to vnderstand that there shall be a triall of the worke of euery builder whereby losse shall growe to them who are not carefull to build such matter as is proportionable to the foundation Hee therefore that buildeth gold and siluer and precious stones that is true faith and doctrine according to Christ his worke shall abide the triall of the word of truth and his labour shall haue reward But if any man build vpon Christ timber hay and stubble that is the trash of humane traditions and superstitions the fire that is y Chrysost de panitent hom 8. Igne examinemus verbo scilicet doctrina the word of Doctrine as Chrysostome expoundeth it shall consume it by the word of the Gospell that which he hath builded shall be reprooued and reiected and hee shall lose both his labour and reward This is the very direct and plaine meaning of the Apostles wordes fully agreeing with the circumstance of the text But Maister Bishop perforce and against the haire draweth the text to be construed of workes and like to a sorie husband who for a penny present gaine neglecteth a shilling profit another way for the gaining of a present small aduantage is content to bereaue himselfe of that that should steede him much more in another cause For whereas they are woont generally to alledge this place and to expound the fire here spoken of for the maintenance of Purgatorie fire he for a shift here turneth Purgatorie fire into the fornace of Gods iudgement and so striketh downe a maine pillar of the Popes Kitchin and endaungereth z Act. 17.25 the craft whereby he and his fellowes haue their goods Surely if Purgatorie fire doe not burne here it is hard to say how they will get it a chimney wherein to burne any otherwhere But to the point it hath beene alreadie shewed that there is no golde or siluer of our vvorkes vvherein there is not found some drosse if triall be made thereof in the fornace of Gods iudgement no stones so precious wherein the Ieweller of heauen doth not finde speckes and flawes if he precisely take view of them so that a Aug Confess lib. 9. ca. 13. Va etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota miserecordia discutias â—am woe to the commendable life of man saith S. Austine if God set mercy aside in the iudging of it and therefore all pray that God will not enter into iudgement with them The gold notwithstanding and siluer and pretious stones which we build in our good workes through Gods mercy shall abide and haue their glory the drosse thereof the fire of repentance shall consume whilest we aske and obtaine of him pardon and forgiuenesse of all our imperfections and wants of all that timber and hay and stubble of carnall and earthly affections with the dust whereof our feet haue bene soiled and berayed in walking the path of the faith of Christ Yea he that b Mat. 3.11 baptizeth his with the holy Ghost and with fire wil by this fire purge from vs and our works this drosse and corruption more and more till he bring vs out of the fornace as the pure and perfect gold to be glorious before him for euer and euer To be short the fire of Gods iudgement mitigated and asswaged with the water and dew of his mercy shall at that day giue approbation and testimony of righteousnesse to the good workes of his seruants so as that because they are true gold which that fire consumeth not they shall not for some drosse receiue any losse or detriment therein but fully receiue that reward in the hope and expectation whereof they haue laboured in the Lord. Therefore though we would vnderstand these words of the works of holy men as without forcing them we cannot yet is there nothing whence M. Bishop can inferre that which he intendeth that good workes are wholy free from all drosse and staine of sinne As little hath he for his purpose in his next argument Many workes of righteous men please God saith he but nothing infected with sinne can please God Nothing indeed if it be considered as infected with sinne and therefore good works being touched and infected with the contagion of sinne before they can please God must haue some meanes to take away the guilt and imputation of the sinne There was c Exod. 28.38 iniquity in the holy offerings of the children of Israel but the high Priest did beare the iniquity to make the offerings acceptable before the Lord. There is iniquity in our holy offerings our spirituall sacrifices but Christ our High Priest hath borne the iniquitie and they are d 1. Pet. 2.5 acceptable to GOD by Iesus Christ. Not by themselues or by their owne perfection but by Iesus Christ being perfumed with the sweet incense of his obedience who e Ephes 5.2 for vs to make vs acceptable both in our selues and in our workes hath giuen himselfe an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour vnto God Therefore by the pardoning and not imputing of sinne through the redemption of Christ both the person and the worke are pleasing in Gods sight neither is the same to be called a sinfull worke as M. Bishop tearmeth it because it is in substance a good worke and the fruite of the good spirit of God and the default and imperfection is onely an accident to the worke Briefly we are to lay vp in our hearts that which the Prophet saith f Psal 103.13 As a father pitieth his children so is the Lord mercifull vnto them that feare him for he knoweth whereof we be made and remembreth that we are but dust And therefore as a father accepteth the readinesse and obedience of his child to that that he commaundeth though he do the thing perhaps but rawly and rudely so is God pleased through Christ with the good intendment and indeuour of his children for the doing of that that he requireth though by the weaknesse of the flesh much halting and lamenesse and imperfection appeare in that which they do By this appeareth the vanitie of his argument taken from the name of good workes which he saith could not be truly called good if they were infected with sinne For as the offerings were truly called holy offerings in which notwithstanding there was some blot of iniquitie so are the workes of the faithfull truly called good workes in which notwithstanding there is a staine of the same iniquitie and sinne They are good in the substance of the deede good in the originall of the grace and spirit of God from whence they proceed good in the will and indeauour of the person by whom they are done good in the acceptation of God in whose name and seruice they are done but yet they haue a blemish of euill g Ambros apud August contra Iulian. lib. 2. Labes corporeae concretionis by reason of the blot of bodily corruption growing fast too as Ambrose speaketh
of the points in question laying open the absurditie of Poperie and clearing the doctrine on our part from those lies and slaunders wherewith in corners you labour to depraue it might seeme verie likely to drawe many to the knowledge and approbation of the truth It should seeme there was some sore for that both you and your friend were so carefull to apply a plaister but your plaister by the grace of God wil make your sore a great deale worse when men shall further see how sincerely he hath dealt to deliuer truth out of the word of God and doctrine of the ancient Church and what base geere you haue brought as the marrow and pith of many large volumes for the contradicting and oppugning of it The more and greater the points are of difference betwixt the Church of Rome and vs the more doth it concerne your Catholikes if they tender their owne saluation to looke into them which if they doe they will cease to thinke basely of our religion and will begin to honour it and imbrace it as the truth of God They will see that there is in it a true reformation indeed a iust departure from the horrible idolatries and superstitions of the Romish Sinagogue and it shall grieue them that they haue so long dishonoured God by holding fellowship with him who hath no true fellowship with Iesus Christ That you thinke basely thereof M. Bishop we wonder not He that doateth vpon a harlot is wont to scorne and thinke basely of honest matrons The Scribes and Pharisees thought basely of our Sauiour Christ no maruell if you doe the like of the Gospell of Christ who liue and thriue by traditions as they did As for old rotten condemned heresies how silly a man you haue shewed your selfe in the obiecting thereof it hath appeared partly alreadie in the answer of your Epistle and shall appeare further God willing in the answer of your booke and wee will expect hereafter that you learne more wit then to babble and prate of heresies you know not your selfe what THE THEAME OF M. PERKINS Prologue And I heard another voyce from heauen say Go out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes and receiue not of her plagues Reuel 18.3 M. BISHOPS ANSWER TO M. Perkins Prologue Sect. 1. THe learned know it to be a fault Exordium Coâ—mune to make that the entrie vnto our discourse which may as properly fit him that pleadeth against vs but to vse that for our proeme which in true sence hath nothing for vs nay rather beareth strongly for our aduersarie must needs argue great want of iudgement Such is the sentence aboue cited out of S. Iohn by M. Perkins for it being truly vnderstood is so farre off from terrifying any one from the Catholike Roman Church as it doth vehemently exhort all to flie vnto it by forsaking their wicked companie that are banded against it For by the purple Harlot in that place is signified as shall be proued presently the Roman Empire as then it was the slaue of Idols and with most bloudie slaughter persecuting Christs Saints Those of the Church of Rome being as nearest vnto it so most subiect to that sacrilegious butcherie Wherefore that voyce which S. Iohn heard say Go out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes c. can haue none other meaning then that all they who desire to be Gods people must separate themselues in faith and manners from them who hate and persecute the Roman Church as did then the Heathen Emperours and now do all Heretikes Vnlesse they will be partakers of their sinnes and consequently of their plagues This shall yet appeare more plainely in the examination of this Chapter Where I will deale friendly with my aduersarie and aduantage him all that I can that all being giuen him which is any way probable it may appeare more euidently how little he hath to any purpose out of this place of the Apocalipse whereof all Protestants vaunt and bragge so much both in their bookes and pulpits Well then I will admit that in the 17. and 18. Chapters of the Reuelation by the whore of Babylon is vnderstood the Roman state and regiment which in lawfull disputations they are not able to proue the most iuditious Doctor S. Augustine and diuerse others of the ancient fathers with the learned troupe of later interpreters expounding it of the whole corps and societie of the wicked And as for the seuen hils on the which they lay their foundation they are not to be taken literally the Angell of God in the very text it selfe interpreting the seuen heads of the beast to bee aswell seuen Kings as seuen hils But this notwithstanding to helpe you forward I will grant it you because some good writers haue so taken it and therefore omit as impertinent that which you say in proofe of it What can you inferre hereunto Marry that the Roman Church is that whore of Babylon Faire and soft good Sir how proue you that Thus. The whoore of Babylon is a state of the Roman regiment ergo the Roman Church is the whoore of Babylon What forme of arguing call you me this By the like sophistication you may proue that Romulus and Remus were the purple Harlot which to affirme were ridiculous or which is impious that the most Christian Emperours Constantine and Theodosius were the whoore of Babylon because these held also the state of the Roman Empire and regiment To make short the feeble force of this reason lieth in this that they who hold the state and gouerne in the same kingdome must needs bee of like affection in religion which if it were necessarie then did Queene Marie of blessed memorie and her sister Elizabeth carrie the same minds towards the true Catholike faith because they sate in the same chaire of estate and ruled in the same kingdome See I pray you what a shamefull cauill this is to raise such outcries vpon A simple Logician would blush to argue in the parâ—â—ies so loafty and yet they that take vpon them to controle the learnedst in the world often fall into such open fallacies Well then admitting the purple Harlot to signifie the Roman state we do say that the state of Rome must bee taken as it was then when these words were spoken of it that is Pagan Idolatrous and a hot persecutor of Christians Such it had bene a little before vnder that bloudie tyrant Nero and then was vnder Domitian which we confirme by the authoritie of them who expound this passage of the Roman state The commentarie on the Apocalipse vnder S. Ambrose name saith The great whoore sometime doth signifie Rome specially which at that time when the Apostle wrote this did persecute the Church of God 〈◊〉 Cap. 178. but otherwise doth signifie the whole citie of the Diuell And S. Ierome who applieth the place to Rome affirmeth Libr. 2. cont Jâ—â—â—n that she had before his dayes
shalt be saued This whether spoken publikly or priuatly the conscience of the hearer apprehendeth this he beleeueth and therein beleeueth not the minister but the word of Christ and because he beleeueth in Iesus Christ and by the word of Christ beleeueth that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall be saued therefore he beleeueth concerning himselfe that he shall be saued Thus much is implied though not expressed in M. Perkins answer now let vs heare what M. Bishop saith to the contrarie and there we shall heare not one wise word Good Sir saith he seeing euery man is a lyer as M. Bishop namely for example and may both deceiue and be deceiued and the minister telling may erre how doth he know that the man to whom he speaketh is of the number of the elect I answer him Good Sir M. Perkins no where telleth you that the minister taketh vpon him to know that the man to whom he speaketh is of the number of the elect but doth onely assure him that if he beleeue in Christ he shall be saued and therein the minister knoweth and the man to whom he speaketh knoweth that be mistaketh not when vnder this condition he assureth him of saluation because he assureth him not vpon any deceiueable word or warrant of his owne but vpon the vndeceiueable word and warrant of Christ that n Rom. 9.33 whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be confounded He goeth on To affirme as you do that the Minister is to be beleeued as well as if it were Christ himselfe is plaine blasphemie I answer him againe To talke as you do you know not what is the part of a brabling Sophister not of a learned diuine For M. Perkins doth not affirme that the minister is to be beleeued as well as Christ himselfe but that the word of the Gospell preached by the minister is to be beleeued as if Christ himselfe did here personally speake because it is the word of Christ himselfe who when he saith whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued doth therein say Cornelius beleeue and thou shalt be saued Peter beleeue and thou shalt he saued or if he meane not so cannot truly say whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued And for this he hath the warrant of Gods word and commission from Christ because being for Christ a minister of the Gospell his office is to preach the Gospell and it is the word of the Gospell that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall haue euerlasting life Therefore this is not to say that the ministers word counteruailes Gods word or to make euery pelting minister Gods mate as the paltry shaueling prateth but it is to challenge assent and credit to the word of God to the Gospell of Christ vpon which onely and not vpon the minister the faithfull beleeuer doth rely himselfe But to quit M. Bishop with a question we will aske him Good Sir may Iohn a Stile beleeue that you haue authorie from Christ to giue him absolution of all his sinnes You will vndoubtedly tell him Yes that he must so in any case But Iohn a Stile asketh againe I pray Sir where doth Christ speake of you or of me For I do not find in the Gospell that euer Christ made mention of either of vs. M. Bishop will tell him that Christ said to the Apostles to all Priests their successors o Iohn 20.23 Whose soeuer sinnes ye remit they are remitted and because he is a Priest therefore this authoritie belongeth to him So then because Christ hath sayd to all Priests whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted though he sayd it to farre other purpose then M. Bishop practiseth it therefore Iohn a Stile must beleeue that M. Bishop hath authoritie from Christ to absolue him from all his sinnes Now will not M. Bishop be so fauourable to vs as that from a generall we may inferre a particular as well as he Surely if when Christ sayd Whose sinne sye remit they are remitted he spake in effect of M. Bishop and Iohn a Stile we see no reason why we should not be permitted the like construction that when Christ saith Whosoeuer beleeueth in me shall not perish but haue euerlasting life he saith and by the minister may be reported to say in effect to this man or that man Beleeue thou in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt haue eternal life This matter need not so many words but that we haue to do with impudent wranglers who being blinded with malice are as farre from common discretion as they are from truth Whereupon it is that in the next words he cauilleth againe as if M. Perkins had sayd that the minister knowes who is predestinate or did say to Peter for example Thou art one of the elect whereas he hath not a letter or syllable to giue any shew hereof but onely expresseth a conditionall assurance by the word of the Gospell to this man or that man or whomsoeuer that if he repent and beleeue the Gospell he shall be saued the minister not taking vpon him to know that any man truly repenteth or beleeueth which God onely can know but leauing the man to apprehend the promise vpon conscience of his owne repentance and faith in Christ Therefore all this idle talke of M. Bishops is but for want of matter as his alledging of the words of the Apostle to proue that whereof there is no question made that the Lord onely knoweth who are his and none else but only as it is reuealed from him He goeth on and telleth vs that M. Perkins flieth from the assurance of the minister and leaues him to speake at randon as the blind man casts his club Bur M. Perkins flieth from nothing that he had before sayd but still leaueth the word of Christ onely preached by the minister in Christs name to be the onely assurance for the faithfull to build vpon Neither doth the minister speake at randon but certainly and definitely he affirmeth by the same word to him that repenteth and beleeueth that he shall be saued though he know not who it is that shall repent or beleeue and so be saued and therefore in that respect if M. Bishop will needs haue it so speakes at randon euen as the blind man casts his club not knowing whom he shall strike as the fisherman casts his net not knowing what fish he shall catch no otherwise then the Apostles did at whose preaching some beleeued other some blasphemed and beleeued not according to that which S. Austin saith p August de praedest sanct cap. 6. Many heare the word of truth some of them beleeue it some contradict and speake against it So therfore the minister as touching the effect of preaching speaketh vncertatnly not knowing where the seed shall grow but yet certainly deliuering that wheresoeuer it shall bring forth the fruit of faith it shall also bring forth eternall life Which assurance he giueth by the word of Christ and the faith of the hearer thence apprehendeth and thereof concludeth assurance
that faith it selfe is a Idem in Psal 31. Laudo fructum boni operis sed in fide agnos coradicem the root whence all good fruit doth grow and how then can they be said to haue true faith of whom it is truly said that they haue no root To be short these are said to beleeue but for a time but of them that truly beleeue it is said b Rom. 9.33 Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be confounded and therefore their faith shall neuer faile The next place is lewdly falsified by him alledging that some hauing faith and a good conscience expelling good conscience haue made shipwrack of their faith whereas S. Paul saith not that they had faith and a good conscience but instructeth Timothie for the fighting of a good fight to c 1. Tim. 1.19 haue faith and a good conscience which good conscience some saith he reiecting haue made shipwrack concerning the faith of whom are Hymeneus and Alexander Where by faith as Oecumenius obserueth he meaneth d Oecumen in 1. Tim. 1 Fidem dicit quae est circa dogmata conscientiam vero quae circa conuersationem est Quam inquit conscientiam quae est de rectè viuendo repellentes non nulli Vbi enim quis reprobè vixerit etiam circa fidem nan-fragium facit Siquidem ne terrore futurorum crucientur suo ammo persuadere nuuntur mendacia esse quaecunque apud nos de resurrectione ac iudicio dicuntur a faith or beleefe concerning doctrine and vnderstandeth conscience as touching conuersation which conscience of good life saith he they reiecting made shipwrack of faith For when a man liueth wickedly he maketh shipwrack concerning faith For men that they may not be troubled with the terrour of things to come labour to perswade their owne minds that those things are lies which with vs are spoken concerning the resurrection and iudgement to come S. Pauls words then import that they had professed the faith that is the doctrine of faith the doctrine which in Christianity we beleeue and professe but they held not e 1. Tim. 3.9 the mysterie of faith in a pure conscience they liued lewdly and wickedly in the profession of the faith their consciences were fraught with the guilt of following their owne vngodly lusts and therefore they renounced the faith the doctrine of God that they might not thereby find any crosse or check in their damnable and wicked courses What is this to that true faith whereby we beleeue in Christ to iustification and righteousnesse whereby we repose the trust and confidence of our Saluation in him and do truly call vpon the name of the Lord That they had not this faith it is plaine because S. Paul saith plainly that they reiected a good conscience for a f 1. Tim. 4 1. good conscience is alwaies an inseparable companion of an vnfained faith The greater is the impudency of this brabler who saith as out of the Apostle that they had a good conscience whereas the words of the Apostle are directly contrary to that he saith The other two places are of the same sort g 1. Tim. 1.5 some in the last daies shall reuolt from the faith and h Cap. 6.10 some for couetousnesse haue erred from the faith meaning by faith the doctrine of the Church as where it is said i Act. 6.7 some of the Priests were obedient to the faith and againe k Gal. 1.22 He preacheth the faith which before he destroied and againe l Tit. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may be found in the faith and therefore in the former of those two places he opposeth to faith m 1. Tim. 4.1 the doctrines of deuils that so faith may be knowne to signifie the doctrine which is of God That reuolt thē is frō the faith of publike preaching which wicked men make shew to receiue only by hypocriticall fained faith not frō faith of priuate conscience wherby only true beleeuers make vse of the faith of publike preaching to their owne cōfort and Saluation which is therefore called n Tit. 1.2 the faith of Gods elect because it is found in none but only the elect Thus therefore his places serue not his purpose let vs see now the examples which he alledgeth First he bringeth Saul who he saith at his election was so good a mā as that there was no better then he in Israel and yet became a reprobate But his translation is false for by the very circumstance of the place it is manifest that the holy Ghost there describeth the goodlinesse of Sauls person not the goodnesse of his condition Our translation readeth according to the truth of the text that o 1. Sam. 9.2 he was a goodly young man and a faire so that among the children of Israel there was none goodlier then he from the shoulders vpward he was higher then any of the people Which last words do plainly shew whereto the rest are to be referred So Pagnine translateth it and sheweth that the Hebrew writers do so take it neither doth there appeare any thing whereby we may conceiue spiritually any goodnesse in him at all being from the first crosse and thwart to the commandement of the Lord. The second example is of Solomon of whom he saith that it is probable that he also was a reprobate But that is not probable nay it is altogether vnprobable that so notable a figure of Christ p 2. Sam. 19.24 whom the Lord loued in token thereof gaue him a name q Ver. 25. Iedidiah that is beloued of the Lord of whom in figure of Christ he said r 2. Chro 22.10 I will be his Father and he shall be my Sonne whom it appeareth in the Canticles he acquainted so inwardly with the riches and secrets of his grace that he I say should after be vtterly reprobate and cast away For although God suffered him very greeuously to fall that by the distraction of that kingdome thereby occasioned it might appeare that the kingdome promised was not accomplished in him yet it is more thē probable by that that we read in his book of Ecclesiastes or the Preacher that he wrote that booke as a monument and token of his conuersion and repentance wherein he tooke vpon him the person of a s Eccles 1.12 Preacher for redresse of that which he had offended in the person of a King Further he citeth to his purpose the examples of Iudas the traitour and Simon Magus of whom Saint Luke saith that he beleeued Where we may wonder at his notable impudencie or rather impietie that he maketh Iudas and Simon Magus once members of Iesus Christ Of Iudas our Sauiour Christ saith when he was at the best that t Iohn 6.70 he was a deuill and S. Iohn out of the experience of his whole conuersation that u Cap. 12 6. he was a theefe thereby shewing that it neuer was with any true
