manifest and abhominable idolatry in that confessing vowes to be a substantiall part of the worship of God they communicate this honour to the Saints and make vowes to them of fastings praiers pilgrimages churches altars tapers and what not a thing so voide of all testimonie of Scripture as that Bellarmine is content to say e Bellar. de cultu sanct ca 9. Cum scriberentur scripturae sanctae nondum caeperat vsus vouendi sanctis that when the holy Scriptures were written the custome of vowing to Saints was not yet begun It is nothing therefore against vs that he alledgeth that Iacob made a vow thereby to proue that there was vse of vowes before the time of Moses law but whereas he saith that the things which Iacob vowed were out of his owne deuotion and not commanded of God he speaketh it but at all aduenture and hath no ground for that that he saith For if his reason be because we do not read that any thing was commanded to Iacob in that behalfe we may likewise argue that he did all other deuotions out of his owne heart and receiued them not by commaundement from God because we reade nothing of any such commaundement But it is true which Origen saith that f Origen cont Cels lib 7. Nemo qui oculis animae cernit alio modo DeuÌ colit quà m sicut ipse docuit no man that seeth with the eies of his soule worshippeth God otherwise then as he himselfe hath taught and which Hilary saith that g Hilar. de Trinit lib. 4. Neu potest aliâer de Deo quà m vt ipse est de se testatus intelligi we may not vnderstand otherwise concerning God then as he himselfe hath witnessed of himselfe M. Bishop therefore doth amisse to make Iacob as blind as he himselfe is that he should go about to worship God with deuotions of his own deuice He receiued instruction of the will of God from the fathers that were before him he had also immediate reuelation illumination from God himself We see that God afterwards in the law giueth commandement of the same things of building altars and paying tithes and vndoubtedly God gaue not commaundements of things which he had learned of Iacob but which Iacob had bene taught by him Yea and because the Apostle S. Paul condemneth h Col. 2.23 will worship or voluntary religion that is all such deuotions as men vndertake of their owne deuice thereby giuing to vnderstand that God neuer approueth any such surely we may wel resolue that Iacob would not be guilty of any such presumption but would first open his eare to learne of God what to do before he would put forth the hand to do any thing vnto God But saith M. Bishop S. Paul when he seemeth to disallow voluntary worship must be vnderstood to speake either of erronious or of friuolous and foolish things promised to God which do not properly serue for the setting forth of his glory Where we see the very patterne of an erroneous and friuolous and foolish answer The Apostle simply taxeth will worship as erroneous and friuolous and foolish and M. Bishop telleth vs that he meaneth that will worship that is erroneous or friuolous and foolish He must be vnderstood of friuolous and foolish things saith M. Bishop and the Apostle telleth vs that he speaketh of such things as i Ibid. haue a shew of wisedome and therefore not to sight but onely to spirituall iudgement are friuolous and foolish And therfore doth the Apostle make them erroneous and affirme that k Ver. 24. they perish in the vsing because they are after the doctrines and commandements of men alluding to that which our Sauiour in the Gospel citeth out of the Prophet l Mat. 15.9 In vaine do they worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men but M. Bishop will haue vs thinke that the Apostles meaning is not to reproue generally the doctrines and commandements of men but onely some that be erroneous In a word set them one against another and hearken well what they say The Apostle saith voluntary religion or worship is erroneous because it is after the doctrines and commandements of men Maister Bishop saith all voluntary worship is not erroneous but onely that that is erroneous But here we must thinke that when he thus tooke exception against promising to God friuolous and foolish things he was quite out of the remembrance of the vowes of their religious orders We must in charity be perswaded that he thought not of them because he would haue considered that in condemning the vowing of friuolous and foolish things he should condemne them as in which there are so many fantasticall and friuolous toies as touching their apparell and other vsage as that we may wonder that euer such drunken deuices could come from sober men if at least they were sober that were the deuisers of them And if he had remembred them or when he doth remember them I meruaile what qualification or distinction he would haue vsed or will vse to salue the matter that so ridiculous fooleries should be thought as properly seruing to the setting foorth of the honour of God Albeit it may be that though being subtile and wise hee afterwards pro forma disputeth in the behalfe of those vowes that hee may not walke too openly yet carying still a splene to the Iesuites and for their sakes to all the rest hee would first giue vs to vnderstand that in his mind he accounteth all those vowes as superstitions and wholy condemned by the sentence of the Apostle We are very desirous to construe his meaning the best way 4. W. BISHOP Now that Vowes should be frequented in the state of the Gospell besides the euidence of Saint Paules Vowe * Act. 18. and diuerse other such like the Prophet Esay did foretell in these words * Esa 19.18 They shall worship him with sacrifice and gifts and they shall vow vowes vnto our Lord and performe them To which Maister Perkins answereth first that by such ceremoniall worship as then was in vse the Prophet doth expresse the spirituall worship of the new Testament This exposition is voluntarie and nothing proper For what is more vild and absurd then to declare that Christians shall make no Vowes to say that they shall make Vowes as though one contrarie were fit or would serue to expresse the other This exposition being very vnmeete Maister Perkins adioyneth a second that in the new Testament wee haue vowes of Morall and Euangelicall duties but such are not any part of Gods worship so that first you shall haue no vowes at all Secondly the winde being changed you shall haue them but as no parts of Gods worship as though Morall and Euangelicall duties vndertaken and performed to Gods greater glory be not the very sinewes and substance of his seruice and worship R. ABBOT By the euidence of a Act. 18.18 S. Pauls vow it
doing of it therfore we must not adore images True if the Image were M. Bezaes ensigne or of their master the diuell or any of his hel-hounds R. ABBOT Here M. Bishop was disposed to play the Sycophants part or else he might haue seene that M. Perkins meaning was otherwise then to frame any such argument as he hath hewed his words to The point in question is the worshipping of Images M. Perkins for our principall ground against it alledgeth the second commaundement To declare the meaning of the commandement he alledgeth the example of our Sauiour Christ who when the diuell requireth him a Mat. 4.9 to fall downe and worship him vpon promise to giue him the whole world taketh exception against him not by the indignitie of his person but by the commaundement of the law Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely thou shalt serue importing thereby that the law doth forbid the doing of that which the diuel required to any saue to God onely He reiecteth him I say not in the name of a diuell but generally in the name and condition of a creature teaching by the law that no creature none but only God is to be holden capable of that which he demaunded to himselfe Now then if M. Bishops wits stand right the argument standeth good that sith Christ by the law challengeth to God onely that which the diuel required of him which was to fall downe and worship him we are thereby to learne that we are not to fall downe and to worship any creature not the Saints themselues much lesse the vile idols that are set vp in their names Here I know what they are ready to except that Christ saith not there Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God onely but Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and leaueth only to the other part Him only thou shalt serue as not denying but that other things may be worshipped beside God but only denying vnto theÌ the seruice of latria the word there being ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whence latria is deriued which they say is the seruice peculiar vnto God But how vaine this exception is appeareth by considering the originall words of the law which saith in like sort of both b Deut. 10.20 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and thou shalt serue him adding the word onely to neither part The name of feare is more generall and containeth all religion and deuotion towards God but in steed thereof our Sauiour Christ nameth worship which is a part of that feare fitting the words to the present occasion and yet not forcing the law because the challenge that God maketh to the whole must necessarily be vnderstood of euery part Now whereas the sentences in the law are set downe without the limitation of the word onely our Sauiour Christ to shew the meaning of the Scripture in such speeches concerning God addeth that limitation to the latter part not as to make that onely peculiar to God and to leaue the former in common to others but in the one teaching vs what we are to vnderstand in both because by what reason the one is appropriated to God by the same is the other also and leauing vs to conceiue that whatsoeuer God challengeth as a part of his worship and glory the same is to be giuen to no other beside him To which purpose Tertullian very wel saith c Tertull aduer Hermog Veritas sic vnum Deum exigit defendeÌdo vt solius sit quicquid ipsius est ita eum ipsius erit si fuerit solius Truth so requireth in the defending of one God that what is his be his alone for so shall it be his if it be onely his And so did Ambrose vnderstand the words of Christ when he sayth d Ambros de Spir sanct lib. 2. cap. 12. Neque adorandum quic quam praeter DeuÌ legimus quia scriptum est DominuÌ Deum c. We reade that nothing beside God is to be worshipped because it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely thou shalt serue And to take it otherwise taketh away the force of Christs exception against the diuell for it is no sufficient reason to say I will not worship thee because it is said Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God if other things may be worshipped beside God If to make good the answer of Christ they will rest the strength thereof vpon the latter part of the words they confound themselues and make our assertion good For if in the words of the law ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Him onely thou shalt serue be an exception against that which the diuell requireth of Christ to fall downe and worship him it must necessarily be granted that to fall downe and worship is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to performe a seruice of latria to do that seruice which belongeth to God only Wherefore wil they nill they they must confesse that the law intendeth to say Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God only and thereof we rightly gather that because God only is to be worshipped therefore we may not worship any creature whatsoeuer but least of all dead and senslesse blocks M. Perkins wits therefore were not wilde in the propounding of the argument but M. Bishops honestie failed in the collecting of it and that because his wits failed for the answering of it As for his other terms I wil briefly answer him that M. Beza is there now where he is free from being touched with the barking of such dogs and that they haue the diuell for their master to whoÌ that belongeth which S. Iohn saith e Reuel 9.20 They worshipped diuels and idols of gold of siluer and of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see nor heare nor go which hath no where to be verified but in the Popish Church and lastly that they are to be accounted the diuels hel-hounds who haue giuen themselues wholy to the diuell as many of M. Bishops holy fathers haue done and namely for the present f Platin. in Syluest 2. Totum se diabolo tradiderat PontificatuÌ adiuuaÌte diabolo coÌsecutus est hac lege vt post morteÌ totus illius esset Syluester the second for the gaining of the Popedome 14. W. BISHOP M. Perkins his fourth reason A man saith he may be worshipped with ciuill honor not with religious which is wholy prescribed in the first table and yet the meanest man is a more excellent image of God then any painted one Answ A man may be worshipped with religious honor in respect of his supernaturall gifts as well as with ciuill honor of his naturall properties as hath bene before declared and no other religious honor is either prescribed or proscribed in the first table then such onely as is proper to God But saith he Thomas of Watering * 3. Part. qu. 25. art 3. holds that the Crucifixe is to be adored with the same honor
THE SECOND PART OF THE DEFENCE OF THE REFORMED CATHOLICKE VVherein the Religion established in our Church of England for the points here handled is apparently iustified by authoritie of Scripture and testimonie of the auncient Church against the vaine cauillations collected by Doctor Bishop Seminary Priest as out of other Popish writers so specially out of Bellarmine and published vnder the name of The marrow and pith of many large volumes for the oppugning thereof By ROBERT ABBOT Doctor of Diuinitie Tertul. de praescript aduer haeret Haereses de quorundam infirmitatibus habent quod valent nihil valentes si in benè valentem fidem incurrant ANCHORA SPEI LONDINI Impensis Georg. Bishop 1607. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE MONARCH MY MOST DREAD and Soueraigne Lord IAMES by the grace of God King of great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the faith MOST puissant and renowmed King albeit my qualitie and gifts are of meaner sort and worth then that I should thereupon presume thus often to solicite your Maiesties acceptation of my foretimely and vndigested fruits yet sith this businesse was by your Maiesties appointment first commaunded and one part thereof is alreadie become sacred vnto you the remainder could not in dutie be recommended to anie other then to the same most benigne and fosterous aspect of your Royall Grace In the former part I haue indeuored to cleare those mists and clouds which Doctor Bishops maleuolent breath out of the foggie vapours of their Romish filthie lakes had blowne amongst vs in his Epistle Dedicatorie to your Highnesse whereinto he had contriued in a generalitie very many malicious and blind cauils whereby he would perswade your Maiestie that the Religion by your lawes established is not consonant to the auncient and first approued truth In this latter part I haue laboured the examination and confutation of his whole booke wherein as he hath taken vpon him more particularly to oppugne the doctrine of our Church in diuers and sundrie points which are questioned betwixt vs so I haue studied according to the talent which God hath giuen me to make it plainly appeare in the same points that the cause which he maintaineth hath very slender and weake support that his fortifications of defence are but earth and clay and his offensiue weapons but as strawes and rushes and that he had more care to write a booke then conscience to weigh the force and truth of that he wrote Which that it may not be imputed to any inhabilitie of his but to the badnesse of the cause it selfe he himselfe professeth that he giueth to his Reader therein a Preface to the Reader the marrow and pith of many large volumes hauing indeede transcribed the greatest part thereof out of Bellarmines disputations who is now become their common oracle and the chiefe fountaine whereat they all draw Which may well be wondered at in Doctor Bishop that he being a secular Priest and with the rest lately caried with that importunate furie against the Iesuites and hauing bene in that cause a principall vndertaker aboue the rest should notwithstanding now be content to grace them so farre as to furnish himselfe out of their armourie to fight against vs. But it hath well enough appeared that their quarell was but to serue a turne wherein failing of their purpose albeit they haue discouered the Iesuites to be so wholly composed of fraud and villanie as should iustly cause all men to shunne and detest them yet they haue yeilded to be gathered with them againe to the feathering of one wing and though haply they be no otherwise tied together but like b Iudg. 15.4 Samsons foxes taile to taile their rancor inwardly continuing such as that they can hardly one with good countenaÌce behold the other yet they agree together to carrie fire betwixt them to burne and consume the heritage of the Lord. Which fire notwithstanding we hope by the mercie of God through your Maiesties religious and godly care shall be but as the fire of gun-powder against the wind returning vpon the faces of them by whom it was kindled For although the endeuours of these malignant spirits seeme apparently to tend to the detriment and danger of the Church of Christ yet that God who in the beginning c 2. Cor. 4.6 commanded the light to shine out of darknesse and when he had made all things very good and nothing but good yet gaue way to sinne and euill that thereout he might draw some further good the same God euen now turneth to the good of many that which they intend for euill it coming hereby to passe that the Scriptures are more diligently searched the truth more instantly preached and defended the Pastors of the Lords flocke occasioned more carefully to stand vpon their watch the desires of many people inkindled to find certaine resolution of the things which are so greatly questioned and though some fal away who being but d Tertull. de praescr Auolent quantum volent paleae leuis fidei c. chaffe of light beleefe haue but wanted winde to blow them out of the floore yet many more by the displaying and laying open of the trecheries and deceits of such impostors are confirmed in the faith and do learne the more deeply to detest the mystery of iniquitie whilest they see the poysoned and deadly fruites that grow out of that ground Which since they haue bene growne to so full and perfect ripenesse could not but haue their time to fall and the fall thereof hauing bene hitherto so happily begunne we hope shall vnder your Maiesties gouernement much more prosperously succeed and that God wil go forward to shake off e Deut. 32 32 33. the bitter and cruell grapes of the vine of Sodome that men may no longer gather thereof to their owne destruction In the meane time your Maiesty hath seene and must expect yet further to see f Apoc. 12.7 the dragon and his angels fighting against Michael and his Angels and g ver 15. out of his mouth as it were out of a brimstone lake casting out malice slander as flouds of water to drowne the woman and her seed and so much the more enraged because he conceiueth in likelihood h ver 12. that he hath but a short time and that the day is at hand which the Lord hath promised which shal i Iere. 51.6.11 bring vpon Babel the vengeance of the Lord the vengeance of his temple The Lord make good his word the Lord hasten his work that we may see it that that k Apoc. 17.4 purple harlot first founded in bloud and paricide and hauing since by an vnquenchable thirsting after bloud made her self the slaughter house l Ibid. 18.24 of the Saints and Martyrs of Christ may of her owne children drinke bloud her belly ful that m ver 20. the heauens may reioyce and the holy Apostles Prophets seeing the iudgement of God vpon her
the light thereof Now albeit this be the true light i Ephes 5.13 which maketh all things manifest and the onely sure foundation whereupon we can rest our faith for what is it what the whole world saith if God say not the same yet against the importunitie of the aduersarie and for thy better satisfaction thou shalt see our assertions and expositions throughly munited and fenced with the acknowledgment of the auncient Church Wherein although we cannot but say that by the Fathers and Bishops of those times many things were conceiued and deliuered amisse and are not our aduersaries forced will they will they to confesse the same yet God hath so prouided that his truth ex abundanti is iustified by them and no antiquity or authoritie of humane error hath so defaced it but that still the track thereof euen by theÌ who somtimes haue deemed somewhat against it is plainly to be discerned Yea in sundry articles of our faith the whole streame of antiquitie runneth so oppositely directly against the doctrine and practise of the Romane church that now is as that we may woÌder at their extreme impudency and wilfulnes who against so cleare and euident testimony do still persist in the maintenance thereof Which in some part thou shalt see in the treatise here following and shalt vnderstand according to the occasioÌ here offered that howsoeuer they cry with wide mouthes The fathers the fathers yet their crie is greater then their strength and that the Fathers haue not left vs vnfurnished either of armour to defend our selues or of weapons to conquer them And the more to secure thee hereof I haue set downe the testimonies of the Fathers for the most part in their owne words either in Latine or translated into Latine or in the Greeke tongue sometimes where I had the copie at hand and saw the Latine translation not fitly to expresse the Greeke I haue had a sincere and faithfull care to deale vprightly herein and not to trouble thee with impertinent allegations but onely such as are pregnant and cleare to that purpose for which they are alledged That God by whose prouidence this seruice hath befallen vnto me make the same profitable both to thee and me and graunt vs by writing and reading to increase in the light and assurance of his truth that we may more and more see and discerne the frauds of these Mountebanks and iuggling Sophisters who by insolent ostentation of words and casting of false and deceitfull colours take vpon them to be able to charme the world and by their wits to iuggle all other men beside their wits treading vnder foote the word of God pretending the fathers names and betraying the faith of the fathers subiecting all religion to their owne fancie and saying after the manner of wicked men k Psal 12.4 With our tongues we will preuaile we are they that ought to speake who is Lord ouer vs And thou O merciful Father who onely art the refuge and dwelling place of thy poore and maligned Church l Psal 68.18 stablish for thy names sake the thing that thou hast wrought in vs go forward with the worke which thou hast so graciously begun to dissolue the captiuity of BabyloÌ and to free the remnant of thy Church from the yoke of the slauerie and bondage of Antichrist that all stumbling blockes of Popish prophanations and idolatries being remoued there may be a way prepared for the returne of the forlorne seede of Abraham into the societie of thy people that thencefoorth we may expect and looke for the comming of thy Sonne Iesus Christ to make an end of these euill dayes and to gather vs euerlastingly to that hope which in him thou hast set before vs. m Apoc. 22.20 Amen Lord. Come Lord Iesus come quickly The speciall Contents of this Booke THat the Church of Rome maketh Christ in effect no Christ pag. 14. c. That Rome is Babylon and the Pope Antichrist pag. 39. Of Free-will Chap. 1. pag. 86. Of originall sinne after Baptisme Chap. 2. pag. 163. Of the certaintie of Saluation Chap. 3. pag. 255. Of Iustification Chap. 4. pa. 379. in which are handled these points 1. That righteousnesse before God is imputed not inherent pag 387. 2. What manner of faith it is whereby we are iustified p. 434. 3. That Faith onely doth iustifie pag. 468. 4. How we affirme it vnpossible to keepe Gods commaundements pag. 550. 5. That our good works are not free from staine of sin p. 573. 6. That true faith cannot be without charitie good works pag. 605. Of Merits Chap. 5. pag. 629. Of Satisfaction Chap. 6. pag. 729. Of Traditions Chap. 7. pag. 839. Of Vowes and namely of the Monkish vowes of chastitie pouertie and obedience Chap. 8. pag. 992. Of Images Chap. 9. pag. 1105. THE PREFACE TO THE READER BY DOCTOR BISHOP GEntle Reader I meane not here to entertaine thee with many words the principall cause that moued me to write was the honour and glorie of God in defence of his sacred veritie then the imploying of his talent bestowed vpon me as well to fortifie the weaker sort of Catholiks in their faith as to call backe and leade others who wander vp and downe like to lost sheepe after their owne fancies into the right way I tooke in hand particularly the confutation of this booke not only for that I was thereunto requested by a friend of good intelligence and iudgement who thought it very expedieÌt but also because perusing of it I found it penned more schollerlike then the Protestants vse to do ordinarily For first the points in controuersy are set down distinctly and for the most part truly Afterward in confirmation of their opinion the chiefe arguments are produced from both Scriptures Fathers and reason Which are not vulgar but culled out of their Rabbins Luther Peter Martyr Caluin Kemnitius and such like though he name them not Lastly he placeth some obiections made in fauour of the Catholike doctrine and answereth to them as well as he could And which I speake to his commendation doth performe all this very briefly and clearly So that to speake my opinion freely I haue not seene any booke of like quantitie published by a Protestant to contain either more matter or deliuered in better method And consequently more apt to deceiue the simple especially considering that he withal counterfeiteth to come as neare vnto the Romane Church as his tender conscience will permit him whereas indeed he walketh as wide from it as any other noueller of this age Wherefore I esteemed my spare time best imployed about the discouering of it being as it were an abridgement of the principall controuersies of these times and do endeuour after the same Scholasticall manner without all superfluitie of words no losse to maintaine and defend the Catholike partie then to confute all such reasons as are by M. Perkins alledged for the contrary Reade this short treatise good Christian diligently for
thou shalt find in it the marrow and pith of many large volumes contracted and drawne into a narrow roome And reade it ouer as it becometh a good Christian with a desire to find out and to follow the truth because it concerneth thy eternall saluation and then iudge without partialitie whether Religion hath better grounds in Gods word more euident testimony from the purest antiquitie and is more conformable vnto all godlinesse good life and vpright dealing the infallible marks of the best Religion and spedily embrace that Before I end this short preface I must intreate thy patience to beare with the faults in printing which are too too many but not so much to be blamed if it be courteously considered that it was printed farre from the Author with a Dutch composer and ouer seene by an vnskilfull Corrector the greatest of them shall be amended in the end of the booke Before the printing of this part was finished I heard that M. Perkins was dead I am sorte that it commeth forth too late to do him any good Yet his worke liuing to poyson others a preseruatiue against it is neuer the lesse necessary R. ABBOT IF you had respected the glorie of God M. Bishop it should haue appeared by your respect to yeeld soueraigne honour and authoritie to the word of God God is in heauen and we are vpon the earth we haue no knowledge of him no acquaintance or dealing with him but by his word Therein we seeke him and find him therein he speaketh vnto vs and thereout we learne to speake to him If we haue the word of God God is present with vs if we be without the word of God God himselfe is absent from vs. Therefore by our honour and obedience to the word of God it must appeare that we truly and sincerely intend and seeke for the glorie of God Hereby it appeareth that you M. Bishop in this your booke haue not fought for the glorie of God but rather to glorifie a Extrauag Ioan 12. CuÌ inter in glossa Credere dominum Deum nostrum Papam sic non potuisse statuere c. haereticum censeretur your Lord God the Pope as your Glosse of the Canon law most blasphemously hath stiled him You haue in this worke of yours vsed all maner of vntruth and falshood to vphold and iustifie his wicked proceedings against the word of God Whatsoeuer God hath taught vs whatsoeuer Christ and his Apostles haue deliuered all is nothing if your Lord God the Pope and your master Bellarmine his proctor generall do say the contrary Howsoeuer simply and plainly they speake yet they meane not as they speake if the Pope and Bellarmine will tell you another meaning As for your talent we take it to be greater in your owne opinion and the opinion of your fellowes then it is indeed But whatsoeuer it is you haue abused it to the wrong of him that gaue it not to edification but to destruction not to fortifie any in the faith but to nourish and harden them that depend vpon you in error and misbeleefe not to leade any into the right way but to intice men to b Prou. 2.15 crooked wayes and leud paths which c Ch. 7.27 go downe to the chambers of death and the end whereof is confusion and shame not to withdraw men from fancies but to draw them to other fancies from fancies in conuersation to fancies in religion that so being fed wholy with fancies they may perish in the end for want of true food And indeed men that wander in fancies are the subiect for your malice and trechery to work vpon Many that liue in the oportunitie of the knowledge of Christ yet neglect and despise the same The light shineth into their eyes and they regard it not God offereth himselfe vnto them and they say in their hearts We haue no delight nor pleasure in thee Therefore being emptie and voide of truth they lie open to be filled with error and lies and hauing vnthankfully withholden themselues from God God by iust iudgement giueth them ouer to the hands of impostors and deceiuers that it may be verified which the Apostle saith d 2. Thess 2 1â Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they may beleeue lies that they may be damned which beleeued not the truth but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Your friend of good intelligence and iudgement that thought it very expedient that you should take in hand the confutation of M. Perkins booke spake thereof haply as Caiphas did of the death of Christ meaning it one way which was to fall out another way I doubt not but it will fall out to haue bene very expedient which you haue done because you giue hereby occasion of discouering your false doctrine and of iustifying the truth of Christ which M. Perkins was carefull to maintaine I doubt not but many by this occasion will take knowledge of your corrupt and trecherous dealing your patching and shifting your cosening and deluding of men and will discerne the weaknesse and absurdity of that bad cause which with glorious and goodly words you labour so highly to aduance As for your commendation of M. Perkins booke it is but the imitation of some vaine-glorious captains who to grace their owne victories do set out to the vttermost the aduersaries power and prowesse thinking their glory to be the greater by how much the greater men shall conceiue the might and valour of them to haue bene whom they haue ouercome You dreamed of a victorie here and you thought it to be much for your commendation that your aduersary should be deemed of as great strength as any is to be found amongst vs. But we would haue you to vnderstand that the Church of England neuer tooke M. Perkins booke to be a warriour in complete harnesse or a chalenger for the field but onely as a captaine training his souldiers at home where he wanteth much of that munition and defence wherewith he should endure the brunt of battell He wrote it very schollerlike indeed for an introduction onely to the true vnderstanding and iudgement of the controuersies betwixt vs and you but knew well that it wanted much that might haue bene added to giue it ful and perfect strength You haue taken hereof some aduantage as you conceiue and yet how pitifully are you distressed many times both to vphold that which he obiecteth for you and to answer that which he alledgeth for vs. Now if for the compiling of his booke he bestirred himselfe as the Bee going into other mens gardens for the gathering of hony into his hiue yet he made no Rabbines of them to take any thing for hony because it grew in the garden of such or such a man but vsed carefull and aduised consideration of that which he wrote esteeming the weight of his arguments and of his answers that he might
if any man saith he be set in the Apostolike seate without the foresaid concording and canonicall election of the Cardinals and the consent of the religious states following the Cleargie and Laity he shall not be accounted Pope or Apostolicall but Apostatical which is as much to say as Antichristian The Popes then being not now nor hauing bene of long time chosen by this rule but onely by the Colledge of Cardinals are found to be Apostataes and Antichrists by the sentence and decree of the Pope himselfe Hereto M. Bishop saith not a word though he confesse that he knew M. Perkins meaning well enough which indeed was somewhat amisse set downe by putting the Antipope called Innocentius for the Pope called Innocentius He had nothing whereby to excuse the Pope from being Antichrist euen by his owne decrees and therefore putteth the matter ouer to another place where he neuer meant to say any thing of it Onely in the end he chargeth M. Perkins with a grosse fault in citing the Canon of Pope Nicholas for saying that the Pope was to be created by the Cardinals bishops of Rome as though saith he there were some thirtie or fortie Bishops of Rome Belike it was darke and his eyes did not well serue him or else he might haue seene that M. Perkins did not say by the Cardinals Bishops of Rome as he hath set downe and pointed amisse but by the Cardinall Bishops of Rome that is by the Cardinals of Rome which are Bishops For they are all Cardinals of Rome but some are Cardinall bishops some Cardinall priests some Cardinall Deacons and according to this distinction M. Perkins named the Cardinall Bishops of Rome the Popes Canon requiring the Cardinall Bishops to be the Electors of the Pope As touching that which M. Bishop citeth out of S. Bernard for his opinion of the Pope I answer him that we doubt not but that S. Bernard had a very high opinion of the Popes place but I answer him withall that S. Bernard had a higher opinion of the Popes place then he had of the Pope himselfe He knew well that though the Popes place were such in the Church of Christ as he describeth it to be yet the Pope by the abusing of his place might be very Antichrist himselfe He wisheth Pope Eugenius to remember and consider what person what place and office according to his conceipt he did beare in the Church thereby to moue him vpon conscience thereof to the redressing of those intolerable enormities and corruptions that were then growne in the Church and Court of Rome For in those books De consideratione he doth purposely bend himselfe to lay foorth the deformities and abuses then preuailing to shew how the Bishop of Rome by temporall dominion and princely pompe did degenerate from Peter and the rest of the Apostles did rather succeed Constantine then him to note the defaults and corruptions of gouernment of iudiciall proceedings of appeales to Rome of the Popes dispensations of the neglect of the punishment of offendors to shew the neglect of the Cleargie in teaching the people making themselues fitter for any other vse then for that Yea such was the horrible apostasie and iniquitie raigning at that time as that by way of complaint vnto Iesus Christ he saith therof with exceeding griefe in another place r Bernard in conuers S. Pauli Ser. 1. Coniurasse contra te videtur vniuersitas Christiani populi à minimo vsque ad maximum à planta pedis vsque ad verticem non est sanitas vlla Egressa est iniquitas à senioribus Iudicibus Vi carijs tuis qui videntur regere populum tuum c. Heu heu Domine Deus quia ipsi sunt in persecutione tua primi qui videntur in Ecclesia tua diligere primatum gerere principatum Aê° cem Sion occupauerunt apprehenderunt munitiones vniuersam deinceps liberè potestatiuè tradunt incendio ciuitatem Misera eortem conuersatio plebis tuae miserabilis subuersio est c. Dati sunt sacri gradus in occasionem turpis luerâ c. De animarum salute nouissima cogitatio est c. Iniquè agitâr caeteri eo âra Christum multique nostris temporibus sunt Antichristi The whole company of Christian people seemeth to haue conspired against thee from the least euen to the greatest from the sole of the foote to the top of the head there is nothing sound iniquitie is gone foorth from the auncients the Iudges thy Vicars which seeme to gouerne thy people Alas alas O Lord God for they are foremost in persecuting thee who seeme to loue supremacie and to beare principalitie in thy Church They haue taken possession of the tower of Sion they haue seized vpon the munitions thereof and thencefoorth freely and by authoritie they betray the whole citie to the fire Their wretched conuersation is the miserable subuersion of thy people c. The sacred degrees and orders are yeelded to opportunitie of filthie lucre the sauing of souls is the thing last thought of The rest also deale wickedly against Christ and there are many Antichrists in our times Now the due consideration of these words we suppose may somewhat qualifie M. Bishops opinion of the words by himselfe alledged because hereby we plainely vnderstand not by broken but by perfect sentences that whatsoeuer S. Bernard conceiued of the dignitie and dutie of the Popes place yet that he very well saw that by euill vsage therof the Popes in his time were become the very enemies and persecutors of Christ euen they who as he saith were Christs Vicars and had the supremacie and principalitie in the Church of Christ And so we find that the high Priest of the Iewes who by Gods owne ordinance and institution was a figure of Christ and sate in the place of Christ yet by Apostasie and iniquitie became an Antichrist a persecutor of Christ and solemnly gaue sentence against Christ In like sort therefore nothing letteth but that the Pope may now be Antichrist albeit his place had bene at the first appointed by Christ but much more now in that his place is no diuine institution but onely humane presumption affected by ambition attempted by rebellion yeelded vnto by superstition established possessed by tyrannie and crueltie by villanie and trecherie vpholden by the deuices of Sycophants and Parasites who haue vsed all manner falshood and deceipt to iniect into the minds of men an opinion of it S. Bernard therefore by errour attributed to the Pope that which indeed is none of his and although for the credit of the Popes authoritie he alledge some words out of the Gospell vsed to S. Peter yet he bringeth no Scripture to proue either that that which he giueth to the Pope in that description did euer belong to Peter or that that which in the Gospell is spoken to Peter belongeth to the Pope He attributeth to the Pope to be Å¿ Tues princeps Episcoporum summus
cap. 9. Nunquid liberum arbitrium negat hominibus quia Deo totum tribuit quòd rectè viuimus doth a man denie Free will saith he because he attributeth it wholy to God that we liue well q Retract lib. 1â cap 9. Tale est vt sine illo rectè viuere nequeamus without freedome of will we cannot liue well for how should a man do well without his will but yet this Free wil to liue wel is r Cont 2. epist Pelag. lib. 3 cap. 7. Hominis non libera sed Dei gratia liberata voluntas a will not free meerly of it selfe but made free by the grace of God For then is Å¿ De ciuit Dei lib. 14. cap. 11. Arbitrium voluntatu tunc est vere liberum cùm vetijs peccatisque non seruit Tale datum est a Deo quod amissum proprio vitio nisi à quo dari potuit reddi non potest the will of man free indeed when it is free from sinne and such a free will God gaue to man in the beginning but he lost it by his owne default and being lost it cannot be restored but by him that was able first to giue it In Christ therefore it is restored vnto vs who by his t Esai 51.12 free spirit giueth u Esa â1 1. libertie to the captiues and openeth the prison to them that are bound and x Col. 1.13 deliuereth vs from the power of darknesse and maketh vs y 1 Cor. 7.22 free-men vnto him But yet so as that hauing receiued but a Rom. 8.23 the first fruits of the spirit by whom this freedome is wrought according to the words of the Apostle b 2. Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie the same is yet but begun in vs so that c August in Ioan. tract 41. Ex parte libertas ex parte seruitus nondum tota nondum pura nondum plena liberias there is partly freedome and partly bondage not yet whole and pure and perfect freedome For no further is the will freed then it is renewed and it is renewed as yet but in part continuing still d De peccat mer. rem lib. 2. cap. 7. Animus qui est homo interior nondum totus est renouatus in quantuÌ nondum est renouatus intantum adhuc in vetustate est in part in the old estate Therefore it is so made free as that in some part we haue cause still to complaine with the Apostle e Rom. 7.14 I am carnall sold vnder sinne and to pray with the Prophet Dauid f Psal 142.7 Bring my soule out of prison that I may giue thankes vnto thy name Hence is that heauinesse and dulnesse that waywardnesse and vntowardnesse that retention and holding backe that still we find in vs in the applying of our selues to spirituall and heauenly things And as touching that wherein we are renewed and made free it is not sufficient to vphold vs and keepe vs in the right way but we haue still neede of the grace of God to be assistant and helpefull vnto vs. g Hieron ad Ctesiphont Non sufficit mihi quòd semel donauit nisi semper donauerit Peto vt accipiam eum accepero rursus peto It is not enough that God hath once giuen sayth Hierome except he still giue I pray to receiue and when I haue receiued I pray againe Therefore the ancient church required of Pelagius to confesse that h August epist 106. Fateatur gratiam Dei adâutorium etiam ad singulos actus dari the grace of God is giuen vs to euerie act that we do i Enchirid cap. 32. Nolenâem praeuenit vt velit volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit He preuenteth vs to make vs willing followeth vs when we are willing that we do not wil in vaine And if his hand do not hold vs and vphold vs it commeth to passe by the burden of corruptible flesh that we are still relapsing to our selues and still readie with the k Exod. 14.11.12 Israelits to yeeld our selues to become bond againe l Bernard in Cant. ser 84. Non est aliud anima nostra quà m spirites valiens non rediensââ ita fuerit derelicta Our soule saith Bernard is no other but as a wind that passeth and returneth not againe if it be left vnto it selfe Now M. Bishop do you carry this in mind thus expressed by the phrases and speeches of the ancient Church and leaue to calumniate our doctrine who affirme Free will as farre as they affirmed it and deny it no otherwise but as they denied it against the Pelagian heretikes But you will hardly leaue your wont because you see well enough that if you take our doctrine as we deliuer it you can deuise nothing plausibly or colourably to speake against it 2. W. BISHOP M. Per. 2. Conclusion The matters whereabout Free will is occupied are principally the actions of men which be of three sorts Naturall Humane Spirituall Naturall actions are such as are common to men and beasts as to eate sleepe c. In all which we ioyne with the Papists and hold that man hath free will euen since the fall of Adam M. Per. 3. Conclusion Humane actions are such as are common to all men good and bad as to speake to practise any kind of art to performe any kind of ciuill dutie to preach to administer Sacraments c. And hither we may referre the outward actions of ciuill vertues as namely Iustice Temperance Gentlenesse and Liberalitie and in these also we ioyne with the Church of Rome and say as experience teacheth that men haue a naturall freedome of will to put them or not to put them in execution S. Paul saith The Gentiles that haue not the law Rom. 2.14 do the things of the law by nature that is by naturall strength And he saith of himselfe Phil 3 6. Mat 6 5. Ezech. 29.19 that before his conuersion touching the righteousnesse of the law he was vnblameable And for the externall obedience naturall men receiue reward in temporall things And yet here some caueats must be remembred First that in humane actions he should say morall mans will is weake and his vnderstanding dimme thereupon he often failes in them This caueat is no caueat of the Protestants but taken out of S. Thomas of Aquines Summe 12 â 109. art 4. 8. And in all such actions with S. Augustine you might haue quoted the place I vnderstand the will of man to be onely wounded or halfe dead 2. That the will of man is vnder the will of God and therefore to be ordered by it Who knowes not this R. ABBOT Here M. Bishop giueth vs some more of his learned notes and telleth vs that M. Perkins for humane should haue said morall wheras the name of morall actions doth not so properly comprehend all those which he
things as were done But we Christians teach that mankind by free choice and Free will doth both do well and sinne To him we will ioyne that holy Bishop and valiant Martyr Irenaeus who of Free will writeth thus Lib. 4. cap. 72. Not onely in workes but in faith also our Lord reserued libertie and freedome of will vnto man saying Be it done vnto thee according to thy faith I will adde to that worthie companie S. Cyprian who vpon those words of our Sauior Ioan. 6. Lib. 1. Epist 3. Wil you also depart discourseth thus Our Lord did not bitterly inueigh against them which forsooke him but rather vsed these gentle speeches to his Apostles will you also go your way and why so Marry obseruing and keeping as this holy Father declareth that decree by which man left vnto his libertie and put vnto his free choice might deserue vnto himselfe either damnation or saluation These three most auncient and most skilfull in Christian religion and so zealous of Christian truth that they spent their bloud in confirmation of it may suffice to certifie any indifferent reader what was the iudgement of the auncient and most pure Church concerning this article of Free will specially when the learnedst of our Aduersaries confesse all Antiquitie excepting onely S. Augustine to haue beleeued and taught Free will Heare the words of one for all Mathias Illiricus in his large long lying historie hauing rehearsed touching Free will the testimonies of Iustine Irenaeus and others saith In like maner Clement Patriarch of Alex. doth euery where teach Free will Cont. 2. cap. 4. col 59. that it may appeare say these Lutherans not onely the Doctors of that age to haue bene in such darknesse but also that it did much increase in the ages following See the wilfull blindnesse of heresie Illyricus confessing the best learned in the purest times of the Church to haue taught Free will yet had rather beleeue them to haue bene blindly led by the Apostles and their best Schollers who were their Masters then to espie and amend his own error These principall pillars of Christs Church were in darknesse belike as Protestants must needes say and that proud Persian and most wicked Heretike Manes of whom the Manichees are named who first denied Free will began to broach the true light of the new Gospell R. ABBOT M. Bishop held it to be the best course for him clanum clauo pellere to driue out one naile with another not answering the places which M. Perkins alledged out of the Fathers but oâely crossing them with other places Nay he so passed them ouer as that fraudulently and falsly he would make his Reader beleeue that they made all for him But marke I pray thee gentle Reader when M. Bishop driueth all to this that when God hath done his worke for mans conuersion it is left to mans free choice whether to will the same or not doth it make for him or is it not against him which M. Perkins citeth out of Austin that a Aug. de correp grat cap. 12. Iââo sic volunt quia Deus operatur vt veliât man therefore willeth because God worketh in him to will Surely if man therefore will because God worketh in him to will then Gods worke doth not leaue man to the free choice of his owne will When M. Bishop saith that there is in man a naturall facultie of Free will which being stirred vp and fortified is able to do any act appertaining to saluation doth the same S. Austine agree with him when he affirmeth b Epist 107. Lâcerum arbitrium ad diligendum Deum prinâs peccati graâ ditate perââemuâ that man lost Free will to the loue of God by the greatnesse of Adams sinne When he attributed mans conuersion but onely principally to grace and blameth vs for that we attribute the whole worke to grace doth S. Bernard agree with him when he saith c Bernard de grat lib. arb Totum ex gratia that it is wholy of grace that we are new created healed saued By these it is easie to make application of the rest but we may looke for good answers at his hands herafter who in the beginning being so directly oppugned would seeke thus in a cloud to steale away But if M. Perkins were able to say nothing against him we must thinke he is able to say for himselfe exceeding much Yet his first authoritie out of Iustinus Martyr maketh nothing at all for him for being written to an heathen Emperour it toucheth onely morall and externall actions in which we deny not but that God hath left some freedome and liberty to mans will as before hath bene declared His very d Justin Martyr Apol. 2. Ne quis nostra dicta sic acciptat quasi Fati necessitateÌ asseramus quae fiunt ideò fieri quiae praedicta sunt expâica bonus hoc quoque c drift there is to condemn the wicked fancies of Astrologers and Stoicke Philosophers who did hang all vpon e Aug. contra duas Epist Pela lib. 2. ap 6. in Psal 1â0 de ciuit Dei lib. 5. cap. 1. destinies and constellations and fatall necessitie and thence sought excuse of their lewd and abominable actions And if we wil more largely extend the words yet are they nothing for M. Bishops turne f Hominem libero arbitrio liberaque voluntate peccare rectè agere docemus We Christians saith he do affirme that by free choice and Free will mankind doth both do well and sinne And so much we affirme also that man by free choice and Free will doth well for there g Prosper de vocât Gent lib 2. cap. 9. Virius nolenuum nulla est is no vertue where a man hath no will to that he doth but we say still against M. Bishop that this is not that Free will that he requireth it is not a power of nature but wholy the effect of grace h Aug. Epi. 107. vt supra Sect. 1. It is the grace of God whereby mans will is made free both to eschue euil and do good and they that teach any other Free will they are i Idem de grat lib arbit cap. 14. Non defensores sed inflatores praecipitatores liberi arbit not the defenders but the puffers vp and break-neckes of Free wil. And no otherwise did Iustine Martyr conceiue thereof as appeareth by these words in the same Apologie k Iustin vt supr ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In like sort as God created vs when we were not so do we thinke that he vouchsafeth them of immortalitie and being with him who willingly make choice to do those things that are pleasing vnto him But to haue being at the first it was not of our selues In like sort then to choose and follow what is pleasing to him by those reasonable powers which he hath giuen vs it is by his perswading and mouing of vs
patience and patience experience and experience hope neuer to be ashamed whilest by this meanes the loue of God as touching the assurance thereof towards vs is more and more shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. This haue I set downe the more largely good Christian Reader for thy sake that thou maiest vnderstand hereby what manner of certaintie and assurance it is that we defend that thou maiest know that it is the property of true faith to giue this assurance and that our assurance is the greater by how much our faith is greater and the weaknesse of our assurance the weaknesse of our faith that so thou maiest see what it is whereunto thou art to striue reioycing in that that thou hast attained vnto already and for that that is behind praying as the Apostles did f Luk. 67.5 Lord increase our faith not being discoÌforted at the feeling of thine imperfection because it is the coÌmon frailty of Gods children and faith that it may be strong must haue time and occasion to grow and haply seemeth weake to thee when it is strong to God but alwayes resoluing that those sparkles of true light which God hath kindled in thee shall neuer be quenched and thy little graine of faith euen g Mat. 17.20 Mar. 11.23 little as a graine of mustard-seed shall yet be strong enough to cast all mountaines into the sea that shall rise vp to diuide betwixt God and thee As for M. Bishop it is no maruell if being an enemy of faith he be vnacquainted with the secret of faith the ioy of the faithfull being h Cant. 4.12 Bernard Epist 10â Eli fons signatus cui alienus non communicat sol iustitiae qui timentibus Deum tantùm oritur c. as a garden inclosed and a spring and fountaine shut and sealed vp to be priuate to themselues i Psal â8 9 a gracious raine which God hath put apart for the refreshing of his owne inheritance What maruell is it if he know not that k Reuel 2 17. new name which no man knoweth but he that receiueth it because the l Iohn 14.17 world knoweth not nor receiueth that COMFORTER the spirit of truth by which it is written yet grudgeth at the sheepe of Christ that they should feede in pastures which they know not or should be sayd to know that which they cannot conceiue or vnderstand And this is the cause that he talketh so rudely and absurdly of the hope of saluation in all this discourse ouerthrowing the whole doctrine of the Gospell crossing the whole vse of faith and of the word of God and speaking no otherwise of this question then a Philosopher or Iew or Pharisee would do as hereafter we shall see In the meane time to go forward with his briefe notes he telleth vs in the fift conclusion of consent that onely in the sence there expressed the first conclusion is true that is that onely by extraordinarie reuelation a man may be certaine of his saluation which being the maine point of the controuersie I referre to the processe of this discourse At the sixt conclusion he noteth that the sixt and second are all one but the tautologie was in his head not in M. Perkins writing For the second conclusion serueth to note the efficient and materiall causes of saluation whereupon our affiance resteth which is the mercy of God in Christ but the sixt serueth to note the manner of our apprehending thereof To the third conclusion of dissent he noteth that it is false namely that our confidence in Christ commeth from certaine and ordinarie faith But we say that it is true and now he and I must ioyne vpon that issue 2. W. BISHOP Here M. Perkins contrary to his custome giueth the first place to our reasons which he calleth obiections and endeuoureth to supplant them and afterward planteth his owne About the order I will not contend seeing he acknowledgeth in the beginning that he obserueth none but set downe things as they came into his head Otherwise he would haue handled Iustification before Saluation But following his method let vs come to the matter The first Argument for the Catholike party is this 1. Obiect Where is no word of God there is no faith for these two are Relatiues But there is no word of God saying Cornelius beleeue thou Peter beleeue thou that thou shalt be saued therfore there is no such ordinarie faith for a man to beleeue his owne particular saluation M. Perkins answer Although there be no word of God to assure vs of our particular saluation yet is there another thing as good which counteruailes the word of God to wit the Minister of God applying the generall promises of saluation vnto this and that man Which when he doth the man must beleeue the Minister as he would beleeue Christ himselfe and so assure himselfe by faith of his Saluation Reply Good Sir seeing euery man is a lyar may both deceiue and be deceiued and the Minister telling may erre how doth either the Minister know that the man to whom he speaketh is of the number of the elect or the man be certaine that the Minister mistaketh not when he assureth him of his Saluation To affirme as you do that the Minister is to be beleeued aswell as if it were Christ himselfe is plaine blasphemie equalling a blind and lying creature vnto the wisedome and truth of God If you could shew out of Gods word that euery Minister hath such a commission from Christ then had you answered the argument directly which required but one warrant of Gods word but to say that the assurance of an ordinarie Ministers word counteruailes Gods word I cannot see what it wanteth of making a pelting Minister Gods mate On the other side to auerre that the Minister knowes who is predestinate as it must be granted he doth if you will not haue him to lie when he saith to Peter thou art one of the elect is to make him of Gods priuie Councell without any warrant for it in Gods word Yea S. Paul not obscurely signifying the contrarie in these words 2. Tim. 2.19 The sure foundation of God standeth hauing this seale our Lord knoweth who be his and none else except he reueale it vnto them M. Perkins then flieth from the assurance of the Minister and leaues him to speake at randon as the blind man casts his club and attributeth all this assurance vnto the partie himselfe who hearing in Gods word Seeke ye my face in his heart answereth Lord I wil seeke thy face And then hearing God say Thou art my people saith again The Lord is my God And then lo without al doubt he hath assurance of his Saluation Would ye not thinke that this were rather some seely old Womans dreame then a discourse of a learned Man How know you honest man that those words of God spoken by the Prophet 2000. yeares past to the
