wit Christ is truly iust before God by Iustice worthy of heauen therefore he that doth iustice is also iust before God by the like iustice or els the similitude S. Iohn maketh is wholy defeated 1. Againe S. Iohn in both places compareth him that worketh iustice and increaseth therein to the peruerse wicked sinner who still continueth heaping sinne vpon sinne but he that walloweth in the filthines of sinne waxeth more filthy not only before men but also before God by hoording vp wrath and extremity of torments against the day of wrath and indignation Therefore he that goeth forward in the course of Iustice augmenteth the same not outwardly in the eyes of men but inwardly in the sight of the highest by increasing heere his treasure of mercy and reward of glory heereafter which S. Paul punctually confirmeth As you haue exhibited your members Rom. 6 â— 19. to serue vncleanes and iniquity vnto iniquity so now exhibite your members to serue iustice vnto sanctification Lo heer sanctification is all one with iustice or it is as Hugo sayth the Hugo in illum locuÌ„ stay or confirmation of Iustice. Besides they that proceed externall workes of iustice increase the summe thereof and become more gratious vnto God euen as when they were subiect to sinne by continual often sinning they Theophil in â—um loc Tertul. de resur carn c. 47. Orig. l. 6. in e. 6. ad Rom. Chrys ho. 12. in c. 6. ad Rom. Ambr. in hunc loc Cùm hic salus illic damnatio operetur augmented their wickednes waxed more odious and detestable in his presence For those words to serue iniquity vnto iniquity are vttered after the Hebrew Phrase which signify as Theophilact noteth as it were an addition of sinne to sinne the like addition is after required of Iustice to Iustice as Tertullian Origen S. Chrysostome and S. Ambrose expresly interprete the Apostle of such addition and increase of Iustice by which we obtaine saluation saying He hath commanded vs with the same measure or degree of diligence to serue God with which we serued the Diuell whereas we ought more obsequiously obey God then the Diuell because heere saluation there damnation worketh Heerupon the law of God his very Commandements are tearmed our Iustifications Would God my wayes might be directed to keep thy iustifications My soule hath coueted to desire thy iustifications I was exercised in thy iustifications It is good for me that thou hast humbled me that I Psal 118. v. 5. Vers 120. Vers 48. vers 71. may learne thy iustifications And why is this But because the obseruation and keeping of his law doth make vs truly and perfectly iust because it doth quicken reuiue and giue life to our soules which cannot be without perfect Iustice gratious allowable before the throne of grace whereof the Psalmist in the same place is also witnesse Ibidem v. 93. I will not forget thy iustifications for euer because in them thou hast quickened me And Ezechiel When the impious shall turne away himself from his impiety and do iudgment and iustice he shall Ezech. c. 18. v. 27. viuificate or make his soule to liue 2. Likewise S. Paul auoucheth He that ministreth seed to the sower will giue bread also to eate and will multiply your seed will augment the increase of the fruits of your iustice 2. Cor. 9. v. 10. Theophil in buncloc Anselm in bunc loc Where the Apostle resembleth almesdeeds to seed which sowed in the hands of poore and needy persons yieldeth increase of grace sayth Theophilact in this life and glory in the next or they are compared to seed which he that once soweth twice reapeth according to S. Anselme The fruit thereof abundance of temporall goods in this world of heauenly in the world to come Which supposeth it to be the increase of true iustice and of such whereunto the glory of heauen is due as the very Text it selfe declareth both in this and in the former two places Heere the wordes immediatly before are He distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice remayneth Ibid. v. 9. Rom. 6. v. 21. Apoc. 22. v. 12. for euer In the sixth Chapter to the Romans after the forementioned exhortation it is added You haue your fruit to sanctification but the end life euerlasting In the two twentith of the Apocalips the wordes ensuing are Behould I come quickely and my reward is with me to render to euery man according to his workes Therefore by conference of places and connexion of the Text it euidently appeareth that the Apostle spake of the going forward in true Iustice before God for no other remaineth for euer to no other euerlasting life and reward of glory belongeth For this cause S. Paul prayeth for the Collossians that they may walk Coloss 1. v. 10. worthy of God in all thinges pleasing fructifying in all good workes Euery word strengthneth our cause that we fructify in good workes and in workes pleasing God worthy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God as the Greeke Text more plainly openeth Salomon Feare not to be iustifyed euen to death because the reward of God abydeth for euer