counteruaile eternal life and of too shallow and short a measure in respect of infinite blessednesse yea though it were the merite of the holy Virgine and that conceiued or not conceiued be it as you will in originall sinne For if shee were conceiued in originall sinne shee is freely redeemed as well as any other and regenerate and borne againe of meere grace as well as any other But and if shee were not which yet the holy Scripture denieth that was also of the worke and operation of the same grace and furthermore the greater shee is the deepelier is shee bound vnto God and the further off from merite as also from hauing any occasion to be proud beeing on the contrarie so much the more to carrie her selfe in a greater measure of dutifulnesse and humilitie in respect of so rich and aboundant mercies bestowed vpon her so freely and vndeseruedly by the high and mightie God According to that which is said Vnto whome much is giuen and committed Luk 12.24 of him shall so much the more bee required againe c. CHAP. XVII That the Regenerate man cannot merite eternall life either for himselfe or for anie other LEt vs come to the condition of the regenerate man to the state of grace Proofes out of the holy Scripture as it is called and let vs see if any one standing in that state before God can merite of him by his workes either his owne saluation or an other mans The Scripture speaketh verie highly of mans Regeneration it setteth him before vs as a man new moulded and cast by the effectuall power and working of the holy Ghost in all and euerie one of his parts and members Now what better way to comprehend and conceiue the fall and ruine then by the reedified repaired parts Coloss 1.3 Acts. 15. Ephe. 1. Coloss 2.13 Gala. 5. Rom. 6. Coloss 7. Rom. 8.14 For the spirit of Christ deliuereth vs from the power of darknesse being dead as we were in sinne he quickneth and maketh vs aliue he purgeth our hearts by faith he inlightneth the eyes of our vnderstanding by the knowledge of God He destroyeth the bodie of sinne He mortifieth yea crucifieth the old man with all the diseases concupiscences and affections of the flesh He maketh vs the children of God and as we are such to crie Abba that is to say father But dooth it follow of all this that after Regeneration we are either cleane from all sinne or that we can attaine vnto it in this world Such as doe flatter themselues in making their sinne small should therewithall thinke that a small thing should repaire and make vp the breach But what then will they say when as of necessitie for the sauing of this miserable flesh the word must be made flesh When for the deliuering of vs from the seruitude of sinne hee must needes become sinne himselfe who had neuer knowne any sinne Or will they thinke that the flesh bee it neuer so wholly and throughly regenerate will bee able to doe all things Or would they flie vp with their owne wings to heauen without Iacobs Ladder the helpe of the Lord or his merite More readie as yet by their pride to loose the benefit of Regeneration then our Father was to loose the excellent gifts he had by his Creation at the suggestion of the woman But let vs heare how the Scripture speaketh J am saith S. Paul crucified with Christ I liue Gala. 2.16 no more I but Christ in me and the life that I liue now in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued me and who hath giuen himselfe for me What could he haue spoken of more excellencie And where is that regenerate man that can vtter any thing more boldly then hee hath done this And yet therewithall heare him comming from the setting foorth of the praises of the grace receiued by God to the consideration of his owne infirmitie I see saith hee an other Law in my members Rom. 7. fighting against the Law of my vnderstanding and making me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members c. That is to say I feele concupiscence the bud of the flesh c. And this Lawe this concupiscence if thou be in doubt doe not thinke that it is good For I know saith he that in me that is to say in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing To will well is readie with me but J doe not find the meanes to performe or doe it Nay this concupiscence is euil for he addeth thee hereunto The euill is readie with me and fast sticking vnto me I doe the euil that I would not euen the euill that I hate that is to say which I condemne in my mind and such euill as is repugnant vnto the Law of God which cannot be called any thing but sinne according to that which S. Iohn saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All whatsoeuer is against the Lawe is sinne euen to the obeying of my flesh and not the Law of my God which J consent vnto and agree to be good but vnto the Law of sinne which I condemne and dislike of in my spirit And againe This sinne is sinne in such a manner and degree as that it forceth me to confesse that it is sinne in deed For if the Law had not said Thou shalt not lust I had not knowne sinne but now I knowe it And it hath such a deepe roote in me as that I am constrained to crie Miserable man that J am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Yea and it hath fruit also which it beareth and bringeth forth in me Sinne dwelleth in me euen the sinne which begetteth death which hath no other wages but death which also in stead of being brought vnder by the Law of God is lifted vp by the nature thereof and armed to rebell against it taking occasion from the same to multiplie and increase Rom. 8. Gala. 5. Coloss 3. Ephe. 4. It is prouoked and enraged like a maligne Vlcer against the salue Thus speaketh S. Paul of this sinne and not as it is in the Infidels but as it is in the regenerate and those not of the weakest sort of the regenerate but as it was in himselfe concluding generally and euerie where that he hath need to spoyle destroy kill and crucifie the same and that yet notwithstanding all this doe what he can 2. Cor. 4.10 it will not all be vanquisht and subdued at one blow For Howbeit saith he that our outward man be decaied and cast downe yet our inward is renued euerie day And yet notwithstanding not in any such measure of perfection as that any man can vaunt or boast himselfe to haue wholy put on the one and put off the other in this world For In this world wee shall neuer grow vp together and become perfect men Ephe. 4 13. according to the measure of the perfect stature of Christ
manner of seruice That the seruice of Christians was deriued from thence excepted one that after they had with all honourable reuerence and tender compassion buried the olde Synagogue they prayed vpon the Lords day that is to say vpon the first daye of the weeke in remembrance of the resurrection in stead of the Sabath and brought in the reading of the Euangelists the Epistles of the Apostles with that of the law the Prophets out of which the Bb. or Pastor did expound somewhat vnto them then after these lectures the holie supper was celebrated amongst the faithfull by the reciting of the institution of the same and the distributing of the bread and cup vnto the people the which for the most part were taken from their owne offrings for the vse of the holy Sacraments which done there followed certain Psalmes of thanksgiuing for the spiritual good things receiued of God at this holie table after which the assembly brake vp and all this was done and said euen till all was ended in great simplicity and singlenes and in a lauguage vnderstood and in such garmentes as all the people did weare as it shall bee certainelie proued hereafter from point to point Of the Confession of sins the first profession that euery Christiā must make Matth 3. Mar. 1 we haue some prints marks in S. Iohn Baptist for such as came vnto him cōfessed their sins were baptized for without the knowledge of sin no man can come to the acknowledgement of grace Acts 13. the shutting vp of Paul his sermō to the Iewes in the Synagogue at Antioch standeth vpon these words Be it known vnto you that by Iesus Christ remission of sins is preached vnto you c. wherby likewise we see that they which were cōuerted by the preaching of the Apostles were touched with compunction of heart confessed their sins hence cōmeth that which Lyranus telleth vs vpō those words in Leuiticus And the high Priest laying both his handes vppon the Goate Leuit. 16. shall confesse the iniquities of the children of Israell c. Not sayeth hee declaring all their particular sinnes for that were impossible but in generall as wee doe in the confession vsuallie made in the beginning of the Masse And yet notwithstanding now a dayes the Priest hath neuer a word that waye saue onelie for himselfe whereas the Pastor holding the place of the high Priest that is which is the mouth of the people in the Church ought to confesse vnto God the iniquities of that people in setting before them for the remission thereof the benefite of the Sacrifice of his onelie begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lord which should make vs belieue together with other signes and marks which we shall see hereafter that this parte of seruice was of good praise and commendation as for reading it was ordinarie as we haue seene in the Synagogues whereinto the Apostles came for to instruct and teach the Iewes Acts 20. and for the publike assemblies wee haue a manifest example thereof in the Actes where S. Paule the Disciples being come together for to breake bread that is to celebrate the Lordes Supper handleth the word of God amongst them and continueth his speech vnto midnight that is he did not only reade vnto them but expounded it vnto them also and drew out from thence doctrines for their vse after the manner vsed in preaching and likewise hee ordinarilie calleth his office and function the Ministerie or administration of the word And as for prayers to be made for the aduancement of the glorie of God for the necessitie of the Church and state politique the heads and members of the same and for our owne saluation we haue both precept and prescript forme deliuered vs by our Lord Mat. 6. c. Mat. 6. 1. Tim 2. the admonition of S. Paul to make intercessions prayers supplications c. for all men for kinges for men set in authoritie c. and the example of the Apostles perseuering in prayer and in the breaking of bread c. and S. Augustine doth by name expound that place of S. Paule of solemne prayers of the Lordes Supper and as for the administration thereof we haue the forme set downe in the 1. to the Corinthians 10. 1. Cor. 10. 11. and 11. vnder the signes of bread wine which were wont to be brought to the common feastes of Christians they were blessed according to the institution of the Lord as it is there set downe for the communicating of his bodie and blood and in remembrance of his death which he suffered for our sinnes And this whole action was intermingled with Psalmes and spirituall giuinges of thankes taken and deriued from the example of our Lord who after the holie Supper sung a Psalme with his Apostles according to the exhortation likewise of S. Paule speaking thus vnto vs Be yee filled with the spirit speaking amongst your selues in Psalms and Hymnes and spiritual songs c. Ephes 5.18.19 Colos 3. giuing thankes alwaies for all thinges in the name of our Lord Iesus vnto our God and Father vpon a solemne or festiuall day it is cleare and euident by these wordes in the Actes Acts 20. And the first day of the weeke the Disciples being assembled c. that is to say vpon the Lordes day confirmed likewise 1. Cor. 11. where these assemblies may seeme to bee appointed properlie for the holie Supper of our Lord. 1. Cor. 11. To bee briefe that all was done in a knowne tongue 1. Cor. 14. we need no other witnes then S. Paule I esteem more sayeth hee of fiue wordes in the Church spoken to my vnderstanding then often thousand in an vnknowne tongue c. And againe this verilie was the scope and drift of the Spirit of God in the gift of tongues Now concerning all that hath gone before especiallie that of the more often celebrating of the holie Supper by the faithfull exercising themselues therein during the continuance of the first loue and zeale then they did afterward it is confirmed by all them that haue written anie thing of sacred functions but wee will insist vpon and presse them onelie who are of most authoritie and best allowance For Confession Lyranus hath told vs that they had a generall confession of the sinnes of the people in the beginning of their seruice imitating therein the manner of the Iewes in their prayers and sacrifices And to him let vs ioyne S. Ciprian as next The holy Hierarchie saieth hee that is the Minister of the Church whome the holie Ghost toucheth with compunction Ciprianus siue quis alius de card operib Christi let him watch thereto let him dwell therein and keepe holie the same c. and let him pray boldlie and confidentlie for his own ignorances and those of the peoples by making a confession from a wounded hearte c. Of Psalmes and reading of lessons out of
