tenth to bee judiciall fitted to the condition of that people and neither Morall nor Ceremoniall yet sayth that as all things that were done in that state and by that people figured some thing that was afterward to come to passe so this paying of the tenth of that each man possessed though it were a iudiciall constitution and not ceremoniall yet figured the perfecting of all things by Christ the Sonne of God For in that the number of ten is the vttermost extent and perfection of numbers beyond which no man goeth in numbring by giuing the tenth part that signifieth perfection to God and keeping nine expressing imperfection to themselues they professed their own wants defects and imperfections and the desire hope and expectation they had that God in whom onely perfection is found would in his good time perfect all things by Christ his Sonne How aptly these things are deliuered by THOMAS let the Reader iudge There are other that likewise insist on the number of ten as being the vttermost extent of number but to another purpose For they say in that the people of God gaue vnto him the tenth of all that they possessed which is the vttermost bound and extent of all the things they had they did thereby expresse the desire they had that this tenth part as being the bound and limit of all the rest in a sort included within it should sanctifie the rest and that in respect of the blessing which God hath promised vnto that which is giuen vnto him it should be as a wall of defence for the safe-keeping of the rest And yet neither Thomas nor these make the paying of the tenth to be Ceremoniall in respect of these significations for then no such custome might be vsed amongst Christians as some ignorant men haue taught in our age out of this false conceipt But Thomas supposeth the paying of the tenth in the particular determination to be iudiciall and the other thinke it Naturall and perpetuall For say they seeing something is to bee yeelded to GOD out of that which wee haue and the number of tenne is the bound of all the things wee haue or canne haue at least one of tenne is to bee payed vnto God for an acknowledgment of our obligation vnto him and for the maintenance of his seruice and those that attend the same For if wee may passe the number of ten which is the bound of our possessions and yeeld no one part thereof as an acknowledgment to God we neede not to pay any thing to him at all This opinion is strongly confirmed in that Abraham payed tithe to Melchizedech who was a Priest of the high God and blessed him in the name of the Lord of all that he possessed before any law written or any particular prescriptiōthat we read of touching the same Whereby hee shewed as it may more then probably be concluded that tithes are due by the Law of nature Neither did Abraham onely by his fact shew the naturall duty of paying tithe but Iacob also confirmed the same by the vowe hee made That if God would prosper his iourney and bring him backe in safety the Lord should be his God and hee would offer vnto him the tenth of all that hee should giue him But some man perhaps will say that this vowe of Iacob prooueth rather the contrary namely that hee was not bound to pay tithes for men doe vowe such things as they are not bound vnto by any generall law of God or Nature And therefore Cardinall Bellarmine sayth It had bin an impious thing for Iacob in this conditionall sort to haue vowed the paying of tithe if by the generall law of GOD and Nature hee had beene bound thereunto But surely this saying of the Cardinall is impious and iniurious to the holy Patriarch who neuer was charged with any Impiety in respect of this his vowe neyther can bee as I suppose and yet necessarily must bee if this inference of the Cardinall bee good For it is the first commandement in the law Naturall and Morall Thou shalt haue no other Gods but mee and the holy Patriarch was bound by a generall Obligation of the lawe of Nature to take the Lord for his God and yet he voweth conditionally That if the Lod will bee with him keepe him in his journey and bring him safe backe againe he shall be his God and hee will serue him which if the Cardinall say true he could not doe without Impiety But lesse vs passe by this ouer-sight and see what is to bee resolued touching this point It seemeth by the fact of Abraham and vow of Iacob before the Law by the prescription of the same in the time of the Law and by the judgement and practise of Christians since the time of the Gospell that the duety of paying Tithes is naturall and perpetuall How doth our Righteousnesse sayth Origen exceede the Righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees if whereas they doe not taste of the fruites of the earth before they offer the first-fruites to God and set out the Tithe for the Leuites wee doe no such thing but so vse or rather abuse the things which God hath giuen vs Vt Sacerdos nesciat Levita ignoret Altare non sentiat That is in such sort that the Priest shall not know of it the Levite shall neuer heare of it and the Altar of God neuer feele it or haue any sense of it Saint Hierome saith Quod de Decimis Primitiisque diximus quae olim dabantur à populo Sacerdotibus Levitis in Ecclesiae quoque populis intelligite quibus praeceptum est non solùm Decimas Primitias dare sed vendere omnia quae habent dare pauperibus quod si facere nolumus saltem Iudaeorum imitemur exordia pauperibus partem demus ex toto Sacerdotibus Levitis honorem debitum deferamus quod qui non fecerit Deum fraudare supplantare convincitur That is Vnderstand that which I saide of Tithes and first-fruites which of olde were giuen by the people to the Priests and Leuites concerning the people of the church also who are commaunded not onely to giue Tithes and first-fruites but to sell away all that they haue and to giue to the poore which if we will not doe at the least let vs imitate those beginnings of the Iewes that wee may giue a part of all to the poore and yeeld due honour to the Priests and Levites which who so doth not is convinced to defraude and deceiue God Heere wee see Hierome is of opinion that Christians stand bound at least to performe as much touching the matter of tithes and first fruits as the Iewes that he maketh the not paying of tithes to be a sinnefull defrauding of God but that which hee addeth of selling all and giuing to the poore is not to bee vnderstood as meant generally but onely in some cases that may fall out With Hierome Augustine or
the Emperor cōcerning the necessary reformation of the Church one was that Happily it were to be permitted that in some places prayers faithfully translated into the vulgar tongue might be intermingled with those things that are sung in latine Likewise in the articles of reformation exhibited to the councell of Trent by Charles the 9◠In sacrificio paraecialibus Euangelium apertè dilucidè pro populi captu copiose ex suggestu exponatur quo in loco quae plebano praeeunte fient preces linguâ fiant vernaculâ peractâ autem re diuinâ latine mysticis precibus lingua etiam vernacula publicae ad Deum preces fiant ibidem plura Which thing if it had bin granted by the councell no new nor strang thing had bin brought in for as Hosius testifieth the Church neuer forbad to sing in the Churches in the vulgar tongue in time and place It were to be wished sayth Erasmus that the whole service of God might be celebrated and performed in a tongue vnderstood of the whole people as in auncient times it was wont to bee and that all things should bee soe plainely and distinctly sounded out that they might bee vnderstood of all that list to attend And Cassander fully agreeing with Erasmus and alleadging to this purpose the Popes permitting of it to the Slauonians vpon the hearing of a voice frō heauen the authority of Caietan sayth It were to be desired that according to the mandate of the Apostle and the auncient custome of the Church consideration might be had of the people in the publike praiers of the Church and in the hymnes and lessons which are there read and sung for the peoples sake and that the ordinary and vulgar sort of beleeuers might not for ever bee wholly excluded from all communion of prayers and diuine readings and hee addeth that vnlesse there bee a reformation in this and other things there is no hope of any durable peace or consent of