not that vpon the miraculous workes of Christ we should build the ordinarie dueties of Christians Augustine would haue told you that Christ is not to be imitated in such workes Non hoc tibi dicit non eris discipulus meus nisi ambulaueris supra mare aut nisi suscitaueris quatriduanum mortuum He saith not vnto thee Thou shalt not be my disciple vnlesse thou walke vpon the sea raise one that hath been dead foure daies But Learne of me for I am humble and meeke Secondly if prayer for the dead be vnto vs as the raising of the dead was to Christ then as all the dead are to be praied for so Christ should haue raised againe all that went then to Purgatorie or els by your conclusion he failed in charitie as we doe now if we pray not for the dead as you beare vs in hand Thirdly though the Saints departed and the faithfull liuing are members of the same bodie and so are bound in loue one to the other yet it followeth not that one should pray for the other They with vs and we with them doe wish and long to see the redemption of the sonnes of God accomplished Reuel 6.10.22.20 But charitie bindeth vs not one to pray for another because we knowe not one the particular needes of another Nay to pray for any departed is against the rule of charitie for loue beleeueth all things and hopeth all things 1. Corinthians 13.7 Wee ought to hope the best of the dead that they are at rest but in praying for them wee presuppose they are in miserie and so neede our prayers therefore wee hope not the best of them as charitie willeth vs. Argum. 2. Iohn 5. vers 16. The Apostle sayth There is a sinne vnto death for the which a man ought not to pray that is deadly sinne wherein a man dyeth without repentance but for other sinnes not vnto death whereof men repent themselues it is lawfull to pray Ergo we may pray for those that are departed not in deadly sinne for this place is properly to be vnderstood of praying or not praying for the dead because so long as a man liueth he may be prayed for because all sinnes are pardonable in this life Rhemist ibid. Ans. First a sinne vnto death is not onely finall impenitencie but sinne also against the holy Ghost such as was the sinne of Iudas and of the Pharisees Secondly though we should vnderstand it of finall impenitencie yet it is but a soâ—y argument some of the dead ought not to be praied for Ergo the rest may Thirdly the text cannot be vnderstood of praying for the dead for the text sayth not If any man see that his brother hath sinned not vnto death but If he see him sinning but the dead doe neither sinne nor are seene to sinne Fourthly whereas you say that all sinnes are pardonable in this life our Sauiour Christ saith contrary that the sinne against the holy Ghost can neuer be forgiuen neither in this world nor in the world to come Plura apud Fulk ibid. The Protestants TO pray for the dead is a worke neither pleasing before God because he hath no where commanded it nor auailable for them that are departed because they haue their iudgement alreadie While we liue let vs one pray for another but when we are gone the praiers of the liuing helpe vs not Argum. 1. The ground of this popish opinion of prayer for the dead is their superstitious deuise of Purgatorie for none els doe they hold it lawfull to pray for but for the soules onely in Purgatorie But there is no Purgatorie as we haue shewed before after this life our purging is onely in this life Christ hath by him selfe purged our sinnes Hebr. 1.3 Christ his bloud is the chiefe and onely purgation of our sinnes there are also other inferiour and ministeriall purgings whereby that onely soueraigne purging is made beneficiall and applied vnto vs as the inward operation and worke of the spirit is compared to fire Math. 3.11 1. Corinth 3.13 There is also a purging fire of affliction compared by the Prophet to fullers sope Malach. 3.3 There also shall be a third purging fire in the day of the Lord 1. Pet. 3.7 when as the corruption and mortalitie of our bodies shall be purged away and then shall our mortalitie put on immortalitie 1. Corinth 15.53 Other Purgatorie after this life we acknowledge none Seeing then that there are no soules in Purgatorie and for none els it is lawfull to pray but for the soules tormented in Purgatorie it followeth that we are to pray for none at all that are dead Argum. 2. No prayer is acceptable to God without faith We must pray without wauering and doubting Iames. 1.6 But so can we not pray for the dead for we cannot tell in what case they are for whom we pray whether they be in heauen hell or purgatorie and therefore we cannot assure our selues that our prayers are heard but must needes pray with great doubting and wauering of the mind Ergo such praiers are in vaine Iames 1.7 Argum. 