this answere both is false in regard of that it affirmes concerning our being out of Christ and also doth not satisfie the whole doubt For it shewes no reason why we may pray for the forgiuenesse of any other sinnes then those great ones So that either we must not craue pardon for smal transgressions or els must do it needlesly since they are already pardoned as long as we abide in the body of our sauiour Christ Wherefore I had rather rest vpon the former answere which is agreeable to the word of God and warrantable by true reason Article 2 Papist The Protestants are bound in conscience to auoyd all good workes Protestant If this Papist would haue avoyded all slaundering the world should not haue bin troubled with such absurd collections Papist Euery man is bound vpon paine of eternall damnation to auoide all deadly sinnes But fasting prayer almesdeeds and all good workes according Luther in after ar 31 32. 39. Calu. lib. 3. inst c. 11. â— 4. c. 14 §. 19. Mclarch locc tit de peccat Confess Augusti articlâ— 6. Rom. 6. 23. Isa 64. 6. to the Protestants religion are deadly sinnes Ergo According to the Protestants religion all men are bound vpon paine of eternall damnation to auoide fasting prayer Almesdeedes all good workes B. The Maior is manifest for the wages of deadly sinne is death Stipendium peccati mors D. The Minor is as euident for according to the Protestants religion and common exposition of this text of scripture Facti sumns vt immundi omnes nos tanquam pannus menstruatâ— omnes iustitiae nostrâ— Wee are made all vncleane and al our Iustices are like a stayned cloth That is as they say the best workes wee can do are infected with deadly synne and consequently deserue eternall damnation and therefore to be auoided I am not ignorant that some wranglers with some shifting euasions go about to answer this article forsooth that the staines and imperfections the sinnes and spots ought to be auoyded but yet the good workes to be prosecuted A silly shift but put case it be impossible to wring out the staines then is not this monstruous cloth to be abhord put case I could not giue almes but I must steale am I not bound in conscience to auoide the giuing of almes Admit I could not see mine enemy but by experieÌ„ce long proued I should fall a quarrelling with him am I bound in conscience to auoide his company say that I could not eat flesh but I should scandalize the beholders ought I not to say non manducabo carnes in aternum I will not eat flesh for euer Graunt that I could not releeue the poore but I should staine this action with vaine glory Should I not heare of him that can not lye he hath receaued his reward and consequently that there remayneth no recompensation therefore in heauen So I say in like maner if the corruptioÌ„ of nature if the poyson of concupisceÌ„ce so staine my best actions that whatsoeuer I do or thinke I cannot possiblie effect them without these infections and corruptions then certainely I am bound in conscience to auoide these crimes offences the which cannot possibly be performed without these vitious circumstances for bonum constat ex integra causa malum nascitur ex quolibet defectu a good thing consisteth of all integrity but an euill thing is caused by euery defect that a man be in health euery humour must keepe his temper that he be sick it sufficeth one onely exceed keepe not his iust proportion so that a work be good it must be effected with all due circumstances that it be ill one only will defile as we commonly say one ill hearbe will spoile a whole potfull of pottage Protestant By an orderly course of disputation the first syllogisme should haue bin to this effect If al good works according to the Protestants religioÌ„ be deadly sins the ProtestaÌ„ts are bound in conscience to auoid al good works But al good works are deadly syns according to the Protesâ—ants Religion Therfore the protestants are bound in conscience to auoide all good workes This or some such syllogisme would haue saued me some labour for I should not haue needed to haue medled with any thing but the matter of it and you some blame for the forme of it would haue bene agreeable to logick Wheras now I must needs take paines to finde fault with the lamenes of your reason Euery man is bound vpon paine of eternall damnation to auoide all deadly synnes This syllogisme is faulty because the conclusioÌ„ agrees not with the questioÌ„ Your conclusioÌ„ is general of al men wheras your questioÌ„ is particular of protestantâ— Besides that runs vpon a penalty of eternall damnation this speakes of being bound in conscience If you answer that is is all one to bee bound in conscience and to be bound vpon pain of eternall damnation either all sinns deserue eternall damnation and then what will become of your purgatory distinction betwixt mortall and veniall sinnes or else no man is bound in Conscience to auoyde any but deadly sinnes and then what a window do you set open to an innumerable company of sinnes â— How empty will you make purgatory How short and bare will your auricular Confessions be It were as good therefore for you to do that you make a show of euen directly to conclude your question But let vs examine the matter of your syllogisme The Proposition I graunt is true that Euery man is bound in conscience or vpon paine of eternall damnation B. to avoide all sinne But what needs this popish distinction of Deadly sinnes Which is so alledged by you as if it had some allowance from our Diuines whereas we wholy reiect this fancy because there is no sinne that deserues not eternall damnation For proofe whereof wee need no other place of Scripture then that which this Papist himselfe bringes The wages of sinne is death Neither may it be preiudiciall Rom. 6. 