was in her integritie saue that in the state of integrity it was repressed by a supernaturall gift of originall righteousnes which did represse keep it vnder which God hath taken away in the first man so from all other men in him as a punishment of his sinne in such sort as that this concupiscence is not sinne in men because it is not against any law of God or if it be that it is the least of all other sinnes in as much as it is onely some small disorder in nature But how can this fancie agree with Saint Paule with this law of the members which maketh vs seruants of sinne Sinne whose wages is no other then eternall death But there is some pleasure in respect of these different opinions to heare what the olde fathers say handling this question against the hereticks of their times as those who are by so much the lesse to be suspected in this cause by how much they haue beene the more renowned testified of for their godlinesse and yet haue not ceased to acknowledge the infirmities of their humane nature Testimonies out of the fathers Ambr. in epist ad Rom c. 5. tom 5. Idem de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 3. tom 2. Idem in Apol. Dauid c. 11. Notet Pighius S. Ambrose It is most plaine and manifest that all haue sinned in Adam as in the Masse by him therefore we all become sinners euen as we do all come of him He hath lost the benefite and priuiledge by sinne c. Againe Before we be borne we are defiled by contagion before we enioy the light we receiue the losse of our original goodnesse in as much as we be conceiued in sin c. And if the child that is but one day old be not without sin much lesse the daies of the mothers conception We are all therefore conceiued in sin of our fathers and mothers we are borne in their trespasses and euen the very infant beareth about it his pollutions And if thou doubtest from whence this commeth so to passe he maketh it manifest Hence it is saith he that wee are mortall from hence springeth not so much the multitude of our miseries as of our hainous sinnes and crimes our faith to bee lost our hope farre remoued our vnderstanding blinded and our will captiuated And what becommeth then of the power and vertues of the not regenerate of such as continue still and dwell in the corruption of their nature Without the worship of the true God saith he euen that which seemeth vertue is vice without God it is not possible for any man to please God And he that pleaseth not God whom can he please but the Deuill But to come as neere to the quick as may be is there any remainder of goodnesse abiding in man whereby hee may relieue and raise vp himselfe againe Idem Ambros de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. Opere suo opus suum reparat Nay nay but on the contrarie No man saith he is found hauing any thing in himselfe whereby he may recouer his former place and excellencie Man will neuer be able to turne backe againe to God if God himselfe doe not turne and conuert him The grace of our Lord by his worke that is to say by the operation thereof repaireth his worke The will of man hath nothing left of all the powers thereof saue only a power and readie inchnation to destroy it selfe periculi facilitatem c. Gregorius Nyssenus Grâ—â— Nyss l. de oâ—at Man forsooke and reuolted from him who had made him and betooke himselfe to the enemies side that is to say to the Deuil whereupon his freedome and power changed of themselues and his wicked and vngodly will into a grieuous and dangerous seruitude and thraldome vnto sinne Then insued the abolishing of the image and figure of God which was before imprinted euen from our first creation in vs Adde hereto the losse of the groat By which the scripture doth teach vs that there is not of all the men that are so much as one to bee found that liueth one onely daie without spot And this is the cause why wee pray forgiue vs our trespasses although he were a Moises or a Samuel seeing that the same speech of repentance that agreed with Adam is common to all to the end that the Lord may saue vs by grace in graunting vnto vs the blotting out and abolishment of our sinnes And we need not for the finding out of the same enter into the consideration of nature in generall for euerie man entring into his owne censcience may find how needfull a thing it is to craue merciâ— Chrysostome Chrysost in Genel hom 29. tom 1. The first man by the decree of God by his sinne did incurre and draw vpon himselfe the sentence of death and hath past it ouer and conueighed it to his whole posteritie c. The second man is come downe from heauen he alone abiding without sinne and not owing any thing to death that so he might be free amongst the dead and that death might be condemned in his death Againe The nature of this pestilence tooke his beginning from one bodie hath now spread it selfe all ouer into euerie man Idem in Mâ—â—â— â—om 33. tom 2 And if thou demande what manner of plague it is When sinne entred saith he then came the downefall of our libertie for it corrupted the power giuen vs by nature it brought in seruitude and bondage c. Euen such a pestiâ—ence as that such as are infected therewith are not able to doe any thing that is ought worth â—em â—â—â—m 6. 〈…〉 â—â—a 〈◊〉 Fla. 〈…〉 de 〈…〉 Idem l. de natur grat c. 3 de â—id ad Petâ—um c. 23. Idem paâ—sim Iâ—eâ— cp 107. Idem contr Iul. Pelag. l 4. For saith hee in another place The heathen though they wrought good workes yet they wrought them not truely good because they did them not in anie consideration that they had of God but for to be reputed or because that goodnes is good or for the conseruing of hâ—mane societie c. But Saint Augustine against the Pelagians hath handled this matter and ript it vp to the bottome as the thing saith he wherein consisteth the summe of all Christian religion Hold fast saith he that euerie man which is conceiued by the carnall comunction of man woman together is borne in original sinne subiect to wickednes villanic and subiect to death and by this nature the child of wâ—ath c. And therefore this nature of man from the time of his birth hath need of a Phisition because it is nothing sound c. But mortally pestered as is to bee seene in the beadroll of euils which he attributeth vnto it That is the losse of free will thraldome by sinne ignorance and maliciousnesse banishment from the kingdome of heauen and the decree of eternall death Whereupon he saith We â—annot be
bee that pure righteousnesse when transgression and some default cannot bee shut out from it But it seemeth to vs that the iust and righteous dealing of men may be vpright and honest when it yeeldeth not so farre vnto sinne as to suffer it to raigne in the bodie c. Againe The Lord is hee that iudgeth me Idem de verbo Originis for I cannot auoide his righteous sentence yea and if I were iust yet would I not lift vp my head because that all my righteous actions are as a stained cloth seeing that before God no man can be iustified no not one CHAP. XVIII That the Law was giuen man to conuince him of sinne and to cause him to looke for his saluation in that grace which is by faith in Christ according both to the Scriptures and the fathers FOr what vse then will some say doth the Law of God serue vs The end of the law according to the holy Scriptures if we cannot fulfill the same Verily that by it thou maist know the difference that is betwixt the righteousnesse of God and that pretended righteousnesse of thine owne and that thou maist knowe that thou art not able to doe it As certainely also that thou maiest bee conuinced in thy pride condemned in thy righteousnesse and bound and beholden to his mercies And all the Pedagogie thereof Deut. 9. all the discipline and instruction contained in the same if thou consider it is no other thing Moyses saith Say not in thine heart O Israell This is because of my righteousnesse that God hath brought me into this land it is not by reason of the vprightnesse of thy heart for thou art a stif-necked people c. And then how much lesse into the true land Into the heauenly Chanaan The whole seruice of the Lawe consisteth altogether in washings altogether in bloud and in killing which aunswere fitly to our vncleannesse sinnes crimes accidents and happes yea to our verie ignorances to our faults known and vnknowne vnto vs and they were renued Euening and Morning and were continued perpetually and therefore also both an ordinarie and continuall charge and accusation of our whole liues and of all that which is within vs Psalme or that commeth out of vs. Whereupon Dauid saith If thou markest our iniquities O Lord who shall abide it who shall indure thy stroke And whereas he speaketh of his righteous workes he saith Thou art the Lord my goodnesse reacheth not vnto thee The Prophets likewise doe neuer speake vnto vs but of a circumcised heart of a new heart of a hart of flesh in stead of our vncircumcised and stonie harts to the end that wee may know where the disease holdeth vs euen in our most noble part and that it lyeth not in vs to reforme the same that it hath need to be quite framed anew by the operation of the Creator himself by his holy spirit and in the fountaine or spring head are all the waters issuing from thence condemned in the tree all the fruites thereof In the originall of motion all our motions and in the workman all the workes which he hath wrought Whereupon S. Paul also the true interpreter of the Law leadeth vs continually from workes vnto faith and from the Law to grace The Law saith hee giueth knowledge of sinne Rom. 3. the Law maketh it to abound the Law worketh wrath the Law is the ministerie of death by the workes of the Law no man is iustified for no man can fulfill it And yet in the meane time Cursed are they that abide not in all the words of the same And what shall we doe then But saith he the iust shall liue by faith he shall be iustified by faith without the workes of the Law iustified freely by the grace of God by the redemption made in Iesus Christ Rom. 4 That grace which superaboundeth whereas sinne hath abounded That faith which applieth vnto vs this grace which is imputed vnto vs for righteousnesse in as much as we belieue in him that hath raised Christ from the dead slaine for our sinnes and raised for our iustification Rom. 11.5 c. And If it bee of grace saith the Apostle then it is no more by workes otherwise grace were no more grace otherwise workes were no more workes And yet in the meane time faith the gift of God Faith the gift of God and grace that is to say the remission of sinnes the gift also of God and the hand to receiue the bountifull kindnesse and free liberalitie of our God in Christ this free mercy also the gift of God Faith Ephes 2.8 Rom. 5. for you are saued saith the Apostle by grace through faith and that not of your selues it is of God Grace the remission of sinnes in like manner For saith hee also if by the offence of one many die much more the grace of God and the gift by grace c. hath abounded on many Rom. 6. Againe The wages of sinne is death Our aduersaries would say and the wages of good workes is eternall life Nay saith our Apostle But the the gift of God that is to say Rom. 5 the gift of righteousnesse the aboundance of grace is eternall life by Iesus Christ And this gift notwithstanding is called an inheritance the inheritance of Children and not the wages of seruants And yet an inheritance which wee although adopted for children doe loose and forfait euerie day as much as in vs lyeth by our sinnes if God euerie houre in the obedience of his Sonne did not restore it vnto vs againe and that of his free gift Ioh. 1. Rom. 8. For saith Saint Iohn He hath vouchsafed vs the honour to be made the children of God And If saith Saint Paul you bee Sonnes you are also heires yea fellow heires with Christ Such is the paines that the Apostle taketh to weede and destroy out of vs this roote of Pharisaisme of pretended merite sometimes making vs heires sometimes Donatories or rather heires Donatories in as much as it is giuen vnto vs to be children which naturally we were not But what child is hee that can be indured or thought worthie to be maintained if hee say that he deserueth and meriteth at his fathers hands and that of his father of whome hee holdeth and inioyeth but this mortall life and that rather but as the instrument then the author thereof Some in like maner asked the auncient fathers The end and scope of the law according to the olde writers wherefore serueth the law of God if we cannot performe it And behold now what was their answere Saint Ambrose The Law worketh and causeth wrath Adam fell to offend by disobedience and to commit a fault by insolencie But in as much as pride was the cause of the fall and the prerogatiue of innocencie the cause of his pride there was iust cause giuen for the making of a Law which might make him subiect vnto God
c. Which the second Councell of Orange resolued vpon in these speeches If any man say that the verie beginnings of faith Et ipse credulitatis affectus by which we belieue in him which iustifieth the wicked and not the growth and increase onely are not the gift of grace by the inspiration of the holy Ghost calling and reclaiming vs from infidelitie to faith from impietie and vngodlinesse to pietie and godlinesse c. Let him bee accompted of as an enemie of the doctrine of the Apostles c. Thus Prosper handled the matter reasoning and arguing the same amongst our Frenchmen and this same controuersie or the like was stirred againe by one Abailardus a long time after against our Countrie man S. Barnard Barnar Dom. Serm. 1. for the vnreclaimable pride of man when all other things yeeld will still stand out and bee last in the field who though he be of the last and newest yet is hee not the least worth or comming behinde the rest for the well handling of this matter God saith he hath washed with the water of an other those who had beene defiled by the sin of an other And yet not in such sort altogether an other mans but that it was our owne withall for otherwise it had not polluted and defiled vs but thus an other mans for that wee haue all sinned in Adam ours because that we our selues also haue sinned And howbeit that wee haue sinned in an other yet it was imputed vnto vs by the iudgement of God a iust iudgement and sentence though secret and hidden And yet notwithstanding O man thou hast no cause to complaine thy selfe for in stead of Adam his disobedience thou hast the obedience of Christ freely giuen vnto thee c. Idem Serm. 4. in fer hebdo Of Christ saith he who is come freely to iustifie sinners to make seruants his brethren and slaues fellow-heires with him and banished men kings He hath said Consummatum est All is fulfilled and finished there is nothing left vndone that ought to bee done c. And how was this done Jn this saith hee that he was made sinne all manner of sinne as well originall as personall hath beene defaced yea euerie single and particular sinne hath beene banished and cast out shall mans miseries then ouercome Gods mercies or rather the mercies the miseries And he hath not onely taken vpon him the forme of a seruant to be made subiect but of an euill seruant to bee beaten and of a seruant of sinne to pay the punishment he himselfe notwithstanding being the partie in whome there was no fault c. Let not therefore the name of holinesse astonish thee Idem Serm. 3. ad fratres Propositum Idem in fest Sanctor For God calleth not Saints according to merite but according to his owne ordinance and decree that is to say according to his purpose not according to their affections but according to his owne intention And he rendreth a reason in an other place For saith he What can our righteousnesse bee before God but a menstruous cloth as the Prophet saith All our righteousnesse to be short but vnrighteousnesse And then by a stronger reason what shall our sinnes be And therefore let vs haue recourse with the Prophet vnto mercie alone for it is that alone that is able to saue our soules and only that mercie extended and exhibited in Iesus Christ alone Idem de sepulchro ad milites In Christ alone saith he who taking vpon him the burden of the punishment but being nothing possessed of the fault hath merited life and righteousnesse for vs with God In Christ alone who dying for sinners hath remitted the sinne whereby it