but to belieue what euery one will and best likes to reiect what he will not belieue or doth dislike him and so to make euery one 's owne will conceit or affection the rule of his fayth and beliefe Thirdly it followes that euery Protestant is not only as sure of his own saluation as he is of Christs that he cānot be damned except Christ be damned which Luther Caluin Zuinglius expresly though absurdly hold but also that he is as iust holy as any Confessour Martyr Apostle or the Mother of God yea euen as Iesus Christ himself For sith all are iust according to them not by any iustice internall and inherent in the soule but externall and imputed by Fayth which fayth apprehending the iustice of Christ which was in him makes it the iustice of euery one in particuler for which he is accounted iust it followes that this iustice of Christ which is equally imputed to all the iust doth equally couer all sins maks equally iust all persons yea all as iust as Iesus Christ whose iustice is theirs and with whose iustice they are equally couered and thereby counted equally iust before God Whence ensues that all are as iust at the first instance of their iustification as Christ was both at first and euer till his ascension and that they cannot increase in iustice be made more iust and iustified still because from the first instant of their iustification they haue all the iustice imputed to them which Christ had euer inherent till his ascension in him are as iust at the first as he euer was at first or last Which though absurd senselesse and impious yet it hath not wanted expresse defenders among them as Luther who affirmed all faythfull to be as iust as Peter Paul our B. Lady and all Saints As Bucer who affirmed euery minister to be as iust as was S. Iohn Baptist then whome was not by the testimony of our Sauiour a greater among the borne of women And Zuinglius who affirmes that God fauours no lesse euery faythfull Christian then he doth Christ himselfe and that euery one hath as great right to heauen as Christ hath Fourthly it followes that not only all faythfull Christians but that all people whether good or bad Iewes o◠Gentils Christians or Pagans yea all who euer haue liued or euer shall liue in this world shal be all saued as sure as Christ is saued This is deduced out of the Protestant doctrine two wayes first out of diuers their positions which by many of them chiefly by Caluin are belieued and taught as 1. That only fayth doth iustify and that it being once had cannot be lost 2. That this fayth is promised to all faythfull and their seed as it was to Abraham and his seed that therefore all the children of the faythfull are sanctifyed in their Mothers wombe as being within the Couenant made to their Parents and their seed as Caluin stifly maintaines 3. That the Sacraments and chiefly Baptisme are seales or signes of fayth and so are to be ministred only to the faithfull and the children of the faythfull for which Farellus at Geneua refused to baptize a child whose parents were Papists and Caluin approued the fact 4. That therfore the children of the faythfull shal be saued though they neuer be baptized as the English Catechisme teachs because they are borne of faithfull Parents so are in the couenāt and sanctifyed before they be borne If al this should be true it would follow that because the couenant and promise of fayth and saluation was made for example to Abraham and his seed that because Abraham had fayth was sealed with the signe of fayth was iust by Fayth must continue in fayth and was saued by fayth that therefore his seed Ismael and Isaac and as Isaac so his seed Iacob and Esau and as Iacob so all his seed all the twelue Patriarches his sonnes were likewise included in the couenant were all borne of faythfull parents all sanctifyed in their Mothers wombe all sealed as faythfull with the Circumcision the signe of faith all made iust by fayth all continued in the same fayth and so all saued in heauen by vertue of that fayth And as they so their seed and children and their childrens children from generation to generation must be likewise included in the Couenant be likewise sanctifyed in their Mothers wombe be likewise sealed with the signe of the Couenant or Circumcision be likewise iust by fayth continue iust in fayth and be likewise saued by fayth And the same which it inferred of Iacob and his children and childrens children vnto the worldes end may also be inferred and auouched truly either more generally of Adam and all his posterity or more particulerly of any one faythfull and his posterity for euer For if Adam and Eue or this particular faythfull person were faythfull iust and saued then their children after them and their childrens children for euer were likewise faythfull iust and saued because as the Parents had the promise of fayth made to themselues and their children so their children were borne sanctifyed of these faythfull parents were sealed with the signe of fayth Circumcision or Baptisme were made iust continued iust by fayth were saued as iust by fayth and as these children so also all their children and childrens children by the same reason were all included in the couenant or promise of Fayth were al born sanctifyed by fayth were all to be sealed with the signe of fayth were all made iust by fayth all cōtinued iust by fayth so are all saued by fayth and so all the posterity of Adam Nati natorum quotquot nascentur abillis as they were included in the promise of fayth made to their parents and them and therby were all faithfull and continued and ended all faythfull so were they all saued By which it should follow also not only that all the whole world should be saued and none damned but also that fayth iustification and saluation should descend by inheritance from generation to generatiō as Landes should by entayle which cannot by any fine or recouery be cut off sold or lost And as they are all thus faythfull iust by fayth apprehending the iustice of Christ and had the iustice of Christ equally imputed to them for their iustice so are they all equally iust as iustifyed by the same iustice of Christ and all equally iust with Christ as hauing the same iustice theirs which was Christs and so are all iust and perfect as any Saint or Christ are all as certaine of saluation as any Saint or Christ and shal be all as blessed in heauen as is any Saint or Christ with whome as they had the same iustice in earth so for the same they shall haue the like glory in heauen Which absurdity as of all absurdities it is most absurd so doth it follow out of the
