faith for a man himself as wee may see Math. 7. 22. The second place is Iam. 2. 24. where it is said Yee see therfore how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only To which I answer That beside O Ecumenius Theodoret and Beda on this place their owne Aquinas showeth the true meaning thereof Who objecting to this place Rom. 3. 20. where it is said by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in his sight he reconcileth them thus I answere sayeth he that to justifie may be taken two wayes either for the execution or for the manifestation of our justification and this way indeed a man is justified by works that is he is declared and manifested to bee just or it is taken for the infused habit of righteousnes and this way no man is justified by works sayeth he Likewise sayeth Doctour Paes a Portugall Frier The meaning of these words That Abraham was justified by works may be this as Theodoret expoundeth that he was declared just which exposition I approve most sayeth he The third place is Iam. 2. 14. where the Apostle sayeth What doth it profit though a man say hee hath faith not works can that faith saue him I answere 1. That the Apostle sayeth not Though a man haue faith but Though he say hee hath faith showing therby that an alleadgance onlie of faith availeth not to salvation 2. Aâ— their Estius with us showeth it is said ther that a dead and fruitlesse faith onlie according to the Apostles words verse 17. and 18. availeth not to salvation nor can be called a justifying faith The fourth place is Gal. 5. 6. Neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith which worketh by loue which place is coincident with the former and doeth nowise militat against our doctrine of Iustification as the words of our coÌ„fession anno 1581. and 1647. c. 11. testifieth saying That faith receiving and relying onlie on Christ and his righteousnes is the onlie instrument of our Iustification â—et it is not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by loue And that this is also the doctrine of all other reformed Churches their own Cassander witnesseth consult art 4. As also Bellarmin lib. 1. de Iustif cap. 14. saying Iohn Calvin in his Antidote of the Councell cap. 11. Sess 6. sayeth That it is faith onlie that justifieth but yet not fayth which is alone as the heate of the sunne is that onlie which heateth the earth yet heate is not alone in the sunne but their is light also joyned with it the same also sayeth he doth Melancton Brentius Chemnitius teach with others And as for Fathers whom hee citeth or whose words he setteth downe such as Ambrose saying That faith alone sufficeth not Augustin that faith onlie saveth not without observing Gods Commandements they militat nowise against out doctrine as wee see confessed But I admire at the impudence or ignorance of this Pamphleter who in the next place ascribeth to us that we hold That good works are not necessarie to salvation whereas in the contrarie These are the words of our Confession of faith cap. 16. concerning their necessitie That they are the fruits and evidences of a true and livelie faith and by them Believers manifest their thankfulnes strengthneth their assurance edifieth their brethren adorneth the profession of the gospell stops the mouth of the adversaries and glorisieth God whose workmaÌ„ship they are created in Christ thereunto that having their fruit in holines they may haue the end life eternall being as Bernard speakes via Regni non causa regnandi 22. THat good works are not meritorious VVHich he sayeth is contrarie to Math. 16. 27. where it is said That Christ at his second coÌ„ming shall reward every one according to his works To which I will answere onlie in the words of Pope Gregorie in psal 7. poenit verba fac auditam who sayeth thus If the felicitie of the saints be mercie and not acquired by merits where is that which is written who shall render to every one according to his works If it be rendred then according to works how shall it be esteemed mercie but it it one thing sayeth he according to ones works and another thing to render for the works themselves For in that it â—â— said according to his works the qualitie of the work is understood that whose works are seene to be good his reward shall be also glorious as whose works are evill his reward shall be contrarie but as to that eternal life which we haue of God with God no labour can be equalled sayeth he no works can be compared Therfore also sayes their late Ferus on Rom. 2. 6. All that this word according doeth import in relation to good works is that the doing of them is a requisite condition without any sort of meriting sayeth he The second place is Math. 5. 11. Rejoyce and bee glad for great is your reward in heaven As also Math. 10. 