commeth to passe that there saith hee remaineth no more place for merite and yet notwithstanding our debt is paid In Christ alone in whose death death is hunted and chased away and his righteousnesse imputed vnto vs. But VVhat a peece of Iustice is it wilt thou say that the innocent and guiltlesse should die for the transgressor and guiltie person Yes And not iustice onely but a worke of mercie also c. But againe How may the gutltie be iustified by this death Nay why may or should hee not One shall haue sinned and all shall be guiltie Now then should the innocencie of one extend and bee imputed but to one The sinne of one hath brought death vpon all And the righteousnesse of one should it restore life but to one The sinne of Adam shall bee imputed vnto me and shall not the righteousnesse of Christ appertaine vnto me The disobedience of one hath spoyled me and shall not the obedience of the other doe me any seruice Multo germanius Idem in Psal 91. Serm. 14. Idem in Cant. Serm. 13.14.22.23 Illibata c Nay rather saith hee we are borne of God according to the spirite both more naturally and lawfully then of Adam according to the fleshe c. And therefore saith hee Iesus Christ hath power to forgiue sinnes as God and to die as man and in dying to acquit the debt of death in that hee was iust and himselfe to bee sufficient for vs all both vnto righteousnesse and vnto life c. Jn this righteousnesse saith hee thou art saued gratis and for nothing in respect of thy selfe but in respect of him not altogedound without any touch or stroke of man therein as hauing alone triumphed ouer the enemie alone deliuered the sillic captiues alone encountred and alone ouercome c. For such as will establish their owne righteousnesse which iustifieth not but accuseth there can no better fall out vnto them then that they should be giuen ouer to their owne righteousnesse which will ouerset and ouerwhelme them in stead of iustifying of them c. But on the contrarie O Lord the sweete smell of thy righteousnesse is so large and farre and wide spread euerie where throughout as that thou art knowne not onely to bee iust and righteous but iustice and righteousnesse it selfe euen that righteousnesse which iustifieth the sinner c. And it is saith hee in this righteousnesse that I am iustified and made righteous For inlighten thou mine eyes and I become prudent and of good vnderstanding remember not the sinnes of my youth and then I become iust guide me in the way and then I become holy but if thy bloud doe not sue for me I doe not attaine saluation But blessed and not iust alone is hee to whome sinne is not imputed c. It is sufficient therefore for me and in stead of all righteousnesse Indulgen Dei Idem Serm. 61 to haue him fauourable and mercifull vnto me against whome alone I haue sinned All that whatsoeuer he hath appointed not to bee imputed vnto me is as if it neuer had beene The righteousnesse of God is not to sinne the righteousnesse of man is Gods pardon Hitherto we see how this holy person cannot satisfie himselfe or thinke that he hath
righteousnesse of God by which we are iustifyed And they are said to be of God and of the Lord because that both the one and the other are the giftes of his bountifull liberalitie Againe And by this faith wee are iustified not by the workes of the Law neither of nature neither yet by the power of free wil for iustification is obtained by faith Idem in c. 10. ad Rom. and thus by the righteousnesse of faith is accomplished the true righteousnesse of the Law yea saith he notwithstanding we be iustified by faith yet it is gratis for euen faith it selfe is a franke and free gift proceeding from aboue c. Againe Idem in c. 5. ad Rom. My impietie saith hee meriteth not this benefit but what is it then which the pietie of my redeemer meriteth Neither yet my vnrighteousnesse maliciousnesse or pride but what is it then that on the contrarie his righteousnesse goodnesse and humilitie cannot effect and bring to passe Yea what is not the punishment of the Crosse able to preuaile in against the kingdom of death Or the Son of God made man for the redemption of man especially seeing that with him and in him al our sinnes are pardoned and forgiuen vs and all his graces giuen vnto vs This faith therefore which iustifieth shall it goe bare naked and vnaccompanied Shall it not carrie with it good workes Yes rather it will appeare and shine out more euidently by workes but not therefore iustifie vs by the workes thereof Haimo saith From faith man commeth to workes Haimo in c. 11 ad Rom. but not from workes to faith faith is conceiued in the heart vttered and confessed by the mouth and garnished by good workes and by this faith liueth the iust and righteous man vnto eternall life but as for that which is without workes it is dead Idem in c. 1. 4. Now if Abraham himselfe had beene able to haue beene iustified without being assisted by the grace of God then the gift of iustification should not haue beene reckoned as a gift but as a thing of dutie and then Christ should haue died in vaine Ausbertus We must first belieue for after that a man belieueth he loueth Ausbert l. 2. c. 2. in Apocaly p. Theophyl in c. 6. ad Ephes An Ielme in c. 1. ad Rom. Ausbert in A-Apocaly p. l. 10 c 22. Radulph l. 1. c. 1. in Leuit. and faith and loue do make vs doe good workes Theophilact Charitie without faith profiteth nothing yea which is more without faith it cannot be Anselme By faith the soule beginneth to liue being before dead by infidelitie And faith by which a man liueth worketh by loue because that faith without works is dead But Ausbertus saith How holie and righteous soeuer a man may be yet he is alwaies in such case as that he may still grow and increase in vertue whereupon the Psalmist saith Lord shouldest thou forget to take pitie vpon me c. And Radulphus Hardly can a man doe anie good worke without the cleauing thereto of some sinne and therefore it is to be feared that so long as we expect and looke for the recompence of perfect deuotion God still exacteth the penaltie of the sinne which wee haue mingled therewith And Anselme Anselm de mensur crucis If a man should serue God a thousand yeares and that with great zeale and feruencie hee should not merit ex condigno to inherite the kingdome of heauen one halfe day For saith he in another place Workes are by grace and not grace by workes Idem in c. 2. ad Galath and therefore no man by anie meanes can be iustified by workes but onely by faith which proceedeth of grace And yet herewithall I am not ignorant that sometimes these selfe same Doctors doe attribute much to workes As when Haimo following Cesarius his trace Haimo super Euang. in oct Pasch setteth downe seuen waies for the obtaining of remission of sins And when Rabanus recommendeth to the same end fasting and almes deedes and yet rather as themselues say To enter into a certaine kind of recompence for their veniall sinnes which notwithstanding is contrarie to their owne Maxims then to merite rather thereby to shew forth some tokens of repentance then to make vp any worke of satisfaction c. Then thus it behoueth namely that their Maxims stand firme and immoueable and that what they say more bee squared and bounded by them and that so much the rather because such Maxims are vttered by them at such times as when they speake not after the conceipt of their owne corrupt and carnall sence but as searchers and seekers out of the true and proper sence and meaning of the word of God And yet notwithstanding all this we are farre off from those kindes of doctrine which came to bee preached in the beginning of this age wherein we liue namely That workes without faith do merite to receiue and haue faith giuen That the works of the faithful do merite deserue eternall life That Christians are able to merite the same not only for themselues but also for others c. And thus we are come to the yeare 1100. But this was the mischiefe that that which was preached ordinarilie to the people by the Priestes whether couetous or ignorant could more preuayle to leade them out of the way then the other which was written by these Doctors who were not but for the learned could worke to reduce and bring them into the way And on the other side that the soile whereinto this euill seede fell was verie apt to receiue and intertaine this abuse namely the naturall pride and presumption of man And yet further we are to note and obserue that which wee haue seene intreating of the inuocation of Saints that in the Catechisme of the sicke or rather such as draw neere their death Anselm in Ep. manuscript drawne out of the Epistles of Anselme they were daily taught to oppose and set against the reprochfull checkes of Sathan and the deadly accusations of their owne consciences nothing but the onely merit of our Lord and against the wrath of God for sinne no other thing then his righteousnesse And for a further proofe by a place out of Anselme a sufficient scantling and taste whereby wee may see what consideration all the holy men of the same age Anselme in medit bad of this matter My life saith he doth astonish me for when I haue well and throughly sifted it I find it either wholly sinne or else nothing but barrennesse But and if there appeare any fruit it is either counterfeit or imperfect or else corrupted and spoyled in such sort as that it cannot possibly please God yea that it cannot possibly but displease him In summe either it is wholly inwrapped in sinne and thereupon damnable or vnfruitfull and thereby contemptible But what cause or neede is there that there should a difference be
is swaruing and degenerating from the other wee must first consider after what manner the holy Supper was instituted that holy Supper which is the sacrament of the new Testament and succeeded the feast of the Passeouer which was the Sacrament of the olde that holy supper which is the true commemoration and memoriall of the sacrifice of the lambe without spot or blemish slaine for our sinnes the figure and representation whereof had before beene liuely set out in the Paschall lambe For we do altogether agree in this all the sort of vs that as the law was ordained to leade vs to grace Moses and the Prophets to bring vs to Christ euen so all the propitiatorie sacrifices of the law were to fit and to prepare vs for the laying holde vppon that true and onely propitiatorie the very lambe which taketh vpon him the sinnes of the worlde And all the sacrifices of thankesgiuing likewise which were offered for the acknowledgement of temporall benefites serued to stirre vs vp to the consideration of this great and vnspeakeable spirituall benefite which it pleased God according to the riches of his mercie to manifest and lay open in his Sonne And therefore as we must come to the knowledge of the Masse by the holy Supper so to that of the holy Supper by the Passeouer the holy Supper hauing succeeded the Passeouer by the institution of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Masse in the Church of Rome hauing taken vp the place of the holy supper through the corruption which hath beene brought in by the See and gouernment of Antichrist Behold therefore the institution of the Passeouer in Exodus Pharao perseuering in his rebelliousnes Exod. 1◠That the holy Supper came in place of the Passeouer God declared vnto Moses that he would roote out all the first borne of Egypt yet neuerthelesse to the end he might put some difference betwixt the vessels of his wrath and those of his mercie he would spare the first borne of Israell spare them I say not because of any their merites but for his owne compassions sake through the fauour purchased by the lambe slaine for sinne from the foundation of the world Wherefore hee ordained that in euerie familie betwixt two euens a lambe without spot for a type and figure of the true and verie lambe should bee killed and eaten that with the bloode thereof the postes of the houses of his people should be sprinckled to the end that the destroying Angell might passe ouer as an euident warning and admonition that whereas this blood was not sprinkled what familie or person soeuer it might be there was nothing but matter for his wrathfull anger to worke and feede vpon that moreouer this killing of this lambe should bee renewed euery yeare and that for euer to teach and instruct the ages to come as well in the memorie of the benefites alreadie receiued as in the expectation and faithfull looking for of greater that were to come and to be receiued Now in this institution wee haue both a Sacrament and a sacrifice to consider and thinke vpon In the Passeouer is a Sacrament and a sacrifice The Sacrament giuen of God vnto his people for a seale and assurance of his promise and of the fulfilling of the same for to this end are the Sacraments giuen of God vnto his people when he saith And this blood shal be for a signe vnto you in your houses that when I shall see it I will passe-ouer and that there shall not be any deadly stroke amongst you when I shall smite Egypt A sacrifice offred vp to God by his people for as properly are sacrifices offered vp to God by the people as Sacramentes come from God are giuen to the people as is witnessed when he saith And this day shall be for a memoriall vnto you and you shall keepe holy this feast in your generations in as much as God smote Egipt and passed notwithstanding ouer our houses c. Such a Sacrament notwithstanding as leadeth vs from this lambe vnto another lambe from this blood vnto an other bloode and from this temporall effectualnesse vnto a spirituall in as much as it is chosen without spotte it is for a signe of our Redeemer his innocencie and in that it is slaine it serueth vs for a signe of his death and passion in that it is eaten it is a signe to vs of that life and nourishment which wee draw from his death and of our communicating of his flesh and of his bloode as being bone of his bones flesh of his flesh c. And a Sacrifice also which besides that it is truely and verily one of the number of those which were of praise and thankesgiuing ceaseth not neuerthelesse any manner of way to hold the place of a propitiatorie seeing that this lambe offered by the father of the familie doth prefigure vnto vs the lambe which the heauenly father did sacrifice vpon the tree of the crosse for the saluation of such as were of his houshould through faith and our Propitiation in his bloode as it is expounded by S. Iohn the fore-runner Ioh. 1.19 Behold the lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde And by the Euangelist in better forme referring and applying that to the substance and truth which was ordained and decreed of the type and figure To the end saith he that the Scripture might be fulfilled There shall not one of his bones be broken Now our Lord the true and verie lambe The same in the holy Supper to what end which came to fulfill the law and not to destroy it kept the feast of the typicall or figuratiue lambe with his disciples both according to this institution as also according to all the circumstances thereof Hee kept it I say the fourteenth day of the moneth beginning at the euening according to the order of the Hebrewes the first day of vnleauened bread betwixt two euens that is to say betwixt the euening Sacrifice and the Sunne-set Therein hee likewise obserued the accustomed washing excepted onely that hee therewithall endeuoured to draw men euermore from the naked ceremony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the doctrine contained therin there he taught vs humilitie washing the feet of his disciples whose dutie it was without all doubt to haue washed his Thereat after Supper he distributed and gaue the bread and the cup from hand to hand vnto his Apostles as he was wont to do vpon that day among the Iewes in a certaine kind of collation which they call Aphicomin of the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise Kinnuah but in steed of the words which euery housholder did vtter in this distribution which intimated no other thing to those that stood by then the miseries they sustained in Egypt and Gods mercy which had deliuered them from the same our Lord in this action as oftentimes elsewhere raiseth their spirites from the type to the truth from the shadowe to the
