all his powers the forces therof on God without conuersion to other lawfull obiects But we 〈◊〉 with S. Augustine and other of the Fathers three things concerning this Precept First That it commaundeth to esteeme desire delight in and to honour God almightie aboue all things created and to subiect all our faculties and the forces and operations of the same to his obedience and seruice Secondly That we ought not to entertaine any cogitation or inordinate motion in our hearts repugnant to his Law or to commit any thing contrarie to his Commaundement Thirdly That this Precept obligeth all people to the obedience thereof in this life for it is the first and greatest morall Precept Math. 22.38 And Christ our Sauiour came not to destroy but to continue and ratifie the Morall law Math. 5.17 Secondly Whereas the Iesuit saith God doth not require of vs things impossible I answer That if he speake of actions and duties simply necessarie to saluation God as looking on vs in Christ and through the glasse of Euangelicall mercie requireth not of his children things vnpossible But if his meaning be either of vnregenerate persons while they are in that state or of things vertuous and holy according to their highest perfection then both Scriptures and Fathers are against him IESVIT And in this sence S. Augustine S. Bernard and other Fathers are to be vnderstood that say in the Precept Diliges Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo is contained the perfection of the life to come and a perfection impossible to be attained to in this life to wit it is contained in the Precept not as perfection commaunded to be practised in this life but as a perfection to be desired and hoped for in the next so that he that loues God sinceerely from the bottome of his heart to the keeping of all his Commandements perfectly without breach of friendship betweene him and God hauing his desires and loues referred with hope vnto Eternitie without question hee loueth God with all his heart soule and strength ANSWER First If the Precept Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart c. bind men no further than to an vnfained or sinceere loue of God and the obseruing of his Commaundements without breach of friendship then it bindeth them not to the shunning of veniall sinnes But according to S. Augustine and S. Bernard it bindeth man to the auoiding of all sinne both veniall and mortall Secondly These Fathers teach expressely that the Commaundement Math. 22. 37. bindeth men in this life as a meanes to humble them and to prouoke them to sue for Gods mercie And if the Aduersarie replie That these Fathers say it is a Precept indicatiue or significatiue what is 〈◊〉 to be done but not obligant I answer First it is the first and greatest Commandement of the Morall law Math. 22.38 but the Morall law and all the Precepts thereof are perpetually obligant Secondly If it bind not then no temporall paine can succeed the breach thereof but iust persons which obserue other Commaundements vndergoe temporall paine Heb. 11. 36.37 Thirdly S. Augustine affirmeth That it is sinne in man to 〈◊〉 a lesse degree of Charitie than this law requireth and that therefore iust persons haue need to pray perpetually Forgiue vs our Trespasses But if it were indicatiue or directiue only and not obligatorie this were not true IESVITS §. 3. The Fathers taught Workes of Supererogation and prooued them by Scripture BVt they that loue God so perfectly as they loue not onely his Commandements but also his Councells not onely shunne such sinnes as separate from God but also such as binder the perpetuall actuall loue of God These bee they that doe more than they are commanded that is doe workes of Supererogation And if your Maiestie call to minde vpon how manifold graces this Merit is grounded you will not J hope condemne the same of arrogance but rather 〈◊〉 it as being taught by holy Fathers euen in expresse tearmes of Supererogation Jn proofe whereof J alleadge these few Testimonies ANSVVER THey which doe more than God hath commanded by his Law as simply necessarle to saluation to wit they which giue all their goods to the poore c. exceed not heerein the highest and strictest measure of Charitie and obedience in this life for the Euangelicall Law commandeth vs to be perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect Math. 5.48 by approaching as neere towards this Patterne as our humane frailtie will permit and to loue as Christ loued vs Luk. 6.35 Rom. 5.7 8. And there is a threefold kind of Obligation to God First of strict and expresse Law common to all persons Secondly of particular Precept by extraordinarie Reuelation Gen. 22. 2. Thirdly of Gratitude whereby according to Saint Bernard we are indebted and owe to the Almightie Omne quod sumus omne quod possumus Whatsoeuer we are and whatsoeuer we are able to doe Etsi cognouisses tu quam multa quam multis debeas videres quam nihil sit quod facis If man did consider how much hee oweth and to how many and by how many Titles he would perceiue all that hee doth or can doe to be And when Touching the distinction of Precepts and Councels I answere That if according to the Tenet of Fathers wee vnderstand by Councels Free-will Offerings or Spontaneous Actions exceeding that which the ordinarie Bond of necessarie dutie obligeth men vnto and which are acceptable vnto God in respect of their end the Doctrine of Councels prooueth not workes of Supererogation according to the Romish Tenet For as I haue formerly declared Supererogation implyeth these things first a perfect and exact performance of all commanded duties without omission of any secondly a free and voluntarie exceeding and transcending all obedience and seruice enioyned by Diuine Precept But supposing the perfection of the Diuine Law and presupposing all men to be sinners in part the former is vnpossible And if our Aduersaries will be so gracelesse as to make any man in this life except the Holyest of Holyes 1. Pet. 2.22 free from sinne the Apostle enrolleth them in the blacke Booke of Damnable Lyers 1. Ioh. 1. 10. and they may borrow a Ladder with Acesius the Nouatian Heretike and so climbe alone vp to Heauen or indeed rather fall with a breake-necke downe to Hell Matth. 9. 13. For who are more desperately sicke Quà m qui mentem febribus perdiderunt than they which by the Feauer of Pride haue lost the vnderstanding of their owne sinfull Condition IESVIT Haymo a learned Expositor of Scripture liuing in the yeere 800 thus writeth Supererogat Stabularius quando hoc agit Doctor ex voto quod non accepit ex Praecepto quod secit Paulus Apostolus quando ANSWER You cannot produce one Father or antient Doctor which maintaineth workes of Supererogation to your