people of Israel are directed to you Mine owne heart good Sir tels me so How dare you build vpon the perswasion of our owne heart any such assurance Ierem. 17. When as in holy writ it is recorded Wicked is the heart of man and who shall know it Are you ignorant how Saul before he was Saint Paul being an Israelite to whom those words appertained perswading himselfe to be very assured of his faith was notwithstanding fouly deceiued and why may not you farre more vnskilfull then he be in like manner abused Moreouer suppose that this motion commeth of the holy Ghost and that he truely saith The Lord is God how long knoweth he that he shall be able to say so truely Math. 22. When our Sauiour Christ Iesus assureth vs that many be called but few of them are chosen to life euerlasting how knoweth he then assuredly that he being once called is of the predestinate M. Perkins saith that he who beleeueth knoweth that he beleeueth Be it so if he beleeue aright and medle no further then with those things which be comprehended within the bounds of faith But that the Certaintie of Saluation is to be beleeued is not to be begged but proued being the maine question he saith further that he who truely repenteth knoweth that he repeateth he knoweth indeed by many probable coniectures but not by certaintie of faith as witnesseth that holy person If God come to me Iob. 9. as he doth to all repentant sinners I shall not see him and if he depart away from me I shall not vnderstand it Which is sufficient to make him thankefull yea if he receiued no grace at all yet were he much beholding vnto God who offered him his grace and would haue freely bestowed it vpon him if it had not bene through his owne default And thus our first Argument stands in his full strength and vertue that no man can assure himselfe by faith of his Saluation because there is no word of God that warranteth him so to do R. ABBOT He was beholding to M. Perkins that their reasons being no better then they be he did vouchsafe here to giue them the first place By the first of these reasons they labour to defeate vs of all profitable vse of the word of God denying vs libertie to beleeue any thing particularly of our selues because the word of God doth no where speake namely and particularly to any of vs. M. Perkins rightly answereth that God hath appointed the ministerie and preaching of his word for the particular application thereof whilest thereby it is layed to the heart and conscience of euery particular man so as that by the word of Christ deliuered out of the Gospell by the minister Christ himselfe in effect saith Cornelius beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued Peter beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued M. Bishop somewhat deformeth the answer by his butcherly and slouinly handling of it as his manner is but though in more words it is to the same meaning that I haue mentioned Now M. Perkins intended not in that answer that the minister speaketh to euerie man particularly one by one but that speaking to the assembly he laboureth to make euerie man conceiue of that that is spoken as particularly spoken to himselfe For the word of God being as a Proclamation in writing common to all the minister is as the voyce of the crier to giue notice to that congregation that the matter of the Proclamation concerneth them and euery of them saying in effect a Act. 13.26 To you is the word of this Saluation sent b Cap. 3 26. Vnto you hath God raised vp his sonne Iesus and hath sent him to blesse you in turning euery one of you from your iniquities c Cor. 5.50 Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christ steed that ye be reconciled to God d 2. Act. 2.28 Amend your liues euery one of you c. Therefore as euery man conceiueth the proclamation according to the matter of it no lesse to concerne him then as if it had bene spoken in particular to him alone so doth the minister leaue euerie man alike interested in the message of Saluation what he saith to all men he saith to euerie man what to penitents to euery penitent what to beleeuers to euerie beleeuer what to sinners to euery sinner Therefore somtimes he speaketh in the singular number as to one that it may be knowne that he speaketh to any or euerie one e Eph. 5 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light f Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be safe euen thou or thou or thou or whosoeuer it be amongst you Thus God gaue his law to all Israel speaking to all as if he had spoken namely and particularly to euery one g Exod. 20. â Thou shalt haue no other gods Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vaine c. euerie man was therein to conceiue that he himselfe was spoken to Thus the message both of life and death both of Saluation and damnation is deliuered that thereby euerie man particularly may take knowledge of his owne estate Therefore a man duly hearing the word of God and receiuing it not as the word of the minister h 1. Thes 2.13 not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God and accordingly beleeuing it as from God from that which he beleeueth generally frameth a conclusion to be beleeued priuatly as touching himselfe The minister saith i Luc. 13.3 Except ye repent ye shall perish This he beleeueth and therefore beleeueth as touching himselfe Except I repent I shall perish The minister saith k Mar. 1.15 16.15.16 Repent and beleeue the Gospel and ye shall be saued This he beleeueth and therefore also beleeueth of himselfe If I repent and beleeue the Gospell I shall be saued Now the minister sometimes hath occasion to speake to some one man alone and then he himselfe out of the generall deduceth a particular to that one man as Paul doth to the iayler l Act. 16.31 Beleeue thou in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued For by what authoritie Paul spake this to the iayler by the same authoritie doth the minister in the like case speake the same to any other man For Christ said nothing namely as touching the iayler that if he did beleeue he should be saued but onely sayd m Iohn 3 15. whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued Thence the Apostle inferreth Beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued because whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued Vpon the same warrant therefore the minister saith to any man vpon the like occasion Beleeue thou and thou
shalt be saued This whether spoken publikly or priuatly the conscience of the hearer apprehendeth this he beleeueth and therein beleeueth not the minister but the word of Christ and because he beleeueth in Iesus Christ and by the word of Christ beleeueth that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall be saued therefore he beleeueth concerning himselfe that he shall be saued Thus much is implied though not expressed in M. Perkins answer now let vs heare what M. Bishop saith to the contrarie and there we shall heare not one wise word Good Sir saith he seeing euery man is a lyer as M. Bishop namely for example and may both deceiue and be deceiued and the minister telling may erre how doth he know that the man to whom he speaketh is of the number of the elect I answer him Good Sir M. Perkins no where telleth you that the minister taketh vpon him to know that the man to whom he speaketh is of the number of the elect but doth onely assure him that if he beleeue in Christ he shall be saued and therein the minister knoweth and the man to whom he speaketh knoweth that be mistaketh not when vnder this condition he assureth him of saluation because he assureth him not vpon any deceiueable word or warrant of his owne but vpon the vndeceiueable word and warrant of Christ that n Rom. 9.33 whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be confounded He goeth on To affirme as you do that the Minister is to be beleeued as well as if it were Christ himselfe is plaine blasphemie I answer him againe To talke as you do you know not what is the part of a brabling Sophister not of a learned diuine For M. Perkins doth not affirme that the minister is to be beleeued as well as Christ himselfe but that the word of the Gospell preached by the minister is to be beleeued as if Christ himselfe did here personally speake because it is the word of Christ himselfe who when he saith whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued doth therein say Cornelius beleeue and thou shalt be saued Peter beleeue and thou shalt he saued or if he meane not so cannot truly say whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued And for this he hath the warrant of Gods word and commission from Christ because being for Christ a minister of the Gospell his office is to preach the Gospell and it is the word of the Gospell that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall haue euerlasting life Therefore this is not to say that the ministers word counteruailes Gods word or to make euery pelting minister Gods mate as the paltry shaueling prateth but it is to challenge assent and credit to the word of God to the Gospell of Christ vpon which onely and not vpon the minister the faithfull beleeuer doth rely himselfe But to quit M. Bishop with a question we will aske him Good Sir may Iohn a Stile beleeue that you haue authorie from Christ to giue him absolution of all his sinnes You will vndoubtedly tell him Yes that he must so in any case But Iohn a Stile asketh againe I pray Sir where doth Christ speake of you or of me For I do not find in the Gospell that euer Christ made mention of either of vs. M. Bishop will tell him that Christ said to the Apostles to all Priests their successors o Iohn 20.23 Whose soeuer sinnes ye remit they are remitted and because he is a Priest therefore this authoritie belongeth to him So then because Christ hath sayd to all Priests whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted though he sayd it to farre other purpose then M. Bishop practiseth it therefore Iohn a Stile must beleeue that M. Bishop hath authoritie from Christ to absolue him from all his sinnes Now will not M. Bishop be so fauourable to vs as that from a generall we may inferre a particular as well as he Surely if when Christ sayd Whose sinne sye remit they are remitted he spake in effect of M. Bishop and Iohn a Stile we see no reason why we should not be permitted the like construction that when Christ saith Whosoeuer beleeueth in me shall not perish but haue euerlasting life he saith and by the minister may be reported to say in effect to this man or that man Beleeue thou in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt haue eternal life This matter need not so many words but that we haue to do with impudent wranglers who being blinded with malice are as farre from common discretion as they are from truth Whereupon it is that in the next words he cauilleth againe as if M. Perkins had sayd that the minister knowes who is predestinate or did say to Peter for example Thou art one of the elect whereas he hath not a letter or syllable to giue any shew hereof but onely expresseth a conditionall assurance by the word of the Gospell to this man or that man or whomsoeuer that if he repent and beleeue the Gospell he shall be saued the minister not taking vpon him to know that any man truly repenteth or beleeueth which God onely can know but leauing the man to apprehend the promise vpon conscience of his owne repentance and faith in Christ Therefore all this idle talke of M. Bishops is but for want of matter as his alledging of the words of the Apostle to proue that whereof there is no question made that the Lord onely knoweth who are his and none else but only as it is reuealed from him He goeth on and telleth vs that M. Perkins flieth from the assurance of the minister and leaues him to speake at randon as the blind man casts his club Bur M. Perkins flieth from nothing that he had before sayd but still leaueth the word of Christ onely preached by the minister in Christs name to be the onely assurance for the faithfull to build vpon Neither doth the minister speake at randon but certainly and definitely he affirmeth by the same word to him that repenteth and beleeueth that he shall be saued though he know not who it is that shall repent or beleeue and so be saued and therefore in that respect if M. Bishop will needs haue it so speakes at randon euen as the blind man casts his club not knowing whom he shall strike as the fisherman casts his net not knowing what fish he shall catch no otherwise then the Apostles did at whose preaching some beleeued other some blasphemed and beleeued not according to that which S. Austin saith p August de praedest sanct cap. 6. Many heare the word of truth some of them beleeue it some contradict and speake against it So therfore the minister as touching the effect of preaching speaketh vncertatnly not knowing where the seed shall grow but yet certainly deliuering that wheresoeuer it shall bring forth the fruit of faith it shall also bring forth eternall life Which assurance he giueth by the word of Christ and the faith of the hearer thence apprehendeth and thereof concludeth assurance
to himselfe Thus doth M. Perkins referre the assurance to the ministerie of the word and thus to the partie and no otherwise after then he had done before But to distinguish true assurance of the heart from carnall presumption and floating fancies swimming in the head he noteth it to be accompanied with the spirit of grace and of prayer or rather to issue therefrom by which the heart is so seasoned and conformed to the voyce of God as that his word doth still rebound from it by ioyfull acceptance and affectionate desire and prayer and purpose and promise of that that is vttered thereby So that when God saith q Psal 27.8 Seeke ye my face the faithfull soule answereth to God Thy face Lord will I seeke When God saith r Zâch 13.9 Thou art my people it soundeth from it backe againe Thou art the Lord my God When Christ saith Å¿ Mar. 9.23 If thou beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth it answereth Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe When God requireth to t Psal 40.7 8. do his will it saith to him Lo I come ô my God I am content to do it yea thy law is within my heart This is the fruit and effect of that u Rom. 8.16 spirit of adoption which giueth witnesse to our spirit that we are the Sonnes of God x 1. Ioh. 5.6 beareth record that God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life Which we do not wonder that to M. Bishop it seemeth rather an old womans dream then a discourse of a learned man because y Act. 17.18 1. Cor. 2.14 the things of God seeme but babling and foolishnesse to prophane carnal men And out of that prophanenesse issueth that speech of his that followeth How know you honest man that those words of God spoken by the Prophet 2000. yeares past to the people of Israel are directed to you c. Where many an honest faithful soule is ready to answer him Good Sir because z Rom. 15.4 whatsoeuer things were written before time were written for our learning that we through patience comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope because I find that the Scripture it self doth applie to euery of Gods faithful people that that was sayd to Iosuah a Iosuah 19. Heb. 13.5 I will not faile thee nor forsake thee teacheth thereupon euerie faithfull soule to say as Dauid did b Psal 118.6 The Lord is on my side I wil not feare what man can do vnto me therfore I c 1. Cor. 7.27 hauing obtained mercy to be faithfull do in like sort take to my selfe whatsoeuer God hath any where spokeÌ for the comfort of his elect the rather because I know that God d Eph. 46. being one Father of all carieth without respect of persoÌs the like regard to all his childreÌ Neither is it mine own hart that giueth me this assuraÌce for mine own hart could minister no such comfort vnto me but being cast down with the acknowledgement of mine own misery God gaue me a hart to hearkeÌ to the voice of Christ deliuered by the minister out of the Gospel e Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that labor are heauy laden I wil refresh you I found in him indeed that refreshing and ioy f Iohn 16.22 that no man shall take from me And though I be a sinner yet that dismaieth me not for g 1. Tim. 1.15 Christ came into the world to saue sinners repentant sinners of which by the grace of Christ I am one And though Paul were deceiued wheÌ he builded himselfe vpoÌ himself yet wheÌ he built vpon Christ as I do he was not deceiued And whereas you aske me Sir whether I know how long I shal say so I must tel you that my assured trust coÌfidence is that God wil neuer forsake the worke which he hath begun because he hath said that h Rom. 9.33 he that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer be confounded or ashamed that is i August in Psal 36. conc 2. Infra sect 20. Iohn 10 2â his hope shall not be deceiued Christ hath taught me that his sheepe which heare his voice of which I am one shal neuer perish but that he will giue vnto them eternall life And howsoeuer I know that the wickednes corruption of mine own heart is such that being left vnto my self I shold soone fall away froÌ God yet I look vnto that promise that God hath made to al his faithful seruaÌts k Ierem. 32.40 I wil put my feare into their harts that they shal not depart from me resting my selfe not onely in this that I haue appreheÌded Christ but much more in that l Phil. 3.12 that he hath appreheÌded me not only in this that I know God but much more in this m Gal. 4.9 that I am known of God Neither doth it touch me that you say that many are called but few are chosen for many are called which come not indeed though they seeme to come thereby shew that they are not chosen but there is a calling n August de praedest sanct ca. 16. Ex vocante non quacunqut vocatione sed qua vocatione fit credens whereby God so calleth as that he maketh a man to beleeue of which Christ saith o Iohn 6.45 Euery one that heareth and learneth of the Father cometh vnto me of which S. Paul saith p Rom. 8 30. Whom he hath predestinate he hath called whom he hath called he hath iustified glorified Of which inward and effectuall calling he hath made me partaker opening the eares of my soule to hearkeÌ vnto him subduing the affectioÌs of my hart to the obedience of his wil. And because q Ibid. 11.29 the gifts calling of God are without repentaÌce therfore I rest vndoubted that r Ibid. 14.8 if I liue I shal liue vnto the Lord if I die I shall die vnto the Lord whether I liue or die I am the Lords Å¿ Ibid. 8.39 neither shall any thing separat me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus many an honest faithful christian wold answer M. Bishop stop his mouth as the poore t Ruffin hist lib. 1. cap. 3. simple man did the mouth of the proud philosopher in the couÌcell of Nice that he could not tell for his life what to reply against him But let vs aske him in the behalfe of this honest man whereas he saith u Sect. 3. afterwards that he beleeueth that he shall haue life euerlasting if he fulfill that which Christ taught the yong man in the gospell to wit if he keep all Gods coÌmandements how he knoweth that those words of Christ spokeÌ to the yong man so many huÌdred yeares past are directed vnto him or that there is any such condition made with him that if he keepe the coÌmandements
of God yea the vntruth hereof is so palpable and grosse and contrarie to the common experience of all beleeuers as that we may iustly maruell at the wilfull absurditie of this man in the assertion of it The third reason of our praying continually for forgiuenesse of sinnes is for the obtaining of the fruit effect thereof For so long as we o 2. Cor. 5.7 walke by faith and not by sight we stil pray for the sight of that as touching which we haue now but the comfort of faith and hope We beleeue that we are redeemed both in body and soule yet still we p Rom. 8.23 sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodies q August in Psal 37. Gaude te redemptum sed non duÌ re spe securu esto Ece nim si no gemueris in spe noÌperuentes adrem Ioy that thou art redeemed saith Austine but not yet in reall effect in hope or as touching hope be without all doubt If thou shalt not now grone in hope thou shalt not attaine to the reall effect Thus then by praier we sigh and grone for our redemption who yet by faith beleeue that already we are redeemed So therefore albeit we beleeue that God hath forgiuen vs our sinnes yet still we pray for forgiuenesse of sinnes that that may appeare to vs which we now beleeue The Prophet Dauid giueth vs to vnderstand that r Psal 32.1 forgiuenesse of sinnes is blisse and happinesse and therefore a freedome from all misery and sorow We still liue in misery and sorow and seeme wholly strangers to all title of blisfull state Therefore being still in case as if our sinnes were not forgiuen vs we still pray for forgiuenesse of sinnes that as we haue heard so we may see and by effects may discerne and enioy the same forgiuenesse But here M. Bishop telleth vs that to pray to God to giue vs those things we are assured of by faith is as fond and friuolous as to pray him to make Christ our Lord to be his sonne or that there may be life euerlasting to his Saints in heauen of which they are in full and assured possession Which is so fond and friuolous a speech as that well we may perswade our selues that it neuer came from any wise man For matters of faith are of diuers sorts Some are already fully acted and done and those we onely beleeue we do not pray for them as the creation of the world the birth and death and resurrection of Christ and other such like Other some are beleeued as designed and pronounced by God but not yet fully acted and effected to vs which we so beleeue as that still we pray for them till they be effected praier being nothing else but Å¿ August de verb. Dom. ser 36. Ostendit fideÌ fontem âsse orationuââeâ posse âre ruâuÌ vb caput aquae siccatur the streame or riuer of faith an issue of the desire of that which ioyfully we beleeue A notable example whereof we see in Dauid who when God had sent Nathan to him to certifie him that he would stablish the kingdome for euer in his house posterity albeit he beleeued ioyfully accepted the tidings hereof yet forbeareth not therfore to pray that it might be so t 2. Sam. 7.25 Now therefore saith he confirme for euer the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy seruant and his house and do as thou hast sayd For thou O Lord of hosts hast reuealed vnto thy seruant saying I will build thee an house therefore hath thy seruant bene bold to pray this prayer vnto thee Therefore now let it please thee to blesse the house of thy seruant that it may continue for euer before thee for thou O Lord God hast spoken it Where we plainely see him praying vnto God that that might be whereof he was assured by faith vpon the promise of God that so it should be and not onely so but did therefore pray because God had reuealed vnto him that it should be so And do we not thinke that Dauid beleeued the word spoken to him from God by the same Prophet when he had admonished him of his grieuous trespasse and he repented u 2. Sam. 12.13 The Lord hath taken away thy sinne and yet afterwards he prayeth x Psal 51.1 Haue mercy vpon me O God after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Our Sauiour Christ beleeued that his y Ioh. 10 28. sheepe shall neuer perish and therefore that the Father would keepe them and none should take them out of his hands and yet he prayeth z Cap. 17.11 Holy Father keepe them in thy name euen them whom thou hast giuen me He was assured by faith that God would deliuer him from death a Psal 16.10 that he would not leaue his soule in hell nor suffer his holy one to see corruption yet b Heb. 5 7. in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp supplications with strong crying and teares to him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared He was assured by faith that God would glorifie him yet he prayeth c Ioh. 17.5 Now glorifie me O Father with thine owne selfe The Apostle S. Paul was assured by faith that d 2. Tim. 4.18 the Lord would deliuer him from euery euill worke and preserue him vnto his heauenly kingdome yet he ceased not to pray Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill We beleeue by faith and are assured that Christs kingdome shall come yet we daily pray Let thy kingdome come Thus therefore albeit by faith in the promise of God we now rest assured of the remission of sinnes yet because it is not yet reuealed we still pray Forgiue vs our trespasses that we may enioy by realitie and possession what we beleeue we alreadie haue in Gods affection Now albeit these three arguments hitherto be idle and vaine conceits yet for conclusion he commendeth them for substantiall and sufficient to assure euerie good Christian that he well may hope for Saluation doing his duty but may not without great presumption assure him of it by faith But it hath bene alreadie shewed that doing of dutie can yeeld vs neither faith nor hope truely so called because we come so short of the doing of it Therefore Hierome rightly saith that e Hieron in Esa lib. 17. cap. 64. Si consideremuâ merita nostra desperanduÌ est if we consider our owne merites we must needs desfaire But God would haue f August in Psal 88. Non secundum merita nostra sed secunduÌ illâus mi sericordiam firma est promissio the promise to be sure not according to our merites but according to his mercie He would haue it to depend vpon his promise and his oath g Heb. 6.18 that by two immutable things wherein it
Bishop affirming that the faithfull man knoweth himselfe worthie to be hated and yet by faith confidently presumeth that he is beloued of God As yet therefore we haue no proofe that the faithfull man ought to stand in feare of his owne Saluation 12. W. BISHOP Another plaine testimonie is taken out of S. Paul where he sheweth that it is not in vs to iudge of our owne iustice 1. Cor. 4. but we must leaue to God the iudgement of it these be the words I am not guiltie in conscience of any thing but I am not iustified herein but he that iudgeth me is our Lord therefore iudge not before the time vntill our Lord do come who also will lighten the hidden things of darknes and will manifest the counsell of the heart and then the praise shall be to euery man of God So that before Gods iudgement by S. Pauls testimonie men may not assure themselues of their own iustice much lesse of their Saluation Serm. 5. in Psa 118. De constitut monas cap 2. how innocent soeuer they find themselues in their own consciences See vpon this place S. Ambrose S. Basil Theodoret on this place who all agree that men may haue secret faults which God only seeth and therefore they must liue in feare and alwayes pray to be deliuered from them For the rest let S. Augustines testimonie whom our aduersaries acknowledge to be the most diligent and faithfull register of all antiquitie be sufficient This most iudicious and holy Father thus defineth this matter As long as we liue here we our selues cannot iudge of our selues I do not say what we shall be to morrow De verb. Domini serm 35. De ciuit Dei lib. 11. cap. 12. but what we are to day And yet more directly Albeit holy men are certaine of the reward of their perseuerance yet of their owne perseuerance they are found vncertaine For what man can know that he shall perseuer and hold on in the action and increase of iustice vntil the end vnles by some reuelation he be assured of it from him who of his iust but secret iudgement doth not informe all men of this matter but deceiueth none So no iust man is assured of his Saluation by his ordinarie faith by extraordinarie reuelation some man may be assured the rest are not Which is iust the Catholike sentence And because S. Bernard is by our aduersaries cited for them in this point Serm. 1. de Soptuag take his testimonie in as precise tearmes as any Catholike at this time speaketh Thus he writeth Who can say I am one of the elect I am one of the predestinate to life I am one of the number of the children Who I say can thus say the Scripture crying out against him A man knoweth nor Eccles 9. whether he be worthie of loue or hatred Therfore we haue no certaintie but the confidence of hope doth comfort vs that we be not vexed at all with the perplexitie of this doubt The word of God according to S. Bernard crieth out against all them that certainly assure themselues of their Saluation whereon then do they build their faith that beleeue it R. ABBOT The summe of his argument in this place is that we are vncertaine of our owne righteousnesse and therefore can haue no certaintie of our owne Saluation To proue the vncertaintie of our righteousnesse he alledgeth the words of the Apostle a Cor. 4.4 Of this place see further the fourth Section of the next question concerning Iustification I am not guiltie to my selfe in any thing yet am I not therein iustified Where it is worth the noting that whereas the Apostle saith by expresse negatiue I am not iustified thereby he maketh as if the Apostle had meant I cannot tel whether I be iustified or not It may be I am iust it may be I am not iust If I be my iustice shall merit heauen if I be not I know not what may haply become of me But the Apostle neuer made any such doubt he well knew that the cleerenesse of his conscience was not it that could yeeld him iustification before God He knew it to be true which S. Austin saith that b August de peccat mer. remiss lib 2. cap. 19 Quantum ad integerronam regulam veritatis eius pertinet non iustifibabitur c. according to the most entire rule of Gods truth no man liuing shall be found iust in the sight of God and therefore professeth that c Phil. 3.8 he accounteth all things but losse for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus our Lord for whom saith he I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be doung that I might winne Christ and might be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is by the law but the righteousnesse which is by the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Here is then a renouncing of his owne righteousnesse and an acknowledgement of iustification and righteousnesse onely by faith in Christ A notable fruit of which faith it was so to walke as that he could say I am not guiltie to my selfe in any thing in which sort he speaketh elsewhere d 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our reioycing euen the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse not by carnall wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world Of which testimonie of conscience S. Iohn saith e 1. Iohn 3.19.21 If our heart condemne vs not but that we are of the truth then haue we boldnesse towards God and shall before him assure our hearts Whereby we are taught that to walke with a good conscience in the faith of Christ ministreth great boldnesse and assurance towards God and therefore that the Apostle in the place cited protesting the innocency of his conscience was farre from professing to stand in doubt of his owne Saluation yea and were not M. Bishop a man of an iron face he would not attribute to the Apostle any such doubt For the true vnderstanding of the place we are to obserue as appeareth by the processe of this epistle that there were diuisions and part-takings amongst the Corinthians some magnifying one of their teachers and some another and they willingly accepting the applause and praises of their followers and each thinking highly of himselfe aboue the rest Now the Apostle vnder his owne name and the names of Apollo and Cephas instructeth those teachers against this vain affectation of human applause he wisheth them to be content to be reckoned each with other the ministers of Christ and therein to haue a care to deale faithfully towards him whose stewards they are endeuoring to their vttermost to please the Lord not thinking the better of themselues for that men magnifie them aboue others because men know theÌ not nor can duly esteeme of them Nay how should other iudge of vs when we cannot sufficiently
faithfull an assurance of Saluation be it by faith be it by charitie let not that here be the question Is there to the faithfull by S. Austines iudgement any assurance of Saluation He could not tell how directly to denie it and yet with a Romish and impudent face passeth it ouer as if there were no such thing The onely shift that he insinuateth is this that this assurance spoken of by S. Austine is by charity and not by faith But what then is there assurance by charitie No such matter for he hath told vs before that charitie is seated in the e Sect. 6. darke corners of the will and we cannot tell whether we haue it or not And so whereas the Apostle and by him S. Austine say that we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren he contrariwise saith We cannot know that we are translated from death to life because we cannot know that we loue the brethren in both points absolutely contradicting both the one and the other But to his foolish question I answer him that the affirming of the assurance of faith is no deniall of the meanes and helps from which it gathereth and increaseth this assurance Faith giueth assurance of Saluation by the word of God not onely by apprehending the promises of life Saluation but also by obseruing such marks and tokens as the word of God setteth down to describe theÌ to whom this Saluation doth appertaine which wheÌ a man findeth in himselfe his faith thereby giueth him the coÌfort of Saluation because it beleeueth that which the word of God hath deliuered concerning them in whom those signes marks are found Therfore it doth not only looke to that which Christ saith that f Iohn 3.16 whosoeuer beleeueth shal haue euerlasting life but because Christ also saith g Iohn 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word therfore the faithfull man delighting in the word of God beleeueth concerning himselfe that he is of God Because the Apostle saith h Rom. 10.13 Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued therfore the faithfull man vnfainedly calling vpon the name of the Lord beleeueth of himself that he shal be saued And so whereas S. Iohn saith that we know that we are translated froÌ death to life because we loue the brethren it is our faith whereby we take this knowledge that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren for how should we know it but that our faith beleeueth that which the word of God hath taught vs in that behalfe How idlely then doth he argue that we need not seeke for charity for assurance of Saluation if we be assured thereof by faith when charity it selfe is appointed for a helpe of that assurance which we haue by faith when from charity it is in some part that faith by the word of God conceiueth a reason of that assurance But by his answers to these places the Reader may esteeme of his wilfulnesse in all the rest How miserable is the case of those men who being so fast bound with the bonds of truth as that they know not which way to stirre yet haue no heart nor conscience to giue assent to that which they are no way able to resist 15. W. BISHOP Sup. 5. cap. Mat. The next Author he citeth is S. Hylarie in these words The Kingdome of heauen which our Lord professed to be in himselfe his wil is that it be hoped for without any doubtfulnesse of vncertaine will at all is an addition otherwise there is no iustification by faith if faith it selfe be made doubtfull First he faith but as we say that the Kingdome of heauen is to be hoped for without any doubtfulnesse for we professe Certaintie of hope and denie onely Certaintie of faith as M. Perkins confesseth before And as for faith we say with him also it is not doubtfull but very certaine What maketh this to the purpose that a man must beleeue his owne Saluation when S. Hilary speaketh there of faith of the resurrection of the dead His last Author is S. Bernard Who is the iust man Epist 107. but he that being loued of God loues him againe which comes not to passe but by the spirit reuealing by faith the eternall promise of God of his Saluation to come which reuelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace by which the deeds of the flesh are mortified the man is prepared to the kingdome of heauen together receiuing in one spirit that whereby he may presume that he is loued and loues againe Note that he saith the reuelation of the spirit to be nothing else but the infusion of spirituall graces and comfort whereby a man hath some feeling of Gods goodnesse towards him by which he saith he may presume but not beleeue certainly that he is loued of God But let S. Bernard in the same place interpret himselfe there he speaketh thus as I cited once before It is giuen to men to tast before hand somewhat of the blisse to come c. Of the which knowledge of our selues now in part perceiued a man doth in the meane season glory in hope but not yet in securitie His opinion then is expresly that for all the reuelations of the spirit made by faith vnto vs we are not assured for Certaintie of our Saluation but feele great ioy through the hope we haue hereafter to receiue it R. ABBOT The words of Hilarie are very plaine that a Hilar. in Mat. cap. 5. Regnum coelorum vult Dominus sine aliquae incertae voluntatis ambiguitate sperari alioqum iustificatio ex fide nulla est si fides ipsa sit ambigua without doubting we are to hope for the kingdome of heauen and that it is the will of Christ that we do so Whereof he addeth a reason Otherwise there is no iustification by faith if faith it selfe become doubtfull which if we will accommodate to that that goeth before it must import thus much that we cannot by our faith be iustified to the obtaining of the kingdome of heauen if we do not vndoubtedly beleeue to obtaine the same M. Bishop answereth first that Hilarie saith but as they say No doth Why do they say that without doubting we must hope for the kingdome of heauen He saith yea but forgetting the prouerb that a liar must beare a braine For in the leafe b Sect. 10. before he hath set it downe for a principle confirmed as he saith by aboue an hundred texts of holy writ that the faithfull must stand in feare of their owne Saluation There cannot be certaine and vndoubted hope where there is a necessitie of feare If a man must stand in feare then can he not hope without doubt Thus he knoweth not what he saith nor what to say We must feare and we must not feare we must doubt and we must not doubt there is Certaintie and
but also to suffer for his sake n Col. 1.11 being strengthened with all might through his glorious power to all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse To this end as o 2. Cor. 1.5 the sufferings of Christ abound in them so he causeth their consolations to abound through Christ and their p Vers 7. hope is stedfast in this behalfe because they know that as they are partakers of the sufferings so they shall be also of the consolation that the grieuance of the one may be the more easily borne by meanes of the ioy and sweetnesse of the other In a word faith resteth vpon that that is written q Heb. 13.5 He hath sayd I will not faile thee nor forsake thee therefore we may boldly say The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man can do vnto me r Rom. 8.29 He hath predestinated vs to be made like vnto the image of his sonne and therefore Å¿ Bernard epist 107. Habes spiritum huius arcans indicem hauing receiued the spirit to reueale vnto vs as Saint Bernard saith this secret of his predestination we stand assured that accordingly he will accomplish in vs the image of his Sonne that together with him we may beare the crosse and together with him also we may weare the crowne and therefore will so order all things as that there shall be t Rom. 8 3â nothing to come that shall separate vs from the loue of God vvhich is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now the spirit as he is the reuealer of the secret so is he the earnest of the effect of Gods predestination by the gift whereof God giueth vnto vs the certaine assurance of all the rest that remaineth to be giuen u Tertul. de Titius Hic est pignus promissae haeââd tatis quasi âharegraphânt qucâdam aeternae salutis qui nos Dei faciciat tempâtâm nos eius efficiat domum âinhâbitator corperibus nostris dâtuâ sanctitatis effector qui id agens in nobis ad aeternitatem ad resurrectionem immortalitatis corpora nostra pro iucat dum illa iâse assâ efacit ââm âoelesti vâriââte nââeri câu spiritus sancââââââtaetoâââtate âââri It is the pledge of the inheritance promised and as a hand-writing or bond for assurance of euerlasting Saluation not vpon vncertaintie if we do thus or thus but framing vs to bee and to doe whatsoeuer belongeth to the attainment thereof making vs the temple and house of God being the vvorker of holinesse in vs that he may bring our bodies to eternitie and to the immortalitie of the resurrection vvhilest in himselfe he accustometh them to be tempered vvith heauenly vertue and to be accompanied vvith the diuine eternitie of the holy Ghost Therefore God doth neuer take this earnest backe againe because it is so x ãâ¦ã the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of possession as that it is an earnest also that in the meane time God y 2 Cor. 1.21.22 stablisheth vs in Christ and that z ââr 5 5. he hath created vs euen for this thing namely to cloth vs with immortalitie and eternall life To be short God in giuing earnest for assurance of the end doth thereby vndertake against all lets and impediments that should hinder the atchieuing of that that is earnested thereby and therefore as Chrysostome saith a ãâ¦ã the things present vvhich thou hast attained alreadie do assure vnto thee those things that are yet to come As for the words alledged out of Saint Iohn that b ââchn 4.1 vve beleeue not euerie spirit but trie the spirits vvhether they be of God or not as if we were willed to bee distrusâtfull of the reuelation and testimonie of the spirite that we are the sonnes of God least by anie false spirite we bee abused and deluded they are verie adsurdly wrested and forced to that purpose beeing verie apparently a caueat against false prophets speaking out of their owne spirite and yet pretending the spirit of Christ as is verie plaine by the reason added in the next wordes For manie false Prophets are gone abroad into the vvorld And yet if we admit them as meant of this testimonie of the spirite they are so farre from seruing their turne as that they make altogether against them For if in that behalfe we be willing to trie the spirites vvhether they bee of God or not then it followeth that there is a way whereby to trie the same And if there bee a meanes whereby to trie whether the spirite that testifieth vnto vs that we are the sonnes of God bee of God or not then there is a meanes for vs to bee assured that wee are the sonnes of God For if by triall wee finde that the spirite that so testifieth is of God then because the same spirite is truth wee cannot make question but that wee are indeede the sonnes of God So therefore wee resolue of that testimonie whereof the Apostle speaketh whereby the spirite beareth vvitnesse vvith our spirite that vve are the sonnes of God Be it that some men by false opinions and imaginations of carnall securitie doe herein deceiue themselues yet as it is no reason for a King to doubt whether he bee a King for that franticke and melancholicke persons are falsly so perswaded of themselues and as a gold-smith doth not therefore doubt whether gold bee gold for that some vnskilfull man taketh copper in steede of gold so no reason is it that they who haue receiued the vndoubted testimonie of the spirite shining vnto them out of the true light of the word of God should therefore call in question the truth thereof because manie men are mocked with false presumptions which they themselues haue builded out of their owne braines The testimonie of the spirite is certainly knowne and felt wheresoeuer it is found neither can anie spirite worke in anie mans heart anie liuely counterfeit thereof as before was sayed Therefore it standeth firme and sure against all M. Bishops exceptions that there is a testimonie of the spirit whereby according to the measure of our faith we stand assured that we are the sonnes of God 18. W. BISHOP The third reason is That which we must pray for by Gods commaundement that we must beleeue but euery man must pray for Saluation therefore we must beleeue that we shall haue Saluation The proposition he confirmeth thus In euerie petition must be two things one a desire of the thing vve aske another a particular faith to obtaine it vvhich is proued by Christs vvords Mar. 1â Whatsoeuer you shall request when you pray beleeue that you shall haue it and it shall be done This Argument is so proper for their purpose that we returne it vpon their owne heads We must pray for Saluation therefore we are not yet assured of it For who in his wits prayeth God to giue him that whereof he is assured alreadie And a godly
the benefits of God looke how farre thou treadest the foote of thy faith so farre thou shalt possesse For as Cyprian saith m Cypr. lib. 2. ep 6. Dat credentibus tantuÌ quantum se credit capere qui sumit God giueth to them that beleeue so much as he that receiueth beleeueth himselfe to receiue He doth therefore vndoubtedly perseuere in faith and prayer who praying for perseuerance beleeueth that he shall receiue the same And this is further confirmed by the words of Saint Iohn n 1. Ioh. 5.14.15 This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske anie thing according to his will he heareth vs and if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him To which M. Bishop answereth But where doe we find that it is Gods will to assure euerie man at the first entrance into his seruice of eternall Saluation Where the limitation that he vseth at the first entrance into his seruice before also deliuered is but an idle tricke of his vagating wit For the question is not of assurance at the first entrance into Gods seruice but whether first or last there be any assurance at all For he denieth whether in the entrance or in the continuance that God by faith doth giue any man assurance of his owne Saluation Or if that be not his meaning but that though not at the first entrance yet afterwards God doth by faith giue that assurance let him tell vs and we shall be glad that he hath so farre foorth forsaken the doctrine of his Romish mistresse But because that is his meaning he must acknowledge his absurd folly in makings a shew of exception in words where he intended none As for vs we say indeed that God euen at the verie first entrance into his seruice offereth vs this assurance For euen at the very first entrance he saith as he did to the iaylor o Act. 16.31 Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and from the beginning our faith as it is greater or lesse so either strongly or weakely apprehendeth and embraceth this assurance And in this assurance we labour and endeuour to grow and to go on p Rom 1.17 from faith to faith from q Psal 84.7 strength to strength till we learne to stand as it were vpon the battlements of heauen and to set the world at defiance saying r Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ c. But that answer of his is otherwise also a ridiculous and vaine shift Where do we find that it is Gods will to assure euerie man of eternall Saluation Marrie speaking of them that beleeue euen in the verie place alledged M. Bishop if you dissemble it not By other places we are taught to pray for forgiuenesse of sinnes for Saluation for eternall life and you denie not but that we are thus to pray according to the will of God By this place we haue assurance and are taught to knovv that we haue the petitions that vve desire of him and therefore that according to our prayer we haue forgiuenesse of sinnes we haue Saluation and euerlasting life Speake strictly to the point M. Bishop let vs haue no shifting of words We haue assurance to knovv that vve haue vvhat vve aske of him according to his vvill It is according to his will that we aske of him forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life We haue therefore assurance and are to know that we haue forgiuenesse of sinnes and life eternall M. Bishop is dumbe and to this hath nothing more to say but goeth forward to aske the question Is it not sufficient to make him an assured promise of it vpon his faithfull seruice and good behauiour towards him I answere him No it is not sufficient For God made that promise by the former couenant Å¿ Gal. 3.12 He that doth these things shall liue in them and it auailed not t Heb. 8.9 for they continued not in my couenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord. Therefore God made another couenant and promise not like the former not conditionall vpon faithfull seruice and good behauior but absolute and without exception the performance whereof should depend wholy and onely vpon his mercie so that he would not expect as of vs but did vndertake to giue vs to worke in vs whatsoeuer faithfull seruice and good behauiour should be necessarie thereunto Therefore he saith u Vers 10. I vvill put my lawes in their minds and in their hearts vvill I vvrite them and I vvill be their God and they shall be my people they shall all know me for I will be mercifull vnto their vnrighteousnesse and I will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more So that although comparing the one part of the worke of our Saluation with another the latter is vsually tied to a condition of the former and God accordingly proceed in the execution thereof yet if we entirely consider the whole it issueth absolutely out of the purpose and promise of God who intending the end disposeth and worketh himselfe whatsoeuer belongeth to the accomplishment and attainment of the end Inasmuch therefore as true faith expecteth all of God and on Gods part M. Bishop confesseth we are most assured it must follow that by true faith we stand assured of Saluation because God is neuer wanting to do that that appertaineth vnto him 19. W. BISHOP The fourth reason is Whatsoeuer God commaundeth that a man must and can performe But God commandeth vs to beleeue our Saluation ergo we must beleeue it The proposition is true yet commonly denied by all Protestants for God commands vs to keepe his commaundements and they hold that to be impossible but to the assumption That God commaunds vs to beleeue our Saluation is proued saith M. Perkins by these words Repent and beleeue the Gospell Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici Where is it written in that Gospell beleeue your owne particular Saluation shew vs once but one cleare text for it and we will beleeue it I do beleeue in Christ and hope to be saued through his mercie and merits but know well that vnlesse I keepe his words I am by him likened to a foole Math. 7. that built his house vpon the sands He commaunds me to watch and pray Math. 26. least I fall into temptation and elsewhere Math. 25. warneth me to prepare oyle to keepe my lampe burning against his comming or else I am most certaine to be shut out with the foolish Virgins An hundred such admonitions find we in holy Scriptures to shake vs out of this securitie of our Saluation and to make vs vigilant to preuent all temptations of the enemie and diligent to traine our selues in godly exercises of all vertue R. ABBOT The proposition saith he is true and yet
