the power of our will to moue or Suarez iâ— opus Theoâ—og l. 1. c. 10. 13. in breu resol § 26. not to moue to will or not to will nor to vse any choice election or liberty at all For as Suarez profoundly teacheth that which neither in it selfe is free nor in the cause by which it worketh is no way free The will of man according to Caluin and his Sectaries is not free in it selfe because of it selfe it can doe nothing without the motion and predetermination of God nor in the cause for it is not in the power of man either to appoint remoue chaÌ„ge or resist this determination of God immouably made from all eternity Therefore no liberty remayneth in vs bereft of all indifferency Necessarily determined to euery particular act by the ouer-ruling motion of the prime and supreme cause What wrong then hath Bellarmine done to Luther and Caluin of which M. Field hath the fore-head to challenge him What iniurious imputation hath he layed vpon them or their followers in taxing their Doctrine with the Manichean heresie which they as you see boldly professe and labour to support with sundry arguments sorted and disposed into three seuerall classes or seats 1. Cor. 12. v. 6. Isay 26 v. 12. Hierem. 1â— v. 23. 20. In the first they place those which attribute all our workes to the generall concourse and premotion of God who first moueth inclineth and principally floweth into our actions as All in all things he doth worke All our workes O Lord thou hast wrought in vs. I know O Lord that mans way is not in his owne handes nor in his power to direct his steps c. 21. I answere it is true that God worketh all things in vs and we with him he as the vniuersall we as the particuler causes yet so as the influence of his action neither altereth nor hindreth but rather sustaineth helpeth Fulke in c. 8. Io. sect 2. in cap. 9. ad Rom. sect 7. in c. 2. 2. ad Tim. sect 1. Augu. de verbo Domini ser 2. IdeÌ„in Ench. ad Lauren. cap. 30. Aug. l. de Natu. Grat. cap. 53. and perfiteth ours He concurreth to euery creature according to their owne nature and condition with thinges contingent contingently with necessary thinges necessarily with free thinges freely 22. In the second classe Doctor Fulke rangeth those authorityes of S. Augustine wherein he affirmeth Freewil to be lost by the fall of Adam to wit Man when he was created receaued great strength of Free-will but by sinning he lost it And Man abusing his Free-will lost both himselfe and it The like he vrgeth out of his booke of Nature and Grace and other places M. Whitaker also obiecteth the former sentence of S. Austine out of his Enchyridion addeth therunto the authorityes of S. Ambrose and S. Bernard to whome I shall reply in the next Chapter heere I answere to S. Augustine 23. Man lost by sinne that strength of freedome and perfection of Nature which he had at his first creation and so he lost as S. Augustin excellently discourseth both himselfe his Free-will himselfe in respect of God and the Aug. l. 1. ad Bonif. c. 1. Aug. epi. 107. ad Viclaem Aug. tom 7. de Praed Sanct. c. 2. Aug. l. de perfect Iustitiae de spiri lit de Naâ— gra c. finall end whereunto he was created his Free-will which he had in Paradise First Habendi plenam cum immortalitate iustitiam Of hauing full and perfect Iustice with immortality Secondly He lost his Free-will of louing God by the grieuousnes of his first sinne Thirdly He lost his Free-will of beginning or performing any good and pious deed Fourthly He lost his Free-will of fulfilling the Commandments of God of vanquishing all tentations of perseuering still in the state of Innocency in which he was created For Adam ourforefather endowed with the habit of originall iustice could by the liberty of Free-will ayded with the speciall cooperation of God alwayes fullfill and performe those thinges without any new excyting grace to quicken and stir him vp which we though iustifyed in this state of corruption by reason of many carnall allurements assaults of Sathan and dulnes of nature cannot atchieue without his diuine grace of excitation direction and protection Therefore S. Augustine speaking of the accomplishment of the aforesayd dutyes sayth This is not Aug. lib de bono perseue cap. 7. in the forces of Freewil as now they are it was in man bedore his fal Those freedomes then Adam lost himselfe according to that height of dignity he lost yet as he did not absolutly loose but impaire himselfe as he lost not the nature and Ioa. c. 8. v. 14. Rom. 6. v. 16. 2. Pet. c. 2 v. 19. Aug. l. de corr gra c. 13. Aug. cont 2. ep â—ela l. 3. ca. 8. Concil Arausi can 7. 22 Mileuit can 4. Ambr. in c. 6. ad Roman Ruper l. 4. com in Gen. c. 3. Aug. tract 41. in Ioan. cap. 8. noli in quit libertate abuti ad liberè peccandum sed vtâ—râ— ad non peccandum Aug. l. 1. ad Bâ—â—if c. 2. liberum arbitrum vsque adeo in peccatore non perijt vp per illud peccent maximâ— omnes qui cum delectatione peccant condition of man so neither the faculty of his will which still continuing remaineth free 1. To thinges in different with Gods general concourse 2. To things morally good with his peculiar assistance 3. To accept or refuse his motions offered 4. To worke and purchase his saluation by meanes of infused grace 24. In the third and last classe are digested such sentences as insinuate the will of man to be in the bondage and slauery of sinne as He that doth sinne is the seruant of sin And You are seruants of that to which you obey Seruants of corruption And S. Augustine I say Free-will but not made free Free from iustice but slaue of sinne To which purpose M. Fulke often repeateth this other saying of S. Augustine Free-will being made captiue auayleth nothing but to sinne 25. I answere S. Augustine in this later place writing against the Pelagians speaketh after the manner of two Venerable Councels who define and teach as he doth that the will of man of it selfe without the grace of God auayleth to nothing but sinne that is to nothing of piety oriustice to nothing appertayning to Saluation or damnation but only to Sinne. 26. To all the former instances I ioyntly reply with S. Ambrose Rupertus and the same S. Augustine that he who sinneth supposing he doth sinne is slaue to the sinne he doth commit yet hence it followeth not that he necessarily sinneth or is depriued of his naturall freedome By which as S. Augustine auerreth men sinne chiefly all who sinne with delight Secondly I say he who maketh himselfe the bond-slaue of sin is so far from being necessarily tyed to trangresse the
the gift of God It is not of him that runneth but of Fulke vbi supra Vvhitaker loco citato 1. Cor. 2. v. 14. ad Phil. 2. God who hath mercy on vs. He maketh vs willing to imbrace it he as M. Whitaker argueth out of S. Paul teacheth vs to vnderstand the things of God by him the will and deed is wrought in vs but not without the concurrence of our Free-will especially it being a vitall act which cannot be produced but by a liuely and vitall faculty Also I confesse that without God we can do nothing We can not speake we cannot moue we cannot liue yet with Act. 17. ver 28. his generall concourse we speake we moue and liue In ipso viuimus mouemur sumus So without the speciall helpe of Gods grace we can neither performe nor as much as thinke any worke of piety with it we can and doe atchieue many vertuous deeds His Grace destroyeth not but perfiteth awaketh cherisheth and reuiueth the liberty of our will For which cause S. Augustine saith Aug. tom 3. de spir litt c. 30. Aug. tom 7. de pecca mer remis l. 2. c. 18. Doe we euacuate Free-will by Grace God forbid But we rather establish it Likewise We ought not to so defend Grace that we may seeme to take away Free-will as the Manichies and our Protestants doe nor so maintaine Free-will that we be iudged through proud impiety vngratfull to Gods Grace as the Pelagians were but we ought to ioyne both togeather giue the preheminence in euery action to Gods Grace 28. After this sort we read the same actions which in way of our conuersion are ascribed vnto God to be attributed also vnto man To God King Dauid praied Psal 50. 12. Ezech. 18. 31. 1. Cor. 12. v. 6 Phil. 2. 12. Psal 84. 5. Eccies 17. 22. Psal 118. 59. Psal 118. 38. Psal 118. 112. White § 40. disgres 42. fol. 282. 1. Cor. 4. 7. Create a cleane hart in me ô God and renew a right spirit in my bowels To man Ezechiel said Make to your selnes a new hart and a new spirit Of God S. Paul writeth All in things he doth worke of Man with seare and trembling worke your saluation To God the Royall Prophet crieth out Conuert vs ô God our Sauiour To man King Salomon saith Returne vnto our Lord forsake thy sinnes And of himself King Dauid writeth I haue conuerted and turned my steppes to thy Commandements To God he prayeth Incline ô Lord my hart vnto thy lawes And of himselfe he witnesseth I haue inclined my hart to keepe thy Lawes 29. But if this be true saith M. White when the Apostle demandeth who hath seperated thee what hast thou which thou hast not receiued I may answere I haue seperated my selfe by doing that which was in my selfe to doe No Syr we can not make any such reply because we being fast asleepe in the lethargie of sin it is God only who first stirreth awaketh reuiueth vs it is he who after cooperateth and concurreth with vs it is he who supporteth and strengthneth vs he finally who accomplisheth and putteth in executional our blessed desyres Therefore from him we receiue and to him as the originall fountaine we ascribe whatsoeuer good there is in vs. In so much as there is no worke ordained to the attaining of euerlasting life to which we affirme not the grace of God many wayes necessary 30. First it is necessary for God to moue inspire and apply our thoughts to the good intended which the Deuines Psal 58. 11. Rom. 8. 16. Psal 69. v. 1. ad Rom. 8. 26. Ibid. 28 call his exciting or preuenting Grace whereof King Dauid spake Misericordia eius praeâ—eniet me His mercy shall goe before me And S. Paul It is not of the willer nor of the runner but of God that sheweth mercy Secondly it is necessary that God assist and helpe vs voluntarily imbracing his holy inspirations this is called his aiding or concomitant Grace whereby he accompanieth and cooperateth with vs when we yeald to his calling the free assent of our will This King Dauid implored saying Incline vnto my ayde ô God â— Lord make hast to helpe me Of this S. Paul speaketh The spirit helpeth our infirmity Agayne To them that loue God all thinges cooperate vnto good And this together with the former is souÌ„dly proued and fitly explained by S. Iohn in the Apocalips I stand at the doore and knocke If any man shall heare my voyce and open the gate I will enter into him c. To stand knocke at the doore of our harts is the office of Gods preuenting exciting or illuminating Grace to open the dore is both the worke of man worke of God Mans it is in giuing his free consent and concurring to the opening of his heart Gods in that he supporteth worketh and helpeth him also to open Apoca. 