25 to vs that he hath foisted in Deadly since neither the Greeke hath any such word nor the latine which hee according to his fond custome to no purpose and here also vnwisely against himselfe sets downe We grant there are differences and degrees of sinnes but the least that can be is a transgression and breach of the law and therefore punishable by damnation but if his meaning were by deadly sins to signifie notorious grosse transgressions he doth vs wrong another way as in the assumption it shal presently appeare which is this But fasting prayer alâ—â—â—sdeedes and all good workes according C. to the Protestants religion are deadly sinnes But lying and slaundering are not according to the popish religion as it should seeme by your practise For surely if you thought they were you would neuer be so desperate to practise them against so manifest a truth in matters of so great impoâ—tance It is not possible you should thinke that
the communion of saints some way Then belike there be saints in purgatory and the members of the Church militant are Saints But why say you nothing of the saints in heauen Is there no cōmunion betwixt thē those in purgatory yet are they al mēbers of one body I pray you what cōmunion is there betwixt these three kindes of Saints What do the saints in purgatorie in requitall of the triumphant and militant Saints kindnesse What nothing at all Why then what necessity is there to inforce any such duty on our parts towards the Saints in Heauen We as you say do not only pray but offer vp a bodily and spirituall sacrifice for them in purgatorie to God what reason is there then they should not pray to vs as well as wee praye to the Saints triumphant who do but halfe so much for vs and the lesse halfe too As for the places in the Margine no blast be it neuer so great can kindle the fire of purgatory by any heate that 1. Cor. 3. 13. 15. will arise from them the former is concerning the tryall of doctrine by the fire of Gods word Some mens workes shall burne therefore there are some in purgatorie burning Some What workes sayes the Apostle not men If any mans worke ver 15. burne he shall loose his labour but himselfe shall be saued yet as it were by fire Therefore there are some Saints burning in the fire of purgatory but that neither all mens workes are spoken of nor any assay is to be made by purging fire nor these places meant of purgatory it may appeare by these reasons 1. There are not any two places in all the new testament of any one point so full of controuersy for interpretation as these Therefore are they vnfit and vnsufficient to proue so doubtfull a matter as this of purgatory 2. Besides the former of them is wholly Allegoricall Theologia symbolic a non est argum entatiua Foundation Maister-builder Gould siluer Wood Hay Straw and therefore by the rules of disputation in diuinitie altogeather vnmeete for proofe of doctrine in matters of controuersie 3. The fire of Purgatory purges all bad workes this here medles with nothing but false doctrine as it is manifest 1. Because the Apostle speakes of builders onely such as himselfe Apollos vers 6. 2. The reward that shal be receaued vers 14. is to be geuen according to the labour of the Minister vers 8. 3. The People what good workes soeuer they haue are in this place considered but as the building or Husbandrie vers 9. 4. The fire of Purgatory doth not burne the worke but the soule of the worker but this fire shall burne the worke not the workeman vers 1. 3. 14. 15. 5. The fire of Purgatory doth not consume but purifie this fire doth not purifie but consume vers 15. 6. All mens workes must be tryed by this fire vers 12. 13. but not by the fire of Purgatory for that belongs to them onely that haue not made satisfaction for their sinnes or not bin absolued from them by the Sacrament of penance Since it is for the most part agreed vpon that the fier vers 13. doth not signifie Purgatory what reason shall perswade vs that this doth vers 15. The other place hath troubled all the Diuines that euer 1. Cor. 15. 