Where although M. Abbot out of Caluin contendeth that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betokneth ne differas do thou not procrastinate or delay yet it also signifyeth ne cesses surcease not leaue not off And S. Augustine Eccles 28. v. 23. Abbot c. 4. sect 36. fol. 541. Ang. in speculo ex vtroq Testament ex Ecclesias 1. Pet. 2. v. 2. readeth ne verearis feare not according to our approued vulgar translation S. Peter As infants euen now borne reasonable milke without guile desire you that in it you may grow vnto saluation the * Lâ—â—haije â— Aug. ser 16. de verb. Apost Syriacke hath that in it you may grow to life Both translations import that by going forvvard in vertue vve dayly grovv and increase our saluation our life of grace vpon earth our right and title to the life of glory in heauen vvherupon S. Augustine sayth We are iustifyed but that iustice it selfe increaseth when we profit and go forward Thus he 3. But because the cauilling Protestant will hardly be satisfyed with this expound O Augustine expound yet more playnly what iustice it is in which we increase He telleth you That we proced and increase in that iustification in which we obteyned remission of sinnes by the Aug. ibid. lauer of regneration in that by which we receaued the Holy Ghost in that wherof we haue some part by Fayth some beginning by fayth in that we profit from day to day that is augmented partly by Hope but most of all by Charity as by the most supereminent way demonstrated vnto vs by the Apostle by which our fayth is circumcised and discerned from the fayth of the Diuells And in his second booke against Iulian Iustification in this life according to
which it is distinguished from the former lawes To abrogate all kind of Sacrifice is to disanull the law to abolish our Religion as S. Cyprian proueth And to fly as D. Bilson and D. Reynolds are here constrained to spirituall only is vaine and friuolous First because euery true Religion is a seuerall and peculiar worship wherby people vnited professe their duty and obedience to God which is not inough inwardly to acknowledge vnlesse we also expresse it by some outward and sensible signe And in the chiefest Religion that euer was by the perfectest and most principall signe of subiection to wit by the externall oblation I mentioned before Secondly we haue not only as all Catholikes teach against the Manichees Our soule from God we receaue from him both body and soule both the flesh and the spirit both our S. Iren. l. 4. cap. 34. S. Tho. l. 4. c. 56. con GeÌ„tes visible and inuisible our corporall and spirituall substance Therefore besids the secret and inuisible prayers of our hart it is necessary we likewise serue him with corporall bodily and visible things in token that he only is Authour Creatour and Lord of all things Thirdly spirituall Sacrifices of prayer almesdeeds and the like were continually practised and obserued by the Iewes not proper to vs Christians as that Sacrifice ought to be by which our Religion is established and distinguished from others 5. D. Reynolds D. Sparkes and their associates otherwhile Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. Sparks in his answer to M. Iobn Alb. p. 7. 8. 23. answere That the Sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse is the peculiar and perpetuall Host in which our Priesthood law and Religion is constituted But they satisfy not For that was only offered in one place and at one tyme to that all Nations christened could not refort to do homage vnto God that was not any rite or ceremony instituted by him but if we speake of the action a detestable Sacriledge committed by the Iewes that also was common to all the former true states of Religion who belieued in Christs Passion to come And yet the externall and diuine worship in which Christian Religion florisheth and consisteth ought to be apointed by God proper to Christians in all tymes and places practised ought to be such vnto which all faithfull people might repaire which can be Reyn. pag. 539. Luc. 22. v. 19. Iewel in his Reply against the Sacrifice Bils 4. par p. 690. 691. none other then the Oblation of the holy Eucharist as I will manifestly proue notwithstanding M. Reynolds impiously traduceth it as the Monster of abhomination 6. Christ offered and instituted this Sacrifice in S. Luke This is my Body which is giuen for you He doth not say which shall be giuen hereafter only as M. Iewell commenteth nor which is giuen in bare Mistery and signification as M. Bilson glozeth but which euen now in the present is giuen as an Host and Sacrifice offered to his Father truly really in propitiation pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes as more plainly appeareth by the Greeke text which Bezae for this cause chargeth with corruption where all copies read The Cuppe or bloud as conteyned in the Chalice to be truly Cyp. l 2. Epist 2. Aug. in Psal 33 â— con 2. Chrys bo 24. â—â— Corinth NisseÌ„ orat deresur Andreas Crastouâ— de opif. miss