they make euery man as good and as holy as Christ himself in which absurditie follow this conclusion if we haue no inherent iustice but are iust by Christs iustice imputed to vs it followeth that so sunne as we apprehend Christ iustice by fayth as our owne we are in a full perfection at the first for in all graces Christ was perfect that as the first Adam was perfect so is the second in a moment now if we be lykewyse iust by his grace imputed to vs then are we as perfect as he is and so are all iust alyke By imputatiue iustice no difference betwixt Christ and vs. and consequently shall all receaue the lyke glory with him neyther shall there be any difference betwixt Christ and vs in the Heauens which argument was affirmed by the Beguards Iouinian old damned Hereticks which the moderne Sectaries now a dayes defendes for hence it followeth that we are all as iust as Christ for seing we are made iust by his iustice then his and ours are all one herupon hath commed the bouldnesse of some villanous mynded folck to compare themselues with Christ and the Virgin Mary that euery on is al 's holy as our Blessed Lady yee or Christ himself What Luciferan pryd is in this dectrine to make themselues fellow-compagnions with Christ yee with God himselfe OBIECTION ALbeit sinne be within vs notwithstanding it maketh not the belieuer vnrighteous because the righteousnes of Christ is imputed and therefore sinne is not imputed ANSVVER YF sinne remayne and is not imputed as Calum sayth lib. 4 inst cap. 15. § 10. To what end is the article of our creed faying I belieue the remission of sinnes what fruit reape we of the blood passiō of Christ seing by imputatiue iustice Christ passion is made in such inefficacy that it cānot bloot out any sinne against whome the Scripture reclames the contrary saying Iohn 1. v. 29. Behold him who takes away the sinnes of the world And lykewyse Rom. 6. v. 18. Being delyuered from sinne yow are made the seruands of righteousnes And 1. Iohn 1. v. 7. sayth That the Blood of Iesus Christ his sonne doth purge vs of all sinne Secondly it implicates a contradiction sinne to be and not imputed for a fault for vpon this maxim followeth that God will not haue or iudge sinne for a fault and so not to haue a fault neyther to hate it as a fault which is opposed to the Scripture who sayth That the vngodly and his vngodlynes are both alykhated of God Sap. 14. v. 9 Lykwyse it implicates that God doth not censure iudge a man of sinne in that he is neyther culpaple nor sinner for to be culpable affaulter is the formall effect of sinne therefore this imputatiue iustice implicates contradition against God and Christ his sone OBIECTION CHrist is sayd to be made vnto vs righteousnes Sanctification and Redemption 1. cor 1. v. 30. Therefore it is imputed to vs these graces of Christ ANSVVER CHrist is our righteousnes not formally but efficiently because to wit he is the meritorious cause In the same manner of way is vnderstood that place of the Apostle to the Rom. cap. 8. v. 32. saying VVho hath giuen his sonne how not also with him hath he giuen all things to vs So that of their sentences may be obserued that the Righteousnes Wisdome and Sanctificatiō of Christs are so ours not by imputatiue iustice but in the contrary Christ is made to vs these vertues and els whatsoeuer is necessary to saluation that by the merit and benefit of Christ death and passion these may be giuen and possessed by vs and to remaine inherent in vs therefore the righteousnes of God is the self internall righteousnes poured freely in vs for the merites of Christ OBIECTION THe Apostle sayth that the fayth of Abraham is imputed for righteousnes and therefore our righteousnes is nothing other then imputatiue righteousnes apprehended by fayth ANSVVER THe Apostle speaketh of Abrahams fayth by which he belieued God who promised him seed in his old age but not of that fayth by which he apprehended the righteousnes of Christ which fayth was hidde in Abraham and in belieuing God it is sayd that this fayth was reputed for righteousnes for by that he was made more iust so that Abraham with extrinsecall and intrinsecall righteousnes is iust for his extrinsecall fayth is reputed to righteousnes as wadges is reputed according to the debt as the Apostle sayth ibid. 2. saying but the wadges is not imputed according to the debt except it be true debt and true wadges euen so is fayth not reputed to righteousnes except it be true righteousnes truely iustifying a mā and not according to the extrinsecal existimation for this cause Dauid in psal 31. v. 2. sayth Blessed is the man to whome our Lord hath not imputed sinne that is to say whome God no more iudgeth a sinner and so hath forgiuen him that he acknowledge no more sinne in him and hath so taken it away that there remaine nothing of that turpitude in him but a resplendent purity in his place OBIECTION OVr righteousnes is so litle that men cannot suffer the iudgement of God therefore it is necessare