29. writ vpon it both for the Grammar and the sense of it It shal be therefore sufficient for me to answere that till the Popish interpretation be better proued we haue no reason to seeke for the fier of Purgatory in the Baptisme of or for the dead especially since no ancient writer hath so expounded it Neither can it serue Saint Paules purpose being so vnderstood For how can the Resurrection of the body be proued by praying for the soules in Purgatorie But oh the heate of Popish charitie that can abide to let so many soules frie in Purgatory whereas multiplying of Masses would quench the fire and free the poore wretches or at least their holy father the Pope may deliuer as many as pleaseth him by plenarie indulgences and yet these men crie out vpon vs for want of charitie because we will not helpe them by prayer for whom we are sure that all the prayers that can be made are either needlesse or bootelesse Are these th◠reasons that must perswade men of Iudgment c. They that acknowledge not remission of sinnes as an effect in K. the Sacrament of Baptisme denie the Article of remission of sinnes Then it should seeme the meaning of the Article is that we beleeue the remission of sinnes as an effect of Baptisme I maruell how many popish Priests would giue a man this exposition that should aske them the meaning of this Article of the Creed There is more reason to say I beleeue that remission of sinnes is a priuiledge belonging to the holy Catholicke church which our Sauiour Christ hath purchased with his bloud But if the meaning be of Baptisme then we haue found in the Creed that Baptisme is a Sacrament which a little afore was denyed to shew the insufficiencie of the Creed to be the rule and limit of our beleefe He that confesses that Iesus Christ hath paide the ransome for the sinnes of his church by his bloud and procured the pardon of them cannot iustly be charged with denying this article of remission howsoeuer he do erre in iudging of the force and vse of baptisme But the Protestants say you acknowledge not remission of sinnes as an effect of the Sacrament of Baptisme The Protestants acknowledge the same effect in the sacrament of baptisme which the church of God acknowledged and receaued in the sacrament of circumcision that the Patriarches and fathers of Christs church before his comming receaued the forgiuenesse of sinnes no Christian can doubt that either they had it by the effect of the sacrament or that your sacrament hath another effect in substance then theirs had no Papist can proue at least this man hath not proued But shortly to deliuer our opinion we beleeue and professe that euery one who is effectually baptised hath receaued forgiuenesse of all his sinnes originall actuall past to come and if you will mortall and veniall for the guilt and for the punishment for the eternall and temporall punishment But we deny first that al which haue Baptismum Fluminis the baptisme of water haue also Baptismum Flaminis the baptisme of the spirit Secondly that none haue forgiuenesse but they which are baptised Thirdly that euery man that is baptised receaues forgiuenesse of sinnes which may thus appeare because many a man baptised is euerlastingly damned but no man that hath his sinnes forgeuen him is damned If you say they were forgiuen but now are not you destroy the nature of forgiuenesse which depends not vpon any condition to come If it do then can it not be truly affirmed that a man by Baptisme receaues forgiuenesse absolutely of those
First those that vainely deceaue themselues with an opinion of of faith wheras they haue none Let him that thinks he stands take heed least he fall Then they that in deed do truely beleeue who because their faith is vnperfect must labour dayly for the perfecting thereof which they shall neuer attaine to if they bee careles and do not continually stand in feare of falling by reason of their owne infirmity So that this exhortation doth not forbid striâ—ing to perfection but inioyne the meanes of attaining thereto which is dayly to stand in feare of our corruption because we are not perfect in faith Blessed is the man that feareth alway feare to Pro. 28. 14 sinne is no way against faith because faith hath receaued no promise of full freedome from sinne Feare of punishment Rom. 6. 23. is necessarily annexed to the former because the wages of sinne is death Whereof we may taste in our owne feeling by reason of our weake faith if we doe not worke our saluation with feare and trembling What his meaning should be in his last sentence I cannot gesse For I thinke he will not say that this filiall feare comprehends in it seruile feare also because then the distinction will scarce be currant vnlesse he expound himselfe as I sayd before that the feare of punishment followes vpon the feare of sinne in which respect we neede not doubt to graunt that the Apostle exhorts vs to both kinds of feare and yet so as that he no way perswades to infidelitie though the Protestants principle be that we are bound to beleeue by faith that we shal be saued Papist Articles concerning good life and pietie Protestant I may not forget to put the Reader in minde that diuers of these Articles as the 1. 2. 4. 