a conuiction of guilt of death incurred thereby and yet could yeeld no remedie against death being afterwards b Heb. 7.18 disanulled because of the weaknesse and vnprofitablenesse thereof so farre should we be from thinking that of the ceremoniall law it should be sayd Do this and thou shalt liue The yong man demandeth of Christ c Mat. 19.16 What good thing shall I do that I may haue eternall life Now looke of what law our Sauior answereth him as M. Bishop hath cited before d Vers 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements of the selfe same law doth he answer another to the same question vpon recitall of a briefe of the commandements e Luc. 10.28 This do and thou shalt liue namely of the morall law to which it hath reference f Leuit. 18.5 where it is first spoken as appeareth by that that followeth for declaration of it Of which also it is rehearsed by g Ezech. 18.11.13 c. Ezechiel the Prophet and is by the Apostle Saint Paul further alledged to shew the difference betwixt h Rom. 10.5 the Righteousnesse of the law and the Righteousnesse of faith Moses saith he this describeth the Righteousnesse of the lavv that the man vvhich doth these things shall liue thereby i Gal. 3.12 The lavv is not of faith but he that doth these things shall liue in them Of which law he saith k Rom. 3.20 By the lavv commeth the knowledge of sinne that it saith l Cap. 7. ver 7.16.22 Thou shalt not lust that he consenteth to it that it is good that he delighteth in it as touching the inner man that the m Cap. 13. v. 9. Gal. 5.14 summe thereof is Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe all which doe vndeniably point out vnto vs the morall law as both n August de spir lit ca. 14. Saint Austine and o Hieron epist ad Ctesiphont Saint Hierome out of the same and such like places haue expresly affirmed Of the same law therefore he saith p Gal. 3.10 So manie as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euerie one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to do them And because no man continueth in all he concludeth hereof q Ver. 11. cap. 2.16 that by the law no man is iustified in the sight of God that by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified Now of the selfe same law doth he say that which M. Bishop hath cited for the cutting of his owne throat r Cap. 5.4 Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law thereby teaching vs to resolue that Iustification by Christ and Iustification by the worke of the law cannot possibly concurre in one Now whereas the Apostle for auouching Iustification onely by faith in Christ taketh it for a ground that no man fulfilleth the Righteousnesse of the law M. Bishop that he may be wholy thwart and crosse vnto him affirmeth that by the helpe of Gods grace men are made able to fulfill the law to be iustified thereby Against which assertion to proue that the Righteousnesse of the regenerate and faithfull is not such as that it can answer the iustice and Righteousnesse required in the law M. Perkins alledgeth the common confession of all endited by the Prophet Esay Å¿ Esa 64.6 All our Righteousnesse is as a menstruous or defiled cloth For if the Righteousnesse commaunded by the law be most exact and perfect and no righteousnesse is performed by vs but what by our weaknesse and corruption is blemished and stained then can no righteousnesse of ours satisfie the commandement of the law But M. Bishop answereth that the Prophet speaketh these words in the person of the wicked of that nation and that time and therefore that they are madly applied vnto the righteous Where a man would wonder that he should be so mad as to imagine that prayer to be vttered in the person of wicked men or that wicked men should make mention or any their Righteousnesse vnto God And as for the time it fitteth not the age wherein the Prophet himselfe liued but was prophetically written in respect of a time long after succeeding He foresaw in the spirit the desolation of Ierusalem and the temple and that whole land and thereupon putteth himselfe into the person of the faithfull and maketh himselfe as one of them that should liue at that time This is verie apparent by the Prophets words t Vers 10. Thine holy cities lye wast Sion is a wildernesse and Ierusalem a desert The house of our sanctuarie and of our glorie where our fathers praised thee is burnt vp with fire and all our pleasant things are vvasted This prayer then was to serue for a direction to the faithfull that then should be to make their mone vnto God and to intreat mercie at his hands And very answerable to this propheticall prayer is the prayer of the Prophet Daniel made presently at that time For whereas M. Bishop to proue that the Prophet speaketh in the person of the wicked alledgeth those words u Esa 64 5. Lo thou hast bene angrie for we haue offended and haue euer bene in sinne the Prophet Daniel likewise saith x Dan 9.5 We haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and done wickedly y Vers 7. O Lord Righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame z Vers 10. We haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord our God to walke in his wayes c. And whereas he alledgeth the other words a Esa 64.7 There is no man that calleth vpon thy name and standeth vp to take hold of thee the Prophet Daniel in like sort saith b Dan. 9.13 We haue not made our prayer before the Lord our God Both of them say We haue offended We haue sinned We haue not prayed as shewing plainely that they so spake of other men as that they implied themselues also Nay saith M. Bishop that is but the manner of Preachers and specially of such as become Intercessours for others who vse to speake in the persons of them for whom they sue Where he maketh the holy Prophets and seruants of God as verie hypocrites to God as he himselfe is as if they tooke vpon them to accuse themselues to God when they intended nothing lesse But to driue him out of this hole the Prophet Daniel saith of himselfe that in that prayer c Dan. 9.20 he confessed his owne sinnes and the sinnes of his people and why should Daniel the Prophet be sayd to confesse his owne sinnes and not the Prophet Esay or those iust and faithfull in whose person Esay spake Nay both the one and the other spake out of the true affection of the faithfull at all times who alwayes find in themselues defects and defaults whereby they find iust
savv nothing in himselfe to hinder his Iustification yet God vvho hath sharper eye-fight might espie some iniquitie in him and therefore durst not the Apostle affirme himselfe to be iustified as if he should say if there be no other fault in me in Gods sight then I can find by mine owne insight I am iustified because I am guiltie of nothing and so the place proueth rather the vncertaine knowledge of our Iustification as I haue before shewed But M. Perkins addeth that vve must remember that vve shall come to iudgement vvhere rigour of iustice shall be shewed We knovv it vvell but vvhen there is no condemnation to those that by Baptisme be purged from Originall sinne Pag. 28. as he confesseth himselfe the Apostle to teach in our consents about Originall sinne vvhat then needeth any iustified man greatly feare the rigorous sentence of a iust iudge And Saint Paul saith himselfe in the person of the iust That he had runne a good race c. and therefore there was a crowne of iustice layd vp for him by that iust iudge and not onely to him but all them that loue Christs comming And concerning both Inherent iustice and the abilitie of it to fulfill the law and what law heare this one sentence of S. Augustine Serm. 18. de verb. Apost He that beleeueth in him he hath not that iustice which is of the law albeit the law be good but he shall fulfill the law not by iustice which he hath of himselfe but which is giuen of God for charitie is the fulfilling of the law and from him is this charitie powred into our hearts not certainly by our selues but by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs. R. ABBOT There is none so readie to call harlot as is the harlot none so readie to obiect cosinage to another as he that is the cosiner himselfe I pray thee gentle Reader whether wilt thou rather thinke to be the cosiner him that saith that the Apostle saying I am not thereby iustified doth meane as he saith I am not thereby iustified or him that will make thee beleeue that the Apostle thereby meaneth I cannot tell whether I be iustified or no. Indeede cosiners commonly vse colours and labour for craftie and cleanly conueyance but M. Bishop is none of those that make daintie of the matter he sticketh not in euerie mans sight to cut the purse that which in euerie mans eyes is expresly denied he maketh no bones at all to turne into a matter of question and doubt The place hath bene sufficiently handled in the former question a Sect. 12. Of the Certaintie of Saluation here I will onely set downe what Gregorie Bishop of Rome conceiued of this place b Greg. Moral lib. 5. cap. 8 Sape ipsa iustitia nostra ad examen diuinae iustitiae deducta iniustitia est sordet in districtiene iudicis quod in aestimatione fulgeâ operantis Oft times saith he our verie Righteousnesse being brought to the examination of the Righteousnesse of God is vnrighteousnesse and it is loathsome in the seueritie of the iudge vvhich in the opinion of the vvorker shineth bright Whereupon Saint Paul when he sayd I am guiltie to my selfe in nothing by and by added but I am not iustified thereby Who forthwith insinuating the cause vvhy he vvas not iustified saith But he that iudgeth me is the Lord. c Acsi dicat Idcirco in eo quòd nihil mihi conscius sum iustificatum me abnego quia ab eo quime iudicat examinari me subtiliùs sâto As if he should say Therefore doe I denie my selfe to be iustified by my being guiltie of nothing because I know my selfe to be more neerely sifted by him that iudgeth me c. d Quia ipsa nostra perfectis culpa non caret nisi hanc seueâus iudex in subtilâ lance examinâ misericorditèr penset Because euen our perfection is not vvithout fault vnlesse the seuere iudge do vvith mercie vvaigh it in the strict ballance of his examination Againe he saith of the same place e Ibid. cap. 23. Districtionem diuinae iustitiae contemplantes etiam de ipsis operib iure pertimescimus quaenos fortia egisse putabamus Ducta namque ad internam regulaÌ nostra rectitudo si districtum in dicium inuenit multis tortitudinum suarum sinibus in intimam rectitudinem impingit Beholding the strictnesse of Gods iustice vve are iustly afraide of those very vvorkes which we thought we did with strength For our Righteousnesse being brought to the internall rule if it find seuere iudgement by many creekes of wryings and turnings offendeth against the most inward or perfect Righteousnesse Whence the Apostle Paul seeing himselfe to haue the bones that is euen the strength of vertues and yet these bones of his did tremble at strict examination saith I am guiltie to my selfe in nothing yet am I not thereby iustified f Acsi diceret Recta egisse me recolo attamen demeritis non praesumo quia ad eius examen vita nostra ducitur sub quo nostrae fortitudinis ossa turbantur As if he should say I remember I haue done the things that be right but yet I presume not of any merit because our life is brought to the censure of him before vvhom the verie bones of our strength are troubled Thus by the iudgement of him whose iudgement M. Bishop by no meanes may refuse S. Paul plainely denieth himselfe to be iustified because though he knew nothing by himselfe yet he had to do with him who in his very best workes much more in many secret sinnes could find sufficient to condemne him And this is the true meaning of those words that howsoeuer a man if it be so know nothing by himselfe yet the Lord hath matter enough against euery man that he may be iustified in that which he hath sayd g Psal 143.2 that no man liuing shall be iustified in his sight But yet the same Apostle who here saith of himselfe I know nothing by my selfe namely as touching any vnfaithfulnesse in the stewardship that God had committed vnto him which was the matter spoken of yet in other respect found cause to say of himselfe h Rom. 7.14 I am carnall sold vnder sinne i Vers 19. I do not the good which I would but the euill which I would not that do I. k Vers 23. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue to the law of sinne that is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death So that here is a further fault committed by M. Bishop in that he vrgeth the words of the Apostle as simply and generally true which were meant onely respectiuely as if he had absolutely sayd that he knew nothing at all against himselfe when he meant it as touching any default in his seruice and charge that
forgiuenesse of sinnes then in perfection of vertues Which being so albeit his exposition conteine nothing materiall against vs yet we hold the same not so properly applied to the thing which he there expoundeth For we doe not thinke that the iustice or righteousnesse of God is so called onely for that it is the gift of God but because thereby we are iustified thereby we are iust and righteous in the sight of God Which because we are not by inherent iustice as S. Austine euery where confesseth it followeth that the righteousnesse of God must be vnderstood of another kind of righteousnesse which is that whereof the Apostle instructeth vs whereby Å¿ Rom. 4.6 the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works according to the words of Dauid t Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose vnrighteosnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Therefore the Greeke Scholiast expounding the righteousnesse of God to be that that is giuen of God further sheweth what that gift is u Oecumen in Rom cap. 3. Iustitia Dei est iustificatio absolutio seu liberatio à peccatis à quibus non potuââ lex liâerare The iustice or righteousnesse of God is iustification and release or deliuerance from sinnes from which the law could not deliuer vs. And so Chrysostome though he say as M. Bishop citeth that iustification is of grace that is of Gods free gift yet withall saith that x Chrysost in 2. Cor. hom 11. Deâ est ista iustitia quando non ex operibus quando necessarium est etiam nullam maculam inuenââ the righteousnesse of God is so called because it is not of works inasmuch as it is necessarie that there be no spot sound Where he presupposeth that there cannot be found any righteousnesse of works but such as is spotted and defiled and therefore importeth that the righteousnesse of God which must be without spot can by no meanes be vnderstood of the righteousnesse of works Neither doth it helpe M. Bishop any whit that inherent righteousnesse is pure of it selfe as it is the gift of God because though it be pure of it selfe and in the worke of God yet it is soiled in the puddles of our corruption and receiueth a blemish by our crooked and vntoward vsing of it and is neither giuen to that end nor is sufficient to yeeld vs iustification in the sight of God Hitherto therefore the argument standeth good As Christ was made sinne so we are made righteousnesse Christ was made sinne by imputation of our sinne We are therefore made righteous by the imputation of his righteousnesse 6. W. BISHOP Rom. 5. M. Perkins third reason As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous mark here a comparison betweene the first and second Adam hence I reason thus As by the obedience of Adam men were made sinners so by the obedience of Christ are they made righteous but men are made sinners by imputation of Adams sinne vnto them and not onely by propagation of naturall corruption ergo by imputation of Christs iustice we are made righteous Answer The comparison I allow because it is the Apostles and denie that men are made sinners by imputation of Adams fault and say that euery one descended of Adam by naturall propagation hath his own personall iniquity sticking in them which is commonly called Originall sinne and an high point of Pelagianisme is it to denie it For albeit we did not tast of the forbidden fruit in proper person yet receiue we the nature of man polluted with that infection really and not by imputation And so the comparison serues not at all M. Perkins turne but beareth very strongly against him it being thus framed As by Adams disobedience many were made sinners euen so by Christs obedience many shall be iustified This is his Maior Now to the Minor But by Adams disobedience they were made sinners by drawing from him euery one his owne proper inherent iniquity in like manner we are iustified by Christ not by imputation of his iustice but by our inherent iustice which is powred into our soules when we are in Baptisme borne a new in him See what penurie of poore arguments they haue that to make some shew of store are forced to propound such as make manifestly against them R. ABBOT This argument Maister Bishop could no way auoid but by shewing himselfe either impudently wilfull or absurdly ignorant and surely if his knowledge be no better then be here expresseth he hath ill bestowed those thrice seuen yeeres that he hath before spoken of in the studie of Diuinitie and were best to set himselfe to schoole againe The case is very cleare that if we be sinners by the imputation of Adams sinne then are we also righteous by the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ Therefore he denieth that we are made sinners by the imputation of Adams sinne Yea but M. Bishop you should then haue told vs how it is true that the Apostle saith that a Rom. 5.19 by Adams disobedience we are made sinners For how should we be sinners by his disobedience but for that his disobedience is imputed vnto vs Bellarmine saith and he therein saith truly that b Bellarm. de Amiss grat statu peccati lib. 4. ca. 10. Peccatâ Adami ita posteris omnibus imputatur acsi omnes idem peccatuÌ patrauissânt Adams sinne is imputed to all his posteritie as if all had committed the same He alledgeth to that purpose Saint Bernard saying that c Bernard Domin prima post Epiphan ser 1. Nostra est culpa nobis iusto Dei iudicio imputabatur licet occulto Adams sinne is our sinne and by the iust though secret iudgement of God is imputed vnto vs. He saith againe in another place that d Bellar. ibid. lib. 5. ca. 17. Communicatur per imputationem Omnibus enim imputatur qui ex Adamo nascuntur Adams sinne is communicated vnto vs by imputation that it is imputed to all that are borne of Adam and calleth it the imputation of Adams disobedience If Adam then by disobedience were holden a sinner and his disobedience is imputed vnto vs as if we our selues had disobeied it must needes follow that by the imputation of the same disobedience we also are sinners as well as he Therefore doth the Apostle say that e Rom. 5.12 in him that is in Adam all haue sinned If in Adam all haue sinned then in Adam all are sinners in Adam all are guiltie of sinne To which purpose Saint Bernard saith f Bernard de aduent Dom. ser 1. In Adam omnes peccauimus in eo sententiam damnationis accepimus omnes In Adam we haue all sinned and in him we haue all receiued the sentence of damnation So Saint Austine also saith that g August de Trint lib. 13. ca. 12. Parentum
vnto thee put case he had said If a Papist shall say vnto thee How is all the world saued it being onely Christ that hath done righteously thou maiest answer him How was the whole world condemned when it was onely Adam that obeied not The matter of our condemnation then is in the one and the matter of our saluation in the other corruption of nature being consequently drawne by generation from the one as a part of our condemnation and sanctification to holinesse consequently deriued by faith and regeneration from the other as a part of our saluation And now he may well see that our arguments be not poore nor make against our selues as he pretendeth but his answers are such penurious and poore shifts as that now they are once discouered we expect from him no further maintaining of them 7. W. BISHOP His fourth reason The Papists make Christs obedience their satisfaction but satisfaction is equall to iustice therefore they must make it as well their iustice as satisfaction For the Maior he citeth Bellarmin Lib. 2. de Iustif cap. 7. I haue read the Chapter and finde no such words further I say there is a great difference betweene satisfaction for mortall sinnes and iustification for satisfaction cannot be done vs for the guilt of mortall sinne is infinite being against an infinite Maiestie and so no creature can make full satisfaction for it wherefore the infinite valour of Christs satisfaction is necessarily required who hauing taken away the guilt of eternall punishment due to sinnes leaueth vs his grace to satisfie for the temporall paine of it as shall be in his due place declared more at large Againe a man must needes haue his sinnes pardoned and grace giuen him before he can make any kinde of due satisfaction for he must be in the state of grace before he can satisfie wherefore he must needs flie to the benefit of Christ satisfaction There is nothing like in iustification for first to make a man iust in Gods sight requires no infinite perfection but such as a meere man is very well capable of as all must needes confesse of Adam in the state of Innocencie and of all the blessed Soules in heauen who be iust in Gods sight Neither is it necessarie to be infinite for to be worthy of the ioyes of heauen which be not infinite as they are enioyed of men or Angels either of whom haue all things there in number weight and measure Briefly it is a most easie thing for one man to pay the debts of another but one man cannot bestow his wisedome or iustice on another and not credible that God whose iudgement is according to truth will repute a man for iust who is full of iniquitie no more then a simple man will take a Black-moore for white although he see him cloathed in a white sute of apparell R. ABBOT In true and right vnderstanding satisfaction is fully equiualent to iustification and that that is our satisfaction is also our iustification before God For declaration whereof it is to be obserued that sinne consisteth partly in commission partly in omission partly in doing that that we ought not to do partly in not doing that that we ought to do Satisfaction then for sinne must serue to acquit both the one and the other it must take away what we haue done and supply what we haue not done or else it cannot be called a satisfaction Therefore as on the one side in the euill that we haue done we are reputed as if it neuer had bene done so on the other side in the good that we haue not done we are reputed as if all had bene done Accordingly S. Austine saith that a August Retract l. 1. cap 19. Omnia mandata facta deputaÌtur quando quicquid non sit ignoscitur all the commandements of God are reputed to be done when that is pardoned that is not done Our satisfaction therefore is our iustification with God because thereby we are reputed as if we had performed all the righteousnesse of God And so doth Bernard make them both one when saying b Bernard ep 190. Assignata est ei aliena iustitia qui caruit sua There is the righteousnesse of another assigned to him who wanted of his owne he addeth to expresse the same c Satisfactio vnius omnibus imputatur c. the satisfaction of one is imputed vnto all euen as he alone hath borne the sinnes of all But more clearely is it euicted by the words of the Apostle who where Dauid pronounceth the man d Psal 32.1 blessed to whom the Lord forgiueth his sinnes saith that he e Rom. 4.6 describeth there the blessednesse of that man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works giuing thereby to vnderstand that forgiuenesse of sinnes is the imputation of righteousnesse without works If therefore in satisfaction there be forgiuenesse of sinnes then is there also iustification that is the imputation of righteousnesse without workes Now then sith Bellarmine confesseth that the merit and obedience of Christ is our satisfaction f Bellarm. de Iustif lib. 2. ca. 7. Si solùm vellent nobis imputari Christi merita quia nobis donata sunt possumus ea Deo patrè offerre pro peccatis nostris quoniam Christus suscepit super sâ onus satisfaciendi pro peccatis nostris nosque Deo pâtri recoÌciliaÌdi recta esset eorum sententia he must acknowledge it also to be our iustification that is the thing whereby and for which we are reputed iust in the sight of God because thereby we are reputed as hauing perfectly fulfilled all the commandements of God I haue read the chapter in Bellarmine saith M. Bishop and finde no such words But he was drowsie belike when he read it let him reade it better when he is well awake and then he shall finde that Bellarmine saith that in true meaning it may be said that the merits of Christ are imputed vnto vs for that they are giuen vnto vs of God and we may offer the same to God the Father for our sinnes in respect that Christ hath taken vpon him the burden of satisfying for our sinnes Where what doth he but acknowledge that Christ according to the burden taken vpon him hath in his merits made satisfaction for our sinnes but in his folly like M. Bishop because he vnderstandeth not himselfe will not haue them imputed for our righteousnesse before God His differences betwixt saluation and iustification are impertinent because that iustification which he speaketh of is not our iustification before God as shall appeare Briefly therefore to touch what he saith the guilt saith he of mortall sinne is infinite being against an infinite maiestie But therefore the guilt of all sinne is infinite neither is there any sinne but what is mortall because all sinne is against an infinite maiestie Therefore to all sinne the infinite valour of Christes satisfaction is required which because it is infinite
debtor but a suretie and do name what befalleth him to befall him by suretiship and not by debt so do we content our selues to say with safetie that Christ did beare our sinnes and suffered for our sinnes or with the Apostle was made sinne for vs but the name of sinner we do not giue vnto him 12. W. BISHOP 4. Obiect If a man be righteous onely by imputation he may together be full of iniquitie whereupon it must needs follow that God doth take for iust and good him that is both vniust and wicked but that is absurd when Gods iudgement is according to truth Here M. Perkins yeeldeth That when God doth impute Christs iustice vnto any man he doth together sanctifie the partie giuing Originall sinne a deadly wound And yet elsewhere he sayd That Originall sinne Of Originall sinne Pag. 31. which remained after iustification in the partie did beare such sway that it infected all the workes of the sayd partie and made him miserable c. But it is good hearing of amendment if he will abide in it Let vs go on R. ABBOT It had bene strange if M. Bishop could haue set downe this argument without full of iniquitie for it had not otherwise sufficiently filled his mouth But we denie that if a man be righteous onely by imputation speaking as we do of perfect Righteousnesse in the sight of God it must follow that he is still full of iniquitie as before because Iustification in the sight of God by the imputation of Christs merits is alwayes accompanied with the sanctification of the holy Ghost whereby the inward qualitie of the man a August de peccat mer. remiss lib. 1 cap. 27. Hominis qualitatem non totam continuò mutari c. though not wholy yet in part is altered and changed and is thencefoorth further to be renewed from day to day In part I say because together with this sanctification there is still a remainder of originall corruption by the touch and staine whereof the holinesse and newnesse that is wrought in vs is defiled and standeth in need of mercie and fauour to accept it which made Gregorie the Bishop of Rome to say b Greg. Moral lib. 9. cap. 11. Omnis humana iustitia iniustitia esse conuincitur si districte iudicetur Prece ergo post iustitiaÌ indiget vt quae succumbere discussa poterat sola iudicis pietate conualescat All the righteousnesse of man is proued to be vnrighteousnesse if it be strictly iudged therefore a man needeth prayer after Righteousnesse that that which being sifted might quaile by the only mercie of the iudge may stand for good For although it be true that Originall sinne haue receiued a deadly wound yet it followeth not thereof that it is straightwayes wholy dead It is dead indeed c August cont Iulian lib. 2. Mortuum est in eo reatu quo nos tenebat c. as touching the guilt of it as Austine saith but it is not yet dead as touching corruption and infection and therefore doth indeed infect the workes of the regenerate and by lusting and rebelling giueth him occasion to cry out with the Apostle d Rom. 7.24 Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death This M. Perkins vniformely teacheth he doth not here amend what he had sayd before because in the former place there was nothing to amend and therefore it was but M. Bishops dreame that made him imagine a contradiction there where all things well agree and stand together 13. W. BISHOP 5. Obiect Or fifth reason is inuerted by M. Perkins but may be rightly framed thus Christ restored vs that iustice which we lost by Adams fall but by him we lost Inherent iustice Ergo By him we are restored to Inherent iustice Rom. 5. The Maior is gathered out of Saint Paul vvho affirmeth that vve receiue more by Christ then vve lost by Adam Lib. 3. cap. 20. lib. 6. de gen 24. â6 26. and is Saint Irenaeus and Saint Augustines most expresse doctrine vvho say How are we sayd to be renewed if we receiue not againe which the first man lost c. Immortality of the bodie we receiue not but we receiue iustice from the which he fell through sinne R. ABBOT This obiection proueth nothing that we denie being vnderstood according to the meaning of Austin and Irenaeus whom he alledgeth Christ came to restore to vs that which we lost in Adam But in Adam we lost inherent iustice Therefore Christ came to restore the same We affirme the same and say that what Christ came to do he beginneth to do and to bring to effect in euerie man that is iustified but in no man doth he perfect it so long as we continue in this life and therefore inherent iustice is not such in any man here as that thereby he can be found iust in the sight of God Now therefore whereas M. Bishop saith that Christ restored vs that iustice which we lost by Adams fall if he meane it as the Apostle doth when he saith that a Ephe. 2 6. God hath quickned vs together with Christ and hath raised vs vp together and hath made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus that is b August de bapt cont Donatist lib. 1. ca. â Nondum vnâ sed in spe not yet really but in hope as S. Austin speaketh we admit the proposition to be true and it is nothing against vs. But if his meaning be that Christ hath really and alreadie in possession restored vnto vs what we lost in Adam the proposition is absurdly false and all this discourse tendeth to proue the contrarie 14. W. BISHOP The sixt and last reason for Catholikes is The iustice of the faithfull is eternall dureth after this life and is crowned in heauen but Christs imputed iustice ceaseth in the end of this life Ergo. M. Perkins answereth First that imputed Righteousnesse continueth with vs for euer and that in heauen we shall haue no other Secondly that perhaps in the end of this life inward Righteousnesse shall be perfect and then without perhaps it shall be most perfect in heauen So that one part of this answer ouerthroweth the other Wherefore I need not stand vpon it but will proceed to fortifie our partie with some authorities taken both forth of the holy Scriptures and auncient Fathers The first place I take out of these words of Saint Paul And these things certes were you Drunkerds Couetous 1. Cor. 6. Fornicators c. But you are Washed you are Sanctified you are Iustified in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and in the spirit of our Lord S. Chryso Ambr. Theophilac in hunc locum Here Iustification by the best interpreters iudgement is defined to consist in those actions of washing vs from our sinnes and of infusion of Gods holy gifts by the holy Ghost in the name and for the sake of Christ
How can this be better knowne then if we see weigh and consider well what kind of faith that was which all they had who are sayd in Scriptures to be iustified by their faith S. Paul saith of Noe That he was instituted heire of the iustice Heb. 11.7 which is by faith What faith had he That by Christs Righteousnesse he was assured of Saluation No such matter but beleeued that God according to his word and iustice would drowne the world and made an Arke to saue himselfe and his familie as God commaunded him Abraham the Father of beleeuers and the Paterne and example of iustice by faith as the Apostle disputeth to the Romans What faith he was iustified by let S. Paul declare who of him and his faith Rom. cap. 4. hath these words He contrarie to hope beleeueth in hope that he might be made the father of manie Nations according to that which was sayd vnto him So shall thy seed be as the starres of heauen and the sands of the sea and he was not weakned in faith neither did he consider his owne bodie now quite dead whereas he was almost an hundreth yeares old nor the dead Matrice of Sara in the promise of God he staggered not by distrust but was strengthened in faith giuing glorie to God most fully knowing that whatsoeuer he promised he was able also to do therefore was it reputed to him to iustice Lo because he glorified God in beleeuing that old and barren persons might haue children if God sayd the word and that whatsoeuer God promised he was able to performe he was iustified The Centurions faith was verie pleasing vnto our Sauiour who sayd in commendation of it That he had not found so great faith in Israel What faith was that Marrie that he could with a word cure his seruant absent Math. 8. Say the word only quoth he and my seruant shall be healed S. Peters faith so much magnified by the auncient Fathers and highly rewarded by our Sauiour was it any other Math. 16. Then that our Sauiour was Christ the Sonne of the liuing God And briefly let S. Iohn that great Secretarie of the holy Ghost tell vs what faith is the finall end of the whole Gospell These things Iohn 20. saith he are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you may haue life in his name With the Euangelist the Apostle S. Paul accordeth verie well Rom. 10. saying This is the word of faith which we preach for if thou confesse with thy mouth our Lord Iesus Christ and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God raised him from death 1. Cor. 15 thou shalt be saued And in another place I make knowne vnto you the Gospell which I haue preached and by which you shall be saued vnlesse perhaps you haue beleeued in vaine What was that Gospell I haue deliuered vnto you that which I haue receiued that Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures was buried and rose againe the third day c. So by the verdite of S. Paul the beleefe of the articles of the Creed is that iustifying faith by which you must be saued And neither in Saint Paul nor any other place of holy Scriptures is it once taught that a particular faith whereby we apply Christs Righteousnesse to our selues and assure our selues of our saluation is either a iustifying or any Christian mans faith but the verie naturall act of that vgly Monster presumption which being layd as the verie corner stone of the Protestants irreligion what morall and modest conuersation what humilitie and deuotion can they build vpon it R. ABBOT What the reason was why M. Perkins here propounded no obiections of the Papists M. Bishop might haue conceiued because he had a Chap. 3. Of the Certaintie of Saluation before noted and confuted the best that are alledged by them If he had not so done yet it should not be likely that he had therefore omitted them because he knew not how to answer them because this which M. Bishop bringeth for their principall reason is but a verie weake and simple reason The thing that he would proue thereby is that iustifying faith is that Catholike faith as he calleth it whereby we beleeue all that to be true which God hath reuealed He abuseth the name of Catholike faith whereby hath bene wont to be imported the true and sound doctrine of the Catholike Church comprised in bookes taught in Pulpits and schooles professed by the mouth which a man may preach to others and himselfe be voide of iustifying faith Thus Vigilius saith hauing discoursed of some points of doctrine b Vigil cont Eutych lib. 1. Haec est fides professio Catholica quam Apostoli tradiderunt Martyres roborauerunt fideles hucusque custodiunt This is the Catholike faith and profession which the Apostles deliuered the Martyrs haue confirmed and the faithfull keepe vntill this day Iustifying faith is the priuate act of the heart and conscience of the man that is iustified which though it be grounded and built vpon it yet cannot but absurdly be termed the Catholike faith But M. Bishop perhaps by Catholike faith meaneth that iustifying faith whereby he and his fellow Catholikes must hope to be iustified By which meanes he hath matched the diuel with himselfe and his Catholikes and hath made him a Catholike For if it be the only faith of a Catholike to beleeue all that to be true which God hath reuealed what hindereth the diuell to be a Catholike seeing he beleeueth and to his griefe well knoweth that all is true that is reuealed by God This is that which we rightly call historicall faith the obiect whereof is the word of God in generall and it is no more but credere Deo to beleeue God in that which he speaketh which is incident to diuels and damned men This historicall faith is presupposed and included in iustifying faith but the proper obiect of iustifying saith is c 2. Cor. 5.19 God in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe or the promise of Gods mercie to vs in Christ Iesus whereby we do not onely beleeue the promise in generall to be true but do trust in God and expect good at his hands according to that promise for Christs sake This faith therefore is called d Rom. 3.22 Phil. 3.9 the faith of Christ that is whereby we beleeue in Christ and is further expressed to be e Act. 3.16 faith in his name f Rom. 3.25 faith in his bloud Of which S. Austin saith g August in Ioan. tract 35. Fides Christi est credere in eum qui iustificat impium credere in mediatorem sine quo interposito non reconciliamur Deâ credere in saluatorem qui venit quod perterat quaerâre atque saluare c. The faith of Christ is to beleeue in him that iustifieth the vngodly to beleeue in the Mediator without
whose meanes we are not reconciled vnto God to beleeue in the Sauiour which came to seeke and to saue that which is lost to beleeue in him that saith without me ye can do nothing This is the faith whereby we are saued and whereby all the faithfull haue bene saued from the beginning of the world To which purpose S. Austin againe saith h August de nat grat cap. 44 âa fides iustes sanauit antiquos quae sanat et nos id est mediatoris Dei hominum hominis Iesu Câristi fides sanguinis eius fides crucis eius fides mortis resurrectionis âius The same faith saued the righteous of old that now saueth vs that is the faith of the man Iesus Christ the Mediator betwixt God and men the faith of his bloud the faith of his crosse the faith of his death and resurrection Thus by faith Abel in his lambe beheld i 1. Ioh. 1.29 the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world and thereby his sacrifice was accepted and in that respect is Christ called k Apoc. 13.8 the lambe that was slaine from the beginning of the world But here M. Bishop vndertaketh to tell vs and therefore let vs heare of him according to the depth of his diuinitie what kind of faith that was which all they had who are sayd in Scriptures to be iustified by their faith And first he beginneth with Noe of whom it is sayd that l Heb. 11.7 he was made heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith But what faith was that He beleeued saith he that God according to his word and iustice would drowne the world and made an Arke to saue himselfe and his familie as God commanded him And what in the drowning of the world and making of an arke to saue himselfe did Noe consider nothing but the drowning of the world and the making of an arke to saue himselfe S. Austin calleth the Arke m Aug. cont Faust Manich. lib. 19 cap. 12. Sacramentum arcae in qua Noe domus à diluuio liberata est the sacrament of the Arke and in a sacrament or mysterie did the faith of Noe see no more but onely what his eyes did see n Chrysost in 1. Cor. hom 7. Mysterium appellatur quoniam non id quod credimus inituemur sed quòd alia videmus alia credimus In sacraments as Chrysostome saith we do not see that which we beleeue but we see one thing and beleeue another Noe then in the Arke did beleeue that which he did not see which what it was S. Peter giueth vs to vnderstand when he maketh our baptisme the thing that o 1. Pet. 3.21 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã answereth the type and figure of the Arke which saith he saueth vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ The Arke then was to him a figure and seale of the same whereof Baptisme is a figure and seale to vs p Rom. 4.11 a seale of the righteousnesse of faith of q Cap. 3.22 the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ to all and vpon all that do beleeue His deliuerance temporally was a figure of that spirituall saluation which both he and we haue by the washing away and forgiuenesse of our sinnes by the bloud and death and resurrection of Iesus Christ and in the beleefe hereof was it that he was made heire of the righteousnesse of faith In the second place Abraham is brought forth whose faith M. Bishop construeth to be no more but this that he beleeued that old and barren persons might haue children if God sayd the word and that whatsoeuer God promised he was able to performe Where if he had looked into the Apostles words with the eyes of a doctor of diuinitie he would haue found the seed there spoken of to be r Gal. 3.16 Christ as the same Apostle elsewhere expoundeth it Christ in person as the head and all the faithfull gathered as members into one bodie with him Å¿ August in Psal 58. Totus Christus caput corpus post Christus est toâum corpus Christi the head and the bodie making one whole Christ as S. Austin speaketh God promised vnto Abraham a seed wherein t Genes 15.2 all the nations of the earth should be blessed Herein God would make him u Rom. 4.13 the heire of the world and x Vers 16.17 a father of many nations not to that seed onely which is of the law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham that we may know that a spirituall seed is here to be vnderstood which should become the children of Abraham by y Vers 12. walking in the steppes of the faith of our father Abraham and so should be made partakers of the blessing with him The performance of all this promise of blessing to Abraham and all the nations of the earth stood vpon his hauing of a sonne which God had promised vnto him The barrennes of Sara the old age both of Abraham and her might seeme to denie all hope of hauing a sonne But yet Abraham rested secure in the affiance of the power of God not doubting but that God was able and would giue him a sonne of whom Christ should come to be vnto him that blessing that God had promised This was the thing that Abrahams faith respected and to which the Apostle referreth it speaking of a promise that was to be sure not to Abraham only z Vers 16. but to all the seed both of beleeuing Iewes and Gentiles who are also called a Heb. 6.17 heires of the promise to the performance whereof to shew vnto them the stablenesse of his counsell God bound himselfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it was vnpossible that God should lie his promise and his oath we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before vs. Of what that old and barren persons may haue children if God say the word O base and abiect conceipt of so diuine and heauenly a matter Nay but of the blessing which as the Apostle noteth before God did sweare vnto Abraham and vnto that seed which he would multiplie vnto him by faith to be blessed together with him Thirdly he alledgeth the faith of the Centurion of which our Sauiour testifieth that b Mat. 8.10 he had not found so great faith in Israel And what was that faith Marrie saith he that he could with a word cure his seruant absent Say the word only quoth he and my seruant shall be healed But did he only beleeue that by saying the word Christ could cure his seruant Surely he beleeued somewhat else that made him to beleeue that he beleeued somewhat else that made him to say Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe c August de verb. Dom ser 6. Neque hoââret âum ãâ¦ã He would
by Gods spirit may haue many good motions for as our spirit giueth life vnto our bodies so the spirit of God by his grace animateth and giueth life vnto our soules But of this it hath bene once before spoken at large in the question of Free will R. ABBOT We are so to affirme the effect of iustifying faith as may make good what the Scripture hath deliuered concerning it Which because the Church of Rome doth not in making faith precedent in time to iustification and grace M. Perkins iustly findeth fault therewith Our Sauiour saith a Ioh. 5.24 He that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed froÌ death to life Our passing from death to life is our iustification If euery one that beleeueth be passed from death to life then euery one that beleeueth is iustified or if there be any that beleeueth and yet is not iustified theÌ it is not true of euery one that beleeueth that he is passed from death to life To this place M. Perkins alluded though he quoted it not but M. Bishop thought it safest for him to say nothing of it To the other place his answer is a simple shift He that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the bodie and bloud of Christ I answer saith M. Bishop that our Sauiour in that text speaketh not of beleeuing but of eating his bodie in the blessed Sacrament But we answer him againe that if Christ speake of eating in the sacrament then it must follow that whosoeuer is not partaker of the sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ is excluded from life because our Sauiour expresly saith b Ioh. 6.53 Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you But so to say is absurd and false as in the example of the crucified theefe and many other is apparant and plaine Againe the Sacrament was not instituted long after and will M. Bishop exclude any faithfull that after this time died before that institution from that eating of the flesh of Christ and drinking of his bloud which Christ here recommendeth for the hauing of eternall life S. Austin saith that c Bedâ in 1. Cor. 10. ex August ser ad infantes in baptisme we are made partakers of the bodie and bloud of Christ so that though one die before he come to the Sacrament of the Bread and the Cup yet is he not depriued of the participation and benefit of that Sacrament seeing he hath found that alreadie which that Sacrament signifieth The Apostle testifieth that the fathers of the old Testament did d 1. Cor. 10.3.4 all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke not the same one with another as the e Rhem. Annot. 1. Cor. 10. Rhemistes for a shift expound it but f Aug. in Joan. tract 26. spiritualem eandem quem nos the same that we do For g Idem de vtilit penitent c. 1. Eundem non inuento quomodo intelligam nisi eundem quem manducamus nos I find not saith S. Austin how I should vnderstand The same but the same that we eate Therefore they also did eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud But their eating and drinking was not the participation of the Sacrament Therefore Christ by eating his flesh and drinking his bloud doth not import any thing tied to the participation of the Sacrament Yea the whole course of that text giueth vs plainely to vnderstand that Christ by eating his flesh and drinking his bloud meaneth the same as by beleeuing in him Therefore doth S. Austin by the one expound the other h Aug. in Ioan. tract 25. Crede manducasti Ibid. tract 26. Hortans vt credamus in eum Credere enim in eum hoâ est manducare pânem viuum Qui credit manducat Beleeue and thou hast eaten he exhorteth vs to beleeue in him for to beleeue in him that is to eate the bread of life he that beleeueth eateth And so saith he of the fathers eating and drinking that this i Idem de vtilit poenit Fide capiebatur non corpore hauriebatur spirituall meate and drinke was receiued by faith and not by the bodie Now if beleefe in Christ be imported by eating and drinking the flesh and bloud of Christ then M. Perkins proofe was not vaine but M. Bishop hath shewed himselfe a vaine man to giue so vaine an answer without any proofe thereof at all Without doubt k Ioh. 6.54 whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud hath eternall life But no man hath eternall life but he that is iustified and sanctified Whosoeuer therfore eateth and drinketh the flesh bloud of Christ is iustified sanctified But our beleeuing in Christ is our eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud So soone therfore as we beleeue in Christ we are iustified sanctified that it may be true which the Apostle saith that l Rom. 3.22 the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ is to all and vpon all that do beleeue which cannot be sayd if any beleeue vpon whom there yet is not the Righteousnesse of God to iustifie him before God The proofes that he alledgeth to the contrarie are verie simple and slender First he alledgeth the words of S. Paul m Rom. 10.13 Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued but how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued c. Where of iustification we heare not a word nor is any thing purposely meant thereof For the words which the Apostle citeth out of the Prophet Ioel touch not the order of iustification but import a promise to them that are iustified by faith in Christ and accordingly do call vpon the name of the Lord that in the calamities and confusion of the world God will preserue them to be partakers of euerlasting saluation Now we graunt that by order of nature there is a precedence of faith to iustification but we denie all prioritie in respect of time And whereas M. Bishop auoucheth that prayer goeth betwixt faith and iustification beside that it is not proued by the Apostles words it is verie vntrue and false For there can be no true prayer without n Zach. 12.10 Vulgat the spirit of grace and of prayer without o Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The spirit of adoption and grace is the spirit of sanctification It followeth then that we pray not but by being first sanctified and because sanctification is consequent to iustification it must follow also that iustification goeth before prayer so that in praying for the forgiuenesse of sinnes it commeth to passe with vs which the Prophet saith p Esa 6â 24 Before they call I will answer them Let M. Bishop order the matter how
6. 11. plainly professeth that he cannot tell whether he loue God or God loue him who saith that hope and charity are seated in the darke corners of the will and a man hath but onely coniectures and a probable opinion of the being thereof in himselfe What shall he then make bold of in name of friendship with Christ who knoweth not whether he be a friend to Christ or Christ to him As for the saying of Austine why he alledgeth it I know not vnlesse it be that he were onely desirous to say somewhat out of Austine S. Austine noteth that inherent iustice consisteth in charity which is the summe of the law which is the rule of iustice According therefore to the measure of our charity greater or lesse so is the measure of our righteousnesse We say the same but what is this to shew that charity is the fittest instrument to apply vnto vs the merit of Christ But that he may not dreame of iustification before God by any perfection of charity here let him remember what Saint Austine hath said thereof that f August epist 29. Supra cap. 2. sect 8. perfect charity is in no man so long as he liueth here that the lesnesse thereof to that that it ought to be is by reason of a default or corruption in vs by reason whereof no man liuing shall be iustified in the sight of God 30 W. BISHOP M. Perkins fourth Reason is taken from the iudgement of the auncient Church They are blessed Ambros in Rom. 4. to whom without any labour or worke done iniquities are remitted So no workes or repentance is required of them but onely that they beleeue To these and such like words I answer First that it is very vncertaine whether these Commentaries be Saint Ambroses Secondly that that Author excludeth not repentance but onely the workes of Moses law which the Iewes held to be necessary as circumcision and such like see the place and conferre with it that which he hath written in the same worke vpon the fourth to the Hebrewes where he hath these words Faith is a great thing and without it it is not possible to be saued but faith alone doth not suffice but it is necessary that faith worke by charity and conuerse worthy of God De verb. Ap. ser 40. M. Perkins next authority is gathered out of S. Augustine There is one propitiation for all sinners to beleeue in Christ True but where is it that we neede nothing else but to beleeue Leuit. li. 1. ca. 2. 3. Hesichius saith Grace which is of mercy is apprehended by faith alone and not of works that is we do not merit by our works done before grace any thing at Gods hand but of his mercy receiue both faith and iustification Sup. CaÌt. ser 22. 4. Bernard hath Whosoeuer thirsteth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in thee that being iustified by faith alone he may haue peace with God Answer By faith alone he excludeth all other meanes that either Iew or Gentile required but not charity which his very words include for how can we abhorre sinne and thirst after iustice without charity and in the same worke he declareth plainly Serm. 24. that he comprehendeth alwaies charity when he speakes of a iustifying faith saying A right faith doth not make a man righteous if it worke not by charity And againe Neither works without faith nor faith without works is sufficient to make the soule righteous Gal. 3. 5. Chrysostome they said he who rested on faith alone was accursed but Paul sheweth that he is blessed who rested on faith alone Answer He speakes of the Iewes who held Christians accursed because resting on the faith in Christ would not obserue withall Moses law Gal. 5. the Apostle contrariwise denounceth them accursed who would ioyne the ceremonies of Moses law with Christian religion and so faith alone there excludeth onely the old law not the workes of charity so he mangleth pittifully a sentence of S. Basils saying De Humil. Let man acknowledge himselfe to want true iustice and that he is iustified onlie by faith in Christ If a man know himselfe iustified by faith in Christ how can he acknowledge that he wants true iustice His words truly repeated are these Let man acknowledge that he is vnworthie of true iustice and that his iustification comes not of his desert but of the meere mercy of God through Christ So that by faith alone Saint Basil treating of humility excludes all merit of our owne but no necessarie good disposition as you may see in his Sermon de Fide where he proues by many texts of holy Scripture that charitie is as necessarie as faith M. Perkins last testimonie is out of Origen Rom. 3. Who proues as M. Perkins said that onely beleeuing without workes iustifieth by the example of the Theefe on the Crosse of whose good workes there is no mention Answer Origen excludeth no good disposition in vs to iustification but saith that a man may be saued without doing outwardly any good workes if he want time and place as the Theefe did who presently vpon his conuersion was put to death which is good Catholike doctrine but that you may perceiue how necessary the good dispositions before mentioned be to iustification you shall finde if you consider well all circumstances not one of them to haue bene wanting in that good Theefes conuersion First that he stood in feare of Gods iust iudgement appeares by these his words to his fellow Doest thou not feare God c. He had hope to be saued by Christ out of which he said O Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome By both which speeches is shewed also his faith both in God that he is the gouernour and iust iudge of the world and in Christ that he was the Redeemer of mankind His repentance and confession of his fault is laid downe in this And we truly suffer worthily His charity towards God and his neigbour in reprehending his fellowes blasphemie in defending Christs innocencie and in the middest of his greatest disgraces and raging enemies to confesse him to be King of the world to come out of all which we may gather also that he had a full purpose to amend his life and to haue taken such order for his recouery as it should please Christ his Sauiour to appoint So that he lacked not any one of those dispositions which the Catholike Church requires to iustification Now that that great Doctor Origen meant not to exclude any of these good qualities out of the companie of faith is apparant by that which he hath written on the next Chapter where he saith That faith cannot be imputed to iustice Rom. 4. to such as beleeue in Christ vnlesse they do withall put off the old man and a little before more plainly saying I thinke that faith is the first beginning of saluation hope is proceeding in the building but the
