spirit but to trie the spirits if they be of God For this cause doth S. Paule pronounce him accursed that preacheth any doctrine not contained in the scriptures For both S. Austen and S. Basill doe expound that place of the written word And the truth thereof is alreadie prooued because the Apostles taught no needfull doctrine which they did not after commit to writing S. Cyprian would not yeeld to Stephanus then bishop of Rome in the controuersie concerning rebaptization but sharpely reprooued him for leaning to tradition and demaunded of him by what scripture he could prooue his tradition For in his daies it was not ynough to alleadge tradition for the proofe of any doctrine And much lesse was it a rule in Saint Cyprians time to follow the bishop of Romes definitiue sentence in matters of faith and doctrin Though our sottish and blind papists in these latter dayes doe admit and reuerence his sentence euen as the holy Gospell See S. Cyprians words in the first proposition VVhen the Arrians would not admit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not found in the scriptures the fathers of the counsell did not then alleadge traditions for proofe thereof neither did they say that many things must be beleeued which are not written but they answered simply That though that word were not expressely written yet was it virtually and effectually contained in the scriptures This assertion is euident by the testimonie of Saint Athanasius whose words are these Sed tamen cognoscat quisquis est studiosioris animi has voces tametsi in scripturis non reperiantur habere tamen eas eam sententiam quam scripturae volunt Although the expresse words be not found in the scripture yet haue they that meaning and sence which the scripture approoueth and intendeth as euery one that studieth the scripture seriously may easily vnderstand Origen giueth counsell to trie all doctrines by the scriptures euen as pure gold is tried by the touchstone His words are set downe at large in my booke of Motiues and they are well worth the reading Tertullian hath these words Id esse verum quodcunque primum id esse adulterum quodcunque posterius VVe must know that that it is the truth whatsoeuer was first and that that is counterfeit whatsoeuer commeth after the first S. Austen hath many golden sentences and worthie testimonies to this end and purpose One only I will here recount where he hath these wordes Nemo mihi dicat ô quid dixit Donatus aut quid dixit Parmenianus aut Pontius aut quilibet illorum quia nec Catholicis episcopis consentiendum est sicubi forte falluntur vt contra canonicas dei scripturas aliquid sentiant Let no man say to me oh what said Donatus or what said Parmenianus or Pontius or any of them because wee must not consent euen to Catholicke bishops if it so fall out that they erre in any point and speake against the canonicall scriptures Saint Chrysostome surnamed the golden mouthed doctor agreeth vniformely vnto the other fathers in many places of his workes One onely period shall for the present suffice where he hath these golden wordes Quomodo autem non absurdum est propter pecunias alijs non credere sed ipsas numerare supputare prorebus autem amphoribus aliorum sententiam sequi simpliciter presertim cum habeamus omnium exactissimam trutinam gnomonem acregulam diuinarum inquam legum assertionem Ideo obsecro oro omnes vos vt relinquatis quidnam hinc vel illi videatur deque his à scripturishaec etiam iniquirite et veras diuitias difcentes eas sectemur vt aeterna bona assequamur How can it but be absurd that in money matters we will not credite others but will tell the money our selues and for all that in affaires of greater importance which concerne the health aud saluation of our soules we can be content simply to follow the iudgement and opinion of others especially when wee haue the most exact ballance squire and rule of all things I meane the plaine testimonie of Gods lawes I therefore pray and beseech you all that you will reiect what this man or that man thinketh and search the truth out of the scriptures that learning true riches we may follow them and so attaine eternall life Behold here gentle reader a most excellent and Christian exhortation a very godly and golden aduiso giuen vs by this holy father If wee will not saith he trust others to tell our money but for surenesse will tell it our selues much lesse should wee trust others and much lesse depend vpon their iudgements and sayings in matters touching our saluation but our selues must learne and know such things by diligent reading of the holy scriptures Neither must we beleeue what this or that man saith but what we find to be true by painefull studie of the holy scriptures Now let vs heare attentiuely what the best approoued papists teach vs concerning this important and most weightie controuersie Franciscus à victoria a learned schoole-man and Spanish popish frier yeelds his opinion in these expresse wordes Propter quas opiniones nullo modo debeà us discedere à regula synceritate scripturarum For which opinions we may in no wise depart from the rule and synceritie of the scriptures Againe in another place he hath these words Non est mihi certum licet in hoc conueniant omnes quia in scriptura non habetur I doe not thinke it sure and certaine although all writers agree thereunto because it is not to be found in the holy scriptures Melchior Canus another learned schoole-doctor and renowned popish bishop confirmeth the same doctrine in these words Fatemur non audiendos esse sacerdotes nisi docuerint iuxta legem domiui VVe graunt that we must not giue eare or hearken to the priests except they shall teach vs according to Gods law Loe the papists affirme plainely that no doctrine is sound or to be receiued but that onely which is tried to be true by Gods word Neither may we beleeue the doctrin of any popish priest vnlesse it be agreeable to Gods law Now doubtlesse if the Pope will be tried and iudged by this doctrine which his best doctors haue published to the world the spirit of God hauing enforced them thereunto we shall soone agree in all controuersies of religion And certes this their doctrine is so certaine and euident that the Iesuit Bellarmine singeth the same song with them which my selfe could not easily haue beleeued if I had not read his owne testimonie in his owne booke These are his expresse words Sine dubio singuli episcopi errare possunt aliquando errant inter se quandoque dissentiunt vt nesciamus quisnam eorum sequendus sit It is without all doubt that all bishops seuerally may erre and sometime doe erre and doe so disagree among themselues that we