that the righteousnes of Christ be imputed to vs by which the imperfection of our righteousnes may be taken away which seemeth to be done in the Sacraments where Christ merites are applyed to vs that in some māner of way they are ours for by these merites we are made iust albeit the reall gifts be absent ANSVVER THe righteousnes which should and ought suffer the iugement of God is the righteousnes of workes and not habituall righteousnes of which is the question for albeit our righteousnes by words be imperfect of thēselfes yet notwithstanding are not so imperfect but that we may doe many good workes throw the merits of Christ not imputed to vs but freely giuen QVAESTIO XXVIII Of good Workes WHerefore to the conseruation and sauety of righteousues by fayth leane the Papists to good workes seeing of their owne Thomas de Aquino it is written that only faith suffices Luth. Ser. Sic Deus dilexit mnndū lib de captiu Babylon cap. de Baptis Caluin lib. 3. inst cap. 11. § 19. cap. 17. § 10.11 18. ANSVVER NOw rightly haue we discouered and detected your speciall fayth by which you affirm assure you selues sinnes to be remitted for Christ sake and that his promisses assuredly are applicated vnto you and so by you apprehended vnto iustification Iustification be only fayth is an inuētion of the diuell which altogeather is a true inuention of the Diuell and excogitat for the nourishing the liberty of the flesh Which is probable because the Scripture neyther demandes neyther teaches vs of such a fayth by which we may belieue vs to be iustifyed by only fayth but well the Scripture teaches vs to haue fayth to belieue the diuinity of Christ as Matt. 9
of S. Iames for Apochripha to conuince him of this error it cannot be done by the Scripture neyther of himself because he is iudge in his own cause neyther is he to be belieued by the reuelation of his priuat spirit for all do make for confirmation of his opinion therefâ—re to conuince him rightly they must haue recourse to the tradition of the Church as sayes S. Aug. Serm. 191. de temp We receaue the new and ould testament in the nomber of bookes the which by authority of the Catholik Church is delyuered to vs. Moreouer this other argument is to be obserued for the Church from the beginning of the world till Moyses two thowsand yeares was without Scripture only ruled by traditions and rites of the sacrifice In the new testameÌ„nt Christ hath written nothing neyther commaunded to wryte but well he sayth Marc. 16. vers 15. Preach you the Euangely to all creatures in which mission no precept is giuen of writing for saluation depends vpon the word of God and not vpon books neyther the written Scripture nor reuelation or prophesie c. For that cause Iraen lib. 3. cap. 4. wryteth that some nations in his tyme had the fayth of Christ and yet no Scripture Where is it found in the Scripture to reiect traditions But this is the cause why you withstand all traditioÌ„s for these being banished easily you may peruert and glosse the Scriptures and apply them to your own myndes which traditions of the holy Church staÌ„d out against you for the clearing of the verity and will not suffer the Scriptures to be corrupted with your fansies which corrupt interpretations permitted and suffered we shall see you follow traditions and consequently your owne inuentions to be for holy Scripture for the first part is probable for Caluin himself approueth the traditions of the Iewes commenting in the 104 Psal sec 18. Many things remayned amoÌ„gst them by successiue tradition which were godly and necessary for them of the which no mention is made in the Scriptures Out of which place it followeth that Caluin willingly would Iudaize and as concerning the following of their owne senses in reiecting the traditioÌ„s of the holy Ghost to erect their own traditions contrary to the written word I would most willingly be satiefyed by what reason eyther spirituall or morall why you Puritans vphold and set vp traditions as the pillar of repentance denigrate and made black and sinners to stand there to the spectacle of the whole Church with the showing of their heades at the crosse bound with yron chaynes in tyme of Market your sackcloth at the Church doore and carting of poor women thorow the city of whom haue you learned to punish fornicators by this ignominious punishement Others by the purse and to pardon some who are fatt and to execute rigor vpon the poor From whence haue you receaued that tradition in your prayers to hould your noses in others tailes and to ly groaning on the ground after the manner of the Iewes From vvhence is that tradition to fast on sondayes and feast on frydayes and to work on Christmas day and other Sainctes dayes and to obserue monday suter sonday for holy day These a thowsand more are the Puritanes traditions of their owne inuentioÌ„ vvithout any Scripture or vvritteÌ„ word and yet not vvithstanding they vvill abolishe and condemne all traditions and yet vvill set vp and