our good workes directly contrary to that which the Apostle defineth in the example of Iacob a Rom. 9.11 Before the children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not by works but by him that calleth it was said the elder shall serue the younger as it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau b August Ench. cap. 98. Qua in re si futura opera vel bona huius vel mala illius quae Deus vtique praesciebat vellet intelligi nequaquam diceret non ex operibus sed diââret ex futuris operibus eoque modo istam solueret quastionem c. Where saith S. Austine if the Apostle would that either the good workes of the one or the euill workes of the other that were to come should be vnderstood he would not haue said Not of works but would haue said for the workes that were to come and so would haue put the matter out of question c IdeÌ epist 105. Ideo inquiunt Pelagiani nondum natorum alium oderat alium diligebat quia futura eorum opera praetudebat Quit istum aâutissimum sensum Apostolo defuisse non miretur The Pelagians said as he obserueth that of them being not yet borne God therefore hated the one and loued the other because he did foresee their workes to come Who would not wonder saith he that this wittie conceipt should be wanting to the Apostle But his resolution euery where is that Gods election is the cause of our good workes not the foresight of our good workes the cause why God elected vs. To that purpose he alledgeth the words of the Apostle d Ephe. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him through loue e De praedest sanct ca. 8. Non quia futuri eramuâ sed vt essemus Et cap. 19. Non quia futures tales nos esse praesciuit sed vt essemus tales per ipsam electionem gratiae c. not saith he because we would be but that we should be not because he foreknew that we would be so but that we might be so by his election of grace The like he obserueth of the same Apostles words concerning himselfe f 1. Cor. 7.25 Aug. epist 105. I haue obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull not for that the Lord did foresee that he would be faithfull but by his mercy made him so to be It were too long to alledge all that might be alledged out of Austine as touching this point but Maister Bishop hauing very nicely touched it deferreth the rest to the question of merits where he saith nothing directly to it It seemeth he was ielous of the matter and therefore was loth to wade too farre least it should too plainly appeare that Pelagius and he are both fallen into one pit 35. W. BISHOP The fourth argument A man must be fully iustified before he can do a good worke and therefore good workes cannot go before iustification True not before the first iustification of a sinner But good Sir you hauing made in the beginning of this last Article a distinction betweene the first and second iustification and hauing before discussed the first and the second now remaining and expecting you why did you not say one word of it the matter being ample and well worthie the handling Albeit you will not willingly confesse any second iustification as you say yet had it bene your part at least to haue disprooued such arguments as we bring to proue a second iustification Yee acknowledge that there be degrees of sanctification but these degrees must be made downward of euill worser and worst for if all our sanctification and best workes be like vnto defiled cloutes and no better then deadly sinnes as you hold Pag. 76. else-where let any wise man iudge what degrees of goodnesse can be lodged in it Againe how absurd is that position that there is but one iustification whereby they take fast hold on Christs righteousnesse which can neuer after be either loosed or increased Why then do you with your brother Iouinian maintaine that all men are equally righteous If it so be let him that desireth to see you well coursed read S. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Gregory Lib. 2. con Iouin Epist 81. Epist 57. Hom. 15. in Ezech. At least we must needes vphold that a man is as iust and righteous at his first conuersion as at his death how godly a life soeuer he lead against which I will put downe these reasons following R. ABBOT If there can be no good workes before the first iustification of a sinner what shall we thinke of M. Bishops vertuous dispositions and works of preparation What are they vertuous and yet are they not good Nay he hath called them a Sect. 30. 32. before good qualities good dispositions good preparations and what were they good then and now are they not good Tell vs M. Bishop your mind are your works of preparation good workes or are they not good If they be not good then you haue spoken vntruly before in calling them good If they be good then it is vntruth that you say here that no good workes go before the first iustification of a sinner Either in the one or in the other you must needes confesse that you haue said amisse Now here he quarelleth with Maister Perkins as if he had said nothing to the matter in hand which is as he saith of the second iustification whereas Maister Perkins though noting their distinction of first and second iustification yet hath in hand wholy to exclude workes from iustification whence it must follow that they haue no place in any second iustification And the argument here propounded directly ouerthroweth his second iustificatioÌ though he would not see so much For if a man can do no perfect good works till he be fully iustified theÌ can he do no perfect good works till the second iustification be fulfilled For a man is not fully and perfectly iustified till he haue attained to full and perfect iustice Iustice is not full and perfect so long as any thing remaineth to be added vnto it There is still something to be added in their second iustification till it come to his full terme Therefore till then a man is not fully iustified Now the iustice that is not perfect if it be respected in it selfe cannot be pleasing vnto God It can therefore bring forth no good workes to merit at Gods hands There can therefore be no good workes whereby a man should merit their second iustification M. Bishop after his manner briefly reciteth the argument and hauing so done very scholerlike answereth to the conclusion graunting it in one sort when the premisses inferre it in another and yet braueth and faceth as if the matter were wholly cleare for him
example of outward life To inward holinesse and purity the other part of the sentence is to be referred He that is holy let him be sanctified still that is let him adde to his sanctification let him be more and more renewed let him still be a Ephe. 4.22.24 putting off the old man and putting on the new let him still b 2. Cor. 7.1 clense himselfe from all defilement of the flesh and of the spirit and finish or perfect his sanctification in the feare of God S. Iohn would not by both those speeches import one thing therfore seeing the latter without doubt importeth inward righteousnesse the other must needs be applied to outward workes As for that of Ecclesiasticus it is nothing to vs who admit no canonicall authority of that booke yet it prooueth nothing for M. Bishop nor against vs the words truly translated being these c Eccles 18.21 deferre not till death to be iustified that is put not off till death to repent to seeke forgiuenesse of thy sinnes according to that which in the former verse he hath said d Ver. 20. Humble thy self before thou be sicke whilest thou maiest yet sinne shew thy conuersion Here is nothing at all to prooue two iustifications in that sence that we here speake of as whereby a man being first iust becoÌmeth more iust before the iudgement seat of God Increase growth of inherent righteousnesse we ackowledge and require in all faithfull Christians and his paines is idlely bestowed in the proofe thereof We know what our Sauiour saith e Iohn 15.2 Euery one that beareth fruit in me the Father purgeth that he may bring forth more fruit what S. Peter exhorteth f 2. Per. 3.18 to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ We teach men to say with S. Paul g Phil. 3.12 Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but one thing I do I forget that which is behind endeauour my selfe to that which is before and follow hard towards the mark c. We teach with S. Bernard h Bernard in Purif ser 3. In viae vitae non progredi est regredi In the way of life not to go forward is to go backward and againe i Epist 123. Nolle proficere est deficere not to increase is to decrease k Epist 91. Vbi incipis noâe fieri melior ãâã etiâm dâsinis esse iââus where a man beginneth not to care to be better there he giueth ouer being good at all He need not therefore to prooue this matter vnto vs who teach it much more faithfully carefully then they do The place of Iames prooueth no other iustification but what we confesse that is an approouing declaring of his faith and iustification His works are a testimony that the Scripture hath truly rightly said of him l Iam. 2.23 Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Now M. Bishop should haue told vs in what other meaning it can be taken that S. Iames saith that in his workes the Scripture was fulfilled that saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse For if his workes were but the fulfilling of that Scripture how absurdly doth Maister Bishop go about to prooue in his workes an augmentation of that which by that Scripture is imported formerly to be done If his workes were but the fulfilling of that that was said of his iustification before how doth he thereby seeke to proue a second iustification Now the former testimonie of his iustification is to be considered which was long after Gods first calling of him m Gen. 12. seq when he had shewed his singular faith and obedience vnto God in going out of his owne country at the word of God when he had long called vpon the name of the Lord built many altars vnto him done him much seruice when he had long trauelled from place to place vnder his protection For after all this yet was he not iustified by his workes but onely of his n Gen. 15.6 beleeuing the Lord it is testified that it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse We would haue M. Bishop to tell vs whether Abraham before the time that this testimonie was giuen him were a iustified man or not he cannot deny it because Abraham had done many good works and he hath before said that there can be no good workes before the first iustification If he were iustified before then it appeareth that to a man already iustified not his workes but his faith is counted for righteousnes and because it cannot be thought that by one meanes he was iustified before and by another now it must needes be that as before to be iustified so now still being iustified his faith is counted to him for righteousnesse according as it is written o Hab. 2.4 The iust shall liue by faith Now if after he were iustified he did continue stil to be iustified by faith then to speake properly as we do of iustification in the sight of God there is one onely iustification whereby a mans p Rom. 4 5. faith is imputed to him for righteousnesse as the Apostle speaketh It must needes therefore follow that S. Iames speaketh of iustification in some other meaning then the Apostle S. Paule doth what that meaning is let him learne not of vs but of the auncient Church q Phot. apud Oecum in Rom. cap. 4. Non habuit Abrahâm opera absit Opera siquidem habuit vt si cum hominibus qui simul cum eo versabantur fuisset in iudicio constitutus facilè iustificatus fuisset illisque antepositus verum vt coram Deo ex suis operibus iustificaretur tanquam dignus aequalis sese praebens dignitatis cum ea quae inde praebebatur beneficentia dono nequaquam fuisset illam assecutus Vnde ergo bâ dignus est habituâ ex sola fide c. Solutio patet ex bu quomodo hiâ quidem Paulus ex fide ait iustificatum fuisse Abraham diuus autem Iaâobus ex operibus Had Abraham no workes saith Photius God forbid Verily he had workes so as that if he had bene brought in iudgement with the men with whom he liued he had easily bene iustified and preferred before them but that by his workes he should be iustified before God as worthie of the dignitie kindnesse and gift that was yeelded vnto him he would neuer haue attained to it but he had it by faith onely Hereby saith he the resolution is manifest how Saint Paule saith that Abraham was iustified by faith and Saint Iames that he was iustified by workes Here is a plaine distinction and difference deliuered that Saint Paule saith that by faith only a man is iustified before God but that it is before men with men that S. Iames meaneth a man is iustified by workes And this
Abraham he noteth to be this i Fidem eius bonae opera consecuta esse demonstrat to shew that good works ensued or followed his faith The drift of his speech is against them who k Qui sic acceperunt dictum per fidem sine operibus vt putarent cùm semel in Christum credi dissent etiamsi malè operarentur flagitiosè ac facinorosè viuerent saluos se esse posse per fidem so tooke it to be said by faith without workes as that they thought that when once they had beleeued in Christ albeit they wrought euill and liued wickedly and leudly yet they might be saued by faith The error of these men he reformeth thus l Non ita intelligendum est vt accepta fide si vixerit dicamus eum iustum etiamsi walè vixerit It is not so to be vnderstood that a man is iustified by faith without workes as that hauing receiued the faith if he liue we should call him iust although he liue amisse By which phrase of receiuing the faith it appeareth that there is onely that faith here meant which consisteth in outward profession and receiuing of baptisme which is farre from that faith to which the holy Scripture attributeth iustification and saluation In all which speech S. Austin saith nothing against vs nothing which we auouch not as well as he but onely that vnder the name of iustification he containeth not onely forgiuenesse of sinnes wherin iustification properly consisteth but that also which we distinctly call sanctification consisting in the inward renewing of vs to holines and righteousnesse which the Scripture plainly distinguisheth as we do In the other place alledged he notably oppugneth that which M. Bishop would faine maintaine He toucheth three things appertaining to our saluatioÌ which towards it we haue alreadie attained Predestination vocation iustification Of this last he saith m Aug. de ver Apost Ser 16. Quid est iustificari Audemus dicere âam hoc tertium habere nos Et erit quisquaem nostrúm qui audeat dicere Iustus sum Puto enim hoc esse Justus sum quod est Peccator non sum si audes hoc dicere occurrit tibi Ioannes si dixerimus c. Quid ergo Nihil habemus de iustitia an habemus sed non totum habemus Hoc ergo quaramus c. What is meant by being iustified Dare we say that we haue this third thing alreadie And is there any man that dares say I am iust for I thinke it to be all one to say I am iust as to say I am no sinner If thou be bold so to say S. Iohn meeteth with thee saying If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues c. What then haue we nothing of righteousnesse or haue we But yet we haue not all Let vs then seeke after this for if we haue some part and some part we haue not let that increase which we haue and that shall be supplied which we haue not He plainely confesseth that by that iustification which he speaketh of we haue but somewhat of inherent righteousnes and that we haue still somewhat of sinne and therefore that we are not as yet so iust by that iustification as that thereby we may stand for iust in the sight of God because we cannot stand for iust in his sight before whom perforce we must confesse our selues to be sinners But M. Bishop teacheth farre otherwise as we haue seene before that a man by baptisme is made as void of sinne as Adam was in the state of innocencie and therefore hath no need greatly to feare the rigorous sentence of a iust iudge Now of that righteousnesse that we haue S. Austin saith that it is to grow and increase that we n Ibid. Grati simus ex eo quod habemus vt addatur quod non habemus are to be thankefull for that we haue that that may be added which we haue not c. We teach in the like sort but yet withall we teach as he doth that it neuer so farre increaseth in this life but that it leaueth vs still to confesse our selues sinners and therefore that it neuer bringeth vs to that as that we can thereby be iustified in the sight of God This is the point Increase of inward and inherent righteousnesse we say there ought to be and is no man doubteth no man maketh question of it but we deny that we merit any iustification by our workes or grow by our owne righteousnesse to be reputed iust before the iudgement seate of God neither doth Saint Austine euer affirme the same 37 W. BISHOP Nothing then is more certaine and cleare then that our iustification may daily be augmented and it seemeth to me that this also be granted in their opinion For they holding faith to be the onely instrument of iustification cannot deny but that there are many degrees of faith it is so plainely taught in the word O ye of litle faith Mat. 8. Luc. 19. And then a litle after I haue not found so great faith in Israel and O Lord increase our faith and many such like where many different degrees of faith are mentioned How then can the iustification which depends vpon that faith not be correspondent vnto that diuersitie of faith but all one Againe Master Perkins deliuereth plainely Pag. 54. That men at the first are not so well assured of their saluation as they are afterward if then in the certaintie of their saluation which is the prime effect of their iustification they put degrees they must perforce allow them in the iustification it selfe And thus much of this question The obiections which Master Perkins makes for vs in this Article Pag. 201. do belong either to the question of merits or of the possibilitie of fulfilling the law or to the perfection of our iustice and therefore I remit them to those places and will handle the two latter points before I come to that of merits R. ABBOT That inherent righteousnesse may be increased we confesse but we deny that our iustification before God consisteth therein but onely in the merit and obedience of Christ which needeth no increase because it is fully absolute and perfect in euery respect in it selfe But Master Bishop according to his opinion muffled in the mists of ignorance telleth vs that there must needes be diuers degrees of iustification in our meaning because there are diuers degrees of faith and diuers degrees of assurance of saluation But we answer him that that necessarily followeth not because although the instrument whereby we receiue is in some stronger and in some weaker yet the thing receiued is one and the same to both The price of redemption in the shedding of the bloud of Christ is one and alike to all and euery faithfull man but yet it is not alike apprehended by euery one There is perfect righteousnes required of vs and the same is yeelded vnto vs in Christ There
his argument must be this Whosoeuer is bound to do the duties of the first and second Table is bound to sinne But euery man is bound to do the duties of the first and second Table therefore euery man is bound to sinne His Prosyllogisme for the proofe of his maior proposition out of his owne words must arise thus Whosoeuer necessarily sinneth in doing the duties of the first and second Table is bound to sinne but whosoeuer is bound to do the duties of the first and second Table necessarily sinneth in the doing therof therefore whosoeuer is bound to do the duties of the first and second Table is bound to sinne Here his maior proposition is apparently absurd for though a man by reason of infirmity cannot but sinne in doing his duty yet it is the duty onely that he is bound to and not to the sinne because the sinne is not implyed in the dutie but ariseth by casuall and accidentall necessitie from the condition of the man Now therefore a man may doubt whether is greater in this man his malice or his ignorance In respect of his malice we may vse to him the words of the Prophet Dauid c Psal 52.3.5 Thy tongue imagineth wickednes and with lies thou cuttest like a sharpe razor Thou hast loued to speake all words that may do hurt O thou false tongue In respect of his ignorance we may iustly scorne him as a presumptuous and sawcie companion who being of so base qualitie and not knowing how to frame an argument aright would take vpon him to encounter a whole armie of learned men and so insolently dedicate his vnlearned fooleries to the King 47. W. BISHOP First they alledge these words Enter not O Lord Psal 141. into iudgment with thy seruant because no liuing creature shall be iustified in thy sight If none can be iustified before God it seemes that none of their workes are iust in his sight Answer There are two common expositions of this place among the ancient Fathers both true but farre from the Protestants purpose The former is S. Augustines S. Ieromes De perf iustic Epist ad Ctâs S. Gregories in his Commentaries vpon that place who say that no creature ordinarily liueth without many veniall sinnes for the which in iustice they may be punished sharpely either in this life or else afterward in Purgatory Wherefore the best men do very prouidently pray vnto God not to deale with them according vnto their deserts for if he should so do they cannot be iustified and cleared from many veniall faults And therefore they must all craue pardon for these faults or else indure Gods iudgements for them before they can attaine vnto the reward of their good deedes The second exposition is more ordinarie with all the best Writers vpon the Psalmes as S. Hilarie S. Hierome S. Arnobius S. Euthimius and others which is also S. Augustins S. Gregories All these say Lib. ad Croâia cap. 10. lib. 9. moral cap. 1. that mans iustice in comparison of the iustice of God will seeme to be no iustice at all and so take these words No creature neither man nor Angell shall be iustified in thy sight that is if his iustice appeare before thine and be compared to it For as the stars be bright in themselues shine also goodly in a cleare night yet in the presence of the glittering Sun beams they appeare not at all euen so mans iustice although considered by it selfe it be great perfect in his kind yet set in the sight presence of Gods iustice it vanisheth away and is not to be seene This exposition is taken out of Iob where he saith I know truly it is euen so that no man compared to God Iob 9. shal be iustified Take the words of the Psalme in whether sence you list that either we haue many veniall faults for which we cannot be iustified in Gods sight or else that in the sight of Gods most bright iustice ours will not appeare at all and it cannot be thereof iustly concluded that euery worke of the righteous man is stained with sinne and consequently the place is not to purpose R. ABBOT I would wish thee gentle Reader well to obserue M. Bishops twofold answer to this place The more cleare these words of Scripture are against the inherent righteousnesse of man the more notably his singular impudencie appeareth in seeking to shift them off Dauid saith it a Prophet saith it a man after Gods owne heart saith it a Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no man liuing shall be iustified or found iust in thy sight Now M. Bishop answâreth that this is spoken in respect of veniall sinnes without which no creature liueth and for which a man may in iustice be punished sharpely either in this life or in Purgatorie Where it is to be obserued that he hath told vs in the Section last saue one that veniall sinne is no formall transgression of Gods law by reason whereof they hold that b Rhem. Testim 1. Ioh. 1.8 veniall sinnes consist with true iustice and hinder it not So saith Andradius c Andrad Orth. explicat lib. 5. Iustitiam euertere nullo pacto possunt neque perfectam ab solutam legis obedientiam quoquo modo impedire They can no way ouerthrow iustice nor in any sort hinder the perfect and absolute obedience of the law So then Dauids prayer must be this Enter not into iudgement with me for veniall sinnes for by reason of veniall sinnes which hinder not but that a man is iust no man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight Which exposition being apparently lewd and shamelesse yet he hath learned of his maister Bellarmine to countenance it with the names of them who neuer thought any such thing He alledgeth Austin who in the place by him cited hath not a word to tâat effect which maketh him to set none downe because indeed there are none But in the place mentioned the same Austin rightly saith d Aug. de perfe iustit Superexalâat misericordia iudiâio Quod si noÌ esset quae spes esseâ Quando quidem cùm rex iustâs federit in throâo quis glo ritbitur se castuÌ habere cor aut quis gloriabitur se esse immuâem à peccato Were it not that mercy reioyceth ouer iudgement what hope should there be For when the iust King shall sit vpon his throne who shall glorie that he hath a cleane heart or reioyce that he is free from sinne If no man shall be able then to challenge to himselfe a cleane heart where is that perfect iustice of workes which Master Bishop dreameth of which cannot come but from a cleane heart He citeth in the second place the reuerend Father Saint Hierome who beside that he saith nothing for him speaketh expresly and directly against him e Hieron ad Câesiphont Quando âicit In coÌspectu tuo hoc intelligi
this our vertue which commeth not of God but is attributed vnto our selfe as proceeding onely from our selues is the very vice of pride and cannot be preiudiciall vnto true good workes all which we acknowledge to proceede principally from the grace of God dwelling in vs. He saith further with S. Augustine that in this life we cannot attaine vnto perfect purity such as shall be in heauen reade the beginning of his first and second booke of Morals and there you shall finde him commending Iob to the skies as a good and holy man by his temptations not foiled but much aduaunced in vertue R. ABBOT These arguments the most of them are foisted in of his owne head there being none of ours that alledgeth them to that purpose to which he produceth them But thus because he would be taken for a valiant warriour he maketh himselfe a man of straw to fight with and with all his might bestirreth himselfe against a shadow But the worth of his answers is first to be seene in that which he saith to the words of the Apostle a Psal 32.2 Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne The best men sinne venially saith he and are happy when those their sinnes be pardoned Now the Apostle expoundeth the forgiuenesse or not imputing of sinne there spoken of to be the imputation of righteousnesse But the forgiuenesse of their veniall sinnes is not the imputation of righteousnesse because without any forgiuenesse of veniall sinnes a man continueth righteous and iust as wherein there is no breach of iustice and righteousnesse and notwithstanding the same a man is iust in the sight of God as out of the Romish doctrine was shewed in the section last sauing one Therefore forgiuenesse of sinnes spoken of in that place cannot be vnderstood of veniall sinnes Againe he maintaineth in the question of Satisfaction that forgiuenesse of sinnes taketh not away the temporall punishment of sinne How then is a man happie when those veniall sinnes be pardoned if for want of satisfaction he remaine still to pay deare for them as he speaketh in his Epistle in Purgatory fire He bringeth in a place of Cyprian as idlely as he did the former texts To that which he saith we answer him that it is by the grace of Christ through the forgiuenesse of sins that the wounds which the faithfull man receiueth be not mortall His foiles and wounds of themselues are such as that he must say with Dauid b Psal 130.3 If thou O Lord be extreame to marke iniquities who can stand c Aug. in Psal 129. Vidit propè totaÌ vitaÌ humanaÌ circuÌlatrari peccatis suit accusari omnes coÌscientias cogitationibus suis non inueniri castum cor praesumens de iustitia sua Si ergo cor castuÌ non potest inuenirs quod praesumat de sua iustitia prasumat omnium cor de miserecordia Dei dicat si c. He saw saith S. Austine the whole life of man in a manner to be barked at on euery side with his sinnes all consciences to be accused by their owne thoughts that there is not a cleane heart found that can presume of it owne righteousnesse If then therâ cannot be found a cleane heart which may presume of it owne righteousnesse let the hearts of all presume vpon the mercy of God and say If thou markest iniquities O Lord who shall abide it Let Maister Bishop marke it well that in this warfare there is no heart cleane that can presume of it owne righteousnesse and that we haue nothing to rest vpon but onely Gods mercy To the place of Hierome he saith that all iust men confesse themselues to sinne venially But iust men confesse their sinnes in the same meaning as they say Forgiue vs our trespasses They say Forgiue vs our trespasses as S. Austin saith the Apostles did as we heard before for those sinnes for which they say also Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants for in thy sight no man liuing shall be iustified They confesse therefore such sinnes as hinder them from being iustified in the sight of God which M. Bishop saith his veniall sinnes do not The repeating of the whole sentence of Hierome is a sufficient answer to him the latter part whereof he concealeth because it taketh away his glose vpon the former d Hieron cont Pelag li. 1. Tunc iusti âumus quaÌdo nos peccatores fatemur et iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex Dei consistit miserecordia Then are we iust when we coÌfesse our selues to be sinners and our righteousnesse standeth not vpon our owne merit but vpon the mercy of God If our righteousnesse consist in the acknowledgement of our sinnes and in the mercy of God pardoning and forgiuing the same then is there in vs no such perfection as M. Bishop speaketh of neither can any worke come from vs that can haue the title of absolute and perfect righteousnesse before God And this will be yet more by that that in the next place is alledged out of Saint Austine who noting diuers degrees of charity saith that e Aug. epist 29. Plenissima charitas qua iaÌ augeri non potest quamdiu hìc homo vinit est in nemine QuaÌdiâ autem augeri potest profectò quicquid minus est quà m âebet ex vitio est the most perfect charity no further to be increased is in no man so long as he liueth here and so long as it may be increased that that is lesse then it ought to be is by reason of a corruption or default Now hereto Saint Austine addeth not onely that which Maister Bishop mentioneth though he mention it also by halfe f Ex quo vitio ãâã est iustuâ c. By reason of which g Vitij nomen maximè solet esse corruptio Aug. de li. aââiâ lib 3. cap. 14. corruption there is not a man iust vpon earth which doth good and sinneth not but also another sentence which he concealeth h Ex quo vitio non iustificaââtur c. By reason of which corruption no man liuing shall be iustified in the sight of God Now if by reason of a corruptioÌ remaining in vs there be such an imperfection of charity which is the substance of inherent iustice as that no man liuing shall be iustified in Gods sight then can no good worke proceede from vs which can be said to be perfectly and entierly goâd For from an vnperfect cause cannot come a perfect effect i Bern in Cant. ser 71. Si radix in vitio ramus If the roote be faulty the braunch also must be so A lame legge cannot yeeld an vpright and stedfast gate Therefore needes must there be a lamenesse and blemish in all the good workes that issue from vs. For charity is not such as it ought to be till we loue the Lord our God with all our soule But k Aug. de perfect iustit
and frailty it becommeth defectiue and faulty if God call it to precise and strict examination iudgement Euen as elsewhere he saith againe y Ibid cap. 11. Omnis humana iustitia iniustitia esse cânuincitur si districtè iudicetur Prece ergò post iustitiaÌ indâget vt quae succumbere discussa poterat ipsa iudicis pietate conualescat All the righteousnesse of man is conuicted to be vnrighteousnesse if it be strictly iudged it needeth therefore praier after righteousnesse that that which being sifted might quaile by the meere piety of the Iudge may go for good Where I hope that M. Bishop though he will say much yet will not say that Gregory meant that we should pray that the righteousnesse which we do of our owne strength by the piety and clemencie of the Iudge may stand for good And if he dare not so say then it followeth that of that righteousnesse which in this life we attaine to by the gift of God Gregory saith that it is found to be defectiue and to come short of perfect righteousnesse and thereby to be vnrighteousnesse if seuere and strict account be taken of it which more peremptorily he affirmeth elsewhere saying z Ibid. ca. 18. Si remota pietate discutimur opus nostrum paena dignuÌ est quod remunerari praemijs praestolamur c. Restat vt postquaÌ bonuÌ opus agitur lachrymae expiationis exquâraÌtur quatenus ad aeterna praemia meritum recti operis subuebat humilitas postulationis If we be iudged without mercy our worke is worthy to be punished which we expect to haue rewarded Therefore the teares of expiation as he speaketh are required that humble praier may lift vp the merit of our good worke to the obtaining of eternall reward So that howsoeuer he commend Iob as well he might sure I am that both Iob and he condemne M. Bishop as a proud Pharisee maintaining the righteousnesse of man against the righteousnesse of God to the impeaching of the glory of God Which he doth also by his quillet of attributing good workes principally to the grace of God not wholy but principally that so he may reserue some place at least to the free will of man because he cannot endure that no part of glory should redound to man To be short it appeareth both by that that is said here and that that hath bene a Sect. 4.44 45. before alledged that Gregory doth not bereaue man only of that perfection that shall be in heauen but also of that that is required by duty ought to be in him here vpon the earth 50. W. BISHOP Now before I depart from this large question of iustification I will handle yet one other question which commonly ariseth about it it is Whether Faith may be without Charity I prooue that it may so be first out of these words of our Sauiour Manie shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord Math. 7. haue we not prophecied in thy name haue we not cast out diuels haue we not done many miracles to whom I wil confesse that I neuer knew you depart from me all yee that worke iniquity That these men beleeued in Christ and perswaded themselues assuredly to be of the elect appeareth by their confident calling of him Lord Lord and the rest that followeth yet Christ declareth manifestly that they wanted charity in saying that they were workers of iniquity 2. When the King went to see his guests Math. 22. He found there a man not attired in his wedding garment and therfore commanded him to be cast into vtter darknesse This man had faith or else he had not bene admitted vnto that table which signifieth the Sacraments yet wanted charity which to be the wedding garment besides the euidence of the text is also proued where in expresse termes Apoc. 1â The garments of Christs Spouse is declared to be the righteousnesse and good works of the Saints And that with great reason for as S. Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 13 Faith shall not remaine after this life With what instrument then trow you will the Protestants lay hold on Christs righteousnesse That charity is that wedding garment S. Hierome vpon the same place doth witnesse saying That it is the fulfilling of our Lords commandements And S. Gregory doth in expresse words define it Hâm â8 in Euang. Can. â2 in Mat. Tract ââm Maââ Math. 25. What saith he must we vnderstand by the wedding garment but charity So do S. Hilary and Origen and S. Chrysostome vpon that place 3. The like argument is made of the foolish Virgins who were part of the Kingdome of God and therefore had faith which is the gate and entrance into the seruice of God Yea in the house of God they aspired vnto more then ordinarie perfection hauing professed Virginitie yet either caried away with vaine glorie as S. Gregory takes it or not giuing themselues to the workes of mercy spirituall and corporall as S. Chrysostome expounds it briefly not continuing in their former charitie for faith once had cannot after the Protestants doctrine be lost were shut out of the kingdome of heauen albeit they presumed strongly on the assurance of their saluation as is apparent by their confident demaunding to be let in for they said Lord Lord open vnto vs. Iohn 12. 4. Many of the Princes beleeued in Christ but did not confesse him for they loued more the glory of men then the glory of God What can be more euident then that these men had faith when the holy Ghost saith expresly that they beleeued in Christ which is the onely act of faith and yet were destitute of charitie which preferreth the glorie and seruice of God before all things in this world R. ABBOT That there may be faith without charitie we make no question but the question is of that faith whereby we are iustified or wherin standeth our iustification before God It is to be knowne that faith is of diuers sorts there is a faith which is called a Tit. 1.1 the faith of the elect as being peculiar vnto them and for which men are called b Ephe. 1.1 faithfull and there is a faith by which the c Iam. 2.19 diuels also are said to beleeue and yet are not to be called faithfull There is a faith whereby we d Ibid. beleeue that there is one God and there is another faith whereby e Iohn 14.1 we beleeue in God There is a faith whereby Simon Magus f Act 8.13.21 beleeued whose heart was not right in the sight of God and there is a g Act. 15.9 faith whereby God purifieth the heart There is a h Iam 2 20. dead faith and there is a i Gal. 2.20 faith whereby we liue and Christ liueth in vs. There is a k 1 Tim. 1.5 faith vnfained and thereby we vnderstand that there is also a fained faith There is a faith that consisteâh in l
Oecumen in Iac. ca. 2. De simplici assensu fideÌ dicere solemus c. Rursum coÌsecutionem ex affectu procedeÌtem cum firmo assensu nomine fidei vocamus bare assent of the vnderstanding and there is a faith that implyeth the affection of the heart and will There is a faith whereby m Iohn 3.15 he which beleeueth shall neuer perish and there is a faith whereby some n ââk 8.13 beleeue for a time and in time of temptation go away There is a faith which the world o 2. Tim. 2.18 destroyeth and there is p 1. Iohn 5.4 a faith which is our victorie whereby we ouercome the world According to these differences there is q Iam. 2.14 a faith without workes and there is r Gal. 5.6 a faith which worketh by loue We affirme then of the faith of the elect whereby we beleeue in God to which the promise of iustification and eternall life is made that it is a faith which cannot be separated from charity and good workes but wheresoeuer it is there is infallibly ioined with it the loue of God bringing forth Å¿ Phil. 1.11 the fruites of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ to the glory and praise of God Now as touching this faith M. Bishops arguments must be vnderstood or else they are nothing against vs and being so vnderstood a man would wonder that a wise man should shew so much folly to bring arguments so impertinent and friuolous as he hath done The first is taken from the words of reprobate hypocrites who t Mat. 7.22 at that day shall say vnto Christ Lord Lord haue we not prophecied in thy name c. to whom he shall professe saying I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity They shall say Lord Lord therefore they beleeued in Christ and were perswaded assuredly that they were of the elect the conclusion as well agreeing to the antecedent as a goose feather to a foxes taile It is to be noted that faith is grounded vpon the word of God and the thing which it beleeueth is that that God hath said Thus the Apostle telleth vs that u Rom. 10.17 faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God and therefore calleth the word of God x Ver. 8. the word of faith because that is the obiect and matter of faith Whatsoeuer we conceiue towards God beside the word of God it is opinion imagination presumption but faith it is not Now the word of God denounceth that x Psal 11.6 the soule of the Lord hateth them that loue iniquitie that y Psal 92 9. all the workers of iniquity shall be destroied that Christ shall say to them at the last day Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie If then there be no faith but by the word of God and the word of God denounce destruction to the workers of iniquity how can it be said that the workers of iniquitie haue faith to perswade themselues assuredly that they are of the elect S. Austine saith z Aug. de verb. Dom. ser Qui fidem hâbet sine spe dilectione ChristuÌ esse credit non in Christum credit He who hath faith without hope and charity beleeueth that Christ is but he beleeueth not in Christ For a Cyprian de simplic praelat Credere se in Christum quomodo dicit qui non facit quod Christus facere praecepit how doth he say that he beleeueth in Christ saith Cyprian who doth not what Christ hath commanded vs to do How then doth M. Bishop say that these beleeue in Christ in whom he confesseth there is no charity no loue to Christ to do those things which he commandeth They of whom Christ speaketh as the words very plainly import are heretikes schismatikes false Apostles false teachers yea and such also as though they preach the truth of Christ yet preach it not truly sincerely but b Phil. 1.15.18 of enuie and strife and vnder a pretence who vnder the name of Christ c Gap 2.21 seeke their owne and not that that is Christs making the word of God to serue them themselues not seruing it vsing the Gospell for their purpose when they haue no true purpose for the Gospel d Psal 50.16.17 taking the testament of Christ in their mouthes but hating to be reformed thereby e Tit. 1.16 professing to know God when by their deeds they deny him To the name of Christ euen in the mouthes of such wicked men God somtimes doth that honour as that miracles are done thereby diuels are cast out great effects are wrought wherin they much glory in respect thereof assume much vnto themselues These in the end not of faith but for feare wheÌ they shal see that which they beleeued not that f Phil. 3.19 damnation is their end shall in perplexity of mind cry vnto Christ whoÌ before they regarded not and therefore by him now shall be reiected Of such though professing to know God and prophecying in the name of Christ yet the Apostle saith as the vulgar Latine translateth and as the word well beareth that they are g Tit. 1 16. vnbeleeuers yea as Thomas Aquinas expoundeth it h Thom. Aquin. in Tit. 1. lect 4. Non apti ad credendum not fit to beleeue And if they be vnbeleeuers why doth M. Bishop say they haue faith or if they haue faith why doth the Apostle say that they are vnbeleeuers Surely they that beleeue destruction to be the end of the works of iniquity will be carefull to auoid the same Cyprian truly saith i Cyprian de simplic praelat Metueret conscientiae nostra si crederet quia non credit omnino nce metuât si autem crederet caueret Si caueret euaderet Our conscience would be afraid if it did beleeue because it beleeueth not therefore it feareth not If it did beleeue it would take heede and if it did take it should auoide or escape namely the punishments to come whereof he speaketh in that place The cause why men k Heb. 4.2 profit not by the word of God is because it is not mingled with faith in those that heare it Where there is faith men profit by it and it is the l 2. Cor. 2.16 sauour of life vnto life but where faith is wanting it commeth to passe which Ambrose saith m Ambros in 1. Thess ca. 4. TraÌseunt hinc in gehennam vt ediscant verum esse quod credere noluerunt They go from hence to hell that there they may learne that that is true which here they would not beleeue Thus it commeth to passe with them of whom M. Bishop here speaketh who either preach their owne deuices vnder the name of Christ or mingle not that with faith in themselues which they preach to be beleeued of other men There is not so much as one word in the text whence he should conclude that
euer they were endued with true faith The next of his arguments is taken from the man that came to the wedding n Math. 22.11 not hauing on a wedding garment This argument he handleth very learnedly First he saith that this man had faith which because he knew we would denie therefore for proofe thereof he addeth that else he had not bene admitted to the table which signifieth the sacraments But this needeth as much proofe as all the rest nay it cannot be prooued at all For men are admitted to the sacraments by men and they are admitted for profession of faith when they that admit them cannot tell whether they haue faith or not For as Hilary saith o Hilar. in Mat. ca. 22. In fallendis hominibus plurimum artis solet habere simulatio Et paulò post Humana simplicitas difficilè fraudulentiam simulatae mentis intelligit hypocrisie is wont to vse much art to deceiue men and humane simplicity hardly perceiueth the fraud of a dissembling mind Many pretend that which is not in them and make profession of faith with the mouth when in the heart they haue no faith at all p Aug. in Psal 7. Postquam in tanto culmine nomen coepit esse ChristianuÌ creuit hypocrisis id est simulatio eorum qui nomine Christiano malunt hominibus placere quà m Deo Since the name of Christianity hath begun to be in so high regard the hypocrisie of men hath increased that is the dissembling of them who by bearing the name of Christians regard more to please men then God Now sith all these are admitted to the sacraments and yet q 2. Thess 3.2 Tho. Aqui. ibid. Licet videantur habere eam non tamen habent veram all haue not faith it followeth not that because men are admitted to the sacraments therefore they haue faith nay it is a very ridiculous and childish proofe Wherefore as it is said that this man wanted charity so we say that he wanted also faith and so M. Bishop is become as wise a man as he was before Let him then expound the wedding garment to be charity it shall hurt vs nothing For we will answer him that he wanted the wedding garment of charity because he wanted faith for had he had true faith he should also haue had loue because r Gal. 5.6 faith worketh by loue But the wedding garment is as well faith as loue It is indeed Iesus Christ himselfe of whom the Apostle saith Å¿ Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and againe t Gal. 3.27 so many as are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ Him we put on first by faith thereby making him ours and applying to our selues the benefit of his redemption that appearing before God in the scarlet garment of his obedience to bloudshed death we may by forgiuenes of sinnes be accepted for his sake thenceforth the residue of our spirituall attire may be put vpon vs whilest in putting on Christ we put on u Ephe. 4.24 the new man which according to God is created in righteousnes holinesse of truth whilest we x Col. 3.12 put on the bowels of mercie kindnesse humblenesse of mind meekenesse long suffering whilest by growing and increasing we are still y 1. Thess 5.8 putting on the brestplate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet Thus Chrysostome truly and rightly saith that z Chrysost Op. imperf hom 44. Nuptiale vestimentum est fides veraquae est per Iesum Christum iustitia eiuâ c. the wedding garment is true faith which is by Iesus Christ and the righteousnesse thereof or his righteousnesse And thus Ferus one of M. Bishops owne Doctors hath taught vs that the wedding garment which is Christ is put on two manner of waies a Perus in Mat. cap. 22. Primo internè per fideÌ cum peccatu tuis superinduu Christi iustitiaÌ c. Deinâe cùm externè charitatem eius aemulaeris first inwardly by faith when vpon our sinnes we put on his righteousnesse then outwardly when we imitate his loue The place which he alledgeth out of the Reuelation containeth nothing to the contrary b Apoc. 19.8 The fine linnen wherewith the bride and spouse of Christ is araied is * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the righteousnesses of Saints for so is the word in the plurall number Here is then first c Rom. 4.5.11 the righteousnesse of faith fully perfect in the bloud of Christ by the imputation of his obedience and merits and secondly the righteousnesse of good works and inward conformity vnto God begun in this life and fully to be perfected at the resurrection of the dead when Christ shall make his Church d Ephe. 5.27 a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but to be holy and without blame But the exception which he maketh why faith can be no part of this wedding garment is worthy to be noted He hath before told vs that the wedding supper importeth the Sacraments the vse whereof is onely in this life and here saith that faith cannot be the wedding garment because faith remaineth not after this life How many mile to London a poke full of plummes But howsoeuer that be his wisedome might conceiue that since the last iudgement dependeth respectiuely vpon that that hath bene precedent in this life therefore as with him the righteousnesse and good workes of the Saints which they haue wrought here are their wedding garment for the last day so we may also truly say that the faith whereby in this life we beleeue in Christ shall be our wedding garment then when as Saint Peter saith e 1. Pet 1â we shall receiue the end of our faith which is the saluation of our soules He alledgeth Hierome for his purpose very falsly or at leastwise very vainely The words of Hierome are these f Hieron in Math. cap. 22 Vestis nuptialis praecepta sunt Domini opera quae complentur ex lege EuaÌgelio nouique hominis efficiunt vestimentum The wedding garment are the commandements of the Lord and the workes which are made vp of the law and the Gospell and do make the garment of the new man Why doth he alledge these words to exclude faith froÌ being a part of the wedding garment when as one of the commandements of the Lord as S. Iohn telleth vs is this g 1. Iohn 3.23 that we beleeue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ when as h Iohn 6.29 this is the worke of God as our Sauiour saith that is a worke that God hath commaunded and wherein he is pleased that we beleeue in him whom he hath sent when as the workes that are made vp of the law and the Gospell consist not onely in charitie but in faith also I stand not vpon the rest of the testimonies which he bringeth for
no fained imagination but a cleare truth as hath bene before shewed The contrarietie and opposition that he conceiueth therin is his owne fond dreame no doctrine of ours We do not say that Christes merits are really in vs neither did Master Perkins giue him any word whereof to imagine it but onely that by imputation they are made really ours because they were vndertaken and done for vs euen as Christ the doer thereof is become really ours euen h Ierem. 23 6. the Lord our righteousnesse Whereas he saith that to say that Christ onely is the person in whome God is well pleased is to giue the lye to many texts of Scripture which testifie that God hath bene pleased towards Abraham Moses c. we suppose he doth not well vnderstand himselfe It is said of many that God was pleased with them or they pleased God but the question is in whome for whose sake by whose mediation God was well pleased towards them and that was onely in Christ onely for Christs sake accordingly as the Apostle Saint Paule saith of all the elect i Eph. 1.6 He hath made vs accepted in his beloued and Saint Peter that our k 1. Pet. 2.5 spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. And this prerogatiue the voyce of the Father giueth him from heauen l Mat. 3.17 This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased namely towards Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses Dauid and all towards whom he is well pleased Which seeing it was the plaine meaning of M. Perkins and M. Bishop acknowledgeth it to be true that Christ is he for whose sake God is pleased in all others what is it but childish and idle cauilling to make a question there where by his owne confession none is to be made Now where we say that we haue no righteousnesse to iustifie vs before God but only the righteousnesse of Christ nor any merit whereby to presume of heauen but onely the merit of Christ all our owne works being blemished and stained with sinne he biddeth vs tremble at that which thereupon necessarily followeth And what is that Marry that as we haue no righteousnesse but by imputation so we must looke for no heauen but by imputation But why should we not thinke that the merit of Christs obedience and righteousnesse is of sufficient value and estimation to purchase for vs the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting glorie Is it sufficient to purchase grace for vs to merit heauen for our selues and is it not sufficient it selfe to merit heauen for vs And if we haue no merit of our owne what should hinder but that we may say with Saint Bernard m Bernard in Cant. Ser. 61. Ego fidenter quicquid ex me mihi deest vsurpo mihi ex visceribus Domini quoniam misericordia effluunt c. Meritum proinde meum miserationes Domini Non planè sum maritiinops quamdiuille miserationum non fuerit Quòd si misericordiae Domini multa multus nihilo minus ego in meritis sum Whatsoeuer is wanting to me of my selfe I boldly take it vnto me out of the bowels of the Lord for they flow out with mercy My merit is the Lords mercy I am not poore in merit so long as he is not poore in mercy and if he be rich in mercie then am I also rich in merits Yea Bellarmine M. Bishops maister after that he hath swet and trauelled mightily to auouch the righteousnesse and merit of workes in the end being quite spent is content to retire into our port and draweth to this conclusion that n Bellar. de iust lib. 5. cap. 7. Propter incertitudineÌ propriae iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia benig nitate reponere because of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the perill of vaine glory the safest way is to repose our whole trust in the onely mercy and goodnesse of God Now if there be no saluation no heauen without merits and a man haue no merits of his owne by what merits shall the mercy of God saue him but onely by the imputation of the merits of Christ And will M. Bishop say of him that as he hath no merits but by imputation so he shall haue no heauen but by imputation Shall this be all the comfort of that which Bellarmine commendeth for the safest course to flie to the sole and onely mercie and goodnesse of God Yea saith M. Bishop for God as a most vpright iudge will in the end repay euery man according to his woorth What and do you M. Bishop expect that God in the end should repay heauen to you according to your woorth Go foole go leaue off this talke of merit and woorth learne to know God learne to know thy selfe learne to say with Chrysostome o Chrysost in Coloss hom 2. Nemo talem vitae conuersatio nem ostendit vt regno dignus esse possit sed totum donum est ipsius Dâ No man sheweth such conuersation of life as that he may be worthy of the kingdome but it is wholy the gift of God Was not p Mar. 1.7 Iohn Baptist worthie to loose the latchet of Christs shoe and dost thou thinke to be worthie to raigne with Christ But I leaue him here to be whipped with his own rod his owne conscience wil one day sting him sufficiently with the remembrance of these assertions As for the Protestants let him take no care for their worthinesse We beleeue that there is for vs in Christ a reall worthinesse for which we shall receiue a reall heauen But let him take heed lest whilest he feedeth himselfe with a conceipt of woorth where there is none he be deluded with a conceipt of heauen in his end and indeed find none nor euer attain to that which is prepared for them that maintaine the truth of the Scripture and glorie of God to their owne comfort But of worthinesse there will be further occasion to speake hereafter As for the place of Austine which he alledgeth as good to stand for him it was written by him when he was newly conuerted from the heresie of the Manichees in such words and phrases as seeme plausible to humane vnderstanding and iudgement which comparing one man with another expresseth to it selfe the difference by termes of worthie and vnworthie deseruing and hot deseruing howsoeuer to the sight and iudgement of God woorth desert are farre from all The purpose of S. Austine in that place is to shew the ordinarie course that God taketh that he will first haue vs to trauell in his seruice before we receiue the reward thereof as the Apostle declareth in saying q 2. Tim. 2.6 The husbandman must labour before he receiue the fruites But that S. Austine in maturitie and ripenesse of iudgement was very farre from M. Bishops fancie of merit may sufficiently appeare by one sentence of his where he saith
