they are the sonnes of God Let him wrest and wrie this testimonie while he will it will not serue the turne vnlesse he make it such as whereby the spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God He saith that it is a good answer of theirs which M. Perkins mentioneth that the testimonie of the spirit is but an inward comfort and ioy which breedeth great hope of Saluation but bringeth not assurance thereof But this is no good answer because it is not answerable to the words of the Apostle who speaketh of such a witnesse of the spirit as whereby it is witnessed vnto vs that we are the sonnes of God Let him remember what S. Austine saith b August cont Iulian. li 5. ca. 2. Vbi manifesta res est scriptura diuinae sensuâ— nositum sensum addere non dibemus non enim hoc sit humanâ— ignorantia sed praesumptione peruersa where the matter is manifest we are not to adde our meaning to the sence of holy Scripture For this comes not of humane ignorance but of froward and wilfull presumption Here is a plaine assertion of a witnesse giuen to our faith that we are the sonnes of God Now his comfort and ioy is but a matter of perhaps a matter of verie vncertaine and doubtfull hope wherein he confesseth it may be he mistaketh and indeed hath no cause but to thinke that he doth mistake which notwithstanding it be had he thinketh it a presumption for a man to perswade himselfe that he hath thereby any certaine witnesse that he is the child of God But c 1. Iohn 5.6 the spirit that beareth witnesse as Saint Iohn saith is truth being d Iohn 14.17 the spirit of truth and therefore being sent for e Vers 16. a Comforter surely in comforting he telleth or testifieth nothing but the truth If then the spirit of God beare witnesse to vs that we are the sonnes of God we know that it is true and we are sure that indeede we are the sonnes of God Now this vvitnesse of the spirit albeit by some it be taken to consist in the fruites of sanctification as by Ambrose f Ambros in Rom. cap. 8. Dignam vitam huic veci exhibemus hoc est testimonium filioruÌ„ si in eu per spiritum videtur signum paternum in leading a life fitting to the name of the sonnes of God whereby through the spirit the fathers marke is seene in vs and by Origen in g Origen ibid. Confirmat spiritum nostruÌ„ quòd sumus filij Dei cùm tam nihil inest timoris id est nih l propter amorem patris poenam gerimus sed propter cuncta perficimus doing all things towards God not for feare but for loue of him as a father and by Bernard h Bernard epist 107. Sic reuera sic vnici filij spiritus testimoniuÌ„ perhibet spiritus noâ—tro quod filij Dei sumus nos cùm suscitaÌ„s ex operibus mortuis largitur opera vitae c. vocatus per timorem c. supra sect 15. in that God raising vs from dead vvorkes doth giue vs the vvorkes of life in that he calleth vs by feare and frameth vs to righteousnesse by loue yet most properly is declared by the Apostle himselfe to stand in the true spirituall inuocation and calling vpon the name of God whereby vpon all occasions as children to a father we make our recourse vnto him i Gal. 4.6 Because yee are sonnes God hath sent foorth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father When therefore God doth send forth his spirit into our hearts crying and making vs to crie Abba Father the same is a witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God because for no other reason doth God send forth this spirit into our hearts but because vve are sonnes When God giueth vnto vs this light and feeling that he is our father there followeth necessarily a certificate that we are his children because these as relatiues mutually depend one vpon another And this is a certificate and testimonie that cannot be counterfeited and wherein there is no errour For neither the spirit of man himselfe nor any other spirit can giue him that spirituall eye of the inner man whereby to looke vpon God as a father that sincere and single and pure affection and inuocation wherewith the faithfull soule tendereth it selfe vnto God but onely the spirit of God himselfe It is no way incident vnto vs to haue in heart and conscience that familiar and louely accesse vnto the throne of grace k Hieron in Gal. ca. 4 Nunquam auderemus dicere Pater noster c. nisi de conscientia spiritus habitanus in nobis but vpon conscience of the spirit dwelling in vs as Saint Hierome speaketh We know there is otherwise a formall course of praying and we doubt not but M. Bishop daily mumbleth a taske and ordinarie thereof as Iewes and heretikes are wont to do but that is rather saying of prayers then praying indeed true and faithfull prayer and the crying of the heart vnto God Abba Father is a further matter and a thing peculiar onely to the sonnes of God and this l Zechar. 12.10 Tremel spirit and prayer a true witnesse vnto them that they are the sonnes of God But M. Bishop to take away the force of this proofe answereth further out of the place it selfe that there followeth a condition on our part to be performed If yet we suffer with him that we may be glorified with him Which words the Apostle indeed vseth in the next verse but vpon other occasion and to other end then as to impeach or question that testimonie of the spirit which by an entire and absolute assertion he hath here expressed For hauing affirmed that the spirit testifieth with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God he inferreth If we be sonnes then are we also heires euen heires of God and ioynt-heires or fellow heires with Christ Now how this fellowship with Christ is performed he declareth by adding those words if yet we suffer with him that we also may be glorified with him Thus are we ioynt-heires with Christ saith he if we attaine to our inheritance the same way that he did being first partakers with him in sufferings as we shall afterwards be in glorie M. Bishop therefore doth amisse to tie those words as a condition to the former words which naturally serue for explication of the latter But admitting the speech to be conditionall it doth nothing preiudicate the assurance of the faithfull because thereby God instructeth them which way he himselfe will bring them to himselfe not what he will leaue them at vncertaintie to doe for their comming vnto him He expresseth a condition the performance whereof faith expecteth from himselfe because m Phil. 1.29 of him it is giuen vnto vs for Christs sake not onely to beleeue in him
but also to suffer for his sake n Col. 1.11 being strengthened with all might through his glorious power to all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse To this end as o 2. Cor. 1.5 the sufferings of Christ abound in them so he causeth their consolations to abound through Christ and their p Vers 7. hope is stedfast in this behalfe because they know that as they are partakers of the sufferings so they shall be also of the consolation that the grieuance of the one may be the more easily borne by meanes of the ioy and sweetnesse of the other In a word faith resteth vpon that that is written q Heb. 13.5 He hath sayd I will not faile thee nor forsake thee therefore we may boldly say The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man can do vnto me r Rom. 8.29 He hath predestinated vs to be made like vnto the image of his sonne and therefore Å¿ Bernard epist 107. Habes spiritum huius arcans indicem hauing receiued the spirit to reueale vnto vs as Saint Bernard saith this secret of his predestination we stand assured that accordingly he will accomplish in vs the image of his Sonne that together with him we may beare the crosse and together with him also we may weare the crowne and therefore will so order all things as that there shall be t Rom. 8 3â— nothing to come that shall separate vs from the loue of God vvhich is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now the spirit as he is the reuealer of the secret so is he the earnest of the effect of Gods predestination by the gift whereof God giueth vnto vs the certaine assurance of all the rest that remaineth to be giuen u Tertul. de Titius Hic est pignus promissae haeâ—â—d tatis quasi â—haregraphâ—nt qucâ—dam aeternae salutis qui nos Dei faciciat tempâ—tâ—m nos eius efficiat domum â—inhâ—bitator corperibus nostris dâ—tuâ— sanctitatis effector qui id agens in nobis ad aeternitatem ad resurrectionem immortalitatis corpora nostra pro iucat dum illa iâ—se assâ— efacit â—â—m â—oelesti vâ—riâ—â—te nâ—â—eri câ—u spiritus sancâ—â—â—â—â—â—taetoâ—â—â—tate â—â—â—ri It is the pledge of the inheritance promised and as a hand-writing or bond for assurance of euerlasting Saluation not vpon vncertaintie if we do thus or thus but framing vs to bee and to doe whatsoeuer belongeth to the attainment thereof making vs the temple and house of God being the vvorker of holinesse in vs that he may bring our bodies to eternitie and to the immortalitie of the resurrection vvhilest in himselfe he accustometh them to be tempered vvith heauenly vertue and to be accompanied vvith the diuine eternitie of the holy Ghost Therefore God doth neuer take this earnest backe againe because it is so x 〈…〉 the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of possession as that it is an earnest also that in the meane time God y 2 Cor. 1.21.22 stablisheth vs in Christ and that z â—â—r 5 5. he hath created vs euen for this thing namely to cloth vs with immortalitie and eternall life To be short God in giuing earnest for assurance of the end doth thereby vndertake against all lets and impediments that should hinder the atchieuing of that that is earnested thereby and therefore as Chrysostome saith a 〈…〉 the things present vvhich thou hast attained alreadie do assure vnto thee those things that are yet to come As for the words alledged out of Saint Iohn that b â—â—chn 4.1 vve beleeue not euerie spirit but trie the spirits vvhether they be of God or not as if we were willed to bee distrusâ—tfull of the reuelation and testimonie of the spirite that we are the sonnes of God least by anie false spirite we bee abused and deluded they are verie adsurdly wrested and forced to that purpose beeing verie apparently a caueat against false prophets speaking out of their owne spirite and yet pretending the spirit of Christ as is verie plaine by the reason added in the next wordes For manie false Prophets are gone abroad into the vvorld And yet if we admit them as meant of this testimonie of the spirite they are so farre from seruing their turne as that they make altogether against them For if in that behalfe we be willing to trie the spirites vvhether they bee of God or not then it followeth that there is a way whereby to trie the same And if there bee a meanes whereby to trie whether the spirite that testifieth vnto vs that we are the sonnes of God bee of God or not then there is a meanes for vs to bee assured that wee are the sonnes of God For if by triall wee finde that the spirite that so testifieth is of God then because the same spirite is truth wee cannot make question but that wee are indeede the sonnes of God So therefore wee resolue of that testimonie whereof the Apostle speaketh whereby the spirite beareth vvitnesse vvith our spirite that vve are the sonnes of God Be it that some men by false opinions and imaginations of carnall securitie doe herein deceiue themselues yet as it is no reason for a King to doubt whether he bee a King for that franticke and melancholicke persons are falsly so perswaded of themselues and as a gold-smith doth not therefore doubt whether gold bee gold for that some vnskilfull man taketh copper in steede of gold so no reason is it that they who haue receiued the vndoubted testimonie of the spirite shining vnto them out of the true light of the word of God should therefore call in question the truth thereof because manie men are mocked with false presumptions which they themselues haue builded out of their owne braines The testimonie of the spirite is certainly knowne and felt wheresoeuer it is found neither can anie spirite worke in anie mans heart anie liuely counterfeit thereof as before was sayed Therefore it standeth firme and sure against all M. Bishops exceptions that there is a testimonie of the spirit whereby according to the measure of our faith we stand assured that we are the sonnes of God 18. W. BISHOP The third reason is That which we must pray for by Gods commaundement that we must beleeue but euery man must pray for Saluation therefore we must beleeue that we shall haue Saluation The proposition he confirmeth thus In euerie petition must be two things one a desire of the thing vve aske another a particular faith to obtaine it vvhich is proued by Christs vvords Mar. 1â— Whatsoeuer you shall request when you pray beleeue that you shall haue it and it shall be done This Argument is so proper for their purpose that we returne it vpon their owne heads We must pray for Saluation therefore we are not yet assured of it For who in his wits prayeth God to giue him that whereof he is assured alreadie And a godly
