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duty_n	bind_v	law_n	moral_a	1,736	5	9.5201	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08326	An antidote or treatise of thirty controuersies 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. Fulke, 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 first part.; Antidote or soveraigne remedie against the pestiferous writings of all English sectaries	S. N. (Sylvester Norris), 1572-1630.	1622 (1622)	STC 18658; ESTC S113275	554,179	704

with him it doth so inded yet imperfectly rawly in part only Answere directly for shame Is that raw imperfect duety such as it fulfilleth the law so far forth as it obligeth vnder sinne or no What say you Are you mute dare you not speake Thē iudgemēt passeth against you that eyther it fulfilleth not the obligation sinne is inuolued in the duety and that so deeply as the dutifull action is of it owne nature according to you a true deuiation breach of the Commandment or it satisfieth the whole bād of the law and so it is cōtaminated with no touch of sinne in respect of that obligatiō It is a pure good vndefiled action it is the full accomplishment of whatsoeuer the law in that kind exacted the only sentence we expect from your mouth Againe though sinne be not implyed in the duty yet the duety in their phantasticall iudgment is stayned with the sinne but euery action which is stayned with sinne is necessarily sinneful Basil serm 2 de Bap●● 7. 8. Chrys or the author vpon the imperfect work of 8. Matthew S Thom. 1. 2. q. 18. art 4 ad ● q 19. art 7. ad 3. whence soeuer the sinne proceedeth as S. Basil S. Chrysostome S. Thomas with all the Schoole-men conformably teach For as that which is endewed with whitenes must needs be white from what cause soeuer the whitenes cōmeth whether from the naturall propriety and conditiō of the thing as in a Swan or from the outward act and industry of man as in a white-limed wall So if the duety we performe be polluted with sinne our dutye is sinfull from whence soeuer the sinne ariseth whether from the inward hart or outward obiect casuall necessity or accidentall condition of man 8. I may weary my selfe in skirmishing so long with such feeble aduersaries and wounding them thus in so many places Therefore I retire inflicting for a farewell this last and deadly stroake in true Syllogisticall Dionys de diuin nom c. 4. par 4. Greg. Niss hom 2. in Cant. orat cated c. 5. Basil bom 9. ●oan Damas l. 2. de fi●e c. 4. Aug. l. 2. de lib arbr c. vlt. l. 12 de ciuit ● 1 3. 7. Fuig de fide ad Peter c. 21. Auselm o. per. de praese praed c. ● manner Euery action euery duety which is deficient and bereaued eyther of due conuersion to God conformity to reason or of such moral rectitude as by precept binding vnder mortall sinne ought to be in it is a mortall crime and true preuarication of the Law But euery action euery duty we acheiue is according to Protestants deficient and bereaued of that conuersion rectitude or conformity as by precept binding vnder mortall sinne ought to be in it Therefore euery action euery duty we accomplish is according to them a deadly cryme a true b●each and preuarication of the law The Maior proposition is the ruled definition of sinne agreed vpon by the best Deuines who either affi me it to be a priuation of good with S. Dionysius Areopagita S. Gregory Nissen S. Basil and S. Iohn Damascene o●an alienation an auersion from the law of God with S. Augustine Fulgen us or a want absence and defect of rectitude with S. Anselme or a desertion a straying from vertue with S. Basil againe Nicetus or lastly a deflection a deuiation from the square of Basil in cōstit Mon. Nicet in orat 40. Nazian q. insanct Baptism ● Thom ● 2. q. 71. art 1. ● ● con Gent. c. 7. reason or supreme rule of all actions with S. Thomas and the whole troupe of his followers 9. The Minor that our duety is deficient bereaued of the good fayling of that rectitude or perfection of vertue which ought to be in it is auowed by our Aduersaryes when they contend that it is not answerable and correspondent to the whole taske or amercement the Law exacteth vnder the fine of sinne or forfeiture of disobedience therefore the forementioned conclusion rightly inferred from these two premises is vndeniable And wheras some thinke to get away with their loose reply that although the dutyes they performe be in themselues breaches of the law yet those breaches are pardoned Another obiection vnanswe●ed not imputed to the elect these men by seeking to get out lap themselues faster in their owne inextricabe ne●s for no sinne is to be attempted no breach of the law can be lawfully incurred that God may after pardon forgiue the fault that he may not impute the transgression of his law Murder is pardoned Adultery is not imputed in