their owne priuate spirit iudgement and opinion for matters of fayth religion preferring it before the sentence of the whole Church and Pastours of it are Heretikes sinnefull subuerted to be auoided according to S. Paul but such are all those who make their priuate spirit the rule and iudge of their fayth religion and exposition of Scripture as is apparent because neglecting the direction of the spirit of God which directs his whole Church they preferre before it their own priuate spirit which directs themselues therefore are iustly condemned and so to be auoided as Heretikes Out of diuers places of Scripture condemning the relying vpon our owne iudgement SECT VII THE last proofe which I will vse is out of these places of Scripture which as in generall they exhort vs not to be wise in our owne conceit nor to trust in our owne opinion iudgement so in particuler they do condemne this relying of euery man vpon his priuate spirit which is nothing els but his conceit and opinion First the Wiseman sayth Leane not vpon thy owne prudence be not wise in thy owne conceit The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but he that is wise heareth counsaile There is a way that seemeth to a man iust but the later end thereof leades to death◠I say sayth VVoe to you that are wise in your owne eyes and prudent before your selues Moyses sayth You shall not doe there the thinges that we do heere this day euery man that which seemeth good to himselfe Of all which S. Paul giues a reason and denounceth a punishment because hauing not glorified God they are become vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hart hath beene hardened for saying of themselues that they be wise they are become fooles And to them that are of contention obey not the truth wrath and indignation In the flame of fire giuing reuenge to thē that know not God and that obey not the Ghospell Out of which places I argue thus They who leane on their owne prudence are wise in their owne conceit are vpright in their owne eyes are wise and prudent before themselues doe that which seemes good to themselues say themselues are wise these become vaine foolish contentious hard-harted know not God obey not truth resist the Ghospell and are cursed according to holy Scripture But such are all they who in mysteries of fayth in matters of religion and in expositions of Scripture forsake the direction of the spirit of God promised and giuen to his Church and rely and depend vpon their own spirit or self seeming conceit who by it choose their fayth and vpon it ground their saluation as all Protestants do who are guided by this priuate spirit therefore in this miserable and desperate case of ignorance vanity folly obstinacy and cursednes are all those who in their fayth religion and exposition of Scripture are thus guided directed and instructed by their priuate spirit And if these sayinges of Scripture be verified in affaires morall or domesticall publique or politique which are in the compasse of our naturall iudgement reason of which they are properly vnderstood and in which experience also teaches that they who in any arte science or negotiation most rely vpon their owne iudgement and follow their owne wayes do often commit the greatest errours and fall into the deepest dangers wheras they who are aduised by others and goe the ordinary way doe for the most part proceed more securely and succeed more prosperously Then much more is the verity of them confirmed in mysteries of fayth which are aboue our capacity in verities of religion which are not measured by reason and in explication of Scripture which is a booke sealed and that with seauen seales which none in heauen or earth could open or looke vpon but the Lambe nor any spirit interprete it but that which did make it In all which euery mans proper iudgement must needes be weake and euery ones priuate spirit doubtfull whether it can attaine to the true and proper vnderstanding of them All which is confirmed by the authority of that famous Doctour S. Augustine who sayth Quis mediocriter intelligens non plané viderit c. VVho though of meane capacity doth not plainely see that it is more profitable and secure for the simple to obey the wise then to liue according to ones owne direction and if this course be safer in small matters as in tilling of ground marrying of wiues education of children and ordering of ones family much more it is in religion for humane thinges are more easy to be knowne and in diuine things there is more danger of sinne and offence And againe No science or trade though meane and easy is learned without a Maister what therefore can be more audacious and temerarious then to seeke to vnderstand bookes of diuine mysteries without Interpreters And againe Men to vnderstand a Poet do seeke for a maister Asper Cornutus Donatus and others and darest thou without a guide aduenture vpon the diuine bookes which be full of diuine mysteries as all confesse and darest thou giue thy iudgement or interpretation of them And thus is this priuate spirit defining of fayth decyding of controuersies and determining of religion confuted by authority of holy Scripture