mysterie as indeed there is neuer any mention made but of bread simplie And all the offringes from amongst which the breade of the holie supper was taken was such bread as was ordinarilie vsed to bee eaten in houses which as al men might see was not without leauen seeing that the old church did communicate euerie day except wee will not belieue that the Christians likewise did not eate any other bread at their owne houses but vnleauened bread Chrysost 1. Cor. c. 5. Chrysostome saieth Take no care hereafter about this leauen for now likewise thou hast an other lumpe the shadowes are past And Gregorie the Great maketh not mention of anie other bread in the holie supper then the common and vsuall such as they kneaded and baked at the Bakers house and was solde in the market at Rome Gregor in Registio Likewise in his Register we haue these wordes When wee take the breade whether it be leauened or vnleauened wee are made a bodie of the Lord our Sauiour Againe expounding the Passeouer vnto the Christians he saith Hee eateth vnleauened bread which doth good works and when they are done doth not marre them with vain glorie and hee that doth the workes of mercie without the mingling of sinne with them c. To be brief Niceph. l. 8. c. 53. 54. Nicephorus intreating of the heresie of the Theopaschites and Monophysites so called because they taught that the Godheade it selfe did suffer doth obserue and note for our behoofe that in the supper they vsed vnleauened bread and not common and ordinarie bread And this they affirmed that they held from Gregorie the great Bb. of Armenia so far was it off to be held at that time either for an heresie or for an error to vse common bread in the celebrating of the holy supper And this was after the year 700. Insomuch as that it may seem that this custom entred into the Latine Church about the same time that the popes delighted themselues to trim vp their churches with al maner of Iewish ceremonies after they had once spoild and robd it of al her principal and goodly ornaments indeed as humilitie simplicitie purity c. And indeed the Decretal of Clement the third about the yeare 1188. against the Priests which vsed cups of wood leauened bread sheweth that this ordinance was not as yet throughlie established De celebrat Miss cont lit We reade that about the year 1100. there began a schisme betwixt the Greeke and Latine Church about this matter and that the reasons were handled on the one parte and on the other by Nicaetas Monke of Constantinople standing for the partie of Michael the Patriarke and Humbert Bb. of Sylua Candida standing for the side of Leo the 9. the one and the other shewing himselfe but weake in that they striue to make that necessarie which the Church had helde indifferent The worst was that vppon this question and controuersie these two Bishoppes fell into an other namely the Primacie or supremacie Durand l. 4. c. 41. Extrauag de celebr Miss C. finali Thom Aquin. op 1. cont error Grec c. 32. Hildebert Ceneman Ep. 44. which caused that neither of them to auoide the impeachment and weakening of his authority would yeeld a haires bredth from his conceiued opinion For about this time Durandus wrote that the Masse might bee celebrated with leauened bread and brought in to proue his purpose the Extrauagantes de Celeb Miss And Thomas Aquinas after him That of a truth it agreeth better with the puritie of the mysticall bodie to vse vnleauened bread in this sacrament but not saith hee as though it coulde not bee well administred with leauened bread And the Epistle of Hildebert Bb. of Mans which censureth the Priest that had offered common bread vseth these wordes Therein hee swarueth from the rule of custome but not of faith and it behoueth thee to correct the fact Concil Ferrar. as a scandall and offence rather then as a sinne and that thou carrie thy selfe rather like a Father towardes him then like a Judge And this thing was afterward decided by a Councell held at Ferrara for the agreeing and reuniting of the Greeke and Latine Churches That it was indifferent to celebrate the holy Supper either with leauened or vnleauened breade And therefore why shoulde such differing and disagreeing affections continue so long for thinges so reasonable and indifferent Of the wine The like hath beene about the wine of the Lordes Supper Some vnder the colour of sobrietie would vse water and not wine Of such S. Augustine and Epiphanius make mention amongst the Heretikes and not without cause seeing they abolished one part of the substance of the Sacrament But S. Cyprian doth refute them sharpelie and bringeth them backe to the institution of Christ who onely must bee heard in all thinges concerning them And hereupon it is that he hath it so oft in his writings That in this sacrament which is Christ no man is to be heard but Christ himselfe Others would haue the wine delaied with water and the most auncient Christians did so vse it and that not without apparant shew inasmuch as the people of the Easte did not ordinarilie vse wine without water as the Hebrew and Greeke phrases of speech do proue howsoeuer they alledge other reasons for thus their vsing of it as that there came out of our Lord his side water and blood That this is a signe of the two natures in Christ or rather of the vnion of Christ with his church allegorizing vppon euerie thing according to their accustomed maner Howsoeuer it bee notwithstanding it may bee that the course of the text would not shew vs in this particular point of the blood and water anie thing but the true and vndoubted death of the Lord in this that the wound had pierced the case of his heart because also that if wee should fall to allegorizing then with the greatest part of the Fathers we shold thence collect and gather the two sacraments of the Church that is Baptisme from the water and the Eucharist from the blood c. Onely let vs not finde fault with this obseruation prouided that it bee voide of superstition that is free from condemning of those which do not administer anie thing but onely wine as also without any preiudice to the libertie which Christ hath left vnto his children which will not admit any manner of necessitie but that which is grounded vpon the holy word If any doe contrarywise bring in any other necessitie wee affirme that it is not without an error because as they themselues do say to make that to bee a matter of faith which is not is to sinne and erre in the faith And therefore wee condemne the Canons of the church of Rome which say absolutelie that the wine cannot bee administred without water Canon Oportet C. in sacrament D. 2. de Consâ— seeing there is nothing saide or
out the efficacie thereof so fullie and largelie as they might But beholde the Councell of Trent assembled and called together not to reforme the Church of Rome as the Christian Princes had hope they woulde but rather to authorize and establish euen the most ill fauoured and deformed things that were therein for so they prouided and brought to passe therein If anie man holde and maintaine sayeth it that the Masse is not a true and proper sacrifice but rather a sacrifice of representation and praise and not propitiatorie for the liuing and the deade for sinnes punishmentes satisfactions and all other necessities let him bee accursed Cursing thereby in a fewe wordes the whole Scripture and all the olde Church And Pope Pius the fourth in whose time it was helde thrust into the oath which Bishoppes were to take this Article in expresse wordes I belieue that there is offered vnto God in the Masse Onuph in vita Pii 4. a true proper and propitiatorie Sacrifice for the quick and the dead c. But what And is there such abhomination in the Masse Let vs make a plaine and simple rehearsall of the principall errors therein without anie making of them more heinous and grieuous then they are indeede The first This pretended Sacrifice hath no institution or warrant in the worde of God but hath it on the contrarie directlie against it What audacious boldenes was this in man to dare to inuent of his owne braine a sacrifice by which God might bee appeased and made at one with vs And what other thing is it but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Seruice deuised of our owne carnall and corrupte sense and by consequent condemned of God who hath saide vnto vs In vaine doe you worshippe mee according to the Traditions of men c. The seconde This Sacrifice is a cleare and euident wresting and corrupting of the holy Supper and of the vse thereof whereby of a Sacrament ordained of God to assure vs of his good grace in Iesus Christ there is framed a Sacrifice whereby wee pretende to merite the same yea and that not hee onelie which doeth offer the same but those also that doe but stande by and beholde the same and that by their meere presence though they haue neuer a good thought or motion within them What is this then but to abolish the holie Supper of the Lorde vnder the colour of offering of it And who is hee that will any longer care to come to the Lordes Supper in the straight examining of his conscience if by the onelie hearing of a Masse hee may bee assured of eternall life And againe what presumption to dare thus to transforme the Will and Testament of the Sonne of God made and set downe in his holie Supper a thing not to bee endured in the Will and Testament of anie meane or base person The thirde The Masse is derogatorie to the onelie Sacrifice of the Sonne of God made vppon the Crosse and that not onelie by putting it selfe in place thereof but also by aduancing and setting forth of the power and efficacie thereof farre aboue the other It is saide There is but one oblation the Sonne of God giuen for the sinnes of the worlde this oblation the Masse will needes bee and yet renued and reiterated euerie howre Whereas there is pardon and remission of sinnes sayeth the Apostle there is no more anie oblation to bee offered And what should followe of this continuall and ordinarie repeating of this Sacrifice but that as yet there is no remission And that the sacrifice of Christ is either vnprofitable or imperfect And who doubteth but that this is the same which the Apostle called the frustrating and making of the Crosse of Christ of no effect and what more woulde hee haue made of it if hee had hearde the rest of their blasphemies as that the sacrifice of the Crosse hath not purged and done awaye anie but originall sinne but that the Masse hath taken awaye actuall sinnes c. and by consequent to become fellowe-worker with the same What can this bee tearmed but to declare the Sacrifice of Christ insufficient to renounce the power as also the benefite therof both together The fourth The Masse taketh awaye asmuch as lyeth in it the onelie Priesthoode of Iesus Christ whereof no other creature is capable for seeing it was requisite that the Priest shoulde bee eternall and the sacrifice infinite followeth it not that one and the same was to bee both the Priest and the Sacrifice And what other then but the Sonne of God offering vppe himselfe once to God by the holie Ghost and alwaies by his infinite merite making intercession for the infinite multitude of our sinnes vnto the infinite iustice and mercie of God And what a blasphemie is it then to say that anie man yea or that anie creature is able to performe the same And these are the abhominations which wee finde in the Masse as they make it the pretended sacrifice of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ propitiatorie for the quicke and the deade for such a one our aduersaries doe teach it to bee the rest rising of the deprauing and corrupte wresting of the sacrament shall bee spoken of hereafter And now wee are to goe about the finding out of the originall and first beginning as also of the growth and proceeding of this applying of the benefite thereof to the deade deriued and fetcht as one error from an other from the opinion or rather imagination of Purgatorie CHAP. VI. That Purgatorie the foundation of Masses for the deade is not at all and first that it was not knowne in the Church of Israell or vnder the olde Testament ONe of the great imployments of the Masse That Purgatorie should haue had place in the church of the Iewes if there be any such thing is about the deade such deade as are not in Paradice for such haue no need of anie neither yet for such as are in hell for they all agree that it wold not any whit auaile them but rather for a certain number whome they pretend to be in a certain third place which they call Purgatory wherein they are to purge and make satisfaction for their sins of which when they went out of this worlde they were not acquited cleansed for the purging whereof there is no other helpe but that which may bee procured and supplied by a number of Masses Surelie man was a sinner and mortall from the beginning of the world yea man I say was subiect to dye in sinne being indebted by sinne and by consequent to incurre this penaltie of Purgatorie God likewise from all eternitie both iust mercifull iust in hauing appointed this punishment for sinne from the first creation of mankinde and mercifull as hauing taught him from the beginning the meanes of mitigating and remedying the same Which doctrine proueth Purgatorie to bee no newe fiction if so bee it may haue place but to haue beene