3. Our praiers profite not the dead because there is no place after this life for repentance or remission of sinnes for this should be the end and intendment of our praier that they might be released of their sinnes and eased of their paine There is no remission of sinnes after death because there is no true repentance repentance there is none because there can be no amendment of life which alwaies followeth repentance for Iohn Baptist that was a preacher of repentance bid not onely the people to repent but to bring forth fruites worthie repentance Math. 3.2.8 So saith the Prophet Ezechiel If the wicked will returne from his sinnes and doe the thing that is lawfull he shall liue and not dye 18.21 There are two parts then of repentance as Isay sayth Cease to doe euill learne to doe well 1. Isay. 16.17 But there is no place of working out of the bodie Ergo then no repentance To this Augustine agreeth Non est apud inferos poenitentia ad salutem proficiens ecce nunc tempus est salutis nunc tempus remissionis In hac vita poenitentiae tantum patet libertas post mortem nulla correctionis est licentia De tempor serm 66. In hell or among the dead there is no repentance vnto saluation behold now is the time of saluation the time of forgiuenes In this life onely haue men libertie to repent after death there is no place for amendment What is become now I pray you of your Purgatorie repentance after this life there is no saluation to be had because there is no remission of sinnes no remission of sinnes because there is no repentance there is no repentance because there is no amendement Rhemist Our Sauiour saith Math. 12.32 that blasphemie against the spirit shal neither be forgiuen in this world nor the world to come Ergo some sinnes may be forgiuen in the world
to come Ans. Mark expoundeth Mathew He saith It shall neuer be forgiuen Mark 3.29 So that not to be forgiuen either in this world or the world to come is nothing els but neuer to be forgiuen for if it be not forgiuen in this life it shall neuer be forgiuen Bellarm. Yea but Mathew must expound Marke because he setteth it downe more fully and Marke doth but abridge the Gospell written by S. Matthew De Purgat lib. 1. cap. 4. Ans. But why should not Mark rather expound Mathew seeing he writ after him and we vse to expound the former writers by the later not contrariwise AN APPENDIX OR AN APPERTINENCE TO this part concerning the burials and funerals of the dead THere are certaine poynts wherein there is no great variance or dissension betweene vs. First we confesse that it is meete and conuenient that the bodies of Christians being departed should after a seemely and comely manner be brought to the graue as Dauid commendeth the men of Iabesh Gilead for burying the bodie of Saul 2. Sam. 2.5 The brethren also tooke the bodie of Stephen buried it Act. 8.2 Secondly it is not to be denied but that lamentatioÌ„ and sorow may be made for the dead obseruing S. Pauls rule that We mourne not as those that haue no hope that is excessiuely 1. Thess. 4.13 where S. Paul doth not simply forbid Christians to sorow but not as the Gentiles The brethreÌ„ also made great lamentation for Stephen Act. 8.2 Thirdly we doe also graunt that according to the diuers customes of couÌ„treys it is not vnlawfull to vse some comely rites and ceremonies in the buriall of the dead not for religion but for orders sake as among the Israelites the mourners were wont to goe about in the streetes Ecclesiast 12.5 And Christ commended the woman in the Gospell for anoynting of him against his buriall Mark 14. But beside these poynts by vs confessed and acknowledged there are other more waightie matters as touching the order of funerals wherein we worthily and iustly dissent from our aduersaries error 16 1 They doe attribute much to the places where men are buried as in Churches and Churchyards but especially vnder the Altar Rhemist as the soules of the righteous doe rest in Christ who is that altar vnder the which the Apostle sawe the soules of Martyrs so for the correspondence to the place in heauen their bodies are commonly layd vnder the altar where the sacrifice of the body of Christ is daylie offered Annot. Apocalyps 6. vers 9. Ans. The altar of the Crosse was the onely place where the bodie of Christ was sacrificed neither need it to be often offered in sacrifice but it sufficed once onely to haue been done Heb. 9.25.27 And in the Communion we acknowledge no sacrifice but of praise and thanksgiuing Heb. 13.15 It is kept onely in remembrance of the death of Christ 1. Cor. 11.25 And how should it be auaileable for the dead seeing it profiteth not all the liuing but onely those that are present which doe eate and drinke the holy elements of bread and wine in remembrance of the bodie and blood of Christ giuen and shed for them So saith the scripture Doe this as oft as you doe it in remembrance of me 1. Cor. 11.25 The doers therefore agents and receiuers haue the present benefite not they which are absent how then can the dead receiue any solace by it It profiteth then not a whit to be layd in Churches or Churchyards or other hallowed places as they call them for all places