authorize traditions of their owne authority contrary to the law of God and all Scripture and tradition of any age before passed OBIECTION THe Lord sayth Deut. 12. vers 32. What I coÌ„mand thee do thow that vnto the Lord only neyther shalt thou add any thing neyther diminish Therefore traditions are superfluous and in vaine ANSVVER IF this argument were auaileable neyther the Prophets nor the Apostles ought to haue writteÌ„ any thing after Moyses for vvhat the Prophets haue vvritten are not conteyned in Moyses neyther vvhat the Euangelists Apostles haue wryten are contayeed in the old testament but generally and implicite In lyke sorte traditions are contayned in the Scripture implicite vvheÌ„ Christ sayd Luc. 10 v. 16. Who heareth you heareth me Therfore the sense of these vvordes vvhich sayth that thou shall add nothing nor diminish is that thou shalt add nothing repugnaÌ„t vnto those things vvhich are commaunded in the Scripture In this same sense sayth S. Paul Gal. 1. v. 8. Whether we or an Angel froÌ„ Heauen euangelise to you otherwise then that which we haue euangelized let him be accursed For that praeposition praeter is asmuch to say as coÌ„trary for otherwaies should he be contrary to himself who added many things as his epistles witnes And lykewyse S. Iohn after he had written the Apocalyps and Euangely who threateneth the same curse should fall in the same sentenceÌ„ in adding to his Epistles in which are many precepts traditions which are not contayned in the Apocalyps and Euangely c. OBIECTION THE Scripture is a Rule to belieue therefore it ought to contayne all things which are to be belieued ANSVVER THe Scripture is a Rule to belieue but not adequat and a right Rule because the right Rule is the word of God whether written or delyuered by Tradition OBIECTION THese things are written that you may belieue that Iesus is the Sonne of God and that belieuing you may haue lyfe in his name But all things writen serue to belieue in Christ therefore all beliefe is written ANSVVER SAinct Paul sayes that Abel Enoch Noe Abraham Isac Iacob Heb. 11. had vndoubtedly true fayth yet they had no Scripture writen Againe the primitiue Church at least tenne yeares after Christ had no Scripture written who will say but that they had true faith Againe these are not conteyned in the written word to vvit the consubstantiality of the Trinity the procession of the holy Ghost the virginity of the most blessed Virgin Mary the baptising of children and the not rebaptising of them who are baptised of Heretickes the breaking of the Sabaoth keeping of Sonday the obseruing of Easter the receauing of the Sacraments fasting the eating of blood strangled meares prohibeted in the Law and EuaÌ„gely Act. 15 But I would know of the ProtestaÌ„tes what Scripture they haue for women to singe Psalmes and to glosse on the Scriptures in the Church at home and in the tauernes What Scripture haue you for your pillary crosse steeple repeÌ„tance seat carting and showing of poore women for the sinne of fornication for these things you haue no Scripture but must build vpon traditioÌ„s eyther true or false QVAESTIO XVIII Of the certitude of Hope WHerefore doe the Papists deny that our Hope is with certitude seing it is written that Hope maketh vs not ashamed but bringeth with it certitude and confidence Luth art 10 11. Caluin lib. 3. instit cap 2. § 16. ANSVVER WHat certitude assured hope can the Protestants haue in our Sauiour if they defend and abyde in the principall poincts of their
obtayning of blessednes which only fayth failles to that end The Doctor neuer dreamed that it should suffice without good workes and farre lesse that fayth can saue any mā without workes QVAESTIO XXIX Of the incertitude of Righteousnes VVHerefore denyeth the Papists that a man of his owne propre righteousnes is vncertaine seing the spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God as it is written Rom. 8. v. 16. Luth. art 10.11 Kem. in exam sess 6. Calu. in Antid sess 6. lib. 3. iust cap. 2. § 16 17.39 40. ANSVVER YF yow affirme with your Rabbines that all the faythfull assuredly and infallibly ought to belieue with themselues sinnes no wayes to be imputed Who are assured of the remission of sinnes should not say the Lords prayer because of the righteousnes of Christ to what effect rehearse yow the Lordes prayer and why aske yow remission of sinnes saying forgiue vs our sinnes c. Why is not this prayer reiected aswell as the Puritās in Scotland hath reiected the beliefe For if you hold this opinion infallible and true of the certitude of righteousnes the Lordes prayer is no wayes profitable or necessary as is mentioned already in the second quaestion in discouering only fayth c. Therefore no man howsoeuer iust and holy cannot attribute vnto his owne righteousnes without peculiar reuelation of God that infallibiliter confidence in his owne righteousnes which is proped No man is certaine of grace farelesse of remission of sinnes and grounded