42. That a cup of cold water given to one of Christs shall not want it reward Whereunto I answere 1. That we deny not but that good works haue their reward abyding them for so sayth our ConfessioÌ„ of faith 1647. cap. 16. art 6. That the Lord looking on believers in his Son it pleased hiâ— to accept reward that which is sincere altho accompanyed with many weaknesses and imperfections But wee distinguish and say that there is a reward in mercie wherof Hosea speaketh 10. 12. saying Sowe in righteousnes and reape in mercie As also the Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 16. 17. And there is a reward of merite called wages Rom. 6. 23. Where the Apostle sayeth The wages of sinne is death but by way of opposition he sayeth Life eternall is the free gift of God upon which place therfore sayeth Cardinall Cajetan according to Augustins like words de gra lib. arb cap. 9. The gift of God is Eternall life that we may understand sayeth he that it is not for our merits but of the free gift of God that in end we attaine to eternall life So also speaketh Lombard That we may understand that God bringeth us to eternall life sayeth he for his owne mercie sake and not for our merits So also speaketh their Ferus on Iohn 3. and Math. 20 Gabriel Biel on the the Canon of the Masse lect 47. â—nd others yea Bellarmin himself lib. 5. de Iustif cap. 19. confesseth That this hath beene the common and constant judgement of Divines in the Roman Church as Thomas Bonaventure Scotus Durand aâ—d others that God rewardeth good works of his meer liberalitie aboue any condignitie Flat coÌ„trar to that blasphemous speech of the Rhemists on Heb. 6. 10. saying That our good works are so fullie worthie of eternall life which God of his justice oweth to the workers â—f the same that he should be
the famous Councells and Fathers forenamed who opposed the same as not to adhere to their sense of that place of Mathew or to their judgement of papall supremacie were now a-dayes damnable and rank heresie 2. Next to come to that proud doctrine of merite against which is that cleare Text of scripture Rom. 6. 23. where it is said The wages of sinne is death but Life Eternall is the gift of GOD. Which by the unanimous judgement of the ancient fathers Church is acknowledged to be against merits therefore sayeth their owne Cassander consult art 6. with a full consent all the ancient Fathers deliver that our whole confidence and hope both of pardon and eternall life is to be placed in the onely mercie of GOD and merite of Christ As we see particularly in ORGEN l. 4. in Rom. cap. 4. Hilare in Math. can 20. Ambrose in psal 118. Octon 20. Et in exhortatione ad virgines Basil in psal 52. 114. Jerom lib. 17. in Isaiam cap. 64. Chrisostom in Coloss hom 2. Augustin in psal 36. con 2. psal 32 con 1. psal 83. circa fineÌ„ As also psal 109 â—irca iâ—itiuÌ„ Cyril also of Alexandria hom 4. paschas Gregorie the first in psal 7. poenit Fulgentius ad Moninum lib. 1. cap. 10. and Haymo in psal 132. 1. Bernard ser 1. in annunc Mariae and many more And yet the present Roman Church differeth so farre froÌ„ Scripture the streame of Antiquitie expounding the same in this point That the Councell of Trent in the decree of the sixt Session thereof can 32. hath accursed all those that hold not the doctrine of mans meriting of eternall life by his owne good works and the Rhemists declare on Heb. 6. 10. That they are so fully worthie of eternall life and are the cause of salvation that God should be unjust if he rendred not heaven for them 3. For perfectioÌ„ of scripture against doctrinall traditions that place Gal. 1. 8. Though wee or an Angell from heaven preach any other beside that which wee haue preached unto you let him be accursed by the constaÌ„t unanimous judgement of the Church all ancient Fathers that ever write on that place the same is expounded to be the scriptures of the old new Testament onely beside which no other thing ought to be taught under paine of a curse as Basil in his summe of his Moralls 72. expoundeth so likewise Augustin in his third book against Petilian cap. 6. saying If an Angell from heaven preach to you any thing besids that which is in the scriptures of the Law and Gospell which yee haue received let him be accursed sayth the Apostle so also Vincen. Lyrinen adv haeres c. 35. 10. Neither sayeth the Apostle if they teach any thing contrar or repugnant sayeth Chrisostome Theophylact. on that place but if they teach never so small a point beside that that is add never so little more then that let him bee accursed And yet so farre doth the present Roman Church disagree from the true meaning of this Text of scripture which is given thereon by the whole streame of antiquitie in this point that shee hath decreed contrar thereunto in the Councell of Trent for doctrinall unwritten traditions 1. decreto sess 4. 4. Against that idolatrous worshiping and prayer to Angels that Text Coloss 2. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntare humilitie and worshiping of Angels is expounded not onely by the ancient Fathers singly writing thereon as condemning all prayer to be made to them as we see in Chrisostom in Coloss 2. hom 9. and in Origen l. 7. 8. contra Celsum others but likewise by a whole Councell conveened together as Theodoret testifieth on Coloss 2. saying The Councell which conveened at Laodicea the cheif citie of Phrygia by a law did forbid prayer to Angels condemning the same as Idolatry wherby the communion both of Christ â—nd his Church was forsaken and therefore accursing the practisers thereof Can. 35. saying if any man be found to giue himself to this private idolatrie let him be accursed And yet the present RomaÌ„ Church doth so farr disagree froÌ„ this Apostolicall precept expounded by an unanimous coÌ„sent of ancient Fathers conveened in Councell that she will haue prayers put up to Angels and consequentlie shee is declared Idolatrous and accursed 5. I could instance many more places in points coÌ„troverted wherin they admitt not that sense which the streame of ancient Fathers giveth theron as Coloss 3. where it is said Let the word of Christ dwell in you richlie Which by the constant and unanimous exposition of Fathers is for peoples reading and knowledge of scripture as wee see in Chrisostome hom 9. â—n Coloss 10. in Iohan Augustin serm 55. de tempore Theodoret lib. 5. de Cur. graec affect and others which made their late Bishope Espenceus on Tit. 2. to say By the doctrine of the Apostle and conforme practise of of the primitive Church it is manifest that of old the reading of scripture was permitted to people and as venerable Beda showeth in his third book of the English ecclesiasticall historie cap. 5. but the forenamed shal suffice to show that in the points controverted they admitt not that to be the rule of faith which they pretend to be the rule but when it maketh against them they disdainfullie or impudentlie doth reject the same Lastly As for his Thrasonick brags wherein hee exceedeth all moderation and trueth I passe by theÌ„ as not worthy of any answere but that which in realitie and a solid way shall bee seene God willing in this ensueing reply to discover his frothy emptines fraud to any who is but indifferent judicious howsoever to others the blinded and imbrutished proselyts of such every thing that commeth from them is counted as of old the Oracles of Delphos were or as Diana was cryed up by the confused multitude Act. 19. 34. saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians AN ANSVVERE To the Touch-Stone of the Reformed Gospell 1. That there is not in the Church one and that an infallable rule for understanding the holy Scriptures and conserving of Vnitie in matters of saith THis assertion of our's as hee calleth it is contrary sayth hee to the expresse words of our own Bible which he nameth therafter To whom I answere 1. In generall that he beginneth with a grosse calâ—mny affirming that to be our assertion which is not for wee deny not to be in the Church an infallable rule of faith or for understanding the Scriptures and conserving unitie in the matters of faith as our Confession of faith showeth anno 1581. art 18. but affirmeth this rule of faith to bee the Scripture it self which is therfore called the Canon or rule of Scripture that the right understanding thereof in all matters of faith is to be had froÌ„ the scripture it self and that analogie of faith clearlie set downe therein or deryved
Chrisostome that wee may do more than wee are commanded Next for this hee citeth Gregorie Nissen 1. Moral cap. 5. wheras Gregory Nissen never wrote such a book but he seemes to mistake Gregory Nissen for Gregorie the great who lib. 21. Moral cap. 15. quyte overthrowes works of supererogation 19. THat by the fall of Adam wee haue lost our freewill and it is not in our power to choyse good but onlie evill VVHich he sayeth is contrary to 1. Cor. 7. 37. and Prov. 23. 26. wher the Lord requireth us To giue to him our heart which if wee haue not freedome of will why doeth the Holie Ghost require this of us sayeth he To which I answere that all such precepts are the Rules of our dutie but not proofs of our abilitie by nature which when we see we are not able to performe of our selves it is to drive us by praier to him who onlie can inable us and as is said Philip. 2. 13. Who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure as we see the proof thereof Ioel. 2. 12 compared with Lam. 5. 21. as also Ezek. 18. 31. Where though the Lord sayeth Make you a new heart yet cap. 36. 26. he sayeth I will give you a new heart c. For as Augustin speaketh tom 7. de gra l. arb c. 16. To the Pelagians of old who objected such places That God coÌ„mands us to do what we are not able to wit of our selves that we may know what wee should seeke of him who can make us able and workesin us both the will deed So Bernard de gra lib. arb And as for Scholasticks how much sayeth their Cassander consult art 18 They haâ—e ascribed to Divine grace in place of the rest Bonaventure doeth witnesse saying This is the profession of all pious minds to ascribe nothing to themselves but all to the grace of God Next as to that 1. Cor. 7. 