their conceit to the beleeuing Protestant may they therefore be committed because they shal be forgiuen O malicious presumption O presumptuous malice For beare then yee Sectaryes forbeare your duetyes to God your alleagiance to your Prince forbeare your raw and imperfect obseruations of al diuine and human laws or els reuoke your calumnyes abiure your heresies that all vertuous deeds are bespotted with the staynes of vice THE SECOND CHAPTER IN WHICH The same is warranted by the Fathers the obiections answered the vnuoluntary motions of Concupiscence discharged of sinne FOVRE notable thinges are deliuered by the Doctors of the Church to shew the falsity of the former calumniation First they auouch our good Hier. l. ● aduers Pelag Augu. de spir lit c. vlti Greg. l. 2. moral c. 8. works to be free from the spots of defilement S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Gregory and S. Bernard in the places heere quoted in the margent Secōdly they affirme them to iustfy vs before God by true increase and augmentation of inherent iustice to which purpose I haue alleadged many in the controuersy of iustification by workes Thirdly they inculcate that some heroicall Bern. l. de praecep dispens acts are so pure and acceptable to God as they purge clense vs from al dregs from all remaynes of former defaults yea they are so worthy and meritorious as they do not only purchase an increase of grace in this life but a great crowne of glory in the next as Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian Origen and S. Cyprian affirme of the dignity of Martyrdom whose sentences are set downe in the question of merit Fourthly they teach that not only the workes of some holy men but that they also themselues Hier. l ●3 cont Pela August de pec mer. remis l. 2 c. 6. Ambr. de na gra c. 3. In eodem l. c. 67. Orig. l. 1. in Iob. Cent. 3. c. 4. col 78. Lact. l. 6. cap. 25. Cent. 4. c. 4. col 192. In eodem l. c 25. Theod. q 19. in Gen Cent. 5 c. 10. col 1008. Hier. l. 4. comm in Ezech. Cent. 4. ● 10. col 1249. may befor a tyme innocent and cleane from all impurity We teach that a man may if he will not sinne c. S. Hierome A man may if he will be without

pride or any other then loue so it is impossible the staynes of those sinnefull actions should be intermixed in the act it selfe of loue Doth it proceed from some other fleshly motion or rebellious inclination But the The corrupt motions of the flesh infect not the work e of the spirit motions of the flesh do not a whit defile the operations of the spirit they are distinct and seuerall actions and these without consent do not partake of their infection What is the spot then of vncleanes what is the muddy water this christall riuer of loue hath drawen from our foule attainted nature Is it nothing els then the defect and want of greater perfection which might be in that act But thus the loue of many Saints and Angells in heauen should be stayned with impurity because none of the inferiour or lower orders arriue to the burning flames or loue of the highest Thus the sinnefull spots should not grow from any casuall and accidentall necessity but from the substance it selfe of the act and make the act of loue as it is substantially lesse perfect so substātially euill substantially naught both which M. Abbot notwithstanding stoutly gainesayeth 6. Besides these spots which destayne our good workes what be they sinnes you graunt but what sins veniall or mortall Veniall you vtterly reiect in so much VVhitak cont ● q. 6. c. 3. fol. 582. 583. as M. Whitaker sayth that they who allow them do not only euert a true but endeauour to set vp a false fundamentall point Mortall then they are deadly crymes howsoeuer you seeke to extenuate them with diminitiue words they be transgressions of the precepts preuarications of the law of God or Nature for euery deadly sinne is a breach of the Law Then I pose you whether these transgressions be actions distinct from the good workes which they defile or not distinct Say they be distinct and you cannot say they be spots intermixed with our good actions you cannot say our pious workes are besprinkled with them seeing their morall bonity is good and commendable deuided both in nature obiect quality and action from the deformity of these transgressions Say they be not distinct but that the same worke which is good is spotted with deadly trespasses then all good workes be the neuer so excellent are deadly sinnes al formal breaches transgressions of the law From whence that manifestly followeth with which many heertofore haue rightly attached and endited your Synagogue That euery one is bouud to auoyd all good workes vnder payne of damnation Secondly Protestāts are bound to eschew all good works because they are damnable crimes by the force of their doctrine