like One God one Mediator c. 1. Timoth. 2. 4 5. IESVIT I adde That to make Saints Mediators subordinate vnto and dependent of Christ is to encrease his glorie For first If onely Christ Jesus is worthie to haue immediate accesse vnto God and all other Saints Men and Angels be Mediators and Intercessors not hauing accesse vnto God but by him then certainely that Saints mediate and intercede for vs is exceeding glorious vnto Christ Iesus But Catholikes teach That Saints be such Intercessors as haue no accesse vnto God but through Christ Jesus by mediation of his Merit Passion and Death there being no other Name in Heauen or Earth by which wee are to be saued Ergo c. ANSVVER In words and outward pretext you allow vnto Saints subordinate Mediation onely but your practise sheweth that you make them principall Mediators at least to Christ and in your prayers to them you say to them Let your abundant Charitie couer our sinnes Let thy integritie excuse our corruption Thou 〈◊〉 B. Virgin art the onely hope of the Patriarchs the glorie of the Prophets the solemne crie of the Apostles c. And yet if your practise were according to your distinction you were transgressors for that which is giuen to another without commission from Christ is taken from him And Subiects may as well fet vp a Viceroy or subordinate King in a Commonwealth as Christians appoint new Mediators without Christ his Word Also when Christ himselfe hath prescribed the meanes whereby he will be honoured and by which his people shall be saued mens holy-seeming Inuentions repugnant or diuerse from these are no honour to Christ but an offence Matth. 15.9 Lastly when the holy Scripture teacheth vs that there is one Creator and one Redeemer it is impietie for man to honour any other vnder the name of a subordinate Creator and Redeemer So likewise when the same Scripture teacheth but one Mediator of Intercession it is impietie to honour Creatures vnder the name of secondarie and subordinate Mediators of Intercession because wee haue no Diuine Authoritie to warrant vs in the latter more than in the former For if our Aduersaries say that Diuine Authoritie hath appointed the Saints liuing and the glorified Saints secondarie Mediators of Intercession they are vnable to demonstrate this for liuing Saints are onely ioint Suitors and in crauing mercie for their brethren they doe withall deprecate their owne sinnes and craue the same deliuerance from punishments and calamities c. being still fellow-prisoners in the same Cottage of mortalitie and frailetie These and the like respects doe so abate all suspition of presumption to dignifie their prayers with any Mediatorship that this can in no sort encroach vpon Christs Office But in the glorified Saints there are many personall eminencies of estate and degree in glorie which our rashnesse or weakenesse is ouer-prone to mis-imploy or mistake And this among other may be a cause why the wisdome of God sendeth vs not to be suitors to the glorious Saints in Heauen but commandeth vs to craue the ioint prayers of our brethren on Earth which are still tossed in the same Sea of miserie and infirmitie with vs. IESVIT Whence I inferre That Protestants mistake our Doctrine when they say we teach That Saints are fellow Mediatours with Christ and that we bring them to supply the defect of his intercession that otherwise would not be sufficient This we doe neither teach nor beleeue but that the merits of Christ are infinite euery drop of his precious Blood able to pay the full ransome of a million of worlds that the Saints mediate and intercede for vs vnto Christ is for his greater glory by whose merits they are made worthie of that dignitie and whom by their Intercessions they acknowledge to bee the fountaine of all good that comes vnto mankinde ANSVVER If the Intercession of Christ according to Diuine Ordinance is sufficient in it selfe vpon the liuely Faith and Prayers of Saints militant without our inuocation of the Saints triumphant to apply the benefit of his Passion to the faithfull and if Saints deceased are not appointed by the reuealed word of Christ to be secondarie Mediatours then the Inuocation of Saints deceased is vnlawfull and derogatorie to Christs Intercession But the first is true First None of the faithfull in the whole Historie of the New Testament did inuocate Saint Stephan or Saint Iames or any other Saint deceased that they might by these meanes haue the Passion or intercession of Christ applied vnto them and yet many of these to wit all faithfull and iust persons were saued Secondly Our Sauiour himselfe or his Apostles ordained not any such meanes either for procuring and applying of Christs Intercession or for the honouring of his Saints And this argueth both that the Inuocation of Saints is a voluntarie deuotion and also a vertuall or interpretatiue derogation from the Intercession of Christ and from the other meanes which hee hath sanctified and an vndue meanes of honouring the Saints deceased IESVIT Jf it be a glorie to a roote of a tree to haue many boughes and branches laden with excellent fruit the Saints being but branches of Christ Iesus the true Vinetree surely the honour of all their merits springs originally and is referred finally vnto him and as it is impossible to honour and praise the boughes without honouring and praising of the roote so likewise it is not possible that Catholikes who acknowledge that Saints haue all their grace merit and fauour with God from Christ Iesus should honour them and pray vnto them without honouring Christ and without praying euer finally vnto him ANSWER It is an honour to Christ the true Vine to haue many fruitfull Branches Ioh. 15.8 And when we honour the branches in a lawfull manner we glorifie Christ their roote but inordinate honour of Saints is repugnant both to the honour of Christ himselfe and of his Saints IESVIT Wherefore Saints pray for vs that God would forgiue vs our sinnes grant vs fauours that helpe vs towards eternall life not for their merits but for the merits of Christ. And when the Fathers in their Prayers alledge vnto God the merits of Saints this is because their merits make them gracious in Gods sight and worthie that the graces they craue for vs be granted vnto vs not by the application of their merits but onely through the application of the merits of Christ. Put case that a Prince should ransome a great multitude of his subiects taken prisoners and held in miserable thraldome paying for them a sufficient and abundant ransome yet so that none should haue the fruit of that Redemption but those whom the King should singularly chuse and make worthie of that fauour Suppose that some Noble man in the Court whom his merits made gracious with the King should by his intercedings obtaine that the benefit of that ransome should bee extended to some one whom hee particularly affects