semblance of name as a man tearmeth a hand of stone for in like sort is a dead hand for all parts of the bodie are defined by their office and facultie Therefore when they lye dead they are not the same but retaine onely the shew and shadow of the name The argument therefore must be turned against himselfe that as the dead body is not a true naturall bodie but onely by equiuocation is so called euen so a dead faith is no true faith but onely by equiuocation for some semblance to men it carieth the shew and shadow of the name of faith Yet he will not so giue ouer but as hauing set the stocke vpon it he will winne it in this period or else he will loose all Indeed he is like a sheepe tangled in the briars the more he struggleth and striueth the faster he tyeth himself He saith that faith charity haue seueral seats in the soule faith in the vnderstanding and charity in the will But that is not so for as hath bene before said true and vnfained faith which the Scripture commendeth for iustification is a mixt action of the vnderstanding and will Yea the Apostle expresly placeth faith in the heart which is the seate of the affections l Rom. 10.10 With the heart saith he man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse If thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued No maruell that M. Bishop cannot tell what true faith is who knoweth no other faith but onely a faith of the head consisting in speculatiue fancies and imaginations of the braines and descending no lower then the tongue whereas the Apostle speaketh of a faith of the heart a feeling faith which by feeling gathereth to it the affection and will which is not onely an act of knowledge and vnderstanding as M. Bishop dreameth but implieth an affecting desiring embracing seeking of that which it beleeueth a ioying and reuiuing of it selfe therein So I alledged before out of Oecumenius that the faith whereof Saint Paul speaketh is not a bare assent as is the faith of diuels and M. Bishops Catholike faith but m Oecumen in lac cap. 2 Consecutionem ex affectu procedentē hath some further consequence arising from the affection Againe they haue distinct obiects saith he faith respecting the truth of God and charitie the goodnesse of God Indeed the truth of God is the obiect of our faith but what is the matter of that truth but the promise of God concerning his goodnesse towards vs n Psal 27.13 I should vtterly haue fainted saith Dauid but that I beleeue verily to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing o Ferus in Mat. ca. 8. Fides quam Scriptura commendat nihil aliud est quà m fidere gratuita Dei miserecordia The faith saith Ferus which the Scripture cōmendeth is nothing els but to trust to the free mercie of God So then the goodnesse mercy of God is properly and truly the obiect of our faith Yea and how should the goodnesse of God be the obiect of our charitie but by being first the obiect of our faith For therefore do we loue the goodnesse of God or loue God for his goodnesse towards vs because first we beleeue the same neither can we so loue but by beleeuing For charitie consisting simply in affection apprehendeth nothing in God of it selfe but receiueth all from faith which is it as Chrysostome noteth p Chryso in Rom. hom 8. Conuenientem de Deo opinionē accipit whereby we conceiue a due and conuenient opinion concerning God Loue is not a reciprocall action the passage thereof is meerely from him that loueth to the thing that is loued Thus therefore it is in our loue to God but what we conceiue backe againe of him towards vs it is by faith and not by loue Yea M. Bishop himselfe verifieth this in that he saith We cannot loue him of whom we neuer heard For what is all our hearing but onely by beleeuing that which we heare First therefore we heare of Gods goodnesse his mercy his truth c. and by beleeuing that which we heare our affections are drawne vnto him First therfore all these are the obiects of our faith and consequently become the obiects of our loue His next difference is a meere begging of the question We say that faith though it do not presuppose charitie as a thing precedent yet alwayes supposeth and inferreth it as an immediate and necessary consequent For faith receiueth Christ q Ephes 3.17 to dwell in our hearts who commeth not but accompanied with grace and with the fruites of the spirit which alwayes grow and increase according to the increase and growth of faith Great faith hath feruent loue weaker faith hath weaker loue but alwayes hath a measure of loue answerable to it selfe Now by this that hath bene said it appeareth how vntruly M. Bishop saith for his last difference that charitie doth not naturally flow out of faith whereas indeed common sence in diuinitie doth instruct him that the original thereof is from thence and onely from thence For if we cannot loue God but by hearing beleeuing him to be that that he is then it is faith which setting God before vs such a one as he is wise mighty iust merciful louing and gracious vnto vs enamoreth our hearts and breedeth in vs affections correspondent to his grace neither is there any spark of loue but what ariseth from this ground Yea M. Bishop himselfe confesseth so much but that his wits are so besotted with his minion of Rome that he knoweth not what he saith Charitie saith he doth not naturally flow out of faith but by due consideration of the goodnesse of God and of his benefites and loue towards vs. Which is as much as if he should say it doth not naturally flow out of faith but doth naturally flow out of faith For whence is this consideration of Gods goodnes c. but from faith Do we consider these things any otherwise but as by faith we first apprehend and beleeue the same It is faith as hath bene said which affecteth and seasoneth the hart with the sweet tast and feeling of those considerations and thereby allureth and draweth vs to love him of whom we haue receiued so great loue And for want of faith it is that it cometh to passe which M. Bishop to make vp his sentence impertinently complaineth of that few men enter into these good and deuout considerations yea he and his by oppugning and destroying true faith do helpe to draw men backe from considering of these things Now all that hitherto he hath sayd he telleth vs is according to the truth whereas indeede there is not a word true as hath appeared and if it had beene true yet he had gained nothing thereby because it followeth not that those things which are deuided in facultie and
no fained imagination but a cleare truth as hath bene before shewed The contrarietie and opposition that he conceiueth therin is his owne fond dreame no doctrine of ours We do not say that Christes merits are really in vs neither did Master Perkins giue him any word whereof to imagine it but onely that by imputation they are made really ours because they were vndertaken and done for vs euen as Christ the doer thereof is become really ours euen h Ierem. 23 6. the Lord our righteousnesse Whereas he saith that to say that Christ onely is the person in whome God is well pleased is to giue the lye to many texts of Scripture which testifie that God hath bene pleased towards Abraham Moses c. we suppose he doth not well vnderstand himselfe It is said of many that God was pleased with them or they pleased God but the question is in whome for whose sake by whose mediation God was well pleased towards them and that was onely in Christ onely for Christs sake accordingly as the Apostle Saint Paule saith of all the elect i Eph. 1.6 He hath made vs accepted in his beloued and Saint Peter that our k 1. Pet. 2.5 spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. And this prerogatiue the voyce of the Father giueth him from heauen l Mat. 3.17 This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased namely towards Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses Dauid and all towards whom he is well pleased Which seeing it was the plaine meaning of M. Perkins and M. Bishop acknowledgeth it to be true that Christ is he for whose sake God is pleased in all others what is it but childish and idle cauilling to make a question there where by his owne confession none is to be made Now where we say that we haue no righteousnesse to iustifie vs before God but only the righteousnesse of Christ nor any merit whereby to presume of heauen but onely the merit of Christ all our owne works being blemished and stained with sinne he biddeth vs tremble at that which thereupon necessarily followeth And what is that Marry that as we haue no righteousnesse but by imputation so we must looke for no heauen but by imputation But why should we not thinke that the merit of Christs obedience and righteousnesse is of sufficient value and estimation to purchase for vs the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting glorie Is it sufficient to purchase grace for vs to merit heauen for our selues and is it not sufficient it selfe to merit heauen for vs And if we haue no merit of our owne what should hinder but that we may say with Saint Bernard m Bernard in Cant. Ser. 61. Ego fidenter quicquid ex me mihi deest vsurpo mihi ex visceribus Domini quoniam misericordia effluunt c. Meritum proinde meum miserationes Domini Non planè sum maritiinops quamdiuille miserationum non fuerit Quòd si misericordiae Domini multa multus nihilo minus ego in meritis sum Whatsoeuer is wanting to me of my selfe I boldly take it vnto me out of the bowels of the Lord for they flow out with mercy My merit is the Lords mercy I am not poore in merit so long as he is not poore in mercy and if he be rich in mercie then am I also rich in merits Yea Bellarmine M. Bishops maister after that he hath swet and trauelled mightily to auouch the righteousnesse and merit of workes in the end being quite spent is content to retire into our port and draweth to this conclusion that n Bellar. de iust lib. 5. cap. 7. Propter incertitudinē propriae iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia benig nitate reponere because of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the perill of vaine glory the safest way is to repose our whole trust in the onely mercy and goodnesse of God Now if there be no saluation no heauen without merits and a man haue no merits of his owne by what merits shall the mercy of God saue him but onely by the imputation of the merits of Christ And will M. Bishop say of him that as he hath no merits but by imputation so he shall haue no heauen but by imputation Shall this be all the comfort of that which Bellarmine commendeth for the safest course to flie to the sole and onely mercie and goodnesse of God Yea saith M. Bishop for God as a most vpright iudge will in the end repay euery man according to his woorth What and do you M. Bishop expect that God in the end should repay heauen to you according to your woorth Go foole go leaue off this talke of merit and woorth learne to know God learne to know thy selfe learne to say with Chrysostome o Chrysost in Coloss hom 2. Nemo talem vitae conuersatio nem ostendit vt regno dignus esse possit sed totum donum est ipsius D◠No man sheweth such conuersation of life as that he may be worthy of the kingdome but it is wholy the gift of God Was not p Mar. 1.7 Iohn Baptist worthie to loose the latchet of Christs shoe and dost thou thinke to be worthie to raigne with Christ But I leaue him here to be whipped with his own rod his owne conscience wil one day sting him sufficiently with the remembrance of these assertions As for the Protestants let him take no care for their worthinesse We beleeue that there is for vs in Christ a reall worthinesse for which we shall receiue a reall heauen But let him take heed lest whilest he feedeth himselfe with a conceipt of woorth where there is none he be deluded with a conceipt of heauen in his end and indeed find none nor euer attain to that which is prepared for them that maintaine the truth of the Scripture and glorie of God to their owne comfort But of worthinesse there will be further occasion to speake hereafter As for the place of Austine which he alledgeth as good to stand for him it was written by him when he was newly conuerted from the heresie of the Manichees in such words and phrases as seeme plausible to humane vnderstanding and iudgement which comparing one man with another expresseth to it selfe the difference by termes of worthie and vnworthie deseruing and hot deseruing howsoeuer to the sight and iudgement of God woorth desert are farre from all The purpose of S. Austine in that place is to shew the ordinarie course that God taketh that he will first haue vs to trauell in his seruice before we receiue the reward thereof as the Apostle declareth in saying q 2. Tim. 2.6 The husbandman must labour before he receiue the fruites But that S. Austine in maturitie and ripenesse of iudgement was very farre from M. Bishops fancie of merit may sufficiently appeare by one sentence of his where he saith
to sinne albeit the sinnes that are already committed he in mercie blotteth out if conuenient satisfaction be not neglected Here is satisfaction first and thereupon the blotting out of sinne but M. Bishop telleth vs of the blotting out of sinne first and of a satisfaction required after Why doth he wilfully abuse his Reader to make shew of prouing that to which he alledgeth nothing The thing that he should proue is that God remitting the sinne and the eternall punishment doth reserue the making of a temporall satisfaction and he bringeth in Austine requiring conuenient satisfaction for the remitting of the sinne His argument then if we will frame it must be this We must vse conuenient satisfaction vnto God for the obtaining of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Therefore after that our sinnes be forgiuen vs we are still to make a temporall satisfaction vnto God which if it be not a good one we may take him to be starke naught Of the name of satisfaction I shall speake further in the last section here it is enough briefly to obserue that the conuenient satisfaction spoken of by Saint Austine is no conuenient argument for Popish satisfaction The other place cited from him is a flat deniall of satisfaction after this life e Homil. 5. Cùm de hoc seculo transierimus nulla compuÌ„ctio vel satisfactio remanebit Some reade vel aliqua satisfactio which must be resolued thus Non vlla compunctio vel satisfactio aliqua remanebit or else the diuisioÌ„ leaueth place to compunctioÌ„ repeÌ„tance after this life which opinioÌ„ Austine there inueyeth against and M. Bishop himselfe here disclaimeth When we are gone out of this world there will not remaine any compunction or satisfaction M. Bishop saith that there remaineth satisfaction though there remaine no compunction but S. Austine saith there remaineth neither compunction nor satisfaction But although M. Bishops whole drift tend to that that I haue sayd yet I wish thee gentle Reader to obserue here how pretily he circumuenteth himselfe After this life saith he there is no place left to compunction that is contrition of heart neither consequently to confession or satisfaction If because there is no place for compunction in this life therfore there be no satisfaction after this life why doth he tell vs in the beginning that after this life there is satisfaction to be made in purgatory if we die before we haue fully satisfied here why do they make men beleeue that for the dead satisfaction may be made by them that are aliue There is satisfaction he saith after this life and he saith there is no satisfaction after this life and thus indeed knoweth not what to say But yet he telleth vs that S. Austin thereby acknowledgeth that before we go out of this world there is place both for compunction and satisfaction and so that place saith he is rather for vs. Wel but what he gaineth in the scabberd he loseth double in the dagger If Purgatory sink into hell they are in a wofull case It is Purgatory satisfaction specially that they haue their liuing by Now against Purgatory satisfaction he giueth vs this argument where there is no place for compunction there is no place for satisfaction But in Purgatory there is no place for compunctioÌ„ Therfore there is no place now left for Purgatory satisfaction As for satisfaction in this life in such sort as S. Austin speaketh of it we denie it not Satisfaction is nothing else with him but true repentance as shall be shewed hereafter and we preach repentance not according to the illusions of Popery but according to the truth of the word of God The next words are cited out of Chrysostome for which is noted Prooem in Esaiam Others citing the same work do set downe what they cite as ex Hypomnemate in Esaiam But the words are by my copy in his third homily de Poenitentia and they do indeed irrefragably ouerthrow M. Bishops satisfactions f Chrysost de poenit hom 3. Neque mihi dixeru permultum peccauâ— quomodo saluâ—ri possum Tu nequâ— sed Dominus tuus potest atque ita potest vt tua deleat peccata Sicenim delet peccata Deus vt neque eorum vestigium maneat In corporibus quâ—dem id non est ita sed quanquaÌ„ millies conetur medicus creatrix remanet Deus autem sic delet vt neque cicatrix neque cicatricis supersit indi iuÌ„ non vestegium quodquaÌ„ sed post poenae liberationeÌ„ iustitiam inserit peccanteÌ„ coaequalem facit non peccanti Extinguit enim peccatum atque id non esse facit nec fuisse Say not vnto me I haue sinned how shall I be freed from so many sinnes Thou canst not but thy God can yea and he will so blot out thy sinnes that there shall remaine no print of them Which thing befals not the body for when it is healed there remaines a scarre but God so blotteth out sinnes as that there remaineth no scarre nor token of scarre no print or signe at all but after deliuerance from punishment he giueth thee iustice and maketh the sinner equall to him that hath not sinned for he extinguisheth sinne and maketh it not to be yea as if it had neuer bene Which words are apparently spoken of actuall sinnes g Aug. de nupt concup lib. 1. cap 26. Eorum peccatorum quae manere non possunt quoniam cum fiunt praetereunt reatus tamen manet c. Reus est donec reatus ipsius indulgentia remittatur The act whereof is past as S. Austine saith with the time wherein they are done but the guilt remaineth till by pardon it be remitted Now God so remitteth it saith Chrysostom as that no print thereof remaineth If no print thereof remaine if it be as if it had neuer bene how doth M. Bishop then tell vs that after forgiuenesse there remaineth still a guilt of temporall punishment This is the point why did he not answer to it why doth he turne his speech from actual sinnes whereof the place is meant to originall sinne whereof it cannot be meant because though he tell vs that originall sinne remaineth not yet he cannot denie but that some scar or signe thereof remaineth in the concupiscence of the flesh But Chrysostome denieth the remaining of any scar or signe which can no otherwise be true but only in actuall sinnes wherof nothing but the guilt remaineth and which by remission is perfectly done away But that originall sinne though the guilt be remitted yet as touching the corruption continueth still hath bene sufficiently shewed before in the handling of that question As touching the place of Ambrose I will not gainsay that which M. Bishop answereth Ambrose saith as M. Perkins alledgeth h Ambr. in Luc. lib 10. cap. 22. Lachrymas eius lego satisfactionem non lego I reade of Peters teares but his satisfaction I reade not but satisfaction is not there taken in that
because we account not Cyprians writings as canonicall but consider them by the Canonicall Scriptures and what therein agreeth to the authoritie of holy Scripture we receiue it with his praise but what agreeth not by his leaue we refuse it Albeit because we find Cyprian elsewhere acknowledging in the name of all the faithfull that p Cyprian de orat Dom. Ipsum habemus apud PatreÌ„ AduocatuÌ„ pro peccatis nostris we haue Christ with the Father to be the Aduocate for our sinnes thereby confessing the effect of Christs redemption to be extended to the whole course of our life we dare not conceiue howsoeuer his words be very harsh that his meaning was so bad as thereby it may seeme to be And to iustifie himself to conceiue no otherwise but that the washing and cleansing of vs from our sinnes amidst all our almes and deuotions consisteth not in that which we do but in the bloud of Christ he saith in another place c Idem ser de ablut pedum Clementissime magister quoties ego doctrinae tuae transgressus sum regulas quoties edicta tua Domine sancte contempsi cùm diceres mihi Reuertere non sum reuersus cùm minareris non timâ—â— cùm bonus esses lenis exasperans fui Vltra septuagies septies in coelum coram te peccaui Quis tot sordes abluet quiâ— abradet stercora coÌ„globata Quicquid dicat Petrus necesse est vt ipse nos abluas neque enim lauare nos possumus sed in omnibus quae agimus indulgentiae tuae lauacro indigemus c. Apud te fons vitae est et miserationum quae à seculo sunâ— profunditas infinita abluisti nos baptismo lauasti sanguine tuo semper lauas quotidiana peccata donando O mercifull Lord how often haue I transgressed the rules of thy doctrine how often O holy Lord haue I despised thy commaundements and when thou saidst vnto me Returne I haue not returned when thou threatnedst I feared not when thou wast good and gentle I haue prouoked thee beyond seuentie times seuen times I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Who shall wash away so much filth who shall take away the mucke that is thus growne together Let Peter say what he will in refusing to be washed we haue need that thou wash vs for we cannot wash our selues but in all things that we do we stand in need of the washing of thy pardon and mercie With thee is the well of life and the infinit depth of mercies which haue bene from euerlasting thou hast washed vs in baptisme thou hast washed vs in thy bloud thou alwayes washest vs by forgiuing our daily sinnes By these words he giueth plainly to vnderstand that he did not think the washing and cleansing of vs to consist in the merit of our almes but in the forgiuenesse of our sins He confesseth that in all that we do we stand in need of pardon and therefore cannot be imagined to thinke that any thing that we do is a satisfaction for our sinnes In the other words therefore we must conceiue his purpose to be onely to note and set forth the acts and affections of them who truly and faithfully seeke remission of their sins by the mercie of God in the bloud of Iesus Christ albeit being instant and earnest as men are wont to be to presse that that he had in hand he runneth into inconuenient phrases and speeches which otherwise stand not with the rule of Christian saith Those workes of mercie and compassion towards our brethren are the true fruites and effects the consequents and companions of that contrite and broken heart that repentance and faith to which God hath made the promise of his mercy and therfore because in the doing thereof we find mercy he so speaketh thereof as if by the works themselues we obtained that mercie when yet it is not for the workes sake that God accepteth vs but for Christs sake whom by our workes we shew that we vnfainedly seeke and do truly beleeue in him And as for the place of Scripture which he alledgeth though by error of the scribe perhaps it be that there is noted in the margent the fourth of Tobie yet these words not being found in Tobie and the words that are in Tobie being cited afterwards he therein alludeth vndoubtedly to a saying of Solomon in the Prouerbes but forcing the text and putting in almes and faith in steed of mercy and truth Which words of Solomon if a whining aduersary by instance and importunitie will vrge vpon vs to expound of the mercie and truth of man it must be read and construed according to the same meaning which is already expressed d Prou. 16.6 In mercie and truth iniquitie shall be forgiuen that is where mercy and truth are there is forgiuenesse of sinnes as to note the conditions of the persons whose sins are forgiuen not the thing by vertue whereof they are forgiuen But we haue no warrant of any other Scripture in any other meaning to tie it to our mercie and truth and therefore must vnderstand it of the mercie and truth of God of which the Prophet Dauid speaketh when hauing signified the forgiuenesse of the sinnes of Gods people and the nearnesse of his saluation to them that feare him he addeth for the cause thereof e Psal 85.10 Mercie and truth are met together Of which also the Euangelist S. Iohn saith f Iohn 1.17 Grace and truth that is mercie and truth come by Iesus Christ Thus then by mercie and truth iniquitie is forgiuen not by any merite or worke of ours not by any satisfaction that we can make but by the mercie of God truly performing the promise that he hath made of the remission of sinnes by the bloud of Iesus Christ As for the booke of Tobie noted as I said in the margent and from whence Cyprian afterwards alledgeth other words of almes deliuering from death and purging all sinne it is not of sufficient authoritie to proue vnto vs any matter of faith the auncient Church testifying of it and the rest of the same sort as Hierome and Ruffinus haue recorded that g Hieron prolog galeat Igitur sapientia Solomonis Jesu filij Sirach liber Iudith Tobias non sunt in Canone Sic Ruffin in expos Symb. they are not canonicall and S. Austine affirming that h August deciuit Dei lib. 17. ca. 20. Aduersus contradictâ—resnoÌ„ tanta firmitate proferuntur qua scripta non sunt in Canoâ—e Iudaeâ—rum the writings which are not in the Canon of the Iewes as none are but what they had written in their owne tongue are not with so great authoritie alledged in matters of question and contradiction Albeit we will not disauow those words in that meaning as I haue before expressed that almesdeeds deliuer from death and purge vs from sinne as arguments for proofe that we are deliuered from death and
