Tertullian insteed of deliuered vseth the word manu misit hath set free like a bound man enfranchized and set at liberty by the benignity of his Maister S. Basil explicating the former place sayth The spirit infuseth liuely and reuiuing force recouering our soules from the death of sinne into a new life And S. Augustine the later writeth thus The law of the spirit of life in Christ hath dissolued the guilt of concupiscence procuring remission of all sinnes who doth also often testify that the law of the spirit of life is the grace of the new Testament written in our harts Secondly it doth not only expell the mists of sinne but garnisheth also our soules with the lustre of vertue as I haue already conuinced in my first encounter against M. Abbot which cannot be interpreted Ephes 1. v. 4. of signes of beauty grateful to men who pierce not into the closet of our soule nor behould the light and brightnes therof mentioned aboue Therefore it must Ioan. 15. 1. Cor. c. 12. v 26. needs be expounded of the purity splendour and holynes it displayeth before the face of God according to that of S. Paul He chosevs that we should be holy and immaculate in his sight in charity that is by meanes of his habituall charity harboured in our brests 9. Thirdly this inward renouation doth truely incorporate vs in the mysticall body of our Lord Sauiour Coloss 3. v. 13. Gal. 3. v. 17 Rom. 8. v. 11. Aug. de spir lit c. 29. Rom. 13. v. 13. 14. it engrafteth vs like liuely branches into him our true vine it maketh vs the body of Christ and members of member Doinge on sayth S. Paul to the Collossians the new man him that is renewed vnto knowledge according to the image of him that created him To the Galathians as many of you as are baptized in Christ haue put on Christ. And how haue yee put him on but as the same Apostle testifyeth By his spirit dwelling in you Wherof S. Augustine sayth By the spirit of Christ incorporated made a member of Christ euery one may inwardly affoarding increase accoÌ„plish works of iustice Besids that very word to put on Christ often vsed in holy Write doe on the armour of light doe yee on our Lord Iesus Christ according to the Hebrew * Indui haebraicâ— laâ—aâ— Isa 61. Chrys in 1. c. ad Gal. in c. 3. ad Rom. Cyril l. 9. in Genes Hieron ad Pamach Rom. 6. v. 10. 1. Cor. 6. v. 17. Ioan. 14. v. 23. 1 Cor. 3. v. 16. 17. 1. ep Ioan. c. 3 v. 24. 1. Ioan. 4. v. 16. 1. Ioan. 4. v. 17. Rom. 6. v. 11. Augu. de verbis Apostol ser 18. 28. l. de ciuit Dei c. 24. phrase and allusion to the long gownes of the Iewes signifyeth great plenty and aboundance of grace sanctity and iustice with which they that put on Christ are inwardly clad as it were with a rich and gorgeous robe which doth not only couer the nakednes but wholy adorneth the temple of our soules with heauenly rayes of incomparable vertues Therefore Isay calleth it The vestment of saluation the garment of iustice or coate of ioy as the 70. Interpreters or vestment Iesus as other translate it wherof read S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Hierome 10. Fourthly by this inhabiting grace a true vnion is made a league is contracted betweene God and vs We liue to him Are one spirit with him
Ignatius that men euen then in the next age after Christ began too studiously to loue and reuerence the state of Virginity 3. Concerning the preheminence and merit of Martyrdome they record the like howbeit M. Doctour Field with his wonted procacity outfacingly deposeth The Century writers reproue not the Fathers for any such errour as the Papistes do maynteyne touching the force of martyrdome c. Touching the merite satisfaction and expiation of sinnes which they fancy to be in the bloud of martyrs of which impiety the Father Ignatius in ep ad Antioch ad Herâ— ad Tarsen Field in his 3. book c. 21. fol. 1. â— Cent. 2. c. 4. Col. 64. Clem. in stroÌ„ Igna. in ep ad Smir. ad Antioch Polycar neuer thought Deale once sincerely M. Field I pray belie vs not gaynesay not that which is euident in the Centuristes We allow not any merit satisfaction or expiation of sinnes in the bloud of Martyrs but in the noble resolution of their mind and in the heroicall act of sheeding their blood And of this the Century-writers so vndoubtedly controule the auncient Fathers as he is past all shame who goeth about to deny it I will produce their sayinges and referre them to the iudgement of any not ouerpartiall sectary First chronicling the vnfitting speaches as they terme them because they fit not their errours with which the doctours of the first two hundred yeares garnish the resplendent crowne of Martyrdome thus they write They the Fathers of the next age after Christ beganne to thinke too honourably of Martyrdome in so much as they attribute vnto it a certaine expiation of sinnes For Clemens expresly sayth Martyrdome is a cleansing or expurgation of ossences with glory and Ignatius in diuers of his Epistles speaketh very daungerously of the merit of Martyrdome Then proceeding Cent. 3. c. 4. col 85. Tertul in Scorpiaco in Apologia in lib. de anima Origen Homil. 7. in lud Cypr. l. 2. epist. 6. to the Fathers of the third hundred yeares to Tertullian Origen and S. Cyprian All the Doctours say they of this age extoll Martyrdome beyond measure For Tertullian doth almost equall it with Baptisme Filth or dregs sayth he are washed away by Baptisme but spots are made white with Martyrdome And iÌ„n his Apology Who when it cometh to passe doth not long to suffer that he may purchase the grace of God that he may obteine all pardon from him by the satisfaction or recompense of his bloud for to this worke all sinnes are forgiuen And in his booke of the soule Yf thou diest for God thy bloud is the whole key of Paradise But Origen much more insolently then Tertullian preferreth Martyrdome before Baptisme and holdeth vs to be made more pure by that then by Baptisme Likewise that by Baptisme sinnes passed are scowred forth but by Martyrdome future are killed he sayth that Diuells cannot appeach the soules of Martyrs for so much as they are rinsed in their owne liquour clarified in their death washed in their bloud Cyprian also affirmeth immortality to be gayned by the bloud of Martyrs And in his booke of exhortation to Martyrdome he aduenturously teacheth Martyrdome to be a Baptisme greater in fauour more subly me in power in honour more precious then the Baptisme of regeneration In the Baptisme of water the remission of sinnes is receaued in that of bloud the Lawrell of vertues Hitherto the Centurists word by word who if they reprooue not the Fathers for the same errour which we maintaine if they assigne not to the excellency of martyrdome out of the Fathers writinges Merit Recompence Satisfaction Expiation Purging Cleansing forgiuenes of sinnes clarity whitenes immortality glory the laurell of vertues the key of Paradise which openeth the gates of heauen then let M. Feildes shameles wantones in denying be accounted hereafter well aduised sobernes in excusing these thinges 4. Other Protestant writers although they treate not of Martyrdome in particular yet of merit in particular they accuse the auncient Church Bullinger auoucheth Bulling vpon the Apoca. ser 87. fol. 270. Humfrey Ies part 2. pag. 530. Bell in his downe fall pag. 61. The doctrine of merit satisfaction and iustification of workes did incontinently after the Apostles time lay their first foundation Doctour Humfrey It may not be denied but that Irenaeus Clement and others haue in their writings the opinions of freewill and merit of workes Doctour Whitgift Almost all the Bishops of the Greke Church Latin also for the most part were spotted with doctrins of freewil of merit of inuocation of Saintes c. Some wraÌ„gler may cauill as Bell the Apostata doth that the merit which the primitiue Church allowed is not the same which we defend but the merit of impetration only as though merit were not a thing quite different from impetration 1. The begger doth impetrate he doth not merit his almes The hired seruant meriteth he doth not impetrate his wages 2. Merit ariseth from the worthines of desert impetration from the earnestnes only of request 3. That is grounded in some title of iustice or clayme of right this in meere prayers and supplications directly excluding the right of clayme 4. That hath intrinsecall reference to a due reward or payment presupposing a dignity in the worke this to a liberall gift without any respect to the value of the worke wherefore seeing S. Gregory Naziazen sayth that for good workes we may exact reward not as grace but as a plaine debt seeing the rest auow with Nazian ora 3. in hap him that we deserue heauen as the stipend or crowne of our workes they cannot be wrested to be vnderstood of impetration but of true and proper merit or else the Magdeburgian Protestants with their english Collegues were to blame in reprehending the Fathers for that kind of merite which for impetration no doubt they would neuer haue done 5. Neuertheles it is obiected that eternall life is the free ad Rom. 6. v. 23. 1. Io. 5. v. â—1 Abbot in his defence c. 5. very often gift of God imparted by grace bestowed vpon vs of mercy That it is proposed in scripture vnder the condition of an inheritance which befalleth to children without their desertes I graunt all this yet I find that as it is affirmed to be giuen by grace so also to be gotten by violence as it is called a free gift so a price or reward as a goale of mercy so a crowne of iustice as an inheritance belonging to children so a payment hire or wages purchased by workmen deserued of labourers Aug. ep 105. de correp gra c. 13. in enâ—h c. 107. lib. arb c. 8. 9. Therefore we ought not so to adhere to one text or manner of speach that we defeate the force of the others as Protestants are accustomed but we must allot to euery one the life and vigour of their natiue signification We allow therefore that our happy life is a
is the generall cause of mans saluation God will haue all men to be saued yet besides that will sufficient for their saluation he must haue a determinate and speciall will for the sauing of this or that man in particuler The same I auow in our present case But M. Reynoldes replyeth Reyn. pag. 463. in his confe with M. Hor◠Heb. 10. v. 18. 26. That there is not left an offering for sinne after the death of Christ I answere with the same forenamed Canus that as Almighty God hauing once created the vniuersall cause of light need not produce a new Sunne Moone or Starres as a Physitian hauing made one generall and during medicine to heale all kind of diseases neuer needeth to deuise any other In like manner our mercifull Redeemer who offered one perfect and superaboundant ranfome by which he defrayed the whole debt of sinne hath no necessity at all to make the like purchase any more Which S. Paul mentioneth when he sayth There is not left an offering for sinne to wit any generall offering by which the debt of sinne should be discharged a new Notwithstanding as in the former examples the Sun vseth diuers succeeding illuminations by which euery Coast of the world partaketh his light as the Phisitian composeth sundry potions to minister vnto his Patients the vertue of his sole and single medicine after the same māner the church of God maketh many proper peculiar Oblations to accomodate vnto our seuerall necessityes the soueraigne fruit of that one and principall sacrifice We see that when the King granteth a general pardon to all guilty persons it seldome auaileth any particuler offender except he sue it forth out of the Court of Chancery vnder the seale and warrant of his Maiesty no lesse can that great Charter of pardon which Christ vouchsafed to purchased by his death be beneficiall vnto vs except we receaue it vnder his seale and signet that is according to his commandment from such Officers as he ordained to offer and dispense his heauenly blessings Neither may we iustly be censured by this meanes partial redeemers or sauers of our selues or concurre any more to our owne saluation then the Fellon concurreth to acquite himselfe of his fellonyes who sueth forth the pardon his King promulgated Or the sicke person to the recouery of his health who drinketh the potion his his Physitian tempereth 24. Thirdly our Aduersaryes obiect That the often iteration of the Iewish Sacrifice the continuall succession and multiplication Reyn. in his Confer with M. Hart. c. 9. diuis 4. Sparkes in answere to M. Iohn d'Albins of their Priests bewrayed both the infirmity of the one and defect of the other Wherefore if we daily repeate the sacrifice of the Crosse we prophane sayth M. Reynolds the bloud of Christ If we ordaine and multiply our Priests we abase sayth Maister Sparkes the prerogatiue or impeach the sunction of Christs priesthood I answere that the multitude of old Priestes was a note of imperfection for that euen the chiefe of them were many in equall dignity succeeding one another who neither by themselues being sinners nor by the sanctity of any of their order whose roome they supplyed were sufficiently gracious vnto God But the Priests of the new Law as they are all vnited amongst themselues in the same deputation and ministery so they haue not many but one chiefe they all depend of one holy and impolluted head Christ Iesus to whome they are not as M. Sparkes mistaketh any successours but Sparks p. 7. 9. 23. Deputyes and Viceregents dispensers of his holy Mysteryes And therefore neither can the diuersity of their persons or multitude of such Ministers import any want or defect in the eternall Priest or Bishop of our soules when as by them he no way looseth or surceaseth but still continueth not according to their imperfection but according to his owne excellency the sacred office of his euerlasting Priesthood 25. In like manner to the other braunch of their obiection I yield that the variety of the Leuiticall Hosts bewrayed their weaknes because the Iewes had neither any holy and innocent Priest by whome they had accesse vnto God nor any Host pure and vnspotted Which caused them to offer diuers poore distinct and naked Elements shaddowes of things to come an euident signe of the vnprofitablenesse of the Law But we doe not so we haue one only Host holy and vndefiled this we soly sacrifice vnto God We offer not as S. Ambrose testifyeth Ambr. in c. 10. ad Haebr now one lambe to morrow another but alwayes the selfe same thing c. One Christ in euery place heer whole and there whole one body Not another sacrifice sayth S. Chrysostome as the Chrys hom 17. in epist ad Haeb. Sparks in the places aforenamed high Priest of the old law but the selfe same we do alwayes offer Neither is this repeated againe as though Christ had not offered it well inough as M. Sparkes still cauilleth neither to purchase any new price of Redemption as others contend but only to dispense and apply the treasures of his mercy once purchased for vs. In which we do derogate no more from the high preheminēce of that sauing Host then we detract from the absolute and generall pardon of our Prince when by diuers Notaryes it is copied forth for the behoofe and benefite of sundry Malefactours 26. In fine as M. Bilson and other Sectaryes allow the Bils 4 par pag. 688. 689. c. Caluin l. 4. Insti c. 28. preaching of the word the sacramēt of Baptism the supper of our Lord to be not only memoryes but also applications of Christs bountifull merits without any impeachment to his bitter Passion Why may not we by the same authority without any derogation to the Oblation of the Crosse approue our sacrifice of Masse both as a liuely memoriall to expresse in the neerenesse of it selfe the death of Christ and as an application conduct or conueyance to deriue the waters of grace frō that ouerflowing fountaine of his precious bloud 27. Another obiection M. Bell affoardeth them out of the Epistle to the Romans Christ rysing againe from the Bell in his downfall of Popery 9. p. Rom. 6. v. 9 dead henceforth dyeth no more The Papists sayth he tell vs a contrary tale that he dyeth euery day yea a thousand tymes a day in the dayly sacrifyce of their Masse It is most false that Christ suffereth in our sacrifice cruell violent and iniurious death of which S. Paul there speaketh he only dyeth after an hidden mysticall and impassible manner which is not contrary but agreable to S. Pauls doctrine conformable to the institution of Christ vvho commanded vs not only to preach teach or belieue but to Doe that solemne and mysticall action vvhich he performed of Luc. 22. consecrating the bread into his body vnder one kind vvine into his bloud vnder another to represent thereby his body