the Church and professeth hee cannot see but that they to whom the government of the Church is committed shall one day giue an account why they suffered the Church to bee thus miserably disquieted and rent in sunder and neglected to take away the causes whence heresies schismes do spring as in duety they should haue done So that in this poynt as in the former we see the Church wherein our Fathers liued and died was a true Protestant Church CHAP. 5. Of the three supposed different estates of meere nature grace and sinne the difference betweene a man in the state of pure and meere nature and in the state of sinne and of originall sinne THey of the Church of Rome at this day imagine that God might haue created a man in the state of pure nature or nature onely aswell without grace as sinne and that in this state of pure or meere nature without any addition of grace hee might haue loued God aboue all and haue kept all the commaundements of God collectiuely so as to breake none of them at the least for a short time though happily hee could not haue holden on constantly so to keepe them all as neuer to breake any of them seeing there would haue beene a contrariety betweene reason and that appetite that followeth the apprehension of sense in that state of pure or meere nature So that according to this conceipt grace was added not to inable man to loue God aboue all to keepe the severall cōmaundements which hee hath giuen to doe the workes of morall vertue For all these hee might haue beene able to performe out of the power of nature without any such addition but to make him able constantly to keepe all the commaundements of God collectiuely so as neuer to breake any one of them and to keepe them so as to merit eternall happines in heauen Hence they inferre diverse things First that the losse of grace or originall righteousnes that was given to Adam doth not depriue those of his posterity of the power of louing God their Creator aboue all of keeping his commaundements divisiuely and doing the seuerall workes of morall vertue though happily not with that facilitie that in the state of grace hee might haue done them Secondly That Infidels and such as haue no fellowship with the Saints people of God nor any part in his grace may decline sinne and doe the workes of morall vertue Thirdly That all the contrariety that is found in the powers of the soule the rebellion of the inferiour faculties against the superiour the pronenesse to euill and difficultie to doe good would haue beene the conditions of meere nature without addition of grace or sinne and consequently that they are not sinne in the state wherein wee are that these evills are not newly brought into the nature of man by the fall that as man would haue beene mortall in the state of meere nature because compounded of contraries so out of the contrariety of sensitiue and rationall desire hee would haue found a rebellion in himselfe of the inferiour faculties against the superiour that as a heauy thing falleth not downeward while it is stayed but falleth so soone as the stay is taken away by reason of the same nature it had while it was stayed and as a ship that lay quietly while it was stayed with an anchor vpon the remouing of the same is driuen with the windes yet in no other sort then it would haue beene before if it had not beene stayed so all these contrarieties differences and pronenesse to desire things contrary to the prescript of right reason would haue beene in meere nature as the conditions of it would haue shewed themselues if grace had not hindered them and that there is no other difference betweene a man in the state of pure or meere nature and in the state of originall sinne then there is betweene a man that neuer had any cloathing and him that had but by his owne fault and folly is stript out of all betweene whom there is no difference in the nature of nakednesse but all the difference standeth in this that the one is in fault for not hauing cloathes the other not so For they suppose man would haue beene carried as strongly to the desire of sinfull things in the state of pure nature as now that freewill is not made more weake then in that state it would haue beene nor the flesh become more rebellious then it would haue beene without grace before the entrance of sinne This opinion ◠Bellarmin followeth and professeth that though some of excellent learning thinke that both Thomas and the best and most approued of the schoolmen were of a contrary iudgment yet they are deceiued in so thinking and that this is the opinion of them all Against these erroneous conceipts that are indeede the ground of all the points of difference betweene them and vs touching originall sinne freewill the power of nature the workes
themselues to another not of falsehood but of superfluitie the first instance whereof that they giue is the sixt of Mathew where the Lords prayer in the vulgar Latine endeth with that petition deliuer vs from euill leauing out for thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory which they suppose to bee superfluously added in the Greeke But these men should know that though it were granted that these words were superfluous yet nothing is thereby derogated from the Greeke seeing some Greeke Copies and they very auncient omit them as Beza sheweth Their next instance is Rom. 11. where the vulgar Latine hath If of grace not of workes otherwise grace should be no more grace to which is added by way of Antithesis and opposition in the Greeke If of workes not of grace otherwise workes should be no more workes It will be very hard for our adversaries to proue that these latter words are superfluously added being found not onely in the most Greeke Copies but in the Syriacke translation But if it were granted yet there is one Greeke Copie of great antiquity that omitteth these words as well as the vulgar Latine The next instance is the sixt of Marke and the 11. Verily I say vnto you it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrha c. If it were granted that these wordes were superfluously added which yet there is no reason to doe seeing besides very many Greeke Copies the Syriacke translation hath them also yet would this make nothing for the improuing of the credite of the Greeke seeing as Beza professeth there are three Greeke Copies that omit them The like may bee said touching the next allegation of Mathew the 20 22 23. where these wordes and bee baptised with the baptisme that I am baptised with are supposed to bee superfluous for there are some Greeke Copies that omit them as well as the vulgar Thus hauing examined the seuerall allegations of our adversaries against the authoritie and credite of the Greeke Text of the New Testament wee see that they faile in them neither being able to convince it of falsehood nor superfluitie Wherefore to conclude this matter wee say with Hierome that the Latine editions are to be corrected by the Greeke that by the providence of GOD the verity of the Scriptures of the New Testament hath euer beene preserued in the originall That those faults and errours which are crept into some Copies may easily by the helpe of others be corrected and that there is no difference in matter of substance in so great variety of Copies as are found in the world If any man say the Greeke hath beene corrupted since the dayes of Hierome and that therefore though hee in his time thought the translations might bee corrected by the originals yet now wee may not take the same course we answere it may easily be proued that all those supposed corruptions which they now finde in the Greeke were found in it in Hieromes time For there are but two places to wit 1. Corinth 15. and 1. Iohn 4. 