contrarie the redundant satisfactions of Saints are laid vp in the Treasurie of the Church But this assertion is voluntarie deliuered onely and not prooued And if Saints haue superabundant Satisfactions then they haue also superabundant Merits as appeareth in Christ who is their samplar and if their Satisfactions are communicable why shall not their merits be communicated to other persons and if this why may not the Church applie and communicate the one as well as the other Poperie is a mysterie Apoc. 17.5 And the Canonists say of the Pope Stat pro ratione voluntas his absolute will stands for a reason Et potest aliquid de nihilo facere he is able to make something of nothing otherwise there is the same reason for communication of Merits and for Satisfactions for in Christ Iesus both were communicated alike Christ is the Samplar or Archtype according to which the Doctrine of saintly Merit and Satisfafaction if there were in truth any such must be proportioned IESVIT The Doctrine of Satisfaction is like the former of Merit much spoken against and by many disliked in the highest degree who yet perchance doe not much vnderstand what they so earnestly impugne as may appeare by this briefe declarion of our Doctrine in this point ANSWER We grant the paritie of both Doctrines in regard of falshood and as there is no Merit of Condignitie but in Christ Iesus alone so likewise of Satisfaction But whereas you say that many dislike the same without vnderstanding what they impugne this insolent censure is frequent with you yet we freely grant that by mixing Theologie and Sophistrie you 〈◊〉 laboured to make your new Doctrine 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and you are oftentimes so obscure and vncertaine in this and many 〈◊〉 points that you vnderstand not your selues And of our selues we may affirme without arrogancie that for ought you are able to demonstrate to the contrarie God almightie both by Nature Art and Grace hath affoorded vs no lesse sufficient meanes to vnderstand truth than your selues IESVIT First we doe not thinke that any sinner can make satisfaction by workes vnto God for the guilt of mortall and damnable sinne The reason is because workes of Satisfaction are such as gaine pardon and obtaine it by some kind of justice from God The workes of his children may merit in this sort as being the workes of them that are instruments of the holy Ghost dwelling and operating within them and liuing members of Christ his mysticall body receiuing influence of life and operation from him as from their head Sinners are neither the children of God nor the temples of the holy Ghost nor liuing members of Christ so their workes cannot be so gratious as they may deserue any thing as due to them in any kind of justice from God much lesse can they deserue so great a reward as remission of mortall sinne and of the eternall punishment due thereunto ANSWER As you thinke not the one touching sinners so you cannot prooue the other concerning iustified persons as appeareth by that which hath formerly beendeliuered in confutation of your errour IESVIT Secondly we doe not teach that any Saint or Angell can make satisfaction vnto God for the mortall sinne of any man no not all Saints and Angels putting together all their good Workes and Satisfactions The reason is because an iniurie is so much the greater by how much the person that offers it is base and the person to whom it is offered is noble as the light of reason and the estimation of mankind sheweth But God whom man casts away and abandoneth by sinne and consequently wrongs is of infinit dignitie and man offending him comparatiuely with him infinitly base wherefore mortall sinne which is an abandoning of God for some transitorie content is iniurie done vnto God incomparably grieuous On the other side Satisfaction is the lesse esteemed by how much the person satisfying is meane and the person offended great Men and Angells what are they being compared with God certainely nothing therefore certainely their Workes and Satisfactions are inestimably disproportionable to satisfie for any the least mortall sinne the guilt whereof is so great a debt as is vnsatisfiable but onely by the pretious bloud of the Sonne of God hee being a person coequall and consubstantiall with his Father to satisfie Gods anger by humbling the infinite dignitie of his person vnto the most disgracefull death of the Crosse offered satisfaction full and compleat yea superabundant the person satisfying in regard of his diuinitie being infinitely more honourable than the person offending was contemptible by reason of his basenesse Thirdly the Roman Church teacheth That those that haue beene made the children of God by Baptisme if they sinne mortally afterward when they repent God forgiues them the guilt of sinne and consequently the eternall punishment by the sacrament of Penance bountifully and graciously through the meere merits of Christ without their satisfactions onely they must by faith by feare by hope by contrition by purposes of amendment prepare and make themselues capable of that gratious and grace-infusing pardon ANSWER The Sonne of God alone is the propitiation for our sinnes 1. Iohn 2.2 and the fault and guilt of sinne was purged by the same Oblation By him all that beleeue are iustified or absolued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all Act. 13. 39. Neither are there two distinct Sacrifices and Ransomes to wit the Blood of Christ for the redemption of crimes and eternall paine and the merits and supra-passions of Saints together with Christ his sufferings for smaller sinnes and for the temporall paine of mortall But the Lambe of God bare all our sinnes in his Bodie vpon the Tree Iohn 1.29 1. Pet. 2.24 and his Blood alone cleanseth from all sinne 1. Iohn 1.9 Smaller sinnes and offences are a parcell of mans debt to God and wee pray to God in the Name and for the Merits and satisfaction of his beloued Sonne to forgiue vs our whole debt Our Sauiour taught not his Church to pray to his Father for a free remission of lesser sinnes for our owne satisfaction together with Christs but binding vp all sinnes in one bundle he teacheth vs to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forgiue vs our debts that is all our debts Psal. 103.3 as we forgiue our debtours Math. 6.12 If therefore our Aduersaries teach no more concerning this than what is contained in this Section to wit that no Saint or Angell can make satisfaction to God for mortall sinne This Doctrine is true but there is also a further truth to wit No Saint or Angell can make compensant satisfaction to God for the guilt of any sinne great or small but all such satisfaction taking the word properly was performed by the Sonne of God who trode the Wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with him Esa. 63. 3. Ioh. 1.29 1. Ioh. 2.2 Secondly It is a Veritie That regenerate persons