lex ipsa omnipotenti deo minime concordat ecce per suggestionis meae paginam serenissimis dominis nunciaui vtrobique ergo quae debui exolui qui imperatori obedientiam praebui pro deo quod sensi minimè tacui I being your subiect and at your commaund haue caused the same law to be sent through diuerse parts of the land and because the law it selfe doth not accord to Gods will behold I haue signified so much vnto your maiesties by my epistle and so I haue discharged my dutie in both respects as who haue rendered mine obedience to the emperour and haue not concealed what I thought in Gods behalfe These are the words of Gregorius who was himselfe bishop of Rome anno 603. and liued aboue six hundred yeares after Christ for which time the Popes liued in dutifull obedience vnder the emperours as is euident by his expresse words alreadie alleaged For first Pope Gregorie freely and willingly acknowledgeth the emperour to be his soueraigne lord Secondly he confesseth himselfe to be the emperours subiect Thirdly he graunteth that he oweth loyall obedience to the emperour and for that respect he thought himselfe bound in conscience to publish the emperours law though in some part it seemed to disagree with Gods will and that forsooth least he should be found guiltie of disloyaltie toward his prince Fourthly this alleageance he acknowledged to the emperour Mauritius who liued more than six hundred yeares after Christs sacred incarnation During which tearme of years the bishops of Rome now called Popes liued in subiection to the emperours of Rome as other bishops doe this day to their lawfull kings S. Ambrose freeth kings from all lawes made by man these are his expresse words Rex vtique erat nullis ipse legibus tenebatur humanis Neque enim reges vllis ad poenam vocantur legibus tuti imperij potestate Homini ergo non peccauit cui non tenebatur obnoxius He was indeed a king he was subiect to no law of man for kings being freed by royall prerogatiues of imperiall power are not punishable by the lawes of man He therefore sinned not to man to whom he was not subiect S. Hierome teacheth the same doctrine if his words be well marked Enthimius hath these words Cum sim vex te solum commissorum à me scelerum iudicem habeam tibi soli peccasse videor hoc est tibi soli iudici subijcior Coeterorum enim omnium ego dominus sum ob potentiam meam licere mihi videntur quaecunque libuerint Seeing I am a king and haue thee only my iudge ouer my sinnes I seeme to sinne onely to thee that is I am subject onely to thee as to my iudge For I am lord ouer all others and in regard of my power and maiestie whatsoeuer pleaseth me seemeth to be lawfull for me The Popish ordinarie glosse singeth the same song these are the expresse words Rex omnibus superior tantum à deo puniendus est The king is aboue all and he can be punished of none but of God alone Nicolaus Lyranus a man of great reckoning with the papists teacheth the same doctrine with the rest These are his expresse words Tibi soli peccaui scilicet tanquam iudici punire potenti Peccauerat enim contra Vriam alios occasione huius interfectos Tamen quia erat rex non habebat iudicem superiorem qui posset eum punire nisi deum To thee onely haue I sinned that is to say to thee only as to my iudge and to him that can punish me For he had now sinned against Vrias and others whom he caused to be murthered by that occasion yet because he was a king he had no superior iudge that could punish or controule him saue God alone Thomas Aquinas being as it were halfe a god with the Papists teacheth the selfesame doctrine with Lyra and the rest But I hasten to the verdict of a Cardinall of Rome Hugo Cardinalis hath these expresse words Tibi soli quia non est super me alius quam tu qui possit punire Ego enim sum rex non est aliquis praeter te super me To thee onely saith Cardinall Hugo because there is not any aboue me but thy selfe alone that hath power to punish me for I am a king and so besides thee there is none aboue me Thus gentle reader it is cleere and euident as well by the flat testimonie of the auntient fathers as also of most famous and renowned Popish writers that the Pope or Bishop of Rome is so farre from hauing power to depose kings and emperours that he himselfe ought to be subiect to them and hath no authoritie at all to punish them VVhat can be more plainely spoken what testimonies can be more manifest what doctrine can be clearer for if none but God be superior to the king if none but God can iudge the king if none but God can punish the king all which both auntient fathers and the Popes owne deare doctors affirme then doubtlesse cannot the Pope depose the king then can he not absolue his subiects from their alleageance then can he not translate empires and kingdomes and bestow the same at his owne pleasure The good kings Iosue Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias knew right well that they had authoritie aboue all the priests and therefore tooke vpon them not onely to commaund and controll them but also to depose and thrust them from their places and functions yea euen the high priests themselues when their deserts did so require VVhich thing is prooued at large in my