3. 20. the same by his cooperating Grace 31. To these many adde a third Grace distinct from the former which they call a Subsequent or following Grace mentioned by King Dauid His mercy also will follow me by S. Psal 22. 26. August in Enchi c. 32. Fulgâ—n l. 1. ad Monimâ—m c. 9. Conc. Trid. ses 6. 26. Augustine Fulgentius and by the generall Councell of Trent The diuine vertue or influence of grace deriued froÌ„ Christ our head goeth before accompanieth and followeth all our good workes The prerogatiue of this last Grace is to affoard oportunity of executing the good we intended before which is a greate benefit by reason that thereby our desyres are longer continued more inflamed perfitted and increased These three Graces are necessary for euery one be he iust be he sinner to the due accomplishment of pious vertuous and supernaturall workes The first God is said to worke In vs without vs that is without our free and deliberate consent The second In vs with vs because he cooperateth worketh with vs freely consenting to his heauenly motions The third In vs by vs to wit putting by vs as his free-working instruments our holy purposes in execution 32. Thus then I may conclude against M. Fulke and all our Protestants with the same words which S. Augustine vpon vide Aug. l. de gra l. arb c. 16. â— 17. Vasquiâ— in 1. 1. Disput 185. c. 6. Aug. l. de gra l. arb c. 9. Aug. de natu gra c. 33. the like occasions vsed against the Manichies Not because the Apostle saith It is God that worketh in you both to will and performe must we thinke he taketh away Free-will For if it were so then would not he a little before haue willed them to worke their owne saluation with feare and trembling For when they be commanded to worke their Free-will is called vpon but with trembling and feare is added least by attributing their well-doing to themselues they might be proud of their good deedes as
improperly but properly called Sacerdotes sacrifycing Priests And S. Paul teacheth That euery Priest or Bishop is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices To conclude then wheras M. Reynoldes himselfe is faine to yeild That these thinges are linked by nature in relation and mutuall dependance as I may say one of the other the Altar the Sacrifice and the Sacrifycers seeing I haue already proued that we haue true and reall Altars true and proper Priests he cannot deny vs without open shame and contradiction a true reall and proper Sacrifice 12. If we looke into the old Law we shall find that King Dauid in the feruour of his Propheticall spirit speaketh of Christ Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech which S. Paul often repeateth But what was the order of Melchisedechs Priest-hood Wherein was he a figure and type of Christ M. Bilson recounteth certaine prerogatiues S. Paul mentioneth yet no priuiledge no act of Priest-hood no signe or shew of Sacrifice properly belonging to any Priest But S. Cyprian and Primasius wisely tell vs That the singularity of his order consisted in offering not the bloud of brute beasts but Bread Wine As the holy Ghost also in Genesis witnesseth Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine for he was the Priest of the most high Or and he was the Priest of the most high agreeable to the Greeke and Hebrew copyes where both the causall coniunction for as Copulatiue and of necessity inforce that he brought forth bread and wine as a Priest to offer them vnto God And therein the Fathers affirme against M. Bilson That he figured and resembled our Sauiours oblation of the holy Eucharist S. Clemens of Alexandria S. Ambrose S. Cyprian S. Augustine Isidorus S. Hierome cyting to the same purpose many others S. Cyprians words are these Our Lord Iesus Christ offered a sacrifice to God the Father Chrys hom 60. ad pop Nos ministrorum tenemus locum qui verò sanctificat ea immutat ipse est Arno. in Psal 109. Lact. l. 4. Inst ca. 14. Prima in com cap. 5. ep ad Heb. Epiph. haer 55. Aug. in Psal 109. ep 95. ad Inno. l. â— con ad le prophe c. 20. Oecum in cap. 5. ad Hebr. and offered the same that Melchisedech did that is Bread Wine to wit his Body and bloud 13. Moreouer Christ is not only called a Priest according to the peculiar ranke of Melchisedech and therfore must offer a peculiar Sacrifice proper to his order and different from others but he is tearmed also in this kind a Priest for euer So that heerein he continueth both the dignity and function of his eternall Priest-hood because heere by his commandment by his authority by his speciall concurrence with the Priests Prelats of his Church he incessantly offereth vnto his Father his owne body bloud vnder the forms of Melchisedechs Sacrifice For as in the administration of other Sacraments he is the chiefe and principall Agent when we baptize Ipse est qui bapâ—zat He is he that bapâ—izeth sayth S. Iohn when we ordaine or consecrate Priests he is he who consecrateth them In like manner when we celebrate Masse he is he who inuisibly celebrateth he is the chiefe high-priest and we his Ministers he the true and supreme Bishop and we the Suffragans or Substitutes who supply his roome We may then vndoubtedly inferre with Arnobius Lactantius Primasius Epiphanius S. Augustine That the eternity of Christs Priest-hood according to the singuler order of Melchisedech still perseuereth in the true Oblation of his body and bloud made at the Altar and offered now in al parts of the world And if we examine the learned Protestant what els can he assigne in which Christ doth exercise at this tyme the proper act of his neuer ending Priest-hood The Sacrifice of the Crosse That remayneth not and in respect of that Oblation and Host once offered as Oecumenius noteth he cannot be called a Priest for euer The prayer and intercession he maketh for vs aboue But this is not any peculiar and proper act of Priest-hood much lesse of any determinate and particuler order The vertue and efficacy of his bloudy Sacrifice which he still offereth and representeth to his Father But if this euerlasting effect disappoint the new Law of all proper Sacrifices it should by the same reason haue frustrated Act. 4. v. 12. the old For there is no other name vnder heauen giuen to men in which we ought to be saued No other vertue by which our forefathers were sanctifyed then the death of Christ Againe this representation which our Sauiour maketh of his Passion in the sight of his Father is no such Sacrifice whereby he may either chalenge the name or reserue the office of an euerlasting Priest Or if it be any such besides that you applaud the Reall Sacrifice in heauen which in earth you detest seeing this is only exercised among Angels aboue and no act of Priesthood perseuereth amongst men no kingdome of Christs Church no CoÌ„mon-wealth of his people no law of Christianity now flourisheth vpon earth but is vtterly disanulled extinguished and altogeather translated to the Court of heauen according to that of S. Paul Priesthood being translated Heb 7. v. 12. it is necessary also a translation of the Law be made 14. Now if Christian harts can neuer subscribe to these impietyes if we must of necessity graunt that God hath euer some Church some inheritance some chosen Isa 19. v. 21. Prou. 9. 1. Dan. 11. v. 31. Psalm 17. 16. Hier. in Psalm 71. people vpon earth we must needs allow some visible outward proper law by which as his peculiar flock they appertaine vnto him and are combined in mutuall fellowship and society togeather If a Law a Priesthood if a Priesthood a Sacrifice if a Sacrifice what other then this which Isay foresaw The Aegyptians shall know their Lord in that day and worship him in Hosts and guifts c. And there shal be the Altar of our Lord in the midst of Aegypt SalomoÌ„ shaddowed Wisedome hath built an house imolated rictimes mingled wine c. Daniel mentioned calling it the Dayly Sacrifice which Antichrist shall deface and abrogate at least in publike King Dauid specifyed There shal be a sirmament in the earth vpon the tops of Mountaines Where S. Hierome expoundeth Firmament Memorable wheat The Caldaicall translation Supersubstantiall bread The learned Hebricians commonly interprete Placentam tritici A * The Hebrew word Pissathbar signifyeth a Cake of wheat as Reuelinus sayth Cake of wheate substantiall Bread or a sacrifice of Bread So Rabbi Salomon There shall be a Cake of wheat in the earth in the Rab. Saloin â—sa 72. Rab. Achilas in â—undeÌ„ locum Rab. Iona. l. col in Psal 72. Read Gal. l. 10. de area cap. 4. 5. 6. 7. Mal. 1. v. 11. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. Bils 4. par pag. 695. Alan de
S. Peter and S. Paul at Winchester Neither would he euer after weare any Crowne during his life A rare heroicall act and worthy such a King 17. As rare was that of Commenus the Emperour who hauing slaine and put to flight an huge army of the Scythians with a small company of his owne men by the intercession and prayer of our Blessed Lady after the CoÌ„quest a day of triumph being ordained when he should Nicetat in vita Io. Comnem haue ascended his triumphant Chariot gorgeously furnished for so great a solemnity he placed therin a beautiful Image of the Queene of heauen and carrying himselfe a Crosse in his hand marched before royally accompanyed with all hâ—s Nobles Thus causing the picture to be drawne with foure choice and milke-white horses he gaue her in her Image the whole honour of the triumph Our Blessed Ladies picture caryed in Triumph by whose happy fauour he gained the victory Which that gracious Empresse so benignely accepted as she made him after owner of sundry victoryes and worthy of many triumphes For these vtilityes therefore picturs are made for these they are kept for these they are hanged on Altars depainted in Churches or publikely carryed in some Processions 18. But the honour we do vnto Images may scandalize perchance the harts of the simple prone therunto by their owne weakenes and pricked forward by the instigation of our Aduersaries not weighing the nature of Ioseph l. 1â— c. 8. antiq Dan. 2. 4. Reg. 4. the worship or euidence we produce for the maintenance therof To begin therfore with an argument vnanswerable All holy thinges deserue to be honoured Pictures are holy thinges Therfore Pictures deserue to be honoured The Psal 98. Exo. 3. v. 5. Maiorproposition that all holy thinges ought to be honoured is apparent because holines is a certaine excellency â—o vvhich honour is due We see in all Common-vvealthes both Heathen and Christian holy Persons for their Exo. 12 v. 16. sanctity alwayes reuerenced For which Alexander the Great adored Iaddus the high Priest Nabuchodonozor Daniel the Sunamite Elizaeus Yea not only men endued with reason but inanimate and senseles Creatures for this prerogatiue of holinesse are deseruedly worshipped as King Dauid exhorteth saying Adore yee his footstoole because it is holy Our Lord sayd to Moyses Put off thy shooes from thy feet because the place where thou standest is holy earth Againe he sayd vnto him The first day shal be holy and solemn and the seauenth with the like festiuity venerable For this the Tabernacle the Altar the Propitiatory the Breads of Proposition and all Holyes are honoured by the law of God The difficulty then remayneth to shew some holines in Pictures for which they may challenge the dignity of honour 12. Albeit this word Holy is commonly taken in Scripture for that which is pure sacred and immaculate of it selfe in which sense Almighty God alone is essentially holy He is the supreme holynes or Holy of all Holyes as Daniel stileth him The Angels and Saints are pure and Dan 9. 