for euer from the sight of his countenance and hath his soule infected with the vgly spot of sinne which the Schoolmen tearme Malum culpae The euill or desormity of the fault By the second he is liable to punishment and made guilty of the perpetuall paines of Hell 2. Secondly all * Greg. de Valen. disput 7. q. 14. puncto 1. de Satisfact S. Thomas 1. 1. q. 87. artiâ—ulo 6. alij communiter in eum locum Apoc. 18. ver 7. Field in ap pen. 1. par pag 66. Field vbi supra l. 3. of the Church cap. 16. and in append part 1. pag. 42. 43. Field ibideÌ„ pag. 43. Catholike Deuines accord that a deadly sinne being pardoned after Baptisme the whole guiltnesse of the fault is taken away in regard of the contagion it included and priuation of Gods grace But the guiltinesse and desert of punishment albeit it be vtterly released in respect of the eternall duration yet oftentimes some temporall chastisement remaineth to be suffered greater or lesser according to the measure of vnlawfull delights taken in sinne which the Holy Ghost enacted in the Apocalyps As much as shee hath glorified her selfe in delicacies so much torment mourning heape vpon her These be the immoueable grounds of true Theologie 3. Our Sectaries herein dissent from vs chiefly in this later point affirming no punishment to remaine where the fault is remitted For saith M. Field Where grace is so perfect that it expelleth sinfulnesse there it must worke aperfect reconciliation to God with which the guilt of punishement cannot stand Againe Charity saith he in such perfection as is able to purge out all impurity of sinne implieth dislike of that which in sinning was ill affected and sorrow for the same equtualent to the pleasure and delight taken in sinning and consequently doth satisfie God in suchsort as that no punishment shall come vpon him that so sorroweth Thirdly Christ quoth he suffered all that the iustice of God requireth not onely for the staine but also for the punishment due to sinne either before or after Baptisme to be committed therefore whensoeuer we are wholy purged by the infusion of Christs sanctifying grace from the deformity of all faults we are in like manner by the imputation of Christs satisfactory workes fully discharged from all touch of punishment And the contrary he dubbeth An heresie of the Papists And M. Fulke accounteth it Horrible blasphemy against the effect of Christs Passion Fulke in c. 8. ad Rom. sect 4. in ca. 2. 2. ad Cor. sect 2. Mat. 26. Ioan. â—0 Act. 24. v. 14. 4. But of such blasphemy the Sonne of God was appeached by the Scribes and Pharisies And of such heresy Tertullus the Oratour of the Iewes accused S. Paul Therefore we confesse with him that according to the way which you call heresy we doe so serue the Father our God belieuing all things that are written in the law and the Prophets Where it is often recorded that the Diuine Maiesty hath iustly inflicted vpon some the fine of punishment after the whole debt of sinne hath byn discharged God pardoned at the intercession of Moyses the crime of Idolatry the Iewes committed in adoring the golden Calfe notwithstanding he sayd I will visit this their sinne in the day of reuenge God pardoned the sister of Moyses and receaued her into his fauour Exod. 32. v. 34. he punished her notwithstanding with seauen dayes leprosy God pardoned King Dauict his murther adultery and pronounced absolution by the mouth of his Prophet Nathan Our Lord hath forgiuen thy sinne neuerthelesse Num. 12. v. 15. he imposed this penance and satisfaction But the Sonne which is borne of thee shalt dye God pardoned Adam our first Progenitour as appeareth in the booke of Wisdome 2. Reg. â—2 v. 13. 14. albeit after reconciliation he was not exempted from that heauy curse Because thou hast giuen eare to the voyce of thy wife accursed be the earth in thy worke Moreouer the Apostle reporteth Sap. 10. Vers 2. Gen. 3. Vers 27. 1. Cor. 11. Vers 30. Aug. tract 114. in Io. Droductior est poena quà m culpa ne parus putaretur culpâ— c. of certaine punished with death and grieuous diseases for their vnworthy receauing although some of them as we may piously suppose were reconciled to God before their departure 5. And not to be ouer long in particular examples all mankind feeleth the bitter scourge and calamitie of sinne as hunger cold wants sicknesses and death the iust imposed penalties of our fore-fathers transgression Notwithstanding many haue had the guiltinesse thereof cleansed before by the Sacrament of Baptisme Therefore S. Augustine most notably sayth The punishment is more prolonged then the fault least the fault might be little accounted of if the punishment ended with it S. Irenaeus writing of the pressures inflicted vpon Adam Eue and their posterity affirmeth Irand 3 cap. 35. They were thus chastised that neyther accursed they might wholy perish be abandoned of God nor without correction might perseuere contemning God 6. With these might be numbred diuers others who Aug tract 50. homil ho. 50 Cyp. serm de opere eleemosyn l. 1. ep 3. Hier. ep ad Eustochium de obitu Paulae Amb. l. ad virg laps cap. 8. Orig. hom 15. in Leuit. Tertul. l. de Poeniten Lact. de verasapionca 17. li. 6. de vero cultis cap. 13. Bafil in Psa 29. exponens vers ilâ—â—â—â— Conuertisti planctum meum c. Greg Naz. orat de Pauperum amore Pacianus in paraenesi ad Poenit. teach that the punishment remayning after sinne remitted by teares almesdeeds and other workes of Penance may be mitigated and released Of which mind S. Augustine is in his treatise of 50. Homilies And S. Cyprian sayth Sinnes and staines contracted after baptisme may by almesdeeds be washed away And in another place Our offences by satisfaction may be redeemed S. Hierome Long laughter ought to be recompensed with continuall weeping S. Ambrose A great crime needeth great satisfaction And therefore Origen calleth our good workes The price or ransome by which sinnes are redeemed Tertullian Lactantius S. Basill S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Pacianus and all the ancient Fathers preach nothing more then Penance and Satisfaction for offences past The ancient * Conc. Turonen Can. 22. Concil Laodicen ca. 2. Concil Ancyr can 4. 5. 8. 9. Conc. â— Nicen. can 11. Theodor. l. 4. haeret fabularum Dan. 4. Luc. 3. vers 8. 1. Cor. 11. Chrys hom 42. in Mat. Beda in cap. 11. 1 ad Cor. Matth. 4. Councels prescribe place of Penance tyme of SatisfactioÌ„ The ancient Priests after Confession inioyned Penance imposed Satisfaction The ancient Church condemned certaine Heretikes called Audiani because they gaue remission to such as confessed without prescribing tyme of Penance The Apostles the Prophets and Christ himself often exhorteth hereunto Daniel counselled Nabuchodonosor Redeeme thy sinnes with almedeeds
S. Iohn in the desert with habit with meate with voyce with deeds cryed Yield fruits worthy of Penance S. Paul saith If we did iudge our selues we should not be iudged which S. Chrysostome and Venerable Bede expound of seuere iudiciall affliction of our selues that we may not be punished of God Finally Christ himselfe began his preaching with this precept Doe Penance for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand 7. Diuers euasions M. Fulke and the rest of his faction heer seeke They answere that the penaltyes inflicted by Fulke in c. 2. â— Cor. sect 2. in c. 3. Matth. sect 4. c. Caluin l. 3. Inst ca. 4. the ancient Canons by the Apostles or by the hand of God were 1. For the publike discipline of the Church 2. For the exercise of vertue 3. As the fruits of true repentance 4. As cautions to beware of future sinnes Tet no way to saâ—isfy the Iustice of God for precedent faults But the Scripture flatly declareth the affliction I mentioned to haue beene imposed for offences past The Prophet Nathan sayd to K. Dauid Because thou hast made thy enemyes blaspheme the name of our Lord for 2. Reg. 12. v. 14. Exod. 32. v. 34. Hier. epist 12. ad Gaud. this word the Son that is borne to thee shal dye And God himself sayd I in the day of reuenge will visit this their sinne Therfore he meant to punish their offence which notwithstanding was pardoned if we belieue S. Hierome 8. Likewise many innocent babes after the spot of Originall infection is cleansed by Baptisme are daily afflicted with the panges of sicknes with the agony of death not for the exercise of vertue nor for Penitentiall correction or future amendment of which they are vncapable but for the reuenge and chastisement of our first Fathers sinne Neither can we say that the death of King Dauids child was principally sent vnto him as a fruitefull caution or token of sorrow because he with teares with fasting with lying on the ground sought to shun it as much as he could which so vertuous a Prince would neuer haue done if it had beene any profitable caution or fruit of repentance much lesse could it be any Penitentiall correction for the publike satisfaction and discipline of the Church because he was so vnwilling to haue it Psa â— v. 7. Psa 34. v. 1â— Psal 101. ver 10. 3. Reg. 21. ver 27. Ionae 3. v. â— 7. 8. Hiero. in his comm vpon the 3. of Ionas Ionae 3. v. 9. 10. Vid. Fran Riberum in cap. 3. Ionae in cap. 1. Naâ—um Aug. hom 5. ex 50. homilijâ—â— 5 Non sufficit moresin melius c. nisi etiam de his quae facta sunt fatisâ—ias Deo c. Aug. in Enâ—hyr ad Laurent â— 70. Cyp. ser de Lapfis Cyp. tract de oper Eleâ—mosyn Châ—ys hom 41. ad Popul Antio Lact. l. 5. diâ— iâ—sti ca. 13. Orig. ho. 3. in l. ludic Amb. l. 2. de Poenitâ—n cap. 5. come to passe vsing so many meanes to pacify God another way neither is it likely that the Church would haue inflicted such a punishment vpon him the teares likewise he shed in so great aboundance as he washed with them euery night his Couch the humbling of his soule in fasting the minglâ—ng of his bread with ashes the wearing of sackcloth and meruailous humility which King Achab shewed the afflictions and voluntary fastings which the Niniuites their King their children their cattell endured were neither vsed for example to others or for amendment of their liues heereafter or for any other cause to asswage the wrath of God recompence the wrong their sinnes had done already pardoned by the secret Contrition sorrow of their harts as togeather with the interpretation of S. Hierome vpon this place the very wordes of the Niniuites Gods answere vnto them do both make manifest The Niniuiâ—es intention was to satisfy God saying Who knoweth whether God will turue and pardon and returne from the fury of his indignation The Prophet replyeth in his person And God saw their works not the repentance only of their inward harts but the Pennance and Satisfaction of their outward workes and Herepented him of the euill he spake against them Howbeit they after slyding back into their former wickednes the subuersion of their Citty ensued which the Prophet foretold 9. Besides the authorityes of the Fathers are also pregnant that the punishments of which they speake were not only inflicted for exercise of present vertue or preuenting of future euills but also to satisfy God and redeeme offences past as nothing can be more euidently recorded S. Augustine pronounceth It is not inough to chang our manners to the better and decline from euills vnles God be also satisfyed for those things which be past by the griâ—â— of Pennance by the mourning of humility by the sacâ—ifice of a contrite hart almesdees cooperating thereunâ—o And in another place By almesdeeds for offences past God is to be made propitious and fauourable S. Cyprian God is to be implored our Lord is to be pacifyed with our Satisfaction Againe By good-workes God ought to be satisfyed by merits of mercy sinnes should be purged S. Chrysostome Let vs take reueng of our selues so we shall appease our Iudge Lactantius It is lawfull to satisfy God Origen As much tyme as thou hast spent in sinning so long humble thy selfe to God and satisfy him in Confession of Pennance S. Ambrose He that doth Pennance should not only wash away his offence with teares but with perfecter workes ought to couer and hide former faults that sinne may not be imputed vnto him â—asil interro 12. in eg breuioribus Psal 100. 10. S. Basil sheweth the reason heereof saying Albeit God in his only begotten Sonne as much as lyeth in him hath granted remission of sinnes to all yet because mercy and iudgement are ioyned togeather by the holy Prophet and he witnesseth God to be both mercifull and iust it is necessary that those thinges which are spoken of Pennance by the Prophets and Apostles be performed by vs that the iudgments of Gods iustice may appeare and his mercy Greg. Na zian orat insancta luâ—ina be consumated to the condonation of sinners For as S. Gregory Nazianzen sayth It is a like euill remission without chastisment and chastisement without pardon because the one letteth go the raines too far the other restraineth them too much Wherefore that God may carry ouer vs an euen hand that his clemency may be mingled with some seuerity his iustice and mercy may meete togeather although he alwayes of mercy pardoneth the iniquity of repentant sinners yet he often bindeth them ouer to some temporall chastisement to satisfy thereby the rigour of his iustice as in the partiall iudgment of our professed enemyes all antiquity heerein Caluin l. 3. Inst c. 4. §. 8. Calu. 4 c. 12. §. 8. Kemnitius 2. par exam p. 181.