it followeth that M. Abbot hath wronged his Reader and abused Doctour Bishop in disgracing his Syllogisme concerning this matter as consisting of foure termes wheras it consisteth only of three For a worke to be a mortal sinne and stayned with mortal sinne is one the same terme How beit least he should cauill with me as he hath done with him I will frame my argument in the same mood and figure he himselfe requireth thus No mortal sinne is to be done vnder payne ofdānation But all good workes are mortall sinnes Therefore no good worke is to be done vnder paine of damnation M. Abbot denyeth the Minor proposition and answereth Though good workes haue some aspersion or touch of our Abbot c. 4. sect 46. corruption yet do not thereby become sinnes But I proue the contrary for either that aspersion is a deadly offence morally separable from the good action as with our infirmity in this life it is acheiued or altogeather inseparable if morally separable we may sometyme exercise good workes pure and vnspotted without that sinnefull aspersion if altogeather inseparable the action which is done stayned as you to soften the fault daintily speake with the touch of corruption defiled as I demonstrate with the contagion of deadly guilt must needes be a mortall and deadly crime For if the actions of stealing killing many others which may be done sometyme without default as by fooles or madmen are notwithstanding alwayes grieuous and horrible offences when to their positiue Entity or Physicall substance which is good and to which God himselfe concurreth any mortall deformity or deadly infection is adioyned by what forrain circumstance or casuall accident soeuer it be how much more those actions which can neuer be wrought without mortall foule and deadly default as all our good workes according to Protestants how much more are they mortall foule and deadly trespasses 7. In fine D. Whitaker D. Abbot and all my adsaryes Abbot in his defence c. 4. c. 2. Feild in his 3. booke of the Church c. 26. VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraum acknowledge that our good works sprinkled with the spot of impurity haue not all things necessary vnder sinne to satisfy the law but by reason of our weaknes and infirmity swarue and decline from the fullnes thereof Secondly they acknowledge that all swaruings all declinings from the full prescript of the law are of their owne nature damnable and mortall crimes Therefore by their owne acknowledgment all our good workes are heynous and damnable sinnes But all men are obliged vnder forfeite of saluation to fly and detest all grieuous sinnes therefore all men are obliged by this hellish doctrine to fly and detest al good workes Yea euery one is bound to auoyd the very duties thēselues he is bound to do For we al bound to performe our duties in obseruing the lawes cōmandments of the Decalogue but euery duety we accomplish is weake raw defectiue euery defectiue and imperfect duty a deuiation Abbot c. 4 sect 46. fol. 588. falling away from the perfectiō of the law euery falling away euery deuiation a mortall sinne euery mortal sinne we are bound to auoyde therfore we are bound to auoyde euery duty which we are bound to performe M. Abbot agayne denyeth my consequence because the VVbitak Abbot vbi supra sinne is not implyed in the duety but ariseth by casuall and accidentall necessity from the condition of the man I perceaue the dint of this weapon pricketh you to the quicke it draweth bloud and forceth you to giue ground at euery blow First all our actions were sinnes if seuerely scanned then our good workes are not sinnefull but sinne is intermixed in them And Abbot in his defence c. 4. sect 43. 44. Fulke in c. 1. Luc. sect 7. in 14. Ioan. sect 1. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum are they now neyther sinnes nor sinnefull nor is any sin implyed in our duty Well I am glad to see you recant so it be sincerely done and from your hart For if sinne be not infolded in this duety then the duety no doubt is conformable to the law it satisfyeth the tye and obligation thereof whereinsoeuer it bindeth vnder the penalty of any blamable default yea quoth he Fulke and Whitaker