14. vnspotted but by grace only and participation of his holines it is often notwithstanding more largely extended for that which is consecrated vnto God or hath any speciall reference or relation vnto him In respect wherof the Temple is tearmed in Scripture Holy the vestment Psal 78. Exod. 28. Isa 62. Exod. 3. of Aaron the people the earth Holy c. And in this acception of the word the Pictures of Christ and of his Saints be truely counted esteemed holy both in that they are dedicated to the worship of a most holy God as all thinges are entitled Royall which neerely appertain to the Royall Maiesty of a King and also for that they carry a remarkable respect or relation to him or some of his chiefest friends much honoured by him And wheras this diuine reference or dedication ennobleth them aboue the degree of prophane and common things it giueth them that excellency and preheminence to which an holy and regardfull reuerence belongeth as the examples already specifyed conuince For to the earth where God appeared what other cause of adoration can Bils 4. par Trident. sess 25. Nicenum â— art 2. 8. Syn. act 3. Leoâ—t de ador cru l. 5. Apol. coâ—t Iud. refertur in 7. Syn. â—ct 4. you ascribe Any natiue quality Any inherent holynes of which it was incapable No No other which M. Bilson is forced to confesse then the awfull respect of God or his Angels presence If then the earth if the Temple if solemne dayes if the name Iehoua amongst the Iewes the name Iesus amongst Christians if the sacred Bible without danger of I do latry may be religiously reuerenced for this holy representation or signification only why may not Images for the same respect accordingly deserue the same honour and reuerence conformable to the decree not only of the Tridentine and second Nicen but of the eight generall Councel of Constantinople where it is so defined and of Leontius the Bishop of Cyprus vrging the Iewes aboue a thousand yeares agoe as I may now the Protestants saying Thou adorest the volume of the Law worshiping not the nature of inke or parchmeÌ„t but the wordes of God contained therein so I adoring the Image of Ath. ser 4. cont Arri. q. 16. ad Antio Dama l. 4 ort fid 17. Euthy p. 2. c. 20. Basi in Iul. cited in Nic. Con. 2 Chry. in Liturgia Iero. in vit Paulae Amb. orat de obi Theodos l. de incar Domini Sacram. c. 7. Aug. l. 3. de Tricap 10. Lact. in Car. pass Domi. Sedul lib. 5. carm Pass Bils 4. par pag. 547. Magdeburg Cent. 4. cap. 10. col 1080. line 50. item Cent. 8. c. 10. col 850. Bale in his Pageant of Popes fol. 33. Item Bale pag. 24. 27. Simondes on the Reâ—â—ela p. 17. fine Bils 4. par p. 561 577. 578. Christ neither the wood or colours do I honour God forbid but the inanimate character which when I imbrace I seeme to take hold and adore euen Christ himselfe S. Athanasius S. Iohn Damascen and Euthymius establish the same with almost the same wordes S. Basil sayth The historyes of the Images of Martyrs I honour and publikely adore S. Chrysostome The Priest boweth his head to the Image of Christ. S. Hierome speaking of S. Paula She adored prostrate before the Crosse as though she beheld our Lord hanging before her eyes S. Ambrose S. Augustine Lactant us Sedulius I let passe I will not vse in a matter not doubtfull testimonyes not necessary 20. The greater is M. Bilsons fault the fault of M. Reynoldes the greater who desame the worshipping of Images as a nouelty first decreed in the 2. Councel of Nice 780. yeares after Christ Too yong sayth M. Bilson to be Catholike Whereas all these ancient Fathers S. Iohn Damascen and Euthymius only excepted liued long before that generall Councel sundry
of merit in the way of satisfaction they may 28. And what barbarous cruelty is this in men of your sect who graunt that the workes of the liuing may profit the liuing and not auaile the Dead For what haue the faythfull departed heerin committed they should be lesse capable of benefite from you then the rest of the faythfull who liue amongst you Because you inherite their patrimonyes enioy their riches because they builded your Colledges fouÌ„ded Monasteryes eÌ„dowed your houses with ample reuenewes will you dispossesse them of all Christian reliefe Imagine their poore deceased soules who lye tormented in the paines of Purgatory should cry for mercy at your hands and say with holy Iob Haue pitty on vs haue pitty on vs at least you our friends c. you to Iob. 19. v. 21. whome we haue bequeathed our whole inheritance you who reap the fruits of our last Will and Testament deriue some droppe of comfort to our distressed ghostes Imagine they should make this lamentable suite what excuse of ingratitude what defence of this horrible cruelty could be alleadged 29. In a Countrey where so many monuments of Vpon the ancient plate of the colledges both in Oxford Cambridge it is left engrauen Pray for the soule of such or such VvestmoÌ„ anno to 67. Math. Pa ris 1066. Camden in Chorogra descript pag. 287. Vt virgiues illae sacris suis suffragijs Henrici 2. RosamuÌ„dae animabus subuenis â—nt their piety left behind them beare witnesse against you where the very Statutes of your houses the names of your Colledges the wordes engrauen on your plate the immunityes charters and decrees of your founders wher such a multitude of Deaneryes Canonryes Monasteryes Nunneryes Churches Chapells and other Oratoryes haue beene erected by your fore-fathers to no other end then to haue Prayers and Sacrifices offered for their souls To this end All-soules Colledge in Oxford beareth that name and enioyeth all the lands and liuings belonging thereunto To this end the Monastery of Battell in Sussex was builded by William the Conquerour to pray pro ibâ— mortuis for such as were there deceased To this end K. William Rufus his Son in his charter there extant ratifyeth and confirmeth his Fathers graunt to benefit as he specifyeth his sayd Father Mother Matildes soules To this end the Nunry of Godstow not farre from Oxford builded by the rich widdow Ida was repaired and endowed with a yearely reuenew by King Iohn that those holy Virgins according to M. Camdens report might relieue with their suffrages the soules of Rosamond and Henry the 2. To this end infinite others haue beene raised throughout the realme whose sumptuous buildings or decaied ruines yet remaining lye prostrate at your feete stretch forth their armes and call vpon you in behalfe of their founders not to be so carelesse and vnmindfull of them not to forget with the Aegyptian Cup-bearer the great fauours Gen. 40. 23. Amos 6. v. 1 4. 6. they haue done you Not to be rich in Sion c. and neglect the spirituall wants of your chiefe benefactours Not to sleep in beds of Iuory and play the wantons in your couches c. not to drinke wine in phials suffer nothing vpon the contrition of Ioseph or to speake to my purpose haue no feeling at all of the affliction of your Patrons soules nay be in worse tearmes towards them then to the poorest friend you haue aliue whome you permit to partake of the commoÌ„ suffrages of which you debar the Dead in their greatest need I know not with what vncharitable sauage harts 30. For the reason why the faithfull vpon earth may by their prayers one succour another is twofold It partly dependeth of them who receaue reliefe because they are in the fauour and grace of God are vnited togeather in the band of charity by which one member communicateth of the benefits and labours of the other It partly also proceedeth from them who do releeue that they by vertue of their intention apply the fruit of their satisfactory workes to the profit of such as they desire Now which of these conditions is wanting to the dead who depart in our Lord They are endued with Gods grace they are combined with vs in perfect charity which can neuer decay And that we may direct our pryers to their behoofe and apply our charitable workes by intention vnto them is as cleare as that we can intend them vnto the liuing Therfore to allow the benefit of our suffrages vnto these and deny it vnto them is in the iudgment of Regius the Protestant no lesse then Epicurean no lesse then Sadducean impiety it is such peruerse partiality such partiall peruersity I had almost sayd brutish iniquity as the like among BarbariaÌ„s hath seldom byn heard 31. The other obiections which I haue reserued for this place are chiefly against Purgatory and consequently against Prayer for the dead As If the tree falleth at the North or South there it shall lye The Scripture only mentioneth two wayes after death the one to saluation the other to damnation the right band and the left It parteth all mankind into sheep goats Ecc. 11. v. 3. See these obiections made by Lossi ' apud Lensae um l. 2. de Purg. c. 4. Matt. 7. v. 13. 14. Math. 25. v. 33. ibid. v. 2. Math. 13. v. 24. 25. 30. ibid. v. 47. 48. Apoc. 14. It compareth them to wise or foolish Virgins The field of our Lord containeth only wheate and cockle The Euangelicall nette comprehendeth good and euill fishes none of a middle sort none of a third sort after death for whome we may pray I answere There are only two finall places Heauen and Hell the North and the South or there are two estates of men the estate of saluation and estate of damnation and whosoeuer dyeth finally arriueth and euen then appertaineth to one of them As all that go to Purgatory belong to heauen pertaine to the South are in the number of the sheep of Christ of the wise Virgins of the good fishes of the winnowed Wheate which is sure to be gathered and laid vp for euer in the Garner of our Lord. 32. The place which is obiected out of the Apocalips Blessed are the dead who dy in our Lord from hence-forth now sayeth the Spirit they rest from their labours is expounded of the Martyrs not only in S. Ambrose Ansbertus and Haymo his Ambros Ansber Haymo in hunc locuÌ„ Fulke in c. 14. Apoc. in Haebaeo Gen. 18. 29. in Latino Hos 12. Miche 3. Anselm in commen in hunc locuÌ„ Ribera vpoÌ„ this place iudgment but according to the translation of Beza also as M. Fulke his pew-fellow graunteth after which manner in is taken insteed of for in Domino for our Lords sake as sometyme in the Hebrew sometime also in the Latin text it is vsed Secondly from hence forth is meant as S. Anselme interpreteth it after the