are alike neither helpeth it the dead to be buried in one place more then another for God shall command the sea and all other places to giue vp their dead Apocalyps 20. The very heathen did confesse as much one sayth It skilleth not humÃne an sublimè putrescam whether I rot vnder or aboue the ground And another thus writeth Coelo tegitur qui non habet vrnam Heauen is a couering to him that hath no other coffin It were a foule shame then for Christians to exceede the very Gentiles in their superstitious conceits Augustine sayth Si aliquid prodest impio sepultura preciosa oberit pio vilis aut nulla If sumptuous funerals profite the wicked then homely or no burials doe hurt the godly Therefore as it helpeth not a wicked man to be buried in one place more then another so it doth not hinder or hurt the godly and righteous man 2 We condemne also their superstitious ceremonies which they vse at their error 17 funerals as the burning of Tapers which signifieth say they that the soules of the dead are aliue Bellarm. de purgator lib. 2. cap. 19. Ans. First this superstitious vse of setting vp candles was directly forbidden in the Elibertine Councel Canon 34. Of the like sort also were other superstitious vsages as the going about of the belman to will the people to pray for their soules the ringing or iangling of bels to bring their soules to heauen with queere songs and other melodie to commit the bodies to the ground and commending their soules to the protection of Saints We denie not but comely and decent orders voyde of superstition may be vsed according to the fashion of the countrey as Iacobs bodie was embaulmed after the manner of the Egyptians Genes 50.2 At the buriall of their Kings the Israelites vsed to burne odors Iere. 34.5 The Iewes manner was to wash the bodies of the dead to winde it vp in a linnen cloth and burie it with spices and odors So our Sauiours bodie was buried after the manner of the Iewes Iohn 19.40 We reade also that Ioseph was put into a coffin or chest Genes 50.26 Of these and the like customes Augustine giueth a rule writing vpon those words in the Gospell Iohn 19.40 As it was the manner of the Iewes to burie Non mihi videtur Euangelista sic frustra dicere voluisse ita quippe admonuit in huiusmodi officijs quae mortuis exhibentur morem cuiusque gentis esse seruandum in Iohann tract 120. Me thinketh the Euangelist sayd not thus without cause hereby letting vs to vnderstand that in performing such dueties of buriall to the dead the manner and custome of euery countrey is to be kept The Iewes also had a custome with some companie or frequencie of people to bring their dead to the ground Eccle. 12.5 And in the while to vse some admonition to the people concerning death and mortalitie which came in by sinne and of the wrath and mercie of God Syrus interp in Mark 14.3 Neither doe we see why it is not lawfull now among Christians at funerals and burials to haue some godly sermon and exhortation to put the people in mind of their end and to comfort them with the hope of the resurrection as also to giue God thankes for those his faithfull seruants that did glorifie him by their life and by their godly departure This seemeth also to haue been the
redeeme his brother or giue a price to God for him Psalm 49.8 Augustine vpon those words Iohn 16.23 Whatsoeuer yee shall aske in my name he will giue it you Exaudiuntur quippe omnes sancti pro seipsis non autem exaudiuntur pro omnibus vel amicis vel inimicis c. The Saints are heard praying for themselues but they are not heard praying for all their friends or enemies because it is not said simplie He will giue but He will giue to you Ergo much lesse can they satisfie for others if their praiers bee not heard alwaies for others THE EIGHT QVESTION OF INDVLgences and penall iniunctions THE FIRST PART WHETHER PEnall and painefull workes are necessarie vnto repentance The Papists NOt onely amendement and ceasing to sinne or repentance in heart before error 21 God is alwaies enough to obteine full reconcilement but there must bee outward penaltie correction and chastisement beside Rhemist 2. Corinth 2. sect 2. Argum. The incestuous person was rebuked of many 2. Corinth 2.6 which word implieth beside his inward repentance outward correction and chastisement The Protestants Ans. WEe acknowledge that in notorious sinnes and offensiue to the Church as this of the young mans was inward repentance is not sufficient but that after sharpe discipline by the outward testification of sorrow and publike confession satisfaction must bee made to the Church but it followeth not that this course should be taken for all sinnes which a man repenteth him of And yet wee graunt that outward signes of our sorrowe are alwaies necessarie in true repentance not as satisfactorie meanes to redeeme our sins but onely as infallible tokens and effects of our repentance As Augustine saith Satis durus est cuius mentis dolorem oculi carnis nequeunt declarare Hee is hard harted the griefe of whose minde the eyes of his flesh doe not shew forth de poenitent cap. 9. Argum. There are but two essentiall partes of repentance and true conuersion vnto God To turne from our sinnes and leade an holy life So saith the Lord by the Prophet If the wicked will returne from his sinnes and keepe all my statutes Ezech. 