Bulling ser 87. super Apoc. fol. 270. Centu. 3. col 127. Centu. 4. col 254. Centu. 5. c. 4. 10. Cent. 6. 7. 8. c. witnesseth with vs. 11. Caluin sayth I am little moued with the Sentences of the Fathers which concerning Satisfaction do euery where occurre I see truely some of them I will speake simply in a manner all of them whose bookes are extant were either deceaued in this point or spake tooto roughly and crabbedly Againe In this point the immoderate austerity of the Ancients can by no meanes be excused which disagreed from the prescribed order of our Lord and was aboue measure dangerous Kemnitius noting the like speaches of the Fathers reprehendeth them As hyperbolically spoken inconsideratly vttered too much ouerreaching the Truth Bullinger affirmeth Satisfaction and iustification of workes incontinently after the Apostles tyme layed their first foundation The Centurists record That in the tymes of Cyprian and Terullian PennaÌ„ce or Satisfaction was inioyned according to the quality of the fault And in the age immediatly following which was foure hundred yeares after Christ they write A Priest was appointed who absolued his Peâ—â—tents vpon this condition that Vvbitian his answer to M. Ed. Campians 5. reason pag 1 9. they should exact punishment of themselues for their offences past The same professed doctrine they report to haue continued in the fiue hundred and six hundred yeares after Christ by the euident testimonyes of S. Chrysostome S. Augustine S. Leo Cassianus Hesychiuss Prosper S. Gregory S. Isidore and Venerable Bede 12. D. Whitaker in his answere to M. Campians ibidem reasons professeth of S. Cyprian he wrote something of repentance very vnseasonably and indiscreetly and not he alone but all the holy Fathers of that tyme were tainted with that errour immediatly D. Hâ—mâ— â—esu par 2. rat 5. pag. 540. Ibidem pag 439. 543. after They made the greatest part of repentance to consist in certaine outward disciplines c. they thought the punishmeÌ„t of sinne to be discharged Gods iustice satisfyed freedome from sin and certaine forgiuenes with righteousnes heereby to be procured heerein they diminished the power of Christs death they attributed too much to their owne inuentions and in a word depraued the doctrine of repentance D. Humfrey among many sentences of S. Cyprian which he like a bold Censor condemneth reiecteth also this as harsh and crabbed By our satisfactions lamentations sinnes are redeemed and wounds by tears are washed Printed Anno Do. 1606. Bullinger vbi supra The Centurists Caluin and D. Humfâ—â—y locis citat VVbitakerin his answer to â— EdmuÌ„d Campian translâ—ted into â—nglish c. away Then taking vpon him the defence and Apology of his fornamed complices Whitaker and the Magdeburgians he alloweth their seuere censuring of the Fathers and only excuseth them That they do not condemne all of the third hundred yeare but the most part to haue depraued the doctrin of Pennance which they collect out of Tertullian Origen Cyprian Thus he Insinuating that besides these or the most part of that age there were some of his hidden and inuisible congregation who wrote the contrary But because M. Whitaker knew not who these were not in what corners of the Skye they composed their bookes he in his English Treatise intituled An Answere to the reasons of Edmund Campian c. Whereunto is added in briefe Marginall notes the summe of the Defence of those reasons against Duraeus c. boldly protesteth as I haue quoted him all the holy Fathers of that tyme were tainted with that errour 13. Notwithstanding be it so that Whitaker only reproueth the most part of the Fathers let this be the Protestant Printers or Translatours fault or be it so that you haue since corrected his Latin Copy Is there yet any dealing more audacious any madnesse more blind then this to confesle That satisfaction layd her foundation incontinently after the Apostles tyme To confesse that S. Cyprian Origen Tertullian almost all the holy Fathers of the first 300. or 400. yeares in a manner all whose workes are extant do command Pennance exact SatisfactioÌ„ To confesse they thought by outward disciplines of repentance to satisfy Gods Justice And neuerthelesse presume to say They were deceaued they diminished the power of Christs death they attributed too much to their owne inuemious Is there any dealing I say more audacious Any madnes more blind then this Doctour Field had once the grace to write The imagination that the Field in ap 1. par so 2. Fathers generally from the beginning were in errour is so barbarous a conceit that it cannot enter into the hart of any reasonable man Caluin then by this censure was no man of reason D. Whitaker voyd of reason D. Humfrey and all the former Protestants without sense and reason all rude and barbarous whose harts once harboured and pens haue vttered this barbarous conceit Grosly mistaken partly by those vngrounded reasons M. Field and Fulke proposed at the beginning partly by some other texts of Scripture I shall presently refute 14. To M. Fildes first argument I answere and deny Field in append â— par pag. 66. That the guils of punishment cannot stand with perfect reconciliation to God For you must vnderstand that he who sinneth against his diuine Maiesty doth not only breake with him the bands of friendship but violateth also the lawes of justice and that which repaireth the one doth not alwaies requite the other Therefore a sinner may receaue sufficient grace to be perfectly reconciled vnto God in respect of his loue and friendship and remaine stil subject to some fatherly correction or temporall punishment to make vp the breach recompence the wrong of justice M. Field vrgeth againe That as Charity reneweth the friendship of God so sorrow equiualent to the pleasure taken in sinning satisfyeth him for the debt of punishment I acknowledge Field vbi supra that God may infuse such feruent Charity such perfect sorrow or true Contrition as the Deuines call it as may both cancell the fault and acquit the sinner of all future punishment but this is a peculiar fauour not granted to all not to Adam not to Eue not to Moyses and Aaron Rein. in his cor fe c. 8. diuis 4. fo 517 c â— Phil. Mornay l. 3. de Euchar. c. 2 Caluin l. 3. Inst c. 12. §. 4. Field in his 3. booke of the Chur. c. 16. Push in ca 8. ep ad Rom. sect 4. in c. 2. 2. ad Cor. sect 2. not to King Dauid A man according to the heart of God Of these and such others who arriue not to this depth of sorrow our former doctrine is verified 15. And I wonder not a litle M. Field or any of his complices should auerre that such Charity or sorrow could proceed from man as were able not only to purge out the staine of vice but free vs also from the chastisment when as Reynolds
sin Aug. ibidem And a little after Thou pardonest him that confesseâ—h Thou pardonest him but punishing himselfe So mercy and truth accord Mercy because man is deliuered truth because sinne is punished THE EIGHT CONTROVERSY APPROVETH The doctrine and practise of Indulgences against D. Fulke and other Sectaryes CHAP. I. IF the vse or rather abuse of Pardons were such as the Hussits heertofore the Waldenses the Thaborits and the Protestants now of late haue buzzed Ioan. Cocaeus l. de hist Hussitarum Synodus Constant â—es 2. Greg. de Valentia tom 4. disp 7. q. 20. puncto â— into the eares of their wretched followers accursed were the Pen vnhappy the Man who would vndertake their defence But sith all their reports are pernicious calumnyes which issue from mindes corrupted with malice I will briefly propose what Pardons or Indulgences are then what grounds to authorize them we haue out of Scripture 2. Indulgence therfore is a mercifull relaxation or absolutioÌ„ of temporall punishment due to sin by applying out of the Sacrament the superabundant satisfactions of Christ and his Saints by him that hath lawfull authority To manifest the truth of this definition two principal pointes generally denyed by Fulke and his Consorts I am now to demonstrate First that there What Indulgences are is a certaine surplussage or common treasure of publike Satisfaction in the Church Secondly that this treasure may be communicated to such as need proportionably to the punishment their sinnes require Concerning the former In one and the same action achieued in the fauour of God a double valew may be considered the one of merit the other of satisfaction The merit is drawne froÌ„ the worthinesse of the worke as it floweth from the fountaine of supernaturall grace the satisfaction ariseth from the painfulnesse difficulty or annoyance which is takeÌ„ in performing the same And because euery good and pious act of necessity beareth this heauenly stampe of grace and is commoÌ„ly attended with some paine difficulty euery such action is both meritorious of heauen and satisfactory for the delight taken in sinning both which it hath pleased God to set downe by the Scribes and Secretaries of his holy will 3. S. Marke speaking of a charitable Almes-deed affirmeth it meritorious Whosoeuer shall giue you to drinke a Mar. 9. vers 40. Matth. 25. vers 35. cup of water in my name c. he shall not loose his reward And S. Matthew testifieth that heauen is giuen as merited herby For I was hungry and you gaue me to eat c. And that the same worke is also satisfactory Toby anoucheth Almesdeeds deliuer vs from sinne and death Salomon confirmeth As water quencheth fire so Alsmesdeeds extinguish sinne Which Toâ— 4. v. 11. Eccles v. 35. cannot be meant of blotting out the guilt of any mortall crime wholy remitted by repentance therefore it is vnderstood of satisfiyng for the punishment to which a sinner is liable Neither is there any reason why the same worke of prayer for example may be meritorious to him that prayeth and propitiatory in the sight of God to obtaine some benefit vnto others if it may not be also satisfactory for their sinnes because the excellency of the worke from which merit proceedeth is nothing lessened but rather augmeÌ„ted by reason of the painfulnes the painfulnes froÌ„ which SatisfactioÌ„ is made more precious in regard of the dignity So that merit may well comply in the same action with Satisfaction and Satisfaction agree with merit Yet there is a great difference betweene them for no man can merit for others but satisfie he may Christ only hath merited both grace and glory for vs all and throughly satisfied for our sinnes The vertue of his merits communicated vnto vs by our meritorious deeds we can deriue to none but our selues the fruit of his satisfaction we may apply by our satisfactory workes both to our selues and to our fellow members 4. Besides no man can merit so much but he may daily increase merit more and it is impossible to arriue to such height of perfection in the way of merit but the crowne of reward shall infinitly surpasse the worthinesse of our deserts For the sufferances of this tyme are not condigne Rom. 8. 18. Bernar. de conuers ad Clericos serm 30. to the glory to come They are not answerable sayth S. Bernard to the precedent fault which is remitted nor to the present grace which is infused nor to the future glory which is promised vnto vs. But they may be notwithstanding in the way of Satisfaction more theÌ„ inough to discharge the debt of punishment for that being rated according to the proportion of the faultâ— As the measure of sinne such shall be the nuÌ„ber Deut. 25. of stripes Many zealous Penitents and perfect followers of Christ haue indured more penall afflictions then the satisfaction of their sinne required Now the surplussage or supererogation of these spirituall satisfactions which auance Nazian orat 4â— quae est orat 2. in Pascha In extraâ— Vnigeniâ— de poenis remis 1. Pet. 1. Psalm â—â—â— Basil exponens verbâ— Psal 48. Chrys hom 10. in ep ad Ronaâ—oâ— to some are not vayne or superfluous but make vp one complete masse of passions which abound in the Church chiefly through the sufferings of Christ and our B. Lady For first if euery drop of Christs precious bloud as S. Gregory Nazianzen doth insinuate and Clement the sixt define if euery prayer he made and worke he achieued might haue beene sufficient to haue satisfied for the sinnes of all mankind what a great price what a copâ—ous redemption what an inestimable ransome did he offer for vs A price saith S. Basil surpassing all valew A ransome which as much exceedeth saith S. Chrysostome the summe of our iniquities as the maine Ocean surmounteth a little sparke of fire cast into it 5. Likewise our Blessed Lady who neuer spotted with the staine of sinne who replenished with the fountaine of grace went daily forward increasing in many charitable and painefull workes had a rich heap of satisfactions to augment the summe before mentioned Fulke in c. 1. ad Colos sect 4. Matth. 1. Which because M. Fulke is ashamed to confesse he villanously denyeth by the instigation no doubt of some infernall spirit this immaculate purity of the Virgin Mary and belcheth forth out of his impure breast If she * He speaketh absolutly and accuseth our B. Lady aswell of actuall as of originall sin as appeareth out of his aâ—not in c. 3. Mar. sect Scotus in 3. sent dist 3. quaest 1. Zuarez Tomo 2. in 3. part distinct 3. sect 5. Bonauâ—n 3. dist 3. q. 2. Aug. Ep. 57. neuer sinned how can she reioyce in God her Sauiour How can she be one of Christs people who was called Iesus because he should saue his people from their sinnes Blasphemous Catiffe who would not vnderstand that Christ might redeeme his Mother as Scotus and