only We take it then for granted as indeed it cannot be denied that the Apostle here intended those things that are written but we wold heare an argument to proue that the Apostle meant any thing further that is not written If he might vse those words of those things that are written what hindreth but that he might vse them of those onely M. Bishop cannot proue that he did not so but we proue that he did so because in the next Chapter he telleth the same Timothy n 2. Tim. 3.15 The Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus Therefore M. Bishops proofes come much too short to giue vs any assurance that S. Paule by traditions vnderstood any thing but what is to be learned by the Scriptures 17. W. BISHOP The second argument for Traditions is this to beleeue that there be so many bookes of holy Scripture and no more and that those be they which are commonly taken so to be is very necessary to saluation now this is not to be found written in any place of holy Scripture but is receiued only by Tradition wherefore it is necessarie to saluation to beleeue some Tradition M. Perkins answereth that the bookes of the Old and New Testament be Scripture is not beleeued on bare Tradition but by the bookes themselues on this maner Let the man who is endued with the spirit of discerning reade the bookes and consider first the author of them who is God then the matter contained which is diuine the maner of speech which is full of maiestie in simple words lastly the end aymed at which is Gods honor and by this meanes he shall discerne any part of Scripture from the writings of men whatsoeuer Reply A wise and deepe obseruation I warrant you and well worthy a graue Author Let vs examine it briefly first he will haue his man endued with the spirit of discerning who shall indue him with that spirit M. P. seemeth to say that euery sheepe of Christ hath his spirit But S. Paule * 1. Cor. 12. teacheth plainely the contrarie that some certaine onely haue the iudgement to discerne And touching this matter of discerning which bookes are Canonicall which are not not the learnedst in the primitiue Church would take vpon him to discerne which they were three hundred yeares after Christ was left vndefined by the best learned whether the Catholike Epistles of S. Iames and Iude the second of S. Peter the second and third of Iohn and his Apocalypse were Canonicall or no as is confessed on all parts hath then euery Christian this spirit of discerning when the best Christians wanted it Who more profound more skilfull to discerne than that subtill and sharpe Doctor S. Augustine and yet the Protestants will not allow him the true spirit of discerning which bookes be Canonicall For he in diuers places of his workes * De doct Christ cap. 8. 18. de ciuit Dei 36. lib. 2. cont Epist Gaudent 23 holdeth the bookes of the Machabees to be Canonicall Scriptures and expresly proueth the booke of Wisedome so to be * De Praedest Sanct. 14. and yet our Protestants will not admit them See therefore how foolish and vaine his first rule is Come to the second His second is that he who goeth about to discerne whether the booke be Canonicall or no must consider the Author who is God If he must at the first take God to be the Author of the booke what needes any further labour it must needes be Canonicall that hath God for the Author This mans wits were surely from home when he discoursed thus and therefore it should be but folly to stand vpon his particularities let this one reason in generall serue to confute him all this manner put together serueth onely to helpe particular men to discerne which bookes are Canonicall who may easily after their diligent inquirie erre and be deceiued in this point because euery man is a lyar * Rom. 3. And if there be no more certaine meanes to assure them of this which is the ground of all their Religion then euery particular mans discretion and iudgement then out of doubt their whole Religion is most vnwisely builded vpon meane mens inuentions and discretion who also for the most part do neither vnderstand the language in which they were first penned nor the vsuall phrases of Scriptures translated that I say nothing of the figures parables prophecies and controuersies which seeme to be and many other difficulties and yet these men need not doubt hauing learned some halfe dozen lines of Master Perkins but that reading any booke they shall be able presently to discerne whether it be Canonicall or no. A goodly mockerie Men were not so taught in the Primitiue Church but the most skilfull and wisest in discerning Canonicall books trusted not vnto their owne iudgement but leaned alwaies vpon Apostolicall Traditions So did Cerapion an auncieni holy Writer as Eusebius reporteth reiect certaine bookes set out in the Apostles names because they had not receiued from their Predecessors any such The like doth Clement of Alexandria * Cap. 11. and that famous Origen * Cap. 19. of the same booke who obserue the Ecclesiasticall Canon as he had learned and receiued by Tradition So doth he deliuer his opinion of the foure Euangelists and other bookes of Canonicall Scripture and not relying on his owne wit which was excellent or learning which was singular in all manner of languages and matters That S. Augustine was of the same mind may be gathered out of these words of his * Lib. 35. cap. 6. Contra Faustum Of what booke can there be any assurance if the letters which the Church propagated by the Apostles and by such excellencie declared throughout all Nations doth teach and hold to be the Apostles should be vncertaine whether they be Apostles or no So that he maketh the declaration of the Church descended of the Apostles to be a sure pillar to rest vpon for the certaine knowledge of Canonicall Scripture and other spirits whatsoeuer if they follow not that rule to be reiected so farre is he off from encouraging euery sheepe of Christs fold to take that waightie matter vpon himselfe as M. P. doth And what can be more against the most prudent prouidence of the diuine wisedome then to permit euery one to be a iudge of the books of Canonicall Scripture For if al those books no other shold passe currāt for Canonical which any Christian taking vpon him the spirit of discerning would censure to be such then away with all the old Testament because diuers esteemed it to proceed of some euil spirits as witnesses Freueus * Lib 1. cap. 20. 21. 22. and Epiphanius * Haeres 6. 6. Yea not onely all the old must be abrogated but all the new also because it hath many falshoods mixed with the truth as some presuming greatly of their spirit
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
we vse al the good helpes thereto that may be vsed the other is so familiar to vs as that without any teacher without any example to instruct vs we can learne it of our selues Why doth he vtter these absurd paradoxes so contrarie to the common sence and experience of all men It is true that in Baptisme there is a medicine applied for the curing of this Originall maladie which medicine taketh effect according to the purpose of the grace of God It doth not by and by worke in all it worketh in some sooner in some later as he thinketh good to giue it effect by whom it was first applied Sometimes after many yeares he maketh the same workefull by his effectuall calling which from infancie hath lien as it were fruitlesse as if it neuer had bene done But when it doth worke it worketh not all at once it worketh but by degrees it hath still somewhat Å¿ 2. Cor. 4.16 to renew from day to day and neuer effecteth a full and perfect cure so long as we liue here This followeth afterward to be proued at large and therefore I will but briefly propound it in this place Now all these fancies hath M. Bishop vttered in answering the first point of M. Perkins his argument Let vs now come to the second point M. Perkins saith that concupiscence maketh a man to sinne M. Bishop saith it doth not make a man to sinne vnlesse he consent vnto it But the Apostle telleth vs that concupiscence doth make a man to do euill and it hath bene shewed that that euill is sinne euen before there be giuen any consent vnto it This euill consisteth in euill motions and thoughts t Ephiphan haer 64 Origen Obrepunt circa cor nostrum etiaÌ„ non volentibus nobis c. which arise in vs whether we will or not neither u Ambr. de fuga seculi lib. 1 ca. 1. Non in potestate nostra est cor nostruÌ„ â—ostrae cogitationes quae improuitò offusae mentem animuÌ„que confundunt atque aliò trahunt quà m tis proposueris c. Ipso in tempore quo cleuare mentem paramus insertis inanibus cogitationibus ad terrena plerunque deijcimur Et paulo prius vt quod studeas vi tare hoc cogites animoque voluâ—s are our harts and thoughts in our owne power for the auoiding therof but that euen vnawares they ouercast the mind and throw it downe to the earth whilest it is tending towards heauen and that runneth in the fancie which we make speciall labour to put out Yea oftentimes they grow to that absurditie and wickednesse as that we could not beleeue but vpon our owne experience that there were in vs so corrupt a spring as to yeeld so lothsome and filthie streames which make the true faithfull man ashamed of himselfe and to condemne himselfe in the sight of God howsoeuer nothing thereof appeare to the eyes of men But with M. Bishop these things are nothing he will neuer crie God mercie for any such because he hath therein done him no trespasse yea the Trent Councell telleth vs that herein is x Concil Trident Sess 5. In renatis nihil odit Deus nihil eos ab ingressu coeli ramoratur nothing that God hateth nothing that hindereth vs from entring into heauen Which seeing God requireth all the thought to be bestowed in his loue and thereby denounceth it to be a sinne to haue any of our thoughts wandering away from him these men would neuer thus affirme and teach but that y Rom. 11.8 a spirit of slumber hath closed their eyes that they see not that truth against which they haue resolued to bend themselues The third point of M. Perkins argument is that concupiscence intangleth a man in the punishment of sinne This M. Bishop saith is contrarie to that that he had sayd before that the guilt of Originall sinne is taken away in the regenerate But here is no contrarietie because in the continuall rebellion of concupiscence a mans conscience seeth punishment thereby due vnto him if God should require the same but yet by faith comforteth himselfe that it is remitted vnto him for Christs sake And that which M. Perkins spake he spake it out of the Apostles words who of concupiscence saith that z Rom. 7.13 it wrought death in him that is made him in himselfe guiltie of death and thus intangled him in the punishment of sinne although in Christ he saw deliuerance because a Cap. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Let M. Bishop therefore discharge M. Perkins of the lie and take the whetstone to himselfe as being farre more iustly due vnto him The last point of the argument is that concupiscence maketh a man miserable taken out of the words of the Apostle b Rom. 7.24 Wretched man or miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death or from this body of death M. Bishop hereto answereth that miserable is vnderstood two maner of waies either by being in disgrace with God or by reason of the danger of sinne and the miseries of this world But of the danger of sinne the Apostle acquitteth himselfe c 2. Tim. 4.18 The Lord will deliuer me from euerie euill worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome and d Rom. 8.39 neither things present nor things to come shall separate vs from the loue of God As for the miseries of this world they are here drawne in by head and shoulders there being here no shew of any matter that should moue the Apostle thus to complaine in respect thereof But the thing is plaine that he calleth himselfe miserable as S. Austin plainely teacheth by reason of e Agust con Iulian lib 6. cap. 7. Noâ—nèâ—â—oncedâ—s hominem miseruÌ„ quicunque ille fuerit aduersus talem clamasse qu theatem velle adiacet mihi c. qua voluntas bona aut non ibi sit aut valere nihil possit an inward euill qualitie whereby the will being good could not auaile to do the good that he would He calleth himselfe miserable by reason of that from which he desired to be deliuered which is the body of death Now the body of death is that which before he hath called f Rom. 6.6 the body of sinne and elsewhere g Col. 2.11 the body of the sinnes of the flesh By the body of sinne is vnderstood concupiscence which is as a body consisting of many members and parts which are the diuerse lusts of diuerse sinnes and thereby is a body of sinnes euen consisting of all maner of sinnes For we may not here vnderstand the body properly as of the body which dieth as if the Apostle had desired a dissolution and end of life because h August de perfect iustit Rat. 17. De corpere mortis huius non omnis liberatur qui finit hanc vitam euery one that dieth is not thereby
