in that daye a iust iudge Vpon which wordes most excellently sayth S. Augustine explicating both the necessitie of grace that wee may merit and the iustice of reward due to merit To whom sayth he should the iust iudge render a crowne yf the mercifull father had not giuen grace howe should there be a crowne of iustices vnless grace which doth iustifie the wicked had gone before 3. God is not vniust that he should forgett your workes and loue which you haue shewed in his name which haue ministred to the sainctes and doe minister In deede great were gods iniustice if he would onely punish synnes and would not receaue good workes Sayth S. Hierome vpon these wordes The sonn of man shall come in the glorie of his father with his Angels and then will he render to euerie man according to his workes He sayth not according to his mercie sayth S. Augustin and I also add not according to fayth onely Protestantes position Good workes done in the state of grace are not meritorious of life euerlasting THE 15. CONTROuersie of freewill NOte that I speake here of freewill onli ī such things as appartayne to our saluation and not in naturall morall or indifferent actions as in eating walking or saluting others Catholique position Man through the help of gods grace which is neuer denyed him hath free will and power both to fly such euill and to doe such good as is necessarie for his saluation nor is he forced or constrayned to ether Proofe 1. He that hath determined in his harte being setled not hauing necessitie but hauing power of his owne will and iudgeth this in his hart to keepe his virgin doth well This place is cited by S. Augustin for this same purpose de gratia libero arbitrio cap. 2. 2. Come yee blessed gett yee away from me you cursed It is no incōgruitie saith S. Augustin that god should saye goe īto euer lasting fire to them that by theyr will haue repelled his mercie And to the other come yee blessed of my father that by theyr free will haue receaued fayth confessed theyr synn and done pennance He hath sett before thee water and fier to which thou wilt stretch out thy hand before man is life and death good and euill what pleaseth him shal be giuen him Behould sayth S. Augustine hauing cited these wordes we see the freedome of mans will most playnly expressed which in the begining of that chapter he promised to shewe out of holy scriptures and therfore is it manifest that he tooke this booke to be holy scripture but this by the way only He that is not satisfied with these testimonies lett him take the paynes to read S Augustin his 2. cap. of his booke of grace and free will in the. 7. tome of his workes where haueing cited aboue 20. testimonies out of the oulde and newe testament to proue mans free will he concludethe thus whith others of like sorte to witt where it is said doe not this or doe not that and where to the doeing or not doeing of anie thing the act of the will is required by gods admonition free will is sufficiently declared Of the iudgment of the most auncient church to witt of the secunde hundretho yeares after Christ heare the confession of the cēturistes these are theyr wordes There is almost no poynt of doctrine which begann so soone to be obscured as this of free will And after In like māner Clemēs doth euerie where teach free will that it may appeare not onely all the doctors of this age meaninge age after Christ to haue beene in the same darkness but also in the ages following theyr darkness did much encrease Protestant Position Man thoughe holpen by gods grace hath not freewill ether to flye anie euill or to doe anie good auayling to his saluation but in both is forced to doe that which god hath ordayned he should doe THE 16. CONTROVERsie of the possibilitie of obseruing godes commaūdements Catholique Position◠1. IT is not vnpossible for a man assisted whith gods grace to obserue and keepe all gods cōmaundements Proofe 1. The iudgments of our lorde be true iustified in them selues to be desired aboue gold and much pretious stone more sweet then the honie and the honie combe For thy seruand keepeth them in keeping them is much rewarde 2. They were both iust before god walking in all the commaundements and iustificationes of our lord whith out blame 3. Take vp my yock vpon you and learne of me c. for my yocke is sweet my burthen light And in another place His commaundements are not heauie S. Augustine sayth it being most constantly beleeued that the iust and good god could not commaunde impossible thinges we are admonished what we ought to doe in easie thinges and what to aske in hard thinges For all thinges to charitie are easie according to which it is sayd that his cōmaundementes are not heauie The diligent reader may please to see what S. Augustine writeth of this pointe in his booke de perfectione iustitiae cap 10. to 7. where for the proofe of this Catholique doctrin besides other testimonies he alledgeth that This commaundement that I commaūde the this daye is not aboue the nor so farr of c. Deutronomie