culpae poenae of whose merits the Church in the Primitiue times did make most account to whom afterwards succeeded another kind of Martyrdome Horrore quidem mitius sed diuturnitate molestius Of holy Confessours specially of many most holy Eremites These manifold afflictions endured by Saints farre aboue the measure of the temporall penaltie which after the eternall was graciously remitted did remaine due to their offences did not perish nor were forgotten but were laid vp in the memorie of God ANSVVER In this Section two things are affirmed by the Aduersarie First That many Saints to wit the B. Virgin S. Iohn Baptist the Prophets the holy Apostles the Martyrs Confessors and Eremites endured many more penalties in this world than were necessarie for the expiating and recompensing the temporall paine due to their sinnes And the reason or proofe hereof is Some of these were free from Actuall sinne Veniall and Mortall others were guiltie of no mortall sinne Secondly The superabundant Passions of these Saints perished not but was layd vp in the memorie of God I answer It is a manifest vntruth that any of these Saints were free from all sinne For S. Iohn speaking in the person of all the Elect saith 1. Ioh. 1. 8. If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs vers 10. If wee say wee haue not sinned wee make him a lyar and his Word is not in vs Also the B. Virgin reioyced in God her Sauiour and hee is Iesus a Sauiour to saue his people from their sinnes Shee vsed the Lords Prayer together with other Beleeuers Act. 1.14 But one Petition of this Prayer is Forgiue vs our Trespasses Matth. 6. 12. Lastly the sacred Scripture teacheth not that any of these Saints were free from all sinne neyther is there any other sufficient Argument to confirme this Assertion And S. Augustine saith It is against the Catholike Faith that any besides Christ suffered Death without the merit of Death But if it were yeelded that these Saints were free from all sinne and that they endured more Pressures and Calamities in the World than themselues deserued and that their superabundant Passions did not perish but were layd vp in the memorie of God it followeth not that their Passions were reserued to rayse a Treasurie of Satisfactions for redemption of other mens sinnes But euen as God in this World appointed these Afflictions to be matter and occasion of greater Sanctitie and Vertue in them and proposed these Persons to be Lights and Examples to others in their Actions and Sufferings so likewise he layd vp these things in the Treasurie of his eternall Memorie that he might crowne and dignifie them aboue other Saints with a large augmentation of Glorie and Blisse Matth. 19.28 So we see vpon how weake and rotten ground is built this imaginarie Castle of Church-Treasure IESVIT The third Proposition the Treasure of the Church consisteth principally of the superabundant Satisfaction of Christ who did endure much more than was necessarie for the Redemption of man wherewith are ioyned the Satisfaction of Saints Wee ioyne the Satisfaction of Saints with the Satisfaction of Christs in the Churches Treasure not because we beleeue the Bloud of Christ to be insufficient alone to satisfie for sinnes Nisi velut arescentis exhausti defectus aliunde suppleatur sufficiatur as mistakingly not to say calumniously Caluin reporteth of vs. For Pope Clement the sixt whom Protestants accuse as the first Author of this Treasure affirmes euen in his constitution about this matter That the Bloud of Christ is of an infinite price and euerie drop thereof sufficient to cancell the sinnes of the whole World ANSWER First If the Bloud of Christ is of infinite price To what purpose doe you conioyne the bloud of Martyrs and the voluntarie Passions of Creatures to the same For is any man so foolish as to adde the Light of a Candle to the cleare Light of the Sunne If you answere They are conioyned not in equalitie but by Subordination I demand Where hath the Sonne of God appointed this And if you couple humane Satisfactions to Christs expiation of veniall sinne and the temporall paine of mortall you may vpon as good warrant doe it for the attonement of the eternall punishment because according to your former Tenet by mysticall Vnion the Actions and Passions of the Members are the Actions and Passions of the Head and consequently they may partake vertue of satisfying with the Passions of Christ. Secondly Although one drop of Christs Bloud euen when he was Circumcised and whipped might haue beene sufficient for mans Redemption if God had so ordayned yet presupposing the Diuine Decree and Ordinance to the contrarie one drop of Christs Bloud is not sufficient to make Satisfaction for our sinnes because Sufficiencie in this kind is to be measured by the Wisedome Will and Acceptation of the Ordayner which requireth as much as himselfe appointed and decreed should be and neyther more nor lesse It is remarkable how these Romane Higlars with one 〈◊〉 both magnifie and debase the price of Christs Bloud For one while they say That one drop thereof is sufficient to satisfie for all the sinnes of the World and then againe they inferre That it is fit it should be eeked out with an addition of Saintly Satisfactions to rayse a Stocke to redeeme Soules out of Purgatorie Else why stint they not this Treasure vpon the maine Reuenue of Christs Passions onely Their detected meaning is Christs Bloud alone yea one drop thereof is all-sufficient to saue Soules but the same is insufficient to impregnate his Holinesse his Coffers The Bloud of Christ hath abundant vertue in it to cleanse sinnes but it must emendicate Vertue to fill Purses and to satisfie the Auarice of the Horse-leaches of Rome Therefore good cause had Caluin and so haue wee to vindicate the honour of our Sauiour and to protest against your derogating from the merit of his Bloud which impietie although you endeauour to colour your Doctrine yet the practise of your people by you tollerated madding vpon the merits of Saints and contemning the merits of Christ accounting the same drie and exhaust is intollerable and execrable IESVIT The Reasons of this Coniunction are these three First That Poenall workes of Saints as they are satisfactorie be not without fruit for being satisfactorie and not hauing the effect of satisfaction in their owne innocent and vndefiled persons they will be without this fruit and effect except they be applyed vnto others that are poore and needie in whom satisfaction is scant and the debt of temporall abounds ANSWER First It cannot be prooued by Diuine Reuelation that Saints haue super-aboundant Satisfactions for whatsoeuer affliction and pressure they endured in this life was necessarie or expedient to set foorth Gods glorie to confirme and consummate their owne vertue to edifie