3. where all Greeke Copies haue otherwise then they say the truth is and these places were corrupted if there bee any errour in the present reading before Hieromes time Thus much touching the sufficiencie of the Scriptures and the editions wherein the authenticall veritie of the same is to bee sought CHAP. 30. Of the Power of the Church in making Lawes NOw it remaineth that wee come to the next part of our diuision touching the power of the Church in making lawes As the will of God willing and purposing the being of each thing is the first and highest cause of things so the same will of God determining what is fitte to bee what of what kinde in what sort each thing must bee that it may attaine and possesse the vttermost degree of perfection the orderly disposition of things requireth to bee communicated to it is the first and highest lawe to the whole world And as the will of God determining what is fitte defining what ought to bee and what must bee if the Creatures attaine their highest perfection is a generall lawe to all Creatures soe when he maketh knowne to creatures rationall and of an vnderstanding nature which haue power to doe or omitte thinges thus fitte to bee done that though hee leaue it in their power and freedome of choise to doe or omitte them yet they shall be tyed either to doe them or to loose the good they desire to enjoy incurre the euils they would avoyd It is more specially named a lawe of commandement precept or direction binding them vpon whom it is imposed to the performance of that it requireth The Precepts and Commandements of Almighty God are of two sorts for either they are such as in respect of the nature and condition of the things themselues are good and soe binde all men at all times or else they are positiue prescribing things variable according to the diuersities of times and the different condition of men liuing in them The former kinde of lawes God imposed vpon men in the day of their creation or redemption and restauration together with the very nature and being which hee gaue them the later prescribing things not naturally and perpetually good but good onely at some time to some men and to some purposes and vses to which they serue were not imposed at first together with the institution of nature or the restauration of the same by grace but are then imposed when the things they prescribe are iudged good and beneficiall Soe God prescribed before the comming of Christ his sonne those sacrifices and offerings which now hee regardeth not and hath now instituted those Sacraments Ceremonies and rites of Religion which before were not knowne in the world Thus wee see that the originall of all lawes is the will of God who as hee reserueth for himselfe the honor of being the supreame first and highest cause of all thinges and yet communicateth part of his Diuine power to subordinate and inferiour causes so though he alone be the great lawegiuer to euery creature yet hee communicateth part of his authority to such among the sonnes of men as he is pleased to make greater than others giuing them power to command and prescribe lawes vnto them Touching this matter thus generally deliuered there is noe difference betweene vs and our aduersaries For it is confessed on both sides that God who is the great lawgiuer to the whole world hath chosen out some from amongst the rest of the sonnes of men whom hee hath beene pleased to honour with his owne name to set vpon his owne seat and to make rulers and lawgiuers vnto his people but the question is within what bounds this power is contained and how farre the band of lawes made by such authority extendeth CHAP. 31. Of the boundes within which the power of the Church in making lawes is contayned and whether shee may make lawes concerning the worshippe of God TOuching
to proue that humane lawes doe binde the conscience are so vaine and friuolous that they deserue no answere yet least our aduersaries should thinke wee therefore passe them ouer without examination because wee feare the force and weight of them I will breefely take a view of them and let the Reader see their weakenesse To binde sayth Bellarmine is either the essence or essentiall property of a lawe therefore all lawes whether they bee of God or of men doe binde in the same sort Hee should haue sayd therefore all lawes doc binde whether they bee of God or of men For to say It is the essentiall property of a lawe to binde therefore all lawes doe binde in the same sorte is as if a man should thus reason It is essentiall to all naturall bodies to haue motion therefore the same kinde of motion whereas yet the fire goeth vpward and the earth downewards thinges without life mooue but one way either towards or from the center of the worlde thinges liuing euery way His next reason is more childish then this for hee reasoneth thus If lawes doe binde onely in that they are diuine then all diuine lawes should equally binde This reason concludeth nothing against vs. For first no man sayth that lawes binde onely because diuine for it is essentiall to euery lawe to binde but that they binde the conscience because they are diuine And secondly wee adde that all diuine lawes doe equally binde the conscience For the conscience doth as much feare Gods displeasure and eternall punishment for one sinne as for another though not so great displeasure nor so greiuous punishment And so they equally binde the conscience though there bee no equality either of the sinnes or of the punishment the conscience feareth and seeketh to decline His third reason that Gods commandement maketh those actions that were before indifferent to be actions of vertue therefore men by their precepts doe so likewise is very strange and therefore hee endeauoureth to confirme it The reason sayth hee why Gods precepts and commandements make actions that were indifferent as to eate swines flesh or not to eate it to be actions of vertue is because they are rules of mens manners and conuersation but mens lawes likewise are rules of mens liues manners and conuersation therefore they in like sort make those actions that were before indifferent to be actions of vertue To this wee answere that there are many great differences betweene these two rules First for that the one containeth a certaine and infallible direction the other oftentimes leadeth out of the way Secondly that the lawes of God are rules in such sort that the very thoughts of the heart diuerting from that which they prescribe are sinfull but mens lawes are kept and fullfilled with how bad affections soeuer the things bee done that are prescribed Thirdly because the vse of nothing being lawfull vnto vs in respect of conscience longer nor farther then God the supreme Lord of all alloweth the same it is an action of vertue to abstaine from things denyed vnto vs by GOD either in the first institution of nature or by his positiue lawe but men hauing no such power no such thing is consequent vpon their commaundements or prohibitions Lastly Gods lawe both that which is naturall that is giuen when nature was first instituted and that which is positiue is the rule of mens liues absolutely which if they bee conformed vnto they are morally good if they varie from they are euill and wicked but the lawes of men are rules onely in respect of outward conuersation framing it to the good of the commonwealth Soe that a man euen according to the rules of Philosophy may bee a good Cittizen that is not a good man His next reason is taken from the comparison of a King and his Viceroy the Pope and his Legate and the lawes and edicts of these binding in the same sort To this wee answere that the comparison holdeth not first because the King and his Viceroy command the same things and to the same ends but if wee compare God and men the lawes of God and the lawes of men wee shall finde a great difference betweene them both in the things they commaund and the ends for which they command the one requiring inward actions and the performance of outward with inward affections the other outward onely Secondly because both the King and his viceroy haue power to take notice of all kind of offences committed against both the one and the other and to punish them with the same kind of punishment but there are many offences committed against God by every man whereof men can take no notice and if they could yet haue no power to inflict such punishments as God doth His last reason is taken from that place of the Apostle where he requireth vs to bee subject to power and authority for conscience sake To this wee answere first that it is a matter of conscience to be subject in all things for subjection is required generally and absolutely where obedience is not Secondly we say that it is a matter of conscience to seeke and procure the good of the common-wealth and that therefore it is a matter of conscience to obey good and profitable lawes so farre as we are perswaded our obedience is profitable Thus haue we