vpō common reuelation made in holy Scripture that thereby any shall know himself to be in the grace of God it is vncertaine which proposition if it were true Iob would haue been more bold nor any Protestāt who as it were doubting sayd howbeit I were simple yetnotwithstanding my soule is ignorant of that cap. 9 v. 21. where distinctly by the name of simplicitly he names his owne righteousnes absolutly to be vnknown as thought he would say albeit I am iust notwithstanding I cannot confidt to it assuredly Moreouer this assertion is opposed to reason for whosoeuer is certaine of the remission of sinnes estate of grace it falloweth of necessity to haue the same certitude of their conuersion to God with true pennance and others motiues of fayth as charity patience and perseuerance c. requisite to iustification inteire receauing of the sacramentes but none is that can promise to themselues such certitude for no man is assured of his disposition to be supernaturall or in the receauing of the Sacramentes to haue a perfect intention Therfore no man without speciall reuelation of God is certaine to be in the state of grace And consequently the Rabbies of the reformed Synagogue are lyke vnto the serpent in paradise who whyle he promised to our first parents knowledge spoyled him of knowledge broght him in grosse ignorance euen so whyle they would teach the confidence of rightousnes to iustification send vs away empty of righteousnes but wrapped in grosse ignorance with presumption as at lenght is discussed in the third quaestion vt sup OBIECTION It is sayd by the Apostle Rom. 4. v. 16. That it is by fayth according to grace that the promise may be firme which is to say that we are iustifyed by only fayth and that we may be certaine to be confirmed in grace ergo c. ANSVVER THe Apostle meane an other thing for he teacheth men to be iustifyed by liuely fayth in Christ without the obseruation of the old Law and by that fayth we are made certaine and the promisses of grace is fulfilled and this assumptiō is proued in Abraham who belieued him to be a Father of many nations so that this promise of grace is made to Abraham and his fellowers of fayth whether in the tyme of the Law or after without the workes of the Law OBIECTION Lykewyse the Apostle sayth Rom. 8 v. 38.39 I am certaine that neyther death nor lyfe neyther Angells c. Neyther any creature may separate vs from the loue of God Therefore in this lyfe we haue certitude of grace through the certitude of Gods loue which argument Caluin vehemently vrgeth lib. 3. inst cap 2. § 40. That this certitude is not only for S. Paul but also it is a certitude apperteyning to all the faithfull and a perseuerance of the grace of God ANSVVER THis word I am certaine or as Caluin willeth I am persuaded speaketh not of the certitude of only fayth neyther infallibly of the fayth it self but only of morall confidence trust hope as is probable of the frequent common phrase as Rom. cap. 15 v. 14. where the Apostle speaketh confidently of the Romanes saying and I my self also am persuaded of you What is else this persuation but to confidt well Lykewyse 2. Tom. c. 1. v. 5. The Apostle repeates the same saying When I call to remembrance the vnfayned fayth that is in thee which duelt first in thy grād-mother Lois and in thy mother Ewnice I am certaine it dwelleth in thee also Here is no mention made of the certainty of fayth but only a good confidence and trust of them to haue pietie to saluation not to boost of fayth but to hope to haue it OBIECTION IT is sayd by the Apostle Rom. 8. v. 16. That the spirit himself beires witnes to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God And lykewyse S. Iohn 1. Epist cap. 5. v. 10. sayth who belieue in the sonne of God hath the testimony of God himself But the testimony of the holy spirit bringeth certitude therefore all are certaine in themselues to be the sonnes of God ANSVVER THe Scripture is falsly alledge because the meaning of the Apostle to the Romās is that ye H. Ghost with diuerse miracles distributions of giftes did worke wonderfull things in tyme of the primitiue Church for the confirmation of the fayth and to beare witnes of the same fayth vnto all those who worshiped and imbraced the fayth of Christ and keep it in lyfe to be the sonnes of God In this manner also is vnderstood that saying of the Apostle to the Gal. 4. v. 6. Because yee are sonnes God hath send forth the spirit of his sonne in your hartes which cryeth abba Father this witnessing of the spirit is to the wholl Church to no priuate persone as the Apostle sayes Gal. 3. v. 26. saying for yee are all the sonnes of God by fayth which is in Christ Iesu And lykewyse these places verify the same testimony of the spirit to be promised and giuen to his Chrurch as expoundes all the ancient Fathers 1. cor 2. v. 12. 1. Iohn 3. v. 14 4. v. 13 5. v. 19. and not particularly is to be attributed to only one For albeit in the righteous man this affirmatiue might be attributed notwithstanding not so really but by a certaine moral certitude of his own righteousnes good lyfe with hatred to