life can euer atcheiue so his vnspeakable mercy degenerateth into tyranny exacting a tribute which we cannot pay condemning vs for a fault which we cannot possibly eschew or he commandeth vs to discharge our dutyes according to our weake and limping manner and then our vttermost endeauours satisfy his law although they be lame and imperfect If not If our best endeauours transgresse his will if they be wanting of the duty we ought to performe and he command that defectuous duty thus he himselfe commandeth a transgression commandeth a sinne and man by doing Gods will is bound to sinne From which M. Abbot cannot Abbo● cap. 4. sect 46. fol. ●88 excuse him by saying It is the duty only he is bound to and not to the sinne For if the duety be vnauoydably linked with the sinful transgression whosoeuer commandeth the duty commandeth the transgression and whosoeuer is obliged to accomplish the one is necessarily obliged to incurre the other Neither is this fallacia accidentis or any sophisticall cauillation as he would bleare the eyes of the simple producing to that effect these two examples against Doctour Abbot ibi Bishop A lame man is bound by law to come to the Church he cannot come to the Church but he must halt therefore he is bound by law to halt M. Bishop is bound to pay a man twenty poundes but he cannot tell the money without soyling his fingers therefore he is bound to soyle his fingers So he writing at randome for i● there were no other pace amongst men nor other meanes to repaire to Church but only by halting all those who were bound by law to go to the Church should be boūd by law to halt to the Church and whosoeuer was willed to go should in this case be willed to halt if I say there were no other gate at all then halting now in the opinion of Protestants there is no meanes of fulfilling the law of God heer vpon earth but defectuous lame and sinneful therfore whosoeuer is tyed to that sinnefull fufilling 〈◊〉 also tyed and obliged to sin and whosoeuer commandeth it commandeth sinne 3. His second example is more extrauagant for no Caluin in Antido Conc. Trisess ● c. 12 precept of the Decalogue can be obserued The least saith Caluin is a burden more heauy then Aetna No action of keeping can be done without breach yet some money may be counted without soyling of fingers I verily thinke many poore Artizans many studēts also may receaue their rents without much soyling howbeit the ample reuenues of great Lordships may stayne thē somewhat more yet these staynes defilements arise not immediatly from the action of counting or locall motion of the fingers but from the money defilant coyne which is soyled cleanse that and your fingers will be cleane But dare you say in like manner that the impurity of our dueties the spots of our actions are drawn from the things prescribed and commanded by God from his spotted laws defiled constitutions I cannnot iudge you guilty of so wicked a saying 4. Secondly eyther English Protestants hold with Caluin that all and euery commandment is impossible to be kept or some particuler only Not euer one for I Caluin loc citato consulte the consciences of your own Sectaries whether some of your Iudges haue not beene free from murder bearing false witnes against their neighbours whether some of your graue Matrons haue not beene faythfull to their husbands not defiled neyther in thought nor deed with the cryme of adultery whether some Protestants children haue not beene obedient to their parents some Protestants subiects loyall to their Prince I for my part what soeuer the Caluinists libell to the contrary vnfeignedly iudge that diuers among them haue fully obserued at least for a tyme some of these precepts then euery commandment is not impossible for some space to be kept The precept of not coueting may be kept But some perchance be Which are they The two hardest in your opinion are thou shalt not couet and thou shalt loue God withall thy hart c. Of the former it hath beene already proued that it forbiddeth not the vnuoluntary motions but the free consent which we may refrayne as some Protestants no doubt at some tyme or other checke and subdue their desires of adultery of reuenge of coueting their neighbours goods their liues c. For it is an infamy too reproachfull that all their women should be adultresses all their men aged children reuengers of their wrongs spillers of bloud purloyners of the goods of others eyther Protestāts themselues obserue some of the commandmēts in hart or deed as often as any such euill motion ariseth or tentation is suggested vnto them Agayne to affirme the first motions which inuade vs against our will to be breaches of the precept daunteth the courage of Christs valiant souldiers it frustrateth the intent of Gods commaundement For why doth he command vs not to couet but that we may fulfill his will in not coueting Why do we fight against the motions of Concupiscence but that we may not transgresse his law yeilding to them Which suppose it be will we nill we by their assaultes transgressed we striue in vaine to keep of the receaued foyles or preuent the woundes already inflicted This precept then we may keep as often as we bridle our in ordinate suggestions and suppresse the inticements which prouoke vs to euill The Cōmaundment of louing God may be also obserued 5. The other also whereby we are commanded to loue God withal our hartes with al our forces