5. are not points held by the Protestants but matters charged vpon their doctrine by the Papists and that quite contrary to their direct protestation So that if any such thing fall out vpon our opinions we may professe with a good conscience that we are deceaued by the error of our iudgement not carryed away by any desire to erre For proofe hereof we offer our selues to be iudged by all men of any indifferencie according to our answeres and reasons which we haue made and now doe make in our iust and necessary defence Article 1. Papist The Protestants are bound in Conscience neuer to aske God forgiuenesse of their sinnes Protestant The Protestants will rather abiure any point of doctrine vpon which this may follow then to maintaine their doctrine for beare the pâ—rformance of this duty but neither of both these need as our answer will shew The principall syllogisme for the proofe of this article omitted I know not vpon what reason by this Author is thus to be concluded Whosoeuer sinnes grieuously in asking God forgiuenesse of his sinnes is bound in conscience neuer to aske it But the Protestants sinne grieuously in asking God forgiuenes of their sinnes Therefore the Protestants are bound in conscience neuer to aske God forgiuenes of their sinnes Instead of this syllogisme we haue the proofe of the assumption Papist Whosoeuer is assured by faith that his sinnes are forgiuen A. B. Bucer in lib. de con art de â—ustifi Calum in aâ—â—d coÌ„cil â—es 6. lib. 3. iustit c. 2 â— 16. 17. 18 Kemâ—â— in exam con Truâ— â—est 6 him sinneth most grieuously in asking God pardon for them But all true Protestants are assured by faith that their sinnes are forgiuen them Ergo. All true Protestants sinne greiuously in asking pardon of God for them The Maior is euident for who but an Infidell or a mad man would demaund of God the creation of the world which he is assured by faith that God hath already created or Christs incarnation which already is performed or the institution of sacraments which alreadie is effected In like maner who but an Infidell or mad man will demaund pardon of his sinnes which he beleeueth already by faith that God hath forgeuen For it is a signe that he doubteth of that which hee is bound by faith to beleeue which doubting faith is flat infidelitie D. Moreouer whatsoeuer we demaund that we hope to obtaine Nam quod videt quis quid â—peratâ—d Rom. 6. but no man hopeth to obtaine that he alreadie possesseth as no man will demaund of God his owne soule or body because already he posâ—esseth them The Minor is vndoubted because this is that liuely faith whereby the Protestants are iustified by this they apprehend Christ by this they applie his merits and Passion vnto them and without this no man can attaine vnto Saluation Hereupon I will inferre that no Protestant can with a safe conscience say the Lords prayer Because he cannot pray as hee ought without true faith and call God his father and if he haue true faith he cannot without note of infidelitie vtter this petition forgiue vs our sinnes for that most assuredly he beleeueth and protesteth in the first ingresse of that praier that he is the sonne of God and consequently beleueth by faith that his sinnes are forgiuen him Protestant The best is we are not charged with denying that a man is bound to aske God forgiuenes of sinnes but only that we do it against that duty to which in coÌ„science we are bound Therefore if this cauil were a true challenge we might happily be thought absurd in holding opinions that cannot agree togeather but we could not be counted impious since we vrge and practize continually and daily praier for the obtayning of forgiuenes but this conceit is fancied by Papists not so much as fauored by our doctrine Witnes this poore reason of theirs and our plaine and true answere thereunto Whosoeuer is assured by faith that his sinnes are forgiuen sinneth Proposition most greuously in asking God pardon for them Perhaps some man will maruell that this Papist as it may A. seeme vnnecessarily makes so often mention of beleeuing by faith and being assured by faith because there can be no assurance or beleefe but only by faith But he doth it agreeably to their Popish doctrine which acknowledgeth a kinde of assurance but that not of faith but of hope There is say they concerning euery mans owne saluation Certitudo spei Assurance of hope but not Certitudo fidei Assurance of faith The reason of this distinction is that hope may be deceaued but faith cannot Which they would neuer say if they considered that all true Christian hope ariseth from some promise made vnto vs by God in the Scriptures whervnto we haue interest by nothing but faith What a vaine thing is it for a man to hope for ought at Gods hands as the world commonly doth without any likelyhood of obteining it and what likelyhood can there be where there is a flat protestation to the contrary namely that nothing is to be looked for at the hands of God either by faith or hope but in and for