we erre fundamentally by making sauing Faith not only an intellectuall but also a fiduciall assent to the promise of the Gospell the 〈◊〉 must remember that many of his owne Doctours affirme the same Vega. d. Iustiff lib. 14. Fides in Scripturis 〈◊〉 idem est quod fidueia 〈◊〉 idem quod considere Faith in the Scriptures is many times the same that Trust and to beleeue the same that to trust Iansenius Concord Euang. cap. 32. The name of Faith in the Gospell when Saluation is ascribed vnto it containeth both firme assent c. and also considence and trust conceiued vpon the apprehension of his 〈◊〉 and goodnesse Adam Sasboth sup Rom. 1. v. 17. The word Faith in S. Pauls desputation containeth not only Assent but also Trust in Christ the Mediatour Ferus sup Math. Non semper Fides est quod nos Fidem dicimus c. That which we call Faith to wit to assent to such things as are reported in diuine Histories and which the Church propoundeth to beleeue is not alwaies Faith c. for the Scripture speaketh of Faith in another manner for according to it Faith is a trust in the diuine mercie promised by Christ with these also concurre Guilliaudus Fredericus Nausea and Suares saith Multi Catholici putant saepe accipi in Scriptura Fidem pro fiducia Many Catholicks think that Faith is oftentimes taken in holy Scripture for Trust. The Iesuit therefore wanted matter to fraught his papers when he obiected this Article against vs as a fundamentall errour For if his owne Doctours and the holy Scripture it selfe take the word Faith in this notion wherein haue we merited so grieuous a sentence But I haue produced many famous Doctours of his owne part which say expresly the same that we doe concerning the signification of the word Faith when it is said to iustifie and in steed of many other Texts I referre him to the places of Scripture following Iam. 1.6 Math. 9. v. 2. 22. cap. 14.31 Rom. 9.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euery one that beleeueth vpon him 1. Pet. 2.6 Now in regard of the matter of our Doctrine the assurance of remission of sinnes which we teach is no other than S. Bernard Iohn Bacon the Carmelite Caietan Catherinus Ferus and many other Pontificians haue formerly taught Caietan sup Rom. 8. We haue from the holy Ghost and our owne a most sufficient testimonie to make vs beleeue that we are the sonnes of God for by this testimonie we cleerely discerne that we ought to beleeue that we are the sonnes of God And S. Bernard If thou beleeuest that he only can blot out thine offences whom thou hast offended it is well but ioine this also to the former that by him thy sinnes are forgiuen thee This is the testimonie which the holy Spirit yeeldeth in our hearts saying Thy sinnes are remitted vnto thee and in this sort doth the holy Apostle thinke that a man is freely iustified by Faith Now from the precedent positions I argue thus First That Doctrine concerning the nature and actions of Faith which is taught in holy Scripture and which hath the consent of many antient Fathers and which was deliuered by many learned Doctors of the Roman Church is not fundamentall Errour But such is the Doctrine of Protestants concerning iustifying Faith c. Secondly No Church erreth fundamentally which teacheth such a kind of iustifying Faith as Abraham Iob S. Paul and other iust persons commended in holy Scriptures had But Abraham Iob S. Paul and other iust persons commended in holy Scriptures had such a iustifying Faith as was both an intellectuall and fiduciall assent to diuine Veritie and Promises Ergo The Church of the Protestants erreth not fundamentally teaching such a iustifying Faith as is both an intellectuall and fiduciall assent to diuine Promises and Verities The assumption is prooued by Rom. 4.18 19 20 21. Iob 19. 25. Rom. 8.38 Gal. 2.20 2. Tim. 4.7 And whereas Pontificians bequarrel vs in this argument two waies First saying That these holy men had a particular promise made vnto them Secondly That they knew by extraordinarie Reuelation that they were indued with Faith Hope and Charitie which wee know only by coniecturall or morall persuasion I answer First we haue particular promises contained in the generall and the generall promises are particularly applied by the word of Absolution and the Sacraments and by the testimonie of the holy Ghost speaking in the conscience of true beleeuers by effects of Grace Secondly they which want miraculous Reuelation may vnderstand by ordinarie Grace that they haue Faith Hope and Charitie because the holy Scripture commandeth all Christian beleeuers to trie and examine themselues concerning these Graces 1. Cor. 11 28. 2. Cor. 13.5 And godly persons which liued in former daies knew they had these vertues Psal. 119. 97. Esa. 38.3 Iob 27.5 6. 29.14 Luc. 9.24 Ioh. 21.15 And the Apostle speaking of other people as well as of himselfe saith We know the things which are freely giuen vs of God 1. Cor. 2. 12. And S. Iohn saith That he which receiueth the hidden Manna knowes it Apoc. 2. 17. The Fathers also and many Doctors of the Roman Church affirme the same S. Augustine I see that I beleeue if I beleeue and in another place These two things are not vncertaine to me the goodnesse of God and mine owne Faith and in another place Let euerie man enter into his owne heart and if he find there brotherly Charitie let him be secure for he is passed from death vnto life and in a fourth place 〈◊〉 man knoweth the Charitie wherewith he loueth his brother better than his brother But to the end the difference betweene our Aduersaries and vs concerning this question may the better appeare I will deliuer our Doctrine in certaine propositions First We maintaine that such persons only can haue true assurance and certaintie of their Iustification which beleeue and repent and are resolued to obey Gods commandements Secondly A Christian of a contrite spirit beleeuing only that his sinnes are remissible and which earnestly desireth remission of sinnes by the merits of Christ and ioineth with this desire the exercise of vertue receiueth forgiuenesse although he be vexed with scruples and temptations and want assurance and persuasion in himselfe that his sinnes are remitted Thirdly The particular certaintie of remission of sinnes which iust persons attaine vnto vpon their Repentance Obedience and Faith is not equall in the firmitie of assent to that assurance which they haue about the common obiect of Faith to wit concerning the articles of Creation Trinitie Incarnation Resurrection or the like because these articles are immediately and totally reuealed in the holy Scripture but that his sinnes in particular are remitted vnto a penitent person dependeth vpon an Argument whereof one