how the reformed belieue this article of the creed to wit the remission of synnes Cal. doctrine can not agree accord with this article Good workes are synne seing that they say that all our workes ar mixed and defyled with synne and what soeuer good workes shal be done of the most holyest man by the vncleannes and the impuritie of the fleshe are polluted corrupt and putrifyed Man is not fre neither of originall nor actuall synne by any Sacrament Only faith by imputatiue iustice maketh man fre Lyckwise he teaches that we are not free of originall synne neither are we absolued or remitted from any other synnes howsoeuer confessed and satisfyed but only couered by the imputatiue righteousnes of Christ neither are these synnes imputed to the fault nor to the punishment as Rabbi-Caluin teaches lib. 3 inst cap. 14. § 9.10 11. lib. 4. inst cap. 15. § the which doctrine doth subuert and ouerthrow the very article of our creede to wit the remission of synnes Cal. reiectes the iudgment of S. Aug concerning synne in the regenerat He teaches that in the sainctes synne reignes All the regenerat ar in aid cleaue by imputatiue iustice which stoutlie he defendes by reiecting and casting of the opinion and iudgment of S. Austen de concupiscentia in renatis We teach sayes he in the holy Sainctes euer to be synne vntill they be freed and vnclothed of this mortall body lib. 3. inst cap. 3. § 10. and proceeding more deeplie to iustify his doctrine of only faith moues this doubte and solues it him self But how is it sayes he that God doth purge his Church of all synne and that he promiseth to hir the graces of fredome and puritie by baptisme and doth fulfill it in his elect It is referred and fulfilled in communicating his imputauiue iustice and this God performes and exhibites in regenerating his own that in them the kingdome of synne may be distroyed abolished by subministratinge to them vertue of the holy Spirit by which they are superior and victors in the fight lib. 3. instit cap. 3. § 11. Synne to reigne and not imputed for a faust is false doctrin And a litle after those reliques of synne which be in his sainctes we cōfesse them not to be imputed as if they were not of the which doctrine it followes synne absolutlie not to be remitted for it implicates a contradiction synne to reigne and not to be imputed for a fault for Caluin affirmes Cal. sayes synne reignes not but dwelles Synne failes to reigne in the sainctes but not to dwell as an other contradiction Contrariwise catholikes exhort all men firmely to belieue assured lie confide that there is remission of synnes in the holy Church and this remission is to vs and to yow and to Iudas the triator and to euery mortall synner and to those that now are and to those that shal be hereafter and to those that are in purgatorie for Christ hath promerited to all abundantlie who hanging in the crosse is made a propitiation for our synnes and not for ours only The Catholikes firmly belieue remissiō of synnes but for the synnes of the whole world But that we Catholikes belieue all men to haue receaued and obteined remission of their synnes de facto sola fide credendo not onely we Catholikes deny and gainstand but also the Scriptur for treuly Christ hath tasted the death for all But that all men haue remission of synnes de sacto is against the Scriptur and Christs death We belieue the remission of synnes by the power of the Church but all do not apply to them the fruite of his most pretious death for in deed he is made the cause of saluation to all but yet the Scriptur sayes Heb. 5. v. 9. He was made the author of eternall saluation vnto all them that obey him Therefore wee belieue most firmly the remission of synnes but not to be remitted in particular by onely faith but that power is giuen to the Church to remitt synne and to reteine synne Howbeit we admitt the heauenly promisses of the remission of synnes iustification and eternall lyfe Remission of synnes is not made to any in particulat The promises of God are to all a lyke are made with condition and such lyke which generally is denounced to perpeteyne to euery man to wit so farr as lyeth in God who without acception of persones promisseth and giueth to all men abundantly but with that condition that he do worthy pennance for his synnes and to keepe the commandementes of God as Ezech. cap. 18. v. 21. If the vngodly man shall do pennance for his synnes which he hath wrought and shall keep my preceptes and do iudgment and righteousnes he shall liue the lyfe and shall not die and lykwise Matth. cap. 10. v. 22. Yow shal be hated of all men for my name saks but who shall perseuer vnto the end shal be saued No mā is certaine of perseuerance in vertue But because a man is vncertaine of his owne righteousnes and perseuerance in virtue and lykwise vncertaine of his saluation therefore it is said in the