expresly confuting and condemning it and the aforesayd function assigned to it He who wil see more testimonies to proue the right Iudge of controuersies and the infallible interpreter of Scripture which are the authority of Gods holy Church and the chiefe Pastours of it let him read Bellarmine where he shall see the practise and testimony of antiquity and the euidence of reason all at large cited for the same THE PRIVATE SPIRITS INTERPRETING OF HOLY SCRIPTVRE AND Iudging of Mysteries and Controuersies of Fayth confuted by the testimony of holy Fathers CHAP. III. WE haue confuted this pretended power and authority of the priuate spirit by the authority of Gods holy Word it remaines that we do the same by the testimony of ancient holy Fathers For which we may note that as S. Augustin alleadging the Fathers before him against the Pelagians sayd That he would not assume to himselfe to alleadge the sentences of all Fathers nor yet all the sentences of them whome he alleadged but some sayings of some few which yet are such as will cause our aduersaries to blush and yield if eyther feare of God or shame of man will ouercome so great an obstinacy in them So we will not vndertake to alleadge either all the Fathers or al the testimonies of those whom we alleadge no more then we haue done al the Prophets or Apostles or all the authorities of them whome we haue cyted which labour in both we leaue to thē who are more expert in both yet I hope we haue collected some and those in euery age such as being wel pondered
or forme of true doctrine which they had learned and is committed to them The doctrine which they receaued froÌ„ the beginning VVhich was first euangelized to them Or the precepts of the Apostles and ancients Or rather of our Sauiour deliuered by the holy Prophets and Apostles And the word of God which remaines for euer That the knowledge of this rule or doctrine of fayth is presupposed to the true knowledge and vnderstanding of scripture is proued both by scripture and reason By scripture the Prophet Isay sayth as S. Cyprian and S. Augustine do both of them read and vnderstand it Except you belieue you cannot vnderstand that is sayth S. Cyprian the Iewes cannot vnderstand the scripture except they first belieue in Christ S. Augustine sayth There be some of you who vnderstand not and therefore they vnderstand not because they belieue not let vs first adhere by Fayth that we may be reuiued by vnderstanding And in another place Fayth must go before Vnderstanding that the vnderstanding may be the reward of Fayth Therefore Fayth and the rule of fayth is necessary before the vnderstanding of Scripture Secondly the Scripture for the sense is a Booke sealed with seauen seales these seales none can open but he who hath the key of Dauid This key of Dauid is giuen only to them who are faythfull with Dauid therfore the key of faith is requisit to the opening the sense of the booke of scripture which is confirmed by S. Hierome who alleadging the same words sayth The Law is spirituall and requires reuelation that it be vnderstood For proofe of which he produceth the example of the Eunuch who read but vnderstood not the scripture till Philip did expound it to him made him faythfull and so became of a scholler a Maister Thirdly Euery learned Scribe in the Kingdome of Heauen is like to a man the maister of a family who bringeth out of his treasure new and old The Scribes were the Maisters and Interpreters of scripture but they were in the kingdome of heauen that is in the Church by Fayth and so did interprete the new and old Testament which S. Augustine alleadging to the same purpose against the Manichees sayth You vnderstand not because you belieue not as sayth I say for you are not instructed in the kingdome of heauen that is in the true Catholike Church of Christ for if you were you would produce old and new out of the scriptures Therfore one must be a scholler in the Church by fayth before he can come to vnderstand the scripture as a Maister Fourthly S. Paul sayth to Timothy Thou hast learned holy scriptures from thy infancy which are able to instruct thee to saluation by fayth which is in Christ. If the scriptures instruct by Fayth then Fayth is prerequired before we can be instructed by them or vnderstand them Fifthly the holy Fathers and Doctours of the Church haue by the breach of this rule as a signe discerned Heretikes and by the authority of it as a strong argument confuted the same Thus were discerned Marcion Valentinus Câ—rinthus and Basilides by their deprauing the rule of truth witnesse Irenaeus Thus Paulus Samosatenus by his forsaking the Canon of the Church and flying to strange and adulterous doctrine Thus Montanus by his vttering strange words contrary to the custome of the Church deriued by tradition and succession from the Apostles witnes of both Eusebius Thus Nestorius by forsaking the ancient doctrine and introducing of new witnes Socrates And thus all Heretikes by their forsaking the rule of Christianity witnesse S. Augustine They being all esteemed to haue truth on their side who walke according to the rule which the Church receaued from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ witnes Tertullian Thus did S. Hierome confute and confound the heresy of the Luciferians by the light of the Sunne of the Church Gregorius Nazianzen the same by the doctrine abhorring the same S. Basil the Eunomians by the vnwritteÌ„ tradition of the Church Athanasius the Arians by the authority of the Orthodoxe Church and his ancestors opposite to them and abhorring their doctrine S. Epiphanius the Melchisidechians by the tradition of the Apostles and succession of doctrine The Millenarians by their transgressing the limits of the holy Church of God and the hope of Propheticall and Apostolicall tradition in fayth and doctrine And the Demerâ—s and other Heretikes by the