bee able to make it to serue in the distinction that followeth of her that had brought forth a sonne or a daughter and how in the number of dayes of the one or of the other But the point is that they haue neither Greeke nor Hebrew Paraphrast neither Iewish nor yet Christian Commentarie which euer could finde out Purgatorie by this text Origen who hath made an expresse Homily vpon this verse notwithstanding he be greatlie delighted in allegorizing Orig. hom 9. in Leuit. Ieronym in Ezech. c. 49.47 Theod. in Leuit c. 12. could not perceiue anie such matter therein And as farre off was Saint Ierome expounding the same in his Commentarie vpon Ezechiel Theodoret likewise who handleth this question Wherefore there is appointed a double time for the purging of her that hath brought forth a daughter in respect of her which hath brought forth a sonne Caietan sayeth verie well From all these lawes this instruction and point of pietie Caietan in Leuit c. 12. 1. Sam. 2.6 may verie well bee drawne That wee were borne from our mothers wombe subiect to sinne c. In the first of Samuell Hanna sayeth in her song The Lord is he which destroyeth and raiseth to life which throweth downe into the graue and raiseth vppe againe from thence which giueth pouertie and riches which humbleth and exalteth And because that this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie a graue and hell they wil haue it to signifie hel in that place and notwithstanding that it may bee vnderstoode for Purgatorie But this place is expounded by it selfe for these wordes Which throweth downe to the graue and bringeth backe againe are no other thing but according to the manner of the Hebrewes the expositors of the former which killeth and bringeth to life againe as in the verse following which humbleth and exalteth is contained the exposition of the wordes going before Who maketh poore and filleth with riches c. Psal 30. Psal 71. But Dauid himselfe without any other will expound it vnto vs The Lord hath lift vp my soule out of the graue or out of hell And in another place Thou hast shewed me manifold troubles but afterward thou turnedst vnto me and hast quickened me and brought me from the depth of the earth But this did no man euer vnderstand to be meant of purgatorie and the Chaldie Paraphrast whom they alleadge is against them God saith he carieth to the graue and bringeth backe againe Ad vitam saeculi to the life of this world that is to say to the life present as appeareth by this word Rursus And Lyranus saith There is not hell in Hebrew but the pit that is to say the graue And that it is his purpose to declare how that he oftentimes giueth life vnto them whom men are giuen to iudge past recouerie as it was with Ezechias But if wee should allegorize their Glosse saith Hee bringeth the obstinate Iewes to hell in as much as he suffreth them to bee led into the condemnation thereof He bringeth backe from thence the Gentiles who did deserue it in calling them backe from idolatrie Tertullian maketh this kind of argument Tertul. l. de resurre carn 28. Contr. Marcion l. 4. c. 34. Cyril Catech. 6 de Monarch Dei Sophron. in serm de Natiuit Dom. August de ciuit Dei l. 17.6.4 That seeing it is the flesh properly which is mortified that is to say which suffereth death that it followeth likewise that it shall bee quickned namely by the resurrection And againe against Marcion That one and the same Christ hath in his power the sentence of eternall death as also of eternall life Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus reasoneth after the same manner against Manes Sophronius Bishop of Constantinople proueth the greatnesse of our redeemer who hath turned the curse by Adam into a blessing his death into life and his fall into a rising againe But S. Augustine standeth more amply vpon it and in better sort saying The Lord killeth and quickneth againe c. and this is nothing els but that which he repeateth againe when he saith He bringeth to the gates of hell and bringeth backe againe He killeth saith he according to that which the Apostle saith If you be dead with Christ seeke the things which are aboue c. For you are dead c. And afterward he addeth And our life is hid with Christ behold how he killeth them holesomely behold how he reuiueth and quickneth them againe But hee bringeth them likewise saith he to hell and bringeth them backe againe Without doubt saith he this was accomplished in our head in whom our life is hid For he that hath not spared his owne Sonne hath slaine him for vs and in that he hath raised him vp againe he hath also quickened him brought him to hell and backe againe according to that which hath beene said Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell and of his pouertie we are made rich c. By their accompt it should follow holding the exposition of Saint Augustine that our Lord had beene in purgatorie Saint Gregorie God slayeth and bringeth backe againe to life Gregor in 1. Reg. c. 1. and behold saith he the order in as much as hee bringeth to hell and bringeth backe againe For in respect of God to bring downe to the gates of hell that is to strike amased the hartes of sinners with the apprehension of eternall torments and to bring them backe from thence that is to relieue their astonished hearts sorrowing and bewailing their faultes by the hope of eternall life c. And yet euerie one knoweth if hee fauour purgatorie or no. Hugo the Cardinall This is a metaphoricall speech He bringeth Phenenna euen into extreame affliction taking her children from her hee bringeth againe Hanna making her fruitfull when she was barren And so saith he by hell in many places is vnderstood great affliction Caietan in l. 1. Reg. c. 2. Cardinall Caietan in like manner In Hebrew saith he it is He bringeth downe into the pit and causeth to rise vp againe And for that he vseth a verbe of the Preter-tense and not of the future I am constrained by the name of pit to vnderstand in this place neither hell nor graue but rather a prison For from the creation vnto the time of Hanna there was not any that rise out of hell none that rise againe from the dead but God hath often caused many free and innocent persons to be put in prison and hath brought many out from thence againe In the last of the first of Samuel it is said That the valiant men of Israel 1. Sam. the last Chapt. ver the last 2. Sam. 1.12 after the ouerthrow of Saule did burie the bodie of Saule and of his children burned them in Iabes tooke their bones buried them and fasted seuen daies And in the 2. Sam. 1.12 that Dauid mourned wept and fasted And thereupon Bellarmine reasoneth thus He fasted therefore
righteousnesse in this life The Glosse saith Insult not vppon mee Babilon because I sitte in darknesse that is to say in captiuitie for God will haue pittie on mee and deliuer mee Lyranus in like manner Reioyce not at the ruine of Iuda I am fallen Hieronim Theodor. in Mich. 7. but I shall be deliuered by Cyrus who shall wrecke the iudgement and wrath of God vppon thee Saint Ierome addeth thereunto that the morall sence may bee that God woulde not the death of a sinner but that hee should bee conuerted and liue that God by his punishmentes leadeth men vnto amendment of life c. That this is a like speech to that of Esay 9. The people that lay c. Theodoret also I shall budde and put forth againe being relieued by the care and assistance of the name of God he will enlighten me in my darkenesse hee will deliuer mee from them which haue made warre against mee hee hath condemned mee iustly but I expect and waite for his iust iudgement and vpright sentence in respect of manifolde wronges which they haue done vnto mee and in respect of manifolde rightes which they haue detained and kept backe from mee Cardinall Hugo in like manner In darknesse that is in the captiuitie of the Medes and Persians And for the mysticall sence This is Ierusalem or the penitent soule which saith If I bee fallen through sinne I shall rise vp againe by pennance and after the darknesse of heauinesse sorrow and sinne I shall see the light of ioy and righteousnesse c. Namely Iesus Christ who was made vnto me wisedome and righteousnesse c. Now I would haue them to answere from their consciences if these interpretations bee not more worth then the morall of their owne Glose besides which they haue not any thing to alleadge I will beare the wrath of God that is to say here or in Purgatorie For as for that which Bellarmine taketh out of Saint Ierome vpon Esay namely that this place was wont to be alleadged for Purgatorie it had beene his parte to haue put in therewithall that it was by them who thought that the paines of hell it selfe were purgatories and should haue their ende where also hee knoweth him to speake of Origen But saith hee these are thinges that wee are to let rest as knowne vnto God alone And therefore if hee obstinately and stifly stand out and maintaine that Saint Ierome did vnderstand it otherwise yet let him giue eare vnto his owne good counsell and for euer hereafter cease to say any thing of Purgatorie Zacharie 9. It is said Zacha. 9.11 By the blood of thy couenant thou hast deliuered thy prisoners out of the lake wherein there was no water The proper sence is Because of the blood of thy couenant I will let thy prisoners out of the pitte c. And in deede the Chaldie Paraphrast hath read it so in plaine and euident sorte But let vs approue and like of theirs Now the Prophete speaketh there of the spirituall deliuerance by the Messias as it appeareth throughout the whole Chapter handling the same by way of allusion vnto the deliuerance whereby they were brought out of Babilon and by comparing the lowest dungeon where men lie with irons on their feete to the puddle and filthie mudpitte of the slauish thraldome of sinne But let vs heare the fathers Saint Augustine August de ciuit Dei l. 18. c. 35. Hieronym in Zachar. c 9. by the lake vnderstandeth the deepe drinesse of mans miserie where there is no current of righteousnesse but a caske of cursed iniquitie And he citeth Psalme 40. to that ende Hee hath pulled mee out of the myre and puddle of miserie Saint Ierome vnderstandeth it Of the euerlasting paines and punishment from which Iesus Christ hath deliuered vs by his blood And although hee alleadge the opinion of some that the Prophete speaketh of those which should rise againe with our Lord yet he standeth not vpon that Theodoret Those whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood thou hast sent with these sauing testamentes to publish libertie vnto all And this lake saith hee whether a man vnderstand it of eternal death or of idolatry he shal not erre or wander far out of the way or otherwise if it bee meant of the captiuitie of the Chaldeans in respect of the limitation of the time and so the Glose taketh it Cardinall Hugo after the letter vnderstandeth it of Christ Hugo ibid. redeeming the faithfull by his blood mystically Of the fathers bought and brought by him out of the Limbes but not out of Purgatorie because say some That in the Limbes there is the water of consolation but not in Purgatorie c. And by this meanes the chiefest and best learned both of olde and newe writers are on our side But what will they say against the Euangelist Saint Mathewe who alleadgeth this whole place for the comming of Christ the redemption of the Church by his blood c. Malachie 3. Malachie 3. Behold saith the Lord I send my messenger c. And who can endure the day of his comming He is as one that refineth and tryeth gold and as the fullers sope hee shal sit as one that refineth and purifieth siluer he shall cleanse the sonnes of Leui c. This place is alleadged by all the Euangelists of the comming of Christ being forerunned by Iohn Baptist in his first comming c. and their exposition should content vs for the vnderstanding of these words of the power and efficacie of the ministery of the Gospel for the purging and putting away of sinne The Glosse saith He will refine them namely his elect by diuers temptations he wil purge the sonnes of Leui that is to say his Apostles But our aduersaries would not haue any purgatory for them August de ciuit Dei l. 20. c. 25. What then They wold hold themselues vnto S. Augustine his sence who notwithstanding vnderstandeth this place of the day of iudgement It appeareth saith he by this place that in the day of iudgement there shal some onely suffer Purgatorias poenas certain punishments to purge them But what is there in these words that agreeth with their pretended purgatorie the practise efficacie whereof is working dayly without any waiting or staying for this iudgement And so likewise S. Ambrose Chrysostome alleadgeth it for a proofe that our Lord will come in the day of iudgement in fire Chrysost t. 5. hom Quod Christus Deus S. Ierome vnderstandeth the purgation to be accomplished in this world so well as that he saith That those of Leui after they haue beene purged as gold in the furnace they will offer vnto God iust and vpright sacrifices Theodor in hunc locum Zachar 9. Theodoret more neere vnto the text saith The Prophet doth set before vs in this place the Lord as it were a workman scouring wiping away the filthines of our sins deliuering our soules from