18.21 This is all God requireth without any other penall workes wherefore ceasing from sinne and amendement of life which necessarilie include the true sorrow and conuersion of the heart are sufficient for repentance THE SECOND PART BY WHOM penall workes are to bee inflicted The Papists error 22 THe priests onely they say haue power to enioyne workes of penance as affliction of bodie mulct penaltie correction by almes-deedes fasting abstinence and such like Conc. Trid sess 14 can 15. Rhemist 2. Corinth 2. sect 2. Argum. To them is giuen authoritie to binde and loose Ergo to enioyne penance Bellarm. cap. 5. lib. 4. The Protestants Ans. 1. SOme kinde of mulctes Church discipline is not to deale withall as bodily punishment and pecuniarie fines which are to be imposed at the discretion of the magistrate Secondly we grant a wholsome vse of the keyes in Church discipline in punishing and clensing of notorious offenders in the open face of the congregation but priuately to enioyne men penance for their secret sinnes is an Antichristian yoke Argum. True repentance is a free worke not of compulsion or coaction Saint Paul exhorteth men to iudge themselues that they bee not iudged 1. Corinth 11.31 But now when penance is laid vpon a man and not voluntarilie taken of himselfe hee is iudged rather of another hee doth not iudge himselfe Augustine saith Quem poenitet punit seipsum prorsus aut punis aut punit Deus vt ille non puniat puni tu Hee that repenteth punisheth himselfe either thou punishest or God if thou wilt not haue God to doe it punish thy selfe A man therefore must punish himselfe he must not be punished of another in his repentance to Godward for of outward chastisement to the world now is not the question THE THIRD PART OF PARDONS and Indulgences The Papists 1. THe principall Magistrates of the Church are no lesse authorized to pardon then to punish to remit the temporall punishment due to sinners error 23 the offence being first forgiuen which wee call an Indulgence or pardon Rhemist 2. Corinth 2.4 Concil Trid sess 25. Argum. To whome you forgiue any thing I forgiue also 2. Corinth 2.10 Here the Apostle forgiueth the young man a peece of his punishment when he might haue kept him longer in penance for his offence Rhemist ibid. Ans. 1. Wee denie not but that the Church may release such publike exercise of humiliation which is enioyned offenders for triall of their repentance and some satisfaction of the Church when it seeth that they are sufficiently humbled But it followeth not that the Church therefore may dispence with any necessarie part of repentance towards God Secondly whereas you say the Apostle notwithstanding his rebuke was sufficient might haue kept the young man still in temporall punishment it is cleane contrarie to the Apostles owne rule who perswadeth the Corinthians to forgiue him least he should bee ouercome of too much heauines vers 7. The Apostle therefore would neither forgiue nor release him before they had forgiuen him and hee had satisfied the whole Church verse 10. Neither would hee keepe him longer in punishment hauing once sorrowed sufficiently verse 6. The Apostle therefore did neither binde nor release him at his owne pleasure but as hee sawe repentance to bee wrought in the offender The Protestants THe power which the Pope and popish Bishops doe challenge vnto themselues in giuing Pardons and Indulgences is most blasphemous 1 They doe take vpon them to release both the punishment of this life and the paines of purgatorie also and say that their pardons profite both the dead and the liuing Bull. Leon. 10. 2 They pardon not only the punishment but the sin both past and to come for dayes yeares hundreds thousands of yeeres how so euer the Rhemists would beare vs in hand that an indulgence is a release but of the punishment Such was the first Iubile pardon granted by Boniface 8. an 1300. And another by Leo the 10. an 1513. See also the Boston pardons graunted by Pope Innocent Pope Iuâ—ye Pope Clement which gaue them release of all their sinnes for fiue hundred yeares Fox pag. 1178. 3 And which filled vp the measure of iniquitie they set their pardons to sale as in Pope Leo his time his pardoners for ten shillings would giue to any man power to deliuer one soule at his pleasure out of purgatorie Argum. The scripture saith that God onely forgiueth sinnes Mark 2.7 And that Christ no otherwise then as God forgaue sinnes vers 10. His Apostles onely as his ministers and Ambassadors and in his name declare and pronounce remission of sinnes 2. Corinth 5.19 Wherefore there is no such power giuen vnto men at their pleasure to binde or loose Augustine saith Non secundum arbitrium hominum tenentur aut soluuntur peccata