c. may be fulfilled if we vnderstand it aright of the appretiatiue loue of true frendship therein exacted not of intensiue or affectionate loue as the Deuines speake that is we ought to esteeme and prize God for his owne infinite goodnes before all thinges in the world abandon al earthly riches profits and emolumentes when occasion is offered rather then him we ought to make him the only scope and finall end of all our desires yet we are not charged to loue him with all the degrees of intention which may be for that can neuer be shewed nor to loue him with such perfection as to imbrace voluntary pouerty or perpetuall chastity for his sake these are only counsayled not commaunded by the force of that precept neyther are we tied so to settle our hartes vpon him as not to affect any other thing conducible to our estate or profitable for the maintenance of our liues but only not to affect any thinge contrary and repugnant to his seruice which wee may easily do by the help of his grace and wholy thereby discharge our bond in fullfilling that sweet and comfortable Psal 118. v. to v 58. v. 145. v. 68 law as king Dauid discharged it when he testified of himselfe With my whole hart haue I sought after thee I besought thy face with all my hart I haue cried in

k Chrys hom 7. in 2. ad Tim. feruour of Charity destroyeth all thinges The l Gregor hom 33. in Euang. fire of Charity burneth and consumeth the rust of sinne Only m Aug tract 1. ep Ioan. Abbot c. 4. sect 22. Aug. despir lit c. 17. Aug. l. de nat gra c. 63. qua vna iusti sunt quicumque iusti sunt Abbot c. 4. sect 22. fol. 477. 478. Charity extinguisheth sinnes Which places I more willingly and diligently cyte because they cannot be passed ouer with that common answere which the Aduersary vseth That Charity is the chiefe and principall vertue for outward vse as the instrument of Faith for mouing or stirring abroad Fayth the only vertue which worketh our iustification For that which is the life the health the beauty of our soules is not the outward instrument but the inward quality which iustifyeth vs before God that which vniteth weddeth vs vnto him maketh vs his friendes conuerteth and conformeth vs vnto him couereth our iniquityes extinguisheth our sinnes that which is the head life of Religion the spirit which quickneth the louer cannot be a signe or effect but the cause the soule of iustification Which intrinsecally iustifyeth sayth S. Augustine By which one Charity they are iust whosoeuer are iust 7. Besides if Charity as M. Abbot confesseth Giueth the outward and accidentall mouing and working to fayth c. is the performance of all dutyes recommended vnto vs both to God and men that is touching all externall actions of righteousnes or iustice it cannot be denyed but that Charity also is the inward guift the heauenly quality which maketh vs iust for so we see in all both naturall and morall thinges the faculty which giueth external power and ability to worke is the inherent forme vertue or accident which worketh within For example the grauity or heauynes which causeth the stone outwardly to descend and couer the center is the innate property which indueth it also with inward heauines The quality which affoardeth power to the fire to warme and send forth the ardour of heate abroad is the inward accident which maketh the fire hoate and ardent it selfe In man that which enableth his body to stir moue that which ministre●h ability to performe all externall offices and function of life is the inward soule the internall life which quickneth the body In morall affaires the habit which facilitateth vs outwardly to exercise the actes of temperance is the vertue it selfe which maketh vs temperate That which readily exciteth and stirreth vp the souldier to enterprises and exployts of valour is the inherent valour which incourageth his hart Therefore in thinges supernaturall that which rayseth and eleuateth vs externally to accomplish the workes of iustice is the internall vertue the internall iustice wherby we are iust And seeing Charity ministreth power euen in our Aduersaryes opinion to atchieue all outward dutyes acceptable to God Charity also must needes be the ornament it selfe and splendour of our soules which maketh vs acceptable For as Vega wittily argueth from Vega l. 7. in Con● Trid. c. 2● the deriuation of the word If whitenes maketh white wisedome wise valour valiant Faciet nimirum Charitas charos Charity vndoubtedly shall make vs deere and gratefull vnto the highest Hence it is that Charity is the heauenly spring or spirituall fountaine from whence the riuers of all good workes the streames of all vertues Gal. 5. cap. 2● August tract 87. in ep Ioan. receaue their purity and perfection whereupon the Apostle S. Paul as S. Augustine teacheth when against the workes