breefely examined their reasons who thinke that humane lawes binde the conscience the weakenesse whereof I hope all men of any judgment will easily discerne Wherefore to conclude this matter touching the Churches power in making lawes there are three things which we dislike in the doctrine practise of the Romane Church First that they take vpon them to prescribe Ceremonies and observations hauing power to conferre grace for the remission of veniall sinnes and the working of other spirituall supernaturall effects Secondly that they assume vnto themselues that which is proper vnto God seeke to rule in the conscience Thirdly that by the multiplicitie of lawes they dangerously insnare the consciences of men and oppresse them with heauy burdens To this purpose is the complaint that Gerson long since made that the Lawes of the Church were too many and in a great part childish and vnprofitable bringing vs into a worse estate then that of the Iewes as Augustine to Ianuarius complained when things were much better than in latter times they haue beene Neither sayth Gerson are they content to burden vs with the multiplicitie of their lawes but as if they preferred their owne inventions before the Lawes of God they most rigorously exact the performance of the things their owne lawes prescribe neglect the Lawes of God as Christ told the Pharisees and hypocrites of his time pronouncing against them that by their vaine traditions they made the lawes of God of none effect To shew how vnjust and vnreasonable the Romane Lawgiuers are in burdening men with so many traditions the same Gerson fitly obserueth that Adam in
that all the workes of infidells and men not renewed and iustified by Gods speciall grace were sinnes Yea so great is the force of this trueth that since the councell of Trent some of great esteeme and place in a sorte giue way vnto it For Didacus Alvarez an Archbishop within the dominions of the king of Spaine hath written a learned worke de Auxiliis gratiae and dedicated it with good allowance to the king that now is wherein hee sayth that though euery morall acte that is good ex genere obiecto as to giue almes to a poore man out of naturall compassion bee of that nature that it may bee done in reference to God as loued aboue all as the authour of nature or as the cause and obiect of supernaturall happinesse yet no such can bee so done de facto but by the acte of charitie So that by a man vnregenerate no such acte canne bee done in reference to God formally or vertually Now I suppose there is no morall acte that canne bee done by man but it must bee referred formally or vertually to some last end and if not to God as hee sayth the workes of Infidells cannot then to some other end and then of necessity they must bee sinne for whatsoeuer is done in reference to any thing besides God as the last end is done perversely and sinfully The good man no doubt saw the trueth touching this poynt and therefore sayth that there is no true vertue without charity that the workes of Infidels are not onely not meritorious but not truely good nor the workes of vertue and proveth the same at large out of Augustine whence it will follow that they are sinne for every morall acte is either a worke of vertue and truely good though in an inferiour sort or sinne but this he durst not say and so putteth himselfe into a necessitie of contradicting himselfe for if an infidell when hee giueth an almes cannot doe this act in reference to GOD as the last end either formally or vertually then hee must doe it formally or vertually in reference to some other thing most loued by him and if hee doe so then he putteth an ill circumstance to this his action and so it cannot but bee sinne Thus then wee haue strongly proued out of the testimonies of such as best vnderstood the doctrine of the Church that grace was giuen to Adam in the day of his creation not onely to make him constantly and collectiuely to doe all the morall duties that were required of him and to merit supernaturall happinesse as if he might haue done the seuerall duties and performed the seuerall acts of morall vertue without it but simply to inable him to doe good and decline euill so that it being taken away man knoweth not his true good nor is any way inclined to seeke it as he should doe For whereas there was a threefold eye in Adam as Hugo de Sancto Victore noteth Carnis quo mundum quae in mundo cernebat rationis quo se quae in se contemplationis quo deum primum perfectè habet secundum ex parte tertium omninò non habet nam postquam tenebrae peccati intraverunt oculus contemplationis extinctus est ut nihil videret oculus rationis lippus factus est ut dubiè videret solus oculus carnis in suâ claritate permansit That is Of the flesh by which hee saw the world and the things that are in it of reason whereby hee saw and vnderstood himselfe and all the things that were in himselfe and of contemplation by which he was to see God the first he hath still in perfection the second in part the third he hath wholly lost for after the darkenesse of sinne entred the eye of contemplation was put out so as to see nothing at all the eye of reason was dimmed so as to see doubtfully only the eye of the flesh remained in perfection And two kindes of euill are brought into the nature of man Privativa amissio notitiae in intellectu rectitudinis in voluntate conversionis ad deum tanquam ad proprium obiectum positiva perpetuae tristes dubitationes de Deo de providentiá Dei iudicio promissionibus comminationibus in voluntate conversio ad obiecta contraria legi That is there are newly brought into the nature of man euils of two sorts privatiue as the losse of the true right knowledge of God in the vnderstanding of rectitude in the will and of due conversion to God as her proper object positiue as perpetuall doubtings of God of the providence of God his judgement promises threates in his will a conversion to the desiring of things the Law forbiddeth This corruption of mans nature is excellently described by Prosper Humana natura in primi hominis praevaricatione vitiata etiam inter beneficia inter praecepta auxilia Dei semper in deteriorem est proclivior voluntatem cui committi non est aliud quam dimitti Haec voluntas vaga incerta instabilis imperita infirma ad efficiendum facilis ad audendum in cupiditatibus caeca in honoribus tumida curis anxia suspicionibus inquieta gloriae quam virtutum avidior fame quam conscientiae diligentior per omnem sui experientiam miserior fruendo his quae concupiverit quam carendo nihil in suis habet viribus nisi periculi facilitatem And againe Omnes homines in primo homine sine vitio conditi sumus omnes naturae nostrae incolumitatem eiusdem hominis praevaricatione perdidimus inde tracta mortalitas inde multiplex corporis animique corruptio inde ignorantia difficultas curae inutiles illicitae cupiditates sacrilegi errores timor vanus amor noxius iniusta gaudia poenitenda consilia non minor miseriarum multitudo quam criminum By this which hath beene sayd it appeareth that the Church wherein our Fathers liued and died euer taught as wee doe touching the state of mans creation fall and originall corruption and euer reiected the fancies of those more then Semipelagians that brought in the errours the Romanists now maintaine and so was in this as in the former points a true orthodoxe and Protestant Church CHAP. 6. Of the blessed Virgins conception HAuing spoken of Originall sinne and shewed the nature of it the next thing that is questioned is the generality of it for wee say that amongst al them that haue beene borne of women there neuer was any found that was not conceiued in sinne besides Christ the Lord who had God for his father and a virgin for his mother of whose spotlesse conception his Fathers diuinity and mothers virginity were proofe sufficient But they of the Church of Rome at this day for the most part say that the blessed virgin the mother of our Lord was conceiued likewise without spotte of originall sinne Leo the tenth was moued to determine this question touching the conception of