godly men there remaineth doubt mistrust feare error 72 of hell and damnation and the feare of Gods iudgements causeth iust men to humble themselues least they should be damned And so S. Paul saith Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling Philipp 2. Rhemist 1. Iohn 4. sect â— The Protestants Ans. WE acknowledge a dutifull reuerence feare of God alwaies remaining in the godly but it is farre from that seruile and slauish feare which is caused onely by the remembrance of hell fire and eternall iudgement Augustine doth thus resemble the matter The chaste wife saith he and the adulterous doe both feare their husbands sed casta timet ne discedat vir adultera ne veniat But the chaste wife is afraid least her husband should depart the adulterous is afraid least he should come Such a feare as is in the chaste wife we graunt to be in the children of God but not the other 2. We also confesse that the horror of hell is profitable to make a way and entrance for the calling of worldly and hard harted men as the needle or bristle as Augustine saith maketh a way for the thread But in a man already called this feare is expelled by loue as the Apostle saith 1. Ioh. â— â—8 For we must be of those that loue the appearing of Christ 2. Tim. 4.8 Not of that number which feare it and wish it were prolonged August Si possumus efficere fratres vt dies iudicij non veniret puto quia nec sic erat male viuendum If we could bring it about that the day of iudgement should not come at all we ought not for all that to liue ill His meaning is that we ought not to liue well onely for feare of Gods iudgements THE FIFTH PART OF THE VSE of the Law The Papists error 73 THe law they say is by Christ Ministratio vitae effecta made the ministration of life Andr. lib. 5. in qua omnis nostra salus consistit wherein consisteth our saluation Catech. Colom ex Tileman de leg loc 3. err 14. they call it Verbum fidei and verbum Christi the word of Christ and the word of Faith to be obeyed and followed of all Christians that which Christ vttered to the yong man Math. 19.17 If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements Concil Trident. sess 6. cap. 7. So their opinion is that the law is made vnto vs a meane and instrument of our saluation The Protestants Ans. FIrst our Sauiour vttered those words to the yong man onely to humble him thereby and to teach him to know him selfe for otherwise the Apostles should haue taught contrary doctrine to their master who exhort men onely to beleeue and they shal be saued Act. 16.31 Argum. The Law was not ordeined to saue men but it serueth onely as a Schoolemaster as S. Paul saith to bring vs to Christ Galath 3.24 It also reuealeth and discouereth sinne Rom. 7.7 The Apostle also calleth it the killing letter and ministery of condemnation 2. Cor. 3.6.9 How then can it procure our saluation therefore what can be more opposite and contrary to Scripture then this assertion of theirs Let Augustine speake Testimonium legis eis qui ea non legitimè vtuntur testimonium est quo conuincantur eis qui legitimè vtuntur testimonium est quo demonstratur quò liberandi confugere debeant peccatores The testimonie of the law to them which vse it not aright is a testimony to conuince them to them which doe a testimony to teach them to whom sinners ought to flie for their deliuerance Ergo the law doth not it selfe worke our deliuerance but sendeth vs to our deliuerer THE THIRD PART OF THIS controuersie of Iustification THe particular questions are these First of Free will and the power thereof Secondly of Faith Thirdly of good workes Fourthly of the manner of our iustification THE FIRST QVESTION of Free will THe parts of this question First whether free will in spirituall things were vtterly extinguished by the sinne of Adam Secondly of the power and strength of free will in vs. THE FIRST PART WHETHER FREE WILL be vtterly lost by the transgression of Adam The Papists FRee will is not vtterly extinguished but onely abated in strength and attenuated error 74 Concil Trid. sess 6. cap. 1. The Rhemists also gather by the parable of the man in the Gospell that lay for halfe dead Luk. 10. vers 30. that neither vnderstanding nor free will and other powers of the soule are vtterly extinguished and taken away but wounded onely by the sinne of Adam Rhemist ibid. The Protestants Ans. IT is but a feeble collection and of small force which they draw from this allegorie for allegories and similitudes as they know themselues right well doe not hold in all things but wherein onely they are compared neither doe they necessarily conclude Argum. But that we are altogether dead in sinne by the transgression of Adam the scripture speaketh plainly in many places without allegorie Ephes. 2.1 5. When we were dead in our sinnes he hath quickened vs in Christ. Likewise Coloss. 