made Before Iudgment after Iudgment or at the tyme of Iudgment You cannot say before IudgmeÌ„t For such as we are found in the last moment of this life such are we summoned before the tribunall seate of God according to many passages of holy Scripture which S. Gregory in his dialogues gathereth togeather according to Greg. l. 4. dial c. 39. 1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 5. ad Rom. 2. ad Gala. 6. Marc. 13. v. 36. v. 17. the expresse words of S. Paul which I shall quote in the next Chapter And according to that of S. Marke where God sayth he shall find in the houre of death some sleepy some breeding and beginning to do well Woe be vnto them Neither can this Purgation be either at or after IudgmeÌ„t For the Iudgment of God is according to truth therfore such as Protestants are presented before his throne such are they iudged They are presented before him not wholy purged but tainted with the corruption the last actions of life draw as they faine from the poisoned fountaine of Nature Therfore they must be iudged guilty of sinne defiled with those filthy dregs And whereas you obstinatly also defend that the wages of all sin without Fayth Fulk in c. 1. Ep. 1. â—â— sect 5. and Repentance is eternall death no sentence of remission but the irreuocable doom of euerlasting damnatioÌ„ ought to be pronounced against all that dye of your profession vnles you repeale the Law of God recorded by Salomon Eccles c. 11. vers 3. Where the tree falleth there it shal be or coÌ„trary to the decree of our inexorable Iudge allot tyme to belieue and place to repent after the warfarre of this life is ended to them Field vbi supra that haue their sinnes as M. Field sayth remitted in the first moment of the next Cypr. l 4. Ep. 2. Orig. hom 6. in Eâ—â—â—d Aug. in â—0 hom hom 16. Dan. 7. vers 10. 28. Lastly the Fathers do not only require an instant but longer space of punishment after this life according to the remaines of sinne S. Cyprian sayth One thing it is a long tyme punished for trespasses to be amended and purged by fire another to abolish all faults by suffering for Christ Origen All must come vnto the fire all to the forge c. If any one bring a little iniquity that little like lead ought to be consumed with fire and if more heauy or leady metall he is more burned that more may be wasted and melted forth S. Augustine discoursing Amb. in c. 12. Luc. Tertul. â— de anima c. 17. Greg. Nazian orat in S. lumina Lactan. l. 7. cap. â—1 Eus Emis hom 3. de Epipha Hilar. in Psal 118. of that propheticall speach mentioned by Daniel A fiery and violent floud ranne before the face of our Lord Some sayth he in the next life shall passe throâ—gh a fiery lake and horrible shallowes full of burning flames as much as shall remaine of the drosse of sinne so long shall the delay of passage be S. Ambrose So long is euery one exercised with noysome paynes vntill he pay the punishment of his faulty errour Tertullian S. Gregory Nazianzen Lactantius Eusebius Emissenus and S. Hilary haue many worthy sentences to this purpose which cannot be interpreted of M. Fields momentary Purgation nor of the guilt of sinne which without repentance deserueth damnation but either of the punishment due to former faults or of the saultines of lesser sinnes which are of their owne nature veniall or pardonable the chiefest points I intended to proue in this Chapter the confutation of Obiections I referre to the next THE SECOND CHAPTER WHEREIN Praier for the Dead is defended against the foresaid Doctors M. Field and M. Fulke PVRGATORY Praier for the Dead are lincked together in such mutuall dependency the one with the other as S. Isidore teacheth by the proofe of the latter by necessary consequence the former ensueth Because if our praiers releeue the soules departed they caÌ„not be in state of happinesse for then they should not need Isido l. de diuin offi c. de Sacrif them nor in the state of damnation for then our indeauours could not auaile them Therefore in the state of Purgatory they suffer punishment for their former misdeeds from which they be freed by the Praiers Almsdeeds and other charitable workes of the faithfull vpon earth as the Holy Ghost witnesseth in the booke of Machabees 2. Machab c. 12. v. vltimo 1. It is a holy and behoouefull cogitation to pray for the Dead that they may be released of their sinnes Which although our Aduersaries discard as no Canonicall Scripture yet they ought to credit it as much at least as Liuie the Roman or Thucidides the Grecian Historiographer they ought to reuerence it as the allowed testimony of a graue ancient and most worthy writer worthy to out-countenance all the base vpstarts of our latter age worthy to be accounted Cyp. de exhorta Martyrij Ambr. l. 2. de Iacob c. 10. 11. 12. Hier. in prolog in Machab. Aug. l. 18. de ciu Dei cap. 36. Concil Carth. can 47. Field in appen 1. p. fol. 69. Eccles c. 7. Eccles 38. Cyp. ser de Eleemosy Amb. in l. de Tobia cap. 1. Basil in orat de auaritia Aug. in Speâ—ul Tob. 4. Beda in fine Comment in l. 1. Reg. Gen. 50. by S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Augustine and by the third Councell of Carthage One of the Diuine Secretaries and Pen-men of the holy Ghost In so much as S. Augustine inclineth not only as M. Field writeth to this opinion but expresly resolueth The bookes of Machabees not the Iewes but the Church esteemeth Canonicall Likewise it is written Mortuo ne prohibcas gratiam Restraine not thy fauour from the Dead Moreouer My Sonne power forth thy teares vpon the Dead c. And In his departure make his memory rest in peace Tobie also whose booke S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Basill S. Augustine admit into the Canon of Scripture counsaileth Place thy bread and thy wine on the Sepulcher of the Iust and do thou neither eat nor drinke thereof with sinners 2. Hence it appeareth it was an ancient custome amongst the Iewes to make a feast at the funeralls of their friends to inuite the poore and faithfull persons thereunto who by the charity and Almesdeeds bestowed vpon them might pray for their soules And it is most likely the ancient Patriarkes and Prophets intended this reliefe to their deceased friends whom they with Praier with Fasting with griefe and sorrow so many daies lamented as was otherwise vnfitting vnlesse it had beene addressed as Venerable Bede well noteth to the benefit of their soules 3. The Patriarch Ioseph 77. daies mourned the death of his father Iacob The men of Iabes Galaad 7. daies continued a fast at the solemne buriall of Saul Ionathas Of whose death when King Dauid the Royall Prophet heard he wept fasted and
day of generall resurrection after which tyme no Purgatory remayneth but all the elect shall presently raigne in peace Thirdly that saying is specially directed to those rare and constant persons that shall endure the brunt and withstand the fury of Antichrists persecutions who though they be not all crowned with Martyrdome yet they departe this life as Ribera like himselfe iudiciously noteth with most singular and eminent sanctity consequently with freedom immunity from all the mulcts and penaltyes of sinne Or if any sinnefull drosse remaine from which they must be purged after death they are sayd notwithstanding to cease from their labours and rest in peace because they are discharged from the troubles calamityes and persecutions of this life are ranged amongst the number of them who shall partake of eternall rest are secure from the danger of sinne and feare of damnation and are infallibly certain of the fauour of God and their future felicity which affoardeth vnspeakable ioy peace and comfort to their mindes The words of S. Cyprian obiected by M. Fulke Fulke against Purgat pag. 140. Cyp. trct 1. cont a Demetr ianum Ambros l. debono mortis e. 2 Chrys bo 2. de Lazaro Fulke in his confut of Purg. in c. 2. 2. ad Cor. sect 1. After our departure hence there is no place of Pennance no effect of Satisfaction The wordes of S. Ambrose No remission of sinnes can there be made which hath not beene heere procured The like of S. Chrysostome are all vnderstood of no remission or satisfaction to be made in the next life of mortall deadly sinnes of which we haue not had in this detestation and sorrow 33. The iniury to Christ the euacuation of his Passion which M. Fulke often inculcateth to ensue of Purgatory is largely refuted in the Treatise of Satisfaction to which I referre the Reader for his full satisfaction heer conclude in a word That as the prayers we make vnto God do not lessen or extenuate the feruent prayers of Christ once offered earnest intercessioÌ„ he now maketh in our behalfe so neither the dolorous griefes which in this life we suffer or Purgatory-paines we indure in the next do anyway euacuate but rather enrich the treasure of his manifold sufferings sith they depend and borrow their whole fruit vertue and efficacy from the inexhausted Mine of his incomparable merits Sith they are enhaunced by his Passion and dipped in the liquour of his pretious bloud in which I humbly beseech the diuine piety to soake these my labours and steep the paines of all such as peruse them that it may so fully auaile to wash away the lees and cleanse forth the staines of our soules as we may neuer need heerafter either the scouring soape or raging fire of Purgatory flames The end of the third Booke An aduertisement GENTIL Reader wheras M. D. Bilson hath printed his booke Of Christian Subiection both in quarto and in octauo these are to aduertise thee that most commonly I doe cite that in quarto as also the other of M. Whitaker de Scriptura Ecclesia as they were printed before they were last compiled togeather in one volume for that the quotations of page leafe do otherwise disagree FINIS Faultes escaped in the printing to be corrected In the first Part. IN the Epist to the Reader pag. 3. line 3. ferrret euery one out reade ferret them out of euery c. Ibid. Epist pag. 4. l. 14. occosion reade occasion Pag. 7. l. 24. on reade of pag 34. l. 5. Canon the Canon pag. 40 l. 29. one another to one another pag. 49. l. 25. which with pag. 50 l. 17. out the. reade out of the. pag. 51. l. 13. their other Ibid. l. 28. is it pag. 74. l 6. depth the depth pag 80. l. 1. waiteth writeth pag. 82. l. 30. in the. pag. 84. l. 6. same substance same in substance pag. 91. l. 9. corruption incorruption pag. 95 l. 11. euen euer pag. 104. l. penult glorifieth glorieth pag. 110. l. 18 purchased purchase pag. 11o l. 18. cruell a â—â—â—ell pag 15. l. 15. of to Ibid. line 28 clamous clamorous pag 136. l. 1. refragable irrefragable pag. 115. 11. glorifieth glorify pag. 188. l. 5. Not. Nor. pag. 190. l. 1. out these out of these pag. 201. l. 25. others other pag 207. l. 19. Carninall Cardinall pag. 221. l. 14. But. By. pag. 227. 9. Leo. of Leo. pag. 229. l. 5. makes markes Ibid. l. 29. Paul not bad Paul had not had pag. 233. l. 9. stying styrring Ibid. l. vlt. Crinthus Cerinthus pag. 237. l. 29. sinne signe pag. 238. l. 1. partes are partes pag. 239. l. 3. far and far pag. 240 l. 15. worships worship Ibid. l. 24. Abias Abdias pag. 241. l 15. lawfull awfull pag. 242. l. 4. as curteous as a courteous Ibid. l. 20. nuture nurture pag. 245. l. 16. sonne sonnes Ibid l 29. no. not pag 246. l. 27 honour I honour pag 252. Image Christ Image of Christ pag. 263. l. 20. expect from expect it from pag. 277. l. 3. and. of pag. 278. l. 19. a as as a. pag. 275. l. 15. deleatur the. pag. 285. l. 8. some solemne pag. 331 l. 3. of the Iudgement of the day of Iudgement pag. 333. l. 26. prayers prayers pag. 335. l. 21. deleatur of Other lesse faultes by reason of the obsoure Copy in many places absence of the Authour the Reader himselfe will easily obserue and courleously correct as he readeth AN ANTIDOTE OR TREATISE OF THIRTY CONTROVERSIES VVith a large Discourse of the Church IN WHICH The soueraigne truth of Catholike doctrine is faythfully deliuered against the pestiferous writinges of all English Sectaryes AND In particuler against D. WHITAKER D. FVLKE D. REYNOLDS D. BILSON D. ROBERT ABBOT D. SPARKES and D. FIELD the chiefe vpholders some of Protestancy some of Puritanisme some of both Deuided into three Partes By S. N. Doctour of Diuinity THE SECOND PART Deut. 32. vers 30. How should one be able to pursue a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight Is it not therefore because their God hath sold them and our Lord hath inclosed and made them thrall Permissu Superiorum M. DC XXII THE principall maintainers of Protestancy of whome I spake in the former page are D. BILSON and D. FIELD THE pillars of Puritanisme are D. REYNOLDS and D. SPARKE who where chosen Proctours for the Precisian Faction in the Conference before his Maiesty at Hampton-Court THE Abbettours of both are D. WHITAKER D. FVLKE and D. ROBERT ABBOT who sometimes defend the articles of the one sometimes of the other THE TABLE Shevving all the Controuersies discussed and maintayned in this Second Part. THE FOVRTH BOOKE The Sixteenth Controuersy MAintayneth Originall sinne to be abolished by Baptisme and Concupiscence remaining to be no â—nne against D. Whitaker D. Field D. Abbot pag. 1. The second Chapter of this Controuersy IN which Concupiscence is more particularly proued to be no sinne Other