Iesus Christ All the blessings that Abraham the Father of the faithfull could make any claime to were to be held by guift vpon promise Therefore if we wil be his children as we must be if we be faithfull we haue nothing to trust to but Gods promise in Iesus Christ Faith then is the ground of Hope and according to the measure of true beleeuing so is the measure of all true hoping Let vs exemplifie it a little Do I hope for euerlasting life What reason haue I to hope for it the promise of God that proclaimeth pardon of sinne and inheritance of Glory to all that beleeue in his sonne Iesus Christ But how doth that concerne me by reason of my faith in Christ So that if I beleeue not in Christ I doe but deceiue my selfe with a shadowe of hope for true Christian hope I haue none But I hope I beleeue in Christ But that will not serue thy turne For so dooth euery man that hath heard of Christ and beleeueth the truth of the Gospell and yet he is farre from true hope and from that which the Papists themselues require of euery Christian Who teach that euery man by receauing the Sacrament of Baptisme is actually purged from all his sinnes before committed which he must certainely be perswaded and assured of The like they say of their sacraments of penance and of extreame vnction Which he that receaueth dying hauing a generall Catholicke faith shall surely go to heauen though perhaps through Purgatory In somuch that if he which is thus prepared should doubt whether he were saued or no he should sinne mortally Therefore to conclude this point which I haue hit vpon this by the waie I say it is plaine that faith limits hope and that there is no true hope or reason of hoping but proportionably to the measure of beleeuing Which will easilier be acknowledged of vs if we remember that hope in the Scriptures is applied to those things which we must of necessitie beleeue by faith And in deed the true difference betwixt faith and hope is not in the diuersitie of assurance but in the circumstance of time Faith reaching to all times past present and to come hope being restrained onely to the future time A Christian man beleeueth by faith that God will blesse him in all things of this life so farre forth as it shall make for his owne glory and the beleeuers saluation Therefore also he hopeth for this blessing from God not absolutely but with those conditions which faith obserues in beleeuing The same man beleeues by faith that because he trusts in Christ he is now in the fauour of God and shall so continue for euer Therefore accordingly he hopes for saluation without any other condition Of the truth of these things I dispute not but only bring them to shew the nature of hope which is alwayes fitted according to the nature of the promises which faith rests vpon Where we beleeue conditionally we hope conditionally where our faith is absolute our hope is so too That the proposition is false it appeares by the example B. To the proposition of Dauid Who praies to God for the pardon of those sinnes which he beleeued by faith were forgiuen for so was he assured from the Lord by the prophet Nathan vnlesse we shall charge him with infidelity for not beleeuing the prophet since the speech was so plaine that hee could not but vnderstand it I haue sinned against the Lord. A plaine and 2. Sam. 12. 13. true Confession The Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye As plaine and certaine an absolution Will you come in here with your vaine distinctions of guilt and punishment of temporall and eternall If you do it is to no purpose For whatsoeuer the respects were in which Dauid praied for the forgiuenes of sinnes once this is cleere that he praied for it and then what remaines but that you condemne him of sinning greeuously in asking God pardon for those sinnes which he beleeued by faith were forgiuen or of infidelitie for not beleeuing But if Dauid in some regard might craue pardon when it was already graunted and beleeued by him to be so be thinke your selfe what will become of your proposition and how wisely you haue charged vs with sinning greeuously for doing that which in some respect may be lawfully done Now for your distinctions I will not wast time nor blot paper to refute them but onely shew that in this case they cannot helpe you Which of the former is apparant because the Prophet precisely mentions both parts The Lord hath taken awaie thy sinne There is the guilt wipt away Thou shalt not die There is the punishment forgiuen Yea you will say the eternall punishment but not the temporall I pray you whether of the two is it that God threatens Adam Gen. 2. 