gotten by our merits but freely given although not without our worke and labour for to come and to bye note our labour without money and without change note that reconciliation is not due but flatly free O Bellarmine why then doest thou teach merits of congruitie lib. 1. cap. 21. I end this poynt with the Lords speech Esai 43. v. 25. I even I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Of meriting Heaven They Papistes teach that a man by his good works may deserue heaven behold how the Scripture hath anticipated this ungodly opinion psalme 130. thus doth the servant of God pray Lord heare my voyce let thine eares attend to the voyce of my prayers the Lord might say vnto him thou art not worthy to be heard it is true saith he for if thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities who shal stand but mercy is with thee that thou mightest be feared to proceed thus likewise doth David pray psal 143. Heare my prayer O Lord and harken unto my supplication answer me in thy truth and righteousnes The Lord might say vnto him thou hast no merits nor deserts it is true saith he therefore I pray Enter not into iudgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man that liveth be iustified Heere some may say if good workes deserue not heaven what is the use of them the scripture is plaine for the use of thē 2. Ephe 10. v. For by grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Now the Ephesians might haue sayd we acknowledge thus much but doe not our workes comming from grace deserue No saith the Apostle not of workes least any man should boast himselfe what is then the vse of good workes it followeth for we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good workes which God hath ordayned that we should walk in them To this suteth the speech of Barnard Opera sunt via regni non causa regnandi Good workes are the way to the kingdome of heaven not the cause S. Peter also excellently setteth out the use of good workes 2. Pet. 1. v. 10. In these wordes Wherfore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling election sure for if these thinges be in you you shall never fall for by this meanes an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ And christian reader what neede the Papistes pleade for merites seeing Bellarmine writeth thus lib. 5. de iusti ca. 14 Ius habemus We haue right to an euerlasting inheritance before we begin to doe good workes further Infantes Baptised by that grace alone before all good workes are saued and therefore Christ hath merited for us the inheritance seeing he hath merited for us the grace of regeneration adoption And againe in the 17. chap. Infants merit not by the merites of workes but by the merits of the person Now what are infants merits but Gods mercies as Barnard saith Meritum meum miseratio Domini My merits are the Lords mercyes I conclude this therefore with the saying of S. Barnard 68. serm in cant Nam et de meritis ecclesia quid sit sollicita cui de proposito Dei firmior suppetit securiorque gloriandi ratio why should the Church be carefull touchinge merits and deserts seeing it hath a more firme and sure matter to boast of to wit the purpose of God Of fulfilling Gods commandements THe Papists teach that a man regenerate may fulfill Gods commaundements the Apostle taketh it for granted that no man can doe so Gal. 3. v. 10. For as many as are of the deedes of the law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them In which words the Apostle doeth thus reason They which cannot fulfill the law are vnder the curse but no man can fulfill the law ergo by the sentence of the law every man is under the curse If this be not the Apostles Assumption the Galathiās might haue answered Paul that they could fulfill the law and so cut the sinewes of the Apostles reason To this argument Bellarmine in his 4. booke of iustifi chap. 14. answereth that this is the Apostles Assumption No man by his owne strength without faith and grace can keepe the whole law but alas in the 2. chap. and last verse thus doeth the Apostle reason If righteousnes be by the law then Christ dyed without a cause Now if the Galathians cleane iustled out Christ from iustification then it had bin no absurditie for thē to haue sayd Christ dyed in vayne for by nature we can do these things which the law requyreth Againe who knoweth not that the Galathians were Christians chap. 6. v. 1. and chap. 3. v. 3. therefore would they vtterly exclude Christ from iustification It is impossible to beleeue In the same place it is worthy to be marked that this text being obiected In many things we offend all Bellarmine confesseth that Vega and those that hold veniall sinnes to be against the law cannot answer this argument therefore he saith that veniall sinnes are not against the law but besides the law But I would know whether veniall sinnes be sinnes or no. Sinne is every breach of the law Veniall sinne is sinne