them But if Christ had left any such matters to be deliuered by traditioÌ„ then it should vndoubtedly be knowne which and what they were We desire then by M. Bishop to be aduertised particularly therof and to know what those high mysteries were which the disciples could not beare What shal we think that Christ spake of that trash which they deliuer vnto vs vnder the name of traditions But S. Austin again cutteth him off froÌ„ all answer in that behalf u Ibid. tract 96. Quae cùm ipse tacuerit quis nostrum dicat ista vel illa sunt aut si dicere audeat vnde probat Quis enim est tam vanus aut temerarius qui cum dixerit etiaÌ„ vera quibus voluerit quae voluerit fine vllo testimonio diuino affirmet ea esse quae tuÌ„c dominus dicere noluit Quis hoc nostruÌ„ faciat non mâ—ximaÌ„ culpam remeritatâ— incurrat in quo nec Prophetica nec Apostolica excellit authoritas Seeing Christ himself hath bin silent of those things who of vs can say they are these these or if he dare to say it how doth he proue it For who is there so vaine or so rash who though he say things that are true will affirme without any testimony froÌ„ God that those are the things which Christ wold not say Which of vs should so do and not incurre a note of great presumption not hauing any authority either of a prophet or an Apostle Now if it cannot be known what those things were of which Christ spake then M. Bishop can haue no proofe for their traditioÌ„s hereby because wheras his words import that S. Iohn in his gospel recordeth somewhat hereof though not much after the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ we see nothing in that which he recordeth but that the matter of all the rest may be contained in the rest of his and the other Apostles writings But for the more full clearing of this matter it is to be noted that our Sauior before hath said to his Apostles x Iohn 15.15 All things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne to you And again in his prayer to the Father y Chap. 17.8 I haue giuen vnto them saith he the words which thou gauest me and they haue receiued them If Christ deliuered all the words of God to his disciples before his death then it must needs follow that he deliuered no other words vnto them after his resurrection Therfore those many things which he had to speake vnto them are not to be vnderstood of any other things then he had taught them before but of a more full perfect reuelatioÌ„ for the more ful perfect apprehension vnderstanding of the same things To which purpose we are againe to note against M. Bishops fraudulent collection that our Sauior here saith not that he wold declare those things vnto them himself after his resurrectioÌ„ but deferreth the same to the coming of the Spirit saying z Chap. 16.13 Howbeit when he is come which is the spirit of truth he wil leade you into al truth Now how he shold lead them into all truth he hath before shewed a Chap. 14.26 He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I haue told you He shold teach them all things not by teaching them other things but by bringing all things to their remembrance which they had bin taught by Christ himself Therfore here Christ saith further for he shal not speak of himself but whatsoeuer he shal heare that shal he speake Wherby he importeth that the holy Ghost shold speake according to his example and he stil professeth that b chap. 7.16.17 he speaketh not of himselfe that c Chap. 8.28 he doth nothing of himself but as the Father hath taught me saith he so I speake these things Christ spake d Chrysost de sanct adoran spiritu Non discessit à lege non discessit à Prophetis c. Non locutus est ex seipso sed ex Prophetis c. A seipso enim loqui extra legeÌ„ loqui est not of himself as Chrysostom noteth because he spake out of the Law and the Prophets for to speake of himself is to speake without or beside the Law So then the holy Ghost shall not speake of himselfe but as Christ spake according to the words of the Father in the law and the Prophets so the holy Ghost should speake according to the words of Christ and therefore according to those things that are written in the Law and the Prophets Therefore those many things which Christ had to speake vnto them and into the truth and knowledge whereof the holy Ghost was to leade them were no other things but what were contained in the written word of the Law and the Prophets whereof as yet they were not capable because as yet they did not so well e Iohn 20.9 know the Scripture nor could do vntill he should f Luk. 24.45 open their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the same Origen vnderstandeth the words spokeÌ„ to the Apostles g Origen contra Cels l. 2. Fortassis vt Judaeis in litera legis Mosaicae educatis Apostolis habebat dicenduÌ„ quae sit vera lex c. VideÌ„s perdifficile esse ex animo reuellere penè conata et vsque ad grandem aetateÌ„ coalita dogmata adeòque pro diuinis habita vt amouere illa videretur imptum c. Jdeo dictum Deducet vos in omnem veritateÌ„ id est in omnem veritatem earuÌ„ rerum in quatuÌ„ figuris versantes putabatis vos vero cultu DeuÌ„ colere as Iewes brought vp in the letter of Moses law our Sauior seeing that it was very hard to pull out of their minds the opinions which had grown vp with theÌ„ to those yeers which were taken to be of God so as that it should seeme impious to remoue them Therefore where Christ saith The spirit shall leade you into all truth it is saith he as if he had said Into all the truth of those things in the figures whereof ye haue bin conuersant thinking thereby truly to worship God Here is then no warrant at all for M. Bishops vnwritten mysteries here is nothing as Origen conceiueth but that the spirit shold afterwards instruct them of the abolishing of the ceremonies of Moses law which they were not yet well able to conceiue And therefore against all illusions of heretikes pretending for their vnwritten traditions and doctrines the holy Ghost as the Church of Rome doth Chrysostom taking it for granted that what Christ spake is set foorth vnto vs in the writings of the Apostles and Euangelists giueth this most notable rule h Chrysost vt supra Si quis eoruÌ„ qui dicuntur habere spiritum sanctuÌ„ ex seipso loquitur non ex Euangelijs non credite Venit Manes dicit Ego sum Paracletus c.
the Epistles in generall if any thing in Paules Epistles sound to him as contrary to the doctrine of the Catholike Church it is vnknowne what Church they meane he faileth of the right sense Thus howsoeuer clearely the scripture soundeth yet it meaneth not that which it saith if it be contrarie to that which they affirme To this impudent deuise they are driuen because they see that the scripture condemneth them vnlesse they themselues haue the managing of the scripture that if the scripture be admitted for iudge it peremptorily pronounceth sentence against them so that they haue no meanes to colour their abhominations but by challenging to themselues to be iudges of the scripture As for vs we hang the doctrine of faith not vpon our expositions but vpon the very words of God himselfe we make the holy scripture the iudge not in ambiguous and doubtfull speeches but in cleare and euident sentences where the very words declare what the meaning is It is a question betwixt vs and them whether Saints images be to be worshipped or not they say they are we say they are not Let the Iudge speake x Exod. 20.4 Deut. 5.8 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any likenesse of any thing in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth thou shalt not now down to them nor worship them It is a question whether there be now any sacrifice to be offered for the forgiuenesse of sins They say there is so in their Masse we say there is none Let the Iudge speake y Mat. 26.28 This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for you for many for remission of sins z Heb. 10.18 Now where remission of sins is there is no more offering for sin It is a question betwixt vs whether the Saints be our Mediators vnto God or not They say they are we say they are not Let the Iudge determine it a 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God saith he and one Mediatour betwixt God and man euen the man Iesus Christ It is a question whether a man be iustified before God by workes or not They say it must be so we say it cannot be Let the Iudge answer it b Rom. 3.20 By the workes of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified in his sight c Gal. 3.11.12 That no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall liue by faith and the law is not of faith but the man that shall do those things shall liue in them They alledge that the Iudge saith that d Iam. 2.24 a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely we say that that is onely in the sight of men or with men they say that it is in the sight of God Let the iudge end it e Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were iustified by workes he had to reioyce but not with God It is a question whether the crosses and sufferings of the Saints do yeeld vs any helpe with God or any part of satisfaction for our sinnes They say they do we say they do not let the iudge tell vs whether they do or not f 1. Cor. 1.13 Was Paul crucified for you g Gal 6.14 God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ It is a question whether the people ought to be partakers of the Lords cup they say no we say yea Let the iudge decide it h Mat. 26.27 Drinke ye all of this Thus in all matters betwixt them and vs the iudge speaketh clearely on our side his words are so plaine as nothing can be more plaine Yet notwithstanding they tell vs that all these things haue another meaning which we must take vpon the Popes word The commādement forsooth is meant of the idols of the Gentiles not of the images of Saints As if a whore-monger should say that the lawe forbiddeth whoredome of Christians with heathens not one with another The Scripture they say intendeth there is no other Mediator of redemption but one but Mediators of intercession there are many As if an adulterous woman should say that she may haue but one husband of this or that sort but of another sort she may haue many And yet they make them mediators of redemption also because they make them mediators of satisfaction and redemption is nothing else but the paiment of a price of satisfaction Thus they dally in the rest and shew themselues impudent and shameles men let them for their meanings reade to vs as plaine words of the iudge as those are that we reade to them and we will admit of them If not they must giue vs leaue to stand to the sentence of the iudge of heauen and earth and to account the Pope as he is a corrupt and wicked iudge although were he what he should be yet void of all title of being iudge to vs. 22. W. BISHOP Giue me leaue gentle Reader to stay somewhat longer in this matter because there is nothing of more importance and it is not handled any where else in all this Booke Consider then with your selfe that our coelestiall Law-maker gaue his law not written in Inke and Paper but in the hearts of his most faithfull subiects * Ierem. 31. 2. Cor. 3. endowing them with the blessed spirit of truth * Iohn 16. and with a most diligent care of instrusting others that all their posteritie might learne of them all the points of Christian doctrine and giue credit to them aswell for the written as vnwritten word and more for the true meaning of the word then for the word it selfe These and their true successors be liuely Oracles of the true and liuing God them must we consult in all doubtfull questions of Religion and submit our selues wholy to their decree S. Paule that vessell of election may serue vs for a singular modell and patterne of the whole who hauing receiued the true knowledge of the Gospell from God yet went vp to Hierusalem with Barnaby to conferre with the chiefe Apostles the Gospell which he preached lest perhaps he might runne in vaine and had runne as in expresse words he witnesseth himselfe * Gal. 2. Vpon which fact and words of S. Paule the auncient Fathers do gather that the faithful would not haue giuen any credit vnto the Apostles doctrine vnlesse by S. Peter and the other Apostles it had bene first examined and approued * Tertul lib. 4. in Marc. Hier. Ep. 89 quae est 11. inter Ep. Augustini August lib. 28. contra Faustū cap. 4. Againe when there arose a most dangerous question of abrogating Moses lawe was it left to euery Christian to decide by the written word or would many of the faithfull beleeue S. Paule that worthy Apostle in the matter Not so but vp they went to Hierusalem to heare what the pillars of the Church would say where by the decree of the Apostles
casting her with violence into the sea neuer to rise againe And you most noble King in whom God hath turned the period of time which threatned alteration and danger to our state gouernment to the further strength and establishment thereof and hath lifted your throne far aboue the thrones of your royall Progenitors and hath made you in a manner the ballance of the Christian world consider that it is vndoubtedly for some great work that in his prouidence he hath so disposed it and thereto apply those singular ornaments and endowments of the mind wherein you excell all that haue bene before you God hath made your Highnes able to espie and discerne the conicatching deuices of those bastard Catholik seducers we assure our selues that in your self in your royall posteritie it shall be found to the great aduancement of the faith and kingdome of Iesus Christ Wherein that our hope may not be frustrate we most humbly beseech almighty God to put into your Maiesties heart not to be too secure of them who account it a martyrdome to die for the murthering of Christian Princes and in the shedding of your sacred bloud would think themselues to haue gained the one half of their desires content perhaps by instructions for a while to temporize and to make shew of meaning no harme till the memory of their late villany being somewhat ouerblowne they may be the lesse suspected but hauing already giuen to vnderstand what your Maiestie shall looke for at their hands if oportunitie should second their designes The Lord auert and turne that iudgement from vs and n 1. Sam. 25.29 bind your Maiesties soule in the bundle of life with the Lord your God that your eies may long behold that noble Impe of grace the branch of our hope together with the other branches of your royall line growing before the Lord to the further dismay and terror of your enemies and the greater securitie and assurance of the church of Christ As for the seruice which according to your Maiesties commandement I haue here performed albeit it be far from that perfection which the weight of the cause requireth yet I doubt not but it is sufficient to shew on whether part the truth is to be found and to iustifie the proceedings of your Maiesty against the cauillations of wilfull men desperatly shutting their owne eyes that the light of the Gospel may not shine vnto them Whatsoeuer it is it most humbly craueth your Maiesties acceptance and royall protection and fauour whereto with all loyall duty I recommend it and your Highnesse selfe to the protection of the most high God whose cause it is that is defended thereby Your Maiesties most humble and dutifull subiect ROB. ABBOT TO THE CHRISTIAN READER GEntle Reader thou wilt I hope impute it in some part to the condition of the time that I giue thee this answer not altogether so well featured and shaped as thou haply wouldst desire it Though it be a fruite that may seeme to haue bene long in growing yet as the case standeth with me the length of time hath but serued to bring it to his greatnesse and therefore howsoeuer it commeth forth with defiance to the aduersaries yet I confesse it seemeth to me not so throughly digested and seasoned as I would haue wished it to content thee In this defence of Gods truth the things that are specially to be respected against the importunitie and aduantage of our aduersaries are strength and expedition I haue had care as the matter would permit to satisfie thee in both these respects and let my care herein obtaine pardon of thee if I seeme vnto thee to faile in some complements otherwise If thou thinke this my answer needlesse because another man hath already taken paines therein thou must remember that no mans priuate preuention could yeeld me dispensation to be free from doing that which publike authoritie required of me I doubt not but in the reading of either it shal appeare vnto thee what spirit it is wherewith these Romish factors are led in their opposition against vs and that it is not truth and sauing of soules whereto they bend themselues but onely the vpholding of their faction whether by truth or falshood by right or wrong it skilleth not so that that may be performed That thou mayst the better see and iudge of all I haue inserted the whole text of Doctor Bishops booke altogether condemning that falshood and guile which he hath vsed towards M. Perkins and they al vse in their pretence and shew of answering our books in that they neuer set downe the copie of that to which they answer Which policy serueth them to blind the Reader and to gaine libertie to themselues to conceale and dissemble what they list to peruert to vilifie to falsifie and by absurd imputations to calumniate without being controlled As our fidelitie and good conscience of the cause which we handle manifestly appeareth in that we neuer forbeare to publish our aduersaries bookes to the world when we haue adioyned an answer to them so their guilt and guile is manifest by the contrary for that they feare to put forth our bookes with their answers as doubting least the bookes being at hand should bewray and shew the vnsufficiencie of the answers As for Master Perkins booke being loth too much to increase the greatnesse of the volume I haue forborne to put it in the rather for that the substance thereof for the most part may appeare by that that Master Bishop hath set downe and where he faulteth I haue taken occasion in my answer to declare if not the words yet the summe and effect of it the booke it selfe also being easily had by any that is desirous more exactly to compare them The authors conceit for the forme and maner of that work was greatly to be approued and whereas it hath had the liking of very many for the briefe and plaine deliuery of our controuersiall grounds they shall see now that it was not without cause that they caried so good opiniō of it inasmuch as the malice of an enemie out of their many large volumes can find so little matter of waight and substance to say against it I doubt not but it had bene well that in some places he had giuen it some better strength but it is to be considered that as the midwife iudgeth better of the birth then the mother that trauelleth with it and in gaming the stander by sometimes seeth more then he that playeth so it is in writing of bookes that the Reader and examiner seeth sometimes a defect where the busied and intangled minde of the writer obserued none and therefore of welwillers and men indifferent it is to be expected that that which it somewhat vnperfectly deliuered in one place be no impeachment of that which is sufficiently fenced and fortified in another Thou shalt finde it gentle Reader to haue bene so written as that Maister Bishop is faine to vse
the light thereof Now albeit this be the true light i Ephes 5.13 which maketh all things manifest and the onely sure foundation whereupon we can rest our faith for what is it what the whole world saith if God say not the same yet against the importunitie of the aduersarie and for thy better satisfaction thou shalt see our assertions and expositions throughly munited and fenced with the acknowledgment of the auncient Church Wherein although we cannot but say that by the Fathers and Bishops of those times many things were conceiued and deliuered amisse and are not our aduersaries forced will they will they to confesse the same yet God hath so prouided that his truth ex abundanti is iustified by them and no antiquity or authoritie of humane error hath so defaced it but that still the track thereof euen by thē who somtimes haue deemed somewhat against it is plainly to be discerned Yea in sundry articles of our faith the whole streame of antiquitie runneth so oppositely directly against the doctrine and practise of the Romane church that now is as that we may wōder at their extreme impudency and wilfulnes who against so cleare and euident testimony do still persist in the maintenance thereof Which in some part thou shalt see in the treatise here following and shalt vnderstand according to the occasiō here offered that howsoeuer they cry with wide mouthes The fathers the fathers yet their crie is greater then their strength and that the Fathers haue not left vs vnfurnished either of armour to defend our selues or of weapons to conquer them And the more to secure thee hereof I haue set downe the testimonies of the Fathers for the most part in their owne words either in Latine or translated into Latine or in the Greeke tongue sometimes where I had the copie at hand and saw the Latine translation not fitly to expresse the Greeke I haue had a sincere and faithfull care to deale vprightly herein and not to trouble thee with impertinent allegations but onely such as are pregnant and cleare to that purpose for which they are alledged That God by whose prouidence this seruice hath befallen vnto me make the same profitable both to thee and me and graunt vs by writing and reading to increase in the light and assurance of his truth that we may more and more see and discerne the frauds of these Mountebanks and iuggling Sophisters who by insolent ostentation of words and casting of false and deceitfull colours take vpon them to be able to charme the world and by their wits to iuggle all other men beside their wits treading vnder foote the word of God pretending the fathers names and betraying the faith of the fathers subiecting all religion to their owne fancie and saying after the manner of wicked men k Psal 12.4 With our tongues we will preuaile we are they that ought to speake who is Lord ouer vs And thou O merciful Father who onely art the refuge and dwelling place of thy poore and maligned Church l Psal 68.18 stablish for thy names sake the thing that thou hast wrought in vs go forward with the worke which thou hast so graciously begun to dissolue the captiuity of Babylō and to free the remnant of thy Church from the yoke of the slauerie and bondage of Antichrist that all stumbling blockes of Popish prophanations and idolatries being remoued there may be a way prepared for the returne of the forlorne seede of Abraham into the societie of thy people that thencefoorth we may expect and looke for the comming of thy Sonne Iesus Christ to make an end of these euill dayes and to gather vs euerlastingly to that hope which in him thou hast set before vs. m Apoc. 22.20 Amen Lord. Come Lord Iesus come quickly The speciall Contents of this Booke THat the Church of Rome maketh Christ in effect no Christ pag. 14. c. That Rome is Babylon and the Pope Antichrist pag. 39. Of Free-will Chap. 1. pag. 86. Of originall sinne after Baptisme Chap. 2. pag. 163. Of the certaintie of Saluation Chap. 3. pag. 255. Of Iustification Chap. 4. pa. 379. in which are handled these points 1. That righteousnesse before God is imputed not inherent pag 387. 2. What manner of faith it is whereby we are iustified p. 434. 3. That Faith onely doth iustifie pag. 468. 4. How we affirme it vnpossible to keepe Gods commaundements pag. 550. 5. That our good works are not free from staine of sin p. 573. 6. That true faith cannot be without charitie good works pag. 605. Of Merits Chap. 5. pag. 629. Of Satisfaction Chap. 6. pag. 729. Of Traditions Chap. 7. pag. 839. Of Vowes and namely of the Monkish vowes of chastitie pouertie and obedience Chap. 8. pag. 992. Of Images Chap. 9. pag. 1105. THE PREFACE TO THE READER BY DOCTOR BISHOP GEntle Reader I meane not here to entertaine thee with many words the principall cause that moued me to write was the honour and glorie of God in defence of his sacred veritie then the imploying of his talent bestowed vpon me as well to fortifie the weaker sort of Catholiks in their faith as to call backe and leade others who wander vp and downe like to lost sheepe after their owne fancies into the right way I tooke in hand particularly the confutation of this booke not only for that I was thereunto requested by a friend of good intelligence and iudgement who thought it very expediēt but also because perusing of it I found it penned more schollerlike then the Protestants vse to do ordinarily For first the points in controuersy are set down distinctly and for the most part truly Afterward in confirmation of their opinion the chiefe arguments are produced from both Scriptures Fathers and reason Which are not vulgar but culled out of their Rabbins Luther Peter Martyr Caluin Kemnitius and such like though he name them not Lastly he placeth some obiections made in fauour of the Catholike doctrine and answereth to them as well as he could And which I speake to his commendation doth performe all this very briefly and clearly So that to speake my opinion freely I haue not seene any booke of like quantitie published by a Protestant to contain either more matter or deliuered in better method And consequently more apt to deceiue the simple especially considering that he withal counterfeiteth to come as neare vnto the Romane Church as his tender conscience will permit him whereas indeed he walketh as wide from it as any other noueller of this age Wherefore I esteemed my spare time best imployed about the discouering of it being as it were an abridgement of the principall controuersies of these times and do endeuour after the same Scholasticall manner without all superfluitie of words no losse to maintaine and defend the Catholike partie then to confute all such reasons as are by M. Perkins alledged for the contrary Reade this short treatise good Christian diligently for