l. 2. ser 164. Cyr in 1. Cor. c. 10. bo 24. Aug. 17 de ciuit Dei cap. 20. shed that is offered vnto God as a Propitiatory Sacrifice in remission of sinnes Which all the Fathers with vniforme consent most constantly confirme S. Cypryan S. Augustinè S. Chrysostome and innumerable others by Coccius and Garetius abundantly cyted Amongst which S. Gregory Nissen whom our Aá¸uersaries hereupon shamfully calumniate hath these words Christ after an ineffable and hidden manner of Sacrifice preoccupated the violent force to wit of his death and offered himselfe for vs an Oblation and victim the Priest to geather and lambe of God When was this done When he exhibited his Body to be eaten and Bloud to be drunke to his familiar frinds This is that marueilous and honourable Sacrifice where in lieu of the slaughter of brute beasts Christ coÌ„maunded as S. Chrysostome sayth himselfe to be offered this is that Sacrifice which succeeded all those Sacrifices of the old law that were offered in shaddow of that to come as S. Augustine testifyeth This is that soueraigne worship of God in which the law of Christianity is established as the allusion it selfe importeth which our Sauiour here maketh betweene the dedication of the old Testament and this of the new 7. Moyses when he ratified and began the old law Exod. 2â— dedicated it in the bloud of Calues Christ beginninng to confirme the new solemnizeth the same in his owne bloud Moyses powred his bloud into a goblet Christ consecrateth his in a Chalice Moyses tooke that bloud and sprinkled the people Christ taketh this and inwardly washeth the harts of his Apostles Moyses said This is the bloùd of the couenant or testament Christ sayth This is the bloud of the new Testament Moyses added which God hath deliuered vnto you Christ annexeth which shall be shed for you So as that which Moyses performed was an euident figure of this which Christ accomplished And therefore as that was a true Sacrifice so this being the truth it selfe must be a farre more true and perfect Sacrifice As that was the bloud of a victime offered vnto God before it was spinkled vpoÌ„ the people so this ought to be the bloud of a purer victim of Christ himselfe before it cleanseth the soules of his Disciples As that was the solemne seruice in which the state of the Iudaicall law consisted so this must be the proper and publike worship of God on which the externall form of Christian Religion dependeth 8. As we may yet more manifestly gather out of that Luc. 12 v. 19. precept of our Sauiour Christ Do this for commemoration of me By which words we are strictly commanded to execute 1. Some outward visible act signifyed by the Pronowne This. 2. That it must be an act of doing not of belieuing only the Verbe Doe conuinceth 3. That the doing of this external actioÌ„ should represent the Passion of Christ is manifest by the Nowne which followeth for a commemoration of me And by S. Paul As often as you shall eate this Bread and drinke the Chalice you shall shew the dead of 1. Cor. 11. v. 26. our Lord vntill he come 9. It is not inough To take bread and wine to excite stirre vp an inward remembrance as M. Bilson faigneth of his death and Passion We must also do as Christ commandeth Bils 4. par pag. 693. 694. 695. an outward action commemoratiue of him sensibly shewing as S. Paul writeth the death of our Lord. The Iewes belieued and visibly sacrificed their Calues and lambes in token of Christ Wherefore least we
Alexan. 4 par sum â— 53. in I. iuxta edit antiquam Alex. l. 1. Euchar. c. 41. not say as our Aduersaryes would wrest his meaning vnlesse you eate my flesh vnder the shape of bread and drinke my bloud vnder the forme of wine But vnlesse you eate my flesh and drinke my bloud which may be truely performed vnder one kind alone For he that eateth the bread is entyrely nourished not only with the flesh but with the whole substance of Christ his precious bloud as certaine monkes of whome Alexander de Hales and Cardinall Allan write were miraculously instructed by aboundance of bloud which issued from the signs of bread And he that drinketh the Chalice is likwise fed with the whole quantity of our Sauiours flesh And so he that participateth one kind which perfectly containeth the meate Claud in repe vle de Eucha 1. Cor. 3. v. â— 9. v. 7 Cyp ser de coen Dom. Vvald to 2 de SacaÌ„ rap 93. Pasch l. de Cor. Christi Aug. l. 3. q in Leuit. cap. 57. Chrys ho. 18. m 2. ad Cor. Bils 4. par pag. 632. S. Igna. ep ad Philad Amb. l. de mit myst cap. 9. Hier. in c. 2. Mala. Cyp. ser de coen Dom. Toles in c. 6. Ioan. Exod. 22. v. 15. Iob. 31. Eze. 13. Psal 129. 