are dead in sinne without the exception of any as in the place aboue they haue added Dempta virgine Maria Except the Virgine Marie And Petrus de Natalibus hath beene as impudent in daring to attribute vnto her the feast of the Conception S. Barnard speaking of S. Iohn Baptist Bernard de excel sanctir Ioan Bapt. Serm. 75. in Cantic in the Sermon of his holinesse All we which come into the world doe bring with vs a great band of originall sinne be onely that hath not done any sinne is excepted Againe intreating of the Conception of the holy Virgine Christ the man onely excepted that which a certaine man humbly confesseth of himselfe that is to say Dauid respecteth all men in generall I am conceiued in iniquities and my mother hath conceiued me in sinne Yea and he goeth further euen to the kindling and mouing of his choler Idem Ep. 174 ad fratres Lugdun Potho Prunien Presbyter l. 5. de statu Domus Dei The virgine Marie which is vp heaped with true honours needeth not any false and counterfetted ones for that is not to honour but to dishonour her The seast of the Conception ought not to bee instituted it is neither according to the custome of the Church nor according to reason nor yet from any tradition there was none but our Lord onely that was conceiued without sinne wherefore shee will willingly forgoe this honour whereby we either honour a sinne or falsifie and belie a holinesse c. And Potho about the yeare 1200. doth speake of the same Lombard said It may be said and belieued Lombard l. 3. d 3. according to the attestations and testimonies of the Saints that the verie flesh of the word should haue in times past beene subiect to sinne as all the flesh of the holy Virgine but that it was kept pure and cleane by the operation of the holy Ghost in such sort as that it was vnited and ioyned to the word free from all manner of contagion And thus you may see the opinion of the Church vnto the yeare 1200. and more As for that which may follow after what authoritie or what credite is it worthie to haue Lombard vpon a good intent began to say That it was to be belieued that shee was purged from originall sinne when shee conceiued our Lord. Some others would adde thereunto that she should haue beene conceiued in originall sinne but that shee should be borne without sinne hauing beene sanctified in the wombe of her mother But Occam restraineth the matter to this head Occam l. 3. sentent q. 2. as that shee should not bee able to sinne but venially Scotus more boldly that shee should be conceiued without originall sinne contrarie to him are Thomas Bonauenture Gregorie de Rimini c. And for want of proofe out of the Scripture they caused the Proteuangile of S. Iames an Apocripha booke to make the supplie and for want of the reuealed will of God in his word his Almightines and in stead of the truth a likelyhood in so much as that the Councell of Basil determined Concil-Basil Sess Anno. 1439. that euerie good Catholike ought to belieue that shee was conceiued without originall sinne and that hee ought not to preach or teach to the contrarie In the end Pope Sixtus the fourth seing that the contentions and controuersies would not be appeased Anno. 1483. tooke vpon him by his authoritie to ordaine That the opinions both affirmatiue and negatiue should passe as indifferent what became then of the authoritie of this Councell And that without the staine of heresie to be imputed to either of the sides Anno. 1466. because the holy See had not as yet determined the controuersie Shewing notwithstanding that he inclined more vnto the affirmatiue for that a litle before he had ordained the Office of the feast of the Conception and for that hee graced it with as many and as great priuiledges as the feast of the Sacrament and the Councell of Trent rested thereupon Now hereby wee see how in a short time abuses grow to an extremitie after that the word of God is once cast behinde vs and our owne carnall and corrupt sence set in the throne and Chaire of gouernment But this is our conclusion in the end of the consideration of our estate after the fall and that with the consent and agreement of all the old Church that this fall was mortall both according to the first and second death That it corrupted all mankind in such sort as that blindnesse and peruersnesse seased vpon the vnderstanding Ephe 4.5 Ephe. 2. according to that which S. Paul saith You haue your vnderstanding ouershadowed with the clouds of darknesse you were also darknesse And brutishnesse and concupiscence vppon the will Rom. 8. following that which is said Doing the will of the flesh and of their fantasies c. So long as that all their wisedome became enmitie against God That abiding in the state of nature our condemnation was certaine from which condition and estate it is not notwithstanding in the power of nature to deliuer her selfe neither yet as it followeth by consequent from eternall condemnation in as much as it is not so much a fire which beeing blowne vp breedeth to such a diâ—ease as it is not able to cure vs of againe as a heape of dead ashes a soule in respect of spirituall parts without a soule that is to say which hath lost all whatsoeuer it inioyed of the spirituall life and seperated from God which is the life and spirite thereof and which hath therefore by consequent more need of the powerfull hand and soueraigne grace of the Creator then Lazarus who had beene foure dayes dead for at the least hee resisted not or yet that confused Chaos before that things were reduced and set in good order that is to say of a new fire which he kindleth euen whether it will or no in it and of a newe spirit which by a new grace hee sheddeth abroad into our hearts Whereupon Saint Paul saith When you were dead in your sinnes hee hath quickned you by Christ Ephe. 1. Coloss 2. â—3 Againe You were darknesse but now you are light in the Lord c. And we may see hereupon how that there is not any one creature able to recouer himselfe of his fall without a new infusion of the grace of God and the same beeing of his meere grace that no creature what goodnesse so euer hee practise after this grace can boast himselfe before God neither yet alleadge any merite either for himselfe or for any other it being no other then that pretended merite whereof the Apostle will alwayes bee saying vnto him Ephe. 4. 5. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued c. And which likewise is not able to be an equall match for proportion much lesse in comparison for the reward it challengeth seing it is of too short a time to
For without the Lawe sinne was not knowne whereas now there is no man that can excuse himselfe by ignorance Ambros l. 9. Ep. 71. wherefore it is made First for to take away excuse Secondly to humble euerie man before God by the sight and knowledge of his sinne Sinne did superabound through the Law and began to be offensiue vnto me for to know it as being a thing which by infirmitie I could not auoide for it causeth a man throughly to know that from which no man can keepe himselfe and which cannot but hurt him The Law then is turned vpside downe except that euen by the verie increase of sinne it become profitable vnto me by the meanes of my hauing beene humbled c. In the end transgression increased by the Law and in like manner pride was abated being the originall of transgression and this turned me to profit for as pride deuised and found out transgression euen so transgression hath wrought and brought foorth grace c. Againe Sinne hath shut out the naturall Law yea and almost quite abolished it and therefore this Law succeeded to conuince vs by written testimonies to shut our mouthes and to humble the whole world before God To humble it for as much as by the Law wee are all cast and conuict persons and for that by the workes of the Law there is no man iustified that is to say that by the Law sinne is knowne but the offence is not pardoned It might haue seemed then that the Lawe had brought dammage and hurt with it in that it hath made vs all sinners but the Lord comming hath with vs giuen sentence against the sinne which wee could not auoide and hath cancelled our bill of debt by his bloud c. Ep. 73. The Law therefore saith hee is a Schoolemaster that leadeth vs vnto our Master which master is Christ Saint Augustine The letter of the Law which teacheth that wee ought not to sinne August de spirit liter if the quickning spirit doe not accompanie the same doth kill vs For it hath done more for vs to bring vs to the knowledge of sinne then to the auoiding of the same for euerie way wee stand in need of an absolute righteousnesse when as yet the case so standeth as that there is no man without sinne him onely excepted which is not onely man but God by his nature c. Thus saith hee the righteousnesse of God is manifested but not without the Law for by the Law hee hath shewed vnto man his infirmitie to the end that returning by faith and hauing recourse vnto his mercie he might be healed c. Againe The vnrighteous haue a lawfull vse of the Law as of a Schoolemaster for it is vnto them beeing vnrighteous a iust terrour the iust doe vse it also and yet are not iustified by it but by the Law of faith The Law of workes is in Iudaisme the Lawe of faith in Christianitie c. By the Law of workes God saith Doe this that I commaund you by the Law of faith we say to God Giue and inable vs to doe that which thou commaundest For that which the Law commaundeth is to make vs vnderstand what the Law doth Idem de verb. Apost Ser. 13. What is it then saith he in an other place lawfully and rightly to vse the Law It is to learne what our sicknesse and disease is by the Law The law is a Schoolemaster a guide and gouernour of children the Tutor dooth not giue directions and instructions to the child how to come to him but to his Schoolemaster but to his Master that is to say to Christ In an other place Who is that saith he that can accomplish the Law Idem l. 9. retract so much as in one point besides him who is the author of all the commaundements of God that is to say Christ For likewise in these commaundements we are to pray thus Forgiue vs c. Which the Church is to continue vnto the end of the world But saith he all the commaundements are said to bee fulfilled when that which is not fulfilled is pardoned Thou saiest Idem de perfect Iustit Wherefore then should hee haue commaunded that which could not be fulfilled Nay rather saith he what could he doe more for the good of man then to commaund him to walke vpright to the end that when hee should be brought to confesse and acknowledge that he could not hee might haue recourse vnto the remedie And this is it which hee toucheth in briefe Idem in Iohn c. 3. by way of recapitulation in an other place Seeing that they could not fulfill the Law by their owne power and strength being become guiltie of the Law they haue craued the helpe of the deliuerer To bee conuicted of the Law Reatus legis wrought spite and maliciousnesse in the proude and this spite in the proude brought forth confession in the humble so that now the sicke and diseased doe confesse themselues sicke and diseased Let the Phisition come saie they and heale our diseased and sicke people nowe the Physition is our Lord c. The Demi-pelagians and amongst other of them the Monke Cassianus put foorth this question to Prosper that great Diuine of Fraunce And what is then the vse of the law Prosper Aquit in sentent 42. 44. In Epigram 43. in Psal 118. Verily saith hee that we might seeke for grace euen that grace by the which the Law is fulfilled The law saith he which could not bee fulfilled and that not through it owne default but through ours and our fault was necessarily discouered by the Law that so it might be cured by grace Otherwise the Law doth rather increase sinne then diminish or cut it off in as much as to concupiscence it addeth disobedience And in an other place in one word Chrysost in Ep. ad Rom. hom 5. 17. Idem in 1. Tim. hom 2. Transmittit ernard in Cantic Serm. 50. Jndex peccati lex est c. Saint Chrysostome saith The Law would iustifie man but it cannot for neuer did any man fulfill it and no man can be iustified thereby but in accomplishing of the same a thing which is not possible for any man What doth it then It straineth it selfe it doth his dutie to send vs to him that is able to doe it and the same is Iesus Christ saith he if thou belieue in him And this is the same also that Saint Barnard hath so excellently said God in commaunding vs impossible things hath not properly made men sinners but hath made them humble For in receiuing the commaundement and espying the default we will crie to heauen and God will haue pittie on vs and then also in that day we shall know that it is not by the workes that we shal haue done that we shall be saued but by his mightie power c. Now these which haue so well instructed vs in the office and ministration
be held or reputed for righteous But saith he Iustification is obtained by faith In tantum iustus in quantum saluus In as much as thou art saued in as much as thou art righteous but by faith thou obtainest saluation c. Againe The law saith thou shalt not couet faith saith heale cure my soule Grace saith Behold thou art made whole c. More plainly Righteousnes is by faith by the which we belieue that we are iustified that is to say made righteous by the grace of God by Iesus Christ in such sort as that we are found in him not hauing the righteousnesse which is of the law Idem in Serm. 237. de Temp. Idem in Psal 123. Idem in Ioh. tract 50. 53. but that which is by the faith of Christ And againe If the righteousnes of God be a worke in that we belieue in Christ name the worke To belieue therfore in Christ is called faith c. And by it saith he the iust man liueth Now it is hardly seene that hee liueth ill that belieueth well Againe How saith he shall I possesse and inioy Jesus Christ being absent How shall I put vp my hand into heauen there to take hold on him where hee sitteth Reach thither thy faith and thou hast holde of him The faith of Christ is to belieue in him which iust ifieth the wicked to belieue in him the mediatour to belieue in him the Sauiour Such as are desirous to establish their owne righteousnesse cannot belieue Idem de patient c. 21. Psal 104. And therefore saith hee in another place All the old righteous men euen those which were before the incarnation of Christ were iustified in this faith of Christ in that true righteousnesse which Christ is to vs in that they belieued that that should be fulfilled and done which we belieue to be fulfilled and finished c. And neither before nor since this incarnation was there euer any man found reconciled to God but by this faith c. Cyrill saith Faith bringeth saluation grace iustifieth and the worke of God that is Cyril in Ioh. l. 3. c. 31. in Thesaur l. 12. c. 1. Idem in dial de Trinit l. 5. Idem in Ioh. c. 14. Hieronym in Psal 31. faith in Christ c. Againe We are iustified by faith not by workes nor yet by merites Againe Faith maketh vs familiar with the Father and by the Sonne it setteth and establisheth our abode neere vnto him and wee are saued by faith and not otherwise according to that which is said The Lord is my light and my saluation c. Saint Ierome Vnto that part of the syllogisme here propounded If righteousnes bee by the law then Christ died gratis that is to say for nothing or in vaine for our Assumption we must take that which followeth and which cannot be denied That Christ died not in vaine c. And thereupon conclude Righteousnes therefore is not by the law But rather saith hee in another place Our righteousnesse consisteth herein Ad Galat. 12. in as much as that that which is hidden is not seene and that which is not seene is not imputed and that which is not imputed shall not bee punished c. And this is the exposition of the Psalme Blessed are they whose sinnes are remitted c. Saint Basill What is our righteousnes Listen and giue eare Basil serm de Bapt. c. 2. hom 29. in Moral regul 1. c. 2. 