thou shalt find in it the marrow and pith of many large volumes contracted and drawne into a narrow roome And reade it ouer as it becometh a good Christian with a desire to find out and to follow the truth because it concerneth thy eternall saluation and then iudge without partialitie whether Religion hath better grounds in Gods word more euident testimony from the purest antiquitie and is more conformable vnto all godlinesse good life and vpright dealing the infallible marks of the best Religion and spedily embrace that Before I end this short preface I must intreate thy patience to beare with the faults in printing which are too too many but not so much to be blamed if it be courteously considered that it was printed farre from the Author with a Dutch composer and ouer seene by an vnskilfull Corrector the greatest of them shall be amended in the end of the booke Before the printing of this part was finished I heard that M. Perkins was dead I am sorte that it commeth forth too late to do him any good Yet his worke liuing to poyson others a preseruatiue against it is neuer the lesse necessary R. ABBOT IF you had respected the glorie of God M. Bishop it should haue appeared by your respect to yeeld soueraigne honour and authoritie to the word of God God is in heauen and we are vpon the earth we haue no knowledge of him no acquaintance or dealing with him but by his word Therein we seeke him and find him therein he speaketh vnto vs and thereout we learne to speake to him If we haue the word of God God is present with vs if we be without the word of God God himselfe is absent from vs. Therefore by our honour and obedience to the word of God it must appeare that we truly and sincerely intend and seeke for the glorie of God Hereby it appeareth that you M. Bishop in this your booke haue not fought for the glorie of God but rather to glorifie a Extrauag Ioan 12. Cū inter in glossa Credere dominum Deum nostrum Papam sic non potuisse statuere c. haereticum censeretur your Lord God the Pope as your Glosse of the Canon law most blasphemously hath stiled him You haue in this worke of yours vsed all maner of vntruth and falshood to vphold and iustifie his wicked proceedings against the word of God Whatsoeuer God hath taught vs whatsoeuer Christ and his Apostles haue deliuered all is nothing if your Lord God the Pope and your master Bellarmine his proctor generall do say the contrary Howsoeuer simply and plainly they speake yet they meane not as they speake if the Pope and Bellarmine will tell you another meaning As for your talent we take it to be greater in your owne opinion and the opinion of your fellowes then it is indeed But whatsoeuer it is you haue abused it to the wrong of him that gaue it not to edification but to destruction not to fortifie any in the faith but to nourish and harden them that depend vpon you in error and misbeleefe not to leade any into the right way but to intice men to b Prou. 2.15 crooked wayes and leud paths which c Ch. 7.27 go downe to the chambers of death and the end whereof is confusion and shame not to withdraw men from fancies but to draw them to other fancies from fancies in conuersation to fancies in religion that so being fed wholy with fancies they may perish in the end for want of true food And indeed men that wander in fancies are the subiect for your malice and trechery to work vpon Many that liue in the oportunitie of the knowledge of Christ yet neglect and despise the same The light shineth into their eyes and they regard it not God offereth himselfe vnto them and they say in their hearts We haue no delight nor pleasure in thee Therefore being emptie and voide of truth they lie open to be filled with error and lies and hauing vnthankfully withholden themselues from God God by iust iudgement giueth them ouer to the hands of impostors and deceiuers that it may be verified which the Apostle saith d 2. Thess 2 1◠Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they may beleeue lies that they may be damned which beleeued not the truth but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Your friend of good intelligence and iudgement that thought it very expedient that you should take in hand the confutation of M. Perkins booke spake thereof haply as Caiphas did of the death of Christ meaning it one way which was to fall out another way I doubt not but it will fall out to haue bene very expedient which you haue done because you giue hereby occasion of discouering your false doctrine and of iustifying the truth of Christ which M. Perkins was carefull to maintaine I doubt not but many by this occasion will take knowledge of your corrupt and trecherous dealing your patching and shifting your cosening and deluding of men and will discerne the weaknesse and absurdity of that bad cause which with glorious and goodly words you labour so highly to aduance As for your commendation of M. Perkins booke it is but the imitation of some vaine-glorious captains who to grace their owne victories do set out to the vttermost the aduersaries power and prowesse thinking their glory to be the greater by how much the greater men shall conceiue the might and valour of them to haue bene whom they haue ouercome You dreamed of a victorie here and you thought it to be much for your commendation that your aduersary should be deemed of as great strength as any is to be found amongst vs. But we would haue you to vnderstand that the Church of England neuer tooke M. Perkins booke to be a warriour in complete harnesse or a chalenger for the field but onely as a captaine training his souldiers at home where he wanteth much of that munition and defence wherewith he should endure the brunt of battell He wrote it very schollerlike indeed for an introduction onely to the true vnderstanding and iudgement of the controuersies betwixt vs and you but knew well that it wanted much that might haue bene added to giue it ful and perfect strength You haue taken hereof some aduantage as you conceiue and yet how pitifully are you distressed many times both to vphold that which he obiecteth for you and to answer that which he alledgeth for vs. Now if for the compiling of his booke he bestirred himselfe as the Bee going into other mens gardens for the gathering of hony into his hiue yet he made no Rabbines of them to take any thing for hony because it grew in the garden of such or such a man but vsed carefull and aduised consideration of that which he wrote esteeming the weight of his arguments and of his answers that he might
faithfully performe what he did vndertake But far otherwise haue you dealt M. Bishop in your marrow and pith as you cal it of many large volumes contracted and drawne into a narrow roome You haue made Bellarmine specially your Rabbine your magister noster you take all vpon his word if he say it you will sweare it if he haue once written it you will write it againe without any further examination whether it be true or false We are beholding to you for translating so much of him into English for their sakes that do not vnderstand the Latine tongue But Bellarmine mocketh and abuseth you M. Bishop as he doth euery one that giueth him any trust He was a man of corrupt and euill conscience wholy prostituted to Antichrist and sold to his deceits by which means he maketh you to ly many times when you do not thinke ye lie For which cause I would aduise you when you will write any more bookes out of Bellarmine to make due triall of that which he saith It may haply doe you good to make you detest his fraud and falshood and to hate that profession which cannot be vpholden but by such meanes There is cause you should so do who from many large volumes can gather no better marrow no sounder pith then that which you haue sent vs for the marrow and pith of many large volumes Your marrow is but dust your pith is but rottennesse there is nothing in your booke fit to satisfie the conscience of a man desirous to be instructed in the truth It will I hope sufficiently appeare that you haue neither grounds from the word of God nor any approued testimonie of antiquitie to warrant any man to embrace that which you maintaine He that readeth your booke as it becometh a good Christian to do and conferreth it with M. Perkins booke and our defence thereof to iudge without partialitie I presume he will take you for a leud and naughtie man impudent and vnshamefast regarding onely to vphold a side without any entire regard to learne or to teach the truth In your postscript you tell vs that you are sorie M. Perkins being dead that your booke commeth forth too late to do him any good Whereby we conceiue that you haue a good opinion of it but we must tell you as touching doing him good in your sence he was not a man so weake as to be moued with such a toy Indeed if he had liued we need not doubt but it would haue done him much good and bene great ioy to him to see that in the marrow and pith of many large volumes there should be so little matter of moment to be said against that which he had written so little and so bad as that we hope that your preseruatiue will become your owne poison and the bane of that which you thought to strengthen thereby M. BISHOPS ANSWER TO MAISTER PERKINS HIS EPISTLE DEDICATORY MAster Perkins in his Epistle Dedicatory saith It is a policie of the diuel to think that our religion the religion of the present church of Rome are all one in substance or that they may be vnited Before I am to deliuer my opinion concerning this point I had need to be informed what this Author meaneth by these words our Religion For there being great diuersities of pretended Religions currant in the world all contrary to the Church of Rome how can I certainly know whether of them he professeth Wherefore good sir may it please you to declare what religion you vnderstand when you say our Religion Is it that which Martin Luther a licentious Frier first preached in Germanie or rather that which the martiall minister Zuinglius contended with sword and shield to set vp in Zwitzerland or perhaps that which Iohn Caluin by sedition wrought into Geneua expelling the lawful magistrate thence and by the ayde of Beza a dissolute turnecoate spread into many corners of France Or if by your Religion you meane onely to comprehend the Religion now practised in England yet are you farther to shew whether you vnderstand that established by the State or the other more refined as it is thought by many and embraced by them who are called Puritans for of their leauen sauoureth that position of yours That the article of Christs descent into hel crept into the Creed by negligence and some other such like in this booke These principall diuisions of the new Gospell to omit sundry subdiuisions being famous and receiued of diuers in England according to each mans fantasie it is meet you expresse whether of them you speake of that it may be duly considered how the Romane Religion and it agree and what vnion may be made betweene them Now if you meane the hotchpotch and confusion of all these new Religions together as by the opposition here vnto the Church of Rome and by the articles following may be gathered then I am cleare for you in this that there can be no more concord between these two Religions then there is between light and darknes faith and infidelitie Christ and Belial Notwithstanding I thinke that the reason by you produced to proue the impossibilitie of this 〈◊〉 is of no value to wit that they of the Romane church haue razed the foundation for though in words they honor Christ yet in deed they turne him into a PseudoChrist and an Idoll of their owne braine A very sufficient cause no doubt of eternall breach and diuision if it could be verified But how proue you that we Romane Catholikes who beleeue Iesus Christ to be perfect God and perfect man and the onely Redeemer of mankind make him a false Christ and an idol or before you go about to proue it tel me I pray you how this can wel stand with your owne definition of a reformed Catholike in your Preface There you affirme him to be a Catholike reformed to your liking that holdeth the same necessary heads of Religion with the Romane Church Now can there be any more necessary head of Religion then to haue a right faith in Christ can any other foundation be layd besides Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3. If then your reformed Catholike must agree with the Romane Church in necessarie heads of Religion as you hold he must either the Romane Church razeth not the foundation and maketh not Christ a PseudoChrist as you say here or else you teach your disciples very perniciously to hold the same necessary heads of Religion with it But to leaue you to the reconciliation of these places let vs examine briefly how you confirme your paradox that the Church of Rome maketh Christ a false Christ which you go about to proue by foure instances The first is because the seruant of his seruants may change and adde to his commaundements hauing so great power that he may open and shut heauen to whom he list and bind the very conscience with his owne lawes and consequently be partaker of the spirituall kingdome of Christ Here are
by faith only In which sence the Apostle S. Tim. 4. Paul sayth to his deare Disciple Timothie For this doing thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that heare thee And this doth no more diminish the glorie of our Soueraigne Sauiours infinit merits then to say that we are saued by faith only good works no lesse depending if not more aduancing Christs merits then only faith as shall be proued hereafter more as large in the question of merits Now that other good mens merits may stood them who want some of their owne may be deduced out of an hundred places of the Scriptures namely out of those where God saith That for the sake of one of his true seruants he will shew mercy to thousands as is expresly said in the end of the first Commandement In like manner I answer vnto your third instance that for Christ to haue taken away by his blessed Passion the eternall paine due vnto our sinnes and to haue left a temporall to be satisfied by vs is not to make himselfe a false Christ but a most louing kind and withall a most prudent Redeemer Wiping away that by himselfe which passed our forces and reseruing that to vs which by the helpe of his grace we will may and ought to do not onely because it were vnseemely that the parts of the body should be disproportionalle to the head but also because it is reasonable as the Apostle holdeth Rom. 2. that we s ffer here with Christ before we raigne with him in his kingdome In your last instance you say that we make Christ our mediator of intercession to God thinking out of your simplicitie that therein we much magnifie him and sing Osanna vnto him Whereas we hold it for no 〈◊〉 â—â—â—agement vnto his diuine dignitie to make him our Int rcessor 〈…〉 to pray him to pray for vs who is of himselfe right able to helpe in all we can demaund being as well God as Man And albeit one in thought singling out the humanitie of Christ from his diuine nature and person might make it an intercessor for vs Yet that being but a Metaphisicall conceipt to separate the nature from the person since the Arian heresie which held Christ to be inferior to his Father it hath not bene practised by Catholikes who alwayes pray our Sauiour Christ to haue mercy vpon vs neuer to pray for vs. And consequently make him no mediator of intercession but of redemption R. ABBOT The second instance giuen by M. Perkins to proue that the Church of Rome maketh Christ but euen as an Idol giuing him a name without the substance and effect thereof is this that they call him a Sauiour and yet make him a Sauiour onely in vs and by vs not in himselfe or immediatly by himselfe For this is all that they attribute vnto him that he putteth vs in case and state to saue our selues and to become our owne Sauiours The meaning of the instance being plaine M. Bishops question is very idle In whom he should be a Sauiour if not in vs. He should be a Sauiour in himselfe and by that that he doth himselfe and not in vs or by that that we do for our selues But to the matter he telleth vs that it is a phrase vnheard of among Catholikes that any man is his owne sauiour Which we confesse as touching the phrase and word but yet by their doctrine they do in truth make a man his owne Sauiour If they should so say in words they well know that all Christian eares would abhorre them and many that now admire them would spit in their faces and account them accursed and damnable hypocrites who vnder pretence of doing honour vnto Christ do rob him of his honour and bereaue him of the truth of that name wherein the Soueraigntie of his glory doth consist therefore they forbeare the words though that which they teach is the same in effect as if they sayd so It is commonly knowne that the effect is alwayes attributed to that which is the immediate and neerest efficient cause We say in Philosophie Sol homo generant hominem The sunne and a man do beget a man because by the vegetation and influence of the Sunne and heauenly powers it is deemed that a man hath power to beget a man Yet we know that the Sunne or the heauen is not called the father of the child but onely the man by whom the child is begotten So is it therefore in the matter that we haue here in hand M. Bishop saith that God a Of merits sect 1. freely bestoweth his grace vpon vs in Baptisme but all that arriue to the yeares of discretion must by the good vse of the same grace either merit life or for want of such fruit of it fall into the miserable state of death God then giueth vs whereof to doe it but we our selues of that which God giueth must effect and deserue our owne saluation Therefore M. Bishop againe compareth the grace of God to a b Ibid. sect 3. Farme which the father bestoweth vpon his sonne who of the commodities that arise of the good vsage thereof groweth to be able to make a further purchase at his fathers hands euen of any thing that his father will set to sale In which case the father cannot be said to be the purchaser or to make the purchase for the sonne but the sonne is the purchaser for himselfe though by that which his father gaue him through the well ordering of it he became able to make the purchase Seeing then that Christ doth onely giue vs that whereof we our selues are to raise merits to deserue and purchase saluation as they teach it must needes follow by their doctrine that Christ is made the more remote and antecedent cause but we our selues are properly and immediatly the true causes of our owne saluation Howsoeuer therefore they vse not the phrase yet they teach the thing it selfe that Christ is not our Sauiour properly but we our selues by the good vsage of his gifts are the Sauiours of our selues Which absurditie M. Bishop saw that standing to their owne grounds he could by no meanes auoide and therefore is content with Pighius as it seemeth for a present shift to retire into our harbour albeit I verily thinke he vnderstandeth not himselfe nor can tell what meaning to make or that he saith The thing that followeth of the assertion of meritorious works he saith is this that by good workes we apply vnto vs the saluation which is in Christ Iesus as saith he the Protestants auouch they do by faith onely But he should here haue told vs how his meaning is that this saluation is in Christ For if he meane as commonly he doth that it is in Christ because God for Christs sake giueth vs grace whereby to merit and deserue our saluation then he dallieth altogether and mocketh his Reader as if he should say It followeth not of the position of meritorious