into grieuous sin such as is in some sort regnant as Dauid did hee looseth not the right title hee formerly had but the actuall claime to that whereto he hath title is suspended So that he falleth not totally from justification but so only as for the present to haue no actuall claime to any thing by vertue o◅ it The remission of his originall sin the right to heauen obtained in baptisme the force and vertue of repentance of former sins and the right to the rewards of actions of vertue formerly done remaine still neither needeth he newly to seeke remission of sins formerly remitted but of this only the remission of the other will be reuiued again he may make claime to all those things he had formerly right vnto by vertue of the former right This is cleerely deliuered by Alexander of Ales p. 4. q. 12. memb 4. art 6. Scotus Durandus the rest of the Schoole-men So that the elect chosē of God once justified neuer falling totally from justification are neuer to be newly justified againe but the dayly lighter sins they run into stand with the right they haue to the fauours of God eternall happines the actuall claime to the same by that right The more grieuous depriue thē of the claime only not of the right when they are justified acquitted from these by particular repentance they are restored to their former claime only hauing neuer lost their right so that they cannot properly be sayd to be newly justified but only to be justified from such particular sins as they newly run into Hauing spoken of justification and the nature of it as it is considered in it selfe it remaineth that wee come to speake of the things required in men for the disposing and fitting of them that they may be capable of this grace There were amongst the Schoole-men as Stapleton telleth vs and after them in the beginning of these controuersies in religion who extenuating the corruption of nature taught vnaduisedly that men without and before the motions of grace may doe certaine morall good workes in such sort as thereby to fitte themselues for the receipt of the grace of justification and to merit it ex congruo Who to expresse this their false conceipt were wont to say facienti quod in se est Deum non denegare gratiam that is that God will not faile to giue grace to such as doe the vttermost that lyeth in them But the same Stapleton telleth vs that the more sound and judicious euer taught that there is no power nor will in man to dispose and fit himselfe for the receipt of this grace vnlesse hee bee moued by preventing grace stirring inciting and inclining him to turne to God and that the merite of congruence hath beene long since hissed out of all Schooles Touching these preparations wrought in men by preventing grace First it is agreed betweene those of the Church of Rome and those of the reformed Religion that faith to beleeue in generall the truth of things revealed and contained in Scripture is necessarie in the first place and before all other things Secondly that in particular there must be a viewing of the things there found that the consideration of mans originall state there described the fall corruption of nature and manifold sinfull euils into which each man is plunged together with the apprehension of Gods displeasure against the same is necessarily required Thirdly a feare sorrow growing out of the discerning of this vnhappy condition wherein we are Fourthly an enquirie by what meanes wee may escape out of these euils Fiftly faith to beleeue that God most inclinable to releeue vs rather then man should vtterly perish sent his owne Sonne into the world to suffer the punishment of sin to satisfie his justice to bring grace dissolue the workes of the diuell that so all that in sense of former euils flye to him for mercy and deliuerance may escape be saued Sixtly hauing found so happy meanes of escape a flying vnto God in earnest desire to bee receiued to mercy for Christs sake to be freed from the guilt of sinne to bee reconciled to God and to haue grace to decline euill and doe good in the time to come All these things in the judgement of the Diuines of both sides are necessarily required in them that are to be justified The most reverend Canons of the Metropoliticall Church of Colen in the booke called Antididagma Coloniense make the things required in them on whom the benefite of justification is bestowed to be of two sorts For there are some that onely dispose prepare vs other by which we receiue the same Of the former sort is the generall perswasion of faith touching the trueth of things in Scripture the particular consideration of things concerning the knowledge of God and our selues sorrow feare dislike of our present estate desire to be deliuered out of it to be reconciled to God to haue grace to decline euill and doe good Of the latter sort is the perswasion of faith whereby we assure our selues without doubting that God will not impute our sins vnto vs that thus penitently turne vnto him but that the course of his mercies now and euer shall be turned towards vs for his Sonne Christs sake This is that speciall faith they of the reformed Religion speake of and the Romanists seeme so much to dislike whereas yet the best and most judicious amongst them euer did and still doe admit the same Andraeas Vega l. 9. c. 7. saith that there hath beene a great controversie about this matter not onely betweene Catholiques and such as they esteeme heretickes but euen amongst the most learned Catholiques of this age at Rome at Trent at Ratisbone and in sundry other places many affirming that a man without speciall revelation may vndoubtedly beleeue and certainely assure himselfe that he is in grace and hath obtayned remission of all his sinnes This perswasion rising as a conclusion out of two propositions the one of faith the other euident vnto vs in our owne experience is a perswasion of faith because whensoeuer a conclusion is consequent vpon two propositions the one of faith the other euident in the light of reason and experience it is to bee beleeued by faith or as Iohn Bacon certitudine consequente fidem This opinion as Vega telleth vs Claudius Belliiocensis followed in his Commentaries vpon Timothy And the most reverend Canons of the Metropoliticall Church of Colen together with the Authors of the Enchiridion of Christian Religion published in the Provinciall Councell of Colen vnder Hermannus so much esteemed as Cassander telleth vs in Italy France The Authors of the booke offered by Charles the 5 to the Diuines of both sides And as some say Hieron Angestus But for the better clearing of this point First I will produce the testimonies of such as liued before Luthers time Secondly I will
to posterities This may rightly be named a tradition not as if we were to beleeue any thing without the warrant and authority of the Scripture but for that wee neede a plaine and distinct explication of many things which are somewhat obscurely contayned in the Scripture which being explicated the Scriptures which otherwise we should not so easily haue vnderstood yeeld vs satisfaction that they are so indeede as the Church deliuereth them vnto vs. The fourth kind of tradition is the continued practise of such things as neither are contayned in the Scripture expressely nor the examples of such practise expressely there deliuered though the grounds reasons and causes of the necessity of such practise be there contayned and the benefit or good that followeth of it Of this sort is the Baptisme of Infantes which is therefore named a tradition because it is not expressely deliuered in Scripture That the Apostles did baptize infants nor any expresse precept there found that they should so doe Yet is not this so receiued by bare and naked tradition but that wee find the Scripture to deliuer vnto vs the grounds of it The fift kind of traditions comprehendeth such observations as in particular are not commanded in Scripture nor the necessity of them from thence concluded though in generall without limitation of times and other circumstances such things be there commanded Of this sort many thinke the observation of the lent fast to be the fast of the fourth and the sixt dayes of the weeke and some other That the Apostles deliuered by liuely voyce many obseruations dispensable and alterable according to the circumstances of times and persons we make no question Onely this we say that they are confounded with Ecclesiasticall traditions so that which they are doth hardly appeare and that they doe not necessarily binde posterities The custome of standing at prayer on the Lords day and betweene Easter and