sort Cardinall Tolet out of Origen and S Augustine notably expoundeth the words of the Psalmist Blessed are they whose iniquit yes are forgiuen and whose sinnes be couered blessed is the man to whome our Lord hath not imputed sinne the chiefest place Protestants alleadge to bolster their fancy of Gods pardoning of sin by not imputing it such an idle fancy as the very tyme may seeme idly spent in disproofe thereof for what is it you account not imputed to the regenerate or other pardoned offendour 11. In Originall as in euery actuall sinne there be S. Tbom. 1. 2. q. 86. 87. Vasq ibid. disp 206. c. 2. Valent. ibid. q. 16. 17. three thinges First there is macula culpae the spot or blemish of the fault because euery sinne defileth the soule with some base and vgly deformity Secondly there is that which is termed by some reatus poenae by others meritum seu condignit as poenae that is the condignity or deseruing of punishment for whosoeuer offendeth doth condignely deserue to be punished for his offence The third is obligatio seu destinatio ad poenam to wit an actuall destination bynding over to punishment which is the ordinance and decree of God appoynting due chastisement to them that deserue it Now which of these is not imputed in your remission of sinnes Is the vgly spot remayning are you not deemed to be defiled by him who cannot erre or be deceaued in his doome Or is not the deseruing or lyablenes to punishment imputed to this inherent fault of your spotted soule It cannot chuse they are inseparable they necessarily accompany the one the other and as it is impossible for the relation of fatherhood not to arise and follow him who beggetteth a child or risibility the power of laughing not to flow from the nature of man so likewise impossible the condignity of punishment should not alwayes attend on the faultines of sinne It resteth then that the actuall destination and binding ouer to punishment is not imputed to the pardoned sinner that to pardon sinne according to your new Diuinity is nothing els then not to punish it which flatly destroyeth a maine article of our fayth the forgiuenes of sinnes defeateth the merits of Christs bountifull passion and disanulleth the benefit of our redemption For to exempt our persons from the paine of hesl is not to redeeme our Psal 7◠v. 14. soules from their iniquity of which King Dauid nor deliuer vs out of the power of darknes of which the Apostle speaketh The delinquent or malefactour who is freed from the Ad Colos ◠v. 13. sentence of death pronounced against him is not therby either loosed of his chaines or bayled out of prison no more are we assoyled of the bandes of vice or bayled out of the iayle of sinne by immunity from the paine or exemption from the horrour of euerlasting death 12. Besides as long as the nature of sinne truly harboureth in the harts of Protestants by infection adhereth and contaminateth their soule it maketh it hatefull detestable to God for his infinit purity cannot but abhone the defiled sinner of whome King Salomon sayth Sap. 14. v. 9. Psal 44. v. 8. To God the impious and his impiety are odious alike And the Psalmist Thou hast loued Iustice and hast hated iniquity but whatsoeuer he hateth he ordeyneth to punishment therfore euery Protestant who is inherently polluted with the deformity of vice how beautifull soeuer he may seem without by the iust censure of the Highest is bound ouer to the paine which is due vnto him for as the loue of God is nothing els then velle bonum to procure good to whatsoeuer he loueth so his hatred is velle malum to wreak euill to that which he hateth and because he cannot will the euill of fault the euill of punishment must he needes inflict on euery vitious and hatefull transgressour 13. In fine this binding ouer to punishment which you dream not imputed may be two wayes vnderstood First it may be taken for the eternall will of the first and supreme cause ordayning iust punishment to such as deserue it Secondly for his exteriour law promulgated vnto vs either absolutly or conditionally declaring the same in the former acception it is the will of God vnchangeable immutable and cannot be altered in the later it is a signe or declaration vnto vs of his inward will which if it be absolute it shal be infallibly executed according to his word if conditionall or comminatory only it may be altered or suspended supposing a change and alteration on our part yet being good of God and for our repentance proclaymed it cannot possible be the sault not imputed vnto vs. 14. Their second quirke or guilefull deceit that guiltines is remoued from the person not frō the sinne in the person or from vs not the sinne in vs is a palpable contradiction because if guiltines still cleaue to the sinne and the sinne abide Perkins in his refor Cath p. 56. Abbot in his defence cap. 2. Bell in his down-fall in vs we must of necessity remaine subiect and obnoxious to that guilty sinne Or if the guilt of Originall sin be remoued from the person it is also remoued from the sinne in the person For enquire of S. Augustine that Miracle of Wit enquire of him how sins aboad in sinners he wil answere no otherwise then by their guilt then demand what it is to be free from sinne he will tell you this it is not to haue sinne not to be guilty of sinne So that sinne guilt are Aug. l. 1. de nupt concup c. 26. according to him two inseparable thinges leaue sinne in the regenerate and the guilt therof remayneth extinguish the guilt and the sinne is abolished 15. Notwithstanding M. Robert Abbot taketh vpon him the defence of the former brainsicke and fanaticall Abbot in the place aboue cyted f. 17 speach that guiltines is remoued from the person not from the sinne in the person thus interpreteth the meaning thereof That sinne is pardoned to the man regenerate and therfore cannot mak him guilty but yet in it selfe and in it owne nature it continueth such as that setting aside the pardon it were sufficient still to make him guilty and to condemne him A fit glosse for such a deformed Text which runneth into more contrarietyes then the contrariety it selfe he seeketh to reconcile For wil you consider the regenerate pardoned of their sinnes and set aside their pardon Will you make them not guilty of sinne as you say by one and guilty by the other at one and the selfe same tyme Is it possible your tongue should discourse of men endued with fayth and abstract from fayth Speake of soules adorned with grace and bereft of grace with one and the selfe same breath Our question is whether the regenerate supposing they be pardoned by the lauer of Baptisme be endued with fayth
no man is punished by any either spirituall or temporall Lawes for his euill habit or bad inclination to rob kill blaspheme c. for his actuall robbing or killing he is 4. Many morally good as Socrates the Philosopher and truly vertuous also may be prone to wickednes and deserue the more prayse by ouercomming of it but no actuall wickednes can purchase any prayse or continuing with vs minister occasion of greater victory Therefore Naughty habits or inclinations are not punished by any law but only euill acts if the act of concupiscence may be acquitted from fault à fortiori the habit which doth only facilitate and inclyne to the act Moreouer habituall concupiscence groweth from the roote of Nature it is as M. Abbot testifyeth the remainder of Originall corruption But I haue already demonstrated that the whole culpable infection of Nature is cleane extinguished by regeneration therefore the pronesse to euill which remayneth is not properly sinne For man by Baptisme is iustifyed from sinne buryed with Christ Abbot in his defence cap. 2. into death of sinne He is borne againe in him of water and the Holy Ghost He doth cast off the old man and put on the new He hath the stampe of Adam the body of sinne destroyed and the character of Christ the spirit of God imprinted in his hart He Ad Rom. 6. v. 4. Ioan. 3. v. 5. Ad colos 3. v. 9. Ad Ephes 4. v. 22. 24. ad 1. Cor. 1â— v. 49. hath his earthly image defaced and a heauenly restored conformable to that of S. Paul As we haue borne the image of the earthly let vs beare also the image of the heauenly But what is the old man What is the stampe image or likenes of Adam but the vgly shape and deformity of sinne that then is wholy defaced and blotted out quite by our incorporation with Christ 5. On the contrary side many thinges are obiected by Whitaker and M. Abbot against this doctrine they vrge that some leauings of sinne sticke to the regenerate because VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraeum Abbot c. 2. p. 172 233. 234. 235 c. Augu. dâ— pec merit remis lib. 2. 2. Cor. 7. v. 1. Psal 50. after Baptisme they are still counsayled to purify their soules more and more to wrastle with the remnants of the flesh to mortify their members which are vpon the earth to renew the inward man from day to day wherupon S. Augustine argueth He that is renewed from day to day is not yet all renewed and in how much he is not renewed in so much he dwelleth in oldnes still And in another place Who is there in this life so cleane as that he is not more and more to be cleansed and made cleane For this cause S. Paul exhorteth the faythfull Let vs cleanse our selues from all filthines of the flesh King Dauid after his sin was pardoned prayed notwithstanding Create in me a cleane hart renew in me a right spirit wash me and I shal be whiter then the snow Which prayerthe regenerate make all the dayes of their life therfore they are neuer throughly purged heere vpon earth So they 6. I answere the iust are exhorted to cleanse and sweep their soules in manner aforesayd First from the dust of veniall sinnes which dayly soyleth and cleaueth vnto them euen after they be by Baptisme engrafted into Christ Secondly they are counsailed to rid themselues also as much as they can from the vntoward motions crooked inclinations of concupiscence checking and restraining them so with the curbe of mortification as they seldome or neuer hinder or disturbe the race of vertue This is not to take out the staynes of sinne but to cure the woundes repaire the fayntnes heale the infirmityes which sinne hath left behind is it to refresh the weaknes Leo ser 1. 2. de ieiunio decimi mensis of nature whilest that which decayed sayth S. Leo in our first Adam is restored in our second Which is not done I grant by the sauer of regeneration but by the continuall victory and conquest of our selues by rooting out the weedes of all immoderate desires as S. Augustine most notably Augu. l. 14. de Trinit c. 17. discourseth expounding both himselfe and all the former Texts of our Aduersaryes This renouation is not made in one and the same moment of conuersion as that renouation is made in one moment by remission of all sinnes in Baptisme For not one sinne how little or how great soeuer abideth which is not remitted But as it is one thing to want feuers another to recouer of the infirmity which is caused by feuers and as it is one thing to draw the festered weapon out of the body another with second curing to heale the wound inflicted thereby So the first remedy is to remoue the cause of Linguor which is made by the full pardon of all sinnes â— Basil in cap. 1. Isa the second is to cure the feeblenes it selfe which is done by little and little going forward in the renouation of this image of God c. Of which thing the Apostle most plainely spake saying Although our maÌ„â—hich is without be corrupt yet that which is within is renewed from day to day To which purpose S. Basil writeth The washing of Baptisme sufficeth not to bring a man to the whitenesse of snow but there needeth also great labour and diligence c. and as to make a perfect and abiding colour often dipping and much paine is required euen so in the soule corrupted with the â—ilth of sinne Which Methodius related by Epiphanius and Abbot loc citat pag. 137. 138. Epiphanius S. Hilary with the rest of the Fathers and Schoolemen obiected against vs by M. Abbot Feild and Whitaker only meane when they affirme the carryon of sinne to remayne not to be quite taken away but holden in and quieted by Baptisme when they vsurpe this saying regnum amittit in terris perit in caelo Sinne looseth his kingdome on earth it perisheth and is destroyed in heaueÌ„ Thus I say they somtymes speake in regard of the remaynder of sundry defects woundes and infirmityes as S. Augustine calleth them in regard of the euill habits customs and rebellious passions which comming from sinne carry 1. Cor. 15. v. 53. the name thereof and are not wholy extirpated by grace neither can they all be vntill this corruptible body doe on incorruption and this mortall be clad with immortality 7. Our Aduersaryes againe oppose that the maladyes of Nature the obliquity of the will and prauity Abbot ibidem pag. 9. 3. of concupiscence we mention is not only languishing defectiue but truly and properly sinnefull not in name alone but also in deed which they labour to proue two Feild in his â— booke c. 26. Aug. l. 5. contra Iul. seuerall wayes by reason and by authority First by reason because concupiscence is a declining from perfect subiection to our
Creatour there is in it disobedience from the dominion of the mind as Feild presseth out of S. Augustine It is a transgression from the rule of reason a defection sayth Abobt from rightetousnes a swaruing from the law of God but whatsoeuer swarueth or declineth from the prescript of his law is sinne Therefore concupiscence is not only a languor wound or fayntnes but the true sin of Nature Our answere is ready It is a sinne either materially or formally formally if it be a free and voluntary transgression materially if it want deliberation or consent of will as in fooles children and mad men it doth But as in them the actuall lusts or desires of concupiscence are materiall disorders or swaruings from the will of the highest but not properly sinnes so neither in the regenerate if as S. Augustine often auoweth they yield not vnto them For which cause we deny that whatsoeuer declyneth from the law of God is sinne euery vniust law euery hereticall interpretation euery booke which Protestants set forth in defence of their errours is a declyning and swaruing from his law and albeit they damnably sinne in disgorging such poyson yet the books themselues are not properly sinnes but so far forth sin is committed as they are any way diuulged imbraced or allowed no more are the sinnefull motions of concupiscence vnles by voluntary consent they be yielded vnto especially such as are seated in the flesh which is not capable of sinne 8. Secondly they presse the authority of the Apostle and testimony of the Fathers as that S. Paul tearmeth Rom. 6. v. â— ad Rom. 7. v. 24. concupiscence sin the body of sinne the body of death S. Augustine iniquity vice a great euill Methodius death and destruction it selfe S. Ambrose the defilement of nature the seed root or seminary of sinne S. Cyprian a domesticall euill Origen sinne which is the cause of death I answere it is named sinne death destruction c. for many reasons which S. Augustine himselfe assigneth First for that it is the effect Aug la. de â—uptijs concup c. 23. of sin as our speach is called our tongue or hand writing our hand because our tongue or hand frameth it The second for which it is so intitled he noteth to be because it inclineth prouoketh and if it ouercome is the cause of sin death defilement c. So cold is sayd to be sluggish and heauy for that it maketh men heauy wyne merry by reason it stirreth vp to mirth And so concupiscence for as much as it continually suggesteth allureth often induceth to all kind of wickednes S. Cyprian besides the S. Cypr. de ratio circumcis S. Bernard de sex triâ—ul precedent names calleth it a raging beast of stincking breath S. Bernard A contagion a pestilent poyson a manifold pestilence the cherishment of all naughtinesse a furnace strongly burning with the affections of ambition auarice enuy willfullnes lewdnes and all vices 9. Thirdly it is tearmed a great euill because it is indeed an vntoward and euill propension a hindrance from good a want of due subiection in the inferiour powers therefore truly called a sicknes or euill quality though not a sinne for harken what the same S. Augustine writeth to Iulian the Pelagian Thou think est that if concupiscence Aug. l. 6. cont Iul. c. 5. prope finem Rom. 7. v. 15. 