Bishops curtesie and gift but by the very light of the text we will wrest it from him whether he will or not Now this M. Perkins setteth downe indefinitely that the whore of Babylon is the state or regiment of a people that are the inhabitants of Rome and appertaine thereto he concludeth not ergo the Romane Church is the whore of Babylon but inferâ—eth that by other consequence afterwards and M. Bishop shall see God willing that there is sufficient to be said for proofe thereof But wheras he saith that of that assertion it followeth that Romulus and Remus were the purple harlot he is much deceiued therein because the state or regiment of a people that are the inhabitants of Rome cannot be strained to import all people that are the inhabitants of Rome Yet we must let him vnderstand that Romulus was the first founder of Babylon and in him was the beginning of the first of those seuen heads of the beast because he was the first king of Rome For Rome was Babylon euen from the first originall of it as before I noted out of Aâ—stin and as appeareth in that it is described to haue seuen heads and therefore must be Babylon not vnder one or two onely but vnder all those heads though we indeed most commonly speake thereof onely in respect of Antichrist which is the seuenth head So was she also from the beginning a purple harlot being founded in bloud and parricide as S. Austin obserueth by r August de ciu Dei lib. 15. cap 5 Romulus his slaughter of his brother Remus that he might be king alone established by Å¿ Tit Liu. Dec. 1. lib. 1. rauishment of virgins and maides allured thither vnder pretence of sports and playes increased by continualll slaughter and bloudshed to that huge greatnesse which it attained vnto though the name of purple harlot be more specially giuen in respect of shedding the bloud of the martyrs of Christ and of the filthines of Antichrist wherein he shold go beyond all other that had gone before him As for Constantine Theodosius and some other such like godly and Christian Emperours though they were heads of her that is the whore of Babylon yet it followeth not that they were the whore of Babylon or the purple harlot because it is not necessarie that simply all in that succession should be of the same affection For euen amidst the ranke and succcession of idolatrous heathen Emperours when M. Bishop denyeth not but that Rome was Babylon there was t Euseb hist lib. 6. cap. 33. Philip the Emperour a godly and Christian Prince so deuoted to religion as that he submitted himselfe to the censure of the Church Yea and Valerian the Emperour in the beginning of his raigne was so well affected to Christian religion as that his v Idem lib. 7. caâ— 9. Tota illius aula referta erat puÌ„s et ecclesia dei facta Court was full of godly and deuout persons and was become a Church of God Therefore though Constantine and Theodosius were godly princes yet Rome might still continue Babylon both by the remainder of those impieties that were before and by the seedes of that defection that was to come which soone began to be sowed and mightily to grow there Whatsoeuer may be alledged of Rome for that time it is easily to be vnderstood that some small interregnum as I may tearme it and intermission of beastly and Babylonish corruption and confusion could not take away the nature and name of that which it had bene so long before and was soone after to be againe And indeed a small time it was that Rome continued in the hands of those religious and godly Princes Necessarie it was in respect of those things that were afterward to be fulfilled that Christian religion should publikely be established and aduanced there which could not be but that the Emperours and Princes themselues must be professors of Christian faith But the chiefe seate of the Empire being by Constantine translated to Constantinople in the East Rome within a while fell into the possession of other Lords For about threescore and thirteene yeares after the death of Constantine in which time also for some part thereof it had bene holden by Constantius and Valentinian the second Arian heretikes by Iulian the Apostata and Maximus the tyrant it was wholy taken by the Gothes out of the Emperours hands and so continued as x Bellarm. de Antichristo cap. 5. Valens Arcadius Theodosius â—unior alij eorum successores vsque ad Iustinianum omnes Roma caruerunt Bellarmine also confesseth vnto the time of Iustinian the Emperour which was about the space of an hundred and foureteene yeeres yea and soone after it was distressed and taken againe and the Westerne Empire wholy ouerthrowen the prouidence of God by this confusion giuing way by little and little to the Bishop of Rome to take vpon him as afterwards he did to be the seuenth head of the Romane State Now then we hope M. Bishop can see that we haue no meaning to argue in that sort that they are of like affection in Religion who gouerne the same kingdome nay we are so far from arguing in that sort as that we rather confesse that they who both are properly heads of the whore of Babylon may yet bee diuerse in religion as were the heathen Emperours that were of old from the Popes that are now Yet vpon his loose imagination he censureth vs that with such fallacies wee take vpon vs to controule the learnedst in the world of which whosoeuer they are we are sure that he is none nor doe hold him a fit man to iudge who they are But M. Bishop let vs not contend who are the best learned You know what we are wont to say that the greatest Clerkes bee not alwayes the wisest men Solomon telleth you y Prou. 26.12 Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceipt there is more hope of a foole then of him Thinke humbly of your learning and it will haply serue you the better to learne the truth As for our learning thankes be to God it hath done you that sorow that ye haue no cause to bragge of yours only loosers must haue their words and he can do little that cannot talke But now he telleth vs that admitting the purple harlot to signifie the Romane state yet the state of Rome must be taken as it was then when these words were spoken of it that is pagan idolatrous and a hot persecutor of Christians Here is all that he hath to say and if this be nothing there is no remedie but Rome must be Babylon the Pope Antichrist and then what shall become of him Now we deny not but that Rome was the purple harlot vnder those heathen Emperours but we deny that in the falling of those Emperors she shold thencefoorth cease to be the purple harlot For the purple harlot described by S. Iohn was so to be vnder seuen
a maintainer of the true faith be must needes be a scatterer He could not be of Christ that refused them that tooke part with Christ and therefore must be of Antichrist In this respect he renounced Vitalis Milesius and Paulinus because n Erasm schol ibid. they were all either knowne or suspected to be partakers of the heresie of Arius and therefore very deceitfully doth M. Bishop alledge that he would not set vp his rest with his owne Bishop Paulinus who was no meane man but the Patriarch of Antioch as hereby to adde a superioritie to the Bishop of Rome when as there was otherwise so apparant cause why he should refuse so to do In all this therefore Hierome saith no more of the Bishop and Church of Rome then he might haue said of any other Bishop and Church professing true faith and doctrine as the Church of Rome then did but very farre was he from teaching or intending any perpetuall necessitie that all Churches for euer should conforme themselues to the Church of Rome And that he neuer had any such meaning let it appeare by himselfe when being vrged with the example of the Church of Rome he answereth o Hieron Epist. ad Euagr. Quid mihi profers vntus vrbis consuetudinem quid paucitatem de qua ortum est supercilium in leges Ecclesiae vindicas What dost thou bring to me the custome of one citie why dost thou maintaine a paucitie or fewnesse whence hath growne proud vsurping vpon the lawes of the Church He had said a little before p Ibid. Si autoritas quaeritur orbis maior est vrbe Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Eugubij siue CoÌ„stantinopoli siue Rhegij siue Alexandriae siue Tanis eiusdem meriti est eiusdeÌ„ sacerdotij Potentia diuitiaruÌ„ pauperiatis humilitas sâ—l linuorem vel inferiorem EpiscopuÌ„ non facit caeterùm omnes Apostolorum successores sunt If we demaund authority the world is greater then the citie Wheresoeuer a Bishop be whether of Rome or of Eugubium whether at Constantinople or at Rhegium whether at Alexandria or at Tanes he is of the same worth and of the same office of Bishopricke Power of wealth or basenesse of pouertie maketh a Bishop neither higher nor lower but they are all successors of the Apostles Thus he spake purposely in derogation of the Church of Rome charging the same with proud domineering ouer the lawes of the Church affirming the authoritie of the Churches through the world to be greater then the authority of the Church of Rome attributing to euery Bishop of whatsoeuer place equalitie in office with the Bishop of Rome because all are alike successors of the Apostles Yea and to shew that the Church of Rome receiued no more by Peter then other Churches did by the rest of the Apostles he saith in another place that q Idem adu Iouin lib. 1. At dicis super PetruÌ„ fit datur Ecclesia liceta idipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat cuncti claues regni coelerum accipiant ex aequo super eos Ecclesiae fortitudo solidatur the Church is built vpon all the Apostles and they all receiue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church is equally grounded vpon them Whereby it plainely appeareth that Hierome neuer meant to make the Church of Rome any such perpetuall Mistris and ruler of other Churches as M. Bishop dreameth her to be Yea but S. Ambrose further saith I desire in all things to follow the Church of Rome But why did M. Bishop giue ouer there not adde also that that followeth r Ambros de Sacram lib. 3. cap. â— In omnibus cupio sequi Romanâ—m Ecclesiam sed tamen nos homines sensum habentus ideo quod alibi rectiùs seruatur nos rectè custodimus I desire saith he in all things to follow the Church of Rome but yet we are also men that haue vnderstanding and therefore what is more rightly obserued otherwhere we also iustly obserue the same S. Ambrose being Bishop of Millaine not farre from Rome sheweth that he yeelded a reuerend respect vnto the Church of Rome but yet professeth that things might be better in other places then they were at Rome and that his Church of Millaine had vnderstanding to iudge what was fit aswell as the Church of Rome and therefore that they held not themselues tyed by any necessarie dutie to the example thereof but would do what they thought more rightly performed in any other Church Now then what shall we thinke of M. Bishop who thus shamefully seeketh to blind his reader by alledging one part of a sentence for his purpose when the other part thereof expresly crosseth that for which he alledgeth it And thus much concerning M. Bishops answer to M. Perkins Prologue For the rest I will God willing follow him in like sort steppe by steppe according to his owne words in more honest and faithfull manner then he hath dealt with M. Perkins and that in such sort I hope as that the meaner learned shall vnderstand that the learning which he would teach them is naught and the more iudicious shall be able to iudge that it is a very bad cause to which the marrow and pith of many large volumes can yeeld no better defence then he hath brought CHAPTER 1. OF FREE WILL. 1. W. BISHOP THat I be not thought captious but willing to admit any thing that M. Perkins hath sayd agreeable to the truth I will let his whole text in places indifferent passe paring off onely superfluous words with adding some annotations where it shall be needfull and rest onely vpon the points in controuersie First then concerning Free will wherewith he beginneth thus he saith Free will both by them and vs is taken for a mixt power in the mind and will of man whereby discerning what is good and what is euill he doth accordingly chuse or refuse the same Annot. If we would speake formally it is not a mixt power in the mind and will but is a free facultie of the mind and will onely whereby we chuse or refuse supposing in the vnderstanding a knowledge of the same before But let this definition passe as more popular M. Perkins 1. Conclusion Man must be considered in a fourefold estate as he was created as he was corrupted as he is renued as he shall be glorified In the first state we ascribe vnto mans will libertie of nature in which he could will or will either good or euill note that this libertie proceeded not from his owne nature but of originall Iustice in which he was created In the third libertie of grace in the last libertie of glorie Annot. Cary this in mind that here he granteth man in the state of grace to haue Free will R. ABBOT MAister Bishop here dealeth as iuglers are wont to do who make shew of faire play when they vse nothing but
another whereas to that purpose it was vsed and to that purpose most fitly is applyed and therein nothing contained but what is agreable to the truth For whereas he taketh vpon him to correct that terme of necessitie and will haue it to be called infallibilitie and certaintie he malapertly taketh vpon him to teach them that are more learned then himselfe It is a word which S. Austin often vseth vpon the like occasion both against the Pelagians and Manichees b August de perfect iustit Rat. 9 Quia peccauit voluntas secula est peccantem peccatuÌ„ habendi dura necessitas Man sinned by his will saith he and thereupon followed a cruell necessitie of hauing sinne c Retract lib. 1. cap. 1 Naturae nostrae dura necessitas merito praecedentis iniquitatis exortae est A cruell necessitie of sinne grew vpon our nature by the desert of the first sinne d De nat gra cap. 66 Ex vitijs naturae non ex coÌ„ditione naturae est quaedam peccandi necessitas Not by creation but by corruption of nature there is a certaine necessitie of committing sinne e Cont Fortunat. disput â— Post quaÌ„ libera ipse voluntate peccauit nos in necessitatem praecâ—pitati sumus After that Adam sinned by free will we were throwne headlong into a necessitie of sinne all that haue descended of his race And that this necessitie doth well stand with libertie S. Bernard sheweth in calling it f Bernard in Cantic Ser. 81. Ipsa sua voluÌ„tas necessitateÌ„ facit vt nec necessitas cùm voluntaria sit excludere valeat voluntatem nec voluntas cùm sit illecta excludere necessitatem Et postâ— Anima sub voluntaria quadam malè libera voluntate tenetur Et iterum post Voluntas inexcusabilem incorrigibileÌ„ necessitas facis a voluntarie and mis-free necessitie wherein neither can necessitie excuse the will because it is voluntarie nor the will exclude necessitie because it is entangled with delight therein wherein will taketh froÌ„ him all matter of defence and necessitie bereaueth him of possibilitie of amendment and in a word the will it selfe in strange wise causeth this necessitie to it selfe Now then because the state of sinne is such as that there is one way necessitie by the habit of corruption and another way libertie by the free motion of the will very rightly did M. Perkins to expresse the same vse the example of a prison that puts necessitie in one thing and libertie in another And thus in righteousnesse also necessitie and libertie agree and do not one exclude the other For the Angels being by the grace and power of God confirmed in goodnesse are thereby necessarily good g Jdem de grat lib. arist sup so and in such sort good as that they cannot become euill and yet they are freely and voluntarily good because it is the will it selfe that is established in goodnesse The same shall be the state of eternall life to the elect and faithfull h August de perfect iustitia Bene viuendi nunquam peccandi voluntaria foelixque necessitas A voluntarie and happy necessitie of liuing wel and neuer sinning any more Let M. Bishop take knowledge now of this manner of speech and learne not to find fault when he hath no cause But he noteth that we must not vnderstand that a man is at any time compelled to sinne where I may answer him with his owne words before Who knowes not this And againe that this is none of M. Bishops caueat but taken out of M. Perkins M. Perkins had told him so much before hand and therfore what needed this note For this necessitie groweth not of any outward force but from inward nature not by condition of the substance but by accidentall corruption which being supposed there is a necessitie of sinne as in the palsey a necessitie of shaking in the hot feauer a necessitie of burning in the broken legge a necessitie of halting so continuing till the maladie and distemper be cured and done away And whereas M. Bishop referreth this necessitie of sinne to the weaknesse of man and to the craft of the diuell he speaketh too short in the one and impertinently in the other For we are not to conceiue weaknesse onely which may be onely a priuation but a positiue euill habite and contagion of sinne whereby a man sinneth euen without any furtherance of the diuels temptations by the onely euill disposition of himselfe Which euill disposition because it is also in the will it selfe therefore in the midst of that necessitie a man sinneth no otherwise but as M. Bishop requireth to haue it said with free consent of his owne will W. BISHOP M. P. 5. Conclusion The second kind of spirituall actions be good as Repentance Faith Obedience c. In which we likewise in part ioyne with the Church of Rome and say that in the first conuersion of a sinner mans Free will concurreth with Gods grace as a fellow or co-worker in some sort for in the conuersion of a sinner three things are required the word Gods spirit and Mans will for Mans will is not passiue in all and euery respect but hath an action in the first conuersion and change of the soule when any man is conuerted this worke of God is not done by compulsion but he is conuerted willingly and at the very time when he is conuerted by Gods grace he willeth his conuersion To this end saith S. Augustine He which made thee without thee Seâ— 15 de verb. Apost will not saue thee without thee Againe that it is certaine that our will is required in this that we may do any thing well it is not onely then required in our first conuersion if it be required to all good things which we do but we haue it not from our owne power but God workes to will in vs. For looke at what time God giues grace at the same time he giues a will to desire and will the same as for example when God worke faith at the same time he workes also vpon the will causing it to desire faith and willingly to receiue the gift of beleeuing God makes of the vnwilling wil a willing will because no man can receiue grace vtterly against his will considering will constrained is no will But here we must remember that howsoeuer in respect of time the working of grace by Gods spirit and the willing of it in man go together yet in regard of order grace is first wrought and mans will must first of all be acted and moued by grace and then it also acteth willeth and moueth it selfe And this is the last point of consent betweene vs and the Romane Church touching Free-will neither may we proceed farther with them Hitherto M. Perkins Now before I come to the supposed difference I gather first that he yeeldeth vnto the principall point in controuersie that is freedome of will in ciuill and morall
purpose but expecteth our will to make good that grace to our selues he confesseth that God stirreth and helpeth forward our will but cannot endure to say that it is God that worketh in vs to will He answereth yet further that the whole may be attributed to God because the habits of grace infused be froÌ„ him as sole efficient of theÌ„ our actioÌ„s endued also with grace being onely dispositions no efficient cause of those habits But herein he absurdly trifleth by altering the state of the questioÌ„ For the controuersie is not of the efficient cause of infused grace but of the efficient cause of our receiuing that grace We say that the holy Ghost worketh the same immediatly in our will they say that the grace of God and the Free will of man make h Andrad Orth. explicat li. 4 Ex gratia libero arbitrio vnica causa conflatur nostrae ad iustiuaÌ„ applicationis one efficient cause of the receiuing thereof They say that God offereth his grace with condition if we wil but we say that God without putting vs to condition of our wil worketh in vs to will and where he expresseth a condition doth himself performe the same i Aug. Confess lib. 10. ca. 29. Da quod â—ubes giuing what he commandeth and k De Praedest sanct cap. 11. Deus facit vt illa faciamus himselfe making vs to do what he requireth to be done The words of the Apostle are plain for vs and as plaine against theÌ„ But I take it to be but a point of M. Bishops cunning thus to speake yet his learning will gaine but small credit thereby 9. W. BISHOP One other obiection may be collected out of M. Perkins third reason against Free will which is touched as he saith by the holy Ghost in these words When we were dead in sinnes Ad Ephes 2.2 If a man by sinne become like a dead man he cannot concurre with God in his rising from sinne Answ Sure it is that he cannot before God by his grace hath quickened as it were reuiued him to which grace of God man giues his free consent How can that be if he were then dead Marry you must remember what hath bene said before that albeit man in sinne be dead in the way of grace yet he liueth naturally and hath Free will in naturall and ciuil actions which will of his being by grace fortified and as it were lifted vp vnto a higher degree of perfection can then concurre and worke with grace to faith and all good works necessary to life euerlasting As for example a Crab-tree stocke hath no ability of it selfe to bring foorth apples therfore may be tearmed dead in that kind of good fruite yet let a siance of apples be grafted into it and it will beare apples euen so albeit our soure corrupt nature of it selfe be vnable to fructifie to life euerlasting yet hauing receiued into it the heauenly graft of Gods grace it is enabled to produce the sweete fruite of good workes to which alludeth S. Iames Cap. 1. Receiue the ingraffed word which can saue our soules Againe what more dead then the earth and yet it being tilled and sowed doth bring foorth and beare goodly corne now the word and grace of God is compared by our Sauiour himselfe vnto seed Mat. 13. and our hearts vnto the earth that receiued it what maruel then if we otherwise dead yet reuiued by this liuely feed do yeeld plenty of pleasing fruite R. ABBOT This obiection M. Bishop saith he collecteth out of M. Perkins third reason against Free will whereas it is indeed the whole matter of that third reason He wold haue kept due order and haue answered the rest as well as this but that he doubted he should haue answered the rest as badly as he hath done this He propoundeth the obiection at his owne liking and cutteth off what he list If man by sinne become like a dead man he cannot concurre with God in his rising from sinne For this the words of the Apostle are alledged by M. Perkins a Ephes 2.1 When we were dead in sinnes M. Bishop answereth sure it is that he cannot before God by his grace hath quickened and as it were reuiued him to which grace of God man giueth his free consent Which answer who is so blind as that he cannot see how absurdly it crosseth it selfe Man must giue his free consent to grace that he may be quickened thereby and yet man cannot consent or concur with God before he be quickened by grace If man cannot consent or concurre with God before he be quickened then the consent of of his owne Free will cannot be the efficient cause of his quickening because that that cometh after cannot be the cause of that that necessarily goeth before and the effect is neuer the cause of it owne cause And this is indeed the very truth iustified by M. Bishops owne words against his will But his whole discourse driueth the other way that a man not yet quickened must by Free will giue consent to grace and concurre with God that he may be quickened because though grace be offered yet it taketh no effect vntill our Free will do make way for it and do adde it owne indeauour and helpe to the worke thereof Which is all one as to require of a dead bodie to giue consent and to put to it owne helpe for the restoring of it selfe to life againe Yet he thinketh to cleare the matter of all impossibilitie for asking the question againe How can that be namely that man should giue his free consent to grace if he were then dead he answereth Marry you must remember what hath bene said before that albeit man in sinne be dead in the way of grace yet he liueth naturally and hath Free will in naturall and ciuill actions But what is this to the purpose seeing that spiritually he still continueth a dead man Yea but this will of his being fortified and lifted vp to a higher degree of perfection can then concurre and worke with grace to faith and all good works necessary to life euerlasting Where he doth but runne in a ring and in other words repeateth the same answer still sticking fast in the briars wherein he was tangled before For how is this will to be fortified and lifted vp to a higher degree of perfection He hath told vs before by grace and that to grace man must giue his free consent So then he telleth vs that Free will cannot concurre and worke with grace except by grace it be first fortified and lifted vp to a higher degree of perfection and yet it cannot be fortified by grace and lifted vp to a higher degree of perfection except it first concurre with grace I may here againe iustly returne vpon him his owne words See how vncertaine the steppes are of men that walke in darknesse c. Now the Reader will obserue that the obiection is