1. Cor. 11. v. 27. cap. 10. v. 17. and drinke of both may truly be sayd to eate in regard of the one and drinke in respect of the other As Claudius Xainctes proueth by the authority of many Fathers and excellently gathereth out of S. Paul to the Corinthians where the same milke is tearmed drinke and meat which S. Cyprian verifyeth of the food of the holy Eucharist After the like manner Thomas Waldensis expoundeth Paschasius when by these wordes Drinke yee all of this he willeth all faythfull belieuers To drinke the Bloud that is vnder the outward accidents and shew of bread Which is also the meaning of S. Augustine S. Chrysostome and others alleadged by M. Bilson where they say We are all exhorted to drinke the Bloud And That the cup is ministred to all Or they speake of the vse and practise of the Church in their tymes as S. Ignatius S. Ambrose and S. Hierome do Or lastly they speake of the necessity of receauing both kinds at least by some in the Church but not by all As S. Cyprian doth when he sayth The lâ—â— prohibiteth the eating of bloud the Ghospell commandeth it to be drunke 6. Otherwise we may auerre with the renowned Cardinall Tolet in that passage of S. Iohn Vnles you eate c. and drinke his bloud that the Coniunction and is according to the Hebrew phrase disiunctiuely taken for or As in Exodus where the Hebrew text hath He that striketh his Father and his Mother Let him dye the meaning is as our vulgar translation interpreteth and readeth He that striketh his Father or his Mother The like we find in Iob Ezechiel and other places the like in S. Paul in plaine confirmation both of this exposition and doctrine of the Sacrament For wher some read Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the chalice our of Lord vnworthily in the Greeke it is or drinke And in the immediate chapter before where the ancient latin copies haue We are one bread and one body all that partake of one bread and one Chalice the Greeke only readeth All that partake of one bread Because by one kind we receaue the true nourishment and perfect substance of both 7. Thus we easily put off the force of that argumeÌ„t but how our Aduersaryes will auoyd it I know not For they interpreting S. Iohns wordes of the spirituall eating of Christs flesh bloud by fayth I would vnderstand of them what difference they make betweene eating and drinking For certes in the sole act of faith there is no difference no difference in belieuing his flesh wounded from belieuing his bloud shed in respect of beliefe therefore you neither obey the precept nor feare the coÌ„mination of Christ Vnles you eate the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his bloud you shall haue no life in you Heere Christ Ioan. 6. v. 53. commaundeth the reall eating which you renounce mentioneth the drinking which you haue not the belieuing which in that place he neither commaundeth nor mentioneth you imbrace and yet you would be the Ghospellers of Christ Neuerthelesse at your importunity let vs leaue his words leaue his meaning and admit your false construction Then I propose this questioÌ„ whether he that stedfastly belieueth in Christ the Sauiour of the world with one firme assent without separatly thinking of the wounds of his Body and effufion of his bloud doth truly fullfill according to you the former precept and enioy the promised life or not Without doubt you must graunt he doth as our Sauiour often auoucheth saying He that belieueth in me hath life euerlasting Ioan. 6. v. 47. Ioan 3. v. 16. Ioan. 11. v. 25. euery one that belieueth in the Sonne of God shall not pèrish c. Besides He that belieueth in me although he be dead shal liue Wherefore as this satisfyeth in the spirituall eating why should it not also satisfy in the corporall by one act and vnder one kind to receaue the authour himself and price of our redemption without receauing him twise by two seuerall acts of eating and drinking Because you will say in the corporall Christ commandeth both and doth he not so in the spirituall supposing you spiritually expound his wordes Or will you say that in the spiritual eating of our Redeemer his death and Passion and by consequence his body broken and bloud shed are inuolued So say I that in the corporal teceauing of one kind both are not only consequently inuolued but perfectly contained and in the sole act of eating the other of drinking is vertually implyed Which this very passage Ioan. 6. v. 57. ensuing apparently conuinceth He that eateth me the same also shall liue by me For what doth the word me comprehend but the whole person of Christ his flesh his bloud his body his soule his deity whatsoeuer els belongs vnto him Therefore he that eateth only eateth him eateth and drinketh all 8. But out of the former sayings of S. Iohn M. Bilson with his confederates picke a new quarrel that the wicked according to vs eate Christ yet dye the death of sinners therfore our Sauiour speaketh not of the corporall but only of the spirituall eating by fayth by which we perish not but liue for euer I answere that the former sentences many such like are vnderstood conditionally if he eate worthily and still perseuere in that happy state he shal liue for euer otherwise if he eate vnworthily he eateth as the Apostle sayth iudgment to himselfe Ioan. 4. v. 13. Marc. 16. v. 16. Ioel. 2. v. 32. So it is sayd He that shall drinke of the water that I will giue him shall not thirst