of the flesh he wovld recommend vnto vs the fruit of the spirit he beginneth with this The fruit sayth he of the spirit is Charity and the rest be receiueth after August ibidem as flowing and depending of this head which are ioy peace long animity benignity goodnes Fayth c. For who doth solidely re●oyce that loueth not the good from whence he ioyeth Who can haue true Abbot in his defence cap. 4. Hier. in c. 5. epist ad Gal. Aug. loc citato August tract 5. in ep Ioan. Haec est margarita pretiosa Charitas sine qua nihil tibi prodest quod cumque habueris quā si sola habeas sufficit tibi Aug. ser 50. de verb. Domini peace but with him whome he vnfeignedly loueth Who is long animous in good workes constantly perseuering vnles he burne with louing Who is benigne and mercifull vnles he loue him to whom he exhibiteth mercy Who is good except by louing he be made good Who is profitably faythfull but by that fayth which worketh by loue So that not Charity as Abbot dreameth from fayth but fayth it self I meane liuely Fayth and all other vertues deriue their chiefest dignity and preheminence from Charity For what other vertue sayth S. Hierome ought to hold the primacy among the fruits of the spirit but Charity without which other vertues are not accounted vertues and from which all things that are good take their beginning 8 Worthily therefore I returne againe to S. Augustine our good maister so often commendeth loue as if that alone were to be commanded without which other good things cannot profit And in another place I take this to be the margarite for which the merchant is described in the Ghospell who found one pretious stone and sold all that he had to buy it This Charity is that precious margarite without which whatsoeuer thou hast it profiteth nothing which only if thou hast it sufficeth thee Likewise add Charity all thinges profit thee take away Charity other things auaile thee naught a Aug. ser 42. de temp Charity is the light the oyle which surpasseth all other vertues b Aug. tract 17. in Euang. Ioan. By Charity only the law is fullfilled c Greg. hom 38 in Euang. Charity is the nuptiall garment which adorneth our soules d Ruper Hugo Card. in eum locum Charity is the fire-tryed gould which maketh vs rich with al celestiall treasures e Chry. de incomp Dei nat hom ● Richard de sanct Vict in psal 44 Charity is the Queene of vertues f Richard in eum locum Chrys in psal 232. hom de Char. The mother and mistresse of heauenly vertues g Augu. serm 42. de tempor By which the soule is happy and blessed that deserueth to haue it It is the height and consumation of spirituall life Origen I thinke that the beginning or ground worke of our saluation is Fayth the increase or augmentation Hope the perfection and top of the building Charity S. Clemens Clemen Alexand. l. 2. Strom. Aug serm 20. de verb. Apost Cent. 4. ● 4. Colum. ● 92. Ephrem l. de vera poenit c. 1. Cent. 5 c. 4. Colum. 505. Sedul in c. 5. ad Philip. of Alexandria Fayth precedeth Feare rayseth the building Loue doth consumate or end it S. Aug. The house of God by beliefe is

in their power by Gods helpe to Basil Orat in illud Attende tibi Chrys ho. 8 de poenio Aug. tom 7. denat grat c. 6● Hier. ep ad Damas de expos Symboli keep them Therefore to quit the soueraigne goodnes from this merciles cruelty the Fathers vniformely define That it is a wicked thing to teach the Precepts of the spirit cannot be obserued S. Basil Accuse not God he hath not commanded things impossible S. Chrysostome We stedfastly beleeue God to be iust good not able to command things impossible hence we are admonished what we ought to do in things easy what to aske in things hard and difficile S. Augustine S. Hierome accurseth their blasphemy who teach any impossible things to be imposed by God vnto man Which argument hath beene handled heertofore in the Cōtrouersy of Free will where the Aduersaryes cauils theretunto are reiected The like impiety it were in God to cooperate with vs in such speciall manner to affoard his heauenly grace his supernaturall ayde to the keeping of his Commandments if we transgresse and sinne in keeping of them For as our August de pec mer. remis l. 2. c. 5. great Doctour S. Augustine teacheth To commit sin we are not ayded of God but to do good things or wholly fullfill the precept of iustice we cannot vnles we be ayded by God Marke heere that by the ayde of God we may not in part but wholy fullfill the precept and that in fullfilling it we do not sinne because thereunto we could not be holpen by God To which my aduersaries cannot shape their worne-out and thrid-bare reply That our obseruation our loue of God Abb cap. 4. sect 44. for example is no sinne but a good deed by acceptation For as I haue often answered God cannot accept that for good which is in it selfe