the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world He speaketh of the things of the world which are of the Father because they are his creatures S. Iohn speaketh of the things of the world which are not of the Father He speaketh of the world which is the creature and frame of heauen and earth all things therein S. Iohn speaketh h August cont Iulian. lib. 4. cap. 13. Nouimus Ioannem non mundum istum id est coelum terram omnia quae in eo substātialiter sunt reprehendisse cum diceret Omnia quae in mundo sunt c. not of the world in that meaning but of the world of mākind corrupted defiled with sinne according to which the vnregenerate are called i Luk. 16.8 the children of this world and as our Sauiour Christ saith that k Iohn 7.7 the world hated him because he testified of it that the workes thereof are euill And doth he not then thinke you bring vs a good proofe that euery thing in the world tempteth vs to sinne The meaning of S. Iohn is plaine that in the world that is to say in the men of this world there is nothing but corruption the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life and the following of all these all which are not of the Father nor haue accord with him but are of men themselues perish together with themselues What is this then but profanely and lewdly to abuse the word of God thus to cite it to proue a falshood when it hath not so much as any shew of that for which it is cited If it be grosse to say that whatsoeuer allureth to sinne is sinne I am sure it is much more grosse that he hath sayd for the disprouing of it He addeth further that it is as wide from all morall wisedome to affirme that the first motions of our passions be sins But we iudge not of these things by morall wisedome which is the wisedome of this world because l 1. Cor. 1.21 the world by it owne wisdome knoweth not God in the wisdome of God we esteeme hereof as God by the foolishnesse of the Apostles preaching hath taught vs to beleeue And out of their preaching we haue learned to say as S. Austin did that m August cont Iulian. lib. 4. cap. 2 Ipsa per se ipsā libido rectissimè omnino suis ipsis motibus accusatur quibus ne excedat obsistitur lust it selfe by it selfe is very iustly accused or blamed in the very motions of it wherein it is resisted that it exceed not and that n Ibid. li 5. ca. 5. Quantumlibet in isto conflictu superiores simus c. tamen ipsis certè nostrae cogitationis motibus affectibus si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus c. howsoeuer in this conflict of the spirit against the flesh we get the better yet if in the very motions and affections of our thought we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. But saith he heathen Philosophers could distinguish betweene sudden passions of the mind and vices But what is it to vs what heathen Philosophers haue distinguished seeing Christian Philosophers haue taught vs to cal these passions o See after Sect. 9. vices inward vices vitiousnesse vitious affections vitious concupiscences or lusts Let M. Bishop follow Philosophers if he please as for vs we say in these questions of Diuinitie as Tertullian sayd that p Tertul de praescript adu haeret philosophia temeraria interpret diuinae naturae dispositionis philosophie is but a sawcie interpreter of Gods nature and disposition that Philosophers are q Idem cont Hermogen Haereticorum patriarchae philosophi the patriarches of heretikes We take our instructions out of Solomons porch not out of the porch of Zeno from Hierusalem not from Athens and there we haue learned to call it sinne whatsoeuer swarueth from the law of God as before hath bene declared Yea but M. Bishop will proue out of that very text which M. Perkins alledgeth that concupiscence is not sinne r Iam. 1.14 Euery man saith S. Iames is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is allured afterward concupiscence when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne Marke well the words saith he First concupiscence tempteth and allureth by some euill motion but that is no sinne vntill afterward it do conceiue But how doth he proue that by any argument out of S. Iames his words What is it not sin because S. Iames doth not expresly call it sin Why then neither shall the consent be sin because S. Iames expresseth the consent first and afterwards inferreth the bringing forth of sinne But though S. Iames do not call it expresly sinne yet S. Paul doth For what S. Iames speaketh of concupiscence stirring vp euill motions and thereby tempting and entising the very same S. Paul expresseth in these words ſ Rom. 7.8 Sinne wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Which is the same as if he should haue said that concupiscence which is the habite of sin did stir vp in him all maner of euill motions and affections to tempt him thereby The same Apostle saith t Cap. 6.12 Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof calling it by the name of sin where it raigneth not nor is obeyed in the lusts of it He distinctly noteth sinne and the lusts of it and the obeying that is consenting to those lusts and so plainely sheweth that in the roote and from the beginning it is sinne Thus the faithfull elsewhere are warned to take heed not to be hardened u Heb. 2.13 by the seducing or deceitfulnesse of sinne where it is also plaine that it is sinne which seduceth and enticeth euen as the Apostle saith x Rom 7.11 Sinne seduced me or deceiued me and thereby slue me giuing to vnderstand that these seducings and enticings that is the first motions of concupiscence are so farre sin as that thereby he felt himselfe in himselfe to be but a dead man Thus the Apostle S. Paule thwarteth all that M. Bishop gathereth out of S. Iames his words but yet the most deepe Doctor S. Austin sifteth out the matter very profoundly for him And indeed he sifteth well but leaueth to M. Bishop nothing but the very branne y Aug. contra Iulian. lib. 6. cap. 5. Profectò in his verbis partus à pariente distinguitur Pariens est cōcupiscentia partus peccatum Sed concupiscentia non parit nisi conceperit Nec concipit nisi illexerit hoc est ad malum perpetrādum obtinuerit volētis assensum In these words saith he the birth is distinguished from that that bringeth foorth That that bringeth foorth is concupiscence the birth is sinne But concupiscence bringeth
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
was predestinate and shall more fully appeare in the same God when he shall make him blessed This is the reuealing that Saint Bernard speaketh of by infusion of spirituall grace this we approue and confirme and hereof before I noted that faith to strengthen it selfe in the assurance of Saluation looketh to those fruits and effects of faith and of the grace of God which are set downe as signes and marks of them to whom the promises of Saluation do belong But now M. Bishop ouerturneth all that Bernard speaketh in this behalfe for whereas he setteth downe the feare of God repentance charitie praier purpose of new life as the things whereby that reuelation is performed vnto vs he denieth that there can be any such reuelation because repentance the feare of God charitie and such like are seated in the darke corners of the will and a man knoweth not whether he haue the same or not A man he saith may hope that he is in the state of grace and must thinke that if he be not so it is long of himselfe but he cannot know that he is so Thus S. Bernard teacheth that God of his great goodnesse bringeth the heart of man into his wonderfull light but M. Bishop keepeth him in horrible darknesse where a man awake and in his right wits can conceiue nothing but dread and feare Therefore it is but for a shift that here he maketh Bernard to say that by infusion of grace a man hath some feeling of Gods goodnesse towards him for how can he haue any feeling of Gods goodnesse towards him by infusion of grace when he cannot know that he hath any infused grace Albeit Bernard doth not say onely that a man hath some feeling of Gods goodnesse towards him but that to the iustified man it is giuen to haue a fore-feeling of his owne blisse Therefore he so presumeth that he is beloued of God as that he certainly beleeueth it For a man is certainlie to beleeue what the spirit of God reuealeth But the spirit reuealeth to the iustified man the purpose of God concerning his owne Saluation He is therefore certainly to beleeue that he is beloued of God and shall be saued And so S. Bernard saith that k Agnoscit se meritò quidē non tam ira sed gratiae filium quippe qui paternū erga se diuinae bonitatis experitur affectum c. se considet amari praesentit amari c praesumit se esse de numero beaterum he acknowledgeth himselfe to be the child of grace that he hath the triall and proofe of the fatherly affection of Gods goodnesse towards him that he perceiueth cōfidently resolueth that he is beloued of God that he presumeth himself to be of the number of the blessed And what is it to presume but to take for certaine and certainly to beleeue that that is true whereof we do presume But saith M. Bishop Let S. Bernard interpret himselfe in the same place Be it so but I will translate for him vnlesse he could translate more faithfully then he doth l Datur ipsi praesentire aliquid de sua ipsius futurae beatitudine It is giuen to the iustified man saith Bernard to haue some fore-feeling of his own blisse to come And what wil M. Bishop deny him to beleeue that which S. Bernard saith he doth in part already feele Yea but it followeth m De qua tamen tam percepta suimet ex parte notitia interim quidem glorietur in spe nondum tamen in securitate Of which knowledge of himselfe now already perceiued in part he for the time reioiceth in hope but not yet in securitie And what of this Marty saith he his opinion then is that for all the reuelations of the spirit made by faith vnto vs we are not assured for Certaintie of our Saluation but feele great ioy through the hope we haue hereafter to receiue it But he hath a very wrong opinion of Bernards opinion What because a man reioiceth not in securitie for the present doth it follow that he hath no assured Certaintie of Saluation to come And what is there not assured Certaintie to be conceiued of that that is reuealed by the spirit of God Surely n 1. Iohn 5.6 the spirit is truth and we are fully to assure our selues of that that is reuealed thereby as before was said And if there be no assurance what glorying or reioycing can there be He saith that we feele great ioy through the hope we haue hereafter to receiue it But what ioy can there be of that of which as he saith we must continually stand in feare If there be no assurance there can be no ioying or glorying if there be ioying and glorying it must arise frō Certaintie assurance S. Bernard in that phrase of reioycing or glorying in hope alludeth to the words of the Apostle o Rom. 5.2 We reioice or glory vnder the hope of the glory of God Vpon which words Chrysostome obserueth that by the word of p Chrysost in Rom. hom 9. Gloriamur ait vt intelligat quali animo praeditum eum esse oportet qui fidem suam Deo obstrinxit Neque enim illi solum plenam persuasionem factam esse oportet de ijs quae data sunt sed de futuris tam quam tam datis Gloriatur enim quis super ijs quae tam in manu habet Quontam igitur rerum futurarum spes sic firma est atque euidens vt tam datarum aequè inquit super illis gloriamur glorying the Apostle declareth what mind he is to beare that hath tied his faith to God For he must haue a full perswasion saith he not only of the things that are alreadie giuen but also of the things to come as if they were already giuen For a mā glorieth or reioiceth of these things which he hath in hand Because therefore the hope of the things to come is as sure and certaine as the things alreadie giuen the Apostle saith we alike reioice thereof So then Saint Bernard by the same phrase teacheth the iustified man as touching Certaintie of expectation to glorie in hope of the blisse to come as if the same were alreadie giuen vnto him Therefore he saith of him in the same epistle q Epist. 