holy Scripture Apocalyps 3. v. 11. Hold fast what thow hast that no man tak thy crown for there hath falne Saul Salomon Iscariotes Many haue falne those they stoode as of the Caluin som are made Turkes Paulus Alciatus Sartor Blandrata Socimus Lysmannus Luther Calu. and many more of the protestantes companious abiuringe their faith are falne to Turcisme Mahematisme and Atheisme as witnesseth Beza in the history of Valentine Gentill and Caluino-Turcismus lib 1. cap. 2. Wherevpon we may gather that the great maxime of the Caluinistes Theologie is falne and is conuniced of falsehood affirming that only faith once gotten neuer doth faile or decayes as stoutly Cudsemius in his Hyperaspisce declares but when we see their owne turned from their owne faith to infidelitie what iudgment is against them and what condemnation fall they into no lesse treuly than in the same iudgment and damnation of the heresiarches who by the doctrin of this only faith minister subiectes to Paganisme and Atheisme OBIECTION I. THerefor what Dost thow commande and bids vs dispaire ANSVVER GOd forbid for as we deny that any can firmly belieue certainlye persuade him self of the remission of his synnes euen so no lese we affirme cōstantlie that euery Christian man is bound to belieue and with faith to do what is in him to expect the effect of faith What Christiās ar bound to hope with firme and sure hope in this lyf of true remission of synnes by the Sacrament of baptisme and pennance and in the world to come to eternall lyf which hope except we haue it firme and constant in vaine we ar called Christians OBIECTION II. THow speakes a paradox and a contrary thing for firmly to belieue and assuredly to persuade thow denyes and yet thow commaundes and biddes euery one to be
shalt loue the Lord thy God withall thy hart c. cannot be fulfilled neyther obserued in this lyfe because it is of necessity that who liueth doth loue some other thing by God Therefore all the commandements are not possible to be kept ANSVVER THe Commandements absolutly may be kept in this lyfe of a man instructed and furnished with Gods grace for that precept of the loue of God intendes not that we should loue no other thing or that all the powers of our soule should be so sommerly and intensiuely impendit to his loue but rather he commandes to loue him apprehensiuely that we preferr no creature to God his loue and to loue nothing repugnant to his precepts in so doing in very truth he loueth God with all his hart who in louing God keipt the rest of his Commandements according to Christ saying Ioh. 14. if any man loue me he will kept my wordes OBIECTION IT is sayd in Exod. 20 v. 17. Thou shall not Couet but this commandement cannot be fulfilled in this lyfe seing the flesh is infected with such concupiscence and coueteousnes therefore the Commandements are not possible ANSVVER TO the minor I say a man with the help of Gods grace may fulfill that Cōmandemēdt because by that precept The first motions are not sinne the first motions of concupiscence or motious preuening reason is not inhibited but the interior consent of will For Dauid and S. Paul in conditions are lyke vnto other men subiect to concupiscences and motions of the flesh notwithstanding are sayd to haue keeped the Commandements of God for it is sayd of King Dauid that he walked after God with his wholl hart 3. Reg. 11. v. 34. And lykewyse it is sayd to S. Paul that Gods power is mad perfect through weaknesse 2. cor 12. v. 9. next with this power he atteanes to strenght saying What is able to separat vs from the loue of Christ c. Rom. 8. And by the grace of God I am that I am and his grace was not vaine in me therfore they haue keeped this Commandements But if the motions of coueteousnes and concupiscence had been forbidden by this precept they should haue been sinners but in the contrary they are no sinners except delectatiō cōsent had ben cōioyned therwith but wheras the Apostle sayth Rom. 7. v. 17. That he doth not the good that he would doe because of the sinne that duelleth in him Wherevpon Hereticks hath builded to call the first motions sinne which indeed are not the true names of sinne but rather an inclination or a defect in nature left for a punishement of originall sinne after baptisme in which signification no man is called a sinner absolutly for as S. Aug. com ad Gal. aliud est peccatum habere aliud peccare one thing is to haue finne and another it is to sinne for the one is an euill obiectiue which when delectation and consent is committed and willed doth fall a sinne and therefore S. Paul speaketh no wayes of a sinne to duell in man as a sinne which is by transgression of the Law and consequently with concupiscence and couteousnes as first motiones the Commandements may be keeped QVAESTIO XXVII Of Reall Iustice VVHerefore doth the Papists deny a man to be iustifyed be imputatiue iustice and apprehended righteousnes in the faith of Christ imputed to vs freely of God seeing this is much