blisse and happynes requireth it vvhich is a mayne Ocean of ioyes a full and plentifull repast of vvhatsoeuer the hart can vvish or desire For Psal â—6 King Dauid sayd I shall be satisfyed when thy glory shall appeare Novv euery Saint nature being not abolished but perfected by grace hath a naturall invvard appetite to knovv the estate of their friendes to vnderstand the suits they make vnto theÌ„ therefore to fulfill the measure of their felicity they must haue notice of them 15. Thirdly the excellency of their beatificall and happy vision of God challengeth no lesse For if many holy-men euen in this life eyther by the gift of Prophesy or by the extraordinary fauour of God haue disclosed the hidden thoughts of hart thinges to come and thinges done farre distant from them as Elizaeus knevv the bribe which Geizi tooke S. Peter the sacriledges of 4. Reg. 5. Act. 5. Ananias and Saphira Daniel Ezechiel many secrets to come depending on the free choyce and will of man Why should not the Saints vvhome the highest Soueraygne hath admitted into his heauenly consistory with vvhome he communicateth his hidden counsayles why should not they by the preheminence of glory vvhich farre surpasseth the giftes of prophesy the prerogatiues of grace more truly decipher and perspicuously see what is often reuealed by inferiour meanes Which reason Aug. l. 2â— de Ciu. Dei cap. 29. Basil l. de vera Virg Athanas quaest 32. Esa 63. Hier. vpon that place S. Augustine profoundly prosecuteth saying If the Prophet Elizaeus absent in body did see the bribe his seruant Geizi receaued of Naaman Syrus c. how much more in that Spirituall body shall Saints see all thinges c. When God shall be all in all vnto vs I might adioyne hereunto the suffrage of Saint Basil and S. Athanasius vnlesse our Aduersaryes thought to wipe them all away with one misconstrued place of the Prophet Esay 16. Abraham knoweth vs not and Israel is ignorant of vs. I answere with Saint Hierome That they knew not the Iewes with the knowledge of approbation or liking because they had abandoned before the Lavv of Aug. l. de cura pro. mort c. 13. Iob. 14. Eccles 9. Orig. l. 2. in Ep. ad Ro. Aug. l. de vera relig cap. 55. Naz. orat in Athan. Field l. 3. c. â—â— fol. 109. God Or they knew them not by their owne power and vertue by humane conuersation with them as Saint Augustine seemeth to interprete it and of vvhich Iob King Salomon Origen Saint Augustine meane when they doubt or deny the Saints to know our actions S. Gregory Nazianzen is so farre from staggering in this point as he sayth of Athanasius Rectè noui c. I truly know he vieweth our doings And therefore M. Field might easily haue perceaued had he not beene wilfull that in the sentence of S. Gregory at which he carpeth If the Blessed soules haue that priuiledge from God to know these thinges c. If the dead haue sense c. the particle if is not taken conditionally but causually by way of asseueration as learned Maldonate literally expoundeth it in his notable commentaryes Maldonat in Io. c. 15. c. 13. Ioan. 15. Ioan. 13. vpon the New Testament in S. Iohn If they haue persecuted me c. Agayne If God be glorifyed in him c. The like I affirme of S. Hierome and the rest when they vse any such conditionall speaches For although some Fathers doubted of the manner of knowledge the Saints haue of inferiour things yet none euer made question but that they vnderstand by reuelation from God not generally All our inward actions and secret thoughts vvhich Field loco citato fol. 114. M. Field whether of ignorance or malice I diuine not iniuriously tearmeth An impious counceit of Papistes but such as we of deuotion or they of piety desire to know Howbeit it could inuolue no impiety if they did see all not of themselues but by the Diuine illumination and fauour of God 17. So as our Protestants can deuise no semblance or shew of reason why mortall men may be prayed vnto and not immortall Saintes Vnlesse they imagine that being vnited to Christ they be more estranged from vs that their charity is more cold or ability Bern. in vigil Petri Pauli ser de S. Victore Aug. ser â—9 infest SS Petri Pauli lesse able to comfort vs. Of their charity S. Bernard writeth That Blessed Countrey doth not change but augment it The latitude or breadth of heauen restrayneth not but dilateth hartes Of their power and ability Saint Augustine speaking of the miracle S. Peter wrought with his shadow sayth If then the shadow of his body could affoard help how much more now the fulnes of his power And if then a certayne little wind of him passing by did perfect them that humbly asked how much more the grace of him now permanent and remayning And S. Hierome Hier. aduers Vigi If the Apostles and Martyrs dwelling in corruptible flesh could pray for others when they ought to be carefull for themselues how much more after their crownes victory and triumphes When Secure as S. Cyprian noteth of their owne felicity they remayne sollicitous only of our