repentance to be a second Table after spirituall Ship-wrecke and a necessarie meanes of remission of sinnes committed after Baptisme but he speaketh of Auricular Confession according to the Tenet of the Trident Councell and priestly Absolution vpon the same affirming but without any proofe that this kind of penance is a Sacrament of the Gospell and a necessarie meanes to obtaine remission of sinnes committed after Baptisme The Protestants in their Doctrine acknowledge that priuat confession of sinnes made by penitent people to the Pastours of their soules and particular absolution or speciall application of the promises of the Gospell to such as be penitent are profitable helps of vertue godlinesse and spirituall comfort The Augustane confession speaketh in this manner We retaine confession especially because of absolution which is Gods word applied to euerie priuate person therefore it were an vngodly thing to remooue priuate absolution out of the Church neither do they duly consider what is remission of sinnes or the force of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen which contemne or repudiate priuate absolution A reuerend Bishop of our time deliuereth the Doctrine of our Church in this manner The power of absolution in generall and particular is professed in our Church where both in the publicke seruice is proclaimed pardon and absolution vpon all penitents and a priuate applying of absolution vnto particular penitents by the office of the Minister And concerning priuat confession Bishop Iuell saith Abuses and errors being remooued and the Priest being learned we mislike no manner of confession whether it be publicke or priuate His most excellent Maiestie our gratious and religious king Iames in his Meditation vpon the Lords Prayer hath these words For my part with Caluin Institut lib. 3. cap. 4. Sect. 12. I commend Confession euen priuately to a Church-man and I wish with all my heart it were more in custome among vs than it is as a thing of excellent vse especially of preparing men to receiue the Sacrament The difference then betweene Papals and vs in this question is not about the thing it selfe considered without abuses but concerning the manner and also the obligation and necessitie thereof First they require of all persons being of age a priuate and distinct confession of all and euery knowne mortall sinne open and secret of outward deed and inward consent together with the circumstances thereof though obscene and odious to Christian eares to be made at the least annually to some Roman Priest authorised And they affirme the same to be simply necessarie either in act or in desire by diuine precept for the obtaining remission of sinnes committed after Baptisme And they teach that this confession and absolution vpon it is one of the proper Sacraments of the New Testament hauing an operatiue vertue to conferre Grace and to change Attrition or imperfect sorrow for sinnes past into contrition Secondly our Tenet is that auricular confession is not absolutely necessarie to remission of sinnes after Baptisme neither is the same generally in respect of all persons commanded or imposed by diuine law and the rigorous vrging thereof according to the Popish Doctrine is not Orthodoxall or Catholicke Faith neither is penance a Sacrament of the new Testament like vnto Baptisme and the holy Eucharist The true ends of priuate confession are these which follow First to informe instruct and councell Christian people in their particular actions Secondly if they be delinquents to reprooue them and make them vnderstand the danger of their sinne Thirdly to comfort those that are afflicted and truely penitent and to assure them of remission of sinnes by the word of absolution Fourthly to prepare people to the worthie receiuing of the holy Communion And if priuate confession be referred and vsed to these ends it is a worke of godly discipline consonant to the holy Scripture and antiently practised by the Primitiue Church Bishops and Ministers of the Church are Sheepheards Stewards and Ouerseers of Gods people committed to their charge 1. Pet. 5. 1 2. Acts 20. 28. They haue receiued the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen and power to loose and bind sinners Math. 16. 19. Math. 18. 18. Iohn 20. 23. They haue power to direct and gouerne their whole flocke and euerie sheepe and member of the same in things concerning their Saluation The people are subiect to them in such offices and actions as concerne their spirituall state Heb. 13. 17. 1. Thess. 5. 12. And if Christian people must confesse and acknowledge their faults one to another Iames 5. 16. then also when there is cause why should they not do the same to the Pastors of their soules But the precise and strict Law of Confession imposed vpon all Christians as a necessarie meanes of remission of sinnes is neither commanded in the New Testament nor hath warrant from the Primitiue Church First It was not instituted or practised Matth. 3. 6 for that Confession was before Baptisme and not at the Sacrament of Penance and so great a multitude as is mentioned in that Text could not within so smal space of time make speciall enumeration of all their sinnes and no priuat absolution was vsed Secondly It cannot be prooued from Act. 19. 17. because this Confession was open and not secret the same was voluntarie and not commanded it was performed once onely and not annually or often euerie yeere and no Absolution was giuen after it And Cardinall Caietan graunteth that it was no Sacramentall Confession but onely an open profession of their former wicked life Thirdly It was not appointed Iam. 5. 16. For our Aduersaries acknowledge That it is not certaine that S. Iames speaketh of Sacramentall Confession Rhemists Iam. 5. Annot. 10. And the persons to whom S. Iames commands Confession to be made are not onely Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confesse or acknowledge your faults one to another but also any other person whom one hath wronged and offended or from whom he may receiue counsaile or comfort Fourthly Neither was Sacramentall Confession instituted Ioh. 20. 23. because no mention is made in that Text of auricular Confession And the power granted to Ministers of the Gospell to apply remission of sinnes by Preaching Sacraments and Absolution may be exercised and also be effectuall in contrite people vpon the inward confession of sinnes to God himselfe and their liuely faith in Christ Iesus and vpon their Baptisme Act 3.19 26.18 Matth. 11.28 without priuate disclosing and manifesting their secret offences to man If the Aduersaries shall obiect None can forgiue sinnes by a iudiciall Act vntill they know them and haue them reuealed But Priests by commission from Christ forgiue sinnes by a iudiciall Act and therefore sinnes must by confession bee reuealed and made knowne vnto them I answere That hee which properly and directly pardoneth sinnes by a iudiciall Act