5. regul breu Inter 10.13 Idem hom de humil animi Idem in ep 7. Chrysost de fide in Psal 50 Idem in Mat. hom 33. Blessed are they whose sinnes are remitted Againe Man must acknowledge that he is destitute of true righteousnes and that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ For O man saith he afterward boast not thy selfe in thy righteousnes All that thou art to boast thy selfe of is in God without him thou hast nothing to boast thy selfe of but rather thou hast cause to kill and mortifie whatsoeuer is of thy selfe that so thou maiest seeke the life that is to come in Christ whereof we do alreadie inioy the first fruits liuing altogether by grace and of the gift of God Chrysostome No man euer attained life without faith and faith alone saued the thiefe And what brought God to the sauing of this thiefe verily remission of sinnes And what brought the thiefe on his owne behalfe The faith of his Confession which by the greatnes and height thereof reached euen to heauen c. Againe He that said in S. Mathew I haue kept all these thinges made no question of that which he was to belieue nor how but what he was to doe that be might inherite euerlasting life because that the faith of the Iewes that is to say of that time was in their workes But saith he in another place Idem hom de fide Neuer was there any man iustified by workes It is in this as it is in a lampe whose oile doth not giue the light but feede it so likewise faith is not begotten of workes but is nourished thereby faith must go before works I can point you out a faithfull man without workes the thiefe but life eternall was neuer bestowed of any destitute of faith Workes would not bee able to saue faith must breake forth and shine before workes workes must be content to follow and come after as handmaides Idem ad Galat hom 3. In ep ad Rom. hom 5. 17. In an other place J liue in faith that is to say I liue by the faith that I haue in Christ if lesus be dead it is verie manifest that the Law cannot iustifie On the contrarie saith he to the Romans So soone as a man belieueth so soone is he iustified Epiphanius in Anchorato in a few words Christ was made righteousnesse vnto me Epiphan in Anchorato in as much as he hath loosed the bands of sinne and sanctification in as much as hee hath deliuered me that is from the seruitude and thraldome of the same and redemption because that by his bloud I haue remission c. In the Realme of France about the yeare 500. this matter was debated and as it commeth to passe that the light and truth breaketh out by the holding of argument in matters of controuersie so it was that no man in these contentions did cleare and make plaine this matter better then Prosper The Law hath shewed vs our disease Prosper ad Capitul Gall. c 7 in lib. de ingrat and grace in Iesus Christ is laid open and brought to light for the healing of the same Is this grace in such sort necessarie as that no man can otherwise be saued how holy or excellent so euer he be Verily saith Prosper answering to the head points of the Frenchmen Bee it knowne vnto you that neither before nor since the Lawe was euer any iustified but by this grace but by this same faith in
vsed in this signification Proponant Collat. Carthag 1. 3. qui ista elicere meruerunt saith Petilian the Donatist that is to say obtinuerunt for there he speaketh of his Aduersaries Emeritus the Donatist in the same sence Quis supplicauit quis legem meruit quis iudicium postulauit Inferring that seeing the Orthodoxes had obtained and procured the Decree of the conference that it also belonged vnto them to begin the first More plainely in the Oration and speech made by one Habet-deus a Bishop To say nothing saith hee of the Christian bloud shed by Leontius Vrsatius Macarius Paulus c. and other executioners Quos in Sanctorum necem a Principibus seculi meruerunt Whome the common people obtained and procured from the Emperours or secular Princes to murther the Saints And further euen in their own praiers it cannot be otherwise interpreted or maintained Excita Domine potentiam tuam subueniat misericordia tua vt ab imminentibus peccatorū nostrorum periculis te mereamur veniente eripi aut saluari A wake O Lord and stirre vp thy power let thy mercie succour vs to the end that by thy comming we may merite to be deliuered from the daunger at hand procured by our sinnes c. To merite to be deliuered or saued by the mercie or by the power of God can it bee otherwise meant then that they might be made worthie in that powerfull mercie In some others Graunt vnto vs to come before Christ with righteous workes to the end that wee being set as fellow companions on his right hand we may merite to possesse the kingdome Te largiente c. Graunt vnto vs to be his fellow companions in the kingdome of grace as we haue merited to haue him to participate our nature in the wombe of the Virgine Is there any man that can make any other sence of this praier An other somewhat further fetcht Graunt vnto vs that wee may sensibly perceiue the holy Virgine to make intercession for vs Me uimus by whose meanes we haue merited to receiue the author of life How can wee merite by our workes the incarnation of the Sonne of God whether it were before hee came or since his comming if we doe not take the meaning according to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee reputed worthie Saint Ambrose likewise speaking of the water of Baptisme O aqua quae Sacramentum Christi esse meruisti O water which hast desirued to be the Sacrament of Christ c. And how can this bee vnderstood any otherwise being spoken of a creature without life Infinite such other places may easily bee cited of vs out of the fathers And in deed in certaine Collects Cassand in Hymn Eccles f. 4◠Index Expurg f. 36. 38. in stead of Meruimus there is put Valeamus that is to say We may And Cassander confesseth that it must bee so vnderstoode but our Fathers of Trent haue therefore caused it to haue a dashe too many with the Penne in all his bookes But in nothing is their mind and meaning better manifested then in the interpretation which they giue both to the word Merite to proue no meriting as also to the word Reward Hillar Can. 20 in Math. super illud Idem in Psal 51. Donauit Idem in Psal 142. Basil in Psal 7. August in Psal 109.118.102 to proue that it is not but of grace Saint Hillarie The verie workes of righteousnesse would not suffer a man to merite perfect blisse if the mercie of God should not furnish and fit him for the same Againe Wages cannot come in the nature of a gift they are due for worke wrought but God hath giuen vnto vs all of meere gift and free grace by iustification which is of faith And againe Remission of sinnes is not a merite of honestie but a pardon and fauour flowing from a free will c. But in the meane time the wages of the good are called a retribution Yea saith Saint Basill but according to the custome of the Scripture which saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retribution or recompence for a gift and he retributeth or recompenseth that is to say giueth Saint Augustine In the way of faith such are held for no sinners to whome their sinnes are not imputed God is made our debter not in receiuing any thing from vs but in promising so great things vnto vs. Idem de verb. Apost Ser. 22. Let vs be glad and reioyce for wee haue ouercome because that we are ouercome in our selues because that we haue ouercome in him Him saith hee which crowneth thee because he crowneth his gifts and not thy merites yea hee crowneth them saith the Psalme In miseratione misericordia In compassion and mercie And not in thee only O man wosoeuer thou art But in thy selfe also O thou Apostle how great so euer thou maist be Idem hom 50. hom 14. I haue fought a good fight saiest thou c. The Lord which is a iust and righteous iudge shall render me a crowne he is indebted the same What shall he render or repaie vnto thee He shall render me it for he is a iust iudge He cannot refuse to paie any man his wages and hyre hauing perused and taken a view of the worke I haue fought a good fight that is one worke I haue finished my course that 's one worke and kept the faith that is a worke Jt remaineth that I should receiue the crowne of righteousnesse that is the wages Nay saith he for the wages thou hast no power to commaund the same at all and in the worke thine owne power goeth not alone The crowne belongeth onely vnto him to giue where it pleaseth the worke is of thee but not without his aide and helpe When as therefore thou saiest he recompenceth good deedes this is as if that he hauing preuented himselfe in giuing of good things should retribute and make recompence for the same with other fresh and new good things He retributeth them but vnto such good things as he hath alreadie giuen to the good fight to be finished course and to the faith kept For if he haue not giuen them 1. Tim 4. wherefore then saiest thou I haue trauelled more then they al And yet not J but the grace of God in me And if he haue not giuen thee to finish the race wherefore is it againe that thou shouldest say it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercie And if he gaue thee not the grace to keepe the faith is it not in vaine for vs to keepe and indeuour to watch and keepe ward if God doe not gard and keepe c. Beare with me O Apostle I see not any thing of thine owne but that which is euill and naught Pardon me Apostle thus we affirme and speake because thou hast so taught I beare thee confessing and acknowledging Gods goodnesse I doe not heare thee
their course they are crossed by the Epistles of Paul written to the Romaines and Galathians for in them he opposeth and setteth against their righteousnesse of workes that which is of faith and grace giuing them to consider the enormitie of sinne and the soundnesse and sinceritie of the righteousnesse of God In summe he bringeth them backe to the seeking out of their saluation in the Crosse of Christ their blessednesse and righteousnesse in that that he is made a curse and sinne for them And yet notwithstanding this doctrine being of the nature of that old Serpent cannot be so cut in peeces by the sword of Gods word but that it taketh hold againe and knitteth together And so much the rather Merit maintained by the Philosophers brought into the Church by how much the flocking of the Gentiles into the Church was the greater to whome it was plausible as agreeing with the Philosophie of the world and their free will the fountaine of all mans presumption and ouerweening beeing admitted into the bodie of Diuinitie by the Greeke Doctors who sprung out of the same Schoole more easily then was either meete or needfull Now the chiefe brocher of the same was one Pelagius a Briton borne about the yeare 400. in the Latine Church who had beene a Monke in Syria and had many other Monkes his followers Merit of workes confuted But God raised vp vnto vs also in those times to withstand this doctrine Saint Ierome Prosper Aquitanus Fulgentius Primasius and other great persons who sharply confuted and gainesaid the same and aboue all one Saint Augustine Resistance and head made against the same who ouerthrew all the foundations of the same who also tooke occasion by this stumbling stone to plucke vp by the rootes all manner of presumption and preiudicate opinions which in the former times had crept into the Church by the meanes of Circumcision Paganisme the Law or Philosophie What followed hereupon He should haue rooted out men and all so deepely had this sprout taken roote in man For no sooner was Saint Augustine departed this world but this heresie sprung vp a new in a Monke called Cassianus meanely learned taking his beginning to the end hee might find a more easie and plausible entrance at a third Assertion consisting of a meane or middle nature betwixt the doctrine of Saint Augustine and Pelagius and by this meanes preuailed and was approued of verie greatly in our Countrie of France who yet found presently there to withstand and refell him the foresaid Prosper Aquitanus and certaine others This man at that time taught that many attained grace without grace by the only power of free will That man crauing the same of himselfe it was giuen him and afterward grew and increased according to the proportion of his merits That as fully there might be certaine men found who how vnwilling so euer they might be were notwithstanding made partakers of this grace through pure and meere grace Thus making two sortes of Christians one saued by free will and the other freely by grace That it was in the power of man after his fall of himselfe to doe good workes yea to merit eternall life But what saith Prosper thereupon vnto him Who if any others was mightie in the Scriptures And here it stood him vpon to haue alleadged him wholly Verily that it behoued him to haue firmely held the doctrine of Saint Paule being most excellently expounded by Saint Augustine and accordingly hee draweth our Countrie men thereunto most learnedly That no man obtaineth grace but of pure and meere grace That they that flie thereunto through the feare of death and those which runne thereto with a ioyfull hope are helped and assisted thereunto by one and the same grace That man in Adam hath lost all the meanes of comming vnto eternall life all the seedes of pietie and vertue That who so attributeth our merits vnto any other then God or vnto man any other thing but his deserts doth greatly erre and speake against the scriptures were he a Iob a Prophete or an Apostle the law hauing beene giuen to no other end but to condemne vs and consequently to make vs to be altred and chaunged by grace And yet notwithstanding all this this said heresie and naturall claime of nature against grace doth not cease continually to returne and swimme aloft being relieued by the Monkes the Pharisies of these latter times blowen vp and kindled by the common people who willingly hold and suffer themselues to be perswaded that their saluation is of themselues neglected by the succeeding Bishops the most part of thē being ignorant maintained by the grosse palpable darknesse which for a long time vnder the ouerflowing of barbarisme did couer all the world God notwithstanding not suffering this truth of saluation in the saith of one only Christ to be chooked extinguished as is easie to be verified by the writings of the most famous renowned that haue liued heretofore For Greg. saith We are redeemed by grace Anno 600. Gregor in c. 28 Iob. l. 18. c 22. Non nostri Conaminis sed diuinae dignation is who so should giue but their right vnto all our good workes in stead of giuing vnto them Christ should giue vnto them sharpe and seuere punishment For it is one thing that man meriteth by righteousnes an other thing which he receiueth by grace Again It resteth not in our power to attaine and come by the inwarde light but herein euen for that God hath vouchsafed to bestow it vpon vs For how oft doe we begge and craue it with inward sighes and gronings Et in eius amaenitates recipi non meremur neither doe wee deserue that is to say and affirme with a witnesse Wee are not reputed or thought worthy to receiue it at his pleasure and at another time all at a blow the grace of God will assist and help vs c. Againe Without him there should some become Saints and holy men if a man without the gift of the onely begotten Sonne Idem in 3. cap. Iob. l. 5. c. 8. could possiblie attaine the gift of sanctification But who is he that dare build himselfe as on a certaintie vpon men when hee cannot possiblie doe it vppon Angels Againe Our righteousnes being examined with the righteousnes of God is vnrighteousnes In destructione iudicis Looke what is glortous in the eye of the workman is nothing but dirt and dung being tried by the Iudge And therefore Saint Paule hath said I find not my selfe greatly guiltie in any thing but by and by he addeth and yet am I not therefore iustified c. And againe I am restored to life Idem in cap. 9. Iob. l. 2. c. 11. in c. 28. l. 18 c. 22. Idem in cantic canticor not by hauing merited but by being pardoned And as for them which boast themselues of being saued by their merits they are contrarie vnto themselues for whiles they desire