107. post med Gloriari incipit praeter spem in spe gloriae filirium Dei quam tam nimirū e vicino reuelata facie exultans nonc in lumine speculatur dicit signatū est c. He glorieth in the hope of the glory of the sonnes of God which now euen neere at hand with open face he beholdeth leaping for ioy at this new light and saying The light of thy countenance is sealed vpon vs O Lord thou hast put gladnesse in my heart Now therefore whereas he saith he glorieth in hope but not yet in securitie we must not thinke that by denying securitie he ouerthroweth reioicing in hope but
and loue to preferre the seruice of Christ before all the glory of this world Albeit it is not to be omitted that S. Iohn somtime following the Hebrew phrase vseth the terme of beleeuing in Christ abusiuely applying it to them who by the miracles of Christ and his manifest declaration of the truth were conuicted in conscience to acknowledge him to be of God but yet did not at all in their hearts submit themselues vnto him Thus he saith in another place that y Ioh. 2.23 many beleeued in the name of Christ when they saw his miracles which he did to whom yet he did not commit himselfe because he knew what was in them Thus might it be said of some of those chiefe rulers that they beleeued in Christ that is were perswaded in their minds that he spake the truth but yet preferring their credit and reputatiō with men gaue no regard vnto it But that there is another manner of beleeuing in Christ which is that wherof we speake not incident to them who cōtinue wholy possessed with such respects Christ himself sheweth saying z Ioh. 5.44 How can ye beleeue which receiue honor one of another seek not the honor that cometh of God alone They might therfore in some meaning be said to beleeue in Christ when yet they had no true faith which as appeareth by these words cannot be separated from loue and seeking of the honour that cometh of God alone which wheresoeuer it is begun beginneth to looke vnto God and winding by degrees out of all other regards yeeldeth it selfe entirely to follow him Therfore the distinction of faith being obserued which the Scripture it selfe enforceth vpon vs M. Bishop hath yet alledged nothing to proue that true faith and charitie may be diuided or that any man may be said truly to beleeue in whom there is not also loue to righteousnesse and good works 51. W. BISHOP Cap. 2. 5 This place of S. Iames What shall it profit my brethren if any man say that he hath faith but hath not works what shall his faith be able to saue supposeth very plainly that a man may haue faith without good workes that is without charitie but that it shall auaile him nothing Caluin saith that the Apostle speakes of a shadow of faith which is a bare knowledge of the articles of our Creed but not a iustifying faith Without doubt he was litle acquainted with that kind of faith by which Protestants be iustified but he directly speakes of such a faith as Abraham was iustified by saying That that faith did worke with his works and was made perfect by the workes Was this but a shadow of faith But they reply that this faith is likened vnto the faith of the Diuell and therefore cannot be a iustifying faith that followeth not for an excellent good thing may be like vnto a bad in some things as Diuels in nature are not onely like but the very same as Angels be euen so a full Christian faith may be well likened vnto a Diuels faith when it is naked and voyd of good works in two points first in both there is a perfect knowledge of all things reuealed secondly this knowledge shall not stead them any whit but only serue vnto their greater condemnation because that knowing the will of their master they did it not And in this respect S. Iames compareth them together now there are many points wherein these faiths do differ but this one is principall that Christians out of a godly and deuout affection do willingly submit their vnderstanding vnto the rules of faith beleeuing things aboue humane reason yea such as seeme sometimes contrary to it But the diuell against his will beleeues all that God hath reuealed because by his naturall capacitie he knowes that God cannot teach nor testifie any vntruth Againe that faith may be without charitie is proued out of these words of the same 2. chapter Euen as the body without the spirit is dead so also faith without works is dead Hence thus I argue albeit the body be dead without the soule yet it is a true natural body in it selfe euen so faith is perfect in the kind of faith although without charity it auaile not to life euerlasting Lastly in true reason it is manifest that faith may be without charity for they haue seuerall seates in the soule one being in the will and the other in the vnderstanding they haue distinct obiects faith respecting the truth of God and charity the goodnesse of God Neither doth faith necessarily suppose charity as charity doth faith for we cannot loue him of whom we neuer heard Neither yet doth charity naturally flow out of faith but by due consideration of the goodnes of God and of his benefits and loue towards vs into which good and deuout considerations few men do enter in comparison of them who are led into the broad way of iniquity through their inordinate passions This according to the truth and yet more different in the Protestants opinion for faith layes hold on Christs righteousnes receiues that in but charity can receiue nothing in as M. Perkins witnesseth Pa. 85. but giues it selfe forth in all duties of the 1. and 2. Table Now sir if they could not apply vnto themselues Christs righteousnes without fulfilling all duties of the 1. and 2. Table they should neuer apply it to them for they hold it impossible to fulfill all those duties so that this necessary lincking of charity with faith maketh their saluation not only very euill assured but altogether impossible for charity is the fulnesse of the law which they hold impossible Rom. 12. and then if the assurance of their saluation must needs be ioyned with such an impossibility they may assure themselues that by that faith they can neuer come to saluation R. ABBOT That faith may be without charitie and good workes it is true and we doubt not thereof according to the meaning of faith of which S. Iames speaketh which Caluin very iustly and rightly saith is but a shadow of faith For it plainely appeareth by the text that he speaketh of faith as only professed before men as before hath bene alledged Therefore he compareth it a Iam. 2.16 to the good words of him that wisheth wel to the poore man but doth nothing at all for him To this tendeth his question b Ver. 14. What auaileth it though a man say that he hath faith and his other demand c Ver. 18. shew me thy faith The vttermost that he extendeth it to by instance is a meere historicall faith d Ver. 19. Thou beleeuest that there is one God His purpose is to shew that faith if it be truly professed hath a root within from whence spring by obedience the fruites of al good workes and if it giue not foorth it selfe by workes it is no true faith Whereas M. Bishop saith that S. Iames speaketh directly of such a faith as Abraham was iustified
vse are therefore deuided in the subiect or may be the one without the companie of the other as by infinite examples may be seene But he maketh faith and charitie more different yet in the Protestants opinion And how For faith sayth he layeth hold of Christs righteousnesse and receiues that in but charitie receiueth nothing in but giueth it selfe forth in all duties of the first and second table But what of this Will he conclude thus There is a difference betwixt faith and charitie therefore faith may be without charitie No forsooth but vnlesse faith may be without charitie the Protestants saluation is vnpossible And why so Marrie charitie is the fulnesse of the law and the Protestants hold it vnpossible to fulfill the law therefore they can haue no charitie and therefore by their owne doctrine they can haue no faith because without charitie there is no faith What a horrible disputer M. Bishop is how deepe a reach hath he into hell that hee can fetch from thence these profound conclusions against the Protestants The Protestants answer to his ridiculous and childish collections is easie and ready True and liuely faith by the consideration of the goodnesse and mercy of God towards vs in Iesus Christ enkindleth in our hearts true charitie and loue towards God and towards our brethren and neighbours for Gods sake The ayme and marke of which charitie is to giue foorth it selfe in all duties of the first and second table But charitie so long as here we liue is vnperfect in all men and but vnperfectly attaineth to that that it aymeth at Some attaine in some good sort to the performance of some duties others to the performance of some other duties but none attaineth to all as r Hieron aduer Pelag. lib. 1. Nullus in isto corpusculo cunctas potest habere virtutes c. Hierome well noteth against the Pelagian heretickes yea and in those that we do attaine vnto there is also some weaknesse and default some blot and staine as hath bene shewed by the corruption of sinne Å¿ Heb. 12.1 that hangeth so fast on and presseth vs downe whilest we are labouring and striuing to ascend vpward vnto God Thus therefore faith and charitie go together weake faith and charitie vnperfect running in the way but oftentimes through frailtie stumbling and falling striuing to the keeping of all Gods commandements but yet forced to say with the Apostle t Rom. 7.19 The good that I wold I do not but the euill that I would not that I do I delight in the law of God as touching the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue to the law of sinne But faith is our comfort that God for Christs sake and for his righteousnes sake which he hath wrought for our redemption accepteth vs as perfectly righteous in him that he forgiueth all our sins winketh at all our imperfections and will heale all our wounds and infirmities that what is now impossible through the weaknesse of the flesh may be made expedite and readie vnto vs when there shall be no longer the flesh lusting against the spirit but sin and death and all enemies shall be destroyed and u 1. Cor. 15.28 God shall be all in all Thus the linking of faith and charitie maketh no impossibilitie of our saluation but it is the spirit of error that hath dazeled M. Bishops eyes that he cannot discerne how one truth agreeth and standeth with another 52. W. BISHOP Let vs annex vnto these plaine authorities of holy Scripture one euident testimonie of antiquitie that most incorrupt iudge S. Augustine saith flatly Lib. 15. de Trin. ca. 17. con Cresc lib. 1 cap. 29. that faith may wel be without charity but it caÌ„not profit vs without charitie And That one God is worshipped sometimes out of the Church but that vnskilfully yet is it he Also that one faith is had without charitie and that also out of the Church neither therefore is not faith For there is one God one Faith one Baptisme and one immaculate Catholike Church in which God is not serued onely but in which onely he is truly serued neither in which alone faith is kept but in which onely faith is kept with charitie So that faith and that only true faith Ephes 4. of which the Apostle speaketh One God one faith may be and is in many without charitie R. ABBOT The former of these two places which he citeth out of Austin is answered a Sect. 22. before The faith of which he speaketh is not 〈◊〉 true iustifying faith but onely the outward profession of the doctrine of faith That is plaine by the second b August cont Crescon lib. 1. cap. 29. One faith is had without charitie euen without the Church that is one doctrine of faith euen as the Apostle meaneth when he saith One faith one baptisme c. Thus Saint Austin declareth it when he calleth it c Ibid cap. 28. Fides qua creditur Christum esse filium Dei viâ—i Et cap. 29. Fides qua coâ—fitemur Christum esse filium Dei viui the faith whereby it is beleeued that Christ is the Sonne of the liuing God the faith whereby we confesse Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God and in other meaning he could not say there is but one faith because of the faith of particular consciences the Scripture saith that euery man shall d Habac. 