ought to know them and thud God himselfe forgiuing sinnes knoweth them Psal. 69.6 But they which forgiue sinnes declaratiuely and by publishing Gods iudiciall Act like as a Cryer pronounceth the sentence of a Iudge and by applying the Word and Sacraments to penitent persons vpon the holy and worthie receiuing whereof the holy Ghost himselfe conferreth the grace of Remission may performe that which belongeth to their office without distinct knowledge of all the particular sinnes whereof the penitent person hath repented himselfe in the sight of God as appeareth in Baptisme and generall Confession ioyned with Contrition And when a Priest applyeth the word of Absolution hee knoweth not whether the person confessing his sinnes performeth the same truely and with contrition of heart or not Iohn Medina Cardinall Caietan and Iansenius acknowledge the weakenesse of this Argument to prooue Auricular Confession And Vasques saith That a man can hardly find among those which maintaine Auricular Confession out of the place of Ioh. 20. 23. which doe effectually conclude the same from thence Ioh. Medina treating of Auricular Confession saith The Romane Catholike Doctors haue laboured till they sweat againe to find proofe for this veritie He might well haue said They laboured to as good purpose as the man who sought to finde Nodum in Scirpo or A Needle in a Bottle of Hay Mich. Palacius saith Diuines are perplexed in finding places of Scripture or other conuincing arguments to prooue Auricular Confession to be of Diuine Institution and it is worthie admiration what contention is about this matter and how badly Authors agree concerning the same Our Aduersaries labour tooth and nayle to prooue from the former Text in S. Iohn That Priests exercise a Iudiciall Power when they absolue sinners But if this were graunted they gaine nothing for this Iudiciall power is exercised according to the word of Christ And if that word absolue contrite and penitent persons vpon internall Confession to God himselfe and vpon their generall Confession before men without secret Confession then it followeth not That because a Priest exerciseth a Iudiciall power when hee absolueth Ergo Penitents must confesse all their knowne sinnes A penitent person may haue mortall sinnes which he remembreth not Psal. 19.13 and when vpon profession of his repentance he is absolued those sinnes are pardoned Psal. 103.3 and the Priest in giuing Absolution exerciseth a Iudiciall Act according to the Popish Tenet and yet those finnes are not disclosed or manifested vnto him Secondly The present Romish Doctrine concerning the absolute necessitie of Auricular Confession is not Catholique The Greeke Church both of antient and later times reiected the same as appeared by Nectarius S. Chrysostome and by the testimonie of learned Papists which affirme the same concerning that Church The Glosse vpon Gratian saith Auricular Confession is not necessarie among the Grecians Greg. Val. Lib. 2. d. Miss cap. 4. saith That Panormitan and Gerson maintained that secret Confession was not necessarie Andreas Vega Very many learned Catholikes haue doubted of this necessitie of Confession by Diuine Law Maldenat sum q. 18. ar 4. There be also among Catholikes which thinke there is no Diuine Precept touching Auricular Confession to wit all the Interpreters of the Decrees and also Scotus B. Rhenanus and Petrus Oxomensis denyed the said Confession to be of Diuine Institution And Gratian himselfe hauing disputed the Question pro con concludeth in this manner I leaue it to the Readers choyse which opinion to follow because each opinion to wit the one holding Confession to be of Diuine Institution and the other Ecclesiasticall hath fautors both wise and religious Now if Auricular Confession is not certainely and infallibly of Diuine Institution then it is impossible for the same conioyned with Absolution to be a Sacrament because Sacraments of the New Testament were immediately instituted by Christ and haue their institution matter forme visible signes and promises expressely and manifestly deliuered and appointed in the Scripture of the New Testament From hence I argue If that which Romists tearme Sacramentall Penance haue no word of Institution no visible and corporeall Element no expresse forme or word of Consecration neither any Sacramentall effect appropriated vnto it by Christ and his Apostles then the same is no Sacrament of the New Testament But all and euerie of these Conditions are wanting in Popish Penance Ergo The same is no Sacrament of the New Testament If Penitencie be not affirmed by the Fathers of the Primitiue Church to be a Sacrament properly taken then that the same is such in our dayes is not Catholique Doctrine But learned Pontificians haue narrowly searched euerie Sentence of Antiquitie concerning Penitencie and cannot yet produce one place where the same is plainely and expressely affirmed to be one of the Sacraments of the New Testament properly taken to wit such as is Baptisme and the holy Eucharist Therefore the present Doctrine of Romists concerning Penitencie That the same is a Sacrament is neither grounded vpon the Scripture nor the perpetuall Tradition of the Church And our Romish Aduersarie is the eight time guided by a lying Spirit when he accuseth vs of fundamentall Error because wee denie Popish Penance to be a Sacrament IESVIT NInthly Their denying the Catholique Church expressely set downe in the Creed which of all the other Articles is with greatest danger denyed For the standing out against this makes men Heretikes and without erring against this no man is guiltie of Heresie whatsoeuer Doctor Field to the contrarie saith That an errant against a fundamentall point is an Heretike though hee erre without pertinacie whereof he brings not any syllable of proofe And yet his Doctrine is against the whole consent of Diuines and expressely against S. Augustine who saith That a man holding with Photinus whose errors were most fundamentall against the Trinitie and the Godhead of Christ thinking hee holds Catholique Doctrine is not yet an Heretike till warned that hee holds against the Catholique Church hee chuseth to perseuere in his error ANSWER WEe beleeue stedfastly the Article of the Apostles Creed concerning the Catholique Church and denie onely the false sense which Romists impose and the absurd inferences which they draw from this Article And whereas the Iesuit affirmeth That this Article is with greatest danger denyed because the standing out against it makes men Heretikes c. Both the Proposition it selfe thus rawly and confusedly deliuered and the Confirmation are false The Article of the Catholique Church is not the most fundamentall and prime Article of the Creed for many other Articles are about a more principall and excellent Obiect to wit immediately concerning God the Creator and Christ Iesus the Sauiour and Redeemer and God the Holy Ghost c. whereas the Obiect of the Article in question is concerning the Creature The