places The same S. Paul writing to the Corinthians sayth As we haue 1. Cor. 15. v. 49. borne the image of the earthly let vs also beare the image of the heauenly but the Image of earthly Adam we haue truly borne by the deadly impression of internall and hatefull sinne Cent. 3. c. 4. Column 48. therefore we must truly beare the figure of Christ by the beautifull stampe of internall and acceptable grace as Origen cyted by the Centurists doth plainely insinuate and the Apostle likewise confirmeth in his Epistle to the Ephesians Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which according to God is created in Iustice and holynes of Ephes 4. v. 24. truth behold we haue not the new man imputed vnto vs but we put him on vs formed and created not in signe and sanctification but in iustice and holynes of truth and that according to God Besides it is sayd We are buryed with him by ad Rom. 6. Baptisme to the end that as Christ did rise from death so we may walke in newnes of life Vpon which wordes S. Augustine auerreth Aug. in Enchir. cap. 52. That as in Christ there was a true resurrection so in vs there is a true iustification Whosoeuer then detracteth from the truth of our infused iustice detracteth from the verity of Christs resurrection and whosoeuer impayreth the perfection of this darkneth also the glory of that S. Chrysostome commenting vpon that passage of S. Paul aboue cyted You are washed you are sanctifyed you are â— ad Cor. 6. v. 11. iustifyed sayth He sheweth that you are not only made cleane but holy and iust Illuminated and made perfect sayth S. Clement of Alexandria Of old made new of humane diuine sayth S. Gregory Nazianzen Which are most euident testimonyes Clem. l. 1. Pedago cap. 6. Nazian ora in san bap for my purpose yet to leaue no place of tergiuersation to wrangling Sophisters I will further corroborate this chiefe and fundamentall article with other most cleare and irrefragable arguments 8. That grace and renouation is perfect entire and not the effect but the true cause of our iustification by the VVhitak l. 8. aduers Dutaeum very consent of our Aduersaryes which absolueth vs from sinne endueth vs with purity and holynes in the eyes of our Creatour engrafteth vs into Christ vniteth vs vnto God and giueth vs life in him maketh vs his adopted children entitleth vs to the right and purchaseth the inheritance of our eternall kingdome All this is wrought not by any other precedent cause but by that inherent Rom. â— v. 4. iustice or infused charity which God deriueth into our soules therefore that maketh vs truly righteous and iust before the Tribunall of his highnes First it cleanseth vs Ibid. v. 7. from our sins as S. Paul to the Romans defineth saying We are buryed togeather with Christ by Baptisme into death Rom. 8. v. 2. Tertul. l. de resur carn c. 46. Basil de spir san c. 15. Aug. l. 1. de nupt concup c. 22. Lib. de lib. arbit c. 14. 15. 16. de sprit liter 8. 17. What death but the death of sinne of which it immediatly followeth he that is dead is iustifyed from sinne to wit is released and absolued from sinne by the newnes of life wherin he resembleth the resurrection of Christ Againe The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath deliuered me from the law of sinne where Tertullian insteed of deliuered vseth the word manu misit hath set free like a bound man enfranchized and set at liberty by the benignity of his Maister S. Basil explicating the former place sayth The spirit infuseth liuely and reuiuing force recouering our soules from the death of sinne into a new life And S. Augustine the later writeth thus The law of the spirit of life in Christ hath dissolued the guilt of concupiscence procuring remission of all sinnes who doth also often testify that the law of the spirit of life is the grace of the new Testament written in our harts Secondly it doth not only expell the mists of sinne but garnisheth also our soules with the lustre of vertue as I haue already conuinced in my first encounter against M. Abbot which cannot be interpreted Ephes 1. v. 4. of signes of beauty grateful to men who pierce not into the closet of our soule nor behould the light and brightnes therof mentioned aboue Therefore it must Ioan. 15. 1. Cor. c. 12. v 26. needs be expounded of the purity splendour and holynes it displayeth before the face of God according to that of S. Paul He chosevs that we should be holy and immaculate in his sight in charity that is by meanes of his habituall charity harboured in our brests 9. Thirdly this inward renouation doth truely incorporate vs in the mysticall body of our Lord Sauiour Coloss 3. v. 13. Gal. 3. v. 17 Rom. 8. v. 11. Aug. de spir lit c. 29. Rom. 13. v. 13. 14. it engrafteth vs like liuely branches into him our true vine it maketh vs the body of Christ and members of member Doinge on sayth S. Paul to the Collossians the new man him that is renewed vnto knowledge according to the image of him that created him To the Galathians as many of you as are baptized in Christ haue put on Christ. And how haue yee put him on but as the same Apostle testifyeth By his spirit dwelling in you Wherof S. Augustine sayth By the spirit of Christ incorporated made a member of Christ euery one may inwardly affoarding increase accoÌ„plish works of iustice Besids that very word to put on Christ often vsed in holy Write doe on the armour of light doe yee on our Lord Iesus Christ according to the Hebrew * Indui haebraicâ— laâ—aâ— Isa 61. Chrys in 1. c. ad Gal. in c. 3. ad Rom. Cyril l. 9. in Genes Hieron ad Pamach Rom. 6. v. 10. 1. Cor. 6. v. 17. Ioan. 14. v. 23. 1 Cor. 3. v. 16. 17. 1. ep Ioan. c. 3 v. 24. 1. Ioan. 4. v. 16. 1. Ioan. 4. v. 17. Rom. 6. v. 11. Augu. de verbis Apostol ser 18. 28. l. de ciuit Dei c. 24. phrase and allusion to the long gownes of the Iewes signifyeth great plenty and aboundance of grace sanctity and iustice with which they that put on Christ are inwardly clad as it were with a rich and gorgeous robe which doth not only couer the nakednes but wholy adorneth the temple of our soules with heauenly rayes of incomparable vertues Therefore Isay calleth it The vestment of saluation the garment of iustice or coate of ioy as the 70. Interpreters or vestment Iesus as other translate it wherof read S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Hierome 10. Fourthly by this inhabiting grace a true vnion is made a league is contracted betweene God and vs We liue to him Are one spirit with him
interpretation then that which I haue mentioned vnles a man would bend his wits and force his quill of purpose to misconstrue his meaning THE NINTEENTH CONTROVERSY DECLARETH How Fayth alone doth not iustify against D. Whitaker D. Feild D. Abbot and all Sectaryes CHAP. I. THAT we may not stumble at the beginning Châ—nitiuâ— in 1. part examinaâ— Con iâ— Trid. Calu. l. 30 instit c. ◠§. 9. Fulk in c. 13. 1. ad Cor. sect 5 Perkins in his reform Cath. f. 7â— nor post away in vaine before I go further I will truly lay down the state of this question as it is controuerted defended on both sides Protestants distinguish three sorts of fayth 1. The historicall fayth as they tearm it by which they belieue the history of the Bible 2. The guift of fayth to worke miracles of which S. Paul If I should haue all fayth so as I could remoue mountaines c. 3. The sayth and affiance in the diuine promises of God So that the truth and veracity of God is the proper obiect of the first his power of the second his mercy and goodnes of the third Which later fayth they subdeuide againe into Abbot inhis defence cap 4. fol. 453. VVhitak l. 1. aduers Duraeum two members or branches into a generall beliefe that God will faythfully accomplish all his promises will graunt remission of sinnes to all true beleeuers and into a particuler and speciall fayth whereby euery Protestant perswadeth and assureth himselfe that his sinnes by the mercy of God in Christ be forgiuen him And in this speciall affiance and firme perswasion all Sectaryes place their iustifying fayth from whence Charity and good workes according to them only flow as fruits and necessary sequels accompanying their beliefe Thus they 2. We on the other side defend that Charity and good workes are not only fruits or signes but the life or Ephes 4. v. 5. Cyril ca Greg. Nazian or at â—ltim in sanctum lauacrum Aug. in Enchirid. c. 2. 5. 7. 8. l. 2. conduas epist Pelag. c. 5. Leo serm â—1 de Epiphan Fulg. l. de side ad Petrum in prolog Hebr. â—1 v. â— Gaâ— Vâ—s â—â— 1. â— disp â—10 â— 7. substance of iustification Likewise we deny that counterfeit diuision of seuerall fayths which they deuise and imbrace with holy Scriptures one dogmaticall and Catholik Fayth by which we belieue the Ghospell of Christ the articles of our Creed and whatsoeuer in this kind the vniuersall Church proposeth vnto vs. For as there is but one formall motiue or subiect of beliefe to wit the prime verity or diuine auctority obscurely reueiling the histories of the Bible the power of working miracles the promises of God and whatsoeuer els So there is but one true and Theologicall vertue of fayth which with most constant assent beleeueth them all one Lord one Fayth one Baptisme And to this one sole fayth not to the peculiar perswasion of Sectaryes is ascrybed by S. Cyrill Patriarch of Hierusalem by S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Augustine S. Leo and S. Fulgentius the whole force of iustification which in any part of sacred Writ is attributed vnto Fayth Wherefore although we hold that this Theological Fayth be the beginning foundation of our spiritual building for be that commeth to God must beleeue that he is Though it be also the roote from whence the life of grace doth somtyme spring by stirring vp and exciting the affections of the will to loue good and detest sinne yet it doth not fully engender that sparke of life it doth neither wholy dispose to the fauour of God as I haue already proued nor intierely sanctify and make vs iust as I shall now demonstrate Math. 25. v. 11. Matth. 7. v. 22. Ioan. 12. v. 42. 43. Matth. 22. v. 11. 