cap. 30. v. 11. and. after 4. That the iustificatiō of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs. who walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirit Loe here the lawe fulfilled by those that walke not according to the flesh Protestants position It is not possible for a man though assisted whith godes grace to obserue all godes cōmaundements THE 17. CONTROuersie Of workes of supererogation Catholique position A Man by the help of godes grace may doe many things not commaunded but onely counselled or which is the same may doe workes of supererogatiō which are of more perfection then the commaundements Proofe 1. If thou wilt be perfect goe sell the things thou hast and giue to the poore thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come followe me Some things sayth S. Chrysostome he commaundeth some things he leaueth to our owne fre◠wil. For he sayd not sell that thou hast◠but yf thou wilt be prefect sell that thou hast much more to the same purpose hath that holy father in that place As concerning virgins a commaundement of our lord I haue not but counsell I giue as haueing obtayned mercie of our lord to be faythfull Because sayth S. Augustine by auoyding synn or obtayning remission therof life euerlasting is to he got in which there is a certayne excellēt glorie not to be giuē to all the blessed but to some certayne for the obteyning wherof it doth little auayle to be free from synn vnless somthing be vowed to our deliuerer which to haue not willed is no sinn but to haue vowed and performed is prays worthy
by none but by theÌ„ Agayne he sayth There are many thinges which the whole church doth hold and therfore are well beleeued to be commaunded by the Apostles albeit they be not found written Catholique positi The Catholique church doth ought to beleeue those things which the Apostles deliuered onely by worde without writinge in the same degree of faith with those which are written Note that the proofes of this position doth also proue thother going à fore Proofe 1. Therfore Brethren stand and hold the traditions which you haue learned whether it be by worde or by our epistle S. Basile saith I account it Apostolique to continue firmly in vnwritten traditions and alledgeth this place of S. Paule S. Chrisostome cited by Fulke himself saith thus Hereof it is manifest that they the Apostles deliuered not all by Epistles but many things without letters and the one is of as great credit as the other Therfore we think the tradition of the church to be worthie of credit It is à tradition inquire no more 2. O Timothee keepe the deposituÌ„ That is that which is comitted to thy trust not certes by writinge For litle or nothinge writren of the new testament was knowne to Timothee then See à large discourse herevpon in Vincentius lirenensis 3. But if anie man seeme to be contentious wee haue no such custome nor the church of god where S. Paule alledgeth the custome of the church as à sufficient disproofe of anie practise why not therfore for the proofe of anie The things which thou hast hearde of me by many witnesses these commende to faithfull men which shall be fitt to teach others also loe no word here of writing but of hearing teaching by worde of mouthe Nowe haueinge proued by Scripture it self and euident instances that many thinges are to be beleeued that are not directly contayned in Scripture it appeareth à sensless thinge to demaunde direct proofe of euerie thinge we beleeue out of Scripture Protestants Positi The holy Apostles deliuered not by word of mouth moethings to be beleeued and obserued by the church theÌ„ theyether founde written or wrote them selues And therfore are there no traditions to be holden or beleeued 2. The Catholique church ought not to beleeue those thinge which the Apostles deliuered onely by worde of mouth without writinge in the same degree of faithe with those which are written THE THIRD CON trouersie of the difficultie to vnderstand the Scriptures Catho positiones 1 All places of holy scripture conteyninge articles of fayth the obstinate misbeleife wherof is Damnable are not easâ—â— to be vnderstoode but requiâ—â— some rule to be interpreted by Proofe 1. Philipp sayd to the Eunucâ— whom he founde readinge thâ— Prophet Esay Trow est thou thâ—â— thou vnderstandest the things which thou readest who sayde how can vnless some man shewe me 2. Our Sauiour accordingly â—pened the vnderstaÌ„dinge of his Apostles that they might vnderstand the Scriptures see therfore what à speciall grace it is to â—nderstand the Scriptures in there true sense and meaninge In the which the Epistles of sainct Paule are certayne thinges hard to be vnderstoode which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the 〈◊〉 of the Scriptures to theyr owne perâ—â—ione Sainct Hierome explicatinge â—â—e text now cited out of the actes concludeth thus These thinges haue I breifly touched as the limitts of an Epistle would permitt that thou mayest vnderstande that with out a guide and teacher thou