to will and he maketh good to vs the thing that our will desireth How then will he haue it to be ours that we will or are willing but by his working it in vs to be ours It is the act of our will when we do will and so ours but yet it is Gods because he worketh in vs to will It is his in calling ours in following but it is his also that we follow because he maketh vs to follow For how do we folow when he calleth but f Prosper de vâ—cat gent lib. 2. cap. 9. sequaces fide voluntate by willing and beleeuing And no man can beleeue g August cont duas epist Pelag lib 1. cap. 19. except it be giuen to him to beleeue and h Ad simplic q. 2. Vt sit nutus voluntatis ille tribuit ille largitur that there is a yeelding or assenting of the will it is he that giueth it saith Austin in that very treatise it is he that granteth it so that although we will and we runne and this willing and running be ours yet as the Apostle saith i Rom. 9.16 it is neither of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Concerning which words it is worth the while to obserue what Saint Austin writeth in the same discourse whence M. Bishop taketh this obiection and within a very few lines after and thought worthie to remember in diuerse places of his workes M. Bishop saith as all his fellowes that all is not of God but somewhat belongeth to mans Free will for his conuersion vnto God which yet sufficeth not vnlesse it be helped by the grace of God But S. Austin saith k Ad Simplic q. 2 si propterea solum dictum est Non volentis quia voluntas hominis soâ—a non suffi it vt iustè rectèque viuamus nisi adiuuentur misericordia Dei. potest hoc modo dici Igitur non miserentis est Dei sed volentis est hominis quia misericordia Dei sola non sufficit nisi consensus nostrae voluntatis addatur At illud manifestum est frustra nos vell nisi Deus misereatur Illud autem nescâ—o quomodo dicatur frustra Deum misereri nisi nos velimus If therefore onely it be sayd It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy because the will of man alone is not sufficient except it be helped by the mercy of God it may be also thus sayd that it is not of God that sheweth mercy but of man that willeth because the mercy of God alone sufficeth not vnlesse there be adioyned the consent of the will of man More effectually doth he expresse it in another place l Enchirid cap. 32. Si propterea dictum est Non volentis c. quia ex vtroque fit id est ex voluntate hominis misericordia Dei vt siâ— dictuÌ„ accipiamus Non volentis c tanquam diceretur non sufficit sola voluntas hominis si non sâ—t etiaÌ„ misericordia Dei non sufficit ergo sola misericordia Dei si non sit etiam voluntas hominis ac per hoc si rectè dictum est Non volentis hominis sed miserentis est Dei quia id voluntas hominis solae non implet cur non è contrario rectè dicitur Non miserentis est Dei sed volentis est hominis quia id miserecordia Dei sola non implet Porro si nullus Christianus dicere audebit Non miserentis est Dei sed volentis est hominis ne Apostolo apertissimè contradicat restat vt propterea recte dictum intelligatur Non volentis c. Vt totum Deo detur qui hominis voluntatem bonam praeparat adiuuandam adiuuat praeparatam If therefore it be sayd It is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy because it is done by both that is by the will of man and by the mercy of God as if it were sayd the will of man alone sufficeth not if there be not also the mercy of God then also the mercy of God sufficeth not if there be not also the will of man and by this meanes if it be rightly sayd It is not of him that willeth but of God that sheweth mercy because the wil of man alone auaileth not why is it not on the contrarie rightly sayd It is not of God that sheweth mercy but of man that willeth because the mercy of God alone auaileth not Now if no Christian man will dare to say so it remaineth that we vnderstand it therefore sayd It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Vt totum Deo detur that all vvholy may be attributed to God vvho prepareth or maketh the good wil of man What could be more notably spoken to ouerthrow all Popish assertion of mans Free will which seeing S. Austin gaue M. Bishop occasion to note in the verie place whence he tooke his obiection we must needs thinke him a man of a seared conscience that would thus wilfully bend himselfe against an apparant truth In a word I answer his obiection out of Austin by the words of Hierome hauing reference to the same sentence of the Apostle m Hieron epist ad Demetriad Velle nolle nostrum est ipsumque quod nostrum est sine Dei miseratione nostrum non est To will and to nill according to godlinesse is ours but euen that that is ours is not ours vvithout the mercy of God His fourth place of Austin is that n August in Ioan. tract 72. Operante in se Christo cooperatur saâ—utem aeternam ac iustificationem suam Christ vvorking in man man himselfe doth cooperate that is vvorketh together vvith him his owne iustification and life euerlasting An idle obiection because by that very place if it were discussed it should appeare which the same S. Austin for a full answer expresly saith elsewhere o Jn Psal 77. Dei gratia non solum operatur remissionem peccatorum sed etiam cooperanteÌ„ sibi facit spiritum hominis in opere bonoruÌ„ factoruÌ„ that God maketh the spirit of a man to cooperate or vvorke together vvith him in doing of good vvorkes so that this cooperating or vvorking together vvith God attributeth nothing to the will of man but what is the proper effect of the grace of God In the fifth testimonie he saith that Austin speaketh yet more formally for them but let him conceiue of the forme as he will we are sure he is farre from the matter of S. Austins speech p Epist 47. Catholica â—ides â—â—que liberum arb triuÌ„ negat siue in â—itam malam siue in bonam neque tantum eitribuit vt sine gratia Dei valeat aliquid siue vt ex malo coÌ„uertatur in bonum siue vt in bono
shepheards vpon the dounes sing these things Do not poets vpon the stages act them Do not the vnlearned in their assemblies and the learned in their libraries acknowledge them Do not maisters in their schooles and Prelats in their pulpits and finally all mankind throughout the whole world confesse and teach this to wit that no man is to be punished because he did that which he could not chuse but do Should he not then according to S. Augustines censure be hissed out of all honest companie of men that denieth this so manifest a truth confessed by all Mankind How grosse is this heresie that so hoodeth a man and hardneth him that be he learned yet he blusheth not to deny roundly that which is so euident in reason that euen naturall sence doth teach it vnto shepheards God of his infinite mercie deliuer vs from this strange light of the new Gospell R. ABBOT As touching ciuill and outward actions we doubt not as before is sayd but that God hath left a libertie and power to the will of man and therefore iustly are they punished who runne wilfully into enormous actions from which it is in them to forbeare And this addeth much to the iust condemnation of man that euen in those things wherein he hath power to do otherwise yet he carieth himselfe frowardly and rebelliously against God And yet of outward actions in some degree Hierome rightly obserueth a Hieron cont Pelag. li. 3. Dicimus posse hominem non peccare si ve lit pro tempore pro loco pro imbecillitate corporea quamdus intentus est animus c. Quòd si se paululum remiserit c. discit fragilitateÌ„ suam multa se non posse cognoscit that a man can forbeare to sinne if he will at a time or in some place or by some let of bodily weaknesse or so long as the mind is intent and heedie but he soone findeth that wholy not to sinne it is not possible To speake then indefinitely of sinne it is true that man left in the power of his owne Free will cannot chuse but sinne For how can he chuse but sinne who of himselfe is nothing but sinne Yea we know that the corruption of sinne lieth as a punishment vpon the whole nature of man and therefore is sayd to haue befallen b August de nat grat ca. 34. by the iust reuenge of God and is called c Idem de perfect iustit Rat. 9 Poenalis vitiositas a poenall vitiousnesse or subiection to sinne Now if it be as it were a prison or punishment it is not in our choise to be rid thereof because a man cannot rid himselfe of a prison or punishment which he hath drawne vpon himselfe And therefore doth Saint Austin affirme it to be d De nat grat cap. 67. ex lib. 3. de lib. arbit cap. 18. Approbare falsa pro veris vt erret inuitus resistente atque torquente dolore carnalis vinculà non posse à libidinosis operibus teÌ„perare non est natura instituti hominis sed poenâ— damnati the punishment of man by condemnation to approue falshood for truth so as to erre against his will and being vexed with the griefe of the bond of the flesh yet not to be able to temper himselfe from libidinous actions Thus haue we heard him before to auouch e Sect. 3. a necessitie of sinning and this necessitie he acknowledgeth in some part to continue still in the state of grace f De nat grat cap. 66. alledging thereof the words of the Prophet Dauid g Psal 24.18 De necessitatibus meis educ me deliuer me from all my necessities And therefore vainely doth M. Bishop except that by the helpe of God a sinner may call for grace and repent him and chuse whether he will sinne or no. For in men conuerted it is true that they cannot chuse but sinne in repentant men it is still true that they cannot chuse but sinne For the forbearing of this or that action doth not put a man in case to chuse to sinne but though he arise one way yet the law of sinne holdeth him still vnder a necessitie to fall another way vntill h August de nat grat cap. 66. Opitulante gratia c. mala necessitas remouebitur libertas plena tribuetur this euill necessitie be taken away and full libertie granted which shall i Idem in Ioan. tract 41 Quando plena atque perfecta libertas trit Quando nullae inimicitiae quaÌ„do nouissimae inimica destructur mors then be when we shall see him face to face Or if M. Bishop will say otherwise let him bring vs foorth the man that can chuse to sinne the man that can do more then euer Patriarch or Prophet or Apostle or Euangelist could do For if they could chuse to sinne why did they sinne or if they did not sinne why did they say Forgiue vs our trespasses If he will needs follow the Pelagian deuice that k Hieron epist ad Cresiph Licet alius non fuerit tamen potest esse qui esse voluerit though no man be indeed without sinne yet a man may be so if he will I will answer him with Hieromes words l Ibid. Quae est argumentatio ista posse esse quod nunquam fuerit c. dare cui libet quod in Patriarchis Prophetis Apostolis nequâ—as approbare What a reason is this that that may be that neuer was and that he should yeeld that to I know not whom which in the Patriarchs and Prophets and Apostles he cannot proue Repentance therefore and conuersion so altereth the course of a mans life in the maine as that euen in the way of righteousnesse it still leaueth in him a necessitie of sinne Neither doth this conuersion stand indifferent to all as he dreameth nor doth God affoord to all sinners grace sufficient to bring them to repentance He noteth for his purpose the place of Peter that God would not haue any to perish c. but let him take the whole words and they will cleere themselues m 2. Pet. 3 9. He is patient TOVVARDS VS not willing that any namely of vs should perish but that all of vs should come to repentance He speaketh of Gods elect of them whom he hath chosen to make vp the body of his Church of whom our Sauior Christ saith n Iohn 6.39 This is the will of the Father that hath sent me that of all that he hath giuen me I should loose nothing but should raise it vp at the last day Of these he will haue none to perish but doth patiently beare till he haue accomplished the nuÌ„ber that he hath decreed for himselfe So did God say by the Prophet o Ezech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted liue but he said it
the first proposition of his first reason following as shall be there proued R. ABBOT It was not M. Perkins intent here to set downe any exact or formall description of Originall sinne but onely so to touch it as might serue to leade him to the point that was to be disputed of But out of that which he saith it ariseth that originall sinne is a common guilt of the first sinne of man inferring as a iust punishment an vniuersall distortion and corruption of mans nature and euerlasting destruction both of bodie and soule Concerning the matter therfore he propoundeth three things in Originall sinne to be considered the sinne the guilt and the punishment Where M. Bishop being like a man of glasse afraid of being crackt where he is not touched would for more assurance giue vs a note and I warrant you it is a wise one We say not saith he that the punishment of Originall sinne is in it or any part of it but rather a due correction and as it were an expulsion of it Where he putteth me in mind of a speech that I haue heard concerning an outlandish Mathematicke Reader whose tongue hauing out-runne his wits and making a discourse of he knew not what asketh his hearers at length Intelligitisne Do ye vnderstād me they answered him No. Profectò nihil miror saith he neque enim ego intelligo meipsum Marrie I do not maruel for neither do I vnderstand my selfe Such a lecture doth M. Bishop here reade which no man else vnderstandeth nor he himselfe If he had vnderstood what Originall sinne is and that concupiscence being a part of Originall sinne is also a punishment thereof corruption of nature which is one part arising from the guilt of the first sinne which is the other part he would not so vnaduisedly haue denied that the punishment of Originall sinne is also a part thereof especially finding S. Austin in so infinite places affirming that concupiscence is in such sort a sinne as that it is also a punishment of sinne and of what sinne but that which Adam in person committed by action and is ours originally by propagation But that either this punishment of Original sinne which is the corruption of nature or the following punishment thereof which is the first and second death should be called expulsion of Originall sinne we lacke some Oedipus to resolue vs sure I am that M. Bishop vnderstood not what he said nor can giue vs anie answer to make it good Such learned men haue we to do with which are so deepe in their points that they know not what they say Now he that vttereth such riddles himselfe might easily pardon another man in a speech though distasting to him yet in it selfe verie easie to be vnderstood What a stirre doth he make at that that M. Perkins saith that in the regenerate the guiltinesse is remoued from the person but not from the sinne in the person The meaning is plaine that the sinne is pardoned to the man regenerate and therfore cannot make him guiltie but yet in it self and in it owne nature it continueth such as that setting aside the pardon it were sufficient still to make him guiltie and to condemne him as shall be afterwards auouched out of Austin to euerlasting death The pardon acquitteth the man but yet it cannot alter the nature of the sinne it setteth a barre against the effect but take away the barre the cause is as strong as it was before His idle and wast words and fighting with a shadow I let passe if he were not a senslesse man that that M. Perkins saith in the plaine meaning thereof would neuer seeme to him any senslesse imagination But he goeth further How can the fault of Originall sinne remaine in the man renewed by Gods grace although not imputed Why M. Bishop what hindereth I pray you Can there be two contraries saith he in one part of the subiect at once And why not What hath not his Philosophie taught him that contraries are incompatible onely in their extremes Did he neuer reade that contraries when they striue to expell one another do it not in a moment but by degrees and though one be stronger then then the other yet the weaker stil hath that latitude which the strōger hath not gained Thus are there in the regenerate man a Rom. 7.23 the law of sinne and the law of the mind the former rebelling against the latter b Gal. 5.17 the flesh and the spirit the one contrary to the other as the Apostle speaketh and that in one part of the subiect as shal appeare Can there be light and darknesse in the vnderstanding saith he Why did M. Bishop neuer reade of c Zephan 1.15 a darke day or will he reason therof if it be day it cannot be darke or if it be darke it cannot be day And if he can see that light and darknesse may meete together in a day can he not see that light and darknesse may also be together in the vnderstanding One where our Sauiour Christ commēdeth the light of his Disciples d Matth. 13.16 Blessed are your eyes for they see another where he condemneth their darknesse e Mark 8 18. Haue ye eyes and see not By light of vnderstanding Peter saith f Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Blessed art thou Simon saith Christ for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen The same Peter by and by also bewrayeth darknesse of vnderstanding giuing Christ occasion to say vnto him g Ibid. vers 23 Get thee behind me Satan for thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men h Orig. in Mat. tract 3. Contraria sibi adhu erant in Petro veritas mendaecium De veritate dicebat Tu es Christus c. Ex mendacio dixit Propitius tibi esto c. Contraria erant adhuc in Petro There were contraries as yet in Peter saith Origen truth and falshood he spake by truth one way he spake by falshood another way In a word the Apostle telleth vs that i 1. Cor. 13.9.12 we know but in part we prophecie but in part we see through a glasse darkly or as the maisters of Rhemes translate it in a darke sort How can that be but that there is still some darknesse in the vnderstanding which yet in part hath receiued light He goeth further Can there be vertue and vice in the will at the same instant Yes M. Bishop for whatsoeuer is wanting of perfect vertue k August epist 29. Id quod minus est quà m debet ex vitro est ex vitio est saith S. Austin it is by reason of vice So long therefore as there is not perfect vertue there is vice remaining together with vertue The inner man wherein is the will of man is renewed as the Apostle telleth vs from day to day S.
blindnesse of heart is properly sinne therfore concupiscence is so also Rebellion against the law of the mind wherby is meant the law of God is properly sinne as before is shewed But concupiscence is a habite of rebellion against the law of God it is therefore properly to be accounted sinne And whereas Austin when he denyeth concupiscence to be sinne saith it is therefore called sinne because it is the punishment of sinne and the cause of sinne here he affirmeth that it is not onely the punishment of sinne and the cause of sinne but otherwise also sinne and therefore properly and truly sinne But M. Bishop telleth vs that Austin in more then twentie places of his workes teacheth expresly that concupiscence is no sinne if sinne be taken properly Yet S. Austine in those twentie places saith nothing of sinne properly or vnproperly taken and indeed taketh sinne vnproperly when he denyeth concupiscence to be sinne as anone shall appeare He saith further that when Austin calleth concupiscence sinne he taketh sinne largely as it comprehendeth not onely all sinne but also all motions and enticements to sinne and so it may be tearmed sinne And this large taking of sinne we say is the proper taking of it and thereby concupiscence is properly called sinne But the motions and enticements to sinne being the same with concupiscence we see what a proper secret he hath here deliuered that concupiscence may be tearmed sinne as sinne is taken largely so as to comprehend concupiscence A learned note But because the reason that he hath before deliuered is starke naught he should haue giuen vs here a better reason why the name of sinne is not properly to be vnderstood when concupiscence is called sinne He telleth vs that with Austin it is more commonly called an euill and indeed it is true that very often he so calleth it but yet such an euill as maketh a man euill so that by reason thereof a Hieron aduer Pelag. lib. 3. Quamuis Patriarcha sit aliquis quamuis Propheta quamuis Apostolus dicitur eis à Domino Saluatore Si vos cùm sitis mali c. though a man be a Prophet a Patriarch an Apostle yet saith Hierome it is said vnto them by our Sauiour If we being euill do know to giue good gifts to your children c. Now there is nothing that maketh a man euill but that which is properly sinne Concupiscence therefore is properly a sin But of this shall be spoken more at large anone Onely here it is to be obserued how M. Bishop vnderstandeth it to be an euill because it prouoketh vs to euill So he will haue it no otherwise called an euill then it is called sinne It is sinne because it prouoketh to sinne and so euill because it prouoketh to euill and so indeed properly shall be neither sinne nor euill whereas S. Austin acquitting it in some meaning from the name of sinne leaueth it simply and absolutely in the name and nature of euill as shall appeare To this place he bringeth another testimonie of Austin which M. Perkins alledgeth in the fourth reason and giueth to it a very vnproper answer b August in Ioan. Tract 41. Quamdiu viuis necesse est esse peccatum in meÌ„bris tuâ—s So long as thou liuest saith Austin of necessitie sinne must be in thy members sinne is there also taken vnproperly saith M. Bishop And yet S. Austin deduceth that assertion from the words of S. Iohn c 1. Iob. 1.8 If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs alledging the one and concluding the other by occasioÌ„ of the words of our Sauior Christ d Ioh. 8.34 He that committeth sin is the seruant of sinne and the seruant abideth not in the house for euer For hereupon he asketh the question What hope then haue we who are not without sinne and answereth at large that sinne though according to the words of S. Iohn we cannot be without it so long as we liue here yet shall not hurt vs if we do not by suffering it to raigne make our selues seruants vnto it because he onely that committeth sinne by course and practise of euill conuersation is the seruant of sinne that is to say of inward corruption Now therefore if we will follow M. Bishops construction we must vnderstand S. Iohn also of sinne vnproperly taken and affirme contrarie to the auncient receiued Maxime of Christian faith that if sinne be properly taken it may be truly said of some men that they are without sinne because he saith it is not true of sinne properly taken that so long as a man liueth it must needs be in him as S. Austin speaketh Now he will proue that sinne is there vnproperly taken because S. Austin placeth it in the members For according to S. Austin and all the learned the subiect of sinne properly taken is not in any part of the bodie but in the will and soule Where we may iustly smile at his ridiculous and childish ignorance Why M. Bishop is concupiscence any otherwise in the members of the bodie but onely by the soule Iulian the Pelagian was not so grosse but that he knew that e Aug. contra Julian lib. 6. ca. 5 Quia carnalitèr anima concúpiscit the flesh is said to lust because the soule lusteth according to the flesh which S. Austine confirmeth and saith that f Ibid Motibus suis anima quos habet secundum spiritum aduersatur alijs motibus suis quos habet secundum carnem rursuâ— motibus suis quos habet secundum carnem aduersatur alijs motibus suis quos habet secundum spiritum ideò dicitur â—are concupiscere aduersus spiritum c. it is the soule it selfe which by it owne motions which it hath according to the spirit is contrarie to other motions of it owne which it hath according to to the flesh and by it owne motions which it hath according to the flesh is contrarie to other motions of it owne which it hath according to the spirit and that therefore the flesh is said to lust contrarie to the spirit and the spirit contrarie to the flesh Who knoweth not this saith he to Iulian which thou like a great Doctor so often tellest vs And what doth not M. Bishop know it that will be taken for so great a Doctor in the Church of Rome Let me tell him once againe that the soule is the proper and immediate subiect of concupiscence that to lust is an act of a nature endued with life and sence which the bodie is not of it selfe but onely by the soule and therefore that that exception of his maketh nothing to the contrarie but that S. Austin by sinne in the members doth vnderstand that that is properly and truly called sinne to say nothing of that I haue before declared that by concupiscence is also vnderstood the will it selfe thrall and subiect vnto sin For conclusion of this point he