Whitsontinde was generally receiued as deliuered by Apostolique tradition and when some beganne to breake it is was confirmed by the Councell of Nice yet is it not thought necessary to be obserued in our time Out of this which hath beene sayd wee may easily resolue what is to bee thought touching traditions For first the Canon of scripture being admitted as deliuered by Tradition though the diuine truth of it be in it selfe cleare and euident vnto vs not depending of the Churches authority there is noe matter of faith deliuered by bare and onely tradition as the Romanists seeme to Imagine Yea this is so cleare that therein they contrary themselues indeauouring to proue by scripture the same things they pretend to hold by tradition as wee shall finde if wee run through the things questioned betweene them and vs. The onely cleare instance they seeme to giue is touching the perpetuall virginity of Mary which they say cannot be proued by scripture and yet is necessary to be beleeued But they should know that this is no point of Christian faith That shee was a Virgin before in and after the birth of Christ wee are bound to beleeue as an article of our faith and so much is deliuered in scripture and in the Apostles Creede but that shee continued so euer after is a seemely truth deliuered vnto vs by the Church of God fitting the sanctity of the blessed Virgin and the honour due to soe sanctified a vessell of Christs incarnation as her body was and soe is de pietate but not de necessitate fidei as the Schoole-men vse to speake Neither was Heluidius condemned of Heresie for the deniall hereof but because pertinaciously hee vrged the deniall of it vpon misconstruction of scripture as if the deniall of it had beene a matter of faith Touching this Allegation of our Aduersaries concerning Maries perpetuall Virginity wee must know that howsoeuer they pretend to hold it onely by tradition yet the Fathers that defend it against Heluidius endeauour to proue it by the Scripture Their instance of Childrens Baptisme is most apparantly against themselues for they confesse it may be proued by scripture Bellarmine proueth it by three reasons taken from the scripture The first is from the proportion betweene Baptisme and Circumcision the Circumcision of Children then and the Baptisme of them now This argument he saith as they propose it cannot be auoyded The second from these two places Iohn 3. Except a man be borne a new of water and of the spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of Heauen And that other Suffer little children to come vnto mee for vnto such belongeth the Kingdome of Heauen This Argument he sayth is strong effectuall and pregnant to proue the necessity of the Baptisme of Infants The third is taken from the Baptizing of whole families by the Apostles in which by all likelihood there were infants Surely in this point of traditions our aduersaries bewray their great folly inconstancie making it euident to the whole world they know not what they say Bellarmine sayth that many things touching the matter and forme of sacraments are holden by tradition as not being contained in scripture and yet in the particulars there is nothing defined in the Church of Rome touching these things which he indeauoureth not to proue by scripture Some alleage for proofe of tradition the consubstantiality of the sonne of God with the Father and the proceeding of the holy Ghost from them both Others constantly affirme that these things are proued by scripture Some of them say Pugatory is holden by tradition others thinke it may bee proued by scripture g Melchior Canus endeauouring to proue the necessity of traditions produceth sundry things as not written as inuocation of Saints worshipping of images the Priests consecrating and partaking in both parts of the sacrament That ordination and confirmation are to bee conferred and giuen but onely once which when hee hath alleaged hee dareth not say the scripture doth not deliuer them for feare of gainesaying the truth in some of them and his owne fellowes in other And therefore hee sayth These things perhaps the scripture hath not deliuered For Bellarmine thinketh the Scripture doeth strongly proue the Invocation and worship of Saints and Angels and who is so impudent to deny that the Ministers of the Church are bound by the commaundement of Christ contayned in the Scripture to consecrate and participate in both parts of the Sacrament That confirmation and ordination once conferred are not to be reiterated may be concluded out of the nature of them described vnto vs in the Scripture So that for matters of faith wee may conclude according to the judgement of the best and most learned of our adversaries themselues that there is nothing to be beleeued which is not either expressely contayned in Scripture or at least by necessary consequence from thence and other things evident in the light of nature or in the matter of fact to bee concluded That there were many speeches and diuine sayings of our
the time of his innocencie had but one commaundement which yet vnhappily he brake and that therefore they seeme to haue no sense of mans miserable wretched condition nor any way to compassionate his infirmitie that charge him with so many precepts besides those of God and Nature Whereupon he grauely and wisely concludeth that he supposeth that the wisest and best amongst the guides of Gods Church had not so ill a meaning as to haue all their constitutions ordinances taken for lawes properly so named much lesse strictly binding the conscience but for threatnings admonitions counsailes and directions onely And that when there groweth a generall neglect they seeme to consent to the abolishing of them againe For seeing lex instituitur cùm promulgatur vigorem habet cum moribus vtentium approbatur Lawes are made when they are published by such as haue authoritie but haue life force and vigour when the manners of men receiuing and obeying them giue them allowance Generall long continued disuse is and justly may be thought an abolishing and abrogating of humane lawes Whereas contrarywise against the Lawes of God and Nature no prescription or contrary vse doth euer prevaile but euery such contrary custome or practise is rightly judged a corruption and fault THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE CHVRCH TOGETHER WITH AN APPENDIX CONTAINING A DEFENCE OF SVCH PARTES AND PASSAGES OF THE FORMER BOOKES AS HAVE BEENE EITHER EXCEPTED AGAINST OR WRESTED TO THE MAINtenance of Romish errours By RICHARD FIELD Doctour of Diuinity OXFORD Printed by WILLIAM TVRNER Printer to the famous Vniuersitie Ann. Dom. 1628. The Epistle to the Reader AS in the dayes of Noe they all perished in the waters that entred not into the Arke prepared by Gods owne appointment for the preseruation of such as should escape that fearefull and almost vniversall destruction So is it a most certaine and vndoubted truth good Christian Reader that none can flie from the wrath to come and attaine desired happinesse but such as enter into that society of men which we call the Church which is the chosen multitude of them whom God hath seperated from the rest of the world and to whom he hath in more speciall sort manifested himselfe by the knowledge of reuealed truth then to any other So that nothing is more necessary to be sought out and knowne then which and where this happy society of holy ones is that so wee may joyne our selues to the same and inherit the promises made vnto it according to that of the holy Patriarch Noe Blessed be the God of Sem and let Chanaan be his seruant the Lord perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem. The consideration whereof moued me when I was to enter into the controuersies of these times first and before all other things carefully to seeke out the nature and being of this Church the notes whereby it may be knowne which it is amongst all the societies of men in the world and what the priuiledges are that doe belong vnto it of all which things I haue treated in those foure Bookes of that argument which not long since I offered to thy viewe and censure Now it remaineth that in this insueing Booke then promised I shew in what sort almighty God who sitteth betweene the Cherubins in this his holy Temple reuealeth himselfe from off the mercy seate to such as by the