safety 18. Lastly the wicked fiendes and diuells of Cyp. de mortal â— hell heare the Southsayers Witches and Magitians when they eyther coniure or call vpon them they contriue and accomplish many mischiefs at their appointment by Gods permission as you may reade in the fourth Martinuâ— del Rio Magica disquisitionum l. 4. booke of Matinus Del Rio his magicall Disquisitions And shall we thinke the triumphant Saints and Angells of heauen deafe Shall we thinke their handes fettered or power restrayned when we deuoutly pray and suplicate vnto them O yee heauens be astonished and stand amazed yee immortall spirits at this cursed generation vvhich graunteth to the diuellish and damned spirits what it impiously gainsayeth and denyeth to you For â— Reg. 28. Basil ep 80. ad Eustac Amb. l. 1. in Luc. 1. Ieron Isa 7. Aug. de cura pro mort ger cap. 15. which S. Augustine wrot after that to SimpliciaÌ„ where he seemeth to doubt whether it was Samuels soule or no. Eccles 46. Tertul. l. de anima Procop. Euche in 〈◊〉 locuÌ„ what can any Protestant say to that apparition of Samuel mentioned in the first of Kinges Will he graunt with S. Basil S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Augustine which is also most agreeable to the wordes there recorded and confirmed by Ecclesiasticus that the soule of Samuel truly appeared vnto Saul and foretold him of his death of King Dauid his successour of the slaughter of his sonnes and other Israelites which was to ensue the very next day after Then he must perforce acknowledge that soules departed do know our affayres and what good or euill doth heere betide vs as S. Augustine by this example inuincibly proueth Or will
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
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
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
English K. Iames to patronage in his answere to Cardinall Peron for although that answere be set forth vnder Casaubons name yet his Highnes vouchsafeth to adopt it for his own Royal ofspring in his reply to the foreâ—ayd Cardinalls Oration The words are His Maiesty and the Church of England do allow the necessity of Baptisme in respect of the diuine institution as well as you c. God hath appointed this as for the ordinary way to obtaine remission of sinnes in his Church Christ himselfe denieth the entrance into the kingdome of heauen to those which are not borne againe of water and the spirit Therefore it is not the seale which signeth the Charter of Iustice already made not the addition hanging at it but the instrument which by vertue communicated vnto it by God doth effect and make vs iust And so the true and intier fayth which the Apostle exacted of the Eunuch Act. 8. v. 37. before Baptisme what not sufficient to iustify in the sight of God nor to remit his sinnes nor to open the gate of heauen vnles he had byn also sprinckled with the precious and sauing water of that holy Sacrament 14. Lastly the fayth so often celebrated and commended in holy Writ is not your presumptuous confidence not your confortable trust or affiance of the will but our humble and firme beliefe the submission of captiuating of our vnderstanding to the obedience of mysteries reuealed by God Such is the Fayth defined by S. Rom. 1. v. 8. 17. Heb. 11. v. 1. 4. 5. Heb. 11. v. 7. Rom. 4. v. 21. Heb. 11. v. 11. Paul and by him so much extolled in Abel Henoch Noë Abraham Sara for Noë his fayth was not any speciall perswasion of the remission of his sinnes by the righteousnes of Christ but the assent and credit he gaue to the reuelations which God made vnto him of the vniuersall deluge which should drowne the word whereupon fearing he framed the Arke for sauing of his house Abrahams fayth was his generall acknowledgment that whatsoeuer God promised he is able also to do his assured beliefe that his seed should be as the starres in heaueÌ„ notwithstaÌ„ding his old age and the dead matrice of Sara his wife Sara her fayth the Apostle declareth saying By fayth Sara also her selfe being barren receaued vertue in conceauing of seed yea past the tyme of age because she beleeued that he was faythfull which had promised But to passe from the faythfull of the old Testament to those of the new 15. The renowned Fayth of the Centurion admired and praysed by the diuine wisedome it selfe what was Matt. 8. v. 8. Matt. 16. v. 10. Ioan. 10 v. 28. it That Christ being absent by his only word could cure his diseased seruant Only say the word and my boy shall be healed The fayth of S. Peter by which he deserued the Primacy of the Apostleship what was it Thou art Christ the son of the liuing God The fayth of S. Thomas after his incredulity what was it his faytfull exclamation My Lord and my God To be briefe the fayth in which S. Iohn in which S. Paul placeth the life and saluation of our soules what Ioan. 20. v. 31. other is it Then to beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you may haue life in his name This is the word of fayth sayth S. Paul which we preach for if thou confesse Rom. 10. v. 8. 