2.13 he sayth not as in the parable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they left him for halfe dead but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plaine dead men indeed Augustine sayth Cum peccauit primus homo non in parte aliqua sed tota qua conditus est natura deliquit When the first man sinned he did not offend in any one part but wholly in that nature wherein he was created And in another place Natura tota fuit per liberum arbitrium in ipsa radice vitiata Our nature wholly was corrupted by free will in the very roote or originall that is in Adam Ergo all the powers both of bodie and soule wholly corrupt and decayed in spirituall things THE SECOND PART OF THE POWER AND strength of free will in man The Papists THey say not that a man by his free will only is able to liue well or to obtaine error 75 eternall life but yet by the power of free will stirred prepared and assisted by the grace of God he is able to doe it The first stirring then and motion of the heart they say is of God Then it is the part of free will to apprehend the grace offered and to giue consent vnto it and to worke together with it Trid. Concil sess 6. cap. 5. can 4. Eckius setteth downe foure steps or degrees to iustification The beginning of our calling is onely of God by inspiring of grace into vs this is the first degree The second is in our owne power to giue assent vnto grace once inspired Thirdly to obtaine that which by so assenting we doe desire is onely of Gods gift and this is the third degree gratiae gratum facientis of grace which maketh vs gracious or acceptable The fourth degree of perseuerance in the grace of saluation receiued is partly in our power and free will partly of the grace of God
opera be expiatoria The Papists THe workes of charitie and mercie as almes deedes and such like haue error 89 force to extinguish our sinnes as Saint Peter saith Charitie doth couer a multitude of sinnes Epist. 1.4.8 Rhemist ibid. The Protestants Ans. THe Apostle speaketh of mutuall charitie amongst our selues whose propertie is to couer a multitude of our neighbours offences as Solomon saith Prou. 10.11 Hatred stirreth vp contentions but loue couereth trespasses what is this to the extinguishing of our sinnes before God Argum. It is an abominable and blasphemous opinion that any man by his workes should be able to redeeme his sinnes for the Scripture saith that by himselfe Christ hath purged our sinnes Heb. 1.3 If hee haue wholly done it by himselfe he hath not giuen this power and force of redemption to any other meanes If they vnderstand by the force of extinguishing sinnes the meanes onelie of applying Christs merites in that sense faith onely is saide to saue vs Ephes. 2.8 Augustine Si merita nostra aliquid facerent ad damnationem nostram veniret sed non venit ad inspectionem meritorum sed remissionem peccatorum If our merites were auailable to any purpose God should come to our condemnation but hee commeth not to behold our merites but to forgiue vs our sins Ergo by our merites our sinnes are not forgiuen THE THIRD ARTICLE WHEther our works be meritorious The Papists error 90 GOD giueth as well euerlasting life and glorie to men for and according to their workes as he giueth damnation for the contrary works Rhemist Rom. 2. sect 2. And men by their workes proceeding of grace doe deserue or merite heauen and the more or lesse ioy in the same 1. Corinth 3. sect 2. Argum. 1. He will render to euery man according to his workes Rom. 2.6 Euery man shall receiue his reward according to his labour Here we see the kingdome of heauen is a retribution hyre wages for workes Ergo our works are the value price worth and merite of the same Rhemist Answ. Our labors and workes are a measure of the reward according to the which God doth mete out and render vnto his Saints of the heauenly reward but they are no meritorious or deseruing cause thereof The reward is of mercie not of desert of grace not of merite for life eternall is the meere gift of God through Iesus Christ Rom. 6.23 But the wages of sinne is death Where the Apostle doth set a manifest difference betweene the reward of the righteous and the iust recompence of the wicked for life eternall is the free and gracious gift of God not deserued but eternall damnation is the due debt of sinne Wherefore the Papists doe bid open battell to the Apostle in saying that the one is as due by debt as the other Argum. 