style of Christianisme and the phrase of the Apostles receaued from the Fathers S. Augustine the Pelagians by the grounded custome of the Church hastening to baptisme infants By the most ancient knowne and vndoubted rule of Fayth truth And by the authority of the Church so commended in scrâ—pture The Donatists by the authority of the Church and by apostolicall Tradition And both Irenaeus Origen and S. Augustine did confute all Heretikes by the tradition of the Apostles manifest to the whole world in the Church sayth Irenaeus By the Ecclesiasticall tradition dissented off by none sayth Origen By the Catholike Church whose not receauing any opinion is sufficient sayth S. Augustine to confound any heresy Therfore the doctrine and practise of the ancient Fathers was to discerne and confute all Heretikes by this rule of Fayth Sixthly the same is proued by Reason because the scripture is the booke of the faythfull not the faithlesse therefore as it was writ to the faythfull as the conuerted Iewes Romans Corinthians c. so it is vnderstood truely only by the faythfull as the Christians not by the Infidels as the Iewes Turkes and Heretikes who haue and read the wordes but vnderstand not the sense meaning because the veile is yet ouer their eyes in the reading of it for want of fayth therefore the letter that is the words and reading of it doth kill them and is to them a ministration of death and only the spirit that is the vnderstanding of it doth giue life to them who haue fayth Of which necessity of Fayth prerequired to the vnderstanding of Scripture see Stapleton de principijs Doctrinalibus where the same is further proued out of the ancient Fathers testimonyes to wit S. Augustine Irenaeus Origen Athanasius Cyrill of Alexandria Theodoret and Vincentius Lyrin who sayth that the holy and learned men did interprete the holy Scripture according to the traditions of the Catholike Church and the rule of Catholike fayth And againe That the line of propheticall and Apostolicall interpretation must be directed according to the rule of the Catholike and Ecclesiasticall sense Which and much more he alleadges against the custome of Heretikes who haue alwayes the Scripture in their mouth and out of it do confirme their errours Out of which may be inferred how vntruly and fraudulently the Protestants do generally auerre that in the scripture the spirit of God is and is to be sought
of Christs Church it begat in the braine of Manes Marcion Sabellius Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches and others the wicked errours against the B. Trinity of one God three Persons in the Deity against the sacred IncarnatioÌ„ of one person and two natures in the person of our B. Sauiour Christ by which as by so many bastardes of impiety such an infinit brood of heresyes haue since that tyme beene ingeÌ„dred in the Christian world that the increase of theÌ„ hath filled or rather defiled a great part of the East Church both in Asia Africke and left behind them the stincke of no fewer then 300. rotten heresies and hereticall opinions So also in this last age of Christ it begat in the braines of an Apostata Frier Martin Luther which it coupled with a like Apostata Nunne and of other Apostataes Bucer Martyr Bale Knox c. whome it wiâ—ed in like incestuous bed of double Apostacy and of all sort of impurity such a number of brats or rather vipers of hereticall opinions and errours as neither the number of them can be recounted of which some haue found out 300. and more nor can the mischiefe of dissention and cruelty be conceaued with which they haue pestered the most florishing Kingdomes of Europe and brought in an horrible confusion and desolation in place of former piety and religion In which we may obserue that as Idolatry made Chaos or confusion the mother of all so hath Heresy made the priuate spirit which is nothing but a Chaos or confused conceit which euery one hath of his owne opinion the mother and conceauer of all hereticall opinions As Idolatry diuised that out of Planeta the Man-woman or fruit of Chaos issued HeaueÌ„ and Earth and of them so many Gods Goddesses so hath Heresy caused that out of the commixtion of a Friars and Nuns concupiscence such a number of hereticall opinions and wicked practises should receaue their origen and progresse As the Pagans made Iupiter a man of life most wicked and exercised in all practise of cruelty and incestuous carnality a God and the chiefest among the Gods so do the Protestants canonize Luther a man of a most carnall proud and enuious both disposition course of life as an Apostle an Euangelist a Prophet and a man of God As Saturne the false God by Idolatry was made the Father of many Gods chiefly of three Iupiter Neptune and Pluto who also begat many petty Gods and filled the world with many innumerable false Gods whereby adoration was giuen euen first to men then to the basest and meanest creatures so Luther the false Apostle and Prophet by the instigation of his priuate spirit did beget and deuise foure most monstruous imps of hereticall doctrine and impiety out of which as so many vipers such a number of erroneous and wicked opinions haue flowed that the light of true fayth and Religion hath beene obscured and the beauty and splendor thereof hath beene attributed to most false errours fond heresyes And thus hath Heresy succeeded and imitated her elder sister Idolatry Now these foure heades or principall heresies which the priuate spirit the eldest daughter of Heresy did beget in Luther and his followers braines and out of which as sequels issued such a number of falsities and heresies are these The first is that the Church and Bishop of Rome is fallen from being the spouse of Christ to be the very Antichrist himselfe as wholy opposite to Christ and corrupted with all abominable errours of idolatry and superstition out of which haue issued