as there can nothing come out of vs that can make God fauourable and mercifull vnto vs. In whose passion iniquitie was remitted and righteousnesse restored all in a day and that not onely vnto iustification but euen to the meriting that is to say to be reputed worthie of the companie of God by them And this is to be vnderstoode so farre forth as we belieue and as his obedience is sufficient for all belieuers vnto eternall life the same being perfectly washed into the remission which is in his bloud But and if you aske to what end then serueth the Law seeing that it doth not iustifie Haimo aunswereth Not to take away sinnes but to shew and point out the same Hincmarus It is because of transgressions and for the hardnesse of the people Adelbertus To teach vs our concupiscence and to learne vs to knowe and vnderstand what is due vnto vs for our sinnes to the end that thereupon wee may seeke for grace Theophilact To conuince vs of sinne and to bring vs to Christ. Anselme To shewe in what Chaines and bandes of sinne such were held as presumed of their power to accomplish and make perfect their righteousnesse by works that so they might perceiue the poyson though thereby they could not take it away and to the increasing and augmenting of sinne not to the cleansing or wiping of it away Radulph in Leuit. l. 20. c. 1. Gysilb in alter But what doe wee not accomplish it then Radulphus saieth What man is he vpon the face of the earth that is able verily not one And Gisilbert So neither hath it brought any thing vnto perfection it hath laid open the woundes but it hath not cured them Theophyliad Rom. c. 3. Anselm in 7 ad Rom. Haimo in Psal 118. in c. 6 ad Rom. passim Otherwise saith Theophilact We had not had neede of Christ And Anselme What is the law but a letter for them that knowe to reade it and cannot accomplish or fulfill it And therefore it hath onely led vs as by the hand vnto grace But againe concerning this grace who hath mooued the Lord to doe so much for vs Verily saith Haimo The onelie goodnesse which is in him and therefore let no man presume of his merits but of the onelie clemencie of our Sauiour who saith the Apostle hath saued vs freelie that is to say without anie precedent merits who saueth vs saith hee by his preuenting grace and iustifieth vs by his subsequent grace Eternall life is giuen to none as a thing of due but by free mercie Remig in psa 19.21 32 70. c. And S. Remigius Adam made the olde people but our Lorde Christ the newe in asmuch as he hath freely iustified the same without anie precedent merits For wee haue made our selues sinners but his onely mercie hath made vs righteous yea saith hee it hath made of vs that were wicked and vngodly godly ones of seruants free men of condemned ones such as are to be receyued into the kingdome of heauen Theophyl in Ep. ad Tit. c. 3 Anselm in c. 5. ad Ephes And Theophilact Hee hath saued vs euerlastinglie not by the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but by the operation of his onelie clemencie c. And Anselme This hath come to passe through the great and vnspeakeable loue of God that the onely begotten sonne hath deliuered himselfe ouer vnto death the maisler for the seruant Cur Deus homo c. 2. the Creator for the creature that hee hath said vnto man Take my onelie sonne and giue him for thee that the sonne hath said Take me and redeeme thy selfe c. And all the same treatise handleth no other thing And againe howe doe wee receiue this grace Haimo in c. 9. ad Rom in c. 3 ad Galat. super Euang. in Oct. Pasch Remig. in Psa 10. in 18. in 19. Haimo saith Of faith and by faith wee are iustified heires through faith and not through the lawe by grace and not by merit to the ende that the promise made vnto the seede of Abraham may abide and continue firme c. Remigius All my faith is in Christ I belieue my selfe in him onely to be iustified saued This is my mountaine This is my refuge c. The heauens sing of the glorie of God And what manner of glorie verily saith he for that we are not saued by our workes but by his mercie And this is the great glorie of God that all hauing sinned and all hauing need of this glorie namely to be freely iustified euen in the mercie exhibited by the Sonne Gisilb in alt c. 1. 13. c. Gisilbertus Faith went before the law and without the law hath iustified the faithfull Our father Abraham pleased God by faith rather then by circumcision Many haue perished notwithstanding circumcision and many before that it was haue beene iustified by faith alone Christ is the inheritance of the faithfull whome they receiue by faith Theophyl in Abac. c 2. c. Theophylact The righteous man worketh by faith vnto life whether it bee that which is to come or be it righteousnes it selfe Faith iustifieth in as much as it vnlooseth sinnes The law would iustifie men but it hath not the power faith therefore hath done it which iustifieth Idem ad Rom. c 9 Idem in c. 3. ad Gal. Haimo in c. 1. 3. 4. ad Rom. and not workes yea saith he Faith iustifieth onely and not workes The law curseth vs but faith blesseth vs c. But to be iustified is it not to be made righteous And then with what manner of righteousnes Verily saith Haimo with the righteousnes of Christ by the which he maketh the faithfull righteous in bestowing the same vpon them and therefore it is called the righteousnes of God And the same is applied vnto vs by the gift of God that is to say by the redemption which is in Christ and not by the workes of the Law c. Whereby it commeth to passe Idem in Psal 83. Gisibert in alterc c. 8. saith he that to shew mercy is not onely to pardon and forgiue the sinnes but also to gine righteousnes Gisilbertus saith This righteousnes of God is not the same with that by which he is righteous but that wherewith he clotheth the righteous when hee freely iustifieth the wicked And it is to this righteousnesse that the Law and the Prophets beare witnesse The Lawe for in that it commaundeth and threateneth but iustifieth not anye man it sheweth sufficientlye that man is not iustified but by the gifte of GOD by the quickeninge Spirite The Prophetes in asmuch as the comminge of Christ hath fullfilled that which they haue foretolde Anselm in 1. Cor. 11. And Anselme The righteousnesse of God is by fayth by the which wee beleeue in Christ And it is called the faith of Christ after the same manner that righteousnesse is called the
Frier hath purposely written and put forth a booke The truth is that he teacheth Ioh. Ferus in Mat. l. 1. In Ioh. c. 1. v. 4.13.17.19 That all our old birth for so hee calleth the man not regenerate and all the powers of our nature are condemned in the Scriptures that wee are nothing but sinne and darknesse that our thoughts speech reason and will are accursed that our light if the same be not inlightned by the word of God worketh nothing in vs but errour and going astraie that euen the Law howsoeuer good in it selfe without grace begetteth nothing but hypocrites that without faith there is no good workes and that none but such as belieue can worke them that in the regenerate not onely after Baptisme Idem in Ioh. c. 13. v. 10. c. 14 v. 16 c. 16. v. 9. but euen after they become to an actuall faith there abideth continually a remainder of originall sinne which bringeth forth sinne in vs whereupon it must consequently bee auouched that no man is without sinne and notwithstanding that such as belieue doe not cease therefore to be cleane that is in as much as they be purified by faith and by the same ingrafted into the body of Christ participating his holinesse and possessing himselfe according to that which S. Paul saith But you are washed but you are sanctified c. And that notwithstanding that considered in themselues they are nothing but sin yet there is no condemnation for them with God who doth not impute vnto them any their sinnes vncleannesse but rather reputeth them for pure cleane because of their faith in Christ Moreouer that this faith which iustifieth vs is not any other thing then the free mercie of God forgiuing sinnes for his Christs sake which only is requisite in vs vnto saluation c. and it worketh in vs a certaintie of the same so farre foorth as that it leaueth vs not without a pledge and earnest penie of eternall life that by the only merits of Christ we are saued made partakers of the same merits by faith alone In all which points he doth verie notably agree with vs that is to say with all antiquitie and consequently is condemned by the Councell of Trent in diuers Canons in the sixth Session Now of all this discourse wee gather that this doctrine of free iustification in the bloud of Christ by faith hath beene of a long time kept maintained in the Church in his puritie howsoeuer deadly assailed by Sathan and that at diuers times in diuers depending points as the See and seate of our saluation That notwithstanding it hath beene subiect to manifold diuers great alterations and changes through the proud and presumptuous nature of man through the doctrine of Philosophers through the subtilties of the Schoolemen and the Pharisaical hmuour of the Monkes In so much as that notwithstanding the couragious defence of the same by diuers worthie and great personages holding vnto the yeare 1200. more for the grace of God against the ingratitude of man the said Pharisaicall doctrine did preuaile and get the vpper hand and yet not so absolutely but that at the same time it was still impugned and confuted almost throughout all the nations of Christendome by many good people and that euen to the suffering of death for their confession being also mightily and soundly crossed by their Maxims by whose fine conceipts and subtile deuises it had beene chiefely established that in it there is hapned vnto vs as it falleth out in the Countries farre North wherein the brightnesse of the two twilights doe happen and fall out so neere together as that the day is no sooner dead and departed on the one side but it quickneth and reuiueth againe on the other This Article hauing beene no sooner shut in and couered with the darknesse which had ouer-spread and ouershadowed the Church but that wee might see it incontinently after more splendent and glorious then euer it was before Wherein we may note the singular goodnes of God towards his Church for in as much as iustification is that point of Christian doctrine which ioyneth man Christ together which maketh the proper difference of the Church from all other sortes of assemblies and of a Christian from all other men as being that without which no man can bee a Christian with which alone well vnderstood we retaine both the name and the effect and to be short which may bee called by good right the life of a Christian the soule of the Church the bond of the mariage betwixt Christ and his Church it was surely verie necessarie seeing that God according to his promise cannot destroy his Church that this article should be conserued in the same that such Eclipse as should couer the face therof shuld be but short to the end it might returne vnto his former brightnesse and light In a word as Phisitions say that the heart is the first liuing last dying part in man That this heart also of the Church by which it began to liue notwithstanding first assailed and set vpon by the venimous poyson of Sathan was the last that was mortally wounded and striken and the first againe recouered as for certaine it is come to passe in our daies wherein God making his Gospell as it were to liue againe after so long a time of death and darknesse would of his incomparable grace that this point should bee the first restored into his former estate and perfection by them whome he had raised for the restauration of his Church Now in this third part we haue entered into the consideration of the Masse A briefe rehea 〈◊〉 of that which hath beene said before this third book in the qualitie of a Sacrifice so it remaineth for our better comming to our selues againe after so long a discourse that we briefly repeate the same which we meane to performe in manner as followeth The Masse is properly a corrupting adulterating of the holy Supper of our Lord and the Supper of our Lord was not ordained for a sacrifice taken in his proper signification but for a Sacrament Neither can it be called a sacrifice except for that it is a holy action or else because it is a commemoration of the sacrifice of our Lord once made vpon the tree of the Crosse for our sinnes or thirdly for that it is a thankesgiuing for the benefits receiued by him Wherefore the Masse cannot properly be called a sacrifice and much lesse a propitiatorie sacrifice in as much as the whole Scripture and all antiquitie do teach vs that there is not in the Church any moe sacrifices truely propitiatorie then one euen the bloud of our Lord shed for our sinnes represented and shadowed out vnder the Lawe by all the sacrifices then in vse and fulfilled in the time of grace in one onely which ought not neither can bee reiterated without sacriledge From this pretended Sacrifice of the Masse haue