more to the confort of the consciences of man then inherent righteousnes Luth. serm de natiu Beatae Virginis Mariae Caluin lib. 3. institut cap. 11. § 11.12.13 ANSVVER I say in the iustification of the wicked from the estate of sinne to the estate of grace and adoption to be the sonnes of God by Iesus Christ is done by some gift really inherent in the soule True iustification is an inherent vertue in the soule The Scripture make a positiue signification by which a man for mally is iust by habituall grace and charity as it is proued by the Scripture foresomuch as men are sayd to be washen purged renewed and made whyt which wordes all signify a positiue splendore and comlynesse neyther can ther wordes be vnderstood without a reall quality following as Isai 1. v. 18. sayth If your sinnes were as crymsome they shal be made whyt as snow and if they were read as scarlet they shal be made whyt as wolne Lykewyse Ezech. 56. v. 25. sayth I shall pouer clean water on yow and yee shal be made cleane of all your filthynes and I shall giue you a new hart and a new spirit and I shall place it in the midst of you But this weshing and clenging of the hart cannot be otherwayes vnderstanded but that therby a reale mutation in the will and hart of man to be righteous Lykewyse it is sayd That we are translated frō death tolyf Sanctifyed in the verity and that we are called the sonnes of God 1. Epist Iohn 3. v. 1. are we so by extrinsecall fauour no but by internall vnction by which for mally we are the sonnes of God for the verification of this the Apostle Paul Rom. 5. sayth That the loue of God is poured in our hartes by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs. In which wordes is vnderstood the habitual loue of God towards vs in vs and by which againe we loue God is infused in vs so that by pouring or infusing is signifyed that the whole soule of man is penetrated furnished with Heauenly graces Things naturall supernaturall work their owne effectes The reason of this forsayd of S. Thom. 1.2 summae Quaest 110. art is deduced for if God to naturall operations works hath giuen granted naturall powers by which those functions may be connaturally accommodated to man euen so to supernatural functions God hath giuen such powers and falculties by which these may be as connaturally accommodated to the soule of man Neyther are we according to the Euangely iustifyed by the essentiall righteousnes of God imputed to vs after the opiniō of Osiāder For those places of Scripture teaches righteousnes and grace by which we are made iust to be some thing flowing coming from the grace and righte ousnes of Christ as witnes S. Iohn 1. v. 16. saying Of his fulnesse we all haue receaued grace for grace And likewyse Rom. 1. v. 5. sayth by whome we receaue grace And Eph. 4. v. 7. To eueryon of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. And so that essentiall imputatiue iustice shall make way to fall into Pelagianisme Imputatiue iustice accordes with the Pelagians who denyed Christ grace necessary to iustification and righteousnes and hereupon the Protestants concludes that we are iustifyed and sanctifyed by the self same iustice wherewith Christ himself is iust which is inherent in him and imputed to vs and apprehended by vs with the reacheing hand of fayth and soe made our owne for in this manner of doing
v. 28. Where Christ asked of the two blind men saying belieue yee that I can doe this to yow In which wordes he demaundes the consent of their vnderstanding which assent or consent and S. Aug. lib. de praed Sanct. sayth he would haue them belieue vertue to be existant in the power of Christ by which he would haue them belieue there health and restauring of their sight not that foolish special iustifying fayth which you dreame of your own inuention Neyther this confent as S. Aug. sayth fuffices not to the conseruation of righteousnes neyther to saluation but besides these are requisit good workes and the obseruance of the Commandemēts of God Good workes is very requisit to fayth by which the iust man groweth in righteousnes and charity according to that saying of S. Iames cap. 2. v. 21. That Abraham our Father was iustifyed of workes that is to say by works he is made more righteous What els mean other places of Scripture in demāding good fruict and greater abondance of righteousnes aboue the Pharisaicall righteousnes to this effect the yongman asken what worke was to be done needfull for him to enter into the Kingdome of Heauē our Sauiour answeres not saying belieue and thou shal be iust as the Protestants presupposition is but he sayth to him If thow wilt enter into the lyfe kept the commandements Matth. 