canst not enter the pathe of holy Scriptures which is easie to conceaue seeinge as he notethe in the same place no trade nor mechanicall art is learned with out à maister Certes it is not onely an heresie but à meere frensie to saye that all scriptures conteyninge poyntes of faythe necessary to be beleeued are easie to be vnderstoode of priuat beleeuers sithence all heresies whatsoeuer haue bene begoÌ„n and maynteyned for want of true vnderstandinge of holy scriptures wherof Vincentius Lirenensis sayth thus Some man may peraduenture aske foâ— asmuch as the canon of the scriptures 〈◊〉 perfect and in all pointes very sufficient in it self what neede is ther tâ— ioyne therunto the authoritie of the ecclesiasticall vnderstandinge For this cause surely for that all take not the holy scriptures in one and the same sense because of the deepness therof bâ—â— the sayinges therof some interpret one way and some another way soe thaâ— tbere may almost as manye senses bâ— picked out of it as there be men Foâ— Nouatian doth expound it one waye and Sabellius another waye otherwise Arrius Eunomius Macedonius other wayes Photinus Apolinaris Priscillianus otherwayes Iouinian Pelagius Celestius lastly otherwayes Nestorius Thus far that auÌ„cieÌ„t father to whom we may ad otherwais wicliffe Luther Caluin Anabaptistes with the rest and this most truely seing of these fewe wordes This is my Bodye there are found aboue 80. diuers senses besides the Catholique â—ense and meaninge S. Augustine also auoucheth the samesayinge For no other reason are heresies made but because men not rightly vnderstandinge the Scriptures doe obstinatly affirme they re owne opiniones against the truthe of them Catho pos 2. Priuate personnes though true beieeuershaue not the spirit of interpretinge the holy Scripture in the true sense and meaninge of the same Proofe 1. No prophecie of scripture is made by priuate interpretation 2. The lippes of the Priest shall keepe knowledg and the lawe they shal require of his mouthe be cause he is the Angell that is the messeÌ„ger of the lord of hostes loe here the office of interpretinge the lawes of god giuen to priestes and not assured to euerie faythfull person 3. Vpon the Chaire of Moyses haue sitten scribes and Pharisies all thinges therfore whatsoeuer they shall saye to you obserue yee and doe yee loe here à commaunde to heare the prelates pastoures of the church and no man lefte to followe his owne fantasie in matters of faythe and manners Protestantes PositioÌ„ 1. All places of holy Scripture â—onteininge articles of faith the obstinate misbelief wherof is daÌ„nable are easie to be vnd er stood therfore require not anie rule to be interpreted by 2. Priuat persounes that are true beleeuers haue the Spirit and gift of interpretinge the holy Scripture in the true sense and meainge therof THE FOVRTH CONtrouersie Of the infallibilitie of the churche Catho pos THe sense and meaninge of holy Scriptures giuen or aproued by the holy Catholique church is vnfallibly true as are also the definitiones and declarationes of faithe deliuered by the same and euery one is bounde vpon his damnatioÌ„ not to reiect the iudgment therof Proofe 1. My spirit that is in thee and my wordes that I haue put in thy mouthe shall not departe out of thy mouthe and out of the mouthe of thy seede and out of the mouthe of thy seedes seede sayth our lord for this present and for euer
playne is that Rise vp and be baptised and washe away thy sinnes inuocating his name 3. Not by the workes of iustice which wee did but according to his mercie hâ— hath saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holy ghost Loe here wee are saued by baptisme 4. wherunto Baptisme being of the like forme now saueth you also As Noë saythe S. Augustine with his was deliuered by the wâ—tâ—r â—nd the woode So the family of Christ by baptisme signed wâ—th the pâ—ssion on the Crosse Protestantes position Nether baptisme nor the other Sacramentes of the newe lawe giue grace as cause therof but are onely signes of gods good will towardes vs or meanes to stire vp faythe in vs. CHARACTER Catholique position THe Sacrament of Baptisme Confirmation and orders besides the grace which they giue doe make and leaue a signe or seale in the soule of the receauer which after S. Augustine is ordinarily called a Character Proofe And he that confirmethe vs with you in Christ and that hath anoynted vs god whoe also hath sealed vs. of S. Augustines Doctrine coÌ„cerninge this matter M. Fulke sayth thus S. Augustin doth righely conuince the Douatistes that the Sacrament of Baptisme ought not to be reiterated because it is the Scale or character of regeneration which beinge once giuen by godes ordinance is not to be repeated the like he sayth of ordination Protestans positions Nether Baptisme nor anie other Sacrament of the new lawe doe leaue anie signe mark or character in the soule of the receauer THE 13. CONTROVERsie Of Iustification Catholique positions IVstification is the translation of