these and such like brats of heresy that therefore the visible and knowne Church was latent inuisible and not extant for many ages and that true fayth and doctrine was banished from the same visible Church which was only the Roman Church and that for many ages some of them say six some ten some twelue some fourteen ages euen since the Apostles tyme all which tyme truth lay smothered ouerwhelmed and buried in the dregges of Antichristian errour superstition and idolatry That all the Councels Prouinciall or Generall were the assemblies of Antichrist All the Fathers and Doctours were deceaued and subiected to Antichrist All the Christian people Princes or Prelates liued in the externall obedience of Antichrist That no lawfull mission or vocation no right ordination or consecration no continuall succession or deriuation of Pastours was for all this tyme to be found in the Church That no preaching of the word of God no administration of Sacraments no offering of sacrifice no saying of seruice no discipline of Church orders and gouernment was holy and lawfull for so many ages till God extraordinarily raysed vp Martin Luther and by his spirit reformed all Whereupon since that tyme hath ensued as the fruits of the wombe of this priuate spirit and new doctrine all neglect and contempt of Church orders lawes or obseruances as of Masse and Mattins of fasting and festiuall dayes of single life and chastity of obedience and pouerty of pennance and mortification of confession and satisfaction of benedictions and peregrinations and of all Workes of austerity piety and deuotion Hence hath ensued all rapine robing of Churches Church-goods and Church-ornaments all destruction of Monasteries and Religious houses all prophanation of holy thinges all cruelty against Priests Religious men all incestuous and sacrilegious lewdnesse against vowed persons all rebellion against Princes for Religion all contempt of them and their lawes as not obliging in conscience and all liberty of life and manners to practise whatsoeuer profit or pleasure proposed as most plausible to euery mans humour and disposition The second and next ofspring of this spirit was Iustification by only fayth in which as they all agree in generall so it hath beene the mother of many notorious new impietyes from whence as out of a Troian-horse issued these and such like prophane paradoxes as that this fayth is a sole fayth not informed with charity or good workes a speciall fayth assuring certainty of saluation a perpetuall faith neuer lost a rare fayth giuen only to the Elect a fayth couering not curing sinnes imputing not making vs iust apprehending not possessing the iustice of Christ A faith that admits no good workes no merit no profit no necessity yea no possibility either of being iustifyed by any or of hauing power to do any good workes at all because all works euen the best workes of the best men are sinnes and that mortall deseruing eternall damnation though by fayth not imputed to the elect Hence it is that the keeping of the law is impossible that no lawes oblige in conscience that grace is not sufficient that man hath no free-will and cannot but sinne and offend that Sacraments are not instrumeÌ„ts and meanes but seales and signes of this iustice and iustification by fayth that Baptisme is to be giueÌ„ only to the faithfull and children of the faythful that the Eucharist is a signe or figure
He may reason and practise thus No good works are meritorious none are necessary none are possible all euen the best being sins and that mortall as infected with originall sinne and defectiue from the law Ergo in vaine do I labour to do good works which are impossible in vaine do I labour to serue and please God by them sith al are sinnes and that mortall Why therfore shall I do rather good workes then bad Why liue I piously rather then wickedly Why do I iustice rather then iniustice make restitution rather then commit rapine Vse praying rather then swearing frequent Sermons rather then Tauerns because neither the one nor the other deserue reward or are pleasing to God and both the one and the other are damnable sinnes and deserue hell but neither are imputed as sinnes but both couered by the Iustice of Christ apprehended by my faith Fourthly He may reason and practise thus Only faith doth iustify iustifying doth infallibly make me as certaine of remission of my sinnes as I am of Christs death and therby certaine of my perdestination and election for none are truly faithfull and iustified but the elect and certaine also of my perseuerance and glorification for faith once had cannot be lost What then need I to feare either for seruil feare any punishment of hell because I am sure of heauen or for filiall feare any offence of God because I am sure that he imputes no sinne or offence to me and that neither he will forsake me nor I can fall from him or for reuerentiall feare any Maiesty and goodnesse of God who wil not be offended for that which is wild wrought by himselfe And because his lawes or precepts are aboue my power and as impossible do not oblige in conscience what need I to make any conscience of any sinne either past or committed or to come and in danger to be committed because I am sure that none shal be imputed that none can take from me Gods grace and fauour that all by faith are couered and that my Baptisme was to me a signe and seale of remissioÌ„ of al sinnes past and to come What need I either contrition or sorrow either pennance or satisfaction either fasting or good workes either prayer or preaching because I am sure that all satisfaction is made for me by Christ that any sinne of myne is impossible that also my prayer penance are sinnes that my sinnes are already forgiuen that I am certainly the sonne of God and so certaine to continue and to come to heauen Fiftly He may reason and practise thus I haue