no further then he approoueth vnto vs that he is a follower of Christ we tie not our selues to him but vse our liberty to dissent from him and to censure him where he hath gone awry But M. Bishop and his fellowes haue their Patriarch indeede to whom they binde themselues Antichrist the man of sinne the enemie of Christ whose dirt they must be content to eate and to brooke all the filth of his abhominations and a Dist 40. si Papae though he leade them to hell yet no man may dare say vnto him Sir why do ye so Well Caluin saith that Austine hath diligently gathered the iudgement of antiquity and what then forsooth he saith further thus that b Caluin Institut lib. 3. cap. 3. Sect. 10. betweene Austine and vs there may seeme to be this difference that he dares not call the disease of concupiscence by the name of sinne but we hold it to be a sinne that a man is tickled with any lust or desire against the law of God Whereupon M. Bishop giueth his Reader these obseruations first that S. Austines opinion carieth with Caluin the credit of all antiquity which is the cause saith he that I cite him more often against them which indeede he hath full clerkly and profoundly done so as that I presume I may assure the Reader that he hath scarsely euer read ouer one booke of his Secondly saith he that he is flatly on our side but therein he reckoneth before his host for Caluin saith to the contrary that c Ibid. sect 12. Austine differeth not so much from our doctrine as in shew he seemeth to doe and that he varieth but little from our opinion Lastly saith he learne to mislike the blind boldnesse of such maisters But if Caluin were blinde alas for poore M. Bishop what can he see and yet though he can see but little he is as bold as blinde bayard and doubteth not to vilifie him to whom he might very well be a scholler yet many yeares Caluin iustly commendeth Austines iudgment and aduiseth all men to follow it and in substance flieth not from it himselfe though in termes he somewhat differ Neither did he presume vpon shallow wits not to be espied knowing well that the whole rabble of the court of Antichrist would vse their deepest wits for the sifting of that he should write but in the conscience of integrity and faithfulnes he despised all their barkings and malitious furie and with the inuincible shield of truth beareth off all the poisoned darts of their reproches He neuer taught men to rely vpon his authority but by authority of the word of God and testimony of the auncient church he laboured to establish the faith of Christ yet making men witnesses onely not authors or dictators of the truth and therefore not doubting to censure them where they swarue from the authority of the word of truth But now because M. Bishop will perswade vs that S. Austine is wholly on their part let vs somewhat more at large examine his opinion and iudgement in this behalfe Which although it may be sufficiently perceiued by those things that haue bene scatteringly alledged already yet fully to remoue this cauill let vs here lay together what shall be found necessary for the clearing thereof And first we are to obserue that sinne is considered two manner of waies one way as it is opposed to righteousnesse another way as it is opposed to forgiuenesse of sinnes Sinne properly taken as euery mans vnderstanding giueth him is opposite to righteousnesse and so whatsoeuer is contrary to righteousnesse is sinne Thus haue we before described the nature of sinne and according to this description concupiscence in the regenerate being d Rom. 7.23 Gal. 5.17 contrary to righteousnesse is sinne neither euer came it into S. Austines heart to thinke otherwise But he considereth sinne in the proper effect of sinne as it maketh guilty so that whatsoeuer is forgiuen is no sinne because forgiuenesse taketh away the guilt of sinne So long as the guilt remaineth though the thing be past and gone whereof or whereby the man is guilty yet he vnderstandeth the sinne to remaine still If the guilt be taken away though the thing still continue the same by which the man became guilty yet he taketh it not to be in the nature of sinne because the nature of sinne is to make guilty The occasion of which construction was giuen him by the Pelagian heretickes the predecessours of the Papists who when he taught against them Originall sinne and the remainder of that blot of naturall corruption in the regenerate as we doe tooke occasion to cauill against him that he e August cont duas epist Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 13. Dicunt inquit baptisma noâ— dare omnem induldgentiam peccâ—torum nec auferre criminae sed radere vt omnium peccatorum radices in mala carne reneantur quasi â—asorum in capite capillorum vnde crescant itâ—rum risecanda peccata said that baptisme did not giue remission of all sinnes neither did take away faults but onely shaue them so as that the rootes were still sticking from whence other sinnes should grow againe S. Austine the better to cleare this matter to popular vnderstanding affirmeth that baptisme doth take away all sinne because that albeit concupiscence of the flesh were still remaining yet it did not remaine in the nature of sinne because the guilt thereof in baptisme was remitted f De nupt et concupisc lib. 1. ca. 25. Dimittitur non sit sed vt in peccatuÌ„ non imputetur It is forgiuen saith he not so as that it is not but so as that it is not imputed for sinne g Ibid. cap. 26. In eis qui regeneraÌ„turr in Christo cum remissionem accipiuâ—t prorsus omnium peccatorum vâ—que necesse est vt reatus etiam huius licet manenus ad â—uc concup sâ—entiae remittatur vt in peccatum non impuâ—â—tur Nam sicut câ—ruÌ„ peccatorum quâ— manere non 〈◊〉 sunt quoâ—â—am cum 〈◊〉 pâ—etâ—reunt 〈…〉 et â—isi remiâ—â— vt 〈◊〉 in aeterâ—um maâ—eâ—â— sic illius concupiscenâ—ic quando remittitur reatus aufertur Hoc est eâ—â—im non habere peccatum non esse reâ—ym peccati Nâ—â— si quisquâ—â— veâ—â—â— gratia fecerit adueterium etiam si nunquam deâ—â—cesâ—â— faciat 〈◊〉 est adulterij donec reatus ipsias 〈…〉 Habet ergo peccatum quamuis illud quod admisâ—â—â—am non sit quia cum tempâ—re quo factum est praetiâ—â—ijt c Manâ—â—t ergo peccata nisi remittantur Sed quomodo manent si praeâ—â—â—ta sunt nisi quia praetâ—rterunt actu manent reatu Sic itaque sâ—â—rie contraâ—â— potest vt etiaÌ„ illud maneat actâ—â—â— aetereaâ— reaâ—â— In the regenerate when they receiue forgiuenesse of all their sinnes the guilt of this concupiscence though it selfe still continue is remitted so as that it is not imputed for sinne For as of those sinnes which cannot continue because
To which purpose he addeth further that albeit other defects and infirmities doe remaine in vs for our greater humiliation and probation yet all filth of sinne is cleane scoured out of our soules by the pure grace of God powred abundantly into it in Baptisme Which now how farre it is from truth it appeareth by that that hath beene alreadie sayd I will here adde only the words of Hilary who saith t Hilar. in Psal 118. Gimel Habemus etiaÌ„ nunc admixtam nobit materiam quae morus legi atque peccat bonoxia est in huius caducae carius infirmaeque domicilio corruptionis labeÌ„ ex eius consortio mutuaâ—ur ac nisi glorificato in naturam spiritus corpore vitae verae in nobis non potest esse naturae c. Scit hanc mundi istius sedeÌ„ regionem no esse viuentium scit nos adhuc secundum praefiguraetionem legis emundandos esse Nunc enim admiscemur morticinae in lege quisquis mortuis contrectas immundus est c. We haue as now a matter mingled with vs which is subiect to the law of sinne and death and that in the house of this mortall and weake flesh we gather a blot of corruption by the societie thereof and vntill the body be glorified into the nature of the spirit there cannot be in vs the nature of true life that this world is not the land of the liuing but that we are here still to be cleansed by reason of being blended with the carion of concupiscence and that this was the thing figured in the law where a man was vncleane for touching any dead body Surely if in this life we remaine still in case to be cleansed if there be still a blot of corruption by reason of concupiscence still cleaning fast vnto vs and it can be no otherwise till the body be glorified into the nature of the spirit then it is vtterly false as indeed it is to say that in Baptisme all filth of sinne is cleane scoured out of our soules But whereas all men find by experience both in themselues and others that there is a wonderfull prauity and corruption of nature still continuing whereby we are all forward to that that is euill and altogether backward and vntoward to goodnesse to preuent the obiection hereof M. Bishop acknowledgeth a remainder of somewhat but he qualifieth the opinion thereof with fauourable and gentle termes He saith that defects and infirmities remaine in vs marry in no case must we thinke them to be sinnes But these defects and infirmities are such as for which it is true of vs which Saint Austin saith u August in Psal 37. Resumus adhuc filij irae spe non sumus By reall state and being we are still the children of wrath it is in hope as touching which we are not so How are we yet the children of wrath but by hauing in vs the matter of x In Psal 101. Jâ—â— cum qua omnes â—ati sumâ—â— â—ra de propagine â—aqudaetu â—e massa â—eccati that wrath wherewith we were all borne which what is it but onely sinne These defects then and infirmities what are they properly and in truth but onely sinne But M. Bishop in vsing these termes alludeth to S. Austin who oftentimes so calleth concupiscence and the lusts and motions thereof which if he did in the same meaning as S. Austin doth there should be no matter of great question betwixt him vs. For S. Austin calleth concupiscence vitium a defect not as vnderstanding thereby as the English word importeth a meer priuation and want of somewhat that should be but a positiue euil quality that ought not to be a vicious corrupt condition of man such a defect if we wil so cal it let vs call it y De lib arbit lib 2 cap 1. 〈…〉 â—eâ—tmi â—ites esse corruptio a corruption as he himself expoundeth it as z Fâ—â—st to â—ispra Sect. 8. by reason wherof the same S. Austin saith that no man liuing shall be found righteous in the sight of God as we haue seene before It is vitium such a defect as whereby a De ciuit Dei lib. 12. cap. 3. the nature of man is vitiated and corrupted and so farre as it is corrupted is euill and there is nothing that maketh an euill man but onely sinne It is b Cont. Iul. li. 2. defectus à iustitia a defection or swaruing from righteousnesse hindering that c De perfect iust Rat. 17. sup sec 4 we loue not God with all our soule d Cont. Iul. l. 4 c. 2. InquantuÌ„ inest nocet etsi non ad perdenauÌ„ de sorte sanctorum tameÌ„ ad motuendam spiritualeÌ„ delectationeÌ„ sanctaruÌ„ mentium illaÌ„ de qua dicit Apostolus CoÌ„delector legi c. diminishing that spirituall delight that we ought to haue in the law of God and e De perfect iust Rat. 15. Supra Sect. 2. it is sinne when there is not that loue in vs that ought to be or the same is lesse then it ought to be But it is not onely after Baptisme that S. Austin giueth to concupiscence this name of vitium a defect or rather a vice or vicious qualitie he calleth it from the beginning f De nupt concup l. 1. c. 23. vitium quo vitiata est natura humana a vice or vicious qualitie wherewith the nature of man is vitiated and defiled Now before Baptisme there is no doubt but S. Austin by vice importeth sinne because for it he saith g Ibid. Propter quod damnatur propter hoc damnabili diabolo subrugatur the nature of man is condemned and is vnder the power of the diuell and the thing being still the same how should it after Baptisme be no sinne Albeit after Baptisme he calleth it h Cont. Iul lib. 2. Quia mortuum est in eo reatu quo nos tenebat vitium mortuum a vice or vicious qualitie that is now dead because saith he it is dead as touching the guilt wherewith it held vs but otherwise it liueth still He calleth the lusts thereof i Ibid. vitia à quorum reatu absoluti sumus vices from the guilt whereof we are released importing still that saue the guilt they are still the same that they were before Therefore albeit he forbeare the name of sinne after Baptisme in respect that they haue not the effect of sinne to make guiltie before God because they are alreadie pardoned yet he cannot be supposed otherwise to exclude them from the nature and name of sinne They did make guiltie before and should make guiltie still but that they are pardoned which cannot agree but to sinne onely And this did Pighius a friend of M. Bishops see very well k Pigh de peccats Org. cont 1. Vt vna eade nque manente aequitatis iustitiae regula iâ—leÌ„ aliquid in se manens nuÌ„c propriè primò verèque
patience and patience experience and experience hope neuer to be ashamed whilest by this meanes the loue of God as touching the assurance thereof towards vs is more and more shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. This haue I set downe the more largely good Christian Reader for thy sake that thou maiest vnderstand hereby what manner of certaintie and assurance it is that we defend that thou maiest know that it is the property of true faith to giue this assurance and that our assurance is the greater by how much our faith is greater and the weaknesse of our assurance the weaknesse of our faith that so thou maiest see what it is whereunto thou art to striue reioycing in that that thou hast attained vnto already and for that that is behind praying as the Apostles did f Luk. 67.5 Lord increase our faith not being discoÌ„forted at the feeling of thine imperfection because it is the coÌ„mon frailty of Gods children and faith that it may be strong must haue time and occasion to grow and haply seemeth weake to thee when it is strong to God but alwayes resoluing that those sparkles of true light which God hath kindled in thee shall neuer be quenched and thy little graine of faith euen g Mat. 17.20 Mar. 11.23 little as a graine of mustard-seed shall yet be strong enough to cast all mountaines into the sea that shall rise vp to diuide betwixt God and thee As for M. Bishop it is no maruell if being an enemy of faith he be vnacquainted with the secret of faith the ioy of the faithfull being h Cant. 4.12 Bernard Epist 10â— Eli fons signatus cui alienus non communicat sol iustitiae qui timentibus Deum tantùm oritur c. as a garden inclosed and a spring and fountaine shut and sealed vp to be priuate to themselues i Psal â—8 9 a gracious raine which God hath put apart for the refreshing of his owne inheritance What maruell is it if he know not that k Reuel 2 17. new name which no man knoweth but he that receiueth it because the l Iohn 14.17 world knoweth not nor receiueth that COMFORTER the spirit of truth by which it is written yet grudgeth at the sheepe of Christ that they should feede in pastures which they know not or should be sayd to know that which they cannot conceiue or vnderstand And this is the cause that he talketh so rudely and absurdly of the hope of saluation in all this discourse ouerthrowing the whole doctrine of the Gospell crossing the whole vse of faith and of the word of God and speaking no otherwise of this question then a Philosopher or Iew or Pharisee would do as hereafter we shall see In the meane time to go forward with his briefe notes he telleth vs in the fift conclusion of consent that onely in the sence there expressed the first conclusion is true that is that onely by extraordinarie reuelation a man may be certaine of his saluation which being the maine point of the controuersie I referre to the processe of this discourse At the sixt conclusion he noteth that the sixt and second are all one but the tautologie was in his head not in M. Perkins writing For the second conclusion serueth to note the efficient and materiall causes of saluation whereupon our affiance resteth which is the mercy of God in Christ but the sixt serueth to note the manner of our apprehending thereof To the third conclusion of dissent he noteth that it is false namely that our confidence in Christ commeth from certaine and ordinarie faith But we say that it is true and now he and I must ioyne vpon that issue 2. W. BISHOP Here M. Perkins contrary to his custome giueth the first place to our reasons which he calleth obiections and endeuoureth to supplant them and afterward planteth his owne About the order I will not contend seeing he acknowledgeth in the beginning that he obserueth none but set downe things as they came into his head Otherwise he would haue handled Iustification before Saluation But following his method let vs come to the matter The first Argument for the Catholike party is this 1. Obiect Where is no word of God there is no faith for these two are Relatiues But there is no word of God saying Cornelius beleeue thou Peter beleeue thou that thou shalt be saued therfore there is no such ordinarie faith for a man to beleeue his owne particular saluation M. Perkins answer Although there be no word of God to assure vs of our particular saluation yet is there another thing as good which counteruailes the word of God to wit the Minister of God applying the generall promises of saluation vnto this and that man Which when he doth the man must beleeue the Minister as he would beleeue Christ himselfe and so assure himselfe by faith of his Saluation Reply Good Sir seeing euery man is a lyar may both deceiue and be deceiued and the Minister telling may erre how doth either the Minister know that the man to whom he speaketh is of the number of the elect or the man be certaine that the Minister mistaketh not when he assureth him of his Saluation To affirme as you do that the Minister is to be beleeued aswell as if it were Christ himselfe is plaine blasphemie equalling a blind and lying creature vnto the wisedome and truth of God If you could shew out of Gods word that euery Minister hath such a commission from Christ then had you answered the argument directly which required but one warrant of Gods word but to say that the assurance of an ordinarie Ministers word counteruailes Gods word I cannot see what it wanteth of making a pelting Minister Gods mate On the other side to auerre that the Minister knowes who is predestinate as it must be granted he doth if you will not haue him to lie when he saith to Peter thou art one of the elect is to make him of Gods priuie Councell without any warrant for it in Gods word Yea S. Paul not obscurely signifying the contrarie in these words 2. Tim. 2.19 The sure foundation of God standeth hauing this seale our Lord knoweth who be his and none else except he reueale it vnto them M. Perkins then flieth from the assurance of the Minister and leaues him to speake at randon as the blind man casts his club and attributeth all this assurance vnto the partie himselfe who hearing in Gods word Seeke ye my face in his heart answereth Lord I wil seeke thy face And then hearing God say Thou art my people saith again The Lord is my God And then lo without al doubt he hath assurance of his Saluation Would ye not thinke that this were rather some seely old Womans dreame then a discourse of a learned Man How know you honest man that those words of God spoken by the Prophet 2000. yeares past to the
last day being assured that as a head wil not suffer a member of it owne body to perish which it hath in his power to preserue so Christ hauing made him a member of his body and hauing power to saue him will not suffer him to perish but as a faithfull Mediatour will performe that charge which z Iohn 6.39 the will of the heauenly Father hath laid vpon him that of all that he hath giuen him he should loose nothing but should raise it vp at the last day Now M. Bishop saith that he beleeueth that God for the merits of Christes passion doth forgiue them that are heartily sorie for their sinnes and humbly confesse them with a full purpose of a new life And this he hopeth that he hath done but he cannot assure himselfe that he hath done it or that he hath done it so well as he ought to do and therefore cannot beleeue the forgiuenesse of his sinnes Where we see that the merit of Christes passion is not sufficient in his opinion to purchase for him the forgiuenesse of sinnes but it must further hang vpon the sufficiencie and perfection of his owne repentance It is not enough that he truly repent vnlesse he repent so well as he ought to do that his repentance may deserue the pardon that he seeketh for But we for our parts know and confesse that our repentance our faith our righteousnesse are neuer such as they ought to be we are short and vnperfect in the sorow for our sinnes our purposes of new life and amendment of our defaults proue often times like a Ose 6.4 the morning dew that is quickly dried vp And therefore it is not the value and woorth of our repentance that we rest vpon to merit pardon and forgiuenesse but we require a sincerity and truth thereof faithfully to craue the same being but as the paine and greefe which maketh to seeke the medicine whereby it is eased as the hunger and thirst which maketh to craue the food whereby it is releeued as the feeling of beggerie and want which maketh to seeke the treasure and riches by which it is supplied Which supply and reliefe spiritually we find in this that b Rom. 3.24 we are iustified freely by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be an attonement for vs not by the merit of our repentance but by faith in his bloud c Rhem. Testam Explicat of certaine words in the end Freely for god a mercy for nothing as the Rhemists expound the word gratis willing to shew a little truth in giuing the right signification of the word but craftily suppressing the same truth and plainly contradicting it by a colourable glose deuised against the text of the Apostle and against the signification of the word which force of truth hath wrested from themselues d Ambros in Rom. cap. 3. Gratit quia nihil operantes neque vitem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt dono Dei Freely saith Ambrose because hauing no works nor yeelding any requitall euen of the gift of God we are iustified by faith onely e Chrysost ni Rom. hom 7. Nullu ad hoc vsus operibus sed fidem tamum exigens Freely saith Chrysostome because he vseth hereto no works of ours but requireth faith onely And he requireth faith onely onely as a hand whereby we receiue not as a worke whereby we deserue this forgiuenesse of our sinnes that so the true penitent may firmly expect it in Christ onely by beleeuing not hang in suspense of it by being in doubt of vnsufficiencie in repenting God hauing therefore appointed it to be f Rom. 4.16 by faith that it may be of grace that the promise thereof may be sure not in it selfe not with God who doubteth but in that respect it is sure enough but to all the seed that is to euery one that beleeueth the promise being that g Act. 10.43 through the name of Christ euery one that beleeueth in him shall haue forgiuenesse of sinnes Which faith though it be yet but weake and little and sometimes interrupted with feares and doubts yet God accepteth it and cherisheth it that by more experience it may grow to more strength neither is it true which M. Bishop saith that in matter of faith there is no feare or doubt as anone after shall appeare In the mean time he further addeth as touching the article of Eternall life that he beleeueth he shall haue it if he shall keepe all Gods commandements but because he is not assured that he shall so do he remaineth in feare And very iustly may he be in feare that looketh for eternall life vpon no other condition then he doth The Apostle indeed doth plainly debarre him from all hope and expectation therof when he saith h Gal. 3.10 So many as are of the works of the law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to do them Where he plainly taketh it for graunted that no man continueth in all things that are written in the law that is that no man keepeth all Gods commandements and therefore concludeth that he that for eternall life dependeth vpon keeping all Gods commandements cannot auoid the curse Yea but Christ saith to the yong man in the Gospell i Mat. 19.17 If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements It is true but Christ saith it to induce the young man to the knowledge of himselfe and very ill is it applied to seduce men from the true acknowledgement of the faith of Christ The young man asketh what he might do to inherit eternall life Our Sauiour Christ referreth him to the law as k Gal. 3.25 the Schoolemaister to traine him vnto Christ that finding it l Rom. 8.3 Gal. 3.21 a thing impossible for the law to giue him life and therefore casting off all vaine confidence of the righteousnesse thereof he might be fitted to embrace m Act. 4.12 the faith of that name in which onely life and Saluation is offered vnto vs. Which it plainlie appeareth this young man conceiued not by reason of a presumption that he had by misunderstanding the law that he had obserued the law The vaine opinion whereof to discouer our Sauiour biddeth him to sell all giue to the poore promising him treasure in heauen and willing him in the meane time to come and follow him that it might appeare how far he was frō that loue of God and his neighbour which the law required in whose heart the loue of riches bare so great a sway as that he could not be content at Gods cōmandement vpō promise of heauenly treasure to bestow the same to the necessity of his neighbour Now if he had rightly esteemed of himselfe how farre he was from being answerable to the righteousnesse of the law he would