19. were euill the baptized should want it thou art much deceaued for he wanteth all euil In this sort S. Paul calleth it the euill which he hateth and the euill which I will not that I doe Fourthly it doth beare the name of sinne because it was the materiall part of sinne or that which the formall guilt of our capitall infection materially included after which maÌ„ner it may be improperly sayd to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity the name for which Iohn Caluin and his Ghospellers so eagerly striue yet if you take the word iniquity in August tract 41. in Ioan. his proper signification it is wholy cancelled in S. Augustines iudgment saying because all iniquity is blotted out hath no infirmity remayned 10. Lastly it doth sometyme truly vndergo that name because in the irregenerate the auersion from God Aug. l. 5. contra Iul. c. 3. which is the forme and essence of Originall sinne is annexed vnto it This is the meaning of S. Augustine when in his fift booke against Iulian he first calleth it sinne then the cause also and punishment of sinne for so it is properly sinne not in it selfe alone but as it is combined with the aforesayd auersion to make one complete and vitious habite So there is in it disobedience against the dominioÌ„ of the mind because it is in them vnbridled and vntamed VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum fol. 576. lust so it is that sinnefull concupiscence against which the good spirit according to S. Augustine doth striue and couet Howbeit by these words Whitaker taketh occasion to cauill that he speaketh of concupiscence in the regenerate because in them only is the good spirit which warreth against it But he is much deceaued for S. Augustine meaneth not by the good spirit the spirit of righteousnes but the naturall propension to good the right Synderesis or light of Gods countenance which he hath stamped in the hartes of the wicked this often fighteth and biddeth war to that concupiscence which is true sinne by reason of the formall guilt conioyned vnto it notwithstanding if that formall guilt be once forgiuen the materiall part that is concupiscence of it selfe inhabiting in vs against which we wrastle is no more sinne then a dead carcasse bereft of life is a true and proper man 11. One scruple yet may trouble my Reader why Vlpid tit de edilitio edict lege prima Tul. ep Papirio Paeto ep â— in fine S. Augustine should call this concupiscence vicious or a vice for heereon we may vndoubtedly argue that it is likewise sinnefull or a sinne I answere that the word Vitium vice if we sift the natiue signification and property thereof may be taken for any thing that is diseased or defectiue either in nature or art as Vlpianus in the ciuill law vseth the word and Pliny stileth the falling sicknes by the name of Vice Tully likewise giueth the name of vice to whatsoeuer is broken or out of reparation in the roote or walles of a house Thus S. Augustine taketh the word vice for that which is maymed and diseased and not for that which is sinnefull when he speaketh of the woundes of sinne abyding in the regenerate wherein I appeale to no other sentence then his owne which I heere insert as a seale and obligation of his beliefe concerning this matter Iam Aug. l. 2. contra Iul. prope init ne discernis iam ne perspicis c. Dost thou now discerne dost thou now perceane dost thou now behould the remission of all sins to be made in Baptisme and as
powred into our harts men are iust whosoeuer are iust Moreouer conferring the law written in tables of stone with the law of Grace engrauen in our harts he auoucheth That was written out of man that it might terrify him this in man himselfe that it might intrinsecally iustify him Further This iustice of ours is the grace of Christ regenerating vs De spirit lit c. 17. by the holy Ghost In fine explicating these wordes of the the Apostle The iustice of God by faith of Iesus Christ which the Caluinists glose to be that which is resident in Christ De peccat reâ—is c. 25. S. Augustine expoundeth thus The Iustice of God by fayth of Iesus Christ that is by fayth wherewith we belieue in Christ for as that fayth is called Christs not by which Christ belieues so that Rom. 3. v. 22. Aug. de spirit lit c. 9. cap. 11. iâ— psal 30. Conc. 1. tract 26. in Ioan. Iustice is called Gods not whereby God is iust both of them fayth and iustice be ours but therefore they are tearmed Gods Christs because through their liberalâ—â—y they are giuen to vs. 6. The third and chiefest point whereby the former two are more strongly confirmed that our inherent iustice doth truly iustify vs in the sight of God the Apostle himselfe manifestly teacheth saying As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedience of one many shall be made iust For the fall of Adam made vs truly sinners by inward infection before the face of God Rom. 5. v. 19. therefore the merits of christ did make vs truly iust by internal iustice in the sight of God This place so vexeth all Sectaryes as they know not how to rid themselues of Calu. l. 3. instit c. 11. sect 2. it Caluin answereth that we are iust because we are declared and pronounced iust by the iudgment of God but to be constituted or made iust as the Apostle writeth importeth more then to be declared such Againe this authenticall true iudgment of God presupposeth iustice in vs before it can be Caâ—â— ibid. rightly pronounced as not to depart from Caluins owne example If an Innocent be brought to be arraigned before the Fulk in c 5. ad Rom. sect 3. Abbot in his defence of the reformed Cathol c. 4. sect 6. 8. Abbot loc citato Fulke vbi supra VVhitak l. 8. aduer Dureum fol. 602. Aug. l. 1. de peccat merit remis cap. 9. 15. Chrys ho. 10. in c. 15. ad Rom. Theoph. in hunc loc seate of a righteous iudge when iudgment is giuen according to his innocency he is sayd to be iustifyed quoth he before the Iudge Well I say so too but as innocency there so iustice heere precedeth iudgment in the party adiudged or declared iust euen in the sight of the Almighty who pronounceth his sentence according to truth Doctour Fulke and Doctour Abbot help out their Maister and graunt that imputatiue Iustice by which he is constituted and made iust indeed goeth before the sentence yet not inherent Iustice But S. Paul teacheth that as we are made sinners by the offence of Adam so iust by the grace of Christ therfore as besids the imputation of Adams default there is a true and proper sin of nature which infecteth vs all and maketh vs truly properly sinners in the eyes of God as both they and all English ProtestaÌ„ts hold with vs against the Pelagians so besides the imputation of Christs iustice which cannot make vs formally iust there ought to be a true and inhabitant iustice which beautifyeth our soules before the throne of heauen or els we could not be truly made iust by Christ as we are made sinners by Adam and therein consisteth the force of the Antithesis S. Paul vseth betweene them which M. Abbot and Fulke like cunning Pylots who warily shunne the most perilous rocks silently passe ouer but M. Whitaker perceiueth it well rather ventureth to dash himselfe against it by denying the comparison then not to take notice therof Though sayth he we be iust in Christ as we are sinners in Adam yet not after the same manner No I appeale againe to the sacred Text to S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Origen Theophilact and all Interpreters Heretikes only excepted whether the opposition doth not wholy accord in this that as true sinne hatefull to God was distilled from Adam so true iustice acceptable in his sight is communicated vnto vs by Christ for S. Paul doth not only teach That as Adam was the authour of sinne so Christ of righteousnes wherein VVhitak loco citato Origen l. 5. in c. 5. ad Rom M. Whitaker only placeth the summe of his discourse he addeth moreouer That as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedience of one man many shal be made iust where he maketh sayth Origen a comparison of sin and death diffused into all men from Adam of iustification and Theoph. in hunc loc life from Christ. A little before he explaineth how they are both alike in the diffusion or communication from one to many and differ in the thing they communicate because from the one sin from the other iustification is imparted Rom. 3. v. 15. Ibid. v. 17. And Theophilact As by the default of one sinne crept in vnto condeÌ„nation of death so by the iustice of one saluatioÌ„ entred to iustification of life Besides the Apostle in the same place amplifyeth this point and affirmeth that the grace instilled by Christ hath more power to iustify then sinne to destroy saying If by the offence of one many dyed much more the grace of God and the guift in the grace of one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vpon many Likewise If in the offence of one death raigned by one much more they that receaue the aboundance of grace and of donation and of iustice shall raigne in life by one Iesus Christ. Out of which wordes we collect fiue infallible verityes against the erroneous doctrine of Protestants First that grace communicated by Christ is not weake and imperfect but copious and abundant Secondly it is not only imputed vnto vs but receaued of vs. Thirdly it is not the meerâ— grace of sanctification but of Iustice Fourthly it raigneth and preuaileth in vs to produce workes of iustification to life as sinne raigned to bring forth workes of iniquity to death Fifthly it is much more powerfull to iustify and make vs acceptable to God then sinne was to condemne and make vs odious vnto him Therfore he concludeth Where sinne abounded grace did more abound that as sinne raygned to death so also grace may raigne by iustice to life euerlasting through Iesus Christ our Lord. Ibid. v. 10. 22. 7. Let vs match these Texts of holy Writ with others and make all modest men ashamed to spurne against a truth warranted by the collation of sundry
Charity good workes or vertuous life agreable to his fayth Therefore Maldonate had great reason to coÌ„mend this as an excellent place against all them that hold Fayth alone to be sufficient for saluation 4. The second argument is taken out of S. Iames his Epistle which was as S. Augustine sayth specially directed against the erroneous maintainers of only Fayth and contayneth many passages cleane contrary to our aduersaryes assertion as if a man sayth he hath fayth but hath not workes shall Fayth be able to saue him Likewise Fayth also if it haue not workes is dead in it selfe And Yee see that by workes a man is iustifyed not by fayth only Whitaker replyeth that S. Iames treateth of an idle faygned fayth But this is euidently false for he treateth of the fayth of Abraham much renowned in holy Scripture of that fayth of his which was consummated by his works which togeather with works did iustify him before God which must needs be a true fayth for a counterfeit fayth had neuer beene commended by the holy Ghost nor byn sayd to be consummated by workes much lesse could it iustify before the face of God Againe what needed the Apostle labour so much to proue that a faygned and counterfeit fayth nothing auayleth to the gayning of Saluation when none of those Christians against whome he wrote euer imagined any such matter And demaunding thou beeleuest that there is one God how could he haue answered thou dost wel if with a counterfeit Fayth he had belieued which had been rather hypocrisy then well doing Another euasion therefore both he Doctour Fulke and Doctour Abbot deuise that S. Iames speaketh of Fayth outwardly professed which declareth vs iust in the face of men not of inward fayth whereby we are iustifyed before the sight of God But by the same argument this is also refuted for the beloiuing in God is inward fayth Then Abrahams fayth there mentioned was iustifying fayth in the â—ight of God that alone did not iustify him but workes consummated they perfected not another but the same Aug. l. 21. de Ciuit. Dei c. 26 l. de vnic Bapt. c. 10. Cyril l. 10. in Ioan. Chrys hom 2. in Gen. hom 2. in ep ad Philemon Hier. in c. 5. ad Gal. tom 2. in Apol. ad Pammâ— c. 2. Aug. l. 83. q. q. 76. Aug. l. de fide operi c. 14. iustification therefore they also perfected the iustification before God or fayth alone performed it which the Apostle denyeth And thus S. Augustine S. Cyrill S. Chrysostome and S. Hierome vnderstand S. Iames of true Fayth which they also teach not to be auailable to saluation without other vertues Likewise it is cleare that S. Iames taketh Fayth in the same sense S. Paul did when he taught that a man is iustifyed by fayth for which cause S. Augustine noteth that he tooke the same example of Abraham which S. Paul vsed purposely to disproue the peruersity of some who misconstruing S. Paules meaning pleaded the sufficiency of fayth alone of which see S. Augustine in his booke of Fayth and Workes where he auerreth that because this opinion of only fayth sprung vp in the dayes of the Apostles therefore S. Peter S. Iohn S. Iames and S. Iude in their Epistles directed their intent specially against the same earnestly auouching that Fayth without workes auaileth nothing By which it is manifest that S. Iames the rest spake not of the outward profession but of the inward fayth and beliefe of the hart to which S. Paul with charity attributeth iustification or els they all roued from the marke and disputed in vaine or S. Augustine the most faythfull Herald of all antiquity vtterly mistaketh the scope of their intention 5. My third argument I frame in this manner The Protestant who by fayth is iustifyed may after fall into fornication adultery and other damnable sinnes or not He will not seeke to perswade vs that he cannot fall into any sinne for that were to broach a new the Iouinian heresy which S. Austine S. Hierome haue long Aug. ep 29. de haer c. 82. Hier. l. 1. coâ—t Iou. since buryed in the lake of hell Fall then he may as experience teacheth of sundry forward Protestants Ministers also arraigned condemned for their villanies in this kind Wel theÌ„ suppose they may sinne I aske whether falling into these horrible crimes they loose their true fayth which they had before â— retaine it still To graunt that they loose it is to make all sinners not only grieuous offenders but either Atheists Heretikes or Infidells also for he that is bereft of Fayth must needes be infected with Atheisme Heresy or plaine Infidelity It is to deuide and separate them from al vnion with Christ and to cut them off with Wicliffe from being members of the Church it is to depriue them of the patronage of Christs imputed righteousnes or not imputing their sins and to make them sinne like misbeleeuers to death and damnation for Christ couereth not the sinnes of any according to them but of the faythfull only it is against the common axiomes of Fulke Whitaker and their followers who ween that true fayth once gotten can neuer be lost the print thereof according to Caluin can neuer be blotted out of the harts of Gods elect To hold that they still retaine their true fayth notwithstanding they wallow in Cahâ— l. 3. instit c. ◠§. 11. these sudds of vncleanes that their fayth alone doth iustify them is to hold that they still abyde in the state of saluation and may inioy the kingdome of heauen if they should chance to depart in that wretched case which is quite contrary to the Apostle Do not erre neither fornicatours nor seruers of Idols nor aduowterers nor the effeminate 1. Cor. 6. v. 9. 10. nor the lyers with mankind c. shall possesse the kingdome of God I know the iuggling they vse to delude this argument is that in thes sinners fayth is darkned during that tyme like the Sunne ouercast with clouds like the fire couered with the ashes like the tree in winter bereaued of her blossoms But all these exampls warre against them for the tree in winter is truly a tree enioying her vegetiue life the fire raked vp is perfect fire the Sun ouerclouded looseth not the beames of his naturall light although they be hindred from shining vnto vs. Therefore the darkened and Caluin in An â—id ad Canonem 28. sess 6. in Concil Trid â—ffirmeth Particulam aliquam vitiae fidei manore inter grauissimos lapsus couered fayth of the adulterer is true fayth perfect in the nature of fayth looseth not any motion of life or beame of grace which is due to fayth and if that alone be sufficient to iustify remayning in the adulterer it affoardeth to him the benefit of iustification and by necessary consequence also of saluation for no winter barrenes no embers or