no free-will or liberty either of contradiction to do or not to do or of specification to do good or bad but am by the decree and will of God necessitated to do what I do what God hath ordeined me to do Ergo vnreasonable is God who hath imposed vpon me precepts which I haue no power or freedome to performe vniust is God who punishes me for doing that which he wils me to do in which I haue no freedome of wil to the contrary Impious are magistrats and iudges who punish me for that which God wils coÌ„mands compels me to do Impossible is all vertue and vice in me which can be no more vertue or vice in me then in a beast if I want freedome of will foolish am I who labour to do that which I haue no power or liberty to do In vaine do either lawes terrify me or superiours admonish me or preachers exhoâ—r me to that which I haue no power liberty or freedome to omit or commit to choose or refuse All which followes vpon the want of my freewill and ability to do good Sixtly He may reason and practise thus God hath decreed appointed and predestinated of his owne meere wi without any respect to me or my demerit whether I shal be damned or saued the one or other as he hath appointed In vaine therefore am I solicitous or do I labour for either sith without my care or labour that must be which God hath appointed and not my labour can alter further oâ— hinder either Againe God doth will command and worke as the principall agent all sinne which is wrought in me why shal I therfore detest that which God wils or auoid that which God commands or not do that which God wils commands and works in me Againe if I be an elect God giues all meanes so certaine of saluation that I cannot reiect them if I be reprobate he denies me all meanes necessary either of the merits of Christ offered for me or of grace and faith sâ—fficient for me In vaine therefore is all my labour because if God hath prepared for me meanes effectuall they wil be applied as they are decreed without me if not they will not be obteined by me and my care let therfore all care of heauen or hell be left to God and his ordination and let vs liue merrily fare daintily spend freely feed our sense and appetit fully and leaue all care or cogitation of heauen or hell to Gods decree and ordinance which according to his will not our care will haue the effect which he hath appointed This follows in reason and thus in reason may any one inferre and reason supposing he belieue the aforesaid false principles SVBDIV. 3. To what vices the Protestant doctrine leads SEAVENTHLY For vices in particular how euery one doth receiue life grouth nourishment and encouragement by this their doctrine how men may be whetted and animated to the free exercise of the same vices by vertue of it may by these reasons appeare 1. Slouth which saith the wiseman teaches many euils and is the stepdame saith S. Bernard of vertue the mother of sinne and the root and nurse saith S. Chrisostome of desperation is by this doctrine nourished For who will labour who assures himselfe that his labours works and sufferings haue neither any reward nor make any satisfaction but that they deserue hell and eternall punishment and that by them he can no more please God performe his will or fulfill his commandements then he can reach the starres or leape ouer the seas and that he hath no freedome or liberty of wil but must do as by God he is appointed and compelled and that only faith and apprehension of the iustice of Christ will suffice to his iustification and saluation Secondly Chastity which is commended in scripture as deseruing immortall praise by God man as of more worth then all weight as the fruit of the spirit and as that which maks pages or followers of the lambe Christ Iesus is indeed according to S. Cyprian the ornament of noblemen the nobility of meane men the beauty of the deformed the comfort of the sorrowfull the augmentour of beatitude honour of religion the diminisher of vices the multiplier of vertue and the spouse of the omnipotent
warrantable according to these grounds of their Fayth that no lawes are possible or oblige in conscience that no bad workes are imputed or hinder saluation that the liberty of the Ghospell makes all actions free and voluntary that only fayth doth iustify and cannot be lost that no man hath freewill nor can do otherwise thē God hath decreed Which positions ouerthrow all duety of obedience and all obligation of duty to any Prince Sixtly it followes that in vaine and to no end are all consultations and deliberations of thinges to be done eithe◠by priuate persons in their priuate affaires or by publike Councellours of Princes for the publicke good because all in both must be as God hath decreed and man hath no more free-will to do otherwise then he is determined then he hath not to be a man as he was created In vaine are all precepts and lawes of doing or not doing going or staying bargayning buying or selling because man hath neither freedome of will nor obligation in conscience to do them more then to reach heauen with his fingar In vaine are all exhortations either priuate or publicke in sermons or in familiar speaches by preachers parents or friends either from euill or to good to one study or other to one course of life or other to one worke or other because man hath no more power or freedome of will to choose any of them then he hath freedome to cure himselfe of the goute or an ague or restore his arme that is cut off In vaine and to no end are either terrours and threats of punishment or promises and hopes of reward either prayses commendations of good and dispraises and reprehensions of bad deedes because neither are any deeds in themselues good but bad before God nor is any man more free and able to do the one rather thē the other then he is to moue mountaines or to adde height to his stature To what end therefore are Maisters