Ergo It is a breach of the law Bellarmine himselfe in his first book of the losse of grace chap. 9 proveth veniall sinnes out of these words in the 5. chap. of Mathew He that is angry with his brother unadvisedly is culpable of iudgment Now our Saviour sheweth that these degrees of anger are forbidden in the commandement of murther Hence I thus dispute That which is forbidden in the commandement of murther is against the law But this veniall sinue of anger is forbidden in the commandement of murther Ergo It is against the law Christian reader I desire thee to reade the 4 booke chap. 10. there he confesseth out of Augustine that veniall sinnes are forbidden in this commandement thou shalt not couet This commandement commandeth perfection for saith he Eius generis est vt simul media et finem comprehendat It is of that kinde that it cōprehendeth both the meanes and the end Againe These thinges are spoken accordinge to Augustine his minde who in the precept Thou shalt not covet doth understand that all motions of concupiscense are forbidden even those that are not voluntary after a sort Of Images THe Papist teacheth that Images of God are not forbidden Bellarmine de sanct Imag. lib. 2. cap. 8. and that they are meanes to put vs in minde of God Let vs see how God preventeth this remēbrance Deut chap 4. v 23. Take heed lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which he made with you Now might the people say we will not forget for we will make an
A PROBLEME PROPOVNDED by Francis Dillingham in which is plainely shewed that the holy scriptures haue met with Popish Arguments and opinions Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life LONDON Imprinted by WILLIAM IONES and are to be sold by ED. WEAVER TO THE MOST REverend Father in God George by the Divine providence Archbishoppe of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of England and one of his Maiesties most Honorable privie Councell Grace and peace THE Apostolicall times from the Apostolicall doctrine Most Reverend haue incited me to write this Probleme It may seeme strange to some that future heresyes should be thus preuented but howsoeuer it seeme strange to some it is not strange to the enlightened and sanctified for first he that knewe what was to come endited the holy scriptures he I say that knoweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quae sunt et erunt quaeque ante fuere Secondly in those tymes in which the holy Scriptures were written there were the same wits the same corruption the same enemy of mankind namly the diuell which are in our tymes therefore no maruell if there be the same opinions The heathen philosopher said that the same opinions in philosophy were renewed and so it is in diuinity the Anabaptists haue renewed the opinions of the Enthusiastes the Libertines defend Pelagius his opinions and haue not the Vbiquitaryes also brought Eutyches his opinion againe vpon the stage Cut off Hydras heads and more will springe vp I will not answer this pointe in any more words It remayneth then that I craue pardon for that I haue troubled your Grace with so small a Treatise but your Lord-shipe knoweth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If therefore Bene be in this booke and Well be in this worke it is certaine that much is in the same But this I leaue to your Grace to iudge of as I doe allso to the Church of God The spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets The Lord of Lordes multiply his graces vpon you to the good of his Church and your euerlasting Saluation Your Graces in all duty FRANCIS DILLINGHAM A Probleme propounded by Francis Dillingham in which is plainely shewed that the holy Scriptures haue met with popish arguments and opinions Of reading the holy Scriptures THe papistes will not haue the lay people to reade the Scriptures because they may take hurt by reading of them Bellarmine lib 2. de verbo dei cap. 15. the wordes of Bellarmine are these quid quod populus non solum non caperet fructum ex scripturis sed etiam caperet detrimentum acciperet enim facillime occasionem errandi tum in doctrina fidei tum in praeceptis morum The people not only receiue no good out of the Scriptures but hurt for they would easily take an occasion to erre both in the doctrine of faith as well as in the doctrine of manners Let vs see how the Scriptures meete with this sottish obiection Revel chap 22. v. 10. And he sayd unto me seale not the words of this prophesie for the time is at hand Now some men might say the vniust will abuse this prophesie S. Iohn answereth he that is uniust let him be uniust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still Hence it is playne that the cavill of Papistes is met withall who thus dispute they which will abuse the scripture must not read the same the lay people will abuse the scripture ergo they must not reade the same S. Iohn answereth by a distinction some will abuse