3. The foolish Virgins who cryed Lord Lord open vnto vs had fayth and beleeued in him whome they inuocated The false Prophets beleeued who wrought miracles in the name of Christ. The Princes of the Iewes who loued the glory of men more then the glory of God yet as the Scripture sayth they belieued in Christ The guest who was found at the marriage feast without his wedding garment he belieued also for by fayth he yielded to the calling came into the house VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum in his aÌ„swere to 1. reason of M. Campian Abbot in his defence c. 4. Orig. tract 32. in Matth. Hilar. can 27. Hier. ep ad Demetr Theoph. Euthy in cum locuÌ„ August tract 54. in Ioan. August tract 53. in Ioan. Beliar. de iustif l. 1. c. 15. of God and yet none of these were iustifyed therefore Fayth alone is not sufficient to iuftification M. Whitaker M. Abbot and the rest will answere that These had not a true but a faygned dead and idle fayth dead and idle we coÌ„fesse it was yet true and vnfaygned in respect of the essence and nature of Fayth for the Euangelist speaking of the Iewish Princes vseth the same word crediderunt they beleeued in Christ as he doth when he discourseth of them who beleeued indeed which would breed intollerable ambiguity doubtfullnes in expounding of holy Scripture if he were not to be vnderstood of true beliefe Secondly the ancieÌ„t Fathers interprete al these places of true and vnfaygned Fayth Origen S. Hilary S. Hierome the first affirming the foolish Virgins to be excluded from their bride-grome not for want of true fayth but for want of good workes S. Hierome Theophilact and Euthymius the second of the false Prophets attributing to their fayth the inuocation they made Lord Lord haue not we prophefied in thy name and intimating thereby that fayth alone is not inough to saluation S. Augustine expoundeth the third place likwise of true fayth comparing the fayth of those Princes with the true Fayth of such as openly confessed the name of Christ Affirming that if they also had proceeded and gone forward in that entrance of beliefe they might by profiting haue ouercome the loue of humane glory But that Fayth as Cardinal Bellarmine wel argueth which by profiting could vanquish the affection of vaine glory was true fayth otherwise that Fayth had Tertul. l. de resurrec carnis Orig. Chryso in hunc loc Ambr. ser 14. de naâ—ali Hieron Gregor Theoph. Euthy in â—um locuÌ„ Maldon in cap. 22. Matth. Iacob ep cap. 2. v. 14. 17. 14. Augu. de â—â—de opâ—rib c. 14. VVhitak l. 1. aduers Duraeum in his aÌ„swere to 1. reason of M. Ca â—pian VVitak vbi supra Fulk in c. 2. Ioan. sect 9. Abbot c. 4. f. 476. 477. not profited but another arriuing to perfection that had fayled Lastly that he who wanted his wedding garment beleeued also aright is insinuated by Tertullian Origen S. Hierome S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Gregory Theophilact and Euthymius who conformably teach that he was cast into outward darknes not for any defect of fayth but for want of
founded erected by hope and perfected or finished by Charity The Centurists among the stubble rubbish or errours of S. Ephrem reiect this â—aying of his What doth it auaile if we haue all things and only want Charity that saueth vs Among the drosse of Sedulius they report this All iustice consisteth of Fayth and Charity 9. Innumerable others do they reprehend for houlding with vs in this point of iustification who partly in the former partly in the ensuing Chapter are recounted Yet I thinke it not amisse to knit vp this discourse with two or three Theological reasons borrowed from S. Thomas and his followers by which they demonstrate the excellency of Charity euen in this life beyond Fayth or Hope The first is that Charity in more noble and perfect S. Thom. 2. 2 q. 23â— art 6. 1. part q. 82. art 3 q. 108. art â— 1. 2. q. 65. art 6. Lorin Bannes â—â—iet â—s haec loca manner aymeth and inclineth to the incomparable bouÌ„ty and goodnes of God then either of those vertues for Fayth hath reference vnto him according to some speciall and restrayned manner as he is reuealed vnto vs. Hope as he shal be the goale or center of our Beatitude But Charity imbraceth him as he is in himselfe infinite illimited the soueraigne good and mayne Ocean of all perfection for although the supernatural knowledge of fayth be required as a condition to propose the amiablenes of the beloued obiect vnto vs yet loue is not bounded within the limits of our knowledge but extendeth it selfe to all the perfections of the thing proposed without any exception restriction or limitation which apparantly conuinceth the precedency of Charity because that vertue is more noble and worthy which after a more noble and worthy manner expresseth tendeth and draweth neere to the dignity of her obiect as all both Deuines Philosophers agree Secondly in this life the loue of thinges superiour which exceed the compasse of nature is more perfect then the knowledge or vnderstanding of them because we know them only answerable to the proportion of restrained formes which represent them vnto vs. We loue them according to the full sea of goodnes which Porphir is included in them In so much as Porphiry the Philosopher writeth That to speculate diuine things doth purify the soule Aug. ser 28. de teÌ„p Est 27. in append tract 2. in 1. ep Ioan. Dionys de diuin nomin c. 4. Plato to loue them doth deify or turne the same as it were into God S. Augustine agreably If thou louest God I dare say thou art God Thirdly loue weddeth conioyneth vs with the thing we loue it transformeth to vse S. Dionysius his word the louer into the bowels of his beloued Maketh sayth that Diuine Philosoper Plato the soule more where it loueth then where it liueth Howbeit Fayth and Hope suppose a disiunction and separation from their reuealed or desired obiects for Hope expecteth not the thing possessed and Fayth giueth not assent to the mystery clearely or manifestly proposed Hence S. Thomas inferreth the preheminence S. Thom. 1. 2. q. 66. art 6. of Charity aboue Hope or Fayth because the property and nature thereof consisteth in a more perfect vnion coniunction or marriage with God by reason of which it must needes more effectually concurre to our iustification then either of them 10. Therfore M. Abbot after much adoe to the contrary yieldeth to Charity so great a prerogatiue as he contenteth himselfe if Fayth may haue some part with Hier. in c. 22. Matth. it in the worke of iustification For in answere to that saying of Hierome The wedding garments are the Commandements of our Lord and the workes which are made vp of the Abbot c. fol. 610. 611. Law and the Ghospell and do make the garment of the new man M. Abbot replyeth Why doth he M. Doctour Bishop alleadge these words to exclude Fayth from being a part of the wedding garment Then The workes that are made vp of the Law Abbot ibidem the Ghospell consist not only in Charity but in Fayth also c. Lastly Though any do by occasion name Charity for the wedding garment as men by diuers occasions speake diuersly therof yet no man Ibidem was euer so absurde as expresly to exclude Fayth from being one part thereof I thinke so that neuer true Catholike was so absurde but so absurd are you as to accept that for a part which you and your companions haue hitherto challenged to be the only cause of Iustice For I cannot iudge that you should account this wedding garment which only admitteth vs to the banquet of heauen which only is acceptable to the Maister of that heauenly feast any other then the robe of true Iustice so pleasing vnto him wherein if Fayth haue only a part if it consist in Charity not excluding true Fayth why put you this question in suite in behalfe of Fayth alone Or if the wedding garment be not the true liuery of Iustice gratefull vnto God how is any part thereof wouen by Fayth which only concurreth according to you to iustify before God THE XXI CONTROVERSY IN WHICH It is discussed how good workes do iustify against Doctour Abbot Doctour Whitaker and D. Fulke CHAP. I. AFTER the first Iustification which iâ— accomplished by Charity there followeth the second that is the increase and augmentation of the same by good works in which holy men dayly walke and go forward vntill they arriue to the supreme degree of that finite perfection which God foreseeth they will climbe vnto by the concurrence of his grace as the wiseman teacheth â— Prouer. v. 2â— in the fourth Chapter of the Prouerbs The path of the iust as a shining light proceedeth euen to perfect day That is as the dawning appeareth more bright and bright vntill it approach to noone tyde or to the fullnes of the day so the iust man aduaunceth himselfe forwards in the way of perfection vntill he come to his determined pitch or state of vertue in which course euery step that he treadeth truly augmenteth his former iustice For as S. Iohn sayth He that doth instice is iust And he that is iust let him be iustifyed yet Doctour Whitaker D. Fulke and Doctour Abbot 1. Ioan. 3. v. 7. Apoc. 22. v. 11. VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraeum Fulk in c. 22. Apoâ— sect 3. Abbot c. 4 sect 35. 36. Ibidem with one accord reply that S. Iohn speaketh not there of true iustice before God or of that iustice which purchaseth heauen but of inward sanctification or outward iustice before men only But if you distinguish sanctification from iustice as deceitfully you do the proper notion and signification of the word maketh against you which sayth not a man is sanctifyed only but iustifyed more iust by doing iustice Then S. Iohn expoundeth himselfe adding He that doth iustice is iust euen as he is iust But he to
in his 5. conclusion fol. 656. still and stand in doubt of saluation wherwith M. Reynoldes slaundereth vs. For the probability or morall certainty which we acknowledge ought not to trouble the peace of our Consciences nor anxiously distract much lesse torment the quietnes of our mindes It is a probability intermixed with feare and nourished with such comfortable VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraeum and stedfast hope with such filial loue as banisheth all combersome anxiety all wauering doubtfullnes all seruile base and troublesome solicitude That which Whitaker so eagerly presseth against Duraeus Try your owneselues if you be in the fayth proue your selues know you 2. Cor. 13. vers 5. Cornelius Cornelij à Lapide in eum locuÌ„ not that Christ Iesus is in you vnles perhaps you be reprobates is interpreted as Cornelius declareth out of Theophilact of Christs aboad not in euery particuler person by iustifying grace but in the Church of the Corinthians by power miracles conuersions and other externall gifts wrought by S. Paul and to the tryall of this his presence he exhorteth them by the remembrance and consideration of the workes acheiued among them and not to try their iustifying fayth vnles it be by some probable tokens 9. The obiections of the second kind which ascribe Ioan. 3. v. 36. â— Ioan. 5. v. 13. Rom. 10. v. 9. Rom. 9. v. 33. Ioan. 3. v. 15. 16. Ioan. 6. v. 35. the certainty of saluation to fayth are these He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath life euerlasting They that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God are to know that they haue eternall life confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy hart that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be safe He that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer be confounded nor perish but haue euerlasting life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer To which I answere that these generall promises which assure life and saluation to the beleeuer are vnderstood conditionally if he beleeue as he ought with a true fayth working by charity and he is sayd to haue euerlasting life because by Cyril in Ioan. 3. fayth he hath entred the gate and way which leadeth thereunto or hath receaued the seed thereof the pledge right and title vnto it by the spirit of adoption or diuine filiation imparted vnto him He is promised also to be saued conditionally if he perseuere in that state to the end after which many other vniuersall sentences of Scripture Ioel. 2. v. 3â— Rom. 10. v. 13. Prou. 1. v. 28. Matth. 