9. with thy mouth our Lord Iesus Christ and shalt beleeue in thy hart that God raysed him from death thou shalt be saued M. Abbot is so mightily embroyled in answering of these sentences Abbot inhis defence câ—p 4. sect â—8 strongly vrged by M. Doctour Bishop as to the first example of Noë forsaking the written word the soueraigne refuge to which they make their last appeale he recoyleth from the rule of Fayth and literall exposition of all ancient writers and laboureth to scramble out of the brakes by the help of some Allegoryes or other mysticall sentences of S. Augustine and S. Chrysoftome which if they were sincerely alleadged as they are fondly wrested by him yet they could not auaile to establish any truth in matters of fayth as all Deuines agree 16. To the second of Abraham he is forced to confesse that not the mercy of God remitting sins but the power of God in being able to performe his promise was the obiect of Abrahams fayth To the example of the Centurion he replyeth It followeth not that because the act of fayth is no further expressed heere therfore there was nothing further in his fayth Abbot in his defence c 4. sect â—â— f. 456. for his iustification towards God Yes M. Abbot it inuincibly followeth against you and your consorts who still prouoke vs to the expresse wordes of Scripture therefore if the fayth you mention be neither there nor els where expressed in Scripture you deuise a fayth of your owne heades not expressed in Scripture To the confession of S. Peter to the texts cited out of S. Iohn S. Paul he answereth Abbot ibidem by teaching vs this strange lesson That fayth is a compounded action not of the vnderstanding only but of the hart will and affections O how were you heere ouerseene to cast into writing a speach so contrary to the Apostle and repugnant 1. Cor. 1â— v. 13. to the doctrine of all Deuines The Apostle sayth Now remaine Fayth Hope and Charity these three Loe he tearmeth them three distinct and seuerall vertues he flatly sequestreth fayth from Charity which you transform into a compounded action Yet with such an vntoward composition as thereby is destroyed the very compound it selfe For if Fayth be an act of the vnderstanding it cannot be also an act of the will or if you once make it an affection of the wil you vtterly ouerthrow the nature of fayth and so are become such a solifidian Patron of only fayth as you quite abolish all kind of fayth Againe S. S. Thom 2. 2. q. 4. 23. Loâ— Banneâ— in eadem q. Arist l. 7. phis c. 17. lâ—â— Eth. c. â— Augu. l. 4. cont Iul. c. 3. Thomas all Deuines assigne to fayth her proper subiect in which it inhereth her peculiar obiect to wit the prime verity obscurely reuealing the mysteryes of our beliefe her peculiar excellency and proper act her speciall difficulty her singular prayse her particuler merit distinct from Charity therefore it hath all which either Aristotle or S. Augustine require to the integrity of a sole and single vertue 17. Notwithstanding we say that all true and perfect vertues are linked togeather with the golden chaine of mutuall society therefore we cannot perfectly beleeue in Christ vnles we loue hope delight and ioy in him In whome we looke to find as you say blessing peace immortality and euerlasting life which is the only meaning of S. Augustine Abbot c. 4. f. 456. Augu. in
Caluinian God Because our true and soueraigne God who is essentially good yea goodnes it selfe if it were possible for him vpon any proiect neuer so holy to purpose or desire euill yet that intended euill he could not do being essentially opposite repugnant to his nature The good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite nor the tree of life the blossomes of death No contrary sayth S. Basil can be engendred by his contrary For neither Matt. 7. is life wont to breed death nor darcknes affoard beginning to light nor doth sicknes cause health And S. Gregory Nissen The good Basil hom 2. in hexa Gregor Niâ—â—eÌ„ hom 2. in Eccl. man out of the aboundance of his hart vttereth not euill thinges but such as are agreable and conuenient to his nature how much more doth the fountaine of goodnes dispense from his naturall bosome nothing that is euill It is impossible from the well-spring of purity any mudde of vncleanes from the splendour of the sun any moâ—e of darcknes from the center of rectitude any line of obliquity from the only rule and square of all actions any detorted worke oraction should be drawne to how good a purpose or holy an end soeuer it be directed yet this proceedeth not from any imbecility or weaknes but from the power it selfe and omnipotency Ambr. l. c. Ep. ep 37. of God in so much as we may auouch with S. Ambrose This impossible thing is no signe of infirmity but of vertue power Maiesty Likewise S. Augustine God is omnipotent c. Aug. li. â— de symb ad catechu c. â— how many thinges can he not do yet he is omnipotent and therefore he is omnipotent because he cannot accomplish