offended with the negligence of seruants Doe parents correct the vndutifullnes of their children Do Princes punish the rebellion or offences of their subiects Do Preachers reprehēd the vices of their auditours or exhort them to workes of piety and charity disswade them from actions of sinne and iniquity Sith the workes be both alike sinnes do both alike violate the precept and are both alike forgiuen and not imputed sith the lawes do not oblige in conscience and are impossible to be kept sith the parties haue no power or freedome to do the one more then the other but all as by the decree of God and force of their originall concupiscence are forced and necessitated to do it Seauenthly it followes that in vaine and to no end doth any Protestant make any scruple of conscience which needes not as a law to direct as a thousand witnesses to accuse as a iudge to condemne or cleare as an executioner to torment and torture him as it doth other men for their sinnes vnrepēted because where no sinne is imputed where no Free-will is admitted where no good worke or obseruation of any commandement is possible where no law of God or man doth oblige in conscience to performāce what needs any conscience to torment or trouble it selfe with the guilt of any law infringed with the sting of any iniustice committed with the scruple of any good worke omitted since neither the law could be fullfilled nor the act could be preuented nor any punishment shal be inflicted nor God offended Why should therfore be studied any cases of conscience Why should be admitted any Chancery or Court of conscience Why should there be any confession of sinnes secret or any restitution of debts and monyes secret any forbearance of wrong secret when there is no feare or shame of man Why shall therefore any Protestant in life or at death trouble his conscience or haue any scruple of any good worke omitted of any secret murther committed of any iniustice rapine cruelty periury bribery sorcery practised or of any heresy idolatry or infidelity of any Iudaisme Turcisme or Atheisme belieued followed or perswaded Surely he needes not for one dramme of fayth of speciall fayth of apprehension of Christs iustice compounded with an impossibility of performing the law with the necessity of mans wil with the liberty of the Ghospell and with the certainty of present and future iustification will purge all this melancholy feare and scrupulosity and leaue the soule cleare of any doubt feare timidity or vncertainty of heauen for any whatsoeuer sinnes and offences howsoeuer or by whomesoeuer committed Out of all which former absurdities we may obserue these differences betweene a Protestant and a Catholike a iust man of the one and a iust man of the other that 1. A Protestant belieues a fayth which neuer any Prince Prelate or people neuer any Doctour Confessour or Martyr neuer any Councell prouinciall or generall belieued for 1500. and more yeares before Luther The Catholike belieues the same which all Princes Christian all Prelates and people reputed true Christians all Confessours Martyrs and Saints all Councels generall no fewer then eighten and all prouinciall aboue 100. haue euer since Christ professed and belieued Secondly a Protestant belieues a fayth which falsifyeth and frustrateth the predictions of the Prophets the promises of Christ the preaching of the Apostles the mission of Pastours the succession of Prelates the ordination of Priests the vertue of miracles the constancy of Confessours the purity of Virgins the bloud of Martyrs and the vnity sanctity antiquity and vniuersality of the Catholicke Church the Catholike belieues and professes a fayth which verifies and confirmes all the former and in which they agree in beliefe and profession with them all Thirdly the Protestants belieue a fayth which hath lesse authority credibility and motiues of persuasion such as are miracles vnity vniuersality and others to persuade and make it credible then hath the fayth of Iewes Turkes or Pagans the Catholikes belieue that which hath vnity visibility vniuersality antiquity sanctity prophecies miracles monuments of piety charity bounty and all reasons of probability to persuade and make it credible Fourthly the Protestant is made iust by a speciall fayth of which is no mention either in any Scripture Tradition Councell or Father and which neither Doctour Father Prelate Prince Prouince people or person in the world before them belieued and professed as a sauing and iustifying fayth the Catholicke is made iust by a Catholike fayth which hath beene generall vniuersall wholy by all people Prelates and Princes in all tymes and places acknowledged and professed Fifthly the Protestāt is made iust by a fayth by which all the seed and posterity of Abraham Noe and Adam yea all Iewes Gentils Turks Heretikes wicked blasphemers idolaters murtherers sacrilegious and incestuous persons which haue beene or shal be till the worlds end may as well be saued and assured of their saluation as they themselues the Catholike is made iust