2.4 liue by his owne faith That that he maketh the matter of faith the diuels acknowledge and confesse who yet cannot truly say I beleeue in God I beleeue in Iesus Christ which is the voice and profession of a true iustifying faith and cannot be separated from hope and charitie as hath bene before made manifest by the acknowledgement of Austin himselfe yea and the doctrine of faith though in generall termes it may be sometimes found amongst heretikes yet according to the substance and true meaning thereof it is not to be found with them as the same Saint Austin acknowledgeth saying e August Enchirid cap. 5. Si diligenter quae ad Christum pertinem cogiteÌ„tur nominetenus inuenitur Christus apud quoslibet haereticos qui se Christianos vocari volunt te verò ipsa non est apudeos If diligently those things be considered which belong to Christ Christ is found as touching his name amongst all sorts of heretikes who will needs be called Christians but indeed he is not with them So as then there may be the true faith of Christ in generall words where the true meaning of the faith of Christ is denied and there may be the true meaning of the faith of Christ in the profession of the mouth when the same faith is not truly and effectually imprinted in the heart And in this sort there may be indeed faith without charitie but not the iustifying faith as hath bin often said If there be that
words As for the words of Ambrose which he bringeth in what is there in them concerning punishment after the pardon of the fault He speaketh of couering former sinnes with better workes but of couering them with punishment he saith nothing And as for that which he saith though at large it may be construed well enough yet according to the exact truth of Scripture it is vntrue namely that sinnes are vnderstood there to be couered with good workes as is plaine by that the Apostle witnesseth that the Prophet in that place describeth ſ Rom. 4.6 the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes But the true couering of sinne is that which S. Bernard speaketh of when in one place he saith that t Bernar. in Can. ser 23. Charitas patris ipsorum cooperit multitudinem peccatorum the loue of the Father and in another place that u Jbid. serm 61. Iustitia tua in me operit multitudinem peccatorum the righteousnesse of Christ couereth the multitude of our sinnes And of those words of Dauid it shall be worth the while to heare what Saint Austine saith and to consider how well M. Bishops answer accordeth therewith x August in Psal 31. Quia totum gratiae imputatur non meritis nostris beati quorū c. Non in quibus non sunt inuenta peccata sed quorum tecta sunt peccata Cooperta sunt tecta sunt abolita sunt Si texit peccata Deus noluit aduertere si noluit aduertere noluit animaduertere si noluit animaduertere noluit punire noluit agnoscere maluit ignoscere Because all is imputed to grace saith he and not to our merits blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Not in whom no sinnes are found but whose sinnes are couered They are couered they are hidden they are abolished If God haue couered sinnes hee looketh not on them if he looke not on them he mindeth them not if he mind them not be will not punish them he will take no knowledge of them he chuseth rather to forgiue them If forgiuenesse of sinnes be such as that God thenceforth looketh not on them mindeth them not taketh no knowledge of them punisheth them not le ts vs know that that which M. Bishop saith is an vntruth that he still reserueth sharp and seuere punishment both in this life and in the life to come to be inflicted for them The force of the saying of Chrysostome which is the last standeth in this that he denieth that the Apostles and Prophets and holy men endured their sufferings for punishments but that they might be knowne to be conquerers in the fight The place sheweth that the afflictions of the righteous and faithfull haue not the nature of punishments but lie vpon them for other respects and therefore not being in the nature of punishments they cannot be accounted for satisfactions M. Bishop answereth that they were no punishments for their owne sinnes And why for they saith he committed but ordinary light offences for which their ordinary deuotions satisfied abundantly A very dapper but a very fond speech of a remoislesse man whose heart yet hath neuer felt what the burden of sinne is Good Lord how lightly doth he trip ouer with ordinary light offences Surely the redeeming of those light offences required the shedding of the bloud of the Sonne of God and is it so lightly to be skipped ouer for which the Sonne of God shed his most precious bloud Tush saith M. Bishop their ordinary deuotions did abundantly satisfie for their sins Belike they were proud hearted as he is they would not be beholding to God they would not die in his debt what they owed him they would pay themselues for themselues being rich enough and well able to discharge all But will he make those holy men as very fooles as himselfe that they neither knew God or themselues but would thinke their ordinary deuotions to be sufficient satisfaction for their sinnes No no they knew wel that after all their deuotions they stood in need of Gods mercie that they had still to crie Forgiue vs our debts Enter not into iudgement with vs that all their merites were but drosse and all their satisfactions were but dung if they were opposed against the iudgment of God as to shield them from their sins But M. Bishop yet addeth more It is nothing against satisfactions that their surpassing sufferings were not for their owne sins And why because we must vnderstand forsooth that though they were not satisfactions for their owne sinnes yet they were so for other mens and in that respect are called surpassing as namely exceeding the measure of their owne sins This is that impious monster of Romish apostasie whereby they haue put the Saints in Christs place and taught men to seek for that redemption in them which they should seeke for and find in him alone But we would gladly know of M. Bishop where those surpassing sufferings of Iob and of the Prophets and other holy Saints of old were layd before the storehouse was built at Rome what vse were they put to who was the dispenser and disposer of them What was there a Pope then also to send pardons flying about the world to fetch one soule out of Purgatory for the surpassing sufferings of another Or shal we think that they lay idle all that while that the whole haruest of thē towards the end of the world might be brought together into the Popes barnes The high Priest of the Iewes was ouerseene that he did not take vpon him to be Pope of Ierusalem for of these surpassing sufferings he might haue raised much thrift Wicked caitiues that thus delude men with blasphemous tales and lies who thus defile the innocent bloud of the Sonne of God by mingling with it the leprous and corrupted bloud of sinfull men They all thought wholly and onely to be redeemed by Christ and must we thinke now in part to be redeemed by them They knew themselues by their sinnes guiltie of eternall suffering and must we now thinke their sufferings to be beyond their sinnes But against this blasphemie sufficient hath bene said before albeit it is in it selfe so grosly impious and lothsome as that the very mention of it is enough to make all Christian hearts to detest them that are the teachers of it 8. W. BISHOP Now to the reasons which he produceth for it And albeit he like an euill master of the camp range our arguments out of order placing that in the forefront of our side which Caluin presseth out against vs Lib. 3. instit cap. 4. num 29. yet wil I admit of it rather then breake his order 1. Leuit. 4.56 Moses according to Gods commandement prescribed seuerall sacrifices for the sins of seueral persons and ordained that they should be of greater and lesser prices according vnto the diuersitie of the sinnes Whence we argue thus These mens
purged from sin not as causes effecting and working the same purgation or if we will vse the name of causes as causes to our apprehension knowledge not as causes of the essence and being of the thing But take all these speeches how we wil it shall appeare God willing in the next sectiō that they make nothing at al for M. Bishop and that they are impudently wrested to that purpose for which he alledgeth them In the meane time for the conclusion of this section he telleth vs a reason why they make speciall reckoning of these three workes for satisfaction but the ground of his reason fully ouerthroweth all the assertion thereof Being to satisfie saith he we must performe it with such things as be our owne But say we we haue nothing of our owne but whatsoeuer we haue is his i Rom. 11.36 of whom and through whom and for whom are all things Therefore as before hath bin concluded we cannot satisfie at all Whether they be goods of the mind or of the bodie or externall goods we owe all vnto him and we do but pay him with his owne His applying of the words of the Apostle to fasting is absurd Reasonable bodily discipline saith he whereas the Apostle by k Rom. 12.1 reasonable seruice meaneth that that is mentall and spirituall and thereby agreeable to God who is l Iohn 4.24 a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth not any m 1. Tim. 4.8 bodily exercise which profiteth little as the same Apostle speaketh So the other words of a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable to God are misapplied to a particular act of fasting hauing a generall reference to the whole course of a Christian life and conuersation I omit the rest of his words as idle 18. W. BISHOP But now to knit vp this question let vs heare briefly what the best learned and purest antiquitie hath taught of this satisfaction done by man and because M. Perkins began with Tertullian omitting his auncients let vs first heare what he saith of it in his booke of penance How foolish is it saith he not to fulfill our penance and yet to expect pardon of our sinnes this is not to tender the price and yet to put out a hand for the reward for God hath decreed to set the pardon at this price he proposeth impunitie to be redeemed with this recompence of penance His equall in standing and better in learning Origen thus discourseth See our good Lord tempering mercie with seueritie Hom. 3. in lib. Judic and weighing the measure of the punishment in a iust and merciful ballance he deliuereth not vp a sinner for euer But looke how long time thou knowest thy self to haue offended so long do thou humble thy selfe to God and satisfie him in the confession of penance That glorious Martyr