19. v. 17. which commandements was the Decalogue as Christ expones vnto him Workes are the fruict of faith To what end is this speciall fayth when the true fayth suffices not to doe absolutely right well but charity ioyned with fayth doth make men iust and the sonnes of God because the Apostle sayth 1. cor 13. v. 1. Without charity all to be insufficient to saluation what a man can doe so consequently fayth of it self suffices not without workes which proceed of charity Luther moekes good workes Therefore let Luther be ashamed in making this wicked skoffagainst good workes in his sermon saying I say to thee because the way is strait and narrow it behoweth thee to bethin small if thou wilt come be that way but it followeth who are charged with works as we see ye pilgrims of S. Iames to be loden with there clam-shelles can no way enter into Heauen To conclude the counsell of Luther is different frō the counsell of Christ who commendes the frutes of righteousnes proceeding from fayth and the other discomendes all good workes to establish his naked only fayth OBIECTION IVstification oft in the Scripture is attributed to only fayth as Luc. 7. v. 50. Thy fayth hath made the whole and lykewise Rome 5. v 50. VVe are iustifyed of faith Therefore in vaine are workes ANSVVER AS the Scripture hath attributed iustification to fayth euen so lykewyse to hope to feare to pennance and to Almesse As Rom. 8. v. 24. By hope we are saued and Tob. 4. v. 11. Almesse delyuere from sinne and death also Eccl. 1. v. 27. The feare of the Lord expelleth sinne ergo it followeth these to iustify as well as only fayth and if there be rightly vnderstood ioyned with fayth Workes ioyned with faith iustify a man make iustification for they are the fruicts of fayth and so it is not only fayth that maketh a man iust for that word is not found in the Scripture only but because faith is the foundament and root from whence other vertues groweth Therefore righteousnes and saluation is attributed to him although mention is not made so ample of the vertues as of the foundation for what pulchritude and beauty is in a tree all dependes of the roote euen so what vertue and righteousnes groweth with man all is commended to proceed of fayth as of the roote and foundation of others OBIECTION THe Scripture speaking of the Euangely and explicating what it is as it were by a Emthesis sayth the Euangely which is to say Gods word saueth vs as 1. cor 15. v 2. The Euangely sayth he by which yee are saued and lykewyse Iacob 1. v. 18. VVillingly hath he begotten vs by the word of verity Therefore by fayth and not by workes we are iustifyed and for this cause we Protestants giue our selues to preaching of the word to the reading of the Bybel that by the word of fayth we may be feede and saued ANSVVER MIserable Protestāts how art thou deceaued in hearing preachings and in profitable reading of the Byble when thou vnderstandes it not For if thou would vnderstand thy owne proposition thou shall well know that the word of God saueth not formally but by way of Gods proponed grace and our obedience and not be only fayth as S. Iames cap. 2. v. 24. sayth in expresse wordes See sayth he how a man is iustifyed of workes and not of fayth only OBIECTION BVt how sayth S. Paul Rom. 3. vers 20. Gall. 2. vers 16. That no man by the vvorkes of the Law can be iustifyed ANSVVER WEll agreeth S Paul and S. Iames by diuers reasons for S. Paul sayth that the workes of the Law without relation to Christ auailleth not to righteousnes which S. Paul so hyghly disputes and againe the workes of the Law with relation to Christ conioyned with faith to auaille much so that S. Iames and S. Paul denyeth not good works done by fayth but teaches expresly the vtility of them as Gal. 5. v. 6. saying in Christ Iesu neyther is circumcision any thing neyther the preputie◠but faith which by charity is wrought and seing it is euident that the requyres demaundes good works which commeth of faith and charity that only fayth may be secluded OBIECTION YF Abraham is iustifyed of workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God Rom. 4. v. 2. Therefore we cannot reioyce and boost of our workes ANSVVER I Say that neyther Abraham nor any other man could glory and reioyce of their workes in the mynde and sense of S. Paul that is to say in the merites of their workes done without fayth as the Iewes did reioyce of to wit of righteousnes done without grace by the knowledge of the Law which obseruation was very imperfect in them for that they keeped the Law but in a part to wit concerning certaine externall things OBIECTION CHrist hanging on the Crosse hath sayd it is finished Iohn 19. v. 20. Therefore there remaine no workes for all are done by Christ and no more is required no fasting pennance and satisfaction c. ANSVVER THe true sense of these wordes are that Christ hath finished the work of our redemption on the Crosse For if otherwyse the Protestant vnderstand this they ought not to baptyse nor be baptised frequent the Lords Supper Preach sing-psalmes pray nor fast c. OBIECTION ONly Fayth suffices as sayth Thomas de Aquino ergo ANSVVER SO it is in the mynd of the Doctor to the vnderstanding and conception of the mystery of the Eucharist and not to the conseruation of righteousnes and to the