by a fayth by which only they who belieue truly and liue piously or repent and amend faithfully can be iustified and saued Sixthly the Protestant is made iust by a speciall fayth which is false as belieuing many pointes for true which yet are contrary one to another which is contradictory as houlding positions contradicting one another which is sinneful as being a sinne and that mortall as all their good works are which is presumptuous presuming without grace to be made holy without merit to attaine a reward without mās owne labour and concurrence to be crowned with the glory of heauen which is iniurious to hope which it destroies by certainty to charity which it maks impossible to do good workes all which it turnes into sinnes and that mortall The Catholikes are iustifyed by a fayth which admits none of the former absurdities but is true humble vniforme pious and a foundation for hope charity and good life Seauenthly the Protestant is iustifyed by a fayth which derogates from the redemption of Christ making it neither vniuersall for all nor perfect for any nor able to cure one mā but is only an apprehension of iustice only a couer for sinne only a conceit that a man is iust when he is assured he is vniust which makes Christ neither vpright lawyer for that he makes lawes impossible to be kept nor iust Iudge for that he giues neither reward or punishment according to deedes and deserts nor perpetuall Priest for that he offers no sacrifice at all or but only that one of the Crosse which makes Christ ignorant getting by degrees knowledge as other men impotent not able to satisfy sinne but with suffering all the paines euen those of hell due to sinne inconsiderate as making prayers vowes vnaduised and not premeditated sinnefull in staggering between praysing and blaspheming God betweene hope and feare of saluation doubting and despairing of his owne saluation and lastly damned in hell and suffering all the paines therein which any damned do The Catholike is iustifyed by a fayth which makes Christ a perfect Redeemer of his part of all men from all sinnes from all both guilte and paine of sinne a iust law giuer in his lawes which are easy and in his iudgments which are according to euery mans workes a potent Sauiour who by one action of his diuine person is able to satisfy for all sinne a person alwayes perfect in all knowledge alwayes immaculate without any the least spot of sinne and alwayes blessed and glorified with the vision and fruition of God euen from his conception And thus much a Protestant and Catholike differ in the points of a iustifying fayth Looke further yet into the soule and persons of the one and the other 8. A iust Protestant hath originall sinne remayning in him a iust Catholike hath it taken away from him 9. The one is inwardly infected corrupted and rotten in sinne the other is inwardly pure sound beautifull adorned with grace 10. The one hath all his actions stained polluted and made damnable by the infection of his original sinne the other hath many of his actions gracious liuely and made meritorious by grace 11. The one in all his actions euen the best doth offend and displease God the other in all his actions which are not bad doth honour please God 12. The one by his good actions deserues nothing but eternall damnation the other by his good deedes deserues eternall saluation 13. The one is iust only before man and by God esteemed iust though he be internally and indeed vniust the other is iust before God and internally and really indeed iust 14. The one hath no deformity or guilt of sinne washed cured or taken away but only not imputed the other hath all guilt washed cleansed abolished by inherent iustice grace 15. The one hath neither power nor liberty to do any good worke the other assisted by grace hath free-to do good 16. The one cannot performe any one commandement the other by grace can performe them all 17. The one cannot resist but yield to euery motion of concupiscence the other can and doth by grace resist ill motions 18. The one cannot loue God praise him feare or honour him in any action the other can do it by Gods grace in all his actions 19. The one cannot increase in iustice or grace but is as iust at the first instant of his iustification as euer the other can and doth become more iust patient humble and charitable 20. The one may commit any sinne though of murder adultery blasphemy heresy or idolatry and yet remaine iust and not loose his iustice nor the fauour of God the other may and must auoid all the same or the like sinnes least he loose grace and be damned 21. The one let him do what he will is sure he shal be saued and cannot by any sinne be damned except Christ be damned the other with feare and trembling doth labour to make his election and saluation by good works sure 22. The one needs to make no conscience of breaking any law of God or man because neither oblige in conscience and both are impossible to be performed the other thinks himselfe tyed in conscience to performe both 23. The one though he sinne needs no more but only by faith to assure himselfe his sinne is couered by the iustice of Christ and not imputed to him the other if he sinne must haue hope charity contrition confession and satisfaction penance and purpose of amendment to sinne no more 24. The one laies all the burthen of his sinnes vpon Christ and his satisfaction and himselfe rests idle and secure the other by the vertue of the same merit of Christ labours with all austerity to satisfy himselfe as far as by grace he can and to do his endeauour to pacify God Now whether of these two estates the former of the Protestant or the later of the Catholick be more honourable to God more agreable to piety more worthy to be esteeme in themselues and so more to be preferred by man let the indifferent Reader iudge and make choice Of absurdities which follow vpon the fourth head that is of absolute predestination to damnation SECT V. SVBDIV. 1. Protestants doctrine of Predestination makes men desperate and Atheists OVT of the fourth principle or daughter of his priuate spirit and the issue or consequences ensuing therupon which are that God hath decreed and ordained and that without any foresight or respect to any sinne originall of Adam or actuall of man that those who are damned should be damned only because it was his will and pleasure and for that end did likewise ordaine that they should sinne did by his will and decree excite and compell them to sinne by his motion did effect and worke in them that sinne and obdurate and harden them in sinne necessitate them without free-will to sinne command the diuell to solicit them to sinne both the diuell and other wicked