heauier if wee mis-lead on eytherside than theirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vs. But I see I must looke to my selfe for you are secure For F. Dr White said I hath secured me that none of our Errors be damnable so long as wee hold them not against our Conscience And I hold none against my Conscience B. It seemes then you haue two Securities Dr Whites Assertion and your Conscience What Assurance Dr White 〈◊〉 you I cannot tell of my selfe nor as things stand may I rest vpon your Relation It may be you vse him no better than you doe the Bishop And sure it is so For I haue since spoken with Dr White and hee auowes this and no other Answere Hee was asked in the conferense betweene you Whether Popish Errors were Fundamentall To 〈◊〉 hee gaue 〈◊〉 by distinction of the persons which held and professed the Errors namely That the Errors were Fundamentall reductiue by a Reducement if they which embraced them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adhere to them hauing sufficient 〈◊〉 to be better enformed nay further that they were materially and in the verie kind and nature of them Leauen Drosse Hay and Stubble Yet hee thought withall that such as were mis-led by Education or long Custome or over-valuing the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Church and did in 〈◊〉 of heart embrace them might by their generall 〈◊〉 and Faith in the Merit of Christ attended with Charitie 〈◊〉 other Vertues find mercie at Gods hands But that hee should say Signanter and expressely That none eyther of yours or your fellowes 〈◊〉 were damnable so long as you hold them not against Conscience that hee vtterly disauowes You deliuered nothing to 〈◊〉 such a Confession from him And for your selfe hee could obserue but small loue of Truth few signes of Grace in you as hee tells mee Yet hee will not presume to iudge you or your Saluation it is the Word of Christ that must iudge you as the latter Day For your Conscience you are the happier in your Error that you hold nothing against it especially if you speake not against it while you say so But this no man can know but your Conscience For no man knowes the thoughts of a man but the spirit of a man that is within him to which I leaue you But yet you leaue not For you tell me F. The doubting partie asked Whether shee might be saued in the Protestants Faith Vpon 〈◊〉 Soule said the B. you may Vpon my Soule said I there is but one sauing Faith and that is the Romane B. So it seemes the B. was confident for the Faith professed in the Church of England else hee would not haue taken the Saluation of another vpon his Soule And sure hee had reason of his Confidence For to beleeue the Scripture and the Creeds to beleeue these in the sense of the antient Primitiue Church to receiue the foure great Generall Councels so much magnified by Antiquitie to beleeue all Points of Doctrine generally receiued as Fundamentall in the Church of Christ is a Faith in which to liue and die cannot but giue Saluation And therefore the B. went vpon a sure ground in the aduenture of his Soule vpon that Faith Besides in all the Points of Doctrine that are controuerted betweene vs. I would faine see anie one Point maintained by the Church of England that can bee prooued to depart from the Foundation You haue manie dangerous Errors about it in that which you call the Romane Faith But there I leaue you to looke to your owne Soule and theirs whom you seduce Yet this is true too That there is but one sauing Faith But then euerie thing which you call De Fide Of the Faith because some Councell or other hath defined it is not such a breach from that one sauing Faith as that hee which expressely beleeues it not nay as that hee which beleeues the contrarie is excluded from Saluation And Bellarmine is forced to graunt this There are manie things de Fide which are not absolutely necessarie to Saluation Therefore there is a Latitude in Faith especially in reference to Saluation To set a Bound to this and strictly to define it Iust thus farre you must beleeue in euerie particular or incurre Damnation is no worke for my Penne. These two things I am sure of One That your peremptorie establishing of so manie things that are remote Deductions from the Foundation hath with other Errors lost the Peace and Vnitie of the Church for which you will one day answere And the other That you are gone further from the Foundation of this one sauing Faith than can euer bee prooued wee haue done But to conclude you tell vs F. Vpon this and the precedent Conferences the Ladie rested in iudgement fully satisfied as shee told a confident friend of the Truth of the Romane Churches Faith Yet vpon frailetie and feare to offend the King shee yeelded to goe to Church For which shee was after verie sorrie as some of her friends can testifie B. This is all personall And how that Honourable Ladie is settled in Conscience how in Iudgement I know not This I thinke is made cleare enough That that which you said in this and the precedent Conferences could settle neyther vnlesse in some that were settled or setting before As little doe I know what shee told anie Friend of the Romane Cause No more whether it were frailetie or feare that made her yeeld to goe to Church nor how sorrie shee was for it nor who can testifie that sorrow This I am sure of If shee repent and God forgiue her other sinnes shee will farre more easily bee able to answere for her comming to Church than shee will for the leauing of the Church of England and following the Superstitions and Errors which the Romane Church hath added in point of Faith and worship of God I pray God giue her Mercie and all of you a Light of his Truth and a Loue to it first that you may no longer be made Instruments of the Popes boundlesse Ambition and this most vnchristian braine-sicke Deuice That in all Controuersies of the Faith hee is infallible and that by way of Inspiration and Prophesie in the Conclusion which hee giues To due consideration of this and Gods Mercie in Christ I leaue you FINIS Optat. lib. 3. c. Parmen Aug. c. Cresc lib. 3. ca. 51. Isid. d. sum bon lib. 3. ca. 53. Aug. Epist. 48. ad Vincent Idem Ep. 52. ad Macedon Idem Ep. 61. ad Dulcit Euseb. Hist. Eccles li. 10. ca. 9. Et d. vit Const. li. i. ca. 37. Ministrorum Dei coegit Concilium lib. 2. c. 43. lib. 3. ca. 6 10 12 16 17 18 23. Interdum 〈◊〉 quae ad Ecclesiarum Dei commodū spectabant prescribendo ib. ca. 63. lib. 4. c. 14. c. 18. Festos dies instituit ca. 22 23 27. Episcoporū Decreta cōfirmauit Theoderit Hist. Eccles li. 1. cap. 7. August d. Ciu. Dei li. 5. c. 25. Tertul. ad