7. vers 8. Iac. 4. v. 3. are to be expounded It is written Whosoeuer shall inuocate the name of our Lord shall be saued and contrarywise Then shall they inuocate me and I will not heare them Christ sayth Whosoeuer doth aske shall receaue Contrarywise you aske and receaue not the reason he subioyneth because you aske amisse that you may consume it in your concupiscences Therefore these generall sentences whosoeuer inuocateth or beleeueth shall be saued are to be construed also with this promise If he inuocate and beleeue with true fayth sincere affection and purity of life as it behooueth him to do 10. Secondly whereas many causes concurre to the Hebr. 5. v. 9. Rom. 8. v. 24. Eccles 1. v. 27. Tob. 12. v. â— workes of Iustification or saluation the holy Scripture sometyme attributeth it to one sometyme to another To obedience He was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation To Hope By hope we are saued To Feare The feare of our Lord expelleth sinne To Almesdeeds Almes-deeds deliuereth from death because ech of them if nothing els be wanting is sufficient to saue vs and so fayth acheiueth our saluation if we be not defectiue in other things required thereunto or rather because it is the first supernaturall habit origen or roote of life which springeth and bringeth forth the liuely motions of all other vertues and for this cause our iustification is more often assigned to fayth then to any other vertue neuertheles if it fayle dye or be lost as in the next Controuersy I shall proue it may be it procureth not the health of our soules to which it was ordeyned 11. The last troupe of their misapplyed sentences which retyre vnder the standard of Gods care and protection Ioan. 10. v. 27. 28. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Abbot c 3. Ioan. 17. v. â—0 21. Matt. 24. v. 24. Rom. 8. v. 30. 1. Cor. 1. v. 8. for security of saluation are My sheep heare my voice c. and they shall not periâ—h for euer no man shall plucke them out of my hands Christ prayed for the faythfull that they might be all one with him and no doubt obtayned it affirmeth it impossible for the elect to be induced into errour Whom he hath predestinated he hath called and whome he hath called he hath iustifyed and glorifyed He confirmeth and strengthneth them vnto the end I answere heere is a new throng of witnesses but no euidence brought in our Protestants behalfe For they are all veryfied of the elect in generall that they shall not perish but be preserued and glorifyed in the end into their harts he striketh his feare with them he maketh his euerlasting couenant but heer is no word or syllable that this or that man in particuler is one of them he may be in the number of such as are outwardly Matt. 20. v. 16. Aug. ser 16. de verb. Apostol called For many are called but few elect He may be also inwardly iustifyed for a tyme which yet S. Augustine auoweth to be vnknown to him but that he is one of the happy band of those who are called according to the purpose and eternall election of God is an inscrutable mystery fit and expedient sayth the same S. Augustine to be Aug. tom 7. de corr gra c. 13. hidden in this place where elation and pride is so much to be decaded c. That all euen those who runne may feare whilest it is concealed who shall ariue to the goale 12. In like manner to answere the authorityes of the Fathers foure obseruations are carefully to be noted Nazian in orat conso in grand Ambros serm 5. Bernar. ser â— de annuÌ„ August tract 22. in Ioan. First that they auouch vs certaine of Gods grace as S. Gregory Nazianzen doth Certaine of saluation S. Ambrose Of remission of saluation S. Bernard Of finall perseuerance S. Augustine to wit conditionally if we keep the commandements if we striue manfully against vice euen to the end c. Secondly they speake sometyme of the certainty of hope and confidence not of the certainty of fayth or of the certainty only of humane fayth by probable coniectures not of diuine and supernaturall Thus S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Leo and S. Gregory in the places heere quoted Thirdly they say that we are infallibly
though they were of themselues And in another place We take not away the liberty of the will but we preach the grace of God And whom doe these Graces profit but him that willeth and him that humbly willeth Nothim that presumeth and boasteth of the forces of his will as though that alone auailed to the perfection of Iustice THE SIXTH BOOKE THE XXVI CONTROVERSY WHEREIN Is taught that the Faithfull by the help of Gods grace do some works so perfect intierly good as they truly please the diuine Maieysty against Doctour Whitaker Doctour Fulke and Doctour Abbot CHAP. I. Abbot â— 4. sect 4 4 f. 580. VVhitak in his answere to the 8. reason of M. Camp VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraum Fulke in c. 7. ad Rom. THERE be three false principles or tottering grouÌ„ds amoÌ„g the articles of Protestants credulity wheron they build the impossibility of keeping Gods coÌ„mandments which I must first raze to the ground before I begin to establish the possibility if not facility we haue by Gods Grace to obserue them The first is that we can do nothing entierly and perfectly good which may eyther please God or fulfill his law The second is that all the actions and thoughts of the iust are stayned with sinne and euery sinne little or great wittingly or vnwittingly done is a breach of the law The third that not only our consent to euill motions which inuade our mindes Abbot in his defence c. 4. sect 10. fol. 559. but the very inuasions and prouocations themselues which vnvoluntarily assault vs are true preuarications and formall transgressions Hence our Ghospellers deduce that seeing euery action we performe is defiled with the blemish of sinne we are so far from obseruing that we violate the law in whatsoeuer we do 2. From such detestable and hellish premisses I do not wonder so damnable a conclusion is inferred for to commence with the first point Is it not iniurious to the vnspeakable goodnes of God for him to intreate to command Malac. 3. v. 4. Philip. 4. v. 18. 1. Petr. 2. v. 5. 1. Pet. 2. v. 4. August â—le decal conuen 10. Plagarum cum illo c. 7. 4 Reg. 20. v. 3. 4. Reg. 12. v. 2. Ibidem c. 15. v. â— 4. Reg. 22 v. 2. 4. Reg. 23. v. 32. 4. Reg. 14. v. 24. to affoard vs his helpe to performe good workes in this frayle and weake estate and yet not to be pleased with our working of theÌ„ Is it not repugnant to sacred Writ which commendeth some holy men as perfect grateful to God mentioneth some workes acceptable to him and yet to deny this approued verity The Prophet Malachy sayth The sacrifice of Iuda and Hierusalem shall please our Lord. S. Paul calleth almesdeedes bestowed on him in prison An odour of sweetnes an acceptable sacrifice pleasing God S. Peter exhorteth vs to offer spirituall hostes acceptable to God commendeth the incorruptibility of a quiet and modest spirit which is rich in the sight of God Rich not before men sayth S. Augustine but before God and where God seeth there rich Ezechias warned by our Lord to prepare himselfe to death began thus to implore his merey I beseech thee o Lord remember I pray thee how I haue walked before thee in truth and in a perfect hart and haue done that which is liked before thee And least you should iudge he might be mistaken heare what God himselfe auoucheth of some singular men Of King Ioas Ioas did right before our Lord all the dayes that Ioyada the Priest taught him Of Azarias And he did that which was liked before our Lord The same of Iosias He did that which was liked before our Lord and walked in all the wayes of Dauid his father he declined not to the right hand nor to the left The quite contrary the holy Ghost affirmeth of Ioachaz Of Ieroboam And he did that which was euill before our Lord. Of Achaz King of Iuda He did not that which was pleasing in the sight of the Lord 4. Reg. 16. v. 2. his God as Dauid his Father Which comparisons refell M. Abbots and his fellowes distinction of meere imputatiue righteousnes For as Achaz and Ieroboam did not only euill by imputation of wickednes but that which was in Fulke locâ— citat inc 13. ad Rom. sect 1. in c. 3. ep 1. IoaÌ„ sect 6. Abbot c. 4. sect 44. f. 579. sect 49. f. 602. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum pa. 702. Gen. 6. v. 9 Chrys hom 23. in Gen. Ambr. l. de Noê Arc. c. 4. Hier. trad haebr in Gen. Greg. l. 5. moral 36 in 3. Iob. Gen 7. v. 1. Gen. 17. v. 1. 1. Cor. 2â— v. 6. Matt. 19. v. 21. Item Matt. 5. v. 48. it selfe euil displeasing to God so Ioas Azarias and King Dauid performed not only that which was right and good by imputatioÌ„ but what was truly in itselfe through the benefit of grace right and acceptable in his sight 3. Yea sayth Fulke and the rest againe they did that which was good and right yet imperfectly rawly weakely For so long as we liue heere charity is neuer perfect in vs as it ought to be neyther can any perfect good worke be effected by vs. But it hath pleased the holy Ghost to meet with this euasion too in tearming some actions some men also perfect in this life Noë was a iust and perfect man in his generation where the hebrew word Tamim deriued from the verbe Tamam signifyeth the height and fullnes of perfection in so much as S. Chrysostome writeth of him That he was perfect in euery vertue which was requisite for him to haue S. Ambrose sayth He was praysed not by the nobility of his birth but by the merit of his iustice and perfection The same in effect hath S. Hierome and S. Gregory Likewise that this might not be glozed by the enemy of his perfection and iustice in the estimation of men God witnesseth of him in the next Chapter I haue seene thee iust in my sight in this generation Behold in his sight not in the sight of men alone Agayne to Abraham our Lord sayd Walke before me be perfect S. Paul We speake wisedome among the perfect Our sauiour If thou wilt be perfect sell the things that thou hast c. which things he might sell attaine to perfection if he would Likewise be you perfect as also your heauenly father is perfect Here he exhorteth vs not to weake raw but to such admirable perfection as in some measure or degree is likened resembled to the vnmachable perfection of God himselfe Moreouer of Patience in particular we read Let Patience haue a perfect worke that you may be perfect entire fayling in nothing Of faith He Abraham was not weakned in faith in the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust but was strengthned in faith most fully knowing Of Iac. â— v. 4. Rom. 4. v. 19. 20. 21. 1.