naught and sinnefull but it is good in the Abbot ibid. sol 579. originall of grace from whence it proceedeth Explane your selfe a little better whether you meane it is perfectly or imperfectly good Graunt perfectly and you go on our side yield only imperfectly and you stand at the stay you were before perhaps you imagine that it springeth perfect from the fountaine of grace and after receaueth a blemish from the weaknes of flesh You imagine amisse for the same indiuiduall morall act which once is enriched with the dowry of perfection cānot be after impouerished with any basenes of vice Or is it partly good as it is wrought by grace and partly euill as it runneth through the conduct of depraued nature No such matter the thing contradicteth it selfe as hath beene often signifyed neither is nature the conduct or pipe but true cause of the act in which there is not any part good assignable to grace distinct from that which is ascribed to man but the entiere action perfect or lesse perfect is wholy assigned to mans freewill wholy thereunto ayded by grace as the characters which the scholler frameth by the Maisters guiding of his hand are not seuerally drawne fayrely by one and rudely by the other but the same fayre or deformed rude or well fashioned are wholy from both Which forceth M. Abbot from that incongruous shift We Abbot cap. 4. sect 44. fol. 579. by our corruption do disgrace that which proceedeth holy and pure from God In like manner he is ferretted out of his other berry-hole That the action is good in the will and endeauour of Abbot ibid. the person by whom it is done For the will is weake the endeauour mean the person cloathed with human corruption who if he may will and endeauour that which is good then some good may proceed from a fleshly man perfect and entiere free from all spot and blemish or els the will and intendment is no better then the worke and VVhitak in his answere to the 8. reason of M. Camp VVhitah l. 8. aduers Duraum Abbot cap. 4. sect 44. fol. 578 this assignement of goodnes which you make to the will is a meere shew or treachery to cloake the badnes of your cause 2. Lastly you say although you place it not in order last that the duty we obserue is in substance good Well I am contented with this but see you recant not for heere I haue that the substance at least of louing God the substance of euery obseruation of the law which we achieue is perfect and entiere able to satisfy the will of God able to make vs acceptable vnto him Yes say they If he fauourably looke vpon it and impute not the fault but if he Abbot c. 4. sect 47. fol. 596. should strictly narrowly deale with vs he should haue iust cause of reiecting vs in the doing thereof Forbeare these ifs ands and come to the point Is the substance of the action done entierely good in it selfe or no abstracting from the fauour or dislike of God whose indulgence or seuerity VVhitak in his answere to the 8. reason of M. Campiā being extrinsecall doth not make the substance of the worke better or worse It is not so good as it may endure the try all of the precise and perfect rule of righteousnes truth This is not the question but whether it may stand with satisfaction of his law It cannot stand with it in such full complete and absolute manner as that nothing at all may be added thereunto Neither is that the thing demanded who euer dealt with such slippery companions Must I still put you to the torture to draw out the truth My question is whether the substance of the act satisfyeth the obligation of the law Let vs heere what you say to this They answere as heertofore It is short of that which the law requireth it cannot be such VVhitak in his answere to the 8. reason of M. C●mplan and lib. 8. aduer Duraeū Abbot cap. 4. fol. 60● as it ought to be as long as the flesh lusteth against the spirit there can be no such entiere good in vs. Alwayes a man doth lesse then he ought to do I thought you would flinch from your word but I pursue you also flying The act then of louing God is substantially short of that the law requireth substantially lesse then it ought to be and not only lesse of that which ought to be by perswasion or counsaile but by precept binding to more vnder payne of morall sinne therefore the substance of this lesser act is not morally good but mortally defectuous substantially faulty a deadly sinne and true transgression of the law to which God cooperating must needs cooperate in particuler manner to the accomplishment of sinne Protestants are bound to surcease from louing praying or endeauouring to performe those mortall crimes and bound to performe them because God commandeth them as I further demonstrate by this dilemma Either God commandeth the complete perfect fullfilling of his law which Protestants teach no man in this