purchase he will prooue like the Laodiceans of whom the holy Ghost saith q Apoc. 3.17 Thou saiest I am rich and increased with goods and want nothing and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and blind and naked God will haue vs r Bernard in Cant. Ser. 50. to know at that day that not for the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but of his owne mercy he hath saued vs and that Å¿ Aug. in Ioan. tract 3. Quòd praemiuÌ in mortalitatis postea triâuit coroâat dona sua non merita tua in giuing the reward of immortality he crowneth not our merits but his owne gifts As for that which he alledgeth of those that receiued the talents and for the well vsing thereof were so bountifully rewarded it prooueth that God doth well requite the good vsage of the gifts that he bestoweth vpon vs but well he knoweth that of woorth of merit and desert there is nothing spoken there The talent is Gods gift and the well vsing of the talent is Gods gift and therefore the reward commendeth the mercy of God but can in no sort approoue any merit or desert of man But of reward more hereafter in the meane time M. Bishops sensible case is become sencelesse in this case M. Perkins like a Diuine hath set downe this first condition of merit and he hath answered it like a Farmer as being more sensible to make vse of a peece of ground then to dispute a question of the word of God Let vs see now whether he haue any better successe against the second 4. W. BISHOP The second That a man must do it of his own free will and pleasure and not of due debt carieth in shew an opposition but in deede there is no contradiction in it for a man may and euery honest man doth of his owne free will and pleasure pay his due debt but let vs pardon the disorder of words his meaning being nothing else but that the payment of that which is otherwise due debt caÌnot be any meritorious work to which S. Austine doth answer in these words Ser. 3. De verb. Apost O great goodnesse of God to whom wheÌ we did owe seruice by condition of our estate as bond-men do to their Lord yet hath he promised again again the reward of friends In which there is couched a comparison which being laid in the light will much helpe to the vnderstanding of this matter He that hath a slaue or bond-man may lawfully exact of him all kind of seruice without any wages Bread and a whip saith a Philosopher serue for a slaue Now suppose the Maister to be soueraigne gouernour of a state then if it please him to make his man free and withall a member of his common-weale the same man by performing many good offices to the state may iustly deserue of his Prince as great reward and promotion as any other of his subiects and yet may his Lord and olde Maister say truly to him all this that thou hast done or could do is but due bebt vnto me considering that thou wast my bond-man So fareth it with vs in respect of God all that we can do is due debt vnto him because he hath made vs and endowed vs with all that we either be or haue yet it hath pleased him as a most kinde Lord to set vs at liberty through Christ and to make vs Citizens of the Saints and as capable of his heauenly riches as the Angels if we will do our endeuour to deserue them and whereas he might haue exacted all that euer we could do without any kind of recompence yet he of his inestimable goodnesse towards vs doth neither bind vs to do all we can do and yet for doing that little which he commandeth hath by promise bound himselfe to repay vs a large recompence by which we may well vnderstand those words of our Sauiour Luk. 17. When you haue done all these things that are commanded you say that you are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that we ought to do True By our natiue condition we were bound to performe not only all these things that be now commanded but whatsoeuer else it should haue pleased God to command and this we must alwaies confesse to preserue true humility in vs yet God hath bettered our estate through Christ and so highly aduaunced vs that we not onely be Citizens of the Saints but his sonnes and heires and thereby in case to deserue of him a heauenly crowne and this is S. Ambrose exposition vpon the place S. Chrysostome pondering these words let vs say taketh it for a wholsome counsaile for vs to say that we be vnprofitable seruants least pride destroy our good works and then God will say that we be good and faithfull seruants as it is recorded Mat. 25. Vers 21. Againe we may truly say when we haue done all things commanded that we are vnprofitable seruants as venerable Bede our most learned countriman interpreteth Because of all that we do In Luc 17. no commodity riseth vnto God our Lord in himselfe who is such an infinite ocean of all goodnesses that he wanteth nothing Whereupon Dauid saith That thou art my God Psal 15. because thou standest in neede of no good that I can do R. ABBOT That that shall merit must be a worke done of a mans owne free will and pleasure and not of due debt The opposition of these termes is plaine and pregnant and M. Bishops instance to the contrary is absurâ A man doth willingly pay his debts but not vpon his own ãâã will and pleasure For what a man doth of his owne free will and pleasure it is at his owne choise to leaue it vndone if he list but it is not at an honest mans choise to pay his debts or not to pay but by necessary duty he is tied to the payment thereof There is no man but in common course of speech vnderstandeth a contradiction in those words but M. Bishop cannot let a rush go by him but he will be seeking a knot in it and being sicke of Pisoes disease albeit he know not how to speake yet he can by no meanes hold his peace But to shew that the paiment of that which is due debt may be a meritorious worke he alledgeth a testimony of S. Austine importing no such matter a Aug. de verb. Dom. ser 3. O magna bonitas Dei cui cum pro conditione obsequia redilere debeamus vtpote serââ Domino famuli Deo subiecti potenti maÌcipia redemptori aemicitiaruÌ nobis praemia repromittit vt à nobis obsequia debita seruitutis exterquâat O the great goodnesse of God saith he to whom whereas by our condition and state we are of duty to do seruice as bondmen to their Lord and as seruants vnto God as subiects to a Potentate and slaues to him that ransomed them yet doth promise vnto vs the reward of friendship that he
onely reasonably but fully worthy of euerlasting life that they haue a right to heauen and deserue it worthily and that God by his iustice oweth it vnto them These are downe-right lads that sticke not to vtter their mindes but M. Bishop he commeth in paltring with his Geometricall proportion and reasonable correspondence and like a young nouice is abashed to say all and by that meanes if good heede be not taken is likely to marre the market of merit to the harme of himselfe and the rest of them Hitherto then it appeareth that M. Perkins did rightly assigne those foure conditions or circumstances to be required in a meritorious work which standing good as they do there can be no merit because all the good that we do is Gods because in all we do but our duty because that that we do doth not fully satisfie our duty nor hath any due proportion or correspondence to the reward of heauen 7. W. BISHOP Exod. 20. His second testimonie is God will shew mercy vpon thousands in them that loue him and keepe his commandements Hence he reasoneth thus Where reward is giuen vpon mercy there is no merit but reward is giuen vpon mercy as the text proueth ergo Answere That in that text is nothing touching the reward of heauen which is now in question God doth for his louing seruants sake shew mercy vnto their children or friends either in temporall things or in calling them to repentance and such like but doth neuer for one mans sake bestow the kingdome vpon another vnlesse the party himselfe be first made worthy of it That confirmation of his that Adam by his continuall and perfect obedience could not haue procured a further increase of Gods fauour is both besides the purpose and most false for as well he as euery good man sithence by good vse of Gods gifts might day by day increase them And that no man thinke that in Paradise it should haue bene otherwise S. Augustine saith expresly That in the felicity of Paradise Jn Eâchir cap. 25. righteousnes preserued should haue ascended into better And Adam finally and all his posterity if he had not fallen should haue bene from Paradise translated aliue into the Kingdome of heauen this by the way R. ABBOT What when God promiseth mercy to thousands in them that loue him and keepe his commandements doth he meane his mercy to their children only and not to themselues and is the mercy that is promised only for earth and not for heauen Here M. Bishop as it appeareth was hardly bested when he could find no way to get out but by such a sencelesse and absurd shift But to take away that corrupt glose of his the Prophet Dauid expresly referreth all reward to Gods mercy a Psal 62.12 Thou O Lord art mercifull or mercy O Lord is to be ascribed vnto thee for thou rewardest euery man according to his work Which words are generall of euery man not signifying that which God doth to some for others sake but that which euery man receiueth for his owne worke and import not onely reward of temporall things because they are the words which the Scripture euery where vseth to signifie the reward that shall be giuen at that day Now then there is no merit either in things temporall or eternall because it is of mercy that God rewardeth euery man according to his workes And thus of Gods eternall mercy the same Prophet alluding to the words of the commaundement saith in another place b Psal 103.17 The mercy of the Lord is for euer and euer vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse towards their childrens children euen such as keepe his couenant and thinke vpon his commandements to do them It is Gods mercy then whereby to them that feare him and keepe his commaundements he giueth reward for euer and euer shewing himselfe iust also in performance of the same promise of his mercy to their childrens children But could not the blind man here see how by his owne answer he doth circumuent himselfe The place he saith must be vnderstood of temporall graces and benefits not of the reward of heauen So then by mercy God bestoweth the reward of temporall benefits but by merit he bestoweth the Kingdome of heauen Now how strange a thing is it and improbable that merits should extend to the purchase of the Kingdome of heauen and yet should not serue to purchase temporall benefits here vpon the earth c Hieron Si tanti vitruÌ quanti pretiosissimum margaritum If glasse be of so great price how much more woorth is a most pretious iewell If earth be so much woorth as that mercy onely can yeeld it shall we thinke that we haue merit to deserue heauen But we will leaue the man to his folly it may be when he hath better considered of the matter we shall haue of him some wiser answer In the meane time we acknowledge that God doth not for one mans sake bestow the Kingdome of heauen vpon another but yet of mercy he bestoweth it both vpon the one and vpon the other both vpon the fathers and vpon the children euen all that feare him and keepe his commaundements And fith of mercy he bestoweth it certaine it is that they haue no merit to deserue and chalenge it whosoeuer they be that loue him and keepe his commaundements That which he saith of Adam he saith it without booke and hath no warrant for that he saith As for the place of Austine though it containe nothing but what is probable yet we answer to it by a rule which the same S. Austine hath prescribed otherwhere that d Aug de peccat mer remiss lib. 2. ca. 36. Vbi de re obscurissima disputatur noÌ adiuuantibus diuinarum scripturarum certis clarisque documentu cohibere se debet humââa praesumptis nihil faciins in alteram parteÌ declinando where there is controuersie of a very obscure matter there being no certaine cleare instructions of holy Scriptures to helpe vs therein humane presumption is to stay it selfe doing nothing by inclining either way 8 W. BISHOP Now to the third Argument Rom. 6. Scripture condemneth merit of works The wages of sinne is death True But we speake of good workes and not of bad which the Apostle calleth sinne where were the mans wits but it followeth there That eternall life is the grace or gift of God This is to purpose but answered 1200. yeares past by that famous Father Saint Augustine in diuers places of his most learned Workes I will note one or two of them First thus here ariseth no small doubt De grat lib. arb cap. 8. which by Gods helpe I will now discusse For if eternall life be rendred vnto good workes as the holy Scripture doth most clearly teach note how then can it be called grace when grace is giuen freely and not repayed for workes and so pursuing the points of difficultie at large in
the end resolueth that eternall life is most truly rendred vnto good workes as the due reward of them but because those good workes could not haue bene done vnlesse God had before freely through Christ bestowed his grace vpon vs therefore the same eternall life is also truly called grace because the first roote of it was Gods free gift The very same answer doth he giue where he hath these words Epist 106. Eternall life is called grace not because it is not rendred vnto merits but for that those merits to which it is rendred were giuen in which place he crosseth M. Perkins proportion most directly affirming that S. Paule might haue said truly eternall life is the pay or wages of good workes but to hold vs in humilitie partly and partly to put a difference betweene our saluation and damnation chose rather to say that the gift of God was life eternall because of our damnation we are the whole and onely cause but not of our saluation but principally the grace of God the onely fountaine of merit and all good workes R. ABBOT M. Perkins alledged the whole words of the Apostle not to argue onely from the assertion expressed in the latter part that a Rom. 6.23 eternall life is the gift of God but also from the connexion of the whole sentence that whereas it being said that the wages of sinne is death the sequele of the speech if there were any merit in our workes should haue bene The wages of righteousnesse is eternall life he saith not so but the gift of God is eternall life and so both by that which he doth not say and also by that which he doth say sheweth that there is no place to be giuen to the merit and desert of man Now Maister Bishop taketh the first part of the sentence by it selfe The wages of sinne is death as if Master Perkins had thence argued against merit and asketh Where were the mans wits Surely his owne wits were not so farre from home but that he well knew wherein the proofe stood but we see he is disposed sometimes to shew his apish trickes that we may see how he can skippe and leape about the chaine howsoeuer he aduantage himselfe nothing at all thereby But at his pleasure he produceth the words which M. Perkins properly intended Eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. He telleth vs that the place is answered 1200. yeares past by S. Austine in diuers places of his works Now indeed it is true that S. Austine in diuers places of his works hath handled those words but the spite is that in none of all those places he hath said any thing to serue M. Bishop for an answer This may appeare by that that he saith in the very same booke and very next Chapter to that that M. Bishop citeth b August de grââ ãâã arbit cap. 9. Câââ posseâ dicere rectè dicere Stiââendâm iustitiae vita etârnâ maluââââeÌ dicere Gratia Dei c. vt intelligantus non pro meritâ nostru Deum nos ad vitam aeternaÌ seâ pro miseratione sua perducere de quo c. Whereas the Apostle might say and rightly say The wages of righteousnesse is eternall life yet he chose rather to say The grace of God is eternall life that we may vnderstand that not for our merits but for his owne mercies sake he bringeth vs to eternall life whereof it is said in the Psalme He crowneth thee in mercie and compassion Hereby it may seeme that S. Austine meant to yeeld M. Bishop small helpe by his expounding of this place to the maintenance of their merits But in the Chapter cited by M. Bishop she propoundeth the question c Ibid. cap. 8. Si vita aeterna bonus operibus redditur sicut apertissiââè dicit Scriptura Quoniam Deus redâes c quomodo gratia est vita aeterna cum gratia non operibus reddatur sed gratis detur c. how eternal life should be called the grace of God seeing that it is elsewhere said that God will render vnto euery man according to his workes The difficultie he sheweth to arise of this that that is called grace which is not rendred vnto workes but is freely giuen Whereof he citeth the words of the Apostle If it be of grace it is not of workes otherwise grace is no grace Then he solueth the question thus that d Intelligamus ipsa bona opera nostra quibus aeterna redditur vita ad Dei gratiam pertinere we must vnderstand that our good workes to which eternall life is rendred do belong also to the grace of God signifying that God of his mercie intending to giue vs eternall life doth by the same mercie giue vs those good workes to which he will giue it For conclusion of that Chapter he saith consequently that e Vita nostra bona nihil aliud est quâm Dei gratia sine dubio vita aeterna quae bonae vitae redditur Dei gratia est ipsa enim gratis âata est quia gratis data est illa cui datur sed illa cui datur tantum modo gratia est haec autem quae illi datur quomaÌ praemiuÌ eius est gratia est pro gratia tanquam merces pro iustitia vt verum sit c. because our good life is nothing else but the grace of God therefore vndoubtedly eternall life which is rendred vnto good life is the grace of God for that is freely giuen because that is freely giuen to which it is giuen But good life to which eternall life is giuen is onely grace eternall life which is giuen to good life because it is the reward thereof is grace for grace as it were a reward for righteousnesse that it may be true as it is true that God will render to euery man according to his workes In all which discourse plainely he sheweth that good life is the grace and gift of God and when God rendreth thereto eternall life he doth but adde one grace to another grace which although it be as it were a reward for righteousnesse yet is indeed but grace for grace Which fully accordeth with that that was cited out of him before that f Supra Sect. 2. August in Psal 109. Whatsoeuer God promised he promised to men vnworthy that it might not be promised as a reward to works but being grace might according to the name be freely giuen because to liue iustly so farre as a man can liue iustly is not a matter of mans merit but of the gift of God So that although eternall life be as it were a reward of righteousnesse in consequence and order yet absolutely to speake it is not so because both the one and the other are only the grace and gift of God Now if God by his free gift intending to vs eternall life do giue vs his grace to leade a iust and holy life that thereto
vnto vs glorie onely as an instrumentall cause which beyond the nature thereof God vseth amongst other means to prepare vs and fit vs to be partakers of his glorie He thereby o Iob 33.16.17 openeth our eares and subdueth our pride and p Osc 14.5 healeth our rebellions and frameth vs to vnderstanding and q Heb. 12.10 maketh vs partakers of his holinesse and r 2. Cor. 4.16 whilest our outwardman is corrupted our inner man is renewed from day to day In a word Å¿ 1. Cor. 11 32. when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world t Chrysosan Gen. hom 25. Afflictiones nos inducuÌt vt operemur bona Deoque gratae opera Afflictions saith Chrysostome do induce vs to those things that are good and acceptable vnto God And thus the Apostle telleth vs that u Rom. 8.28 all things worke together for good vnto them that loue God yea saith Saint Austin x August solâleq cap. 28. Quibus omnia cooperantur in bonuÌ etiaÌ ipsa peccata vide de corrept gratia cap 9. euen their very sinnes and yet M. Bishop will not say that all things and specially their sinnes do merite and deserue the same good vnto them Yea the diuell himselfe by the ouerruling hand of God is made to worke vnto vs our saluation and glorie whilest as Ambrose saith y Ambr. de poenit lib. 1. cap. 13. Ipse se morsu suo vulnerat et contra se armas queÌ debilitandum pu rauit c. Imperante Christo diabolus ipse fit praede suae custos he armeth vs against himselfe and by the commaundement of Christ is made the keeper of him whom he would make a prey whilest by being exercised with his temptations we grow stronger in faith and patience and obedience and so more and more able to resist him Therefore neither haue these words of the Apostle any thing for M. Bishops turne that our sufferings here doe merite the glorie of the life to come Yet as if he had very firmely proued his merite he goeth on to tell vs how it commeth to passe that our workes haue this vertue because they issue out of the fountaine of grace which giueth a heauenly value vnto them To which purpose their Andradius sayth that z Andrad Orthod explic lib. 6. Diuinitatem quandaÌ habeant necesse est c. Tantum promerentur quantum spiritus quo ducuntur dignitas atque amplitudo postulat our workes haue a kinde of diuine qualitie and wee deserue so much thereby as the dignitie and excellencie of the spirit requireth by which we are led But if we haue this heauenly value no otherwise but as they proceed from the grace of God what haue wee thereby to challenge to our selues how should wee be sayd to merite by that that is none of ours It hath bene already shewed that it cannot be ascribed as a merite vnto vs which is wrought of God in vs. And it is worth the while to note here the giddinesse of these men The heauenly value and merite of their workes commeth of the grace of God and yet forsooth they merite nothing by them but as they proceed from their owne free will Why are they thus warbling and turning to and fro Either let them say that the value of good workes is wholly of the grace of God and then what is the worth thereof to them or if they will say that they merit thereby let them say that they haue a value and worth from them whereby they deserue for them But what will they say to Fulgentius and Bernard who expresly say as we haue heard of the good workes that are giuen of God that Gods reward doth incomparably and vnspeakably exceed all the merite thereof and that they are not such as that by any right eternall life should be due vnto them And when Austine and Ambrose say that the afflictions of this life are vnworthy to the glorie to come of whose afflictions or sufferings do they speake but of the Saints euen as the Apostle doth who suffer by the gift and grace of God are members of Christ and temples of the holy Ghost euen of those sufferings wherein they suffer with Christ of which Saint Ambrose yet further saith to shew the meaning of the words here in hand a Ambr. epis 22. Conglorificatur ille qui patiendo pro ipso compatitur ei vt hortetur ad passioneÌ adiungit quoniaÌ minora sunt omnia quae patimur indigna pro quoruÌ laboribus tanta rependatur futurorum merces bonorum He is together glorified who in suffering for him suffereth with him and that the Apostle may exhort vs to suffering he addeth that all those things which we suffer are too little and vnworthy that for the paines thereof so great reward of good things to come should be returned vnto vs. As for the infinitenesse of the glorie of heauen M. Bishop well knoweth but that his idle head delighteth to make matter to talke of that M. Perkins was neuer so idlely conceited as to imagine it according to his construction that any pure creature enioyeth the same in infinite extent of measure and greatnesse but onely of time and continuance because it hath no end Now infinite in what sort soeuer cannot be answered but by that that is infinite The trespasse of man against the infinite maiestie of God could not sufficiently be answered but by the infinite punishment which because it could not be in greatnesse whereof a creature could not be capable was therefore supplied and made infinite by continuance For the taking away thereof there was to be yeelded an infinite satisfaction which the Sonne of God yeelded by the infinitenesse of his person though by onely temporarie sufferings and death As then to take away a punishment not infinite in greatnesse but in continuance there was necessarily required the merite of an infinite person so to purchase the glorie of heauen which to the Saints is infinite in continuance onely not in greatnesse there is likewise required the merite of an infinite person which is onely the merite of Iesus Christ so farre are we from doing any thing that may carrie any semblable proportion of merite and desert Now infinitenesse of glorie as touching continuance doth not make a man equall to God nay it doth not make the Saints of God equall one to another who are different in measure of glorie though euery one enioyeth the measure that he hath infinitely and without end Thus M. Bishop like a drunken man is still offering to stand vp but at euery next step tumbleth downe againe and can say nothing but what still redoundeth to his owne harme The pillar wee see standeth firme and sure and hee can finde no meanes to throw it downe 11. W. BISHOP M. Perkins fourth reason Whosoeuer will merite must fulfill the whole Law for if
Be it so and yet by all our expence and labors and trauels we merite nothing we looke for nothing by desert but craue it of the blessing and free gift of God Let M. Bishop say Is there any man who by his labour and paines can challenge at Gods hands a morsell of bread as of merite and desert If he cannot but is still bound to crie amidst all his trauels Giue vs this day our dayly bread why doth he put man in opinion of meriting at Gods hands eternall life who cannot by all his workes bind God vnto him for his dayly bread We labour therefore to lay hold of eternall life by such meanes as God hath ordained and by the exercise of good workes which God hath prepared for vs to walke in but after all our labour we still beg eternall life at Gods hands as of his meere blessing and gift that it may be true both in the beginning and in the end that a Rom. 6.23 eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Yet he telleth vs that God hath appointed good workes for vs to walke in to deserue eternall life But where hath he so appointed We find that God b 1. Ioh. 5.11 in his Sonne hath giuen vnto vs eternall life and that he hath c Ephes 2.10 prepared for vs good workes to walke in as the Apostle speaketh namely to that eternall life which he hath giuen vs but that he hath appointed vs good workes to deserue eternall life M. Bishop cannot tell vs where to find Now because the spirit of God hath not any where taught vs so to conceiue what is it but Satanicall insolencie thus to teach against the doctrine of the spirit And whereas he saith that Saint Austine and the best spirit of men since Christs time haue taught that heauen may be merited we first tell him that all that is nothing vnlesse Christ himselfe haue so taught and secondly that he falsly fathereth vpon the Fathers this misbegotten bastard of merite which in that meaning as he and his fellowes teach it was neuer imagined by the Fathers as partly hath appeared alreadie and shall God willing appeare further 13. W. BISHOP But let vs heare his last argument which is as he speaketh the consent of the ancient Church and then beginneth with S. Bernard who liued a thousand yeares after Christ he in I know not what place the quotation is so doubtfull saith Those things which we call merits are the way to the kingdome but not the cause of raigning I answer that merits be not the whole cause but the promise of God through Christ and the grace of God freely bestowed on vs out of which our merits proceed Ser. 68. in Cantie which is Bernards owne doctrine Manuâl cap. 22. Secondly he citeth S. Augustine All my hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my merit True in a good sence that is by vertue of his death and passion my sins are pardoned and grace is bestowed on me to do good workes and so to merit In Psal 114. Thirdly Basil Eternall life is reserued for them that haue striuen lawfully not for the merite of their doing but vpon the grace of the most bountifull God These words are vntruly translated for first he maketh with the Apostle eternall life to be the prize of that combat and then addeth that it is not giuen according vnto the debt and iust rate of the workes but in a fuller measure according vnto the bountie of so liberall a Lord where hence is gathered that common and most true sentence That God punisheth men vnder their deserts but rewardeth them aboue their merits Psal 120. 4. M. Perkins turnes backe to Augustine vpon the Psal 120. where he saith as M. Perkins reporteth He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits Answ S. Augustine was too wise to let any such foolish sentence passe his pen. What congruitie is in this He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits It had bene better said He crowneth thee not c. But he mistooke belike this sentence of S. Augustins When God crowneth thee he crowneth his gifts not thy merites De grat lib. arb cap. 6. Which is true being taken in that sence which he himselfe declareth To such a man so thinking that is that he hath merits of himselfe without the grace of God it may be most truly said God doth crowne his owne gifts not thy merits if thy merits be of thy selfe and not from him but if we acknowledge our merits to proceed from grace working with vs then we may as truly say that eternall life is the crowne and reward of merits His other place on the Psalme is not to this purpose Psal 142. but appertaines to the first iustification of a sinner as the first word quicken and reuiue me sheweth plainly now we confesse that a sinner is called to repentance and reuiued not for any desert of his owne but of Gods meere mercie R. ABBOT The place of Bernard is in the very end of his booke De gratia libero arbitrio where hauing before deuided a Bernar. de grat et lib arbit Dona sua Deus in merita diuisit proemia the gifts of God into merits and rewards he sheweth that merites are wholly to be ascribed vnto God because b Non equidem quòd consensus ip se in quo merituÌ omne consistit ab ipso libero arbitrio sit c. Deus facit volenteÌ hoc est voluntati suae consentientem to consent to God which is the thing wherein merite wholly consisteth is not of our free will but of God himselfe So that although God in the worke of mans saluation do vse the will of man himselfe yet there is nothing in the will of man to that purpose but what is c Totum ex illa wholly of the grace of God Now hauing disputed and shewed these things at large in the end of the booke he shutteth vp all with this conclusion d Si propriè appellentur ea quae dicimus nostra merita spei quaedam sunt seminaria charitatis inceÌtiua occuliae praedâstinationis iudiciâ futurae foelicitatis praesagia via regni noÌ causa regnandi If properly we will terme those which we call our merites they are the seedgrounds of our hope incitements of our loue tokens of our secret predestination foretokens of our future happinesse the way to the kingdome not the cause of our raigning or of our hauing the kingdome Where plainely he giueth to vnderstand that whatsoeuer is spoken of our merites is but vnproperly spoken that God hauing purposed vnto vs eternall life bestoweth his grace vpon vs to leade a godly life as a foretoken thereof and therefore that our good workes are but the way wherein God leadeth vs to his kingdome which hee of his owne mercie hath intended and
giuen vnto vs and not the cause for which hee is moued to bestow the same vpon vs euen as Saint Augustine speaketh e August in Psalm 109. Via qua nos perducturus est ad finem illum queÌ promisit the way by which hee will bring vs to that end which hee hath promised Now what sayth M. Bishop to this place of Bernard no question but he hath an answer readie though by his owne confession he neuer saw the place so notable a facultie haue these men to tell an Authors meaning before euer they looke into him forsooth Bernards meaning is that merits are not the whole cause but the promise of God through Christ and the grace of God freely bestowed vpon vs out of which our merits proceed Thus he answereth Bernard by a plaine contradiction to Bernards words Bernard saith they are not the cause Yes saith M. Bishop they are the cause though they be not the whole cause But see how scholerlike he dealeth therein for it is as much as if he should say The tree is not the whole cause of the fruite that it bringeth foorth but the roote whence it proceedeth and the boughes whereupon it groweth whereas the roote and the boughes are parts of the tree without which it is not a tree and therefore the exception maketh nothing against it but that the tree is called the whole cause of the fruite So saith he Merits are not the whole cause of saluation but the grace and promise of God distinguishing merits as one part of the cause from the grace and promise of God as another part of the cause whereas merite by his owne rule in the beginning of this question doth alwayes necessarily include the promise and grace of God and can be no merite but as it proceedeth from grace and hath of God a promise of reward By this exception therefore he saith nothing to hinder but that merits are the whole cause of saluation fully and directly contrary to that that Saint Bernard saith that merites which he intendeth no otherwise but implying the grace and promise of God are the way to the kingdome but not the cause of our obtaining the kingdome Yet of that which he saith he telleth vs that it is Saint Bernards owne doctrine not alledging any words of Bernard to that purpose but onely quoting a sermon of his where there is nothing for his purpose as afterwards shall appeare in answering his testimonies of the Fathers In the meane time whereas he excepteth that Bernard liued a thousand yeares after Christ I must aunswer him that his testimonie is so much the more effectuall in that God in the middest of so great corruption and darknesse did still by him and others continue the light and acknowledgement of this truth The next place cited by M. Perkins is vnder S. Austins name though that booke indeed be none of his f August Manuâl ca. 22. Tota spes mea est in morte Domini meis mors eius meritum meum refugium meum salus vita resurrectio mea All my hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my merite M. Bishop hereto saith that it is true in a good sence Where we see him to be an apt scholler and well to haue learned the lesson of the Index Expurgatorius g Jndex Expur in castigat Bertram We set some good sence vpon the errors of the Fathers when they are opposed against vs in contentions with our aduersaries But what is that good sence Marry by the vertue of his death and passion grace is bestowed on me to merite But surely hee doth not thinke that euer the author of those words intended that sence If he will make that sence of the one part of the sentence he must necessarily make the like of the rest The death of the Lord is my merite my refuge my saluation my life and resurrection If his meaning be the death of the Lord is my merite that is hath purchased for me that I should merite for my selfe then in the rest also shall be likewise said the death of the Lord is my refuge that is hath purchased for me that I should be a refuge for my selfe the death of the Lord is my saluation life and resurrection that is hath purchased for me to be saluation life and resurrection to my selfe So likewise where he addeth h Meritum ââeââ miseratio Domini noÌsum meriti inops quamdiis miserationum Dominus non de fuerit My merite is the mercie of the Lord so long as the Lord of mercie shall not faile I shall not want merite the meaning shall likewise be the mercie of the Lord giueth mee ablenesse to merite for my selfe and so song as his mercie faileth not so long shall not I faile of good workes to merite and deserue heauen Now these constructions are lewd and absurd and indeed farre from the conscience of the writer of those words who findeth nothing in his owne workes to comfort himselfe withall and therefore flieth vnto the death and merite of Christ and the mercie of God as his onely succour and the onely stay that hee hath to rest vpon Which that the Reader may throughly vnderstand I hold it not amisse to set downe what the same author hath written in another place of the same booke euen out of the same spirit i Ibid. cap. 13. Sileat sibi ipsae anima et traÌseat se noÌ cogitaÌdo se sed te Deus meus quoniam tu es reuera tota spes fiducia mâa Est enim inte Deo meo Domino nostro Iesu Christo vniuscuiusque nostrum portio et sangâ câro Vbi ergo portio mea regnat ibi regnare me credo Vbi sanguis meus dominatur ibi dominaeri me confido Vbi caro mea glorificatur ibi gloriosum me esse cognosco Quamuis peccator sim tamen de hac communione gratiae non diffido Etsi peccata mea prohibent substantia mea requirit Etsi delicta propriae mea excludunt naturae communio non repellit c. Desperare vtique potuissem propter nimia peccata mea vitiae culpas infinitas negligentias meas quas egi quotidi è indesinenter ago corde ere opere omnibus modis quibus humana fragilitas peccare potest nisi verbum tuum Deus meus caro fieret habitaret in nobis Sed desperare iam non audeo quoniam subditui ille tibi vsque ad mortem mortem autem crucis tulit chyrographum peccaetorum nostrorum affigens illud cruci peccatum crucifixit mortem In ipso autem securus respiro c. Let my soule saith he be silent to it selfe and passe ouer it selfe not thinking of it selfe but of thee O my God because thou art indeed my whole hope and trust There is in thee my God and our Lord Iesus Christ the portion and flesh and bloud of euery
Austin in Psal 102. hath these words o August in Psal 102. Ergo coronat te quia donae suae coronat non merita tua He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits Which is the same in effect with that which M. Bishop putteth in place of it very often repeated by S. Austin either in the same or very neare the same words that God when he crowneth vs p IdeÌ epist 105. et in Ioan. trac 5. de grat et lib. arb cap. 6. 7. crowneth his owne gifts not our merits But he answereth hereto very vntruly and deceitfully It is true indeed that S. Austin there speaketh to him that thinketh he hath merits of his owne and of himself that God wil not crowne those because they are onely euill and he giueth not the crowne to euill workes but he crowneth onely his owne gifts because in vs there is no good worke to which onely the crowne is giuen but onely by Gods gift q De grat et lib. arb ca. 6. Prorsus talia cogitanti veriffimèdicitur dona tua coronat Deus non merita tua si tibi teipso non ab illo sunt merita tua Haec enim si talia sunt mala sunt quae autem mala sunt non coronat Deus Si autem bona sunt Dei dona sunt To him that so thinketh sayth he it is rightly said God crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits if thou haue thy merits of thy selfe and not of his gift for if they be such they be euill and God crowneth not those that be euill but if they be good they be the gifts of God Now to those words M. Bishop addeth in the same letter as if it were S. Austins whether by the Printers fault or by his owne lewd falshood he can best tell himself this animaduersion But if we acknowledge our merits to proceed from grace working with vs then may we as truly say that eternall life is the crowne and reward of merits But M. Bishop did S. Austine tell you so Will you so wilfully abuse him and peruert his words and meaning Surely in the beginning of the next Chapter which is but ten lines after the words cited S. Austine saith thus r Jbid. cap. 7. Siergo Dei donae sunt merita tua non Deus coronat merita tua tanquam merita tua sed tanquam dona sua If then thy good merits be Gods gifts God doth not crowne thy merits as thy merits but as his owne gifts In which words he plainely denieth that there is any respect of our merit or that God accounteth vs as hauing merited but that he giueth the crown and reward onely as to his owne gifts which he himselfe hath bestowed vpon vs. How bad a man then is M. Bishop to make S. Austin say that God crowneth our good workes proceeding from his grace as our merits when S. Austin expressely and flatly denieth the same But there is yet some further poison hidden in his words for when he nameth merits proceeding from grace working with vs he diuideth betwixt God and vs that which S. Austin maketh entirely the gift of God The worke is not meerely of the grace of God in vs but of grace working with vs because we also as well as grace are partakers of the worke So then S. Austin must not say that God crowneth his owne gifts not our merits but God crowneth partly his owne gifts and partly our merits because the good workes which he crowneth are partly of his grace and partly also of our owne freewill By this meanes Maister Bishop will hold it very absurd which the same Saint Austine saith in the other place Å¿ Epist 105. Câââ Deus coronat merita nostra nihil aliud coronat quà m namerae sua When God crowneth our merits he crowneth nothing else but his owne gifts for if he crowne nothing else but his owne gifts if he crowne nothing at all of ours then what part of the câowne is it that we can say is merited and deserued by vs His answer to the last words of Austine is excluded by the very words themselues t Aug Psal 14â Propter ââmen tuum D ââine viuificabis âeâin tua iustitia non in mea noÌ quia ego merut sââ quia tu miseritis Lord for thy names sake thou wilt quicken me in thy righteousnesse not in mine not because I haue deserued it but because thou art mercifull This place he saith appertaineth to the first iustification of a sinner but it seemeth he gaue the answer somewhat too early in the morning before his eyes were well opened for otherwise he might haue seene that these are the words of a man alreadie iustified vttered in the name of the Prophet of God not in the preterperfect tense as of a thing past but in the future tense as of a thing to come Thou shalt or wilt quicken me and therefore cannot be vnderstood of any first iustification The Prophet being alreadie in part reuiued to the life of God prayeth stil to be reuiued and quickened more and more and promiseth to himselfe by assurance of faith through the holy Ghost that God will so do not in my righteousnesse saith he as Austin expresseth it not because I haue deserued it but for his owne names sake for his owne mercies sake giuing to vnderstand that not onely the beginning of the worke of God but also the proceeding thereof is not for any merit of man but by the mercie of him by whom it was first begun And whereas he saith that they confesse that a sinner is called to repentance and reuiued not for any desert of his owne but of Gods meere mercie he doth but blind his Reader with a concealed distinction of merit hauing himselfe u Of Iustification Sect. 21. before taught that his workes of preparation are the cause of the iustification of a sinner as he hath corruptly argued out of the words of Christ Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much So that the terme of meere mercie is vsed only colourably and for fashion sake neither doth he acknowledge the meere mercy of God in any sort but as the Pelagian heretickes did in the first offer of his grace 14. W. BISHOP Hauing thus at length answered vnto all that M. Perkins hath alledged against Merits let vs see what can be said for them following as neare as I can M. Perkins order Obiections of Papists so he termeth our reasons First in sundry places of Sâripture promise of reward is made vnto good works Gen. 4. Prou. 11. Eccl. 18. Mat. 5. If thou do well shalt thou not receiue To him that doth well there is a faithful reward Feare not to be iustified vnto death because the reward of God remaineth for euer and When you are reuiled and persecuted for my sake reioyce for great is your reward in heauen and a hundreth such like therfore
by a iust iudge M. Perkins answereth that it is called a crowne by resemblance because it is giuen in the end of the life as the crowne is giuen in the end of the race Reply If that were all the cause and that there were no respect to be had to former deserts it might then as well be called a halter by resemblance because that also is giuen in the end of life and in their opinion more properly because all their workes are defiled like a menstruous cloth and a halter is the end of such wicked workes But as a halter is due to a theefe so is a crowne of glorie the iust reward of the righteous man Secondly he answereth that it is called a crowne of iustice because God hath bound himselfe by his promise to giue it here then at length we haue by his owne confession that by Gods promise eternall life is due debt vnto the righteous but as hauing ouer-shot himselfe he addes not for any desert of theirs but onely for the promise sake But as you haue heard before out of S. Matthew Math. 20. that promise was made for working the time of his life in our vineyard and so there was some desert on their part and the seruants were rewarded because they employed their talents well and in this very place Math. 25. Saint Paule reckoneth vp his good seruices for which the iust iudge would render him a crowne of iustice and therefore the iustice is not onely in respect of Gods promise And if you will not beleeue me prouing that I say out of the very text rather then M Perkins on his bare word let S. Augustin be arbitrator between vs Li. 50. Hom. hom 4. who most deepely considereth of euery word in this sentence Let vs heare saith he the Apostle speaking when he approched neare vnto his passion I haue quoth he fought a good fight I haue accomplished my course I haue kept the faith concerning the rest there is laid vp for me a crowne of iustice which our Lord will render vnto me in that day a iust iudge and not onely to me but to theÌ also that loue his coming he saith that our Lord a iust iudge will render vnto him a crowne he therefore doth owe it and as a iust iudge will pay it For the worke being regarded the reward cannot be denied I haue fought a good fight is a worke I haue accomplished my course is a worke I haue kept the faith is a worke There is laid vp for me a crowne of iustice this is the reward So that you see most clearely by this most learned Fathers iudgement that the reward is due for the worke sake and not onely for the promise of God See him vpon that verse of the Psalm Psal 100. I will sing vnto thee O Lord mercy and iudgement Where he concludes that God in iudgement will out of his iustice crowne those good workes which he of mercy had giuen grace to do R. ABBOT To the obiection of this place M. Perkins answereth that euerlasting life is called a crowne onely in resemblance For as he which runneth a race saith he must continue and runne to the end and so be crowned euen so must we continue to walke in good workes vnto the end and then receiue eternall life Now for reply to this answer it seemeth M. Bishop had some conference with the hangman and learning of him that a halter is the end of a wicked course let him remember his owne wicked course and feare the iudgement of the iust God he thought good to draw that obseruatioÌ to serue him for one shift And first to giue way to his hangmans deuice he curtalleth M. Perkins his answer as if he had said no more but thus that eternall life is called a crowne because it is giuen in the end of the life as the crowne is giuen in the end of the race Whereto he replyeth that if that were all and that there were no respect to former deserts it might then as well be called a halter But M. Perkins answer expresseth plainly as we see that the crowne hath reference to them that continue to the end to walke in good workes and therfore left no occasion or place for this hangmanlike and vnciuill reply But his mind it seemeth was strongly set vpon the halter and therfore by head and shoulders he would pull it in onely to please himselfe and his table companions with a forced and witlesse iest He addeth further that in our opinion it should more properly be called a halter because all our workes are defiled like a menstruous cloth and an halter is the end of such wicked workes Now we know no reason but that M. Bishop by most right because he hath set downe the sentence should keepe the halter to himself for that we are wel assured that his best works are defiled as well as ours But what will he say I maruell to Pope Leo the third of whom Mathew of Westminster reporteth that a Math. Westm lib. 1. anno 798. Mulier quaedam ad quaÌ aliquaÌdo accâssum habuit vt ââcebatur manum eius comprimit inter celebraÌ dum comprimendo deosculaÌs incentiuum libibinis in Papa excitauit being at Masse about a good worke no doubt a woman of his good acquaintance comming with her offering crushed and kissed his hand and therewith stirred vp in the Pope a holy father I warrant you some motions of the flesh Now was this no defilement shall we thinke to so good a worke Surely if M. Bishop had liued then he would haue giuen iudgement of the Pope that he should be hanged because a halter is the end of such wicked Masse But tel vs M. Bishop do all your works go so currantly and cleanly from you as that you can presume to be free froÌ the halter that you haue here made Haue you neuer offended at Masse in some such like sort as the Pope did Doth not your mind often wander when you seem to pray Do not sinister thoughts and respects many times interpose themselues and make you to go crooked when you thinke to go vpright Take heed that hereafter it be not said vnto you Patere legem quam ipse tuleris Be tried by the law which thou thy selfe hast made a halter is the end of such wicked workes But of the condition of our workes more hath bene said before then euer M. Bishop will be able to disproue Here he concludeth that as a halter is due to a theefe so is the crowne of glorie the iust reward of the righteous man True say we but yet not by the vertue of his righteousnesse and desert but by the mercifull promise of Almightie God In respect of which promise it is called as M. Perkins answereth a crowne of iustice because God by his promise hath bound himselfe to giue it and in the performance of his promise he is approued iust And this is the
being was but that it is by Gods perswading vs Gods mouing vs Gods working in vs there being nothing therein to be attributed to our selues Wherby he destroyeth the nature of merit as I haue shewed e Sect. 3. before to that purpose acknowledgeth the vouchsafing fauor and grace of God in receiuing vs to immortalitie and life with him for where merit and desert is there termes of vouchsafing can haue no place Now that which Bellarmine translateth of men shewing themselues worthy of the wil and counsel of God may well be vnderstood according to the phrase of the Apostle instructing vs f Col. 1.10 to walke worthy of the Lord g 1. Thess 2.12 to walke worthy of God who hath called vs vnto his kingdome and glory that is to say as is fit for them to walke who haue receiued so great mercie at the Lords hands to the very same purpose as elsewhere he saith h Phil. 1.27 Let your conuersation be such as becometh the Gospell of Christ. In which sort Iohn Baptist saith i Mat. 3.8 Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance that is such as are fitting and beseeming them that professe to haue repented So then men shew themselues worthy of the will and counsell of God in behauing themselues as is agreeing to them that professe to know the will and counsell of God without any necessitie of merit to be imported thereby The words of Irenaeus are these k Iren. lib. 4. cap. 27. Bonus agonista ad incorruptelae agonem adhortatur nos vt coronemur pretiosam arbitremur coronam videlicet quae per agonem acquiritur sed non vltro coalitaÌ Et quaÌtò per agonem nobis aduenit tantò est pretiosior QuaÌto autem pretiosior tantò eaÌ semper diligamus Sed neque similiter diliguntur ea quae vltro adueniunt quà m illa quae cum multa sollicitudine adinueniuntur The good combatant exhorteth vs to the combat of immortalitie that we may be crowned and may thinke the crowne precious as being attained by fight and not of it self accruing vnto vs. And by how much the more it commeth by fight so much the more precious it is and the more precious it is so much the more we may loue it But the things are not in like sort loued which come of their owne accord as those which are attained with much care In all which what is there to M. Bishops purpose He onely sheweth that God hath appointed that not with our ease and idlenesse the crowne of life shall voluntarily come vnto vs but that wee with labour and trauell must striue to come to it that in the attainment of it it may be the more ioyfull and precious vnto vs. What is this other then we also teach who yet cannot find hereby that our labour and trauel doth merit and deserue the crowne of life The case is all one as if a Prince hauing a subiect falne froÌ him and gone into a far country should of meere grace fauor send for him to come again by letters patents granting him his pardoÌ and assuring him place of honor state vpon his returne home who being to passe through the midst of the enemies of his Prince must vse much fighting and trauel and paines and vndergo many dangers both by sea and land for the atchieuing of this honor WheÌ he cometh to his iorneys end he hath no title to pleade for his place but onely the free donation and gift of his Prince By his labor paines he hath gained himself the possession of it he might for the meane time lay it before him as a reward to comfort and encourage himself in the iorney that he was to make but merit he can alledge none no right can he alledge whereby to claime it but only his Princes gift Euen so it is with vs. We were falne from God and he hath called vs to him again and giuen vs the promise of eternall life By much combat and trauell we must attaine to it and yet when we haue done all we can plead no merit we can make no claime but onely by our Princes gift by the free and mercifull promise and bountie of Almightie God And hereby appeareth the answer to the place of Basil that l Basil orat in princip Prouerb Omnes nos qui viam Euangelicam incedimus mercatoreâ sumus pâr opera mandatorum nobis possessionem coelestium comparantes we all who walk the way of the Gospell are merchants getting by the works of the commandements the possession of heauenly things For by the works of the commandements we obtain the possession but not the right and title of heauenly things They are the way wherein we walke to attaine to that which God of his free mercy bestoweth vpon vs. Wherin because we yeeld our labor in the one to receiue the other S. Basil so farre fitly compareth it to a kinde of merchandize or exchange though not intending that in the merite of the one should be the purchase of the other As for the other place it is none of Basils being taken out of a counterfeit addition which m Erasm epist. praefixa libro Basil de Spir. sancto Erasmus well obserued and by good arguments declared to be no part of Basils work n Basil de Spir. sanct cap. 24. Homo saluus fit per iustitiam operum A man saith he is saued by righteousnesse of works But the Scripture saith o Ephes 2.8 Ye are saued by grace through faith not of works least any man should boast r Basil in Psal 43. Vide quomodo sermonem clauserit Post mille virtutes vnde seruari orat Ex misericordia benignitate Whatsoeuer the author might meane in that he saith we are sure that his words accord not with the phrase and stile of the holy Ghost And that the true Basil was farre from that mind appeareth plainly by the note that he giueth vpon the words of the Psalme p Arise O Lord helpe vs and deliuer vs for thy mercies sake q Psal 44.26 Behold saith he how he endeth his speech After a thousand vertues whereby doth he pray to be saued Euen of mercie and goodnesse And vpon another of the Psalmes he saith Å¿ Idem in Psal 23. Retributiones quae putantur propter solam Dei benignitateÌ hominibus praestantur Vniuersae siquidem mortalium iustitiae âe praestita quidem ab ipso bona adaequant nedum futura quae humanam cogitationem transcendunt Rewards as they are thought to be are yeelded vnto vs by the only mercy goodnes of God for all the righteousnesses of men cannot equall the benefits which he hath already bestowed much lesse those that are to come which go beyond all the conceit of man He saw well that the Prophet after thousands of vertues could haue no hold of saluation but only by Gods mercie He saw well that albeit Gods