it some will not He that is filthy let him be filthy he that is holy let him be holy still But I desire to know of the Papist if the learned also will not abuse the scripture it cannot be denyed it is but bad arguinge from the abuse of a thing to take away the lawfull use of the same Many abuse meate and drinke to surfetting drunkennes yea the Sunne and Moone to Idolatry must these thinges therefore be taken away Images are abused to Idolatrie yet will not the Papists take them away which is a shamefull thing Nocturne vigils were abused being but the deuise of men therefore they were takē away I wish the Papists would doe so with Images which are mens inventions and not take away the reading of the Scriptures which is Gods ordinance A second obiection answered A Second obiection against reading of the Scriptures is taken from the darknes and obscuritie of the same thus doe the Papists argue The Scriptures are obscure therfore the lay people ought not to read them This argument is answered by the Apostle 2. Cor 4. chap 3. v. If our gospell be then hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell should not shine vnto them Thus standeth the obiection Many heare the gospell yet are they not enlightned therby therfore the doctrine is not so cleare as thou Paul makest it Paul answereth the fault is not in the Gospell but in men thēselues the Deuill who blindeth their mindes Excellently writeth Picus Mirandula Scriptura affibilitate parvos nutrit altitudine superbos irridet profunditate attentes terret veritate magnos pascit the Scripture doth nourish those that are smale by affability it scorneth the proud by the loftines by the depth it terrifieth those that are atteent and by truth it feedeth great ones Of prayer in an vnknowne tongue THe Papists teach and practise prayer in an vnknowne tongue The Apostle hath prevented this error 1. Cor. 14. chap. v. 15. what is it then I will pray with the spirit but I will pray with the vnderstanding also I will sing with the spirit but I will sing with the vnderstanding also The obiection answered is this Is it not therfore lawful to pray with the spirit S. Paul answereth it is lawfull if it be vnderstood Now by spirit as every man knoweth is ment a strange tongue which the spirit did endite So then the Apostle hath plainly prevented the cauill for praying in a strange and vnknowne tongue directly affirming that men must not so pray except they vnderstand the tongue Of workes of Congruitie that is deserving of Congruitie HO every one that thirsteth saith Esa 55. v. 1. come yee to the waters and yee that haue no silver come bye and eate come I say bye wine and milke without siluer and without money All that are a thirst are here called to the waters that is to Gods graces Now they might say we haue no merrits or desertes ye that haue no silver saith the Lord come bye and eate I say bye wine milke without silver and without money Touching this text thus writeth Bellarmine lib. 5. de insti ca. 5. Wine milke signifie not everlasting glorie but the grace of this life we doe confesse that the grace of God is not
prayer for the dead being made for all establisheth not Purgatory for I am sure all the dead are not placed by Papistes themselues in Purgatory Of satisfaction for sinne SAtisfaction for veniall sinnes is stoutly maintayned by papists Let us see how the holy Scripture hath prevented this fearefull doctrine My babes saith S. Iohn 1. epist 2. chap. v. 1. these things write I unto you that you sinne not Now they might say alas we cannot chuse but sinne what must we doe then must we despaire must we make satisfaction for our sinnes No saith S. Iohn we haue a remedy against both these For if any man sinne we haue an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust We need therefore neither despaire nor satisfie This resolution of holy scripture is firme and sure to all true Logitiās Rhetoricians wherfore I doubt not to call this text the hammer of Popery and a wyer whippe to scourge the doctrine of Satisfaction Of Transubstantiation or turning the bread into the body of Christ IT is held by Pseudocatholiks that the substance of bread is turned into the body of Christ and there remayne only accidents shewes of bread The Scripture rightly resolved meeteth with this mōstrous phantasie Math. 26. v. 26. When they had eaten Iesus tooke bread and when be had blessed it he brake it gaue it to his Disciples saying take eate this is my body The Disciples might haue sayd We haue supped what should we doe with bread Christ answereth this bread is not ordinary bread but it is my body now bread cannot properly be the body of Christ Ergo it signifieth the body of Christ the same likewise may be sayd of the Cup for this is my blood saith Christ when he had sayd drinke yee all of this They might haue replyed what need that seeing we are not thirstie we haue lately supped Christ answereth this Cup is