18. withall The day thou eatest thou shalt die the death The punishment yea the whole penaltie of the statute concerning sinne is Thou shalt die See how God for the comfort of Dauid proclaimes this pardon in the very contrary words Thou shalt not die Who shall perswade vs now that the pardon is lesse generall then the penalty But is the eternall punishment indeed forgiuen I thinke you mistake your selfe or els popish doctrine hanges but ill fauoredly togeather For what is that which you say is changed from eternall to temporall Is it not the punishment due to sinne how is it then forgiuen vnles forgiuenes of sinnes be nothing els but a changing of the punishment which if we grant then Christ hath not obteyned any more for vs but the altering of the punishment then God hath not pardoned our sin but remitted somwhat of the penalty Speake not here of the effect of baptisme for if by forgiuenesse of sinnes therein we are wholy acquitted from the guilt and punishment why should the same words after baptisme signifie a change of the punishment and not a full pardon Dauid therefore in praying for pardon of those sinnes which he beleeued by faith were already pardoned by his practise destroyed this popish reason long before it was hatcht Nor may you answere that this prayer was for any temporall Calamity which was layde vpon him for this sinne because the scriptures make these requests diuers Hee was threatned by the prophet that the child borne in adultery 2. Sam. 12. 18. Psa 32. 3. 4 51. 1. 2. should surely dye For the life of the childe he prayes fastes and weepes but those 2. Psalmes I spake of are of another nature not once mentioning nor once glancing at any temporall or outward affliction And if there be in deede any such dictinction of guilt and punishment Dauid intreats directly and principally for the former According to the multitude of thy mercies wash me throughly c. Euery verse expressing the anguish of a distressed soule for the conscience of sinne cōmitted against God And whereas he makes also request
cleauing to the worke defiles it is by all meanes possible to be auoyded but not the worke it selfe to be forborne For we haue an absolute charge from God to exercise our selues in all good workes and a merciful promise of forgiuenesse of those infirmities which our corruptioÌ„ fasteÌ„s to our best indeauors In matters indifferent that are put to our choise to be done or left vndone it is a good rule to refraine because our weaknesse will bring forth some sinne in the doing of them As for example it is lawfull for me to play at chesse or tennisle but if I find by experience that I cannot vse these exercises without some special sinne as swearing cursing fretting losse of too much time c. I am bound in conscience to refraine them altogether The case stands otherwise in matters of necessary duty as thus I am commaunded to make my supplications to God by prayer daily experieÌ„ce teaches me that I cannot pray with such a measure of faith as I ought that wandring thoughts somtimes enuious couetous or ambicious deuices creâ—p into my heart quench my zeale in praying am I therfore wholy to giue ouer praying Nay rather I must pray more ofteÌ„ that it would please God to increase his grace in me to the subduing of this corruptioÌ„ The like I might truly say of other good workes but this is warraÌ„t ynough for me to coÌ„clud that the protestants are not bound in conscience to auoide al good works though to the doing therof they bring an infectioÌ„ of deadly sin as all sinne is deadly The answer to his syllogimse if it be a syllogisme is made D as I haue shewed by denying the assumption or Minor viz. that fasting prayer almes-deeds all good workes are deadly sinnes In steed of prouing this in his new edition he falles to discourse of a distinction and so leaues his argument still without proofe as before it was The distinction is that good workes being enioyed by God are not to be forborne though some imperfection distaine theÌ„ in the working but the imperfection onely He would seeme to take away this distinction by giuing particular instance against the truth thereof The generall syllogisme may be thus framed If a man be bound in conscience to forbeare the doing of some good workes because he cannot doe them without some greiuous synne then he is bound to auoyd al good workes because some imperfections alwaies accompany them But a man is bound in conscience to auoide some good workes because he cannot do them without some grieuous sinne Therefore he is bound in conscience to avoide al good workes because some imperfections alwayes accompany them I deny the consequence of your proposition First because all good workes are not of the same kinde some being absolutely commaunded some onely vpon condition such as Giuing of Almes is whereof in answere to the assumption Secondly because the imperfections are for the most part without our consent and against our liking whereas most grieuous sinnes are outward actions of disobedience as stealing to giue almes which is your owne though a most vnfit example I graunt your assumption vpon this supposition which notwithstanding I take to be very false that there are some things a man cannot doe without grieuous sinne and I come to the examining of your particulars which are brought to proue this assumption Giuing of almes is one of those good workes which are coÌ„manded conditionally if a man be able He that hath this 1. Ioa. 3. 