vitam immortalitatem esse quaesitam Peter saith he suffered many things for the Church Many things also S. Paule and the rest of the Apostles suffered when they were scourged when they were stoned when they were imprisoned For by that bearing of wrongs and experience of dangers the Lords people was founded and the Church receiued increase for that other hastened to martyrdome when they saw that by those sufferings there was no impeaching of the Apostles vertues and moreouer that for this short life immortality was sought or gotten therby In the like sort doth he expound the words of the Apostle which here we speake of k Idem in Colos ca. 1. In tribulationibus quas patiebatur exultare se fatetur quia profectum suum videt in fide credentium Non est cuimâinants triâââatio quando cum pro quo patitur acquirit ad vitam He professeth himselfe to reioyce in the troubles which he endured because he seeth his successe in the faith of them that beleeue for his trouble is not in vain when he gaineth him to life for whom he suffered No other thing doth Cyprian gather out of those words l Cypria de dupl Mart. Quemadmodum ille mirabili testimonio clarifi auit Patrem in ho. mundo aâque etiam in coelisma testimonâum illius quodammodo coÌsummatur testimonio SanctoruÌ quasisit vna passio Domini seruorum Id nequis exiflimet parùm religiose dictum beatus Paulus nobis patrocinatur na scribens c. Quis enim nescit quam vberem prouentum effudit Ecclesiae seges Apostolorum caeterorum Martyrum sanguine irrigata Quò plus sanguinis effusum est hoc magis ac magis esstoruit muâtitis do fidelium hoc latiùs sparsit suas propag nes illa beata vitis à Christo stirpe surgens necupans orbem vniuersum c. Euen as Christ saith he by his admirable testimonie glorified the Father in this world and also in heaueÌ so his testimony is after a sort consummated or made perfect in the testimonie of the Saints as if the passion of the Lord and of the seruants were all one And that no man may thinke that irreligiously spoken S. Paule warranteth the same to vs thus writing to the Colossians I now ioy in my sufferings for you and fulfill those things which are yet wanting or behind of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church For who knoweth not how plentifull increase the corne field of the Church hath yeelded being watered with the bloud of the Apostles and other Martyrs The more bloud was shed so much more more the multitude of the faithfull flourished so much the wider that blessed vine spred her branches arising from Christ her stocke and possessing the whole world Afterwards going forward to shew that m Testificatus est se esse pastorem bonum quia animam suam posuit pro euibus nobis exemplum praebens vt qui pro nostra qualicunque portione vices illius gerimus parati simus ipsi pro grege dominico sanguinem fundere nisi malumus videri mercenarij quam pastores Domini verbis congruunt verba discipulâ Cùm enim dixisset se gaudere c. perpetiens ipse pro corpore Christi quod est Ecclesia qualia pasâus erat Dominus causam adiecit cur ea libenter pateretur Cuius inquit miâââier factus sum c. vt impeam verbuÌ Dei Sicut ergo mortibus Martyrum consummantur passiones Christi ita sanguine pastoruââââ firmantur prâm ssa Christâ NulâuÌ enim instrumentum in dubitabilius quam quod tot Martyrum sanguine signatum est Hoc ââmtrum si âmpâere vertum Dei hoc est replere Euangelium Christ testifying himselfe to be the good shepheard because he gaue his life for the sheepe hath therein giuen example to those that are the pastors in his stead to be ready to shed their bloud for the Lords stocke vnlesse they wil be taken for hirelings rather then for pastors he saith that thereto the words of the Apostle accord who saying that for the bodie of Christ which is the Church he suffered the like things as the Lord suffered he addeth The cause why he suffered those things willingly whereof saith he I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is giuen to me that I should fulfill the word of God For as by the deaths of the Martyrs the sufferings of Christ are perfected so by the bloud of the Pastors the promises of Christ are confirmed For there is no instrument more vndoubted then that which is sealed with the bloud of so many Martyrs This is indeed to fulfill the word of God this is to fulfill the Gospell In the like sort doth S. Austin make construction of the words of S. Iohn n 1. Ioh 3.16 He laid downe his life for vs therfore ought we also to lay downe our liues for the brethren namely o August in Ioan. tra 47. Sic nos debeââos ad aedificandam plebem ad fidem asserendam aminas pro fratribus ponere for the edifying of Gods people for the auouching of the faith Thus it was said that p Tertul. Apol. cap. 45. in fine Semen est sanguis Christianorum the bloud of Christians was like seed that q August in Psal 58. Sanguine seminata seges Ecclesiae fertilius pullulauit the field of the Church being sowed with bloud did more fruitfully spring and grow whilst r Idem Epist 50 Laudatur Dominus qui donare dignatus est vt serui eius passionibus suis lucrarentur fratres suos the Lord did grant that his seruants by their sefferings did win their brethren but that the bloud of Christian Martyrs was any satisfaction for the rest of the Church of Christ or any redemption of the punishments of their brethren it was neuer heard of in those times They knew nothing then of the Popes store-house of Supererogations and Satisfactions they knew nothing of that marting and chopping and changing of merits which these presumptuous Romish hypocrites now maintain in whom it is much more verified then it was in the Donatists which S. Austin saith Å¿ Idem Epist 51. Tantam sibi arrogant iustitiam vt cam iactent se non solúm habere sed etiam alijs hominibus dare They arrogate vnto themselues so great righteousnes as that they brag not only that they haue it theÌselues but also giue it vnto others But to conclude this point let M. Bishop know that both he and his fellowes are very impudent and shamelesse men thus to wrest the words of the Apostle to the defence of a doctrine which for aboue a thousand yeares was neuer heard of in the Church and which haue out of the auncient Church according to the Scriptures a very manifest and cleare exposition another way 5 W. BISHOP Now to M. Perkins second reason In
eased of the same burden The voice of Christ to the sicke of the palsie b Mat. 9.2 Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee doth it not giue him present release from the bond thereof Dauid saith c Psal 32.3 Whilest I held my tongue from acknowledging and confessing my sinnes my bones were consumed in my mourning all day for thy hand was heauie vpon me day and night and my moisture was turned into the drouth of Summer I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and did not hide mine iniquitie I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne By which wordes he giueth vs to vnderstand that the forgiuenesse of his sinnes vpon his repentance and confession thereof was the taking away of the grieuous malady wherwith he was so sore afflicted and vpon experience hereof vttereth those words in the beginning of the Psalme d Ver. 1. Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne as to note that one part of that blessing is to be released from the temporall punishments that are due to sinne Yea and to that purpose he addeth also after e Ver. 6. Aug. Pro hac Pro qua hac pro ipsa venia peccatoruÌ For this that is saith S. Austin for forgiuenesse of sinnes shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maist be found surely in the ouerflowing of many waters they shall not come neere him Where by many waters he vnderstandeth the manifold crosses and afflictions of this life wherwith we are tossed to and fro by reason of our sinnes and signifieth that the godly man by obtaining forgiuenesse of sinnes obtaineth deliuerance and freedome from the punishment thereof Forgiuenesse of sinnes then is not vnderstood with reseruation of temporal satisfaction neither doth any thing remaine in the nature of punishment to him that by repentance and faith becometh partaker of that mercie As for his distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes applyed to the petition of forgiuenesse of sinnes we know no such neither is any such to be approued as f Of Iustification Sect. 41. before hath bene shewed By Gods hearkening to our prayer all sinnes become veniall if God heare not our prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes all sinnes continue mortall Our Sauiour Christ knew no such difference as M. Bishop maketh that God when he heareth vs crying vnto him Forgiue vs our trespasses doth forgiue vs some sinnes wholy and othersome but in part or that our prayer should be a speciall meane in some sinnes to obtaine pardon of the fault and release of punishment and in othersome not so No neither did S. Austine euer dreame that God did forgiue sinnes with a reseruation of the punishment thereof he knew well that forgiuenesse altereth the case and nature of afflictions as hath bene before shewed Master Bishop citeth him saying that g Aug. Enchir. cap. 71. De quotidianis breuibus leuibusque peccatis sine quibus haec vita non ducitur quotidiana oratio fidelium satisfacit c. Delet omnino haec oratio minima quotidiana peccata Delet illa à quibus vita fidelium sceleratè etiam gesta sed poeniten ââin melius mutata discedit si quemadmodum veraciter dicitur Dimitte nobis c. ita veracitèr dicatur sicut nos c. id est si siat quod dicitur For the daily short and light offences without which this life is not led the daily prayer of the faithfull satisfieth But as he saith so of these daily and light offences so he saith of other also in the next words It blotteth out also those from which the life of the faithfull wickedly led but by repentance changed to better is departed if as it is truly said Forgiue vs our trespasses so it be truly said As we forgiue them that trespasse against vs that is if it be done which is said So then as it satisfieth for the one so it satisfieth for the other also as for the lesser so for the greater and for both obtaineth pardon at Gods hands But Master Bishop here doth meerely abuse his Reader by an equiuocation of the name of satisfaction For Satisfaction with Saint Austine as with all the auncient Ecclesiasticall Writers importeth the meanes whereby we are to intreate and obtaine of God pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinnes but with Master Bishop and his fellowes it importeth a punishment still remaining for sinnes past and already pardoned to be endured either in this life or after death in Purgatorie as he hath before expressed in the beginning of this Chapter Saint Austines meaning then is that the daily prayer of the faithfull sufficeth to obtaine pardon at Gods hands for our daily and common trespasses yea and for greater offences also when by repentance and amendement of life we forsake them but no meaning hath he either that the saying of the Lords prayer should be a recompence to God for our trespasse or that our trespasse being pardoned there should still remaine a satisfaction to be performed for it Now here Master Bishop further denyeth that in the Lords prayer we vse onely plea of pardon for saith he we are taught also to pardon others euen as we will looke to be pardoned And what then what because we are taught freely to pardon others shall we hereupon conceiue that God is hired by our pardoning others to giue pardon vnto vs Our Sauior Christ noteth therby the affection of them to whom it belongeth to vse the plea of pardon he saith not any thing to be construed to the impeachment and derogation of the freenesse of the pardon Meekenesse and readinesse to forgiue is h Gal. 5.22.23 a fruite of the spirit i Rom. 8.15 of adoption by which we cry Abba Father in the voyce of which spirit onely it is that God hearkeneth vnto vs. k Aug. Enchir. cap. 71. EoruÌ est dicere Pater noster c. qui iam tali patri regene rati sunt exaqua Spiritu sancto It is for them to say Our Father which art in heauen saith Saint Austine who now are regenerate and borne againe to such a Father of water and of the holy Ghost If we speake not by this spirit our voice is as the voice of strangers and God giueth no regard vnto it Therefore our forgiuenesse of others is not alledged as the cause for which God is moued to forgiue vs but we present it to him as the mark of his spirit which he hath set vpon vs as the token that we are his childreÌ to whoÌ he hath assigned it for a portioÌ to be made partakers of the forgiuenes of sins to whoÌ Christ hath ministred coÌfort boldnes so to pray His 2. exception is very vaine also for although the Lords prayer contain not all things necessary to saluatioÌ
yet the Lords prayer is the direction of all prayers necessary to saluation Therefore Tertullian calleth it as he in his manner speaketh l Tertul. de fuga in persecut li. de Orat. legitimam orationem the prayer that serueth vs for a law of praying and Austin also saith m August Epi. 121. cap. 12. Si per omnia precationum sanctaruÌ verba discurras quanium existimo nihil inuenies quod non ista dominica contineat concludat oratio If thou go ouer all the words of holy prayers thou shalt find nothing as I thinke which this Lords prayer containeth not Yea Tertullian doubted not further to affirme that n Tertul. de Ora. Breuiarium totius Euangelij it is the briefe summe of the whole Gospell Now therefore if in the Lords prayer we aske forgiuenesse of sinnes onely by plea of pardon then it cannot be that we should be taught elsewhere to aske forgiuenesse vpon tender of satisfaction which wholly ouerthroweth the name and nature of forgiuenesse And surely M. Bishops vnderstanding might affoord him to conceiue that although the Lords prayer containe not all things necessarie to saluation yet that that is there contained receiueth no checke from any thing spoken otherwhere As for his last exception it is most absurd that the prayer by which we intreate God not to vrge vs to satisfaction should it selfe be accounted a satisfaction as if we said vnto God Forgiue vs our trespasse O Lord and yet we do not wish thee to forgiue vs altogether freely and for nothing for euen by our praying we make thee amends for our trespasse Satisfaction is defined with them to be o Thom. Aquin. Suppl q. 15. art 15. in corp Opus satisfactorium oportet quòd sit poenale a punishment and because prayer as M. Bishop telleth vs is one part of satisfaction we must vnderstand that with them it is a punishment to pray and M. Bishop hauing receiued the penitents confession and inioyning him a number of Pater nosters doth enioyne him so many punishments and maketh him in effect to say vnto God againe O Lord forgiue me my sinnes and that I may deserue that fauour at thy hands I here make thee satisfaction and recompence by enduring this punishment of praying to thee Nay it is scant so well I pray thee gentle Reader to marke well the contriuing of this matter The penitent commeth to M. Bishop who vpon his confession giueth him absolution of all his sins enioyning him for satisfaction and penance thus and thus to pray So then he saith O Lord my sins be forgiuen me already but yet for a punishment and by way of satisfaction I say vnto thee Forgiue vs our trespasses These are the mysteries of the fornications of the whore of Babylon things reasonlesse witlesse senslesse meere witcheries and enchantments of mens minds and the vntimely fruites of a barren strumpet such as the very common instinct of Christianitie should teach all men to detest to discouer them is sufficient to confute them But of this M. Bishop telleth vs we shall heare more hereafter 7. W. BISHOP M. Perkins fourth Argument is taken out of certaine odde fragments of auncient writers Guiltinesse being taken away the punishment is also taken away Tertul. de Bapt. True he that is guilty of nothing cannot iustly be punished for guiltinesse is a binding vp to punishment as M. Perkins defineth Pag. 28. then if the band to punishment be cancelled the party is freed but all this is nothing to the purpose for guiltinesse of temporal punishment doth remaine after the sin and guilt of eternall be released Augustine saith Christ by taking vpon him the punishment De verb. Apost ser 37. and not the fault hath done away both fault and punishment Iust the eternall punishment which was due to that fault not the temporall as S. Augustine himselfe declareth In Enchir. cap. 70. God of compassion doth blot out our sinnes committed if conuenient satisfaction be not on our parts neglected To that other sentence out of him When we are gone out of this world there will remaine no compunction or satisfaction it is easie to answer without the help of any new edition for it will be too late then to repent and so there is no place left to compunction that is contrition of heart neither consequently to confession or satisfaction as if he had said before we go out of this world there is place for both compunction and satisfaction and so that place is rather for vs. Now to Chrysostome who saith Tom. 10. hom 5. Prem in Esa That God so blotteth out our sins that there remaines no print of them which thing befals not the bodie for when it is healed there remaineth a scarre but when God exempteth from punishment he giues thee iustice All this is most true and much against M. Perkins doctrine of the infection of originall sin but nothing touching satisfaction for we hold that the soule of a sinner when he commeth to be iustified is washed whiter then snow so that there is no staine or print left in it of the filth of sin It is also freed from all eternall punishment but not from some temporall Now gentle Reader prepare thy selfe to behold a proper peece of cosinage Ambrose saith I reade of Peters teares but I reade not of his satisfaction Luk. 22. The colour of the craft lieth in the ambiguitie of this word satisfaction which is not alwayes taken for the penance done to satisfie for the former fault but is sometime vsed for the defence and excuse of the fact So speaketh S. Paul Act. 24 10. Bono animo pro me satisfaciam with good courage I will answer in defence of my selfe 1. Pet. 3. or giue you satisfaction in like maner Ready alwayes to satisfie euery one that asketh you reason of that hope which is in you In this sence doth S. Ambrose vse the word as is most plainly to be scene to them that reade the place and confer it with the verie like of his Lib. 10 in Luc. I find not saith he what Peter said but I find that he wept I reade his teares but I reade not his satisfaction but that which cannot be defended may be washed away So that nothing is more manifest then that satisfaction in this and the like places is taken for defence and excuse of his fault which Peter vsed not but sought by teares and bitter weeping to satisfie in part for it for this bewailing of our sinnes is one speciall kind of satisfaction as S. Ambrose testifieth saying Lib. 2. de poenit cap. 5. That he who doth penance must with teares wash away his sinnes The other place cited out of S. Ambrose De bono mortis let vs adore Christ that he may say vnto vs feare not thy sinnes nor the waââes of worldly sufferings I haue remission of sinnes is rather for vs then against vs for if
meaning whereof we speake He meaneth indeed that he vsed no apologie no excuse or answer for himselfe but yeelded himselfe with teares to the acknowledgement of that that he had done amisse The word of satisfactioÌ is here very vnproperly vsed and therefore may very easily be mistaken without any purpose of cosinage or fraud I might as well obiect cosinage here to M. Bishop who taking vpon him to make good his answer by another place of Ambrose alledgeth for another place the very same which M. Perkins cited But Ambrose hath the words indeed in another place in one of his i Ser. 46. Lachrymas eius lego satisfactionem non lego Rectè planè Petrus fleuit tacuit quia quod defleri solet non solet excusari sermons and therefore we will not charge M. Bishop here with cosinage there being otherwise euery while occasions enough to discouer him to be a cosiner As for that which he saith that Peter sought by teares and bitter weeping to satisfie in part for his fault we take him to deale very absurdly in that he should go about to make the Apostle so absurd as to thinke the shedding of a few teares to be any part of the redemption of so great a sinne The Apostles teares were no part of Popish satisfaction but the tokens of true repentance lamenting the wound but seeking the cure onely in the satisfaction of the crosse of Christ As for that which he alledgeth from Ambrose that k De poenit lib. 2 cap. 5. Qui poenitentiam agit non solum diluere lachrymis debet peccatum suum sed etiam c. he that repenteth must with his teares wash away his sin he needed not for that phrase to haue gone so far he might haue found it in the places l In Luc. lib. 10. cap. 22. Lauant lachrymae delictâ quod voce pudor est confiteri idem habet ser 46. before alledged But he spake therein as we many times do not as thinking the teares of the bodie to be the washing away of the sinnes of the soule but as to note that the weeping and teares of faith do obtaine of God the washing away of our sinnes in the bloud of Iesus Christ In the other place S. Ambrose saith thus m Debono mortis cap. 12. Nos eum in temporuÌ fine quaeramus et complectamur pedes eius adoremus eum vt dâcat nobis Nolite timere id est nolite timere à peccatis seculi nolite timere ab iniquitatibus mundi nolite timere à fluctibus corporalium passionuÌ ego sum peccatorum remissio Let vs seeke Christ in our times let vs embrace his feete and worship him that he may say vnto vs Feare not that is feare not for the sins and iniquities of the world feare not for the waues of bodily sufferings I am the forgiuenesse of sinnes So long as there is necessitie of punishment especially such a n Bellar. de poenit lib. 4. cap. 1. Poena illa quae luenda restat post culpae remissioneÌ est illa ipsa poena sensus quaÌ in gelienna pati debuisset peccator remota solùm aâernitate hellish punishment as they say is in purgatorie so long there is iust cause of feare But S. Ambrose telleth vs here that Christ by forgiuenesse of sinnes taketh away all occasion of feare that in our sinnes and iniquities he leaueth vs nothing to be afraid of It followeth therefore that after forgiuenesse of sinnes there is no further punishment no further satisfaction to be made Here M. Bishop againe putteth off his Reader with a dodge If saith he by adoring and seruing of God we may be put out of feare of our sinnes and the punishment of them then doth it follow that prayers and such like seruice of Christ doth acquit vs of sinne and satisfie for the paine due to them Which is as leaden an answer as if a man should say If by intreating praying the Physicion I obtaine of him a medicine whereby I am cured then my intreating and praying is the very medicine it selfe by which I am cured For what do we seeke Christ worship him embrace him desire him pray vnto him but to be releeued succoured comforted and saued by him that in him we may haue satisfaction and remission of our sinnes What madnesse is it then to make our seeking our worshipping our praying to be themselues the satisfaction that we professe to seeke in him But such madnesse do they runne into who will not submit their right mindes to the obedience of the faith of Christ In the next place followeth Hierome o Hieron in psal 31. Quod regitur noÌ videtur quod non videtur non imputâtur quod non imputatur nec punietur That which is couered is not seene that which is not seene is not imputed that which is not imputed is not punished He speaketh it for exposition of the words of Dauid p Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Now if the forgiuing of sinne be not the imputing of sinne then where sinne is forgiuen there is no punishment because there is no imputation of that to which the punishment is due That which is not imputed is not punished To wit saith M. Bishop with hell fire But that answer will not serue his turne for if it be any way punished it cannot be said not to be imputed for whence ariseth the punishment but from the imputation of the sinne Now of not imputing S. Austine telleth vs that q August in Psal 118. Siquid à deuiante committitur propter viam non imputatur tanquam non fuerit operatus accipitur when sinne is not imputed a man is taken as if he had neuer done it So saith S. Bernard that r Bernar in Can. ser 23 Omne quod mihi ipse non imputare ãâã decreuerât sic est quasi non fuerit whatsoeuer God hath determined not to impute it is as if it had neuer bene If it be as if it had neuer bene if a man be taken as if he had neuer done it how then doth M. Bishop tell vs that there is still a satisfaction and punishment to be endured for it But therefore he bringeth vs another answer such as for which be deserueth to be admited for a wise and well learned man Sinne may be said to be couered when not onely the fault is pardoned but also all punishment due vnto it is fully payed So then whereas in briefe Hierome saith The sinne that is couered is not punished his meaning must be that it is not couered till it be fully punished nay he is made directly to contradict himselfe and to say The sinne that is punished is not punished Would not a man thinke him to be out of his right wits that maketh such wrong constructions of plaine
illa finiretur poena the punishment is continued longer then the sinne lest the sinne should be esteemed but small if the punishment should be ended together with it And this M. Perkins well obserueth in generall concerning that example of the Israelites that God though his iudgment proceeded not one way yet would haue it to be seene another way though not for punishment to them that repented and beleeued yet for example to future times to take heed of cutting themselues off by vnbeleefe and disobedience from the heauenly rest as these had done from the seale and Sacrament thereof the Apostle to that purpose saying k 1. Cor. 10.11 These things came to them for ensamples and are written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Now as we conceiue in generall of the faithfull of that people so we do in particular of Moses and Aaron M. Bishop vrgeth it set downe that therfore they entred not because they trespassed because they were disobedient And who maketh doubt but that their trespasse and disobedience was the originall cause of the debarring of them But stil we say that the cause of this debarring of them being forgiuen the effect still continued for other vse which in them was not onely morall but also mystical God willing thereby to giue to vnderstand that the Law which was giuen by Moses and the Priesthood that was executed by Aaron could not bring vs to that eternall inheritance which was figured by the land of Canaan but onely Iesus who was figured by Iosuah could yeeld vnto vs the possession thereof Thus S. Austin maketh mysticall and spirituall application thereof affirming that l August contra Faust Man lib. 16. cap. 19. Non introducebat populum in terram promissionis ne videlicet lex per Mosen non ad saluandum sed ad conuincenduÌ peccatorem data introducere putaretur Ita Tertulaâiuer Marcionem lâb 3. Moses did not bring the people of Israel into the land of promise lest the law which was giuen by Moses not to saue but to conuict the sinner shold be thought to bring vs into the kingdome of heauen But fully to answer this point and to stop M. Bishops mouth let vs take that which the same S. Austin saith in another place m Idem in Psa 98. Quaerimus vindictam in Moyse propè nullam habet nisi quòd ad extremuÌ aât illi Deut Ascende in montem morere Aât seni Morere tam peregeras âetates suas nunquid nunquam erat moriturus Quaelis illa vindicta Ostendit ibi vindictam suam vt diceret Non intrabis in terraÌ promissionis quaÌ intraturus erat populus QuandaÌ figuram quorundam gerebat Moyses Nam qui in regnum coeloruÌ intrauit magna illa poena crat adieâram illam non venire qua ad tempas erat promissa vt vmbram osteude ret transiâeââ Nonne mulit perfiâântrauerunt in illam terram Nonne in illa terra viuentes multa mala feceruÌt Deum offenderunt Nonne idolotriam secuti sunt in terra illa Magnum erat non dedisse terram istam Moysi sed Moses voluit gestare figuram eorum qui sub lege erant quia per Moysen data est lex ostendit eos qui sub lege esse vellent sub gratia esse nollent non intraturos interram promisâionis Ergo illud quod dictum est Moysi figura erat non poena Seâ mers quae poena Non intrare in illam terram quae poena quo intrauerunt indigni We seeke Gods punishment in Moses saith he and he had in a manner none but that God at last saith to him Go vp into the hill and die He saith to an old man Go die he had now finished his yeares what shold he neuer die what punishment is this He shewed him there his punishment in that he said Thou shalt not enter into the land of promise to which the people was to enter Moses did here beare a figure of some for he being to enter into the kingdome of heaueÌ was it a great punishment not to come to that land which was promised for a time to cary a shadow and so to passe away Did not many vnfaithfull men enter into that land did not they that liued in that land commit many euils and offend God did they not follow idolatry in that land A great matter it was not to giue this land vnto Moses but Moses was to beare a figure of them which are vnder the law because the law was giuen by Moses and he sheweth that they which would be vnder the law and would not be vnder grace should not enter into the land of promise Therefore that which was said to Moses was a figure not a punishment what punishment was it to an old man to die what punishment was it not to enter into that land into which vnworthy men did enter Here then it is plaine that the not suffering of Moses to enter into the land of Canaan was not a matter of punishmeÌt but a matter of figure God took the occasion therof of his trespasse but the trespasse being remitted it was turned from being a punishment to him to be a mystery of faith both to him and vs. But it were woorth the while here to question with M. Bishop how he should make the not entring of all these into the land of Canaan to be any satisfaction for their sins what did they or suffered they that might carie the name of a satisfaction Did any thing herein befall them but what befell to many iust and godly Fathers before that time He saith their dayes were shortened but how were the dayes of Moses and Aaron shortened when the one liued to n Deut. 34.7 120. and the other to o Numb 33.39 123. yeares almost double to that nuÌber of yeres which Moses noted for the ordinary time of the life of man p Psal 90.10 The dayes of our age are threescore yeares and ten Yea Moses was so old as that he said q Deut. 31.2 I am a hundred and twentie yeare old I can no more go in and out Againe we wonder whereas M. Bishop hath told vs before that such excellent holy personages by their ordinarie deuotions satisfied abundantly for their sinnes how it came to passe that all Moses deuotions for the space of r Deut. 2.14 eight and thirty yeares after could not satisfie for that one sinne of his but that it still hindred him froÌ entring into the promised land Surely M. Bishop cannot well tell vs how these things hang together But to conclude this point M. Perkins had set downe by the words of the holy Ghost the vse of Gods chastisements towards his children and M. Bishop as loth to be acquainted therwith saith nothing of it Å¿ 1. Cor. 11.32 When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world
to speake how much more securely would the Fathers vse such phrases when yet there was no feare of those misconstructions of heresie and Apostacie which haue since preuailed in the Church of Rome We haue seene Bellarmine before acknowledging out of their principles that the Fathers in these phrases imported only merit of fauour and grace not merit of woorth and purchase and therefore setting aside the name of merit let vs not doubt but that they meant in all their speeches to vphold the grace and fauour of God by the mediation of Iesus Christ They taught men amidst all their deuotions to aske pardon of Gods mercie and therefore could not be thought to teach them that by the same deuotions they did deserue it In a word I conclude this point with a speech or two of Chrysostomes which I wish thee gentle Reader to compare with the doctrine which M. Bishop here hath brought vs from Rome e Chrysost de beato Philogonio Ego testificor ac fide iubeo quod si quisquaÌ nostrum qui peccatis obnoxij sumus ex animo vereque promittat Deo se posteà nuÌquam ad illa rediturum nihil aliud Deus requirat ad satisfactionem viteriorem I testifie saith he and giue thee warrant that if any of vs who are subiect to sinne or guiltie of sinne do heartily and truly promise vnto God neuer to returne to the same againe God doth require no further satisfaction Againe vpon the words of the Apostle f 1. Cor. 11.31 If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord he saith thus g Jdem in 1. Cor. hom 28. Non dixit si puniemus si suppliciuÌ de nobis sumemus sed si dijudicaremus hoc est si nostra tantùm voluerimus peccata cognoscere si condemnare nâsipsos liberaremur vtique ab huius à futuri seculi supplicijs The Apostle saith not If we would punish our selues if we would take reuenge of our selues but If we would iudge our selues that is if we would onely acknowledge our sinnes if we would condemne our selues we should be deliuered both from the punishments of this world and of the world to come Here we see that after true repentance there is no further satisfaction that after true acknowledgement and confession of our sinnes there is no reseruation of punishment but by the mercie of God we are set free both from the punishments of this world and of the world to come whereby all that M. Bishop here hath built is vtterly ouerthrowne 19 W. BISHOP And if you please in few words to heare the Protestants workes of penance and satisfaction in stead of our fasting and other corporall correction they fall to eating and that of the best flesh they can get and take in the Lord all such bodily pleasure as the company of a woman will affoord In lieu of giuing almes vnto the poore they pill them by fines and vnreasonable rents and by vsurie and craftie bargaines are not ashamed to cosen their nearest kinne Finally in place of prayer and washing away their owne sinnes by many bitter teares they sing merrily a Geneua Psalme and raile or heare a railing at our imagined sinnes or pretended errours And so leaue and lay all paine and sorrow vpon Christs shoulders thinking themselues belike to be borne to pleasure and pastime and to make merry in this world R. ABBOT A shrewd wench hearing her mother at angry words with her neighbour and well knowing her mothers desert gaue her this counsell Call her whore first mother for feare lest she call you whore M. Bishop knew very well that there is sufficient cause for vs to call his mother whore and to vpbraid the Church of Rome with the poisoned and abhominable fruites which their doctrine of satisfactions bringeth foorth Therefore he thought it good policie in her behalfe to follow the counsell of the vnhappy girle and to call whore first that by laying some slanderous imputations of euil behauiour vpon vs he might breake and abate the odiousnesse of those vncleane and filthie corruptions which he knew were iustly to be obiected against them He knew well that if we should paint them out from top to toe we should make the Church of Rome to appeare a monster most vgly deformed such as that all men may thereby take iust occasion to detest her To giue him some taste of their good fruites let him remember that of the Court of Rome it was said long since a Math. Paris in Henrico 3. Eius auaritiae totus non sufficit orbis Eius luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis The world too litle is their couetise to satisfie No harlots are enough to serue their filthy lecherie b Ibi. Manifestè comperium est EcclesiaÌ RomanaÌ Dei indignationem incurrisse Ipsius enim magistratus rectores non populi deuotionem sed marsupia plena quarunt denariorum non animas Deo lucrifacere sed reditus capere pecunias congregare religiosos opprimere poena vsura simonia alijs diuersis argumentis alienae vsurpare Non curatur de iustitiae honestate c. Adeo inualuit Romanae Ecclesiae in satiabilis cupiditas confundens fasque nefasque quòd deposito rubore veluti meretrix vulgaris effrons omnibus venalis exposita vsuram pro paruo siâoniam pro nullo inconuenienti reputauit ita vt alias prouincias sua contagione macularit c. Foetor Curia Papaliâ vsque ad nubes fumum teterrimum exhalauit It is manifestly found saith Matth. of Paris that the Church of Rome hath incurred the indignation of God The gouernours and rulers therof do not seeke the deuotion of the people but the filling of their owne purses not to gaine soules to God but to take rents and to gather mony to oppresse them that are religious by penaltie vsurie symonie and diuers other deuices to get other mens goods into their hand there is no care of iust and honest dealing The insatiable couetousnes of the Church of Rome is growne to that passe confounding right and wrong as that being past blushing like a common and shamelesse harlot setting her selfe to sale and being exposed to all men she accounteth vsurie for a small inconuenience and simonie for none so as that with her contagion she hath defiled other countries The stinch of the Popes Court hath breathed out a most noysome fume euen to the very clouds Of those times Abbas Vrspergensis speaketh in this sort c Abbas Vâspergensis in Chr. Tunc coeperunt multiplicars maâa interris Ortae siquidem sunt in hominibus simultates doli perfidiae traditâones vt se inuicem tradânt in mortem interituÌ Rapinae depraedationes depopulationes terraruÌ vastationes inteÌ diae seditiones bella rapinae siue in stratis siue in latrocinijs iustificatae sunt vt omnis homo iaâa sit periurus praedictis faciâârâbus
gold and siluer practised to rob the poore people of God of their substance Now therefore M. Bishop gaineth no credit to his doctrine of satisfactions by charging these enormities vpon vs inasmuch as they are found much more intolerably in the Pope himselfe and therefore much more in them who are the members of so bad a head Whosoeuer amongst vs do sinne in these kindes and cause the people of God to grieue and his enemies to blaspheme his truth we teach them and they shall finde that e 1. Thess 4.6 God is the auenger of such things and his iudgement shall in due time finde out their sinne Of the ridiculous absurditie of their satisfactorie praiers I haue spoken before His words of bitter teares are but formall Catholike eies are too tender to be made red with bitter teares and the forme of their praiers fitteth not thereto Our singing of Geneua Psalmes as he calleth them indeede Dauids Psalmes though many of them haply turned into English meeter at Geneua is a deuotion prescribed by the holy Ghost saying by the Apostle f Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord. If being merry in good sort we thus sing Psalmes we therein follow the rule of S. Iames g Iames 5.13 Is any man merry let him sing Yea and we hold it for a notable token of the apostasie of the Church of Rome that it hath so abandoned this point of Christian exercise and deuotion from all both publike and priuate vse We do not raile but performe the office of carefull pastours and teachers in noting their sinnes and errours not imagined onely but verie sensible nor onely pretended but proued by the testimonie of him who is truth and cannot erre As for that which he saith of laying all paine and sorow vpon Christes shoulders it is true that we do so indeede as touching satisfaction for sinne but otherwise God wanteth not meanes to lay paines and sorowes vpon those that are his to make them know that they are not borne to pleasure and pastime but to h Act. 13.36 serue the counsell of God to glorifie his name The Church of Rome swarmeth as before hath bene noted with Atheists and Epicures that cary the shew of that perswasion but amongst the true professors of the Gospell there are no such found CHAPTER 7. OF TRADITIONS 1 W. BISHOP MAister Perkins Traditions are doctrines deliuered from hand to hand either by word of mouth or writing besides the written word of God His first conclusion as touching our consent Concl. 1. We hold that the verie word of God was deliuered by Tradition from Adam to Moses who was the first Pen-man of holy Scripture Item that the Historie of the new Testament as some for eight not eightie or as other think for twenty yeares went froÌ hand to hand by Tradition till penned by the Apostles or being penned by others was approued by them Hitherto we agree but not in this which he enterlaceth that in the state of nature euery man was instructed of God immediatly in both matters of faith and religion for that God theÌ as euer since vsed the ministerie as well of good fathers as godly maisters as Enoch Noe Abraham and such like to teach their children and seruants the true worship of God and true faith in him otherwise how should the word of God passe by Tradition from Adam to Moses as M. Perkins affirmeth if no child learned any such thing of his father but was taught immediatly from God but M. Perkins seemeth to regard little such pettie contradictions R. ABBOT M. Perkins meaning is plaine enough without any contradiction God in the beginning reuealed his will vnto our father Adam not by writing but familiarly by word of mouth He left it not thenceforth meerely to passe from man to man but as he first gaue this light by immediate reuelation from himselfe so afterwards he continued renewed and confirmed the same raising vp some in all times to be neere vnto him to whom a Heb. 1.1 in diuers manners by speech by visions by dreames by sundry illuminations and inspirations he imparted the knowledge of himselfe and endued them with eminencie of gifts and authority to be b 2. Pet. 2.5 preachers of righteousnesse both to their owne families and to other whom the Lord would call It is not true then which M. Bishop would so gladly fasten on that the doctrine of faith passed by tradition in such sort as the question of traditions standeth betwixt them and vs. They pretend that Christ taught his Apostles diuers and sundry doctrines which he would haue wholy left without writing to the custody of the Church and to be reported successiuely from man to man to the worlds end But God did not in those first ages leaue his word in any such sort wholy to the memory and report of men as trusting to their fidelity for the successiue deliuering of that which at first had bene receiued but he himselfe tooke vpon himselfe the custody of his owne tradition and continued still to report what he had first taught knowing the chanel of humane conceipt to be more corrupt theÌ that the streame of diuine truth can long runne pure cleare therein And this may sufficiently perswade vs that our Sauiour Christ would not leaue any part of his religion to so vncertaine and doubtfull course so subiect to the corruptions of humane deuices If God would euer haue had his truth to passe altogether from hand to hand vndoubtedly he would haue taken that course in the beginning when men liuing so long might be likely to confirme and settle in their posteritie what they should beleeue But he saw there would be no safety vnlesse he himselfe still continued to be an instructour vnto them He knew how subiect men are to alteration and change how easily one man mistaketh that which is rightly deliuered by another how readily men sometimes come short sometimes go too farre how one mans fancy conceiueth one way another mans another way and that we can neuer keepe any straight and euen path so long as instruction is no otherwise had but from man to man Therefore where God himselfe attended not to keepe the fire burning which he had kindled it soone went out where men were left onely to tradition they soone degenerated from that seruice of God wherein they had bene brought vp vnder iust and righteous parents There is no likelihood therefore that God finding so little safety in tradition in the beginning would leaue his Church now to be guided by tradition in the end Nay when he thought good somwhat to withdraw himselfe from that familiar conference dealing with men he would otherwise supply the want thereof prouide for the safety of his people by appointing a
4.2 Ye shall put nothing to the word that I command you saith Moses neither shall ye take ought there from that ye may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you thereby giuing to vnderstand that euery putting too or taking fro is a breach of the coÌmandement of the Lord. Against the exception which M. Bishop vseth that these words may be vnderstood of commandements as wel vnwritten as written M. Perkins answereth that these words are as a preface to a long coÌmentary or exposition of the written law therfore do import that to the written law nothing is to be added nothing to be taken from it but that onely was to be done which is contained therein Now howsoeuer M. Bishop doat yet the case is plaine that because Moses spake thus in respect of the written law therefore the Israelites were to admit of nothing but what was written in the law But saith he why then were there bookes of the old Testament and of the Prophets written afterwards if God had forbidden any more to be written or taught but that one booke of Deuteronomy Behold a cosening Sophister who seeth well and knoweth that saue onely by falshood and deceipt he auaileth nothing We say not that of the booke of Deuteronomy onely but of the whole written law Moses said Ye shall put nothing to it c. Againe we do not say that God did forbid any more bookes to be written or taught but that no matter of doctrine of faith or of the worship of God should be receiued or written or taught but what was deriued from the written law Now then I wish thee gentle Reader to obserue how the wise man in his owne answer circumuenteth and ouerthroweth himselfe Moses saith Ye shall put nothing to the word which I coÌmand you nor take ought therefrom now tell vs M. Bishop of what word did he say this He telleth vs that we must vnderstand it of the word whether written or vnwritten Be it so but you will confesse then that to the word of God deliuered by Moses written or vnwritten nothing is to be added because the words of Moses plainly expresse so much and how then came it to passe that so many bookes were written afterwards We hope you will not deny but that Moses therein taught the Israelites whatsoeuer was necessary to saluation how then doth it stand that the rest of the Prophets added so much more in writing To vse your owne words shall we thinke that the Prophets read not these words or vnderstood them not or did wilfully transgresse them We would gladlie heare whether of these you vvill say The man is mute and he hath nothing to answer if he answer as he must his answer fully serueth our turne for defending the onely written law of Moses that the bookes that were after written by the Prophets serue to explane and declare the law to shew the experiment practise of it but adde no point of doctrine nor teach any article of religion towards God but what Moses hath written in the Law But for the further strengthening of this argument it is to be noted that Moses testifieth of himself that b Exod. 24.4 he wrote all the words of God In another place it is said c Deut. 31.9.10 Moses wrote this law and deliuered it to the Priests and to all the Elders of Israel and coÌmanded them saying Euery seuenth yeare thou shalt reade this law before all Israel The law then which he gaue them he gaue them in writing that they might read it it might be read vnto them It could not haue bene said Moses wrote this law if he had written but a part of it and left another part vnwritten Nay it is said further afterwards d Ver. 24. When Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a booke vntill he had finished them then Moses commanded the Leuites saying Take the booke of this law and put it in the side of the Arke c. It is apparent then that Moses gaue not ouer writing the words of the law vntill he had finished them that is vntill he had written all the words of the law so that there was no word of the law but that that was written in the booke of the law And therfore that which is set downe by Moses e Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them is thus related by the Apostle f Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to do theÌ therby to shew that all the words of the law are written in the booke of the law nothing left vnwritten that was any part or parcel thereof Thus when God would giue direction to Iosuah g Iosuah 1.7 to obserue and do according to all the law which Moses had commanded him giuing him charge according to the instruction of Moses here spoken of not to turne away from it to the right hand or to the left either by putting too or taking fro to shew what he meant by all the law he addeth Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maiest obserue and do according to all that is written therein Here againe it is plaine that to obserue all the law of Moses is to obserue all that is written in the booke of the law And out of this place Cyprian being vrged by Stephanus Bishop of Rome with tradition argueth against the receiuing of vnwritten traditions h Cyprian ad PoÌpetum Vnde est ista traditriot Virumnè de dominica EuaÌgelica authoritate descendens an de Apostolarum mandatis atque epistolu veniens Ea enim faâienda esse quae scripta sunt Deus testatur protonit Iesu Naue diceus NoÌ recedet c. Whence is this tradition faith he Whether descendeth it from the authoritie of the Lord and of the Gospell or commeth it froÌ the coÌmandements and epistles of the Apostles For that those things must be done which are written God testifieth saying to Iosuah The booke of this law shall not depart out of thy mouth c. Where he plainely sheweth that out of these words he intendeth this conclusion that concerning faith and deuotion towards God as we are to do the things that are written so what is not written we are not to do And this now is cleare by the place that we haue here in hand for if all that Moses commanded were written and nothing was to be added to that that Moses commanded then nothing was to be added to that that was written and those things which were written afterwards were no additions but only declarations and confirmations of those things which he had before written And thus did the ancient Fathers vnderstand that that is said of adding or diminishing as touching