2. Saint Paul sayth 2. Timoth 4.8 that there is a crowne of righteousnes layd vp for him which God the iust iudge shal giue him Ergo the crown is giuen not of mercie but of iustice as a wages and iust recompence to the Apostle Answ. God rendreth heauen as a iust Iudge not to the merite and worthines of our workes but to the merite and worthines of Christ and as due to vs by his promise made to vs in Christ. The reward therefore of heauen is of the mercie of God who hath freely promised it vs in Christ It is of his iustice in that he is faythfull and iust in keeping of his promise made to vs. So that it is a debt not in respect of any desert in vs but in regard of his owne promise As Augustine sayth Debitorem ipse se dominus fecit non accipiendo sed promittendo Non ei dicitur redde quod accepisti sed redde quod promisisti God hath made himselfe a debtor by promising not by receiuing any thing at our handes We say not to him render that thou hast receiued but giue that which thou hast promised in Psalm 83. The Protestants WE confesse a necessary vse of good workes As first they doe serue as notable meanes and instruments to set forth Gods glory by Math. 5.16 Secondly by them also our fayth is shewed published and made knowen for the good example of others Iam. 2.18 Thirdly our own conscience also is thereby quieted and our election daylie made more sure vnto vs we doe grow and increase in the certainty and assurance thereof 1. Pet. 1.10 But we acknowledge no power force or efficacie at all in them to deserue and merite any thing at the hands of God neither doth the scripture in any place so speake Argum. 1. If man consider his deserts he shall finde that he is worthy of nothing but death To vs sâ—yth the Prophet belongeth shame Dan. 9.9 There is nothing els by debt due vnto vs as Augustine also sayth Nihil praecesserat in meritis nostris nisi vnde damnari deberemus Nothing goeth before in our merites but that whereby we ought iustly to be condemned And agayne Omne peccatum nostrae est negligentiae omnis virtus sanctitas est Dei indulgentiae All euill and sin in vs is of our owne negligence all goodnes and holines of the free mercy of God Si misericordiae domini multae multus egò in meritis If the mercies of God be many my merites are many Gods mercies are our merites our due debts are nothing els but punishment for sinne Argum. 2. Betweene the desert or merite and the wages or recompence there ought alwayes to be some proportion a like stipend for a like labour But heauen without comparison exceedeth the worthines of our workes Ergo it is not giuen as a debt but as a free gift therefore the Apostle sayth that the afflictions that are present are not worthy of the glory that shall bee reuealed Rom. 8.18 Augustine sayth Quà m paruo constat regnum coelorum duob minutis emit vidua regnum coelorum How little doth the kingdome of God stand vs in a certaine widow for two mites bought the kingdome of heauen Shall we think that the widowes casting in of two mites deserued the kingdome of heauen Farre be it from vs so to think it is then a gift of â—auour and mercie not wages of debt Argum. 3. Saint Paul sayth Fayth is counted to him for righteousnes that worketh not Rom. 4.5 If it be of grace it is no more of workes for then grace were no more grace If of worke then not of grace for then worke were no more worke Rom. 11.9 We see that the righteousnes of fayth or of grace and the righteousnesse of workes cannot stand together nor be matched one with the other Our aduersaries haue here two euasions First they graunt that the beginning of our iustification which they call the first iustification is meerely of Gods grace neither can we haue any acceptable works before we are iustified but in the second iustification which is the increase of the former iustice a man may merite
by good workes Rhemist Rom. 2.3 Ans. This is but a late and new deuice of the first and second iustification as afterward we wil shew in the proper place The scripture teacheth vs that not onely the beginning of our righteousnes but the finishing and perfiting of it is onely by grace in Christ Ephes. 2.5.6 When we were dead in our sinnes he hath quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace yee are saued and hath raysed vs vp and made vs sit together in heauenly places We see that this saluation by grace bringeth vs vp to heauen Ergo both the first second iustification are of grace for they can bring vs no further then to heauen Rhemist 2. Workes done of nature without or before fayth cannot merite but workes done by Gods grace may and are ioyned with it as causes of saluation Ans. Not onely the workes of nature but euen of grace also are excluded Wee are saued saith the Apostle by grace through fayth not of workes And then he sheweth what workes namely good workes such as the Lord hath ordayned for vs to walke in Ephes. 