not ordinary wine but it is my blood namely the blood of the new Covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Christ answering thus plainly signifieth that he doth not giue them drink to quench corporall thirst but to quench spirituall thirst Wherefore although the Papists would exclude all tropes out of the supper yet marke how many they make first eate there is one for Christs body cannot properly be eaten To this Bellarmine answereth that eating is nothing but conveying from the mouth to the stomacke by naturall instruments for else old men and children should not eate I answer then let drinking be eating for drink is conveyed to the stomacke by naturall instruments and touching children and old folks although they chew not with teeth yet their solid meate is somewhat chewed with their gums and their liquid meates are not properly eaten but conveyed to the stomacke being as I may speake drinkable meates Secondly they cannot deny but the Cup is put for the contents in the Cup. Thirdly thus doth Bellarmine expound these words This is my bodie Vnder these shewes is my bodie Fourthly Do this in remembrance of me that is saith Bellarmine in remembrance of my passion and death Christ is put for the death of Christ Thus are they constrained to make tropes and yet they wil not allow the Protestāts any Of the Sacraments THe Papists teach that the Sacraments giue grace of the work wrought Marke how the Apostle meeteth with this error Rom. 4.9 Came this blessednesse then vpon the circumcision onely or vpon the vncircumcision also For we say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse How was it then imputed when he was circumcised or when he was vncircumcised not when he was circumcised but when he was vncircumcised Some might demand to what end then was he circumcised Paul answereth in the next verse After he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had Now whereas the Papists reply it is not so in our sacraments as it was in circumcision they bid open warre and battell to the Apostle who doth thus dispute As Abraham was iustified so are all men iustified But Abraham was iustified without the Sacraments Ergo all men are so iustified What then is the vse of the holy Sacraments They serue to confirme and strengthen our faith I might alledge another place of Scripture to this purpose but I studie for breuitie therefore I omit it Of prayer unto Saints THe Papists teach that a man may call vpon invocate Saints departed the Scripture cleane ouerthroweth this opinion Psal 65.2 Because thou hearest the prayer saith Dauid What then some men might say He answereth as followeth Vnto thee shall all flesh come The occasion why all flesh shall come to God is because he heareth prayers Hence I thus conclude He to whom all flesh cometh he heareth the prayer But onely to God all flesh must come Ergo onely God heareth the prayer of all flesh Christian Reader giue me leaue here to answer an argument of the Papists The liuing do inuocate the liuing Ergo they may call vpon the dead This argument saith Bellarmine the aduersaries cannot answer I pray thee therefore Christian Reader let me answer it The Saints liuing before the comming of Christ did desire the prayers one of another yet did they not pray to the dead Furthermore one Saint liuing may not invocate another Thus do the Papists pray to the virgin Marie Marie the mother of grace the mother of mercie defend vs from our enemies and receiue vs at the houre of death I but saith Bellarmine the meaning is that Marie is the mother of grace by prayer onely Alas could simple people that prayed in Latin thus distinguish They knew not what they prayed and could they thus distinguish Though Bellarmine a cunning Sophister can so distinguish yet I thinke some schollers amongst the Papists cannot Yea what blasphemy may not men thus excuse We may call the virgin Marie God and thus excuse it because she was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she brought foorth him that was God namely Christ Iesus who is both God and man and therefore she may be called God But I would faine know how this prayer may be salved O felix puerpera no strapians scelera iure matris impera redemptori O happie virgin that purgest our sins command the redeemer by the right of a mother Of the Popes temporall dominion THe Popes temporall dominion is knowne to the world the Scripture hath flatly forbidden it Math. 20.25 Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles haue dominion ouer them and they that are great exercise authoritie ouer them but it shall not be so among you but whosoeuer will be great among you let him be your seruant Bellar. lib. 4. de Ro. Pont. c. 10. answereth that the Lord doth institute meerly Ecclesiasticall Princes and teacheth them that as they are such they ought to rule not after the manner of Kings but after the manner of fathers and shepheards as though Kings ought