be no assurance by faith of our owne Saluation vnlesse we beleeue it with the like infallible Certainty as we do the truth of the word of God 5. W. BISHOP The thâ—rd reason for the Catholikes is that we are bidden to pray daily for the remission of our sinnes But that were needlesse Math. 6. if we were before assured both of pardon and Saluation M. Perkins answereth First that we pray daily for the remission of new sinnes committed that day Be it so What needs that if we were before assured of pardon Marrie saith he because our assurance was but weake and small our prayer is to increase our assurance Good Sir do you not see how you ouerthrow your selfe If your assurance be but weake and small it is not the assurance of faith which is as great and as strong as the truth of God We giue God thanks for those gifts which we haue receaued at his bountifull hands and desire him to increase or continue them if they may be lost But to pray to God to giue vs those things we are assured of by faith is as fond and friuolous as to pray him to make Christ our Lord to be his Sonne or that there may be life euerlasting to his Saints in heauen of which they are in full and assured possession And so these three Arguments by M. Perkins propounded here for vs are very substantiall and sufficient to assure euery good Christian that he may well hope for Saluation doing his dutie but may not without great presumption assure him by faith of it R. ABBOT The comfort of the faithfull mans praier is the same assurance that Dauid had a Psal 4.3 When I call vpon the Lord he will heare me it being a promise of God to his people b 50.15 Call vpon me and I will heare thee in which sort our Sauiour Christ giueth vs incouragement to pray saying c Iohn 14.13 Whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Sonne Therefore S. Iohn saith d 1. Iohn 5.14 This is the assurance that we haue of him that whatsoeuer we aske according to his will he heareth vs and if we know that he heareth vs we know that we haue the petitions that we aske of him Being therefore bidden to pray for the forgiuenesse of sinnes and hauing the promise of God e Ierem. 31.34 I will be mercifull vnto them and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more we beleeue and by faith stand assured that when we do pray to haue our sinnes forgiuen vs God heareth vs and giueth vs pardon and forgiuenesse thereof We do not then teach at randon the assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes but in such tenure and forme as we are directed by the word of God according to which S. Austine saith of himselfe f August cont Iulian. Pelag. lib 6. ca. 5. Qua gratia liberor vt scio ne intrem in tentationeÌ„ c. atque vt exaudiar cum confortâ—hat meis dicens Dimitte nobis c. By the grace of God I am freed I know that I enter not into temptation and that I am heard saying with my fellowes Forgiue vs our trespasses g Psa 32.6 For this therefore that is h August in Psal 31. Pro hac pro ipsa venia peccatorum for forgiuenesse of sinnes shall euery one that is godly saith Dauid make his praier vnto thee in a time when thou maiest be found so being assured that in the great water flouds they shall not come nigh him Our faith then assureth vs not of forgiuenesse of sinnes without praier but that God forgiueth vs when we pray so that his obiection being framed to our doctrine aright is as if he should say Seeing faith assureth vs of forgiuenesse of sinnes when we craue it of him by praier what need we pray Which was one of Wrights drunken reasons whereby he would haue laied an absurditie vpon our Church being himselfe an absurd blind-asinus and not vnderstanding what we say But to make the matter more plaine it is to be noted that in three respects we continue daily to aske of God forgiuenesse of sinnes of which M. Perkins hath noted two First as S. Austine saith i August de vera fals paenit ca. 5. Quia quotidimana est offensio oportet vt sit quotidiana etiam remissio because we daily commit offence we haue need daily to craue pardon But what needs that saith M. Bishop if we were before assured of pardon I haue answered him that our assurance before hand and alwaies is that our praier obtaineth it at Gods hands Therefore we pray and by faith do rest assured that vndoubtedly we haue that for which we pray Secondly we pray for forgiuenesse not for that we haue no assurance thereof but for that we desire greater assurance and more comfortable feeling of it that as forgiuenesse with God is full and perfect so the same may accordingly be sealed in our hearts Our faith being weake giueth but weake assurance and therefore we begge of God that our hearts may be enlarged that k Bernard in Annunciat ser 1. supra sect 3. the testimonie of the spirit may more freely sound vnto vs Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Now here saith M. Bishop Good Sir do you not see how you ouerthrow your selfe And why so Forsooth if your assurance be but weake and small it is not the assurance of faith which is as great and strong as the truth of God But good Sir we haue alreadie shewed you that therein you tell vs a sencelesse and vnlikely tale The truth of God is alwaies alike not subiect to alteration neuer increased or diminished but our faith is greater and lesse somtimes hath a full and sometimes a wane and to vs the truth of God is according to our faith and according to our apprehension feeling of it Wherein we are variable and diuerse euen after the manner of Peters faith of whom S. Austine saith l August de verb. Dom. ser 13 Illum vidite Petrum qui tunc erat figura vestra modo fidit modo titubat modò immortaleÌ„ confitetur modoÌ„ timet ne moriatur Peter was the patterne of vs all sometimes he beleeueth sometimes he wauereth one while he confesseth Christ to be immortall another while he is afraid least Christ should die The poore distressed man saith in the Gospell m Mar. 9. Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe n August de verb. Dom. ser 36. Credo inquit ergò est fides Sed adiuua incredulitatem meam ergo non est plena fides He saith I beleeue therefore there is faith saith Austine helpe my vnbeleefe saith he therefore there is not yet full and perfect faith If there be true faith and yet with faith a remainder of vnbeleefe then the assurance of faith cannot be said to be as great and strong as the truth
fall and runne into enormous offence thereby to be the better instructed how little safetie we haue in our owne defence and therefore how necessarie it is for vs to depend wholy vpon his grace Thus the Apostle Peter presuming too much of himselfe and being left thereupon to himselfe fell euen to the denying and abiuring of his maister Christ that he in himselfe and we in him might learne that q 1. Sam 2.9 by his owne might shall no man be strong and that euill would our state be if our safetie did not rest onely and altogether in the Lord. Thus therefore in both places cited by M. Bishop and in many other we read of feare to feare the iudgements and threatnings of God which the faithfull alwayes doth because faith beleeueth them to feare to trust in our selues which euerie faithfull man also doth because faith it selfe importeth trust in God but we no where reade any thing whereof to gather that which he affirmeth that the faithfull ought to stand in feare of their owne Saluation Now therefore his argument is easily answered for the minor proposition which he saith is plainely proued by the places cited is meerely false and hath no proofe at all either by those places of any other And how absurdly doth he abuse his Reader that whereas the proposition by him to be proued is not expressed in the places alledged he notwithstanding skippeth ouer with meere quoting of them without shewing how the matter to be proued is to be inferred thereof But such pretie shifts do best become the cause that he hath in hand About the maior proposition whereof there is lesse question he bestoweth a little paines to little purpose No man must stand in feare of that of which by faith he is assured Which we grant as it importeth a dutie that no man ought to haue any feare of that which he is taught to beleeue but we deny that which he saith for the prosecutiō or explication therof For it is false that there is no feare in faith that is that there is no faith where there is feare or feare where there is faith For whē our Sauior Christ vpbraideth his disciples with r Mat. 8.26 14.31 fearfulnes doubting and yet attributeth vnto them little faith as before is alledged he plainly sheweth that little faith it subiect to feare and doubt and yet ceaseth not thereupon to be faith He saith that he that feareth cannot giue certaine assent We answer him that our assent is according to the measure of our faith little faith yeeldeth but weake assent but yet it is a true assent whereby we embrace that whereto we assent The truth of which faith and assent hereby appeareth euen in feare because feare causeth it to fall to prayer which what is it else but as it were the casting forth of the armes of faith to catch hold of him in whom it beleeueth as expecting succour and helpe of him for s Rom. 10.14 how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued Thus the faith of the disciples appeared in the places euen now cited when their feare made them to go vnto Christ and say to him Maister saue vs which they would not haue sayd but that they beleeued to haue safetie and deliuerance by him Whereas therefore M. Bishop alledgeth the old sayd saw Dubius in fide infidelis est he that is doubtfull in the faith is an infidell or vnbeleeuer we tell him that it is true in him that wholy and absolutely doubteth But there is a difference to be made betwixt him that absolutely doubteth and him that weakly assenteth and in assent is only interrupted with some feare or doubt For which interruption I trow M. Bishop will not say that the disciples of Christ were faithlesse when Christ himselfe expresly acknowledgeth their faith And thus by reason the seeds of all impietie lie still hidden in the corruption of our nature it commeth to passe that faith sometimes is assaulted with doubts euen in the maine and principall articles of our beleefe and out of our owne sinfull condition we question vpon occasion the godhead the power the wisedome the prouidence the iustice and mercie of almightie God when yet our faith doth not wholy relinquish the assent thereof Which though in generalitie it more seldome come to passe yet in application of our generall faith to particular occasions we many times goe halting and lame and stagger somewhat at that whereof our faith should giue vs full assurance by the word of God Thus did t Gen. 18.12 Sarah cast doubt of Gods promise as touching the hauing of a child who yet is said u Heb. 11.11 through faith to haue receiued strength to conceiue when she was past age because she iudged him faithfull that had promised Thus did x Numb 11.21.22 Moses call in question the power of God as touching prouiding flesh for the people of Israel when he promised so to do So y Psal 73.2.3 Dauid and z Habac. 1.2.13 Habacuk staggered as touching the prouidence of God and his care of iust and righteous men So I shewed before how the disciples vpon the death of Christ were in a mammering concerning the godhead of Christ and the hope of redemption by him which before they had imbraced Yet we do not thinke that such doubts and mammerings did in these men wholy extinguish the light of true faith In like sort therefore we also resolue that the faith whereby we beleeue our owne Saluation is not by and by ouerthrowne because sometimes the assurance thereof is shaken and interrupted with casting of feares and doubts And thus the argument which he added for supplie of those which M. Perkins brought is found to be of as little indeed lesse worth then all the rest and it well appeareth that M. Perkins was better able to speake for M. Bishop then M. Bishop is able to speake for himselfe 11. W. BISHOP To these inuincible reasons grounded vpon Gods word let vs ioyne some plaine testimonies taken as well out of the holy Scripture as out of the ancient Fathers First what can be more manifest to warrant vs that the faithfull haue not assurance infallible of their Saluation Eccles 9. then these words of the holy Ghost There be iust and therfore faithfull and wise men and their workes be in the hand of God and neuerthelesse a man doth not know whether he be worthy of hatred or loue but all things are kept vncertaine for the time to come Where is then the Protestants certaintie And because one heretike cauilleth against the Latine translation saying that a word or two of it may be otherwise turned heare how S. Ierome Comment in hunc locum who was most cunning in the Hebrew text doth vnderstand it The sence is saith he I haue found the workes of the iust men to be in the hand of God and yet themselues not to know whether they be
Bishop affirming that the faithfull man knoweth himselfe worthie to be hated and yet by faith confidently presumeth that he is beloued of God As yet therefore we haue no proofe that the faithfull man ought to stand in feare of his owne Saluation 12. W. BISHOP Another plaine testimonie is taken out of S. Paul where he sheweth that it is not in vs to iudge of our owne iustice 1. Cor. 4. but we must leaue to God the iudgement of it these be the words I am not guiltie in conscience of any thing but I am not iustified herein but he that iudgeth me is our Lord therefore iudge not before the time vntill our Lord do come who also will lighten the hidden things of darknes and will manifest the counsell of the heart and then the praise shall be to euery man of God So that before Gods iudgement by S. Pauls testimonie men may not assure themselues of their own iustice much lesse of their Saluation Serm. 5. in Psa 118. De constitut monas cap 2. how innocent soeuer they find themselues in their own consciences See vpon this place S. Ambrose S. Basil Theodoret on this place who all agree that men may haue secret faults which God only seeth and therefore they must liue in feare and alwayes pray to be deliuered from them For the rest let S. Augustines testimonie whom our aduersaries acknowledge to be the most diligent and faithfull register of all antiquitie be sufficient This most iudicious and holy Father thus defineth this matter As long as we liue here we our selues cannot iudge of our selues I do not say what we shall be to morrow De verb. Domini serm 35. De ciuit Dei lib. 11. cap. 12. but what we are to day And yet more directly Albeit holy men are certaine of the reward of their perseuerance yet of their owne perseuerance they are found vncertaine For what man can know that he shall perseuer and hold on in the action and increase of iustice vntil the end vnles by some reuelation he be assured of it from him who of his iust but secret iudgement doth not informe all men of this matter but deceiueth none So no iust man is assured of his Saluation by his ordinarie faith by extraordinarie reuelation some man may be assured the rest are not Which is iust the Catholike sentence And because S. Bernard is by our aduersaries cited for them in this point Serm. 1. de Soptuag take his testimonie in as precise tearmes as any Catholike at this time speaketh Thus he writeth Who can say I am one of the elect I am one of the predestinate to life I am one of the number of the children Who I say can thus say the Scripture crying out against him A man knoweth nor Eccles 9. whether he be worthie of loue or hatred Therfore we haue no certaintie but the confidence of hope doth comfort vs that we be not vexed at all with the perplexitie of this doubt The word of God according to S. Bernard crieth out against all them that certainly assure themselues of their Saluation whereon then do they build their faith that beleeue it R. ABBOT The summe of his argument in this place is that we are vncertaine of our owne righteousnesse and therefore can haue no certaintie of our owne Saluation To proue the vncertaintie of our righteousnesse he alledgeth the words of the Apostle a Cor. 4.4 Of this place see further the fourth Section of the next question concerning Iustification I am not guiltie to my selfe in any thing yet am I not therein iustified Where it is worth the noting that whereas the Apostle saith by expresse negatiue I am not iustified thereby he maketh as if the Apostle had meant I cannot tel whether I be iustified or not It may be I am iust it may be I am not iust If I be my iustice shall merit heauen if I be not I know not what may haply become of me But the Apostle neuer made any such doubt he well knew that the cleerenesse of his conscience was not it that could yeeld him iustification before God He knew it to be true which S. Austin saith that b August de peccat mer. remiss lib 2. cap. 19 Quantum ad integerronam regulam veritatis eius pertinet non iustifibabitur c. according to the most entire rule of Gods truth no man liuing shall be found iust in the sight of God and therefore professeth that c Phil. 3.8 he accounteth all things but losse for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus our Lord for whom saith he I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be doung that I might winne Christ and might be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is by the law but the righteousnesse which is by the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Here is then a renouncing of his owne righteousnesse and an acknowledgement of iustification and righteousnesse onely by faith in Christ A notable fruit of which faith it was so to walke as that he could say I am not guiltie to my selfe in any thing in which sort he speaketh elsewhere d 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our reioycing euen the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse not by carnall wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world Of which testimonie of conscience S. Iohn saith e 1. Iohn 3.19.21 If our heart condemne vs not but that we are of the truth then haue we boldnesse towards God and shall before him assure our hearts Whereby we are taught that to walke with a good conscience in the faith of Christ ministreth great boldnesse and assurance towards God and therefore that the Apostle in the place cited protesting the innocency of his conscience was farre from professing to stand in doubt of his owne Saluation yea and were not M. Bishop a man of an iron face he would not attribute to the Apostle any such doubt For the true vnderstanding of the place we are to obserue as appeareth by the processe of this epistle that there were diuisions and part-takings amongst the Corinthians some magnifying one of their teachers and some another and they willingly accepting the applause and praises of their followers and each thinking highly of himselfe aboue the rest Now the Apostle vnder his owne name and the names of Apollo and Cephas instructeth those teachers against this vain affectation of human applause he wisheth them to be content to be reckoned each with other the ministers of Christ and therein to haue a care to deale faithfully towards him whose stewards they are endeuoring to their vttermost to please the Lord not thinking the better of themselues for that men magnifie them aboue others because men know thē not nor can duly esteeme of them Nay how should other iudge of vs when we cannot sufficiently
inferreth a proportion betwixt eating and beleeuing that as he that eateth receiueth and taketh to himselfe the meat that he eateth and digesteth the same to the nourishment of euery part euen so he that beleeueth doth by his faith as the hand and mouth and stomach of the soule receiue and take vnto him Iesus Christ with all his benefits to become particularly his strength and comfort and nourishment vnto euerlasting life Now all this speech of eating and beleeuing and applying vnto vs the benefits of Christ M. Bishop saith he omitteth as an vnsauorie discourse but the reason is because pearles are vnsauorie to swine and grosse Capernaites know no eating of Christ but by the mouth nor receiuing of him but into the belly But most ridiculous is that which he addeth He might be ashamed to make this discourse vnto vs that admit no part of it to be true For so might I briefly reiect his whole booke with the same words that he might be ashamed to write the same to vs that admit no part of it to be true He should vnderstand that M. Perkins had in hand to write that that is the truth and not that that they would admit to be true who are sworne to Antichrist to maintaine his vntruthes And seeing he hath so pregnantly shewed thereby the nature of true and liuely faith not by any inuention of his owne but out of the verie words of Christ M. Bishop might himselfe be iustly ashamed to answer it so childishly and simply as he hath done I confesse sayth he that faith hath his part therein But Saint Austine attributeth to faith not onely a part therein but to be the thing it selfe euen the eating and drinking of the bodie and bloud of Christ q August in Ioan. tract 26. Credere in Christum hoc est maÌ„ducare panem viuum To beleeue in Christ saith he is to eate the bread of life he that beleeueth eateth Why doth he refuse to speake as Saint Austine speaketh but that like a carnall Anthropophagus he referreth it to the mouth and to the bellie to eate the flesh of Christ and to drinke his bloud not listening to that that M. Perkins had alledged vnto him out of the same Austine r Ibid. tract 25. Why preparest thou thy teeth and thy belly beleeue and thou hast eaten But faith he saith hath his part therein if it be ioyned with charitie and frequentation of the Sacraments Which if of his is verie idle to vs who hold no true faith but that Å¿ Gal. 5.6 which worketh by charity and seeketh after the Sacraments as being t Rom. 4.11 the seales of the righteousnesse of faith the verie proper vse thereof is to giue particular assurance to the faithfull of the mercie of God towardes them in Iesus Christ For as in humane contracts and gifts somewhat commonly is deliuered by earnest or seale for confirming and sure-making of the maine so hath God thought good in his couenants and promises of grace to appoint his Sacraments particularly to be vsed and applied to euerie man that euerie beleeuer knowing Christ by the same Sacraments to be figured and offered vnto vs may take knowledge by the deliuerie thereof that Christ is his to eternall life by faith in his name it being in effect sayd vnto him thereby Thou belâ—euest the promises of God in Christ concerning grace and forgiuenesse of sinnes vnto euerlasting life take this for seale and assurance that by thy faith in Christ the whole benefit thereof appertaineth vnto thee Therefore Christ saith very effectually Take eate this is my body Drinke ye this is my bloud as by the Sacrament deliuering himselfe vnto vs and in himselfe the whole fruit and benefit of that that he hath done for vs. Why doth he deliuer these seales of the righteousnesse of of faith particularly vnto me but that he would haue me know that the promises of righteousnesse are thereby through my faith sealed particularly vnto me Thus therefore saith ioyned with frequentation of the Sacraments doth so much the more effectually minister vnto vs this comfort of particular assurance towards God All this is vnsauorie to M. Bishop but let vs leaue him to his acornes and draffe and let him leaue this feeding to them who therein haue learned to u 1. Pet. 2 3. tast how gracious the Lord is Now to shew that the vse of faith is to receiue M. Perkins alledgeth the words of S. Paul that x Gal. 3.14 through faith we receiue the promise of the spirit importing thereby that faith is as it were the hand into which being holden forth vnto God he giueth the spirit which he hath promised that faith apprehendeth and imbraceth the promise of God concerning this gift of his spirit and that thereby we become partakers thereof To this also M. Bishop answereth nothing onely he will seeme to alledge the words and wholy peruerteth them For whereas the Apostle maketh the spirit the thing promised he citeth the place as if the spirit were named as the promiser And whereas the Apostle speaketh as of a thing y Ibid. ver 2. alreadie performed to them to whom he wrote he citeth it as of a thing futurely to be performed and that with a condition if we obserue those things which Christ hath commanded whereas the spirit is promised not if we obserue but z Ezech. 36.27 to cause vs to keepe his statutes and obserue his iudgemens and do them Yet hereupon he demaundeth What is this to the Certaintie of Saluation I answer that it is so strong to proue the Certaintie of Saluation as that against it he could find nothing more safe for himselfe then to say nothing to it For if to beleeue in Christ be to receiue Christ and so to receiue him as that thereby we eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud the beleeuer hath this for a certaintie deliuered vnto him by Christ himselfe that he hath eternall life and that Christ will raise him vp at the last day For a Iohn 6.54 whosoever eateth my flesh satih Christ and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day The beleeuer therefore by his faith conceiueth a particular certaintie and assurance of his owne Saluation and is thereby b 1. Iohn 5.13 to know that he hath eternall life Now to shew the effect of faith M. Perkins bringeth sundrie places of Austin Ambrose Chrysostome Tertullian Bernard that by faith we touch Christ we lay hold of him we find him we see him we eate him we digest him Whereto M. Bishop answereth full wisely we find Christ we hold Christ we see Christ by faith beleeuing him to be the sonne of God and redeemer of the world and iudge of quicke and dead thereby making this finding and seeing and holding and digesting of Christ by faith to be no other thing but what is incident to the diuell because all these things the
know not whether you haue any foundation to build vpon or any matter to build with you know not if you haue builded any thing whether the same be likely to stand or fall and what is this else but to be a foole As for vs we know that we must keepe his words that he commandeth vs to watch and pray to prepare oile to keepe our lamps burning and such like but these admonitions serue not to shake our faith but rather instruct and sharpen it They do not propound conditions for vs to performe to make vp the worke of God in vs but aduertisements and instructions what those lawes are whereof God hath said p Ierem. 31.33 I will put my lawes in their hearts q Ezech 36.27 and cause them to keepe my statutes faith being hereby moued to begge of God r August de spir lit ca. 13. Lege operā dicit Deus fac quod iubeo lege fidei dicitur Deo Da quod iubes Ideo enim iubet lex vt admoneat quid faciat fides to giue what he commandeth and assured that he will to the end performe what he hath promised and seeing in his visitations and corrections his fatherly prouidence and care to effect the same whilest thereby he awaketh vs out of our security and causeth vs to make vse of the admonitions of holy Scripture to fight against the diuell and sinne and to exercise our selues in all godlinesse and vertue 20. W. BISHOP The fift and last reason is this The Papists teach assurance of hope Rom. 5. euen hence it followeth that he may be infallibly assured for the property of a true and liuely hope is neuer to make a man ashamed Answer Hope indeed of heauen makes a man most couragiously beare out all stormes of persecution and not to be ashamed of Christes Crosse but to professe his