2.9.10 Ergo workes also of grace wrought in vs by the spirite of God are shut out from being any causes of our saluation I conclude with Augustine vpon those wordes of the Psalme Let the Lord alway be magnified Peccatores magnificetur vt vocet consiteris magnificetur vt ignoscat iam iustè viuis magnificetur vt regat perseueras vsque ad finem magnificetur vt te glorificet Art thou a sinner let God be magnified in calling thee doest thou confesse thy sinnes let him be magnified in forgiuing them doest thou liue well let him be magnified in directing thee doest thou continue to the end let him be magnified in glorifiing thee God is as much to be praysed for all things wrought after our calâ—ing and conuersion as for mercy shewed before All then is wholly to bee ascribed to Gods grace and mercie nothing is left for our merite or desert THE FOVRTH PART OF THE distinction of merites The Papists THey make two kindes of merite Meritum de coâ—gruo merite of congruitie error 91 such are the preparatiue workes before iustification as were the prayers almes deeds of Cornelius Act. 10. which though they be not simply meritorious ex debito iustitiae by the due debt of iustice yet they deserue at Gods handes of congruitie because hee doth graciously accept them Act. 10. sect 5. The other kinde they call meritum de condigno merite of condignitie when the reward is iustly due by debt such are the workes done in the second iustification which are truely meritorious and worthy of heauen Gabriel Biel. Rhemist Rom. 2. sect 3. The Protestants FIrst wee vtterly denie any such merite of condignitie For Saint Paul sayth that the afflictions of this life are not condigne of the glory to come Rom. 8.18 Condignitie then is wholly remoued and taken away Secondly a rewarde of congruitie in some sorte we graunt but neither for any thing done before fayth or iustification for it is impossible without fayth to please God or doe any thing acceptable vnto him Hebr. 6.6 Neither is it of congruitie for the merite of our workes but it is congruum it is agreeable to the mercie and iustice of God in respect of his promise graciously made in Christ to rewarde the faithfull obedience of his seruants so then the congruitie is on Gods behalfe not in respect of our workes We are iustified sayth the Apostle Gratis per gratiam freely by grace Rom. 3.24 Ergo there is no merite either of congruitie or condignitie seeing all is done freely Augustine sayth Quid ille latro attulerat de fauce ad iudicium de iudicio ad crucem de cruce in Paradisum I pray you what merite did the theefe bring with him from the prison to iudgemeÌ„t from the iudgement place to the crosse from the crosse to Paradise Here was neither merite of congruitie nor condignitie THE FIFT PART OF THE MANner of meriting The Papists OVr workes they say are pleasing and acceptable vnto God euen after error 92 the same manner that Christ and his workes were Tapper ex Tileman loc 11. Err. 14. Christes paynes of their owne nature compared to his glorie were not any whit comparable yet they were meritorious and worthy of heauen not for the greatnes of them but for the worthines of his person So our works not of their owne nature but as they are of grace are meritorious of the ioyes of heauen Rhemist Rom. 8.18 The Protestants FIrst it is a great blasphemie to say that Christs passions in themselues deserued not that glory which he hath purchased for vs neither that there was any comparison betweene them for then how could he haue fully satisfied the wrath of God Christ hath payed the ransome for our sinnes Wee are redeemed with his precious blood as of a lambe vnspotted 1. Pet. 1.19 His blood was the price of our redemption therefore of it selfe meritorious It was not in respect of Christ of grace but of merite in him Vnto vs his redemption is of grace Rom. 3.24 Wherefore his passion being the passion of the Sonne of God was a full satisfaction and worthy desert of that glory which hee hath purchased for vs. Secondly it is another great blasphemy to match and compare in the way and maner of meriting Christs workes and ours together For first there is no merite at all in vs vnto saluation we haue no merites but Christs and are saued onely by fayth in him not by workes Ephes. 2.8 Secondly by your own confession our works are not of their nature meritorious but of grace But Christs workes were of themselues full of merite without any externall helpe or accession of grace for in himselfe did all fulnes dwell Coloss. 1.19 Augustine very well sheweth the great difference in the way of meriting betweene Christ and vs thus writing Quantum interest cum duo sint in carcere interreum visitatorem eius illum causa premit illum humanitas adduxit sic in istu mortalitate nos reatu tenebamur Christus misericordia descendit Looke what difference there is when two are in prison together betweene the prisoner and his friend that commeth to visite him the one is there of necessitie the other commeth of good will Such difference is there betweene Christ vs for when we were deteined in the prison of this mortalitie for the guilt of our sinnes Christ came in mercy to visite vs. How can there now be any proportionable or like way of meriting in the guiltie prisoner and the innocent and friendly visiter THE FOVRTH QVESTION of Iustification THe partes of this question First of the preparatiue workes to iustification Secondly of the 2. kindes of iustification the first second Thirdly of inherent iustice Fourthly of Iustification only by fayth They folow now in order THE FIRST PART OF THE PREparatiue workes The Papists