sedulò vt quae tibi lex facienda praescripsit opere expleas diligentèr certus opperitor iucundissimaÌ fruitionem repositoruÌ tibi bonoruÌ c. Bonis perfruâ siquidem desideres quae praescripta sunt mandata opere exequitor which God hath giuen as to guide vs by the hand to direct vs the way Wilt thou then saith he be certainly perswaded what shall hereafter befall thee Prouide diligently to do the things which the law coÌmandeth thee to do and waite assured of the most ioyfull fruition of the good things which are prouided for thee If thou desire to enioy good things performe the commandements that are prescribed vnto thee By Basils iudgement then it is plaine that the words haue further meaning then to refer theÌ to the law concerning that one particular of consulting wizards But Hierome goeth yet further tels vs the meaning of the Prophet in this sort e Hieron in Esa cap 8. lib. 3. Si de aliquo dubitaris c. si vultis nosse quae dubia sunt maÌgis vos legi et testimonijs tradite scripturarum If ye doubt of any thing if ye would know the things that ye doubt of referre your selues to the law and to the testimonies of the Scriptures What wil M. Bishop say now wil he cal Hierom a wizard as he hath done M.P. for saying the Prophets meaning to be that the Scripture the written word shold resolue theÌ of al that they doubted towards God Yea the law it self sufficiently warranteth vs so to coÌceiue f Deut. 12.32 Whatsoeuer I coÌmand you take heed you do it saith Moses thou shalt put nothing therto nor take ought therefroÌ Those words M. Bish vulgar Latin expoundeth thus g Quod praecipio tibi hoc tantùm facito Domino What I coÌmand thee that onely do to the Lord thou shalt put nothing thereto c. Now we haue seene before that Moses committed to writing whatsoeuer he commaÌded If then nothing were to be done to the Lord but what Moses commanded and all that Moses commanded was written then by the written word all doubts were to be resolued as touching those things that were to be done to the Lord and nothing to be done but that that was written But saith M. Bishop what need we then the Prophets what need we the Euangelists and the Epistles of the Apostles I haue answered him before but yet let me tell him here that Faustus the Maniche denying God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ to be the author of the old Testament when he was vrged that Christ approueth the same in saying I came not to destroy the lawe but to fulfill it replied that it could not be that Christ should say so because the author of the Law had said that nothing should be added to the law nor taken from it Saint Austine answereth him that h August cont Faust Manich. lib. 17. cap. 6. Venit legem adimplere non vi legi adderentur quae decrant sed vt fierent quae scripta erant quod ipsa eius verba iestantur Non enim ait Joâa vnum aut vnus apex non transiet à lege donec addantur quae desunt sed donec omnia fiant Christ came to fulfill the Law not as that any thing should be added which was wanting to the law but that the things should be done which are written therein as his words saith he do shew for he doth not say Not one iot or title of the law shall passe till the things be added which are wanting but till all things be done Hence therefore we answer M. Bishop once againe that the Prophets writings were no additions of doctrine but onely explanations of the law and so likewise that the writings of the new Testament do adde nothing to the law but onely do further declare and withall set foorth the accomplishment of those things that were foreshewed prophecied in the law And therefore Paul in preaching the Gospell professeth i Act. 26.22 to say no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come so that to vse the distinction that Vincentius Lyrinensis vpon other occasion vseth though the Euangelists and Apostles spake in a new manner yet they spake k Vincent Lyr. Eadem quae didicisti doce vt cùm dicas nouè non dicas noua no new matter or to allude to Saint Austines words though they varied in the tense yet they differed not in the signification of the word but in both times or in all times the same doctrine was preached the same faith continued the latter affirming nothing but what was confirmed by the writings of them that went before 7 W. BISHOP 3. Testimony * Ioh. 20.31 These things were written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ in beleeuing might haue life euerlasting Here is set downe the ful end of the Gospell that is to bring men to faith and consequently to saluation to which the whole Scripture alone is sufficient without Traditions Answ Here are more faults then lines first the text is craftily mangled things being put instead of miracles For S. Iohn saith Many other miracles Christ did c. but these were written c. Secondly S. Iohn saith not that for faith we shall be saued but beleeuing we shold haue saluation in his name which he clipped off thirdly remember to what faith S. Iohn ascribes the means of our saluation not to that wherby we apply vnto our selues Christs righteousnesse but by which we beleeue Iesus to be Christ the Messias of the Iewes and the Sonne of God which M. Perkins also concealed Now to the present matter S. Iohn saith that these miracles recorded in his Gospell were written that we might beleeue Iesus to be the Sonne of God and beleeuing haue saluation in his name c. Therefore the written word containes all doctrine necessary to saluation Answ S. Iohn speakes not a word of doctrine but of miracles and therfore to conclude sufficiency of doctrine out of him is not to care what one saith But M.P. foreseeing this saith it cannot be vnderstood of miracles only for miracles without the doctrine of Christ can bring no man to life euerlasting true and therefore that text speaking onely of miracles proueth nothing for the sufficiencie of the written Word Christs miracles were sufficient to proue him to be the Sonne of God and their Messias but that proueth not S. Iohns Gospell to containe all doctrine needfull to saluation for many other points of faith must be beleeued also And if it alone be sufficient what need we the other three Gospels the Acts of the Apostles or any of their Epistles or the same S. Iohns Reuelations Finally admit that S. Iohns Gospell were al-sufficient yet should not Traditions be excluded for Christ saith in it in plaine termes * Ioh. 16. that he had much more to say vnto his Apostles but
is not in the generall signification whether the Gospell were a tradition that is a thing deliuered froÌ God or whether it were a tradition by word that is a thing deliuered by word but whether of that traditioÌ that is of that doctrine deliuered from God by word any part were left vnwritten to go thenceforth vnder the name of vnwritten tradition We denie not but that the whole Law and Gospell is the Lords tradition we denie not but that the Euangelists in the historie of Christ had things first deliuered vnto them by word which they should afterwards commit to writing although in the writing thereof inspired of God e Iohn 14.26 the holy Ghost bringing all things to their remembrance and guiding them in what sort they should set them downe but we denie that either in the Law or in the Gospell there was any thing left vnwritten that concerneth vs to know for attaining of true faith and righteousnes towards God To come now to the point howsoeuer the Euangelists built their Gospels vpon Tradition that is vpon that that was then deliuered vnto them whether by Christ or by his Apostles yet what is this to prooue that they confirmed any doctrine that is any part of this tradition now deliuered vnto them by tradition of former times that is by any doctrine left vnwritten by Moses and the Prophets This was the matter in hand why then doth M. Bishop seeke thus in a cloud to steale away He telleth vs of desperate carelesnesse thinking to carry the matter with desperate words but we must tell him that it is desperate trechery in him thus to mocke his Reader with boisterous babling when he saith nothing to prooue that that he should that either the Apostles prooued any doctrine by vnwritten tradition of the old Testament or left any thing to be prooued by vnwritten tradition in the new 15. W. BISHOP His other reason is that if we beleeue vnwritten traditions were necessary to saluation then we must as well beleeue the writings of the ancient Fathers as the writings of the Apostles because Apostolicall traditions are not elsewhere to be found but in their bookes but that were absurd for they might erre Answer That doth not follow for three causes First Apostolical traditions are as wel kept in the mind of the learned as in the ancient fathers writings and therefore haue more credit then the Fathers writings Secondly they are commonly recorded of more then one of the Fathers and so haue firmer testimony then any one of their writings Thirdly if there should be any Apostolicall tradition related but of one auncient father yet it should be of more credit than any other thing of his owne inuention because that was registred by him as a thing of more estimation And a-againe some of the rest of those blessed and godly personages would haue reproued it as they did all other falshoods if it had not bin such indeed as it was termed which when they did not they gaue a secret approbation of it for such and so that hath the interpretatiue consent at least of the learned of that age and the following for Apostolicall tradition But Master Perkins proues the contrary by Saint Paul who saith * Act. 26.22 That I continue to this day witnessing both to small and great saying no other thing then that which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Why make you here a full point let Saint Paul make an end of his speech and tell vs for what points of doctrine he alledgeth Moses and the Prophets Marrie to proue that Christ should suffer death and rise againe and that he should giue light to the Gentiles For these and such like which were euidently fore-told in holy writ he needed not to alledge any other proofe but when he was to perswade them to abandon Moses Law he then deliuered to them the decrees of the Apostles and taught them to keepe them * Act. 16. As also when he instructed the Corinthians in the Sacrament of the Altar he beginneth with Tradition saying * 1. Cor. 11. I deliuer vnto you as I haue receiued from our Lord not in writing but by word of mouth And in the same Chapter putteth downe the contentious Scripturist with the custome of the Church saying If any man lust to striue we haue no such custome so that out of S. Paul we learne to alledge Scriptures when they be plaine for vs and when they beare not so cleare with vs to pleade Tradition and the custome of the Church R. ABBOT It is strange to see how M. Bishop hath slubbered ouer this matter being of so great moment and importance for the authoritie and credit of their traditions They tell vs that traditions vnwritten are a part of the word of God The councell of Trent professeth a CoÌcil Trident. ses 4 cap. 1. Pari pietatis affectu ac reuerentia suscipit c. to receiue them with the like affection of pietie and reuerence as they do the holy Scripture Now we desire to know by what testimonie or warrant we may be secured particularly what these traditions are for if they be alike to be esteemed with those things that are contained in the Scriptures there is reason that they be approued vnto vs by testimoniall witnesse equiualent to the Scriptures If then the writings of the auncient fathers be made the witnesses of these traditions we must beleeue the writings of the auncient fathers as well as we beleeue the Scriptures M. Bishop telleth vs that traditions are as well kept in the mindes of the learned as in the auncient fathers writings and therefore haue more credit then the fathers writings So then belike the mindes of the learned together with the writings of the auncient fathers are of equall credit and authoritie with the Scriptures and if Maister Perkins had put in both these then Maister Bishop had not had a word to say But we must yet aske further whence or vpon what ground do the mindes of the learned accept of these traditions If he will say that they receiue them of the fathers then the argument still standeth good If he say that they receiue them of other learned that were before them then it must be said that they also receiued them from other learned that were before them and so vpward till we come to the fathers and so in fine it must fall out that the fathers must be alike beleeued as the holy Scriptures If M. Bishop be ashamed to say so let him tell vs otherwise what it is that we shall certainly rest vpoÌ But alas good man we see he cannot tell what to say only Bellarmine telleth vs that b Bellarm. de sacram lib. 2 ca. 25. Omnium coÌcilioruÌ veterum omnium dogmatum firmitas ab authoritate praesentis ecclesiae dependet the assured certainty of all councels and of all doctrines of faith dependeth vpoÌ the authority of the present
Church Now then the testimony of the present Church is made of equall like authority with the holy Scriptures and Bellarmine is in as pitifull a case as M. Bishop is For the testimonie of the present Church what is it but the testimony of the learned of the present Church therfore now the mindes of the learned are as good an oracle of truth as the Scriptures are If this be not so let vs heare from M. Bishop what else is to be said hereof for if traditions be to be receiued with like deuotion reuerence as those things that we are taught in Scripture then there must be somewhat or other to commend the same vnto vs with the like authority as the Scripture doth the rest and what that is we are desirous to vnderstand Now M. Bishop addeth two further exceptions against M. Perkins argument and they are such wise ones as that we may very well think them to be his own Secondly saith he they are commonly recorded of more then one of the fathers and so haue firmer testimonie then any one of their writings But what is this to M. Perkins his speech which is not restrained to any one of the fathers writings but taketh them iointly and inferreth it as an absurdity that the writings of the fathers being taken all together should be made equall in credit to the holy Scriptures Thirdly saith he a tradition being related but by one auncient father yet should be of more credit then any other of his owne inuention because that was registred by him as a matter of more estimation But what idle babling is this what maketh this to the clearing of the point in question He will haue vs to receiue traditions with the like pietie and reuerence as we doe those things that we are instructed by the Scripture He putteth a case of a tradition reported by one onely of the fathers He should hereupon haue answered how we can in that sort admit of such a tradition as Apostolicall but by yeelding the like credit to that one father as we do to the holy Scriptures But he like a man in a wood that knoweth not which way he is to go telleth vs that this tradition is of more credit then any other of his owne inuention because it was registred by him as a matter of more estimation O the sharpe wits of these Romish Doctours that can diue so deepe into matters and talke so profoundly that they themselues vnderstand not what they say To as little purpose is that which he addeth that if that tradition were not as it was termed some of the rest of the fathers would haue reproued it which when they did not they gaue it their interpretative consent to be Apostolicall tradition But let the consent be either interpretatiue or expresse what is this against the consequence of the argument which he taketh vpon him to answer that if we must receiue traditions in that sort as they require vs and haue no where to ground them but vpon the testimonie of the fathers then we must giue as much credit to the testimonie of the fathers as we do to the holy Scriptures I am forced thus odiously to inculcate the matter in question to make the ridiculous folly of this wrangler the more plainely to appeare who hauing nothing to say yet hath not so much wit as to hold his peace In this simplicity he goeth forward to answere the place of the Acts where Saint Paule is brought in saying c Acts. 26.22 I continue to this day witnessing both to small and great saying no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come In which words it is plaine that the Apostle professed in the preaching of the Gospell * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. to say nothing without the compasse of those things which had beene before spoken by Moses and the Prophets M Bishop answereth that he meaneth onely of those things which he addeth That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead c. For these things saith he euidently foretold in holy writ he needed not to alledge any other proofe Yea but what other proofe doth he vse for any other doctrine Forsooth when he was to perswade them to abandon Moses law he then deliuered to them the decrees of the Apostles taught them to keepe them Yea but Paul preached a long while before those decrees of the Apostles were made as appeareth froÌ his conuersion in the ninth Chapter to the fifteenth Chapter where those decrees are made and all this while what other proofe did he vse but onely the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets Do we not thinke that this man hath wonderfully hardened both his heart to God and his face to men that can apply himselfe to write in this sort He well knoweth that the question is not here of new decrees but of old traditions what proofe the Apostle had or what ground of doctrine from the old testament but onely the Scriptures of the law and the Prophets The Apostle himselfe saith he had no other he taught nothing but according to the written bookes of the old testament according to that which elsewhere he saith that d Rom. 16.26 the Gospell was published amongst all nations by the Scriptures of the Prophets For a summarie briefe thereof he nameth the suffering and resurrection of Christ c. but he that saith that herewith he preached any thing but what was warranted by Moses and the Prophets maketh him to dally and to speake a manifest vntruth in that he saith that he spake nothing without the compasse of those things which Moses and the Prophets prophecied before Now the wise man for instance against this telleth vs that he deliuered the decrees of the Apostles and taught them to keepe them Which beside that it is nothing to the purpose as hath bene said doth also set forth his notable sillinesse and folly in that for proofe of traditions and doctrines vnwritten he bringeth the example of the Apostles decrees which are expresly mentioned to haue bene sent to the Churches in writing e Acts. 15.23 They wrote letters by them after this manner c. But in the height of his wisedome he goeth forward to proue the same by another speech When he instructed the Corinthians in the Sacrament of the Altar he beginneth with tradition saying I deliuer vnto you as I haue receiued from our Lord not in writing but by word of mouth Surely the mans head was wonderfull quaifie in the writing hereof or else we must thinke that he was in some traunce I deliuer vnto you not in writing but by word of mouth when notwithstanding in his Epistle he sendeth it to them in writing Or what doth he meane that the Apostle receiued it of our Lord not in writing but by word of mouth But what is that to the purpose when he deliuered
the same here by writing and not by word of mouth He had heard there was some text or other there for his purpose but neither did he well know it nor had leisure to seeke it out The words of the Apostle are these I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue also deliuered vnto you Now we conceiue M. Bishops meaning though his vnderstanding being very muddie failed him so exceedingly in the expressing of it The Apostle forsooth giueth to vnderstand that he first deliuered vnto them the institution of the Lords supper not in writing but by word of mouth And what of that Doth it therefore follow that by tradition of the old testament the Apostle proued any doctrine of the new If this do not follow his allegation is bruite and bootlesse and he shooteth wholy beside the marke The Apostle professeth to haue deliuered what he receiued of the Lord but what he receiued of the Lord was according to the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets For the outward signes of the Sacrament were prefigured in Melchisedeck bringing forth f Genes 14.18 bread and wine for the corporall refection of Abrahams armie as the heauenly Melchisedeck should bring forth bread and wine for the spirituall refection and comfort of the sonnes of Abraham As for the doctrine and faith imported by these signes it is no other but what M. Bishop himself confesseth to haue bene euidently foretold in holy writ namely that Christ should die for our sinnes and should rise againe from the dead to become a light and saluation vnto vs the Apostle himselfe instructing vs the end thereof to be g 1. Cor. 11.26 to shew the Lords death till he come Here was then no neede to flie to vnwritten tradition but of this institution the Apostles words stand good that he said nothing but what the Prophets and Moses did say should come And thus the fathers and namely h Tertull. adu Marcion per tot Tertullian to shew against the Marcionites that there is but one God of the old and new testament and not two Gods aduerse one to the other as those heretikes blasphemously affirmed do set downe the accord of the Scriptures of the new testament with the old and the fulfilling of the one in the other but of traditions in the new testament according with traditions in the old they neuer spake a word which yet in that cause had bene very needfull if there had bene any such But M. Bishop being like the Lynx turning about and forgetting what he was feeding vpon will tell vs perhaps that whatsoeuer he had in hand his meaning in the alledging of this place was simply to proue the Apostles approuing of traditions And if he tell vs so surely we will not denie but that it is indeede full simply done The Apostle saith that he first deliuered the institution of the Sacrament by word of mouth What must we therefore thinke that it was not afterwards coÌmitted to writing The contrary appeareth in that we see it here written by himselfe What is there here then to hinder but that as the Sacrament first deliuered by word was afterwards committed to writing so all other points of Christian doctrine faith though deliuered at first by word and preaching yet were afterwards set downe in writing and deliuered vnto vs in the Scriptures And if nothing hinder as indeede there doth not then let him vnderstand that this place is very simply and impertinently brought for traditions vnwritten To fill vp the measure of his folly he telleth vs yet further that the Apostle in the same Chapter putteth downe the contentious Scripturist with the custome of the Church saying If any man lust to striue we haue no such custome Where a man might oppose him very hard if he should aske him why those words of the Apostle do not belong to the Traditionist as well as to the Scripturist We know his dreames are very strong but otherwise why he should apply these words to the Scripturist he himselfe cannot well tell Againe it would be knowne of him what custome the Apostle affirmeth here We heare him saying We haue no such custome but we do not heare him saying We haue a custome And therefore M. Bishops alledging of these words in behalfe of customes of the Church may well make vs thinke that in the doing of it he had the very same head on that he is accustomed to haue to say nothing that he was much distressed for traditions and customes when he tooke not to be contentious to be an vnwritten tradition and custome of the Church So that his conclusion is like a body without either head or feete wanting strength to carie him so farre as he is desirous to go and because the Apostles doctrine was neither according to vnwritten traditions nor customes but according to the Scriptures onely we learne that neither tradition nor custome but Scripture onely must beare sway for directing and prescribing true faith and doctrine in the Church 16 W. BISHOP Hitherto I haue confuted what M. Perkins brought against Traditions Now to that which he saith for them in our behalfe First saith he the Catholikes alledge * 2. Thes 2.15 Where the Apostle bids the Church to keepe the ordinances which he taught them either by word of mouth or by Epistle Hence they gather that besides the written word there be vnwritten traditions that are necessary to be kept and obeyed M. Perkins Answer It is likely that this Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer Paul wrote to any Church and then some things needefull to saluation might be deliuered by word of mouth but that was afterwards written in some others of his Epistles Reply Obserue first that insteede of Traditions according to the Greeke and Latine word they translate * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ordinances euer flying the word Tradition where any thing is spoken in coÌmendation of them But if any thing sound against them then thrust they in the word Tradition although the Greeke word beare it not See for this their corruption and many other a learned Treatise named The Discouerie of false translations penned by Maister Gregory Martin a man most singularly coÌuersant in the Greeke and Hebrew tongues Secondly is it not plaine dotage to auouch that this second Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer he wrote Surely if none of his other were written before it yet his first to the same Church must needes haue bene written before it But let vs giue the man leaue to dreame some-times To the point of the answer that all was written after in some other of his Epistles which before had bene deliuered by word of mouth How proueth M. Perkins that the man hath such confidence in his owne word that he goeth not once about to proue it Good Sir hold you not here that nothing is needfull to be beleeued which is not written in the word Shew vs then
be content also to let it go leauing the messe of pap to them whose the reason is and let vs follow him to examine the authorities which he bringeth for proofe of their traditions The first is from the words of Christ a Iohn 16.12 at the point of his passion saying that he had many things to say vnto his Apostles but they could not as then beare them Which words being of old a speciall refuge b Tertul. de veland virgin of Montanus the heretike an ancient Papist we cannot wonder to be vsed now by the Papists for the shrowding of that trash and the like as they haue borowed of him But of these words so much hath bin said c Sect. 7. before as that I need not here to stand vpon them any further His second authoritie is that in the Acts concerning our Sauiours appearing to his Disciples d Act. 1.3 by the space of fortie dayes and speaking of the things which appertaine to the kingdome of God Of these things saith M. Bishop little is written in any of the Euangelists And we desire to know what he hath learned of those things by tradition and if he will name to vs these or these things we desire to know how he can proue that those were the things whereof Christ spake if he cannot proue it we reiect his foolish presumption and can much better denie then he affirme What those things were by tradition we know nothing but by Scripture we do know The effect of all his speeches is set down by S. Luke in his last chapter There he maketh his Apostles e Luke 24.48 witnesses of those things which he spake What they witnessed appeareth in their sermons euery where in the Acts of the Apostles and in their Epistles and writings all consonant and agreeable to that briefe summe there expressed by S. Luke Now then to argue as we haue done before we are sure as touching the things that are written that they are of those things wherof Christ spake but how doth M. Bishop proue that he spake any thing more then that that is written It is expressed by S. Luke that the things whereof Christ spake were things appertaining to the kingdome of God But S. Paul f Acts 28.23 testified the kingdome of God out of the law of Moses and out of the Prophets The things therefore which Christ spake as is also imported in the g Luk 24.27.44 46. last of S. Lukes Gospell were no other but according to the scriptures of Moses and the Prophets and therefore M. Bishops conceit of matters vnwritten must needs be an idle dreame Thirdly he alledgeth the Apostles words commending the Corinthians for that h 1. Cor. 11.2 they kept the traditions euen as he had deliuered the same vnto them Where we find the name of traditions which we denie not but traditions of doctrine that should remaine vnwritten we find not By traditions we vnderstand here out of the circumstance of the words following rites and ceremonies prescribed by the Apostle for order and decencie in the publicke assembly of their Church which kinde of traditions M. Perkins hath acknowledged in the beginning of this question If M. Bishop will alledge that this is but a shift and will needs enforce that it must be vnderstood of matters of doctrine we wil gratifie him so farre but still we require him to proue that those matters of doctrine were any other then were afterwards put in writing There was but litle of the new Testament written at the writing of this Epistle Those things which were afterwards written must needs be vnderstood in these traditions whereof the Apostle speaketh if we vnderstand them of doctrine because we know that by his preaching he had deliuered those things vnto them And if the Apostles words be necessarily to be vnderstood of those things that are written we desire to know how they can enforce any necessitie of vnderstanding any other things thereby One of these traditions he mentioneth afterwards i Ver. 23. the institution of the Lords Supper It is written by himselfe it is written by the Euangelists Here is then a tradition but no tradition vnwritten The sacrament of Baptisme was another of his traditions but that is written also Another tradition he himselfe expresseth to haue bene k 1. Cor. 15.3 the death and resurrection of Christ but that tradition is also plentifully contained in the Scriptures So elsewhere he signifieth it to haue bene his l 2. Thess 3.6 tradition that he which would not labour should not eate and that tradition he hath also m Ver 1 there set downe in writing Now sith these were of the number of his traditions and yet are written what should hinder but that the rest are written as well as these M. Bishop alledgeth the place and so leaueth it without head or taile there is the name of traditions and that is enough for him whereas if he should draw an argument from thence for their traditions he knoweth that his folly would too plainly appeare His next citation is out of S. Paul to Timothy n 1. Tim. 6.20 O Timothy keepe the depositum saith he Where we see that one ape will be like another his masters of Rhemes would affect a foolish kind of singularitie in translating and he wil shew himselfe as wise as they Why could they not as well haue giuen vs English and said keepe that that is committed vnto thee to keepe seeing that is the signification of the word depositum Yet in the other place he is content to leaue them o 2. Tim. 2.14 Hold fast by the holy Ghost the good things coÌmitted vnto thee to keep where they reade keep the good depositum But what is that that was thus committed to Timothy to keepe He telleth vs that it was the true doctrine of Christ the true sence of holy Scriptures the right administration of the Sacraments and the gouernment of the Church But what of all this We expected vnwritten traditions and in all these things we see no necessitie to vnderstand any thing but that that is contained in the Scriptures In the Scriptures we learne the true doctrine of Christ and whatsoeuer is contained in the true sence of Scripture is contained in the Scripture There we learne whatsoeuer necessarily belongeth to the administration of Sacraments and gouernment of the Church But our question is here of necessary doctrines which are neither contained in the word nor sence of holy Scripture and M. Bishop doth amisse in the citing of these places vnlesse he can make it good that such were committed to Timothy by S. Paul Albeit those particulars are neither set downe by Chrysostome nor Theophylact onely Theophylact generally expoundeth the words thus p Theop. in t Tim. cap. 6. Quaecunque scilicet tibi sunt per me demandata tanquam Domini praecepta seruata nec horuÌ quicquam imminues p 2. Tim.
mentall reseruations to lye to periure forsweare theÌselues As for our own country we must tell him that the dissension betwixt Protestants Puritanes was neuer so mortall and deadly amongst vs as was the dissention of the secular Priests Iesuites amongst them the one in no sort to be coÌpared to the other If there might be such a garboile more then hellish or diuellish amongst them without preiudice of their religion what preiudice should it be to vs that there is some matter of difference amongst vs He wil say that the maine matter amongst them was but a matter of circumstance of gouernment and so his wisedome knoweth if he list that the matters of controuersie amongst vs are onely matters of ceremonie and forme He will say that they all accorded in the religion established by the councell of Trent and so let him know that we on both parts subscribe to the same articles of religion established amongst vs. He vvill say that there is some controuersie about the meaning of some of those articles amongst vs and so let him remember that there is great question of the meaning of some of the articles of the Trent religion amongst them In a word wee are able alwaies to iustifie that in substantiall points of faith there is no so great difference amongst vs but that there is greater to be proued to haue bene continually amongst them But now M. Bishop hauing lightly passed ouer those obseruations of M. Perkins commeth himselfe to set vs downe a course for the attaining of the true and right sence of holy Scripture For the first part whereof he bestirreth his Rhetoricall stumpes by way of declamation to shew vs how necessary it is that in the Christian Church there should be a Iudge for the deciding and determining of controuersies and questions that arise about the Scriptures and if in matters of temporall iustice Iudges be appointed and euery law-maker do ordaine gouernours and Iudges for the declaring and executing of his lawes and God tooke this course amongst the people of Israel in the old testament he telleth vs that surely Christ in the new testament would not leaue his Church vnprouided in this behalfe Where we will seeme for a time not to know his meaning but will simply answer him that Christ in this behalfe hath prouided for his Church hauing giuen thereto f Ephe. 4.11.12 Pastours and teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministery and for the building vp of the body of Christ till we all meete together in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a persit man As in ciuill states there are appointed magistrates and gouernours in townes and cities for the resoluing and deciding of causes and questions of ciuil affaires so hath God appointed the ministers of his word euery one according to the portion of the Lords flocke committed vnto him to deliuer what the law of God is and to answer and resolue cases and doubts as touching faith and duty towards God g Tit. 1.9 to be able to exhort with wholsome doctrine and to improue them that speake against it to be the same to the people as God of old required the Priests to be h Malach. 2.7 The Priests lippes should preserue knowledge and men should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes If of these i Acts. 20.30 any arise speaking peruerse things to draw Disciples after them the rest are warned k Ver. 28. to take heede to the Lords flocke and therfore are by common sentence iudgement to condemne such that thereby the people of God may take knowledge to beware of theÌ But if in the Church any controuersie or question depend parts being taken this way that way so that the vnity of faith and peace of the Church is endangered therby the example of the Apostles is to be imitated and in solemne assembly councel the matter is to be discussed and determined the Bishops and Pastors gathering themselues together either in lesser or greater companie as the occasion doth require and applying themselues to do that that may be for the peace and edification of the Church And this hath bene the care of godly Christian Princes that l ãâã 17.8 9. 2. âââon 1â 8 as amongst the Iews there was a high court of iudgement established for the matters of the Lord to the sentence whereof they were appointed to stand yea and he that did presumptuously oppose himselfe was to die for his contempt so there should be in their Christian States consistories of iudgement assemblies and meetings of Bishops for considering and aduising of the causes of the Church and what could not be determined in a lesser meeting should be referred to a greater to a Councell prouinciall or nationall or general By their authoritie they haue gathered them together they haue sometimes bin themselues present and sitten with them as moderators and after as princes haue by their edicts ratified and confirmed what hath bene agreed vpon as we may see in m Euseb de vit Constant li 3. ca. 13. Prolatas sententias sensiââ excipete vitissim ferre openi virique parit c. quid ipse sentiret eloquâ Constantine the great in the Councel of Nice in n Synod in Trullo per tot Praesidente eodem piâssimo Impeâtore c. Conueniente Synodo secu dum Imperialem sanctioneÌ Constantine the fourth in the sixt Synod at Constantinople in Trullo in o Toletaâ concil 3. Princips omnes regâraâââ sui pontifiâes in vnuÌ conuenire mandauit c. pââtet Reccaredus the King of Spaine in the third Councell of Toledo Now therefore albeit the Empire being diuided and many Princes of diuers dispositions possessing their seuerall kingdomes and states there be no expectation or hope of a generall councel yet M. Bishop seeth that we hold it necessary that in euery Christian state there should be Iudges appointed for the causes and matters of the Lord of the Church euen as in our church of England we haue our soueraigne Synods prouincial or national the sentence whereof we account so waighty as that no man may dare vpon peril of his soule presumptuously to gainsay the same But yet with all for the excluding of his issue he must vnderstand that in causes matters of faith and of the worship of God we make these to whom this iudgement is coÌmitted not lawgiuers at all but Iudges only As therfore the Iudge is not his owne mouth but the mouth of the law not to speak what he liketh but what the law directeth nor to make any other construction of the law but what is warranted by the law euen so the Iudge ecclesiasticall is to be the mouth of God not p Ezech. 13.3 to follow his owne spirit nor q Ierem. 23.16 to speake the vision of his own hart but out of
in councell the controuersie was ended which S. Paule afterward deliuered in his preaching commanding all to obserue and keepe the decree and ordinance of the Apostles * Acts 16. And if it would not be tedious I could in like manner shew how in like sort euery hundredth yeare after errors and heresies rising by misconstruction of the written word they were confuted and reiected not by the written word onely but by the sentence and declaration of the Apostles scholers and Successors See Cardinall Bellarmine * Tom. 1. lib. 3. cap. 6. I will onely record two noble examples of this recourse vnto Antiquitie for the true sense of Gods word the first out of the Ecclesiasticall historie * Lib. 11. cap. 9. where of S. Gregorie Nazianzen and S. Basil two principall lights of the Greeke Church this is recorded They were both Noble men brought vp together at Athens and afterward for thirteeene yeares space laying aside all profane bookes employed their studie wholy in the holy Scriptures The sense and true meaning whereof they sought not out of their owne iudgement as the Protestants both do and teach others to do but out of their Predecessors writings and authoritie namely of such as were knowne to haue receiued the rule of vnderstanding from the Tradition of the Apostles these be the very words The other example shall be the principall pillar of the Latin Church S. Augustine who not onely exhorteth and aduiseth vs to follow the decree of the auncient Church if we will not be deceiued with the obscuritie of doubtfull questions * Lib. contra Crescon 1. c. 33 but plainely affirmeth That he would not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not moue him vnto it * Conâra Epist sund cap. 5. Which words are not to be vnderstood as Caluin would haue them that S. Augustine had not bene at first a Christian if by the authoritie of the Church he had not bene therunto perswaded but that when he was a learned and iudicious Doctor and did write against heretikes euen then he would not beleeue these books of the Gospell to haue bin penned by diuine inspiration and no others this to be the true sense of them vnlesse the Catholike Church famous then for antiquitie generalitie and consent did tell him which and what they were so farre was he off from trusting to his owne skill and iudgement in this matter which notwithstanding was most excellent R. ABBOT M. Bishop here setteth the stocke vpon it and at one game he is minded to winne all but indeed as a cousening gamester by shifting and iugling beguileth honest simple men so doth he abuse the simple Reader with goodly glorious words crauing leaue as it were to giue him satisfaction in a high point and applying himselfe vnder this colour most trecherously to delude him Consider saith he that our coelestiall lawgiuer gaue his law not written in Inke and Paper but in the hearts of his most faithfull subiects For this he quoteth the words of God by the Prophet Ieremy a Ierem. 31.33 After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. and the words of the Apostle to the Corinthians b 2. Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifest to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs not written with inke but with the spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshly Tables of the heart Now therefore he will haue vs to conceiue that which Andradius one of the great masters of the Trent-Councell hath told vs that c Andrad Orth. explicat lib. 2. Non spectauit Christus vt EuaÌgelium literit descriptum aut in membranu exaratum iaceret sed vt verbis explicatum omni creaturae promulgaretur Christ did not looke that the Gospell should lye written in letters or printed in parchments but that by declaration of words it should be published to all creatures Where we see how they apply themselues so much as in them lyeth to impeach vilifie the authoritie of Scriptures as if they were written onely of priuate fancie and Christ had had no care or regard to haue it so But how impertinently those places are brought for proofe hereof appeareth very plainely out of the words themselues For what was the law that God promised by Ieremy to write in the hearts of his people Was it not the law giuen before by Moses concerning which Moses also expresseth the same promise that Ieremy doth d Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seede that thou maist loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule that thou maist liue Now e Exod. 34.1 that law God himselfe had deliuered in writing and f Vers 27. commaunded Moses also to write the same Therefore the words of Ieremy as touching writing Gods law in our hearts can import nothing against the writing of it with inke and paper but onely that the lawes which were before by the ministerie of Moses deliuered onely in inke and paper should by the power of the holy Ghost through the faith of Christ be wrought and written in the affections of the heart that God in Christ would not administer onely outwardly the letter of the lawe whether in writing or in preaching but would in both by the regeneration of the spirit giue grace inwardly for the fulfilling of it As little to that purpose is the other place The false Apostles laboured to impeach the credit of S. Paules Apostleship as if he had had no sufficient commission or warrant of it S. Paul for himselfe alledgeth that the Corinthians were as an Epistle from Christ whereby he was sufficiently commended and his calling testified vnto them in that the Gospell by his ministery had had so great successe taken so great effect amongst them That singular effect of his preaching he importeth to haue bene a greater assurance vnto them then any epistle written with inke and paper and to haue commended his ministerie aboue the ministerie of Moses who gaue the Law onely in tables of stone because here the spirit of God concurred with the outward seruice and wrought mightily in their hearts for the receiuing of the doctrine of the faith of Christ and conuerting of theÌ vnto God Now to say that the CorinthiaÌs were an epistle not writteÌ with ink nor in tables of stone what is it to shew that the celestial law-giuer gaue not his lawes written with inke and paper Surely the difference of the two testaments which is the thing that M. Bishop would insinuate was neuer holden to consist in this that the one should be written and the other vnwritten because euen in the old testament the new was written but herein it stood that the one either written or taught by word ministred onely knowledge what we ought to do not anie grace
for the doing of it but the other not only teacheth by writing or by preaching but ministreth also grace to worke in the heart obedience to that that it teacheth g August de sp lit cap. 20. Propter veteru hominis noxam quae per literam rubeârem minantem minimè fanabitur dicitur illud testamentuÌ vitas hoc verò nonum propter nouitatem spiritus qua hominem nouum sanâtà vitio vetustatis The old Testament saith S. Austin is so called because of the corruption of the old man which was not healed by the commanding and threatening letter but the other the new because of the newnesse of the spirit which healeth the new man from the old corruption But we would gladly know of M. Bishop how it is true which the Apostle saith that h 2. Tim. 3.16 all Scripture is inspired of God if it be true which he saith that God did not giue his lawes written with inke and paper If the Gospell might well enough haue bene kept in mens hearts without writing why were the faithfull so instant with S. Marke first after with S. Iohn as we haue seene before for the writing of their Gospels Why doth the Apostle tell the Philippians that i Phil. 3.1 it was necessary for them that he should write vnto them the same things that he had preached vnto them if there were no such necessitie Why is S. Iohn in the Reuelation so often commaunded k Reuel 1.11 cap. 2.1 c cap. 14.13 to write to write if tradition might serue as well as writing Surely Irenaeus telleth vs that it was l Jren. âib 3 c. 1. Euangelium per voluntatem Dei in Scripturu nobâs tradiderunt by the will of God that the Apostles deliuered vnto vs the Gospell in writing as we haue shewed before So likewise we haue heard S. Austin saying that m Aug. supra sect 14. Christ commanded his disciples to write what he would haue vs to reade of his sayings and doings The same S. Austine saith againe that n Idem in epist Ioan. tract 2. Contra insidiosos errores Deus voluit pouere firmamentum in scripturis sanctis contra quas nullus audet loqui qui quoquo modo se vult videri Christianum God would place a bulwarke against deceiptfull errors in the holy Scriptures against which no man dare speake that will in any sort be taken for a Christian man Do these Fathers tell vs that it was the will of God the commaundement of Christ that his lawes should be deliuered vnto vs written with inke and paper and will M. Bishop perswade vs that it was not the will of God But I would further question with him What are they all so perfect in the Gospell at Rome as that they neede no written Gospell Is it so setled in their hearts remembrances by tradition only as that without any Scriptures it might be preserued amoÌgst them If M. Bishop say yea he knoweth himselfe to be a lyer If he say no what is the reason that he setteth thus lightly by inke and paper Fie vpon this wilfull blindnesse how strange a thing is it that any man should thus cast a veile ouer his owne eyes He telleth vs further that Christ endowed his Apostles with the blessed spirit of truth with a most diligeÌt care of instructing others that all their posteritie might learne of them al the points of Christian doctrin Now thus far he saith true but his purpose is with a little truth to colour a great lye For he addeth that we should giue credit to them aswell for the written as vnwritten word Sycophant what haue we here to do with the vnwritten word The vnwritten word is the matter in question and must it here be presumed before it be proued Let it first be made good that the Apostles meant to leaue behind them any vnwritten word We say that because they had care that all posteritie by them should learne all the points of Christian doctrine therefore they had care that all the points of Christian doctrine should be committed to writing that as S. Luke professeth to haue written to the intent that Theophilus o Luk. 1.4 might thereby acknowledge the certainty of those things wherof he had bene instructed so by his writings and the rest we should acknowledge the certaintie and assured truth of their doctrine and not lye open to the illusions of such impostors and cosiners as M. Bishop is who vnder the names of the Apostles should broach those things which the Apostles neuer thought Whereof we haue a notable example in p Euseb hist lib. 3. ca. 36. Papias who succeeded immediatly after the time of the Apostles who whilest he was not contented with those things which were left in writing but was still hearkening after euery one that tooke vpon him to haue bin a follower of any of the Apostles and enquiring what any of them had said or done swallowed manie gudgeons giuen him by such deceiuers and deliuered * Alia taÌquam ex viua trad tione ad se relata et peregrânaâ quasdam seruatoris parabolas doctrinas cum non nullis fobâlosis adijcit c. Apostolicas dâsputationes non rectè accepit c. Quamplurimis âos se ecclesiasticis viris ciroris causam dedit quiad antiquitatem ipsius respexerunt c. as reported to him by tradition many fabulous things and strange doctrines conceiuing himselfe by that meanes amisse of the Apostles speeches and giuing occasion to many other to erre as he did whilest for his antiquitie they respected him very much This is the end of M. Bishops vnwritteÌ word they wil teach vs what pleaseth their Lord god the Pope theÌ make vs beleeue it is a part of the vnwritten word But yet he addeth again that our crediting the Apostles shold be more for the meaning of the word then for the word it self Where it is not in any good meaning that he thus nicely distinguisheth betwixt the word it self the meaning of the word leauing it forsooth to be vnderstood that they left the word one way and the meaning of the word another way the one in writing and the other by tradition But what will M. Bishop haue vs thinke that the Apostles would write words and not meane by their words to signifie their meaning Is it likely that they would write one thing and in meaning intend another Did they not write to that very end that in their writing it should appeare to all ages what doctrine they taught Surely they were honest and plaine dealing men they wold not beguile vs they wold not mock vs they haue simply told vs what their mind is There are manie difficulties in their writings and in the whole Scriptures it is true but yet there are perspicuities also so farre as is needful for the clearing of them There is to exercise the strong but yet there
is also to sustaine and comfort the weake There is to prouoke the appetite but yet there is also to satisfie the hunger There is q Bârnard in paru ser 64. In Pelago sacra lectionââ agnus ambulat elephas natat depth for the Elephant to swim but there are also shelfes and shallowes for the lambe to wade It is truly said by S. Austin that r Aug. ep 3. Non quòd ad ea quae necessaria sunt saluti tanta in eis difficultate peruentatur without any great difficultie we thereby attaine to those things that are necessary for saluation and that Å¿ Idem de vtilit credendi cap. 6. Inscripturis disciplina ita modificata vt nemo inde haurire non possit quod sibi satis est si modo ad hauritendum deuotè ac piè vt vera religio poscit accedat the doctrine thereof is so tempered as that there is no man but may draw from thence that that is sufficient for him if he come to draw with deuotion and pietie as true religion requireth he should do M. Bishop goeth on and telleth vs These and their true successors be the true and liuely oracles of the true and liuing God them we must consult in all doubtfull questions and submit our selues wholy to their decree But what M. Bishop are not onely the Apostles but their successors also the liuely oracles of God Which of the successors of the Apostles euer tooke vpon him either seuerally or ioyntly so to be We haue heard that t Ephes 2.20 the houshold of God are built vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets but that they are built vpon the foundations of the Apostles successours we neuer heard As for consulting with the Fathers in doubtfull questions we willingly yeeld to do it that we may haue their helpe to find out in the Scripture the resolution of such doubts but that we are to submit our selues wholy to their decree as accounting them the oracles of God is a point of learning which S. Austin knew not when he said u Aug. de nat grat cap 61. Egâ in hutusmedi quorumlibet hominum scriptu liber sum quia solis Canonicis Scripturis debeo fine vlla recusaânne confensum I am free in such writings of men whatsoeuer they be because to the Canonicall Scriptures onely do I owe consent without refusall But not to stand too long vpon these fancies let one place of Hierome be an ââsâer to them all x Hier. in Psal 86. Quomodo narrabit Dominus Non verbo sed Scriptura In cutus Scriptura in populorum quae Scripturae populis omnibus legitur hoc est ve omnes intelligant c. The Lord will declare or shew in the Scripture of the people and of the Princes that haue bene in her How will the Lord declare Not by word but by writing or by Scripture In whose Scripture Euen in the Scripture of the peoples which is read to all peoples that is that all may vnderstand The Lord hath spoken by his Gospell not that a few but that all should vnderstand the Princes of Christ haue not written for a few but for all the people The Princes are the Apostles and the Euangelists Those saith he which were or haue bene in her Marke what he saith which were not which are so that the Apostles excepted whatsoeuer after shall be said is cut off and hath no authoritie Albeit therfore a man be holy albeit he be learned after the Apostles he hath no authoritie In which words he sheweth vs that the counsell of God thought good to leaue vs the Apostles doctrine not by word not by tradition but by writing that the scriptures which he hath giuen vs by them are so disposed as that they serue for the vnderstanding of all men that all authoritie of doctrine is concluded and ended in them neither hath any after them authoritie to teach vs any thing towards God that is not warranted and approued by their writings It is false therefore which M. Bishop saith that Christ gaue not his lawes written with inke and paper and againe that the meaning of the word is not to be knowne by the word it selfe and againe that the successors of the Apostles also are the liuely oracles of the true and liuing God In the next place he abuseth the Apostle S. Paule and vnder colour of the names of two or three of the Fathers absurdly misapplieth his going vp to Hierusalem as if he had gone to haue his doctrine examined and approued by the Apostles that were before him He nameth S. Peter single and by himselfe as to haue vs to conceiue that S. Paul yeelded some high preheminence superiority to him But there is no such matter as he pretendeth the Apostles own declaration ouerthroweth all this fancie He professeth that y Gal. 1.12 he receiued not his Gospell of man nor was taught it but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ After that he had receiued the reuelation of the Gospell from Christ was appointed to preach the Gospell amongst the Gentils directly against M. Bishops deuise he saith z Ver. 16.17 Immediatly I communed not with flesh and bloud neither went I vp to IerusaleÌ to theÌ that were Apostles before me but went into Arabia c. a Ambros in Gal. cap. 1. Nec consilium cutusquam petijt aut ad aliquem retulit quid esset acturus sed protinùs Christum praedicauit c. Non fuisse dicit necessitatem electum se à Deo pergendâ aââ praecessores Apostolos vt aliquid fortè disceret ab eis c. He asked no mans counsell saith Ambrose nor referred it to any man what he should do but foorthwith preached Christ He saith that there was no necessity that he being chosen of God should go to the Apostles his predecessors as haply to learne any thing from them Now how badly doth M. Bishop deale to make his reader beleeue that S. Pauls doctrine was first to be examined and approued by Peter and the rest of the Apostles when as S. Paul professedly saith that he went not to take any approbation from them because he had receiued equall authoritie coÌmission with them He further declareth that b Ver. 18. three yeares after he went to Hierusalem to see Peter and abode with him 15. daies c Ambros ibid. Non vt alâquid ab eo disceret quia âam ab authore didicerat à quo ipse Petrus fuerat instructus sed propter âffectum Apostolatus vt sciret Petrus hanc illi datam licentiam quam ipse acceperat Not to learne any thing of him saith Ambrose because he had already learned of the author himself by whom Peter was taught but for affection of the Apostleship that Peter might know that the same coÌmission was giue to him which Peter himselfe had He went to him d Theophy actâân Gal.