calling of grace he hath caused to approach draw neare vnto himselfe and how he guideth and directeth them to the attaining of eternall felicity Many sundry waies did God reueale himselfe in ancient times as it is in the Epistle to the Hebrewes For sometimes he manifested himselfe to men waking by visions sometimes to men sleeping by dreames sometimes he appeared in a piller of a cloud sometimes in flaming fire sometimes he came walking a soft pace among the trees of the garden in the coole of the day sometimes he rent the rockes and claue the mountaines in sunder sometimes he spake with a still and soft voyce sometimes his thunders shooke the pillars of heauen and made the earth to tremble as in the giuing of the lawe when he came downe vpon Mount Sinai what time the people by Moses direction went forth to meete him but when they heard the thunders and the sound of the trumpet and saw the lightnings and the mountaine smoaking they fled stood a farre off sayd vnto Moses Talke thou with vs and we will heare thee but let not God talke with us lest we die This their petition Almighty God mercifully granted and knowing whereof they were made resolued no more to speake vnto them in soe terrible and fearefull manner but rather to put heauenly treasures into earthen vessels that is to enlighten the vnderstandings and to sanctifie the mouthes tongues of some amongst themselues and by them to make knowen his will pleasure to the rest In this sort after the giuing of the law he imployed the Priests Levites in a set and ordinary course appoynting that the people should seeke the knowledge of the same at their mouthes and in case of great confusion and generall defects of these ordinary guides raised vp Prophets as well to denounce his judgements against offenders and to reforme abuses as also to foreshew the future state of things and more more to raise in men a desire hope and expectation of the comming of the promised Messias whom in the fulnesse of time he sent into the world as the happiest Messenger of glad tidings that euer came vnto the sonnes of men and the Angell of the great couenant of peace causing this proclamation to be made before him This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him In him were hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge so that as it was sayd of him Hee hath done all things well so likewise that Neuer man spake as he spake But because he came not into this lower world to make his abode here perpetually but to cary vp with him into heaven our desires first and then our selues after he had wrought all righteousnesse and performed the worke for which hee came he returned backe to God that sent him Choosing out some of them that had been conuersant with him in the dayes of his flesh that had heard the words of his diuine wisedom were eye-witnesses of all the things he did suffered sending them as his father sent him who were therefore named Apostles These had many excellent preeminences proper to those beginnings and fit for the founding of Christian Churches as immediate calling infallibility of judgement generall commission the vnderstanding and knowledge of all tongues power to confirme their doctrine by signes and wonders and to conferre the miraculous gifts of the spirit vpon other also by the imposition of their hands In which things when they had finished their course they left none to succeede them yet out of their more large ample and immediate
not in actuall apprehension wherein he did truly increase and and grow as also in experimentall knowledge For the humane knowledge that was in Christ was by conuersion to those Phantasmata sensible representations of things that from without are by the senses presented vnto the Soule was discursiue though not proceeding from things known to find out things altogether vnknowne yet from things actually known to such as he knew but habitually only and not actually before That the humane knowledge Christ had of things in thēselues was discursiue by conuersion to the sensible representations of them from without it is euident in that all perfectiōs are receiued according to the condition capacitie of the receiuer Now the condition of the Soule of man in the state of this life is to know nothing but by conversion to the sensible appearances of the same that not onely in respect of things naturall but mysticall also and supernaturall Quia impossibile est saith Dionysius Areopagita nobis aliter superlucere radium diuinum nisi sacrorū velaminū varietate circumuelatū that is because it is impossible the beame of divine light should shine on vs vnlesse it be vailed on euery side with the variety of sacred vailes Thus then wee see how it may be truely said that Christ grew in wisedome and knowledge as he did in stature of body non quoad habitus essentiam extensionem sed quoad actualem cognitionem experimentum that is not in respect of the essence or extension of the habit but of actuall knowledge experience That which Thomas others haue that Christ knew all things at first by an infused knowledge afterwards attained another kinde of knowledge of the same things which they named acquisite is not so fit for two formes or qualities of one kinde cannot bee in the same subject Now as the sight which is in men naturally that which once lost is restored againe by miracle is of the same nature condition so is that knowledge of things that is by infusion that which is acquisite howsoeuer these men seeme to make them of two kindes Wherefore passing by this conceipt as not probable to conclude this point euen as touching the condition of children which should haue been borne in the state of innocency there are diuerse opinions some thinking they should haue had the vse of reason perfection of knowledge at the very first so that they should haue grown encreased afterwards only in experimētal knowledge others that they should haue had no vse of reason at the first a third sort that so soon as they had bin borne they should haue had the vse of reason so farre forth as to discerne outward things good or euill seeing euen the little lambes by natures instinct doe know the Wolfe fly frō him seeke the dugges of their dammes but not to discerne things concerning morall vertue the worship of God So likewise some thinke that the Babe IESVS euen in his humane soule had the actuall knowledge of all things euen frō the beginning that he grew only in experimentall knowledge but there are other of as good judgment as great learning who think that howsoeuer he had the habit of al knowledge frō the beginning brought it with him out of the womb yet not the act vse of it this is all that either Luther or Calvine say yet we know how clamorously some inveigh against them as if they had broached some damnable heresie But some man will say if we grant that Christ in his Humane Soule knew not all things frō the beginning but in processe of time learned that which before he actually knew not wee fasten on him the disgracefull note of ignorance consequently bring him within the confines cōpasse of sin Hereunto Hugo de S. Vict. answereth sheweth the folly of this silly objection peremptorily resoluing that non omnis qui aliquid nescit aut minus perfectè scit statim ignorantiam habere seu in ignorantiâ esse dicendus est quia ignorantia non dicitur nisi tunc solùm cum id quod ignorari non debuisset nescitur that is we must not say that euery one that knoweth not a thing or doth lesse perfectly know it is ignorant or in ignorance because ignorance is only the not knowing of such things as should haue beene knowne Neither is there any distinction more triuiall or ordinary in the Schooles then that of nescience ignorance and therefore howsoeuer some in the heat of their distempered passions lay a heavy imputation of horrible impiety vpō Luther Caluin and others for that they say there were some things which Christ in his humane soule did not actually know from the beginning yet Maldonatus a man as ill conceited of them as any other confesseth that though some say Christ profited in wisdome and knowledge not in his owne person but in his mysticall body which is the Church others that his growing and increasing was onely in the manifestation of that which in all perfection was found in him from the beginning or in experimental knowledge of those things