and most learned Archbishop S. Cyprian is wonderful vehement against them that would not haue seuere penance done by such as fell in persecution Lib. 1. ep 3. saying That such indiscreet men labour tooth and naile that satisfaction be not done to God highly offended against them Lib. 3. ep 14. And saith further That he who withdraweth our brethren from these workes of satisfaction doth miserably deceiue them causing them that might do true penance and satisfie God their mercifull Father with their prayer and workes to perish dayly and to be more and more seduced to their further damnation Orat. in illa verba attende tibi Idem Ambr. ad virg lap cap. 8. S. Basil sath Look to thy selfe that according to the proportion of thy fault thou mayst hence also borrow some help of recouering thy health Is it a great and grieuous offence it hath then need of much confession bitter teares a sharpe combat of watching and vncessant and continued fasting if the offence were light and more tollerable yet let the penance be equall vnto it Orat in sanct lum S. Gregory Nazianzē saith It is as great an euil to pardon without some punishment as to punish without all pitie For as that doth loose the bridle to all licentiousnesse so this doth straine it too much Jdem de paup amor By compassion on the poore and faith sinnes are purged therefore let vs be clensed by this compassion let vs scoure out the spots and filth of our soules with this egregious herb that makes it white some as wool others as snow according to the proportion of euery mans compassion and almes De Helia Ieiun S. Ambrose saith We haue many helpes whereby we may redeeme our sinnes hast thou mony redeeme thy sinne not that our Lord is to be bought and sold but thou thy self art sold by thy sins redeeme thy selfe with thy workes redeeme thee with thy money And Epist. 82. how could we be saued vnlesse we washed away our sinnes by fasting S. Hierome maketh Paula a blessed matron say My face is to be disfigured which against the commaundement of God I painted my bodie is to be afflicted that hath taken so great pleasure my often laughter is to be recompenced with continuall weeping my silkes and soft clothing is to be changed into rough haire Reade another Epistle of his to the same Eustochium Ad Eustoch de obitu Paulae about the preseruing of her virginitie and see what penance himselfe did being a most vertuous yong man S. Augustine saith He that is truly penitent Epist. 54. looks to nothing else then that he leaues not vnpunished the sinne which he committed For by that meanes not sparing our selues he whose high and iust iudgement no contemptuous person can escape doth spare vs. And he sheweth how that a penitent sinner doth come to the Priest and receiue of him the measure of his satisfaction Lib. 50. hom Hom. 50. cap. 11. Cap. 15. And saith directly against our Protestants position That it is not sufficient to amend our manners and to depart from the euill which we haue committed vnlesse we do also satisfie God for those things which we had done S. Gregory saith That sins are not onely to be confessed Lib. 6. in 1. Reg. but to be blotted out with the austeritie of penance I will close vp these testimonies with this sentence of our learned countriman venerable Bede Delight saith he or desire to sinne Jn Psal 1. when we do satisfaction is lightly purged by almesdeeds and such like but consent is not rubbed out without great penance now custome of sinning is not taken away but by a iust and heauie satisfaction R. ABBOT Here M. Bishop knitteth vp the question but he knitteth it gentle Reader with a bow-knot if thou haue but skill to pull the right string thou shalt presently loose all that he hath knit Aske him and let him tell thee the true state of the question here disputed and thou canst presently discerne that of these so many testimonies by him alledged there is none not so much as
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.
and skill in discerning did teach so testifieth S. Augustine * Lib. 32. cap. 2. Contra Faust Some would haue had but one of the foure Gospels some fiue some sixe some seauen some reiected all S. Paules Epistles many and those of the faithfull did not admit for Canonicall some of the other Apostles Epistles nor the Reuelations If then the diuine foresight of our Sauiour had not preuented this most foule inconueniencie by instituting a more certaine meanes of discerning and declaring which bookes were penned by inspiration of the holy Ghost which not then by leauing it vnto euery mans discretion he might be thought to haue had but slender care of our saluation which euery true Christian heart doth abhorre to thinke and therefore we must needs admit of this most holy and prouident Tradition of them from hand to hand as among the Protestants Brentius doth in his Prolegomenis and also Kemnitius handling the second kind of Traditions in his examination of the Councell of Trent albeit they reiect all other Traditions besides this one R. ABBOT That which M. Perkins here saith hath his proper vse in the ordinarie receiuing of the scriptures in a Christian Church where being from our infancie baptized into Christ and bred vp in the continuall noise and sound of the word of God and hauing by this meanes some seedes of the spirit of God sowed in our hearts we simply and without controuersie or question take the scriptures presuming vpon the record of the Church and beleeuing them to be that which they are said to be that is the booke of God and in this perswasion applying our selues to the reading of them and finding therein a spirit so different from the spirit of man so great a maiestie in so great simplicitie and all things so correspondent to those shadowes of truth and righteousnesse which a Rom. 2.14.15 the worke of the law written naturally in our hearts and confirmed by light of education do represent vnto vs we resolue and fully do beleeue them to be that that at the first we presumed of them the oracles of God the words of saluation and eternall life hauing an inward testimonie and conuiction to draw from vs the assent vnmoueably to ground vs in the assurance thereof This seemeth to Master Bishop to be no wise obseruation but the reason is because he himselfe is scarcely wise When he hath said all that he can say yet this must stand for good that there is nothing that can cause the heart of man sufficiently to apprehend that the Scriptures are the word of God till the Scripture it selfe in the conscience by the spirit do euict it selfe so to be And herein it is true which Origen saith that b Origen de princip lib. 4. c. 1. Siquis cum omni studio reuerētia qua dignum est Prophetica dicta consideret in eo ipso dum legit diligentius intuetur cerium est quod aliquo diuiniore spiramine mentem sensumque pulsatus agnoscet non humanitùs esse prolatos eos quos legit sed Dei esse sermones ex semetipso sentiet non humana arte nec mortals eloquio sed diuino vt ita dixerim cothurno esse conscriptos he who with all diligence and reuerence as is meete shal consider the words of the Prophets it is certaine that in the reading and diligent viewing thereof hauing his mind and vnderstanding knocked at by a diuine inspiration he shall know that the words which he readeth were not vttered by man but are the words of God and of himselfe shall perceiue that those bookes were written not by humane art not by the word of mortall man but by a maiestie diuine In a word as the Sunne when a man is brought into the light of it not by telling but by sight and by it owne light is discerned to be that that giueth light vnto the world so the Scripture which is as it were the chariot of c Aug. in Psal 80. Est in Scripturis nostris sol iustitiae sanitas in pēnis eius the Sunne of righteousnesse when a man is brought into the sight thereof euen by it owne light is discerned to be that that ministreth vnto vs the light of euerlasting life Now the spirit of discerning of which M. Perkins speaketh is not to be vnderstood of that speciall gift of d 1. Cor 12.10 discerning spirits mētioned by S. Paul which importeth a singular and eminent dexterity in spying and finding out the secret fraudes and deceipts of counterfeit teachers and false Apostles but the cōmon spirit of the faithfull e 1. Cor. 2.12 which we receiue as the Apostle saith that we may know the things that are giuen vnto vs of God whereby it is true which our Sauiour saith f Iohn 10.27 My sheepe heare my voyce and they follow me g Ver. 4.5 they know the shepheards voice and they will not follow a stranger but they flie from him for they know not the voice of straungers h Ver. 14. I know mine and am knowne of mine Againe he saith i Cap. 7.17 If any man will do his wil he shal know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe Whereby he teacheth vs that in applying our selues to learne and practise the will of God we attaine to discerne the doctrine to be of God And herein consisteth that k Col. 1.9 spirituall vnderstanding which the Apostle recommendeth generally to the faithfull in his prayer for the Colossians the vse whereof is l Phil. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discerne things that differ namely from the truth and m 1. Iohn 4.1 to try the spirits whether they be of God or not Now the spirit as it vseth the ministery of the Church for the deliuering of the books of scripture so it vseth the ministery of the Church to giue aduertisement of those bookes which haue not the like authoritie as the Scripture hath And this aduertisement it sealeth and confirmeth whilest hauing testified otherwhere the vndoubted doctrine of God we discerne thereby some doctrines in those bookes that are of another stampe and not correspondent to the rest For when they are in any part found to be of another spirit we conceiue of the whole that they were written with another pen and therefore albeit for the most part they cary the sauour and tast of those things which we reade in the other bookes yet in their defects we fully apprehend that which we haue bene told that they are not of like maiestie and authoritie with the rest and though we may profitably reade them for those things wherin they are deriued from the other yet that we cannot securely ground any doctrine immediatly vpon them In this simplicitie without further question many thousands receiue the Scriptures they read them and by the power of the holy Ghost they grow thereby to faith and spiritual