17 worlds good c. Beside wee speake not of sinning before the good deede but in the act it selfe and so this example is not to the purpose You are bound in conscience to refraine your enemies company vpon that supposall vnlesse there be necessitie of comming into it for the performance of some dutie of your general or particular calling It would also be remembred that comming into your enemies company is no good worke commaunâ—ed by God and therefore not pertinent to our question Eating of flesh is a thing indifferent and therefore vpon duty to God and our bretheren to be forborne when they shall be scandalized by it What is this to good works Neither am I to refraine Releeuing of the poore because I can not doe it without vaine glory and so shall haue no reward in heauen neither is the reward had here or lost in heauen for vaineglory but onely when a man makes that his end not when it windes in it selfe by our corruption against our liking If I can not effect my best actions say you without the infections of my naturall corruption I am boundia conscience to auoide those crimes and offences which can not possibly be performed without these vitious circumstances But I can not effect my best actions without such infections Therefore I an bound in Conscience to auoide those crimes and offences which can not possibly be perfourmed without these vitious circumstances I will neuer striue with you about this syllogisme which belonges nothing at all to the matter in question onely geue me leaue to wonder at this strange course of disputing Your reason added to proue I know not what but I am sure prouing neither part of your syllogisme seemes to conclude that which we deny not namely that Euery least corruption is sufficient to make the worke not to be perfectly good This I granted before and withall shewed that it did not follow herevpon that Therefore these good workes were to be auoided since it pleaseth God both to pardon the imperfection and reward the worke though imperfect Article 3. Papist The Protestants either haue no faith at all or lie most damnablie in denying that a man assisted by Gods grace can keepe the commaundements Protestant It may appeare by my answere to the former Article that a true Christian both can and doth performe acceptable obedience vnto God by keeping his commaundements But this obedience is vnperfect our workes being good in the sight of God not by their owne value but by Gods acceptation Our Papists that are sett vpon magnifying themselues more then glorifying God cannot abide to heare of any imperfection in their workes which may impeach or impaire the merite of them Therefore they raile at vs as this Author here doth because we say it is not possible for aman compassed about with naturall corruption to keepe the Commaundements of God fully and perfectly vpon which Doctrine of ours we are charged in this Article either to haue no faith at al or to lie most damnably in denying that a man assisted by Gods grace can keepe the Commaundements Papist Whosoeuer knoweth God keepes his commaundements But A all true Protestants know God Ergo All truâ— Protestants keepe his Commaundements The B. Ioh ep â— Chap. 5. 4. Maâ—or is expresse Scripture Qui â—icit se nosse Deum mandata eius non custodit mendax est in eo veritas non est Hee that saieth he knoweth God
some libertie which he imagines it may afford let him call to minde what consequences Rom. 6. 1. 2. 1â— flesh and bloud gather vpon the doctrine of free iustification and what answere the Apostle makes to such obiections and then he wil be ashamed to aske why a man may not wallow in all licencious pleasures in this life and neuer doubt of glory in the other if he be certaine that he haue true faith For first hee will vnderstand that hee is bound to the obedience of the lawe though hee bee freed from the damnation of it Secondly he shall feele that hauing true faith it is not possible for him to liue in sinne because Rom. 6. 2. 3. he is dead and buried thereto If he will say then I am sure I haue true faith and that can neuer be lost therefore I may sinne as I lift without danger of damnation He must be answered I am sure thou hast no true faith For that makes no such reasons Whosoeuer is iustified is also sanctified Thou wantest the lateâ— therefore thou hast not the former Neither Whâ—remâ—ngers nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Wantons nor Buggerers nor Theeues nor Couetous 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. nor Drunkards nor Raylers nor Extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God But thou art such a one therefore there is no place for thee in heauen What inconuenience followes now vpon this doctrine Thou wilt say I am sure if I haue faith I cannot be damned I answere I am sure if thou let sinne raigne in thee thou caâ—st not be saued As it is not possible that he that beleeues truly should be dammned so is it also vnpossible that hee Which liues with delight in presumptuous sinne should beleeue truly But our seruile and proud Papists cannot be brought to performe any obedience or refraine any sinne except they see Hell gaping to swallow them below and heauenly glory set as deserued wages aboue For the loue and honour of God they will do nothing but with especial respect to themselues They say saith he that a man cannot keepe all the commaundements E. No not perfectly as he ought to doe For then many men might stand though God should streightly Psa 143. 