sometym know he repenteth know he beleeueth with some fayth with some repentanc◠or other because he sensibly feeleth the inward throbs of his hart behouldeth the teares trickling from his eyes apparent tokens of sorrow and repentance because fayth is a light which manifest it selfe an act of the vnderstanding which cannot be hidden to which effect M. Whitaker and M. Abbot vrge out of S. Abbot c. ◠VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Augu. ep 112. Augustine That the faythfull man doth see his fayth it selfe by which he answereth that he beleeueth Although I say all this be true yet the knot of our difficulty remayneth still vntyed For neither doth S. Augustine teach nor any reason perswade that he infallibly knoweth his repentance to be such as it ought to be done for so pure and diuine a motiue as is requisite for the iustifying of his soule to be true Christian not false Herodian not Antiochus his sorrow that his tears are distilled from the Rose of Charity not squeazed out of the nettles of priuate selfe loue Likewise he cānot certainly know whether his fayth be natural or supernatural whether it rely vpon the authority of God duly proposed and immediatly credited for it selfe or for some other humane reasons as the formall motiues of his belief because there is such cōnexion affinity betweene the naturall and supernaturall acts they are paralelled and consorted togeather in so many branches of neere alliance as it is impossible by infallible certainty to discerne without speciall reuelation humane fayth from diuine vertues infused by God from vertues gayned by mans labour and industry Then it is aboue the reach and skill of man to diue into the secrets of God to trace his steps or discouer the operation and working of his grace In so much as Iob sayd If God come to me I shall not see him and if he depart away from me I shall not vnderstand Iob. 9. v. 11. Greg. l. 9. in c. 9. Iob. c. 10. 11. Aug. in psal 41. serm 13. de verb. Dom. Iraen c. 17. v. 9. it Which S. Gregory interpreteth of Gods comming and departure from our soules of his abyding or forsaking our harts that it is hidden and concealed from vs in this vale of teares for our greater humility Againe we are obnoxious to sundry illusions our hart is inueagled with diuers phantasyes hath such a multitude of folds and windings in it as it is too hard to define what it throughly abhorreth or sincerely imbraceth with all behoofull circumstances as it ought especially in the pious course of vertue which perplexityes abstrusenes of our hart Ieremy deciphreth saying The hart of man is peruerse vnsearchable who shall know it And Caluin delineateth in this manner The hart of man hath so many secret corners of vanity is Calu. l. 3. instit c. 2. §. 10. so full of hypocrysy that it often deceaueth himselfe In the next Paragraffe he addeth Experience sheweth that the reprobate are sometyme moued with the same feeling that the elect are so that in their owne iudgment they nothing differ from the elect wherefore it Hebr. 6. v. 4. Luc. 8. v. is no absurdity that the Apostle ascribeth to them that tast of the heauenly gifts that Christ ascribeth to them fayth for a tyme. If this be so if our hart often beguile vs if the reprobate be sometyme moued with the same feeling as the elect are if they haue a fayth for a tyme how is your conscience infallibly sealed that yours is perpetuall May not your hart your iudgment your firme perswasion deceaue you as it deceaueth others The Anabaptist assureth himselfe that his sinnes by speciall fayth be remitted and that he and all of his sect shall be certainly saued The Lutheran the Caluinist assureth of the like and ech of them is certaine that the contrary to him notwithstanding his assurance shall be infallibly damned Whom shall we beleeue When euery one is equally by faith assured of saluation and yet ech one condemneth the other two and the whole Catholike world condemneth them all to the pit of hell if they obstinatly dye in their perfidious beliefe 2. Secondly if speciall fayth remitteth sinnes and Sectaryes by the same fayth are assured of the remission they can neuer say our Lords prayer without mockery or infidelity For as they cannot intreate the Sonne of God may be incarnate as they cannot intreate his death and passion for the redemption of man vnles they deny or misdoubt the accomplishment of them So if they certainly beleeue the remission of their sinnes effected by fayth they cannot without dissimulation irrision or Field l. 3. cap. 44. fol. 178. plaine infidelity cry vnto God forgiue vs our trespasses which they assuredly beleeue to haue been forgiuen before Feild answereth The iustifyed man knoweth that the dominion of his sins is taken away and that the guilt of condemnation whereunto they subiect such as are vnder the dominion of them is already remoued and therefore he doth not desire nor aske forgiuenes of sinnes in this sort but the inherence of sins he acknowledgeth in himselfe notwithstanding his iustification which still subiecteth him to Gods displeasure and punishments accompanying the same These thinges he desireth to be remoued and in this sense asketh forgiuenes of his sinnes So he The loosenes of whose answere is already discouered in the first Controuersy of Originall sin in which place I haue largely demonstrated that when sinne is truly inherent the guilt of condemnation still remayneth or where the guilt and dominion is abolished there sinne is extinguished there sinne inhereth not not wholy because the dominion is remoued not in part because the blemish of sinne is indiuisible and hath no parts or suppose we speake of diuers sinnes which haue diuers spots diuers deformityes one deformity cannot be cleansed or taken away without the other which M. Abbot had once an eye to discerne disputing Abbot c. 6. sect 7. fol. 766. thus against Doctour Bishop Let him say the sinne in part is pardoned but not wholy and then let him shew vs what warrant he hath that God in that sort forgiueth sinnes by patches and peeces which because he cannot do let him giue vs leaue to take him for that that he sheweth himselfe to be Thus with one eye what with the other the diligent Reader may perceaue in my foresayd Treatise of originall sinne Then this reply cohereth not with it selfe nor with other of his and his fellows barbarismes For if the iustifyed man knoweth the dominion of sinne the guilt of condemnation to be remoued how doth the inherence therof notwithstanding his iustification subiect him to Gods displeasure whereas this common songe is chaunted among you and by you also M. Feild That where the Feild in his 3. booke of the Church cap. 16. Abbot c. 6. sess 7. fault of sinne is once remitted there no amercement or debt of punishment
in his 5. conclusion fol. 656. still and stand in doubt of saluation wherwith M. Reynoldes slaundereth vs. For the probability or morall certainty which we acknowledge ought not to trouble the peace of our Consciences nor anxiously distract much lesse torment the quietnes of our mindes It is a probability intermixed with feare and nourished with such comfortable VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraeum and stedfast hope with such filial loue as banisheth all combersome anxiety all wauering doubtfullnes all seruile base and troublesome solicitude That which Whitaker so eagerly presseth against Duraeus Try your owneselues if you be in the fayth proue your selues know you 2. Cor. 13. vers 5. Cornelius Cornelij à Lapide in eum locuÌ„ not that Christ Iesus is in you vnles perhaps you be reprobates is interpreted as Cornelius declareth out of Theophilact of Christs aboad not in euery particuler person by iustifying grace but in the Church of the Corinthians by power miracles conuersions and other externall gifts wrought by S. Paul and to the tryall of this his presence he exhorteth them by the remembrance and consideration of the workes acheiued among them and not to try their iustifying fayth vnles it be by some probable tokens 9. The obiections of the second kind which ascribe Ioan. 3. v. 36. â— Ioan. 5. v. 13. Rom. 10. v. 9. Rom. 9. v. 33. Ioan. 3. v. 15. 16. Ioan. 6. v. 35. the certainty of saluation to fayth are these He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath life euerlasting They that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God are to know that they haue eternall life confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy hart that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be safe He that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer be confounded nor perish but haue euerlasting life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer To which I answere that these generall promises which assure life and saluation to the beleeuer are vnderstood conditionally if he beleeue as he ought with a true fayth working by charity and he is sayd to haue euerlasting life because by Cyril in Ioan. 3. fayth he hath entred the gate and way which leadeth thereunto or hath receaued the seed thereof the pledge right and title vnto it by the spirit of adoption or diuine filiation imparted vnto him He is promised also to be saued conditionally if he perseuere in that state to the end after which many other vniuersall sentences of Scripture Ioel. 2. v. 3â— Rom. 10. v. 13. Prou. 1. v. 28. Matth. 7. vers 8. Iac. 4. v. 3. are to be expounded It is written Whosoeuer shall inuocate the name of our Lord shall be saued and contrarywise Then shall they inuocate me and I will not heare them Christ sayth Whosoeuer doth aske shall receaue Contrarywise you aske and receaue not the reason he subioyneth because you aske amisse that you may consume it in your concupiscences Therefore these generall sentences whosoeuer inuocateth or beleeueth shall be saued are to be construed also with this promise If he inuocate and beleeue with true fayth sincere affection and purity of life as it behooueth him to do 10. Secondly whereas many causes concurre to the Hebr. 5. v. 9. Rom. 8. v. 24. Eccles 1. v. 27. Tob. 12. v. â— workes of Iustification or saluation the holy Scripture sometyme attributeth it to one sometyme to another To obedience He was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation To Hope By hope we are saued To Feare The feare of our Lord expelleth sinne To Almesdeeds Almes-deeds deliuereth from death because ech of them if nothing els be wanting is sufficient to saue vs and so fayth acheiueth our saluation if we be not defectiue in other things required thereunto or rather because it is the first supernaturall habit origen or roote of life which springeth and bringeth forth the liuely motions of all other vertues and for this cause our iustification is more often assigned to fayth then to any other vertue neuertheles if it fayle dye or be lost as in the next Controuersy I shall proue it may be it procureth not the health of our soules to which it was ordeyned 11. The last troupe of their misapplyed sentences which retyre vnder the standard of Gods care and protection Ioan. 10. v. 27. 28. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Abbot c 3. Ioan. 17. v. â—0 21. Matt. 24. v. 24. Rom. 8. v. 30. 1. Cor. 1. v. 8. for security of saluation are My sheep heare my voice c. and they shall not periâ—h for euer no man shall plucke them out of my hands Christ prayed for the faythfull that they might be all one with him and no doubt obtayned it affirmeth it impossible for the elect to be induced into errour Whom he hath predestinated he hath called and whome he hath called he hath iustifyed and glorifyed He confirmeth and strengthneth them vnto the end I answere heere is a new throng of witnesses but no euidence brought in our Protestants behalfe For they are all veryfied of the elect in generall that they shall not perish but be preserued and glorifyed in the end into their harts he striketh his feare with them he maketh his euerlasting couenant but heer is no word or syllable that this or that man in particuler is one of them he may be in the number of such as are outwardly Matt. 20. v. 16. Aug. ser 16. de verb. Apostol called For many are called but few elect He may be also inwardly iustifyed for a tyme which yet S. Augustine auoweth to be vnknown to him but that he is one of the happy band of those who are called according to the purpose and eternall election of God is an inscrutable mystery fit and expedient sayth the same S. Augustine to be Aug. tom 7. de corr gra c. 13. hidden in this place where elation and pride is so much to be decaded c. That all euen those who runne may feare whilest it is concealed who shall ariue to the goale 12. In like manner to answere the authorityes of the Fathers foure obseruations are carefully to be noted Nazian in orat conso in grand Ambros serm 5. Bernar. ser â— de annuÌ„ August tract 22. in Ioan. First that they auouch vs certaine of Gods grace as S. Gregory Nazianzen doth Certaine of saluation S. Ambrose Of remission of saluation S. Bernard Of finall perseuerance S. Augustine to wit conditionally if we keep the commandements if we striue manfully against vice euen to the end c. Secondly they speake sometyme of the certainty of hope and confidence not of the certainty of fayth or of the certainty only of humane fayth by probable coniectures not of diuine and supernaturall Thus S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Leo and S. Gregory in the places heere quoted Thirdly they say that we are infallibly