of both difficult and doubtfull texts of Scripture traditions are most necessary M. Perkins his answer is that there is no such need of them but in doubtfull places the Scripture it self is the best glosse if there be obserued first the analogie of faith which is the summe of religion gathered out of the clearest places secondly the circumstance of the place and the nature and signification of the words thirdly the conference of place with place and concludeth that the Scripture is falsly termed the matter of strife it being not so of it selfe but by the abuse of man Reply To begin with his latter words because I must stand vpon the former Is the Scripture falsly termed matter of strife because it is not so of his own nature why then is Christ truly called the stone of offence or no to them that beleeue not S. Peter sayth Yes No sayth M. Perkins 1 Pet. â— because that cometh not of Christ but of themselues But good Sir Christ is truly termed a stone of offence and the Scripture matter of strife albeit there be no cause in them of those faults but because it so falleth out by the malice of men The question is not wherefore it is so called but whether it be so called or no truly that which truly is may be so called truly But the Scripture truly is matter of great contention euery obstinate heretike vnderstanding them according to his owne fantasie and therefore may truly be so termed although it be not the cause of contention in it selfe but written to take away all contention But to the capitall matter these three rules gathered out of Saint Augustine be good directions whereby sober and sound wits may much profit in study of Diuinitie if they neglect not other ordinary helpes of good instructions and learned commentaries but to affirme that euery Christian may by these meanes be enabled to iudge which is the true sence of any doubtfull or hard text is extreme rashnesse and meere folly S. Augustine himselfe wel conuersant in those rules endued with a most happie wit and yet much bettered with the excellent knowledge of all the liberall Sciences yet he hauing most diligently studied the holy Scriptures for more than thirtie yeares with the helpe also of the best commentaries he could get and counsell of the most exquisite yet he ingeniously confesseth That there were more places of Scripture that after all his study he vnderstood not then which he did vnderstand * Epist 119. cap. 21. And shall euery simple man furnished onely with M. Perkins his three rules of not twise three lines be able to dissolue any difficultie in them whatsoeuer Why do the Lutherans to omit all former heretikes vnderstand in one sort the Caluinists after another the Anabaptists a third way and so of other sects And in our owne country how commeth it to passe that the Protestants find one thing in the holy Scriptures the Puritans almost the cleane contrary Why I say is there so great bitter and endlesse contention among brothers of the same spirit about the meaning of Gods word If euery one might by the ayd of those triuial notes readily disclose all difficulties and assuredly boult out the certaine truth of them It cannot be but most euident to men of any iudgement that the Scripture it selfe can neuer end any doubtfull controuersie without there be admitted some certain Iudge to declare what is the true meaning of it And it cannot but redound to the dishonor of our blessed Sauior to say that he hath left a matter of such importance at randon and hath not prouided for his seruants an assured meane to attaine to the true vnderstanding of it If in matters of temporall iustice it should be permitted to euery contentious smatterer in the Law to expound and conster the grounds of the law and statutes as it should seeme fittest in his wisedome and not be bound to stand to the sentence and declaration of the Iudge what iniquitie should not be law or when should there be any end of any hard mater one Lawyer defending one part another the other one counseller assuring on his certaine knowledge one party to haue the right another as certainly auerring not that but the contrary to be law both alledging for their warrant some texts of Law What end and pacification of the parties could be deuised vnlesse the decision of the controuersie be committed vnto the definitiue sentence of some who should declare whether counsellor had argued iustly and according to the true meaning of the Law none at all but bloudy debate perpetuall conflict each pursuing to get or keepe by force of armes that which his learned counsell auouched to be his owne To auoid then such garboiles and intestine contention there was neuer yet any Law-maker so simple but appointed some gouernour and Iudge who should see the due obseruation of his Lawes determine all doubts that might arise about the letter and exposition of the Law who is therefore called the quicke and liuely law and shall we Christians thinke that our diuine Law-maker who in wisedome care and prouidence surmounted all others more than the heauens do the earth hath left his golden lawes at randon to be interpreted as it should seeme best vnto euery one pretending some hidden knowledge from we know not what spirit no no it cannot be once imagined without too too great derogation vnto the soueraigne prudence of the Sonne of God In the old Testament which was but a state of bondage as it were an introduction to the new yet was there one appointed vnto whom they were commanded to repaire for the resolution of all doubtfull cases concerning the Law yea and bound were they vnder paine of death to stand to his determination and shall we be so simple as to suffer our selues to be perswaded that in the glorious state of the Gospell plotted and framed by the wisedom of God himselfe worse order should be taken for this high point of the true vnderstanding of the holy Gospel it selfe being the life and soule of all the rest R. ABBOT It is truly said by Thomas Aquinas that a Thom. Aquin. sum p. 1. q. 39. art 4. c. In proprietatibus locutionum non tantum attendenda est res significata sed etiam modus significandi in propriety of speeches we are not only to regard the thing signified but also the manner of signification A speech may be true yet true only in some manner of signification which therefore in propriety of speech is not true because the thing properly of it selfe is not that that the speech importeth it to be Christ saith M. Bishop is truly called the rocke of offence Be it so yet it is true only in some manner of signification in which it is that the Scripture so calleth him in proprietie of speech it is not true because Christ of himselfe and properly is not so He becommeth so
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
for the doing of it but the other not only teacheth by writing or by preaching but ministreth also grace to worke in the heart obedience to that that it teacheth g August de sp lit cap. 20. Propter veteru hominis noxam quae per literam rubeâ—rem minantem minimè fanabitur dicitur illud testamentuÌ„ vitas hoc verò nonum propter nouitatem spiritus qua hominem nouum sanâ—tà vitio vetustatis The old Testament saith S. Austin is so called because of the corruption of the old man which was not healed by the commanding and threatening letter but the other the new because of the newnesse of the spirit which healeth the new man from the old corruption But we would gladly know of M. Bishop how it is true which the Apostle saith that h 2. Tim. 3.16 all Scripture is inspired of God if it be true which he saith that God did not giue his lawes written with inke and paper If the Gospell might well enough haue bene kept in mens hearts without writing why were the faithfull so instant with S. Marke first after with S. Iohn as we haue seene before for the writing of their Gospels Why doth the Apostle tell the Philippians that i Phil. 3.1 it was necessary for them that he should write vnto them the same things that he had preached vnto them if there were no such necessitie Why is S. Iohn in the Reuelation so often commaunded k Reuel 1.11 cap. 2.1 c cap. 14.13 to write to write if tradition might serue as well as writing Surely Irenaeus telleth vs that it was l Jren. â—ib 3 c. 1. Euangelium per voluntatem Dei in Scripturu nobâ—s tradiderunt by the will of God that the Apostles deliuered vnto vs the Gospell in writing as we haue shewed before So likewise we haue heard S. Austin saying that m Aug. supra sect 14. Christ commanded his disciples to write what he would haue vs to reade of his sayings and doings The same S. Austine saith againe that n Idem in epist Ioan. tract 2. Contra insidiosos errores Deus voluit pouere firmamentum in scripturis sanctis contra quas nullus audet loqui qui quoquo modo se vult videri Christianum God would place a bulwarke against deceiptfull errors in the holy Scriptures against which no man dare speake that will in any sort be taken for a Christian man Do these Fathers tell vs that it was the will of God the commaundement of Christ that his lawes should be deliuered vnto vs written with inke and paper and will M. Bishop perswade vs that it was not the will of God But I would further question with him What are they all so perfect in the Gospell at Rome as that they neede no written Gospell Is it so setled in their hearts remembrances by tradition only as that without any Scriptures it might be preserued amoÌ„gst them If M. Bishop say yea he knoweth himselfe to be a lyer If he say no what is the reason that he setteth thus lightly by inke and paper Fie vpon this wilfull blindnesse how strange a thing is it that any man should thus cast a veile ouer his owne eyes He telleth vs further that Christ endowed his Apostles with the blessed spirit of truth with a most diligeÌ„t care of instructing others that all their posteritie might learne of them al the points of Christian doctrin Now thus far he saith true but his purpose is with a little truth to colour a great lye For he addeth that we should giue credit to them aswell for the written as vnwritten word Sycophant what haue we here to do with the vnwritten word The vnwritten word is the matter in question and must it here be presumed before it be proued Let it first be made good that the Apostles meant to leaue behind them any vnwritten word We say that because they had care that all posteritie by them should learne all the points of Christian doctrine therefore they had care that all the points of Christian doctrine should be committed to writing that as S. Luke professeth to haue written to the intent that Theophilus o Luk. 1.4 might thereby acknowledge the certainty of those things wherof he had bene instructed so by his writings and the rest we should acknowledge the certaintie and assured truth of their doctrine and not lye open to the illusions of such impostors and cosiners as M. Bishop is who vnder the names of the Apostles should broach those things which the Apostles neuer thought Whereof we haue a notable example in p Euseb hist lib. 3. ca. 36. Papias who succeeded immediatly after the time of the Apostles who whilest he was not contented with those things which were left in writing but was still hearkening after euery one that tooke vpon him to haue bin a follower of any of the Apostles and enquiring what any of them had said or done swallowed manie gudgeons giuen him by such deceiuers and deliuered * Alia taÌ„quam ex viua trad tione ad se relata et peregrâ—naâ— quasdam seruatoris parabolas doctrinas cum non nullis fobâ—losis adijcit c. Apostolicas dâ—sputationes non rectè accepit c. Quamplurimis â—os se ecclesiasticis viris ciroris causam dedit quiad antiquitatem ipsius respexerunt c. as reported to him by tradition many fabulous things and strange doctrines conceiuing himselfe by that meanes amisse of the Apostles speeches and giuing occasion to many other to erre as he did whilest for his antiquitie they respected him very much This is the end of M. Bishops vnwritteÌ„ word they wil teach vs what pleaseth their Lord god the Pope theÌ„ make vs beleeue it is a part of the vnwritten word But yet he addeth again that our crediting the Apostles shold be more for the meaning of the word then for the word it self Where it is not in any good meaning that he thus nicely distinguisheth betwixt the word it self the meaning of the word leauing it forsooth to be vnderstood that they left the word one way and the meaning of the word another way the one in writing and the other by tradition But what will M. Bishop haue vs thinke that the Apostles would write words and not meane by their words to signifie their meaning Is it likely that they would write one thing and in meaning intend another Did they not write to that very end that in their writing it should appeare to all ages what doctrine they taught Surely they were honest and plaine dealing men they wold not beguile vs they wold not mock vs they haue simply told vs what their mind is There are manie difficulties in their writings and in the whole Scriptures it is true but yet there are perspicuities also so farre as is needful for the clearing of them There is to exercise the strong but yet there