sinne ayded by God S. Augustine which he strengthneth by the authority of S. Ambrose affirming him truly to impugne them who say à man cannot be without sinne in this life And in the same booke Sinne may be auoyded but by his helpe who cannot be deceaued Thus Origen affirmeth that holy Iob and his children were pure and spotles from the fault of transgression in so much as the Magdeburgian Protestants reprehend him for it saying Naughtily doth he attribute so much innocency to Iobs children as Adam and Eue had in Paradise naughtily also doth he ascribe vnto Iob that he was naked and deuoyd of sinne of impietyes of all vnlawfulnes Likewise that he neyther sinned in his cogitations nor in the conferences of his soule or affayres of his hart Besides in Lactantius they taxe this sentence of his If any one be purified from all spot of sinne let him not thinke he may abstayne from the worke of largition or giuing almes because he hath no sinnes to wash away And in the same booke I proceed with their owne words vnfittingly doth he say That one may be acceptable vnto God and be free from all blemish let him alwayes implore the mercy of our Lord c. In Theodoret they reproue and place among his errours that he affirmed Paul therefore not to be hurt of the viper because he was without sinne In S. Hierome they distast this Our soule as long as it abydeth in her infancy wanteth sinn So that Origen Lactantius Theodoret and S. Hierome are by our Aduersaries owne confession wholy with vs in this point of fayth 2. Notwithstanding against these auncient Fathers Isa 64. v. 6. they oppose on their side the Ancient of Dayes euen God himselfe speaking by the Prophet Isay All we are become as one vncleane and all our iustices as the cloath of a menstrued woman Therefore vnles we thinke our selues better then Abbot c. 4. sect 3. Orig. ad Rom. c. 3. Hier. in Isa c. 64. Aug soliâ—o c 28. Bernar. ser 1. in fest omn. sanct de verb. Isa ser 5. in dedic Eccles ser 5. Aluarez à Medina in eum loc our forefathers all good workes say they are stayned with iniquity which M. Abbot contenaunceth with the like sayings of Origen S. Hierome S. Augustine and S. Bernard I answere first with S. Hierome vpon that place of Isay that there he deploreth the desolation and captiuity of the Iewes in behalfe of those sinners for whose offences they were so miserably afflicted and in their person vttereth those wordes not in his owne Or in respect of the iust and holy men that then flourished amongst them Secondly I answere that the Prophet speaketh not there as Aluarez à Medina well noteth of all the workes of the foresayd offendours in generall but of their sacrifices Holocaustes Kalends and other externall solemnities by which they falsly deemed themselues cleane and sanctified in the sight of God these their iustices he pronounced to be like a menstruous defiled cloath because they consisted only in the pompe of outward ceremony without the sincerity of inward worship after which manner God sayd by the mouth of the same Prophet Offer sacrifice no Isa c. 1. v. 13. 14. more in vayne Incense is abhomination vnto me the new Moone and the Sabaoth and other festiuities I will not abyde your assemblies are wicked my soule hateth your Kalends your solemnities Thirdly I answere that al our iustices al our pious workes albeit good and holy considered by themselues yet compared and paralelled with the vnmatchable purity and holynes of God are truly termed vncleane and defiled according to the accustomed phrase of holy Scripture which calleth thinges in themselues great in comparison of him litle or nothing All nations as if they were not so are Isa 40. v. 17. they before him and they are reputed of him as nothing Thinges in themselues fayre and glittering foule and vncleane contemplated by him Beholde the Moone also doth not shine Iob. 25. v. 5. 6. the stars are not cleane in his sight how much more maÌ„ rottenesse the sonne of a man a worme Things most white and beautifull filthy and loathsome matched with him If I be wasbed as it were with snow waters and my hands shall shine as immaculate yet shalt thou dippe me in filth and my garments shall abhorre me that is as S. Gregory commenteth Although I be Greg. l. 9. mor. c. 19. filled with the groanes of heauenly compunction although I be exercised by the study of vpright operation yet in thy cleanesse I see I am not cleane 3. For this cause the Royall Prophet how innocent Psal 141. soeuer might cry out and say Enter not o Lord into iudgment with thy seruant because no liuing creature shall be iustifyed in thy sight which sentence Abbot vrging against vs exaggerateth Abbot c. 4. sect 47. fol. 590. thus Dauid sayth it a Prophet sayth it a man after Gods owne hart sayth it And what if a Saint in heauen what if a Cherubim should say it might he not truly say it measuring his righteousnes with the infinite sanctity and holines Greg in c. 4. Iob. Hilar. Hieron Arnobius Euthi in eundem psal Aug l. adu Orosium c. 10. Aug. l. de perfect iustie Hier. ep ad Ctesiphou Greg. in eun psal Aug. in eun psal Iob. 4. v. 28. Caietan Eugub Vatablus in eun loc Symmach of God For as S. Gregory writeth Human iustice compared with diuine is iniustice because a lanterne in darkenes is seene to giue light but placed in the sunne beames it is obscured and darkned And thus S. Hilary S. Hierome Arnobius and Euthimius expound that place of the Psalme neyther doth S. Augustine dissent froÌ„ them saying By whose participation they are iust by comparison with him they are not iust Another exposition is of the same S. Augustine S. Hierome and S. Gregory vpon that Psalme that the Prophet vttered the former speach in respect of veniall sinnes with which the most iust and holy men are often infected and which God strictly examineth and seuerely punisheth The third interpretation is of S. Augustine also vpon this Psalme That no man can be iustifyed of himselfe before the face of God but the iustice he hath he receaueth from him So Caietan Eugubinus and Vatalbus expound those wordes of Iob In his Angells he found prauity or as Symmachus readeth vanity because they of themselues had no goodnes no verity no essence or being but participated all from the soueraygne bounty of God According to these three last expositions we satisfy al the ambiguous and obscure sayings our aduersaries oppose against vs euen that of S. Bernard which they vainly boast to be vnanswerable Shall not our iustice if it be strictly Bern in fest omn. sanct sâ—r 1. Abbot e. 4. sect 3. fol. 393. Bern ser 5. de verb. Isa Aug. l. 9. confess c. 13. Idem
sect 2. sect 7. In. cap. 28. Act. sect 2. affirmeth that sinne proceedeth from Gods direction purpose counsell commaundement that he draweth moueth boweth and necessitateth thereunto Then Fulke addeth that God reprobateth whome he wil c. not vpon the foresight of any demerits And the reprobate haue their will free but from coaction for to sinne it is thrall and slaue Moreouer Gods election and reprobation dependeth no more of mans will then the forme which the potter giueth to the clay dependeth vpon the will of the clay which it hath not In another place The execation of the Iewes is to be attributed to themselues that obstinately refused to see and to God who iustly punished them with that blindnes that they could not see Many heresies are heere inuolued which I will particulerly vnfould manifesting withall our Catholike doctrine 2. First it is the heresy of Symon Magus of Marcion of Vinc. Lyr. cōtra pro. haer nou cap. 34. Iren. l. c. 20. Euseb l. 5. cap. 19. Aug. ber 46. Florinus and the Manichies that God is the authour of sinne It is true that God concurreth to the meteriall entity or act of sinne although not any way at all to the formality of sinne to the deformity of the fault For these meerely proceed from the defectuous operation of mans free-will not from Gods generall influence which S. Thomas exemplifieth and declareth by the vertue of the soule in man or mouing power which enableth the Cripple S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 79. ars 2. in corpore Sap. 11. v. 25. Sapien. 14. v. 9. Haba 1. v. 13. Ier. 19. c. 5. to stirre and moue vp downe yet it causeth not him to moue lamely or haltingly but that wholy ariseth from the defect of his limmes hence it is that God can neuer be sayd to be the willer or worker of sinne much lesse to purpose or intend it For the scripture teacheth that he hateth noting of that which he doth And yet of sinne and the sinner it deliuereth The impious is odious to God and his impiety Thine eies are cleane from seeing euill and thou canst not looke towards iniquity They haue built the high places of Baalim c. which I commanded not nor haue spoken of neyther haue they ascended into my hart Thou art not a God that wilt iniquity Thou hatest all who worke iniquity God is no tempter of euill he tempteth no man All this our Sectaries will admit but how that he tempteth no Ier. 19. v. 9 man willeth not iniquity as an euill authour but as a righteous Iudge God worketh not quoth Fulke as an euill authour of sinne but as a iust iudge The same one thing sayth Caluin but not for the same one cause not for the same purpose or end Psal 5. v. 5. ibid. v. 7. Iac. 1. v. 13. Fulke in c. 11. ad Row sect 5. Caluin l. 1. instit cap. 18. §. 4. l. 2. c. 4. §. 21 ad Rom. 3. v. 8. Aug. in Enchirid c. 22. 3. God I wis is much beholding vnto you whom after you haue coupled with the Diuell in determining causing sinne you excuse his and condemne the others intention but how will you excuse S. Paul who forbiddeth euill to be done that good may come therby els a man might lawfully steale to relieue the poore or forsweare himselfe to saue anothers soule which the whole Church of God vtterly condemneth because that which is in it selfe naught and euill as sinne is cannot be vested with any good circumstance to become thereby honest and good for so S. Augustine teacheth that a lie cannot therfore be at any time commended because we lie sometimes for the safety of others It is then a sinne but veniall c. And to the like purpose Tully sayth It is no excuse of sinne if in thy friends behalfe thou sinne although the obligatiō of friendship and purpose of pleasuring a friend be good Therfore you cannot iustify Cicero lib. de Amicit. Gods intention supposing he actually cooperateth vnto sinne Or let vs yield you may let it be he worketh not as an euill authour of sinne but as a iust Iudge Let it be his counsaile his end his purpose be holy good yet thence we haue that Fulke in c. 11 ad Rom. sect 5. Caluin lo. citato he is authour and worker of sinne c. For he must of necessity be authour of that which he determineth purposeth effectually worketh Cease then those ourcries those exclamations of yours That we belye we slaunder your professours in appeaching them of making God the authour of sinne for we neuer attached them in those termes That Ecclesias 49. v. 25. he should be the authour or worker of sinne with a sinfull intention or mischieous