and yet neither that of sufficient waight to proue that that he hath vndertaken to proue as before hath bene shewed 24. W. BISHOP Because I haue cited already some of the Latine auncient Doctors in stead of the rest I will record out of them in a word or two how old rotten heretiks vsed alwayes to reiect vnwritten traditions and flie wholly vnto the written word See the whole book of Tertullians prescriptions against heretiks which principally handleth this very point The same doth Irenaeus witnesse of the Valentinians and Marcionists * Lib. 3. cap. 2. The Arians common song vnto the Catholickes was I will not admit to be read any words that are not written in the Scriptures as witnesseth S. Hilary in his booke against Constantius the Emperour against whom he alledgeth the preaching of the Apostles and the authoritie of the auncient Bishops expressed in his liuely colours S. Augustine some 1200. yeares ago recordeth the very forme of arguing which the Protestants vse now a days in the person of Maximinus an AriaÌ in his first book against him in the beginning If thou shalt saith this heretik bring any thing out of the Scriptures which is common to all we must needs heare thee but these words which are without the Scriptures are in no sort to be receiued of vs when as the Lord himselfe hath admonished vs and said in vaine do they worship me teaching commandements and precepts of men How S. Augustine opposed against them vnwritten traditions hath bene afore declared The like doth S. Bernard affirme of certaine heretikes of his time called * Hom. 62. Cant. Apostolici So that most truly it may be concluded that euen as we Catholickes haue learned of the Apostles and auncient Fathers our noble progenitors to standfast and hold the Traditions which we haue receiued by word of mouth as well as that which is written euen so the Protestants haue receiued as it were from hand to hand of their ignoble predecessors old condemned heretickes to reiect all Traditions and to flie vnto the onely Scriptures R. ABBOT For conclusion of this question he bringeth vs here a rotten tale how old rotten heretickes vsed alwayes to reiect vnwritten traditions and flie wholly to the written word To make this tale good he bringeth vs first a lie and then a fond cauill He referreth his Reader first to Tertullians booke of prescriptions the purpose whereof what it is I haue shewed before at large but in all that booke is no word of heretickes flying wholly to the written word Tertullian sheweth how they mangled and marred the Scriptures being vrged therewith reiecting what and where they list so that by the Scriptures there was no dealing with them but that they did flie to the Scriptures or required triall thereby he affirmeth not And this is plaine by Irenaeus euen in that place whence M. Bishop citeth him for his second witnesse and where he speaketh of the very same heretickes of whom Tertullian spake a Iren lib. 3. c. 2. Cùm ex Scripturis arguuntur in accusationem ipsarum conuertuntur Scripturarum quasi non rectè habeant neque sint ex authoritate et quia variè sunt dictae quia noÌ possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem Non enim per literas traditam illam sed per vinam vocem ob quam causam et PauluÌ dixisse sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos Heretikes saith he when they are reproued by the Scriptures fall to finding fault with the Scriptures as if they were not aright nor of authoritie and that they are doubtfully set down and that by the Scriptures the truth cannot be found of them that are ignorant of tradition for they say that the truth was not deliuered by writing but by liuely voice and that therefore Paul said We speake wisedome among those that be perfect Now by these very words of Irenaeus do thou esteeme gentle Reader the trecherie of this man who beareth thee in hand that Irenaeus noteth it there for a propertie of heretickes to reiect vnwritten Traditions and to flie wholly to the written word when as it was their abusing and refusing of the Scriptures that made him to appeale to the tradition of the Church the matters of their heresies being concerning the fundamentall articles of our beleefe which are euidently taught by the written word It is truly said that heretickes shunne the Scriptures euen as the theefe doth the gallowes and as it is true in other heretickes so it is in the Papists vpon whom how iustly those words of Irenaeus light and how fully they describe their vsage towards the Scriptures hath bene b Answer to the Epistle sect 11. before declared To this apparent lie M. Bishop addeth a blind cauill for which he bringeth the speeches of Constantius the Emperour and Maximinus both Arians out of Hilary and Austine The matter is answered sundry times before Against the assertion of the Church that the Sonne of God is consubstantiall or of the same substance with the Father they excepted idlely and vainely that they would admit no words that were not written M. Bishop knoweth well that we do not so because we receiue and professe those words which they refused yea he knoweth that we say and teach that the Pope is Antichrist that the Church of Rome is the purple whore of Babylon that the Masse is an abhominable idoll and wicked prophaning of the Sacrament of Christ and such like and yet these words are no where found in the Scripture We contend not concerning words let them vse what words they will so that the doctrine imported and meant by those words be contained in the Scriptures Of those heretickes called Apostolici S. Bernard saith no such matter as he alledgeth All that he saith is that c Berna in Cant. ser 66. Instituta Ecclesiae non recipiunt they did not receiue the ordinances of the Church and what is that to the doctrines of faith taught by Christ and his Apostles which are not contained in the Scriptures Concerning which against M. Bishops conclusion I conclude this question with the saying of Saint Austin before alledged and worthy here againe to be remembred d August supra sect 8. Whether concerning Christ or his Church or any thing that belongeth vnto our faith and life I will not say if we not being to be compared to him that saith If we but if an Angell from heauen shall preach vnto you anything but what ye haue receiued in the Scriptures of the Law and the Gospell accursed be he Hearken to it M. Bishop and let it make you afraid to pleade for Traditions any more CHAPTER 8. OF VOWES 1. W. BISHOP MAster Perkins is very intricate and tedious in deliuering his opinion concerning Vowes I will in as good order as I can briefly correct his errors herein In this passage which he intitleth of our consents he rangeth many things wherein we
is euident that M. Bishop wanted some discretion to bring that for an example of proofe that vowes are to be frequented in the state of the Gospell the same being b Numb 6.2 the Nazârites vow according to the ceremony of Moses law no more belonging to the state of the Gospell then did all the Leuiticall priesthood and sacrifices condescended vnto by the Apostle as M. Perkins before had told him and be wisely saith nothing to the contrary only for the infirmity and weakenesse of the Iewes c 1 Cor. 9.20 to whom for the time he became as a Iew d Aug epist 19. Non mentientis astis sed compatientis affectis not by craft of lying as S. Austine saith but by affection of compassion that he might winne them vnto Christ As touching the place of Esay it is to be obserued that M. Perkins bringeth it in as alledged by them to proue that in externall exercises we haue as much vse of vowes as the Iewes had e Esay 19.21 The Egyptians saith the Prophet importing the like of all the Gentiles shall know the Lord and shall do sacrifice and oblation and shall vow vowes vnto the Lord and performe them To this he answereth that the Prophet according to the vsuall manner of all the Prophets doth by the ceremonial seruice of the Leuitical priesthood import the spirituall worship of God intending that because it is spiritually meant therefore it is misapplied to the establishing of corporall and outward seruice Now M. Bishops reply is like himselfe peruerse and crosse that the Prophet would not say They shall vow to signifie that they should not vow I answer him that neither doth M. Perkins so intend but that the Prophet would signifie that when those Leuiticall and ceremoniall vowes should cease yet the Gentiles should performe to God that spirituall worship and seruice that was figured thereby and because the words are meant of spirituall duties therefore that they are absurdly wrested to the maintaining of a new kinde of ceremoniall vowes For as the Prophet saith that f Ibid. they should do sacrifice and oblation bringeth in the Lord saying g Cap. 56.7 Their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall be accepted vpon mine altar and againe h Cap. 60.7 The Rammes of Nebaioth shal come vp to be accepted vpon mine altar when yet the altar burnt offerings and sacrifices should be quite abolished and therefore he saith it onely to signifie that they should do that spirituall seruice of inward and spirituall sacrifices that were represented and shadowed in those carnall obseruations so doth he say that they should vow vowes wheÌ yet those Leuiticall vowes should haue an end onely because they should performe to God those spiritual deuotions which were signified by those vowes Now as touching those spirituall deuotions M. Perkins addeth for another part of his answer that the Church of the new Testament maketh vowes vnto God of morall Euangelicall duties the vow and promise whereof first made in baptisme we alwayes renew when we come to the Supper of the Lord. But withall he saith that vowes be also made of things and actions indifferent which things notwithstanding are not to be accounted anie part of the worship of God Which words consisting of two parts seuerally applied M. Bishop confoundeth and most leudly and wretchedly peruerteth as if M. Perkins had said that in the new Testament we haue vowes of morall and Euangelicall duties but such are not any part of Gods worship and so with a harlots face not fit to blush passeth ouer the matter when as it was directly shewed him how that prophecie is fulfilled in the new Testament without anie of the fooleries of Popish vowes I pray thee gentle Reader to consider the matter well M. Perkins saith that we Christians vowe vowes of morall and Euangelicall duties if we make any other vowes of things indifferent those things must not be taken for anie parts of Gods worship M. Bishop maketh him to say that vowes of morall and Euangelicall duties and the duties themselues are no part of Gods worship Thinke with thy selfe what credite thou mayest giue to him who sticketh not so impudently to peruert so apparent and plaine words But in those vowes of morall and spirituall duties is the true performance of that prophecie and we may so much the more rest vpon it because M. Bishop hath nothing to say against it What further belongeth to the declaration of those vowes I put it off to be handled in the next Section 5. W. BISHOP Againe saith M. Perkins they alledge for Euangelicall vowes * Psal 75. Vow vnto God and pay it M. Perkins his answer is that this bindes the Iewes he would haue you vnderstand not the Christians We say that it is no commandement to either of them but an exhortation aswell to the one as to the other First because good vowes do tend to the greater glory of God in all states as hath bene proued before Secondly for that the Prophet in the next verse yeelding the reason why we must pay our vowes saith That he vnto whom we haue vowed is terrible vnto the Kings of the earth And therefore most likely that such vowes he spake of there may be made of any sort of men inhabiting the earth Thirdly because the ancient Fathers take it to extend vnto vs Christians as well as vnto the Iewes let one S. Augustine serue in his Commentarie vpon the 75. Psalme Because we haue handled those things saith he peraduenture thou who wast willing before but now wilt not vow but marke what the Psalme said vnto thee It saith not Do not vow but vow and pay it wilt thou not vow Therfore wouldest thou haue vowed but not haue fulfilled it nay rather do both Let the one be of thine owne promise the other shall be performed by the helpe of God He then tooke these words to belong vnto his Auditors who were no Iewes In the same place he doth highly commend Christians for vowing some Chastitie some Hospitalitie some Pouertie but because contraries being set together each do more liuely appeare in his kind let vs with this Exposition compare M. Perkins his Commentârie vpon this place who saith that the Prophet speaketh of vowes of Prayer and thankesgiuing For so saith Master Perkins doth he expound himselfe * Psal 50.12 My vowes are vpon me I will offer praises vnto God Well aymed I warrant you The sixe and fiftieth Psalme written first is the Exposition of the seuentie fiue Psalme which was conceited and vttered after Again in the seuentie fiue Psalme Dauid speaketh tâ others in the other he speaketh of himselfe Thirdly the Prophets words in the sixe and fiftieth Psalme confirme rather that which he taught before that all considerate vowes are praises and parts of Gods worship or as the words do more literally sound because his vowes that is his prayers and desires were by God accomplished therfore
he would praise and thank him R. ABBOT a Psal 76.11 Vow and performe vnto the Lord your God saith the Prophet all ye that be round about him M. Perkins verie truly saith that these words whether we call them an exhortation or a commandement did concerne the Iewes onely as touching ceremoniall vowes but as touching the spirituall intendment of them of praise and thanksgiuing do generally concerne both them and vs. M. Bishop like old True-pennie neuer but like himselfe runneth away with a peece of this answer and setteth himselfe to proue that which M. Perkins denieth not that the words respect both the Iewes and vs. We acknowledge so much M. Bishop we say they concerne onely them in in those duties or deuotions that were proper to them onely but in common they concerne both them and vs in those duties and deuotions that belong to both We cannot doubt but that the Prophet had reference to the condition of that time did inuite both the Priests and the people to that outward seruice of sacrifices and offerings in the exercise whereof it pleased God in his wisedome then to traine them vp But because we heare God so often professing that he respected not their naked and bare sacrifices and seeming so to reckon of them as if he had neuer giuen commandement of any such namely when they were destitute of that inward pietie and obedience and deuotion which God would haue to be exercised thereby therefore we must conceiue that the Prophet here also looked further then to outward seruice and in coÌmending to them the exercises thereof did call them to inward affections of praise and thankesgiuing vnto God Seeing then the outward solemnities and ceremonies which were the externall matter of their vowes were but instructions and inducements to spirituall offices and duties which in the right vse of vowes were principally vowed thereby therefore in the spirituall construction of those ceremonies we are to learne what is the true and proper matter of Christian vowes And because God as he is the same God so as touching spirituall worship is alike worshipped from the beginning to the ende we cannot doubt but that in the example and practise of the faithfull in those times we may behold as in a glasse what the duties are that by their vowes are recommended vnto vs. What we find amongst them we know the same belongeth to vs what we find not amoÌgst them their vowes giue vs no warrant or example of it Now what applications constructions they made of those sacrifices offerings and other ceremonies which they vowed vnto God we may see by many phrases speeches which the Scriptures purposely vse to shew the meaning of them Many examples thereof we haue in the Psalmes b Psal 4.5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse c 50.14.23 Offer vnto God thankesgiuing and he that sacrificeth praise he honoreth me d 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirite a contrite and broken heart f 107 22. Let them offer sacrifices of praise g 115.17 I will offer to thee a sacrifice of praise h 141.2 Let my prayer be in thy sight for incense and the lifting vp of my hands an euening sacrifice Thus saith Ionas i Ion. 2.9 I will sacrifice vnto thee with the voyce of thankesgiuing and Osee k Osc 14.13 We will render vnto thee the calues of our lips The vow of humbling or afflicting themselues by fasting what it imported appeareth by Gods reprouing of them for that l Esa 58.3 in the day of their fast they sought their owne will as giuing to vnderstand thas by their fast they were to be instructed to the forbearing of their owne desires to the renouncing of their owne wils to the subduing of their owne corrupt and euill affections to the eschuing of crueltie oppression and violence that they might make way to the workes of mercie which God did coÌmand them as in the Prophets words there is shewed m Ver. 6. Is not this the fast that I haue chosen to loose the bonds of wickednesse to take off the heauie burdens and to let the oppressed go free and to breake euery yoke Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie to bring the poore that wandreth into thy house c. In briefe the Prophet Micheas sheweth the signification of this humbling and of all their sacrifices n Mich 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord thy God requireth of thee Surely to do iudgement and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God The vow of the Nazarites was the principall vow of all the rest What the intention thereof was is expressed in the first description of the ceremonie of it o Num. 6.2 to be separated to the Lord. Now this was the common condition of all that people to be separated to the Lord as God himselfe giueth them to vnderstand p Leuit. 20.24.26 I am the Lord your God which haue separated you from other people therefore shall ye be holy vnto me for I the Lord am holy and I haue separated you from other people that ye should be mine But God by a speciall vow of ceremoniall obseruations whereby in outward things for the time they were diuided from the common conuersation of themselues and their owne people would giue a spectacle and example to the rest of them of putting off those carnall and earthly affections by which they should be like to other peoples for preseruing of spiritual integritie and holinesse towards him And therein is exemplified the condition of all the faithfull of whom our Sauiour hath told vs that q Ioh. 15.19 they are not of the world but he hath chosen them out of the world and therefore are r 2. Pet. 1.4 to flie the corruption that is in the world by lust and to hearken to the voyce of God Å¿ 2. Cor. 16.17 Come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you These are then the vowes that belong to vs vowes of prayer of praise and thankesgiuing of denying our selues of mortifying our owne affections of mercie and compassion towards our brethren and in a word of keeping our selues holy vnto God euen those vowes whereof we reade many examples in the Psalmes and other Scriptures t Psal 27.8 Thou saidest seeke ye my face and my heart answered thee O Lord I will seeke thy face u 79 9.13 Helpe vs O God of our saluation for the glorie of thy name c. So we that be thy people and sheepe of thy pâsture shall praise thee for euer and from generation to generation we will set forth thy praise x 80.17 Let thy hand be vpon the man of thy right hand and vpon the sonne of man whom thou madest so strong for thine owne selfe so will not
we go backe from thee reuiue thou vs and we will call vpon thy name y 86.11 Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walke in thy truth z 119.33.34 Teach me the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart a Ver. 106. I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Thus doth Osee the Prophet instruct the people of God b Osc 14.3 Take you wordes and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all our iniquitie and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lips These vowes are recommended vnto vs in the new Testament when we are taught c Mat. 16.24 to deny our selues and to take vp the crosse of Christ that we may follow him d Col. 3.5 to mortifie our earthly members e Rom. 6.13 to giue our selues vnto God our members as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God f Cap. 12.1 to offer our bodies a holy liuely and acceptable sacrifice vnto God g 1. Cor. 6.20 to glorifie God both in our bodies and in our spirits as being both his h 2 Cor. 5.15 to liue vnto him which died for vs and rose againe These vowes we made to God in our baptisme and we professe the continuing and renewing of them from time to time in coming to the table of the Lord as also in our daily prayers and meditations and in all those promises which the remembrance of our owne waies draweth from vs euery while Of these the Prophet Esay spake in the section before of these the Prophet Dauid here saith Vow vnto the Lord your God and performe the same all ye that be round about him Now then it is true that vowes are to the honor glory of God and that we are to consider the dreadfull maiestie of God that we may be moued carefully to performe the vowes that we haue made vnto him and that these vowes are such as may be made by all sorts of men inhabiting the earth and what of all this either against M. Perkins or against vs As for S. Austin he confirmeth all that hath bene here said of the exposition of these vowes that the things that we are here willed to vow are i Supra sect 1. ex August in Psal 75. to beleeue in God to trust in him to liue a good life to hope to receiue of him eternall life and such like as we haue seene before Now it is true that he saith further that k Ibid. Alius vouet castitatem coniugalem vt praeter vxorem suam noÌ nouerit aliam c. Alij vouent experti tale contugium nihil tale vltra patiââlij virginitatem ab ipsi ineuâte aet âte vouint alâj voueÌt domum suam hospâtalem omnibus sanctis alij vouent relinquere omnia sua c. some vow chastitie in mariage by keeping theÌselues the husband to his owne wife onely or the wife onely to her owne husband some hauing bene married vow not to marrie againe some from the beginning vow virginitie some to vse their houses for hospitalitie to the Saints some to distribute all their goods to the poore some of which vowes we question not the rest are afterwards to be considered of But that which M. Bishop citeth of his exhorting men not to forbeare vowing for the necessitie of the performance thereof but for that to trust to the helpe of God to proue that he tooke those words to belong to his auditors and not onely to the Iewes it is a proofe needlesse because we acknowledge so much in such sort as hath bene said before As for that which he further addeth of setting contraries together that each may more liuely appeare in his kind it is but the liuely setting forth of his owne indiscretion folly M. Perkins to shew what may be vnderstood by vowes in the place here haÌdled alledgeth a speech of Dauid in a former Psalme l Psal 56.12 Thy vowes are vpon me O God that is the vowes which I haue made to thee are lying on me to be performed I will render praises vnto thee In which place we see that the Prophet expoundeth vowes concerning praises to God whereupon M. Perkins alledgeth that vowes likewise in the other place may be construed of praises and thankesgiuing vnto God Against this M. Bishop excepteth ful wisely I warrant you as not likely that the Psalme fiftie sixe written first should be the exposition of the Psalme seuenty fiue which was conceited and vttered after But did not his vnderstanding serue to instruct him that Dauid though not expounding the latter Psalme in the former yet in the former expounding vowes to be praises doth teach vs how to expound vowes when they are mentioned in a latter Psalme or in anie other Scripture sounding to like effect And who but he is ignorant that Scriptures formerly written do often giue vs light and helpe for the vnderstanding and expounding of Scriptures that are written later His second exception is as good as that namely that Dauid in the latter Psalme speaketh to others in the former of himself And what then What should hinder but that by the name of vowes he should signifie the praises of God in speaking to others when he himselfe expoundeth vowes to be the praises of God in speaking of himselfe Albeit he mistaketh in making Dauid the author of the latter Psalme which is rather thought to be written in the time of Ezechias but questionlesse after Dauids time In his third exception his head being wild he telleth vs that the Prophets words in Psalme fiftie sixe confirme rather that which he taught before Where before when as the Psalme fiftie sixe is the former of the two Psalmes I thinke he cannot well tell what he meant by this speech But what is the thing confirmed That all considerate vowes are praises and parts of Gods worship What he meaneth by considerate vowes we know not but we take those onely to be considerate vowes wherby we vow those things which God hath warranted vs to vow Thus are vowes a part of Gods worship when we vow those things which he hath taught vs to be belonging to his worship Such were for the time the ceremonies and sacrifices of the Law not for themselues but for the spirituall dutie that was implyed in them and acted by them If they were not put to this vse God held them not for anie part of his worship Dauid therefore hauing respect to this signifieth that the thing which he properly intended by his vowes was praise and thankes to God This is all that Dauid sayth and was by Maister Perkins fitly alledged for that that he had in hand 6. W. BISHOP Let vs now come to the second point wherein we dissent They saith M. Perkins hold vowes made of things not commanded
would somewhat reason the matter by shewing how he condemneth not chastitie yet saith that marriage is better then it in two respects If Iouinian was reputed by the learnedst and holiest fathers a Christian Epicure and a monster because he durst make marriage equall with virginitie what shal this man be who sayth it is better His reasons are so childish that by the like you may proue durt to be better then gold wherefore I will not stand vpon them He neuerthelesse afterward concludeth that one may purpose constantly with himselfe to leade a single life but so as he may change vpon occasion and this to be a counsell of expedience but not of perfection Lastly that if any hauing the gift of continencie do vow and afterward marrie the gift remaining they haue sinned which is flat against his owne second rule which prohibites vs to leese our libertie and to make any thing vnlawfull in conscience which Christian religion leaueth at libertie R. ABBOT Holy fathers saith M. Bishop and beginneth first of all with an hereticke citing Tertullians booke de Monogamia which as Hierom testifieth was a Hieron in Catalog Tertul. Specialiter aduersus Ecclesiam texuit volumina de pudicitia de persecutione de ieiunijs de Monogamia c. written purposely against the Church He manifestly abuseth the words of Christ and whereas Christ saith b Mat. 19.12 He that can receiue this let him receiue it to note that euery one caÌnot receiue it as before he hath said c Ver. 11. All men receiue not this saying but they to whoÌ it is giuen he forceth him euen against the haire to say that euery man can receiue it if he will Saint Hierome saith well concerning those words d Hieron aduer Iouin lib. 1. Siâ omnes virgines esse possent nunquam Dominus diceret Qui potest capere capiat If all could be virgins our Lord Christ would neuer haue said He that can receiue it let him receiue it Now the truth is that the heresie of Montanus was so plausible as that it did wonderfully insinuate it self into the minds of men and the Fathers and Bishops of the Church grew afterwards somtimes to speake in the same sort as Tertullian in behalf thereof had spoken against the Church The Church then pleaded a necessitie of mariage and second mariage e Tertul. de Monog Quousque infirmitas ista impudentissima perseuerabit c Rideo cùm infirmitas carnis opponitur c. because of the infirmity of the flesh This Tertullian exagitateth in the place cited by M. Bishop and derideth the allegation of it For answer hereto he said that f Ibid. JaÌ nemini competit portare noÌ posse quia per quem datur portare per se non deest Quà mdiu causabimur carnem quia dixit Dominus Caro infirma Sed praemisit Et spiritus promptus vt vin cat spiritus carneÌ vt cedat quod infirmum est fortiori it was not now for any man to say he could not beare it because he by whom it is giuen to beare will not be wanting for his part How long saith he shall we pretend the flesh for that Christ saith The flesh is weake But he set before it The spirit is ready that the spirit may ouercome the flesh and that which is weake may yeeld to the stronger This presumption he builded vpon that God would not be wanting to them to giue ablenesse to containe who did endeuor themselues for the obtaining of it Which being then presumed disputed against the Church may giue vs light what to iudge of such speeches afterwards vsed in the doctrine of the Church For this conceit much preuailed that albeit Christ had said All receiue not this saying but they to whom it is giuen yet the receiuing thereof is giuen to them who by prayer aske and seeke it at Gods hands And thus Origen for answer to some that said that they were willing to containe but could not saith as M. Bishop alledgeth g Origen in Mat. trac 7. Qui vult capax esse verbi quod de castitate posituÌ est petat c. noÌ dubitans de illo quod dictuÌ est Omnis quipetit accipit He that will receiue this word that is set downe of chastity let him aske not doubting of that which is said Euery one that asketh receiueth But Origen well knew if he had remembred it that though euery one that asketh receiueth yet euery one receiueth not the thing which he asketh because we h Rom. 8.16 not knowing what to pray as we ought do sometimes ask those things which are either vnprofitable or vnnecessary for vs. It is true that the prayer of the faithfull neuer returneth emptie but yet therefore are we taught in our prayers to submit our selues to the will of God and to say with our Sauiour i Mat. 26.39 Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt be done because God though k August Exaudit Dâus etsi non semper ad voluntatem semper tamen ad vtilitatem he heare vs alwayes for our good yet doth not heare vs alwayes according to our will Because therfore the gift of continencie is a specall gift which God hath not left indifferent to euery man we may not vpon our praiers resolue to receiue in particular that gift because we haue no warraÌt in particular for the obtaining of it And this could Origen himselfe vpon occasion well discerne when hee sayth that our Sauiour l Origen in Mat. tract 24. Reprehendit huâusmodi praeceptores qui crudelitèr et sine misericordia non secundum existimationem vtriuÌ vniuscuiusque cudientis sed maiora virtute ipsoruÌ iniungunt vtputa qui prohibent nubere ab eo quod expedit ad immoderatam munditiam compellunt qui etiam docent abstinere à cibis alia huiusmodi ad quae non omninò oportet cogere fideles alligant per verbuÌ expositionis suae onera grauia citra voluntateÌ Christi dicentis Iugum meum suaue est et onus meum leue est imponunt ea quaÌtum ad verbum suum super humeros homiâum curuantes eos cadere facientes sub pondere grauiuÌ mandatorum eos qui ââtulare ea non sufferunt reproueth such masters as cruelly and vnmercifully without weighing the strength of their hearers do enioyne them things beyond their power as they saith he who forbid to marry and from that which is expedient do force men to a puritie or cleannesse more then needeth who also teach them to abstaine from meates and by the word of their exposition do bind other such burdens to which they should not at all compel faithfull men being beside the will of Christ saying My yoke is sweet and my burden light and do lay them by their word and doctrine vpon mens shoulders bowing them downe and causing them that are not able to beare them to fall vnder
pollutam nec in malè blandiâ mortiferis huius mundi voluptatibus vsque ad exitum vitae suae absque remedio poenitentiae infoelici perseuerantia colligatam not such only as are chast in body but rather or specially euery Church which keepeth or holdeth pure faith not polluted with the adulterous commixtion of heretickes nor vnhappily continuing to the end without repentance in the dangerously flattering and deadly pleasures of this world and citeth the place before mentioned to the Corinthians for declaration therof Thus we dissent then froÌ Austin as touching the application of those places of Scripture which he alledgeth to his purpose the reader may perceiue that it is not without cause that we so do Another thing wherein we cannot accord with him is that he assigneth vnto virgins a speciall glory peculiar to themselues and eminent aboue all others which vnder correction of so learned a father we hold to be a very fabulous and vaine conceipt For although virginitie and single life do yeeld the oportunitie of greater reward by giuing liberty of greater worke yet it followeth not that they haue any thing so appropriated vnto theÌ but that in married estate they that do the like worke may rest in expectation of the like reward The portion of all that Å¿ Gal. 3.9 are of the faith is to be blessed with faithfull Abraham t Luk 16.22 to be caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome u Mat. 8.11 to sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God Abraham and Isaac and Iacob were maried men and therefore virgins shall haue their place all one with those that haue bene married Our Sauiour Christ told his Apostles who all saue Iohn were married that x Mat. 19.28 they should sit vpon twelue seates to iudge the twelue tribes of Israel He gaue them seates indifferently he gaue not Iohn a speciall seate higher then all the rest and shall we thinke that other virgins shall haue seates aboue all them They are mentioned as hauing y Reâ 21.14 their names written alike vpon the twelue foundations of the Church and shall we say that one of their names was written in letters of gold and all the rest with inke Moses a married man and Elias a virgin z Luk. 9.31 appeared with Christ not in any diuerse but both in the same glorie Therfore Ignatius a virgin also saith of himselfe a Ignat. ad Philadelph Opio dignus Deo inueÌtus ad vestigia eorum qui nuptijs operam dederunt in regno mutuirit stiut Abraham Jsaac Iacob Ioseph Esatae alioruÌ Prophetarum siâut Petri Pauli alicruÌ Apostolorum qui nuptijs operaÌ dederunt I wish being found worthy of God to be found in Gods kingdome at the feet of them that were maried as of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Esay and the other Prophets as of Peter and Paul marke that he reckoneth Paul for a married man and other the Apostles who were maried men In a word it was but S. Austins too great opinion of virginitie in the flesh that made him without any good grounds to entertaine that conceipt of some different and speciall glory in name thereof to be assigned vnto virgins Truth saith the wisedome of God saith that they who of religious purpose do forbeare mariage and vse the gift of continencie do make themselues chast for the kingdom of heauen but truth doth not say neither doth the wisdome of God say that in name of virginity or continency they haue greater reward then others but only as they vse the same more earnestly to seeke the kingdome of heauen which if the married do alike as they they shall haue reward alike But saith M. Bishop the Apostle assureth that single life is better for the seruice of God And what had not M. Perkins said so much to him do not we say the same but we adde that it is better and more commodious where the gift of continencie is but where the gift of continencie is not there marriage is much better for the seruice of God Againe we say it is most commonly not alwaies so for b Chrysost in 1. Tim. hom 10. Ita assum possunt nuptiae vt perfectiori vitae impedimento non sint mariage saith Chrysostome may be so taken as that it shall be no hinderance to perfect life euen as the Ecclesiasticall historie saith of Spiridion a bishop that c Soz omen li 1. cap. 11. Vxorem habebat liberos non tamen propterea res diuinas negligeÌtiùs obijt ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he had wife and children and was thereby no whit the worse about things pertaining to God As for the words which he citeth out of the book of Wisdom beside that they are no canonical Scripture they make nothing for him They are an allusion to the words of Esay only signifie that to the Eunuch that worketh righteousnes shal be giuen that excellent gift that belongeth vnto faith a portioÌ or state in the Lords temple which is a thing acceptable and blessed aboue all things and that d Psal 27.4 one thing aboue all things to be desired but as touching comparison of portions in the house of God it intendeth nothing 14. W. BISHOP Secondly all the Protestants doctrine for mariage against vowes is notably confuted by S. Paul * 1. Tim. 5. where he saith That there were then certaine widowes who when they waxed wanton against Christ would marrie hauing damnation saith he because they made void and cast away their first faith which was as S. Augustin * De sanct vir cap. 23. and the rest of the Fathers expound it they had vowed continencie but would not performe it Now these young widowes if the Protestants doctrine were true not hauing the gift of continencie did very well to marry and were in no sort bound to keepe their vowes which was not in their power but the Apostle doth not acquit them of their vow but teacheth that they were bound to keepe it in that he pronounceth damnation to them if they marrie R. ABBOT To all that is here said I haue fully answered before in the 7. SectioÌ The ProtestaÌts indeed say they make it good that those yoÌg widowes not hauing the gift of continency did well to marry and were by the Apostle willed to marrie lest haply any of them should by waxing wanton against Christ fall into the like damnation as some other had done An impious and diuellish tyrannie it is when any haue vowed rashly that that is not in their power to tye them to their vow and so to cause them by filthy lust and vncleannesse to runne into damnation who by repentance of their vnaduised rashnesse and vsing the remedy ordained by God should keepe themselues in purenesse and peace of conscience to saluation 15. W. BISHOP Thirdly the example of our heauenly Sauior who
then tell vs whether those Monkes liued with their wiues As for the Ministers they haue no fleshly mates but lawfull wiues as they had of whom S. Austine speaketh but M. Bishops former acknowledgement concerning themselues of their superfluous pampering of the flesh doth fully assure vs that for lawfull wiues they betake themselues to fleshly mates and that it is true of them now which in the Parliament of England vpon the complaint of the filthy Sodomie that was found amongst them was said of their vnmaried Clergie that e Chemni de coelib sacerd Delicata âibaria viroruÌ Ecclesi isticoruÌ vel naturalem purgationeÌ quaerere vel petorem the daintie fare of the Clergie men did require either a naturall purgation or a worse 22. W. BISHOP In defence of the Catholike partie M. Perkins hath not a word wherfore I wil briefly supply his want and proue it to be very gratefull to God to sell all and giue it to the poore I omit the example of our B. Sauiour who would not haue any poore cottage of his owne so much as to rest his head in but would wholy liue of almes and come vnto this heauenly doctrine * Mat. 19. He teacheth a yong man whom he loued in flat words That if he wold be perfect he should go and sel all he had and giue it to the poore and come follow him and then should haue a treasure in heaueÌ These words are so expresse and euident that there can be but one way to shift from them which M. Per. flieth vnto pag. 244. to wit that these words were onely meant vnto that yong man and not to be applied vnto any others no more then those words to Abraham of sacrificing his son Isaac But this silly shift of our poore ProtestaÌts is confuted manifestly in the same chapter of S. Mathew where a litle after S. Peter saith Lord behold we haue left all things and haue followed thee what reward shall we therefore haue We haue done as S. Hierom expoundeth it and the very sequel of the text doth plainly require that which thou commaundedst in the words before to that yong man What answer made our Sauiour That his commandement was only meant vnto that yong man and that they had done foolishly in so doing nothing lesse but promiseth that they shall therefore sit with him in twelue seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israel And that whosoeuer would forsake father mother lands goods c. for his sake should receiue an hundred fold and possesse life euerlasting Can any thing be more plaine out of the word of God it self then that not this or that man but whosoeuer shal forsake all for Christ doth very blessedly And if need were I could cite most of the auncient Fathers teaching those words of Christ Go and sell all to be an heauenly counsell giuen generally to all S. Antonie tooke them spoken to him In vita eius apud Athanas Saint Augustine to him ad Hilarium * Epist 89. to omit later religious men I will only cite S. Hierom who doth briefly both declare our Catholik doctrine and shews also who was the author of the Protestants opinion * Lib. cont Vigil saying thus To that which thou affirmest that they doe better who vse their goods and do by little and little distribute to the poore the profits of their possessions then others who selling them giue all at once not I but our Lord shall answer If thou wilt be perfect go and sell all that thou hast and giue it to the poore Christ speaketh to him that will be perfect not to the yong man only who with the Apostles forsooke both father shippe and nets That which thou Vigilantius commendest obtaineth the second and third degree so that the first which is to sell all at once be preferred before the second and third which is to giue by little and little the fruite of our reuenues to the poore R. ABBOT M. Bishop here propoundeth to proue that it is a gratefull thing to God to sell all and giue it to the poore but that commeth too short of the vow of pouertie which is that a man neuer more shall haue any thing of his owne A man may by occasion forgo all that he hath for Christs sake and yet not bind himselfe neuer to be owner of any thing more But this is the thing that M. Bishop shold proue that it is gratefull to God to vow neuer to haue any thing of his owne A thing that troubled the Friers but specially the Franciscans who vowed pouertie in the highest degree because by this meanes they were proued theeues and could not deuise how to shift it off For what is he but a Vide HospiniaÌ de Orig. Monac lib. 6. cap. 16. a theefe that eateth and drinketh and clotheth himselfe with that that is none of his owne nor can be by any right But they by no right or title might haue any thing of their owne Other beggers eate and drinke their owne because by gift it becometh theirs But these Friers by their rule might haue no right title or interest in any thing to be their owne their good founder Francis hauing layd it downe that without any construction glosse or interpretation they should haue nothing of their owne Now this in part is the thing that M. Bishop must proue that it is pleasing to God that men vow to liue like theeues to eate drink and weare that that is none of theirs Let vs see then what he can alledge for proofe thereof His first example commeth not within compasse of this disputation because we know that our Sauiour Christ submitted himself to the bearing of our curse that he might purchase a blessing for vs. b 2. Cor. 8.9 He being rich for our sakes became poore that we through his pouertie might be made rich Yet neither is there here any thing of any vow neither can we question but that Christ possessed as his owne whatsoeuer was ministred vnto him and therewith c Iohn 13.29 bought whatsoeuer was needfull to vse the same as his owne which the vow of pouertie admitteth not Now to the example of Christ he addeth the lesson that he gaue to the yong man d Mat. 19.21 Go sell all that thou hast if thou wilt be perfect and giue it to the poore and come and follow me and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen But still we faile of that that we require we heare not Christ here saying to him Vow thy selfe hereafter to perpetuall pouertie and beggery that thou mayst neuer hereafter haue any thing of thine owne This is the very point and of this the sentence of Christ importeth nothing Well let this go but of that speech of our Sauiour M. Perkins answereth that it tended to discouer the secret corruption of the yong mans heart and therefore was a commaundement not common to all but speciall to him as was to Abraham
all Christians but voluntarily to be followed as a matter of speciall perfection by such as will so as that without this a man may be saued and come to eternall life but by the doing of it he meriteth a release of his owne and other mens sins and an eminent and more then ordinary degree of glory in euerlasting life But the text plainly sheweth that this cannot be there meant and that the lesson that Christ taught him did concerne a dutie necessary for the obtaining of eternall life The question that he moueth to Christ is l Mat. 19.16 Good master what shall I do to obtaine eternall life Our Sauiour answereth If thou wilt enter into lift keepe the commaundements He professeth himselfe so to haue done from his youth and addeth what lacke I yet What is it whereto he supposeth somewhat yet to be lacking Euery man seeth whereto it is to be referred What lacke I yet to the obtaining of eternal life Accordingly then the answer of Christ is to be construed If thou wilt be perfect that is lacking nothing to the obtaining of eternall life go sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and follow me That this is the meaning of the perfection here spoken of appeareth by the two other Euangelists who thus set downe the answer of Christ m Mark 10.21 One thing is lacking vnto thee n Luke 18.22 Yet lackest thou one thing sel all that thou hast c. Wherto did he lacke one thing but to that whereof he made the question to the obtaining of eternal life Christs words then in effect are Thou hast not yet all that is needfull to the obtaining of eternall life but if thou wilt be perfect lacking nothing thereto go sel all that thou hast c. Now if we vnderstand it as M. Bishop would haue vs then there was no cause why the man should go away so sorowful at that that Christ said For the thing that he desired was to haue eternal life and if he might haue had eternall life without the forgoing of his riches it would haue fully satisfied him But by M. Bishops doctrine it might be said to him that he troubled himselfe in vaine for the words of Christ were but a counsell and not a commaundement and that there was not any necessitie of doing that that was sayd vnto him They that wold be of a high degree of perfection aboue others must so do but if he would rest in a lower degree he might continue as he was and yet obtaine eternall life But the yong man conceiued not so he knew that Christs words imported a conditioÌ of obtaining eternal life according to the question that he had moued to him and therefore was very sorowfull And hereto accord the words of Christ ensuing Verily I say vnto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen It is easier for a camell to go through the eie of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God Why doth Christ vse these words but that the yong mans respect of his riches did hinder him not from a state of perfection aboue others as M. Bishop dreameth but wholly from entring into the kingdome of God Furthermore it is to be considered how improbable a thing it is that to a man who knew as yet only the Iewish religion had no knowledge of the faith of Christ our Sauior wold giue at first a direction of perfection aboue others in Christian profession He was as yet no disciple of Christ he beleeued not in him and is it credible that he would teach him at the first dash of a ruler according to M. Bishops vnderstanding to become a Monke Nay it appeareth plainly that whereas the man had a zeale of God and no doubt in true meaning did walk according to the Law so farre as he had the true vnderstanding thereof our Sauior Christ wold instruct him that that was not sufficient for the obtaining of eternal life but he must be content vpoÌ his calling and commandement to renounce all that he had to cast off al vaine loue and confidence of worldly things and to become one of his disciples and followers In a word he teacheth him to be of the same mind that the Apostle S. Paul professeth as touching himself o Philip. 36.8 As touching the righteousnes of the law I was vnrebukable but I think all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be dung that I might win Christ. For so it is that morall workes whether of Iewes or of Gentiles are not auailable in the sight of God they want their forme and life and perfection vntill the same be giuen vnto them by the faith of Christ p Ambr. in psal 1 Virtutes sine fide folia sunt videntur virere sed ãâã non ãâã Vertues without faith are buâ leaues saith S. Ambrose they shew greene but they cannot profite vs. Therefore the faith of Christ teacheth vs to renounce all trust and confidence thereof and to trust onely vpon him This is the perfection whereto Christ calleth this yong man as if he should haue said vnto him Thou doest well in that which thou doest but that is not enough if thou wilt haue good of it become my disciple and to that end be content to forgo all that thou hast and come and follow me Where to know how these words do belong to vs it must be considered that this man was called to a corporall and outward following of Christ according to the flesh by meanes whereof he must necessarily forgo the vse of those great possessions that he had Thus the Apostles had partly done already and were afterwards fully and wholly to do being to be corporally employed to preach the Gospell through the world thus Christ calleth this yong rich man to do the same But our following of Christ now coÌsisteth not in changing of our places but in giuing him our affections neither is performed by the foote but by the heart neither is it a matter of speciall dutie belonging onely to some but vniuersally concerneth all that belong to him As is then our following of Christ so is our selling of all that we haue a matter of the heart and affection whilest in the midst of all that we haue we haue our minds so vntied free from the loue and respect of worldly things as that we are ready to forgo all when the cause of Christ and his Gospell shall require vs so to do And this M. Bishop out of their owne grounds must be forced to confesse whether he will or not For by Bellarmine we vnderstand that to be a Monk is q Bellar. de Monach cap. 2. Status Episcoporum est status perfectionis adeptae status religiosorum est status
Tertul. Apol. cap. 16. Solem credunt Deum nostrum c. Inde suspicio quod innotuerit nos ad Orientis regionem precari prayed to or towards the East thought they worshipped the Sunne and gaue out that they made the Sunne their God The Christians worshipped Christ onely in bending themselues towards the East and so the faithfull Iewes in bending or bowing towards the Arke intended the worship of God onely and therefore a senslesse part it is to alledge those wordes of the Prophet for the defence of the worship of Popish idols And if they would proue the worshipping of any thing thereby or the praying at or before any thing it should be the worshipping and praying before that that was prefigured by the Temple and the Arke The Temple one way was a figure of heauen as before was shewed wherein Gdd doth dwell and hath n Dan. 7.10 thousand thousands of Angels standing before him and tenne thousand thousands ministring vnto him M. Bishop then should by his course of interpretation conclude from the Prophets words that we should worship heauen But he should rather conceiue that as we worship and pray towards heauen but yet do not worship heauen or pray to heauen so did they also worship and pray towards the Temple and the Arke but did not worship or pray to them Another way the Temple was a figure of the Church of Christ and of euery faithfull man o 1. Cor. 3.16 Know ye not saith the Apostle that ye are the Temple of God and againe p 2. Cor. 6.16 ye are the Temple of the liuing God The Arke whereat and whereby he is present with vs and dwelleth in vs is the faith of Iesus Christ our q Rom. 3.25 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã propitiatorie and mercy-seate and by his presence the Angels also attend vpon vs r Heb. 1.14 being ministring spirits sent foorth for their sakes that shall be heires of saluation Now therefore M. Bishop shold rather proue by the Prophets words our kneeling in our prayers before a faithfull man or worshipping a faithfull man then our kneeling before an Image or worshipping an Image and if it be absurd thereby to affirme the worshipping of a liuing man in whom God dwelleth much more the worshipping of a dead and senslesse blocke which hath no fellowship with God Yea and if by those words it were warranted to set vp the images of dead men and to worship them what was the cause that the Iewes conceiued not so much Why were they without that heauenly shew as M. Bishop in the height of his earthly wisedome calleth it If they neuer conceiued it neuer practised it what shall we but take them for cousiners and deceiuers who offer this violence to the Scriptures and most impudently wrest theÌ to the maintenance of that filthinesse and abhomination which expresly they condemne But yet Master Bishop telleth vs that it is otherwise very euident that the Israelites worshipped the Arke And how I pray you First none but the high Priest might come into the place where it was Well and what then It was carried before the campe with great solemnitie to search out a resting place for the whole hoast True and what more When they were to fight against the Philistines they had great confidence in the presence of the Arke There was great cause why they should so carrying themselues respectfully towards God because it was the token that God had giuen them of his presence amongst them let vs heare the rest Fiftie thousand of the Bethsamites were slaine for seeing the Arke It is true indeed that for looking into the Arke so many of theÌ were slaine is there any thing yet behind Oza was by God smitten to death for touching the Arke Well and what of all this Doth not all this conuince in what reuerence the Arke was had euen by Gods owne testimonie As if to proue M. Bishop to be a profound Clearke a man should say He hath learned a little Rhetoricke and lesse Logicke and is per saltum a Doctor of Diuinity and per inopiam a Priest and doth not all this conuince that he hath some learning Witlesse cauiller is there any thing in all those allegations that importeth the worshipping of the Arke Nay marke gentle Reader that whereas he propoundeth to prooue that the Arke was worshipped he maketh his conclusion that the Arke was had in great reuerence But they had the temple also in great reuerence and the altars and the offerings and al things that by the law were coÌmanded to be holy and will he thereof inferre that all these were to be worshipped They were to haue the Priests in great reuerence and specially the high Priest and shall we therefore say that they worshipped the Priests What is this reuerence but a religious respect and care of the sacred and due vsage of holy things according to their kind Thus are we to haue our Churches in reuerence with those vtensils and implements that belong to them that they be had and vsed with that decencie and seemelinesse as fitteth to things that serue for holy ministrations As for Hierome M. Bishop wholy abuseth falsifieth his words for he saith nothing at all of worshipping the Arke for the Cherubims and pictures of Angels that were erected at the ends of it this is a very wilfull and impudent forgerie but he saith that Å¿ Hieron ad Marcel vt cont nâgret Bethleem Venerabantur quondam Iudaei Sancta sanctoruÌ quia ibi erant Cherubim propitiatorium arca testameÌti Manna virga Aaron altare aureum the Iewes of old reuerenced the Sancta sanctorum because there were the Cherubims and the mercy-seate and the Arke of the TestameÌt and Manna and Aarons rod and the golden altar He knew well that if he had reported Hieroms words aright they would not sound for his purpose but to frame them to his turne he changeth the reuerencing of the holy place because of the Cherubims and the Arke into worshipping the Arke because of the Cherubims as if worship were performed properly to the Cherubims whereas * Origen contra Cels lib. 5. Coelestes Angelos nemo adorat qui se legi Mosis subdedit by the lawe of Moses as Origen saith no worship was done to the Angels themselues and much lesse to the Cherubims which represented the Angels The word venerari which Hierome vseth albeit it be often vsed for worship and seruice done to God yet is of so large signification as that it is yeelded to all those things to which we yeeld any reuerend and dutifull respect So doth t August de doctr Christ li. 3. cap. 9. Sicuti est baptismi Sacramentum celebratio corporis sanguinis Domini Quae vnusquisque imbutus agnoscit vt ea noÌ carnali seruitute sed spirituali potius libertate veneretur Saint Austine vse the word of the reuerence that we vse to the Sacraments not onely the
Lords Supper but also the Sacrament of Baptisme So doth Ambrose say that u Ambros de ijs qui imitantur mysterijs cap. 8. Melchisedec protulit ea quae AbrahaÌ veneratus accepit Abraham gaue veneration to the bread and wine which Melchisedec brought foorth and we suppose Master Bishop is not so farre gone as to say that we worship the Sacrament of Baptisme or that Abraham worshipped the bread and wine Thus therefore Hierome saith that the Iewes had a reuerend regard of the Sancta sanctorum but of religious worship as done to it he saith nothing and much lesse dreamed of any religious worship to be done to idols and images which haue no institution from God as the Sancta sanctorum had But to helpe this argument Master Bishop further alledgeth that Saint Paule saith that Iacob by faith adored the toppe of his sonne Iosephs rod. So doth the Greeke text of Saint Paule say saith he as Erasmus also translateth it And further he addeth The Protestants pitifully mangle the text to auoide the place But I answer him that the Protestants doe see them to be in a pitifull case who hazard their soules vpon a religion that is faine to vse such pitifull arguments for the defence of it For howsoeuer it were graunted that Iacob foreseeing by faith the kingdome that should befall to Ioseph in his sonne Ephraim did in token thereof make an obeisance to the rod or scepter that was in Iosephs hand or that he yeelded that obeisance or adoration in respect of Iosephs present authoritie vnder Pharao yet what should this be to the worshipping of images We know that adoration or worship ciuilly vnderstood is giuen to Princes Abraham x Gen. 23.7 adored the Princes of the Hittites The Israelites are said y 1. Chr. 29.10 to haue adored or worshipped the Lord and then the king namely king Dauid If Iacob yeelded the like adoration as to the kingdome and power of his sonne Ioseph either present or to come as some Greeke Writers expound it what is this I say to the worshipping of images But as touching this matter Hierome saith vpon the place in Genesis whence those words seeme to be taken z Hieron quaest âiââr in Genes Jn hoc loco quidaâ frustra si âââam adoâasse Iacob summitateÌ sceptri Ioseph quòd videlicet honorans filium potestatem eius adorauerit cùm in Hebraeo multo aliter legatur Et adorauit inquit Israel ad caput lectuli quòd scilicet post quam et iurauerat filius securus de petitionè quaÌ rogauerat adorauerit Deum contra caput lectuli sui Sanctus quippe Deo deditus vir oppressus senectute sic habebat lectulum positum vt ipse tacentis habitus absque difficultate vlla ad crationem esset paratus In this place some vainely imagine that Iacob adored or worshipped the top of Iosephs scepter to wit that honouring his sonne he adored or worshipped his power or authoritie whereas in the Hebrew it is read farre otherwise And Israel worshipped towards the beds head meaning that after his sonne had sworne vnto him being now secure as touching the request that he had made vnto him he worshipped God towards the beds head For the holy deuout man being now oppressed with old age had his bed so set as that the fashion of his lying might without difficultie yeeld him readinesse to pray Thus howsoeuer M. Bishop cauill and wrangle yet Hierome plainely resolueth that it was God onely and nothing else that Iacob worshipped and therefore readeth in his translation thus that when Ioseph a Gen. 47.31 Vulgat Quo iurante adorauit Israel DominuÌ conuersus ad lectuli caput had sworne Israel worshipped the Lord turning himselfe to the beds head Now the Hebrew text being manifestly against him he taketh vpon him to vrge the Greeke text of S. Paule affirming it to be said there that Iacob worshipped the toppe of Iosephs rod not caring for his owne aduantage to set the holy Ghost at variance with himselfe and to make him destroy in one place what he affirmeth in another But that which he affirmeth is vntrue and false S. Paul doth not say that Iacob worshipped the top of Iosephs rod neither do the Protestants pitifully mangle the text to auoide the place but the Papists pitifully follow a translation apparently false that the text may seeme to make for theÌ The words are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he worshipped vpon the top of his staffe or as we more plainely expresse it leaning vpon his staffe By which words the Septuagint translated the words of Moses before mentioned Israel worshipped vpon or towards the beds head their translation in Grammer construction fully answering the words of the Hebrew but that for mittah a bed or couch they seeme to haue translated matteh which signifieth a staffe or a rod making it by addition of a Pronoune his staffe or his rod or for some speciall reason thereto moouing them thought good in stead of the one to take the signification of the other being of the same deriuation no difference betwixt them in writing but onely by the vowels thereby to expresse that Iacob being very aged and weake and keeping his bed vsed the helpe of a staffe to stay himselfe as he worshipped vpon his bed or towards his beds head Thus they translated vpon what consideration we know not but so as that they nothing preiudice that which Moses saith because both may well stand together that he vsed a staffe to rest vpon and that so doing he worshipped towards the beds head And that they therin expressed a truth though not set downe in Moses words yet otherwise receiued or coniectured we fully and certainely beleeue because the holy Ghost hath thus cited the words according to their translation obseruing the same course as commonly we see the Apostles and Euangelists doe in their citations from the old Testament who so long as the place retaineth from the originall that for which they cite it and containeth no vntruth forbeare not to vse the translation which was coÌmonly receiued and vsed though haply otherwise it do not exactly accord with the same originall Hebrew text Now the matter for which the Apostle citeth those wordes standeth in that that it is said that Iacob worshipped he giuing thereby to vnderstand that Iacob by faith so fully rested assured of that which vpon the promise of God he had beleeued as that he worshipped and praysed God as if he had then seene and enioyed the performance and accomplishment therof This therefore being expresly deliuered in the text as the Septuagint haue translated it he maketh no question of the other words though they be not exactly sorting with that which Moses hath set downe But here the matter of question is coÌcerning the translating of that translation M. Bishop telleth vs that we should translate thus And he Iacob worshipped the top of his that is of Iosephs rod