h Luk. 12 21. So is euery one that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God Wo be to them that are rich in this world and are not rich in God but a man may be rich in this world yet rich in God also by acknowledging spiritually his owne pouerty in himself and receiuing all things of Gods mercy Seeing therefore a man may be rich according to this world and yet none of them to whom Christ saith Wo be to rich men surely nothing hindereth but that a man may be rich and yet may be one of those poore whom Christ pronounceth to be blessed and therfore M. Bishops argument is idle and proueth nothing lesse then that Christs sentence is to be vnderstood of voluntary pouertie so that still it remaineth good that the vow of pouerty and beggery is the voluntary casting away of the blessing of God and the vndertaking of his curse 20. W. BISHOP Thus M. Perkins his texts of Scripture against pouertie failing him he fetcheth about another way saying that it is a rule of the holy Ghost He that will not labour namely in some speciall and warrantable calling must not eate * Thess 2. Ans I allow both the text and the glosse and find nothing there against religious persons whose calling is speciall perfect and therefore best warrantable not so saith he because they giue thēselues to prayer fasting What a profane stupiditie is this Is not a life giuen to prayer and fasting agreeable to the wil of God and lawes of his church albeit many religious men do ouer and besides very great seruices to Gods church in preaching teaching and writing of most learned books But suppose they did nothing else but fast and pray did they not very well deserue their sustenance yes much better then they which trauell all the yeare about the prouiding of it For in vaine do men labor if God blesse not their worke with seasonable weather which he doth rather at the prayer and instance of such good innocent soules that are to be fed with it then for the Plough-mans owne labors sake And if by their fasting watching and such like afflictions of their bodies they do partly satisfie for our superfluous pampering of the flesh and teach vs by their good example to bridle and correct it do they not deserue at our hands bodily sustenance And who better performes all duties of the second table then they being most obedient to all their superiours and not hurting their neighbour in life person or any maner of their goods And so in their seuerall callings offend no honest men and do much good both vnto the Church and Common-wealth R. ABBOT If S. Paul whē he said a 2. Thess 3.10 He that wil not labor let him not eate did take praying to be laboring then the Messalians had as wel to answer for themselues as the begging Friers because they took as great paines in praying as the begging Friers cā do yea those idle loiterers concerning whō the Apostle speaketh had sufficient to answer for them selues that there was reason for them to eate because they did pray Surely M. Bishop is a good proctor for such thriftles drones who wil be content to pray apace as much as the Friers do if that may be reckned a labor for which to require their meate But praier is a cōmon duty seruice of all callings not a distinct labor of any one Till M. Bish blotted this paper I think it was neuer read that praier fasting was a calling saue only in the conceit of those Euchites or Messalians of whō I spake albeit they indeed fasted not But wheras M. Perkins saith that men liuing apart giuing themselues only to praier and fasting do liue in no calling M. Bishop because he cannot proue the contrary beggeth it What a profane stupiditie is this saith he Is not a life giuen to prayer and fasting put in as it should be only to prayer and fasting agreeable to the wil of God and lawes of his Church You should not haue asked the question M. Bishop but haue proued it so to be because therin stood the question which it was your stupidity not to see The argument propoundeth to you that it is necessary for euery man to labor in some calling that he may haue according to Gods ordināce wherof to eate It alledgeth that to liue apart to be giuen only to praier fasting is not to labor in a calling and do you answer al with Is it not so To make vp the matter he addeth that many religious men do ouer and beside very great seruices to Gods church in preaching teaching and writing of most learned books Ye say wel M. Bishop such mē because they labor may iustly eate but these matters are accidental and their vow religion may stand without them and therfore the matter is not answered by them I admit that which he saith but there might here worthy stories be told of the preachings of their Friers of all sorts But M. Bishop himselfe knowing that this is but impertinent goeth on Suppose they did nothing else but fast and pray did they not very well deserue their sustenance If they did nothing but fast pray it should be with them according to the Apostles rule because then they should eate nothing But now beside fasting and praying they eate also which the Apostle sayth they should not do because they do not worke They fast a little that they may eate enough and there is no idle lozell but would be content with their fasting so that he may haue their diet otherwise In a word M. Bishop may keepe his opinion to him selfe but the Apostle sufficiently teacheth vs that because they labour not therefore they do not so well deserue sustenance as they who labour all the yeare for the prouiding of it As for the blessing of God it dependeth not vpon the prayers of such who haue no warrant for the state of life wherein they pray and the ploughmans prayer is more acceptable to God then theirs because he followeth that rule of life which God hath taught who neuer prescribed any rule of Monkish trade Good innocent soules saith he whereas by all stories it appeareth that there hath not bene a more stinking vermine vpon the earth euen some of their owne men haue discouered them so to be But M. Bishop is not satisfied vnlesse to folly he adde blasphemie saying that they satisfie for our superfluous pampering of the flesh Impious man Christ is the satisfaction for our sins what haue we to do with the satisfactions of wretched men who damnably sinne in those things wherein they take vpon them to satisfie for others sins And what M. Bishop is there any superfluous pampering of the flesh to be found amongst you Alas how haue ye deceiued vs all this while We thought that you had bene nothing but spirit and that superfluous pampering of the
flesh had bene onely amongst vs. But your teeth would haue bit your tongue if ye had not somewhat told vs truth Take it to ye M. Bishop for it belongeth to none more rightly then it doth to you and the example that ye lay before ye fitteth accordingly But to shut vp all this matter he telleth vs that none performe all duties of the second table better then they As how They are most obedient to their superiours God hath commaunded them to obey and honour their parents their princes and gouerners and they leaue these at sixe and seuen as they say to performe obedience to other superiours superstitiously deuised of their owne They many times impiously with the Iews cast off the respect of their parents by pretence of their vows they withdraw themselues into lurking dens from seruice to their princes and publike state yea many times they nourish rebellion and treason against them and yet they are most obedient of all other being not at all obedient to them whom God hath coÌ„manded them to obey Againe he saith they hurt not their neighbour in life person or any manner of goods Yea but the life of a Christian man consisteth not in doing no hurt onely vnlesse he also do good and what good do they It is doing good that Christ shall commend at the last day b Mat. 25.35 I was hungry and ye gaue me meate and thirstie and ye gaue me drinke On the other side he shall obiect the want of doing good c Ver. 42. I was hungry and ye gaue me no meate and thirstie and ye gaue me no drinke And what shall the Monkes then say O Lord though we did thee no good yet we did thee no hurt We had wherewith to feed thee and to clothe thee and to harbour thee but we gaue all away at once and made a vow that we would neuer haue any thing againe to do thee good thou shouldest therefore starue and perish for hunger and cold but looke for nothing further at our hands We were content to fast and pray according to our rule and to spend our time in such witlesse obseruations as our founders directed vs for matters of great perfection but as for those things which thou hast required we left them to men of more base and vnperfect state as nothing at all concerning vs. This is their begging Friers condition of life and this is that performing of the duties of the second table which M. Bishop speaketh of They fast and pray but do no good at all neither to Church nor commonwealth neither hath any kind of men beâ—e generally more offensiue and pernicious then they haue bene 21. W. BISHOP After all this waste wind M. Perkins confesseth that a man may vpon a speciall calling sell all his goods as the Apostles did What then good Sir shall become of your former arguments May one then vow a curse of the Law and leaue off prayer for neither pouertie nor riches and say that it is not a blesseder thing to giue then to receiue All these arguments which were whilome of great force must now be nothing worth because it pleaseth M. Perkins the wind now sits in an other corner such weathercocks surely are to be much respected He saith further in time of persecution a man may also leaue all he should rather haue said he must leaue all or else lose al for the persecutor will not spare him Lastly he doth not condemne old auncient Monks who liued by the sweate of their browes and were married many of them as he saith but his authors cited say not so neither shall he be able to cite one auncient allowed and approoued writer who sayth that the auncient Monkes liued with their wiues if perhaps they had bene married before But no maruell if fleshly Ministers thinke it no life without their fleshly mates As for labouring at vacant times it was alwayes and is to this day in practise among many religions If other do in good studies writing or teaching imploy that time of labour no doubt but they do farre better R. ABBOT There is no man but easily conceiueth that those things many times which of themselues are vnlawfull and wicked in vs yet arelawfull and necessary when God commaundeth them It had bin a wicked thing in Abraham of his owne head to attempt the killing of his son but it was an act of religious and godly obedience when God required it It is desperate wickednesse for a man wilfully to cast away his owne life but at Gods commaundement to offer and yeeld his life it is right and iust It was vncleannes in Moses law to touch any excrement or dung yet when God appointed a Ezech. 4.12 Ezechiel so to do it was no vncleannesse The Iewes did sin grieuously in binding themselues by vow not to honour their parents and yet when Christ calleth no man may say b Mat. 8.21 Let me first go and burie my father yea c Luke 14 26. he that hateth not father and mother saith Christ he cannot be my disciple Euen so albeit it be superstitious and sinfull of our owne heads to relinquish the state of life whereunto God hath called vs vnder pretence and colour of giuing our selues idlely to prayer and fasting yet it is sacred and holy obedience to leaue all when God calleth from all who yet neuer calleth vs in the leauing of all things to vow the neuer hauing of any thing againe These cases are sensible and manifest neither was there cause for M. Bishop to talke of wind and wethercocke in M. Perkins but rather to wish better discretion and vnderstanding to himselfe As for the auncient Monkes albeit many of them were very absurd and senslesse hypocrites yet we denie not but many that went vnder that name were iust and holy men trained vp as in our vniuersities to vertue and learning that they might afterwards serue for the ministery of the Church M. Bishop would gladly attribute to their Monks some imitation of them but it sticketh betwixt his teeth and he knoweth not well how to bring it out They are so vnlike them that they are scant worthy to be accounted as apes in comparison of men That which M. Perkins saith of maried Monks is taken out of S. Austin though he cite not the place who setting down the heresie of them that were called d August haer 40. Apostolici qui se isto nomina arrogantissimè vocauerunt quòd in communionem suaÌ„ noÌ„ reciperent vtentes coÌ„iugibus res proprias possidentes quales habet Catholicae Ecclesia Monachos Clerecos plurimos Apostolici saith that arrogantly they so called themselues for that they receiued not into their communion VTENTES CONIVGIBVS such as had company with their wiues and possessed any thing of their owne such saith he as the Catholicke Church hath many both Monks and Clergie men Let M. Bishop tell vs the English of vtentes coniugibus and