2. examine what is done amisse Then we need not Christs bloud whereof before to dippe our workes in But you demaund for what cause wee say so because God hath taught vs so not as you would haue the world imagine thereby To make men negligent in keeping them Nay rather for the quite contrary that knowing how farre they shal be from performing their duty when they haue done all they can they may neuer cease to be doing neither can they be discouraged as long as they know that God of his gracious mercy in Iesus Christ accepts of his childrens indeauours in their imperfections for Christs sake and will rewaâ—â— them aboundantly in the kingdome of heauen In the â—â—ane while this knowledge of continuall sinning must stir vs vp to contynuall carefulnesse and preâ—isenesse must humble vs vnder the hand of God must enforce vs to be earnest with God for the pardon of our transgressions both in committing euill and omitting good must make vs feele the infinite mercy and loue of God towardes vs in accepting so graciously of our poore weake good will and lastly must driue vs to cleaue fast to Iesus Christ and his obedience because we haue no other righteousnesse to present God withall so far are we in this matter from teaching men to pretend an excuse of impossibilitie whensoeuer they transgresse the commaundements Yea indeed wee plainely affirme that there is no man but failes very much of that paynes and care I will not say that hee ought but that he might bestow in fitting himselfe to true obedience Why denâ— they saith he the sacrament of penance F. Because it is a patch of Antichrists sowing to the faire broad cloth of Gods holy word because it brings a slauery and snare vpon mens consciences because it makes men leaue trusting to Iesus Christs satisfaction and rest vpon their owne because it breeds security in theÌ„ that receaue popish absolutioÌ„ because it was a deuise or at least is a practise of the popish clergie to get intelligence of al state matters in christendoÌ„e for their own aduantage These many other such reasons of our denyal this Papist wil not see but faines to himselfe an absurd impossible conceat That we would haue men careles how they liue neuer regard the auoyding of sinnes as though they were neuer to render an account of them wheras we constaÌ„tly auouch 1 that he that is careles to bring forth the fruits of sanctification hath not the roote of faith to iustification wheras we teach that euery veniall sinne of the Papists is by desert euen in the regenerate punishable with euerlasting damnation That God lookes for repentance at his childrens hands is fayne many times to draw theÌ„ to it by the misery of all miseries in this life the afflictioÌ„ of conscience which is of more force with a true christian then al the blushing shame of this world put togeather As for restitution and satisfaction to men we do not only vrge it vpon all occasions but hold it so necessary as that without it where there are meanes to performe it there can bee no assurance of pardon to him that knowes hee hath done wronge either in this life or in your purgatory And here we say no shame of what estate soeuer a man be may keepe him from making satisfaction Whereas with you Papists if a man performe some penance enioyned him by his ghostly father though quite of an other nature from satisfaction to his offended brother and namely if he fill your Corban he shall haue absolution a culpa et pâ—na by your deuised sacrament of penance Now he that by dayly confession of sinnes vnto God of whom he receaues not by and by absolution as of your priest but is faine to beg the assurance oft tymes againe and againe with many teares deep sighs horror of conscience and such like will neuer be brought to any true repentance by telling a Priest of his finnes past since he shall finde it so easie a matter to buy out any penance at the Popes price as it is set downe in his bocke of Rates for indulgences Our end therefore in denying your forged Sacrament of penance is to enforce men to a true and hearty sorrow for their sinne That God may haue the glory of their humiliation and the whole thankes for their pardon You meane why do they deny that Christ is bodily present in G. the sacrament because there is neither scripture nor reason to prove it Because to hould he is there in that sort it is vntrue vnreasonable and vnpossible to be true because it destroies the nature of Christs humanity because it makes his manhood God because it is an occasioÌ„ of the most senseles Idolatry