and restored Note that by Grace he and all Protestants vnderstand Iustifying Grace without which euery action euery thought that proceedeth from the vnfaythfull is as they misdeeme a damnable and deadly crime and so imputed 3. Touching the third estate of vprising or entrance into Grace all in like sort agree that man albeit he be excited and called vpon by God yet doth not worke or as much as consent to his conuersion vntill he be truly iustifyed by Faith in Christ which I shall disproue in the Chapter following 4. In the fourth and last estate they allow also to man with vniforme consent the Liberty as they call it of Grace which Caluin and others interpret to be A Liberty from Constraint only and not from Necessity and so depriue man in this case as well as in the former of his free Arbitrement Against whom I am now to proue two points of chiefe importance 5. First the Liberty of Mans Freewill since his fall not only to Ciuill actions but also by the speciall ayd and assistance of Gods Grace to the conquest of any new sinne and performance at least of some Morall good Secondly that this Liberty is from Necessity and not from Coaction onely Yet remember I take not Grace before mentioned for Iustifying Grace as ProtestaÌ„ts doe not for habituall Grace or Inherent Iustice dwelling in our soules but for Actuall Grace that is for any heauenly Motion illustration or other extraordinary succoursent from aboue for our Sauiour Christs sake by help whereof he that is prostitute to some kind of â—ices may well subdue and ouermaster other He that transgresseth the Saboath may dutifully honour and reuerence his Parents he that walloweth in fleshly lust may of compassion relieue the necessity of his Neighbour and He that sitteth in the Chaire of Pestilence may rise and walke the way of Gods Commandements if he diligently Psalm 1. giue eare and correspondently worke according to his Diuine Inspirations All which our Sectaries obstinatly impiously blasphemously deny Not knowing the Scripturs Matth. 22. 2. Petr. 3. v. 16. or willfully deprauing them to their owne perdition 6. For to comprise the proofes of the former two points both togeather is there any thing in Scripture more seriously recorded or promulgated more solemnely then Deut. 30 â— vers 19. that which Moyses denounced to the Iewes saying I call this day Heauen and Earth to witnesse that I haue set before you Life and Death Benediction and Malediction therfore choose Life c. He speaketh of the Morall obseruation or breach of the Law biddeth them choose Life by obseruing not Death by transgressing Wheron it followeth most euidently that they were not Thrall to transgression or in the Bondage of Sinne but might if they would haue imbraced life and were not by necessity determined either to life or death For which cause the wise and ancient Philo notably Philo in libro quod deus fit immutabilis Iosu 24. concludeth Man hath Free-will c. To which purpose is extant the Oracle of God in Deuteronomie I haue placed before thee life and death good and euill choose life In like manner Iosue proposing the worshiping of God or Idols to the people said Choose this day that which pleaseth you whom you Dan. 23. 22. ought especially to serue 7. Susanna in danger of incurring either the offence of God or disgrace of the world after she had reasoned Amos 5. v. â—4 with herselfe on both sides what she might doe made choise not to sinne in the sight of God The Prophet Amos exhorteth the Iewes Seeke the good and not the euill that yee may liue Almighty God propounding three seuerall 2. Reg. 24. v. 12 13. 3. Reg. 3. v. 5. chastisments to Dauid biddeth him take his choice which he would haue To King Salomon likewise he saied Aske what thou wilt who demanded the Morall vertue of Wisedome and not riches or the death of his enemies as they Arist l. 3. Eth. c. 4. 5. Orig. l. 3. de Prin. c. 1. Nissen l. 7. de phi c. 1. Nazian in Apolog. Ambros l. 2. c. 3. very Text declareth he might haue done 8. Therefore both he and the rest had perfect freedome some to Ciuill some to Morall actions some from the Captiuity of sinne and all enioyed the freedome of Choice the freedome of Election in which the true liberty not only from Constraint but also from Necessity consisteth as both Aristotle the Philosopher and Origen Saint Gregory Nissen Saint Gregory Nazianzen Saint Ambrose those great Deuines affirme which no man of sense or iudgment can deny For when it is in our free power to take this or that one thing or another as in all the Eccles 15. v. 17. former examples it was we are not restrained or necessarily inclined by ineuitable influence to yield to either 9. Moreouer in Ecclesiasticus the wiseman saith God Vhitaker in his answer to the first reasoÌ„ of M. Campian hath set before thee water and fire to which thou wilt stretch forth thy hand Before man is life and death good and euill that which pleaseth him shall be giuen vnto him Which words because M. Whitaker could not otherwise auoid he discardeth the worke and reiecteth the Author in this lewd arrogate manner That place of Ecclesiasticus I nothing esteeme neither 1. Cor. 7. v. 37. will I beleeue the liberty of Freewill although he affirme it a thousand times But if others affirme it against whom he can take no exception will he giue credit to them If S. Paul Act. 5. 4. if S. Peter if Christ if God himselfe affirme it will he giue credit to them S. Paul He that hath determined in his heart Aug. ser 10. de Diuers being setled not hauing necessity but hauing power of his owne will and hath iudged this in his heart to keepe his Virgin doth well S. Peter speaking to Ananias about the price of his Mat. 12. v. 33. Land Remayning did it not remain to thee And being sold was it not in thy power Whereupon S. Augustine teacheth that before we vow it is in our power to vow or not to vow but after we haue vowed we ought to performe the same Aug l. 2 de Act. cum Feliâ—e Manich c. 4. Gen. c. 4. ver 7. vnder paine not of corporall death but of euerlasting fire Christ saith Either make the Tree good and his fruit good or make the Tree euill and his fruit euill Which place the forenamed S. Augustine vrgeth against Felix the Manichee and proueth it to be In the Free will of man either to choose good things and become a good Tree or euill become a bad Tree And God himselfe in his owne person fore warning Cain If thou Amb. l. 2 l de Cain c. 7. Bernâ—ser 5. de quadrages Ruper l 4. Comment in Gen. c. 3. See their English Bible printed Anno 1594. the Annotat. in cap.
was an hungred and you gaue me to drinke c. Get you away froÌ„ me you cursed c. I was an hungred and you gaue me not to eate I was a thirst and you gaue me not to drinke For this cause the Apostle Matth. 25. v. 34. v. 41. 1. Cor. 4. v. 17. Tertult l. de râ—sur carnis c. 40 in Scorp cap. 13. Aug. ep 105. Chrysost hom 3. de Lazaro auerreth the sufferances of his life to win or cause faluation Our Tribulation which presently is momentary and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glory in vs where for worketh our Protestants corruptly translated heretofore prepareth albeit they haue since corrected it because it is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is potently or forcibly worketh In liew whereof Tertullian readeth perficiet in nobis shall perfect and accoÌ„plish in vs an eternall weight of glory yet not physically as the efficient but morally as the meritorious cause which winneth and purchaseth the laurell of be atitude as sinnes procure the bane of endles misery Whereupon S. Augustine Euen as death is rendred for astipend to the merit of sinne so is euerlasting life as a stipend to the merit of iustice And S. Chrysostome By good workes we deserue heauen as by euill hell THE SECOND CHAPTER IN WHICH The same is strengthned by other reasons authorities and the Obiections satisfied THE third Argument to support the merit of workes is drawne from those places of Scripture which testify the singular valew prerogatiue of Almes-deeds Tob. 1â— v. 9. and Eccles 3. v. 33. Prou. 25. v. 27. Pro. 16. v. 6. Dan. 4. v. 24. that it deliuereth from death purgeth sinnes maketh vs find merit and life euerlasting Giue almes and behold all things are cleane vnto you By mercy and faith sinnes are purged By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed Redeeme thou thy sinnes with almes and thy iniquities with the mercies of the poore which place by the Protestants former and by their later translation set forth by commaundement of his Maiesty is thus adulterated Breake of thy sinnes by righteousnes For although the Hebrew or rather Chaldeack word Peruk of Perak the roote signifieth sometime to breake in pieces to deuide to rend in sunder and also to redeeme yet neuer properly to breake off or cease to do couering by righteousnes as our sectaries wrest it not extinguishing by almes deeds as the Verbe inforceth the remaynes of sinne But albeit the Chaldeake word had beene ambiguous as in no indifferent mans iudgement it is in that place yet the Latine word Redime redeeme at least the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath no other natiue signification then ransome or redeeme thy sinnes should haue taken all doubt and ambiguity away had those Protestant translations syncerely followed the originall fountaines as they pretend 2. The fourth and last reason is insinuated in holy writ in these very textes which commend some vertuous and heroicall actes as better in themselues more gratefull vnto God then others although both the faith be equall inhabitant grace by which they are wrought 1. Cor. 7. v. 38. â—bidem v. 39. 40. Matt. 19â— v. â—1 For so S. Paul sayth He that ioyneth his virgin in matrimony doth well and he that ioyneth not doth better Likewise speaking of the widdow Let her marry to whom she will only in our Lord but more blessed shall she be if she so remaine In like manner to distribute all our goodes to the poore and follow Christ is of it selfe more perfect then to enioy the riches of the world and bestow them in his seruice Yf thou wilâ— be perfect go and sell the thinges that thou hast and giue IoaÌ„ 15. v. 13 to the poore c. To sacrifice our liues in testimony of our faith is more precious in the eies of God then to releeue the poore with a cup of cold water Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yield his life for his friends In so much as there is some valew some worthines in the act of Martyrdome which is not in almesdeeds some dignity in voluntary pouerty which is not in rich liberality some excellency of merit in virginity beyond the degree or holines of wedlocke wherein least our aduersaries should wrangle that they are more excellent and worthy only as they are signes of greater faith both our Sauiour and the Apostle speake absolutely without any condition of greater or lesser prerogatiue of faith Therefore the thinges considered in themselues are better more grâ—tefull and meritorious all other circumstances being equally weighed For as conditionall assertions cannot be absolutely In conc Mediolan Ambros Epist 81. Ambr. ibid. ep 8 c. Aug serm 143. de teÌ„p Diuersa specits claritatis quia diuersa suÌ„t merita charitatis Centur. 5. c. 4. col 518. Aug. l. 3. de peccat meritis Contur c. 4 4. col 301. Amb. l. 2. ad Marcel Cent. 3. 4. col 86. Orig l. 10. ep ad Rom. Cent. 4. c. 4. Col. 192. Cbrom in concion de Beat. Cent. 4. c. 10 col 1250. Ierom aduer Iou. Cent. 3. c. 4. col 86. Tertul l. de Ieiunio Cent. 2. c. 4 col 64. vnderstood no more can absolute and irrestreyned be expounded conditionally vnles we peruert the ten our of Gods sacred lawes and shake the whole fabrike of diuine oracles in peeces Whereupon very religiously S. Ambrose Bassian and other Bishops without any condition of more feruent faith absolutely auouch Mariage is good by which the posterity of Irumane succession is propagated but Virginity is better whereby the inheritance is gotten of our celestiall Kingdome and the succession is found out of heauenly merits Also the same S. Ambrose with Bassian and the rest a little before It is a wild and rusticall howling to awaite or looke for no fauour of virginity no prefermeÌ„t of chastity to be willing promiscuously to confound all thinges to abrogate the degrees of diuers merits and bring in a certeine pouerty of celestiall remunerations S. Augustine You see that clarity is promised to the bodies of Saintes and a various lustre of clarity for the various merits of charity But of him S. Ambrose Origen Chromatius S. Hierome Tertullian and S. Ignatius the Apostles Scholler I alleadge no other then the words of the Centuristes It is apparant say they that Augustine was of this mind that Virgins deuoted to sanctimony haue more merit with God then the faithfull married folkes For because Iouinian thought the contrary that they haue no more merite this he reprehended in him Ambrose to insolently pronounceth of the merit of virgins Origen maketh virginity a worke of perfection Chromatius extolleth voluntary Pouerty and sayth that by the merite thereof the riches of the heauenly Kingdome are obteyned Hierome de striuing too much for Virginity is somewhat vniust or aduerse to marriage Tertullian attributeth merit to Fasting It appeareth out of the Epistles of