37. wher it is said That he that standeth stedfast in his heart having no necessitie but hath power over his owne will and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keepe his virginitie doth well This Text I say maketh nothing for mans naturall freewill a-like to good as to that which is morallie evill nor was there ever any learned Romanist to my knowledge that alleadged this place to prove freewill For Cardinall Cajetan Aquinas Catharinus and others upon this place showeth that the Apostle heere speaketh onlie of a fathers power over his child and that as he willeth or pleaseth he may dispose of his virgin either to marrie her or keepe her unmarried as he should find her inclination or the fitnes or unfitnes of times As wee haue the like speech Act. 5. 4. of Peter to Ananias though in another matter The second place which he bringeth is Iohn 1. 11. 12. which sayeth That Christ came to his owne and they received him not but as many as received him he gaue them power to become the sons of God which plainlie implyeth a libertie of will sayeth he To whom I answere 1. That this Text implyeth no liberty of will by nature in them who received Christ to receive him but that he that gaue them power to become the sonnes of God gaue them grace also to receiue him whil as others did not receive him this is according to the Apostles speech 1. Cor. 4. 7. Who made thee to differ from another what hast thou which thou hast not received and according to 2. Cor. 3. 5. That we ar not able to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God wheron sayeth their owne Estius and with him Lyra The greeke Commentators as Chrisostome Theophylact and O Ecumenius explicating the Apostles meaning speaketh after thiâ— manner sayeth he That there is not something on our part and somthing on Gods part in the first worke of our conversion but plainlie that there is nothing on our part no not the least thing but all to be ascribed to God The third place which he bringes is Deut. 30. 19. where Moses having set before the people life death c. he biddeth them choose life To which place my former answere to Prov. 23. 26. sufficeth Therfore also sayeth their Hugo de S. victore Miscell 2. lib. 2. Tit. 137. That for doing good ther is a three fold grace a preventing a cooperating and a following grace The first giveth us the will to choyse the second the abilitie to do and the third the perseverance to continue Estius likewise on 2. Cor. 3. 5. To this purpose citeth the words of the councell of Orange whereby they decreed That he was deceived with an hereticall spirit who will say that a maÌ„ by the power of nature can but think as becometh him any good that belongeth to eternall life let be to choyse the same The fourth place is Luke 13. 34. O Ierusalem IerusaleÌ„ how oft would I gathered thy children as an Hen does her brood under her wings but ye wold not Which Text showeth indeed the perversnes of mans will by nature and the opposition thereof to the will of God but no freedome therof by nature to wil that which is morallie good tendeth to salvation As for the testimonies of fathers He bringeth first Hilarie saying That he would not that there should be a necessitie for men to bee the sonnes of God but a power To which I answer 1. That Hilarie wrote 12. bookes of the Trinitie but he telleth not which of them 2. Hilarie speaketh of a manichean necessitie or coaction which we also deny to bee in mans will at all or in his first conversion and by power hee means not the power of freewill by nature but that power or efficacy of grace which our Saviour giveth Iohn 1. 11. Therefore also of this power against the forenamed coaction Prosper speaketh thus de vocatione gentium Wee both belieue feel by experience sayeth hee that grace is so powerfull that yet wee conceive it not to be any wayes violent The second testimonie which hee bringeth is Augustins saying To consent or not to coÌ„sent to Gods calling lyes in a maÌ„s own wil. To which I answer 1. That he cites l. 1. ad simpl q. 4. wheras in that whol book ther ar but two questions 2. I answer to the words of August out of Augustin himself in his 107. epistle to Vitalis That not only not to coÌ„sent to Gods calling lyes in mans will which is perverse by nature but also to consent to Gods calling lyeth also in a mans owne wll for grace takes not away the liberty of the will which is by Gods creation but the pravity therof which is froÌ„ mans corruption So that as he said before l. de gra l. arb It is sure that we will freely wheÌ„ we will but it is he that maketh us will that which is good of whom it is said It is God who worketh