which in generall contemplation he knew before yet many of the ancient Fathers answering the objections of the Arrians and other like heretiques and rejecting as impious their conceit who thought Christ was absolutely ignorant of any thing denied not but that there were some things which Christ in his humane nature did not actually alwaies know This saith Maldonat I suppose Luther Caluin and the rest knew not for had they known that the Fathers taught that Christ did truly grow in humane knowledge and wisdome and that he knew not all things actually frō the beginning to be contrary to the Fathers they would haue been of another mind How charitable this his surmise and conjecture is let the Reader judge Howsoeuer we haue his cleare confession that many of the Fathers were of opinion that Christ in his humane nature did not alwayes actually know all things Yea vpon the 24 of Matthew hee testifieth that many of them sayd plainely that Christ as man knew not the day appointed for the generall judgement of the quicke and dead when he said That day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels nor the Son himselfe but the Father onely It is true indeede that he goeth about notwithstanding this his cleare confession of the truth to construe the words of some of the Fathers in such sort as if they had not meant simply that Christ in his humane soule knew not that houre and time but onely that he knew it not by force of his humane nature but this commentarie I feare will not agree with their texts For Origen in his third tract vpon Matthew saith that Christ knew not the time and day of judgement when he sayd Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Sonne but that
many worthies of the world in so diuerse places and at so diuerse times giue testimony to our opinion Touching the creation fall and state of originall sinne there were some and they excellently learned who thought as we doe that man must either be lifted aboue himselfe by grace or fall below himselfe by sinne that there is no middle estate of pure nature that originall righteousnesse was required to the integrity of nature and consequently that being lost nature is corrupted and depriued of all naturall and morall rectitude so that a man after the fall of Adam till grace restore him can do nothing morally good or that is not sin These men defined originall sin to be a priuation of originall righteousnesse that is of that grace without which a man can neither feare loue nor serue God aright And consequently do teach that after Adams fall without grace renewing vs wee cannot keepe the commaundements of God do the workes of morall vertue or any way dispose our selues to a true conuersion and turning vnto God This opinion is lâ—…rnedly defended by Thomas Bradwardin in his discourses against the Pelagians of his time and confirmed by him out of the Scriptures and Fathers and likewise by Gregorius Ariminensis as it was before them by Augustine and Prosper Many there were who thought otherwise whom Cardinall Contaren blameth as inclining too much to the Pelagian heresie but the best men concurred in judgment with these For proofe whereof Cassander citeth an excellent saying of Bonauentura Hoc inquit piarum mentium est vt nil sibi tribuant sed totum gratiae Dei vnde quantumcunque aliquis det gratiae dei a pietate non recedit etiamsi multa tribuendo gratiae Dei aliquid subtrahit potestati naturae vel liberi arbitrij cum vero aliquid gratiae dei subtrahitur naturae tribuitur quod gratiae est ibi potest periculum interuenire That is it is the property of pious and good mindes to attribute nothing to themselues but to ascribe all vnto the grace of God for how much soeuer a man giueth to the grace of God hee offendeth against no rule of piety noe though by giuing much to the grace of God he subtract something from the power of nature or free-will but when any thing that pertaineth to grace is denied vnto it and giuen to nature there may be some danger Concerning iustification there is a very maine difference betweene the Papists and vs for though we deny not but that there is a donation and giuing of the spirit to all them that are iustified changing and altering them in such sort as that they beginne to do the workes of righteousnesse yet we teach that iustification consisteth in such sort in the remission of sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse that the faithfull soule must trust to no other righteousnesse but that which is imputed the other beeing imperfect and not enduring the triall of GODS seuere judgement Now that this was the faith of the best and worthiest men in the Church in former times it will easily appeare vnto vs. The righteousnesse of another sayth Bernard is assigned to man because he had none of his owne and vppon the Canticles he sayth I also will sing the mercies of the Lord for euer Shall I sing of mine owne righteousnesse noe Lord I will remember thy righteousnesse onely for that is mine seeing thou art made vnto mee of God righteousnesse Is there any cause for mee to feare least it should not suffice vs both it is no short cloake which according to the Prophet cannot couer two With Bernard all other good men agreed who in respect of the imperfection of our inherent righteousnesse pronounced it to be as the polluted ragges of a menstruous woman Who is there saith Gerson that shall dare to boast that hee hath a cleane heart and who shall say I am innocent and I am cleane who is hee that will not quake for feare when he shall stand before God to bee iudged who is fearefull in his counsels Hence Iob in his affliction saith vnto God I feared all my workes knowing that thou sparest not the sinner and again if he will contend with me I cannot answere him one of a thousand Whereunto the prayer of the Prophet agreeth enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no liuing man shall bee iustified in thy sight And againe if thou shalt obserue iniquities O Lord Lord who shall endure it Furthermore we reade that Esay wrapping vp himselfe with other and waxing vile in his owne eyes in all humility professed that all our righteousnesse is as the polluted ragges of a menstruous woman Who therefore in boasting sort shall dare to shew his righteousnesse to God more then a woman dareth shew the ragges of her confusion and shame to her husband There are two kindes of iustice to which faith leadeth vs saith Cardinall Contarenus the one inherent the other imputed it remaineth that wee enquire vpon which of them we are to stay our selues and by which wee are to thinke that wee are iustified before God that is accounted iust and holy as hauing that iustice that pleaseth God and answereth to that his law requireth I truely saith hee thinke that a man very piously Christianly may say that wee ought to stay to stay I say as vpon a firme and stable thing able vndoubtedly to sustaine vs vpon the iustice of Christ giuen and imputed to vs and not vpon the holinesse and grace that is inherent in vs. For this our righteousnesse is but imperfit and such as cannot defend vs seeing in many things we offend all c. But the iustice of Christ which is giuen vnto vs is true and perfect iustice which altogether pleaseth the eyes of God and in which there is nothing that offendeth God Vpon this therefore as most certaine and stable wee must stay our selues and beleeue that wee are iustified by it as the cause of our acceptation with God this is that precious treasure of Christians which whosoeuer findeth selleth all that he hath to buy it With Contarenus agree the Authors of the Enchiridion of Christian religion published in the prouinciall Synod of Collen in the yeare of our Lord 1536. Which as Cassander saith the more learned diuines in Italy and France approued the authours of the booke called Antididagma Coloniense Albertus Pighius and sundry other who if they were now a liue and should thus teach our Iesuited Papists would soone condemne them as Heretickes Touching merits I haue shewed else-where that Scotus Cameracensis Ariminensis and Waldensis doe thinke there is no merit properly so named With whom agreeth Adrian the Pope vpon the fourth of the sentences writing thus like a Protestant as I thinke Our merits are as a staffe of reed vpon which if a man stay himselfe it will breake and pierce the hand of him that