sinners from the state of sinne vnto the state of grace and adoptione of the ChildreÌ„ of God and therfore consisteth not in the bare remission of synnes but in true sanctification and renouation of spirit Proofe Giuing thankes to god and the father whoe hath made vs worthye vnto the parte of the lott of the saintes in the ligtht whoe hath deliuered vs froÌ„ the power of darkeness and hath translated vs into the kingdome of the sonn of his loue The diligent reader may see S. Augustine alleadging this place in the same sence 2. God sent his sonn made of a woman made vnder the lawe That he might redeeme theÌ„ that were vnder the lawe that wee might receaue the adoption of sonnes 3. He hath saued vs by the lauer of regeneration renouatioÌ„ of the holy ghost whome he hath powred vpon vs abundantly by Christ Iesus our sauioure 4. Nor theeues nor couetouse nor drunkards nor raylers nor extortioners shall possess the kingdome of god And these thinges certes you were but nowe you are washed but now you are sanctified but now you are iustified in the name of our lord Iesus Christ and in the spirit of our god 5. Lay you away accordinge to the ould conuersation the owld man which is corrupted according to the desires of erroure And be renewed in the spirit of your mynde and put on the new man which according to god is created in iustice and helines of truthe Behould sayth S. Augustine what Adam lost by sinâ—e in that therfore we are renewed according to that which Adam lost that is according to the spirit of our minde Spoyling our selues of the owld man with his actes And doeing on the newe him that is renewed vnto knowledge according to the image of him that created hym This image sayth S. Augustine imprinted in the spirit of our minde AdaÌ„ lost by sinn which we receaue by the grace of iustice Catholique position 2. Synn is not onely couered or not imputed by iustification but it is washed purged and quite taken away Proofe 1. I will power out vpon you cleane water and you shal be clensed from all your contaminationes 2. Thou shalt sprincle me with hysope and I shal be clensed thou shalt washe me and I shal be made whiter then snowe 3. As farr as the cast is distant from the west hath he made our iniquities farr from vs. 4. Behould the lambe of god behould him that take the awaye the sinn of the world 5. Be penitent therfore and conuert that your sinnes may be put out But yf we walk in the light as he also is in the light we haue societie one toward another and the bloâ—de of Iesus Christ his sonn clensethe vs from all sinn OF CONCVPIScence Caetholique position THat rebellion or concupiscence of the fleshe which remay nethe in man after Baptisme is not properly sinne of it self or with out the free consent of the will Proofe Concupiscence when it hath conceaued bringe the forth sinn therfore of it self is it not sinn As S. Augustine playnly prooueth by these wordes sayinge when concupiscence hath conceaued it bringeth forth sinn verely in these wordes that which is brought forth is distinguished from that which bringeth forth that which bringethe forth is coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce that which is brought forth is sinn but concupisence doth not bring forth vnless it haue conceaued it conceaueth not vnless it hath allured that is vnless it hath obtayned the assent of the will to doe euill There is nowe therfore noe damnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus that walke not according to the fleshe S. Paule calleth it sinn because it his the roote cause matter and also the effect of sinn As likewise the golden calfe made by the people of Israell is called sinn because it was the cause and effect of sinn Our sauiour also is called sinn because he was the Host oblation for sinn Catholique position Asynner is not iustified that is clensed from sinn made iust holy and the child of god all which are effected by iustification by the externall iustice of Christ imputed vnto him but by internall grace truely receaued and inherent with in him Proofe 1. The holy scripture playnly testifiethe that there is a grace which is the spirit of god dwelling with in vs yf the spirit of him that raysed vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raysed vp Iesus Christ from the dead shall quicken also your mortall bodyes because of his spirit dwellinge in you 2. which is the life of our spirit you are not in the fleshe but in the spirit yet yf the spirit of god dwell in you But if anie man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his But if christ be in you the bodie in deed is dead because of sinn but the spirit liueth because of iustification 3. which is the circumcision of the hart in spirit Not that which is in open shew in the fleshe is circumcision but the circumcisione of the barte in spirit not in the letter whoâ—e prayse is not of god The circumcision of the hart sayth S. Augustine is the will pure from all vnlawfull coÌ„cupiscence which is not made by the teaching threating letter but