these thinges For if he could die he were not omnipotent if he could lye if be deceaued if dâ— vniustly he were not omnipotent because if this were in him he were not worthy to be omnipotent Which reason conuinceth also that he cannot as a righteous Iudge or for any good purpose lye deceaue do euill or work any sinne For if his purpose and intent be good why doth he not contriue and execute it by some good vertuous honest meanes Is it becaause he will not cannot or thinketh not of it choose which you will For one of them must needes be the cause Wil he not It is waÌ„t of goodnes Can he not It is want of power and omnipotency Thinketh he not of it It argueth ignoraÌ„ce and inconsideration Plato l. 2. derepub To which effect it is recorded in Plato That man may haue some profitable inducement to lye because he cannot otherwise compasse his designed plots but nothing can moue God thereunto For nothing can he approue which he cannot effectuate by the best meanes he listeth Fy then on these pernicious and hellish dotages that God is the causer of heresies the contriuer of sinne Fy on them that thinke God yoke-mate with the diuell in the accomplishment of sinne to atchieue his holy designes 5. The second herefie by part interlaâ—ded in the former partly expressed in other passages is that euen as the diuine pietie of his own accord predestinateth some to glorie so he reprobateth others from all eternitie purposly intending their damnation Fulk Gods election and Fulk in c. 9. ad Rom. sect 21. ibid. sect 5. reprobation is most free of his owne will not vpon the fore-sight of the merits of eyther of them Then Pharao was a vessell of wrath ordeined to destructioÌ„ his reprobation was for the glorie of God and antecedently inteÌ„ded and appointed to that end Caluin Caluin l. 3. cap. 12. §. 5. ibid cap. 23 §. 4. 7. 8 9. Decretum quideÌ„ horribile faâ—eor To some eternall life and to some eternall damnation is fore-appoynted He likewise affirmeth that Adam and his posteritie fell by by Gods decree which he confesseth to be an horrible decree yet ordeyned by God Gods election I let passe because it tendeth to good it requireth not the preuision of workes but for reprobation which is the deputation of man the only image and similitude of God vpon earth to eternall punishment for this to be done without any fore-sight absolute or conditionall of his demerits and being done that man hath not power to escape or free will to auoide the sinnes which lead him head-longe to destruction is more then Barbarian more then NeroniaÌ„ cruelty because euery punishment iustly taxed presupposeth an offence but both men and Angells in that priority considered are free from all offence free from ill desert therfore to preordain those harmles and noble creatures to euerlastinge torments which of necessitie they must incurre before the preuision of any misdeed is such wild sauage and outragious Caluinisme as I know not whether it hath euer sound liking in the thoughts of any but some hereticall and Fulkish Caluinists Certayne it is that the Predestinats were longe since coÌ„demned for the like assertions and one Godescalcus a monke of Rhemes at a Synode of Magunce a cittie in Germanie See Frâ—doard lib. 3. c. 13. Serraen l. 1. rerum Mogunt c. 33. Baron an Domini 400. 818. Conc. Araufic c. 25. Ezech. 18. v. 32. c. 33. v. 11. osee 13. v. 9. Sap. 1. v. 13. 2. Pet. 3. v. 9. Aug. lib. 6. Hypogno Chrysos hom 3. in Genes hom de interdict arboris ad AdaÌ„ quae habetur post hom in Genes Eulgent li. ad Monim Prosper in lib. respons ad Gaâ—loruÌ„ capitula sub 〈…〉 in â—â—nt super cap. 7. Yea the Arausican Councel anathematizeth both them our aduersaries in these words We doe not only beleeue any to be predestinate to euill by diuine power but if there be any who will beleeue so great an euill with all detestation we pronounce them accursed 6. The Prophets and Apostles cry out I will not the death of him that dieth sayd our Lord god I will not the death of the impious but that he conuert from his way and liue Perdition is thine o Israell only in me is thy help God made not death neyther doth he reioyce in the perdition of the liuinge Our Lord is not willing that any perish By which sentences of holie writ it is most euident that the reprobation and destruction of no creature is absolutely and antecedently intended by God but only consequently coÌ„ditionally presupposing their obstinacie in sinne and finall impenitence which he from all eternity foreseeing deputeth them accordingly to their deserued punishment God sayth S. Augustin punisheth the reprobate because he foreknew what they wold doe but created them not to be punished S. Chrysostome For this end he framed euery creature and fashioned vs not that we perish nor to torment vs with punishments but to saue vs. And els-where It is manifest that God wold not haue Adam sinne who before his fall did fense and arme him Adam could haue obeyed which he wold not because he chose rather to yield to the diuill