purpose Of this diabolicall phrase neither Marcion nor Simon Magus nor Florinus was euer accused the enemy knoweth how to couer his poysoned cup with more pleasant spices he teacheth you to guild your Creatours intention that you may graunt his fact for which you are condemned A fact so repugnāt Plat. dial 2. de repub to infinite Goodnes as not only the wiseman auerreth inspired by the holy Ghost Al the workes of our Lord are exceeceeding good but Plato by the glimse of naturall light God only is to be called the cause of good thinges but of euill thinges it Mercurius Trismeg in Poem ◠cap. vlt. S. Basil hom 2 in exam bom 9. Quod Deus non fit author malorum Tertul lib. 2. contra Mar. cap. 14. S. Grego l. 19. mora c. 31. Dion cap. 4. de diui nom Aug. cap. 105. Amb. l. exam cap. 8. becometh vs to seeke out another cause besides God And Mercurius Trismegistus From God the maker no vncleane no euill thing can proceed Our Catholique writers auncient moderne more closely pursue and vrge the same S. Basill Tertullian S. Ambrose S. Gregory Neither is there in God sayth S. Dionyse nor from God any euill Iniquity sayth S. Augustine which most vpright or inflexible Verity reproueth he knoweth how to condemne not how to do Malice sayth S. Ambrose riseth from our selues not from God our creator c. he desireth it shold be rooted out of the mindes of all men how can he thē ingender it 4. For it were a very preposterous yf not tyrannicall course to punish in others that which himselfe by thē performeth An impotent and deceiptfull proceeding to intend iustice and accomplish wickednes as Protetestantes feigne their God to do who ayming at vertue worketh vice proposing truth venteth heresies either because he cannot fashion his worke answerable to his purpose which is impotency or purposeth one thing and worketh another which is deceipt or will haue the same formall worke which is of it owne nature euill sinful and eternally punished in others to be good holy laudable as achieued by him which is no lesse then inhumanity and fiercenes in any other then a
grace or that God should do any such wrong as in rigour of meere iustice without regard to any fauour or promise of his he should be absolutely bound to recompense our labours This right in exacting this wrong or iniury in not repaying those Fathers deny but neuer that right which is grounded also in mercy For of that S. Bernard flatly pronounceth S. Paul doth confidently exact the promise the promise truly of mercy but not of iustice to be fullfilled And S. Fulgentius God of his benignity vouchsafeth to make himselfe a debtour A debtour sayth S. Augustine he is made vnto vs c. to whome we may say repay that which thou hast promised because we haue done that which thou hast commanded Likewise Thou vouchsafest o Lord because thy mercy shineth for euer by thy promises to become a deâ—tour to them to whome thou forguiest all their debtes 8. Their last obiection or cauill rather is That our merites are preiudiciall and iniurious vnto Christ a decrease of the full tide of his aboundant merits As though it were a lessening to the Sun that the starres shine with his borrowed light A wrong to the fountayne that sundry pipes are filled with his streames An iniury to the tree that all her braunches be loaden with fruite Our Sauiour sayth In Ioan. 1â— 9. v. 8. Brentius in Apol. confâ—ss witem c. de contri this my Father is glorified that you bring very much fruite Is the Father glorified by the plenty of our fruitfull and vertuous deedes and is not Christ honoured by the accrew of our merites I am content to stand to the iudgement of a Protestant of that most graue and learned Father Brentius so he is stiled by M. Iewell who inueigheth against vs not for extenuating but for magnifying hereby too much the vertue of Christ and of his passion To attribute sayth he vnto Christ that not only he by his death had deserued the expiation of our sinnes but also hath imparted that merit to our good workes this is to assigne much more to Christ then eyther he acknowledgeth or the thing it selfe can suffer and it is contumely not only to detract from the glory due to any thing but also to ascribe too M. VVilliam Reynolds in his refutation of M. whi Reprehens fol 94. 95. Andr. â—riâ— de Eccles lib. 4. c. 12. much praise and glory to it c. Notwithstanding M. William Reynolds our famous Champion dexterously conuinceth by the verdicte of Andreas Frisius another zealous ProtestaÌ„t That we neither dishonour nor magnify too much our Redeemers merites but keep the current of golden mediocrity not bending to the right hand nor to the left Thus Frisius writeth Although Christ take not away all infirmity from such as be regenerate and renewing them by his spirit and planting in them vertues of new life and imparting to them merite and his iustice most truly and with singular fruite he is sayd to liue in them And by this meanes the glory of Christ is not obscured but clarified the Crosse of Christ is not euacuated but made more copious the price of the bloud shed for vs is not diminished but increased So he manifestly demonstrating these two remarkeable thinges First that our meritorious workes do not blemish or extenuate but adde greater renowne lustre vnto the merites of Christ Secondly that the worthines of our merites spring not from the old rooâ—es of nature but from the new plantes of vertue grafted in vs by the spirit of adoption we receaue from God which new spirit that it should bring forth seedes of merit is so consonant vnto reason as no iudicious person can speake against it For if the vitall breath or soule of man infused into this lumpe of humane flesh causeth beauty motion speach and other actions of naturall life if the morall habit or roote of vertue worketh and produceth actes of morality correspondent thereunto if the purchased habites of Philosophy Theology and the like beget new Philosophicall and Theologicall discourses new actes new propositions what should hinder the diuine habit and supernaturall fountaine of grace from achieuing diuine and supernaturall works meritorious of new grace meritorious of glory worthy of God worthy of the reward he bestoweth vpon them supposing alwaies his promise by which he obligeth himselfe to be a debtour vnto vs. Hereupon the grace which is giuen is called our regeneration or new birth because it aduanceth vs to a new state of life by which we are enabled to bring forth new and supernaturall actions which could not be Aug. de gra lib. arb c. 6. wrought out of the forge of nature As S. Augustine most cleerly testifieth in these wordes When grace is giuen then beginne also our good merits by the meanes of that grace for if grace be taken away man doth presently fall headlong by his owne free-will therfore when a man beginneth to haue good merits he ought not to attribute them vnto himselfe but to God to whome it is said in the psalme O Lord be my helper and do not forsake me 8. And thus seeing the store of our meritorious deeds is honorable vnto Christ glorious vnto God and profitable to our selues giue me leaue to seale vp this Treatise â— ad Cor. â—5 v. 58. Bernard ser in illaverba Ecce nos reliquimusomnia with that exhortation of the Apostle Therefore my beloued brethren be stable and immoueable abounding in the workes of our Lord alwayes knowing that your labour is not vayne in our Lord but so pretious in his sight as euery houre spent euery worke accomplished in his fauour he remunerateth with the guerdon of incomparable felicity For as no hayre of your head so no moment of tyme shall perish sayth S. Bernard But more elegantly S. Ambrose and venerable Bede by those wordes a haire of your head shall not perish vnderstand Amb. in prolo l. 2. de sp sanc Beda l. 6. in Luc. that not only the noble exploytes of Saintes but that their least thoughtes and cogitations shal be scored vp by our iust Iudge and be copiously rewarded in the day of retribution For what doth it auile me sayth S. Ambrose if God keepe an account of all my haires But this redoundeth to my profit if he a watchfull witnes of my workes bestoweth vpon them the remuneration of eternall glory With what care then and sollicitude with what diligence and alacrity should we endeauour to treasure vp great plenty of vertues now whilest the tide serueth and haruest lasteth â—ow when short labours may purchase perpetuall crownes repentant teares euerlasting ioyes voluntary almes riches of immortality Now when euery good thought meriteth a Kingdome euery moment may gaine Eternity Laus Deo immaculatae semper V. M. The end of the sixt Booke An Aduertisement GENTLE Reader whereas M. D. Bilson hath printed his booke Of Christian Subiection both in quarto in octauo these are to aduertise thee that most commoÌ„ly I do cite that in quarto as also the other of M. Whitaker de Scriptura Ecclesia as they were printed before they were hast compiled togeather in one volume for that the quotations of page leafe do otherwise disagree FINIS Faultes escaped in the printing to be corrected In the second Part. PAG 4. line 31. There reade These pag. 15. l. 19. hindred only reade hindred only pag. 24. l. 4. and vs therein and vs therin pag. 35. l. 2 Some So. pag 36. l. 35 cannot but cannot pag. 49. l. 12. this his pag. 58. l. 36. anuquity iniquity pag. 61. l. 13. It is Is it pag. 63 l. 19. therby wherby pag 65. l. 6. of to Ibid. l. 14. Is it It is Ibid. l. penult a holy one only one pag. 71. l. 8. Or. Of. pag. 95. l. 22. what was Ibid. l 29. of or pag 99. l. 23. enterfeite interfeire Ibid. l. 24. from-forth pag. 11â— l. 7. couer couet pag. 112. l. 23. that passage reade that passage by the works the fayth was consionmate pag 124. l. 31. checke choake pag. 126. l. 19. or stay reade stay of Fayth pag. 144. l. 6. Salamanca of Salamanca pag. â—52 l. 12. manifest manifesteth pag. 162. l. 17. this promise this â—rouiso pag. 167 l. 7. afore aforesaid pag. 176. l. 1. neuer si neuer sinne Ibid l. 12. election elect pag â—97 l. 34. the thinge the â—inge pag. 205. l. â—3 to so so to Ibid. l 34. all in thinges all in all thinges pag 224. l. 1. we all we are all pag 233. l. 3â— of it rebelâ—ing of it rebelling pag. 234 l. â— if it pag 242 l 23. or Iustin of Iustn pag. 250. l. 19. many may pag 262. l â—8 〈◊〉 vniust pag 263. l. 24. as act an act pag. 267. l. 9. conteine contâ—â—ue pag 270 l. 11. antecedent primacy reade antecedent primary c. pag. 28. l. 7. wounds words pag. 284. l. 1 for both forsooth pag. 288. l. 14. raking racking Ibid. l. 25. creation vocation pag. 289. l. 20. in a respect simply reade in a respect simply c. Ibid l. 12 of title or title pag. 290. l. 9. guilty guily pag. 255 l. 3. his life this life pag 296 l. 6. merit mercy pag â—04 l. 5. of themselues of them Ibid. l. 25. exacting this reade exacting this c. pag 305. l. 27. and renewing yâ—t renewing pag. 307. l. 6. auise auaile Other lesse faultes especially in pointing by reason of the obscure Copy absence of the 〈◊〉 the Reader himselfe will easily obserue and courtecusly correct as he readeth