golden ballance of triall Yet here for better satisfaction of the vulgar people I will propound a common obiection that much troubleth many of them and that done frame a plaine and sincere solution to the same The Obiection The empire was translated by the Popes authoritie and the emperours after their election are this day confirmed by the Pope yea many emperors haue acknowledged the Popes soueraignetie ouer them in so much as they haue fallen downe prostrate and kissed his holy feet The Answere I answere that many absurd things haue beene affirmed by Popish parasites for the aduancement of the primacie as Franciscus à Victoria a famous Popish schoole doctor and Spanish frier sometime professour of Theologie in the Vniuersitie of Salmantica doth testifie in these words Sed gloss atores iuris hoc dominium dederunt papae cum ipsi essent pauperes rebus doctrina But the glossers of the Popes law saith this great doctor and zealous papist for the truth it selfe enforced him to vtter the truth gaue this dominion and these lordly titles vnto the Pope when themselues were blind bayards and beggerly fellowes Thus writeth their owne Popish Frier affirming that ignorance and pouertie were the beginning of all lordly poperie and no maruell for by reason of their pouertie they flattered and sought to
once which implieth contradiction Aquinas graunteth this illation these are his words Ideo si in illo triduo mortis fuisset hoc sacramentum celebratum non fuisset ibi anima Christi Therefore during Christs death if this sacrament had been celebrated the soule of Christ should not haue been in it Secondly if this popish kind of doctrine were true these absurdities and grosse impieties must perforce follow hereupon viz. that Christ the night before he was crucified was both sitting at the table and borne in his own hands both liuing and dead both visible and inuisible both long and short both broad and narrow both light and heauie that he was a sacrifice for our sinnes before he died for our sinnes that his sacrifice was either vnperfect in the former oblation in his last supper or els that it was needlesse in his bitter immolation vpon the altar of the crosse For as the Apostle telleth vs Christ was not to offer himselfe often as the high priest did but once to the destruction of sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe These are his words as the papists our English Rhemists I meane haue put them downe and as it is appointed to men to die once and after this the iudgement so also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sinnes of many Loe Christ died but once and that one oblation was sufficient to take away all sinnes in the world The word exhaust which the Rhemists vse doth significantly expresse so much But the words of S. Paul in another place are most manifest and doe plainely conuince this truth In the which will saith S. Paule we are made holy euen by the offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ once for all Againe thus But this man after he hath offered one sacrifice for sinnes is set downe for euer on the right hand of God Againe in these words For with one offering hath he made perfect for euer them that are sanctified Loe gentle reader Christ saith Christs apostle made but one oblation Christ say the papists hath made many and still maketh moe oblations Christ saith Christs Apostle died but once on the crosse Christ say the papists dieth euery day in the masse Christ saith Christ apostle made perfect finished and consummated mans redemption with one onely sacrifice Christ say the papists doth perfect and consummate his with the daily sacrifice of the masse Now whether Christs apostle or our papists be of better credit let the indifferent reader iudge Thirdly the cup is the new testament in my bloud saith Christ which is shed for you But a testament is not of force without the death of the testator as S. Paul teacheth vs. And consequently either Christs bodie was not really offered in his supper or at least it was a sacrifice of no force value or efficacie at all for that it was not yet ratified by the death of the testator Hereupon it followeth of necessitie that when Christ saith in S. Luke This cup is the new testament in my bloud and in S. Matthew This is my bloud of the new Testament the sence is all one most plaine and cleare viz. that the cup is a sacrament of the bloud of Christ and of the new Testament confirmed thereby but indeed is no more really the bloud of Christ it selfe than it is really the new testament it selfe For the expresse mention of remission of sinnes is referred to the bloud of Christ shed vpon the crosse and not to the sacrament of his bloud seeing his bloud was not shed in his supper but in his bitter passion Fourthly the Apostle saith flatly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is not henceforth any oblation for sinne But if Saint Paule say truly that there is no oblation for sinne after Christs death on the crosse then doubtlesse the papists must needs say falsely that they haue a daily propitiatorie sacrifice in their popish masse Neither will it serue their turne to answere that it is the selfesame sacrifice of the crosse but offered in another manner for if that were true then should their masse-sacrifice be of infinit value which for all that no papist dareth auouch Nay Bellarmine saith in plaine tearmes Valor sacrificij missae finitus est The value or worth of the masse is finit not infinit And yet if the value of the masse be not infinit then doubtlesse that sacrifice cannot be the sonne of God for he is of infinit power of infinit maiestie of infinit value Yea whosoeuer denieth Christs bodie and bloud subsisting in the person of God by hypostaticall vnion to be of infinit value he is become a flat Arrian beleeuing Christ to be pure man and not God And consequently the papists howsoeuer they thinke or speake of their masse yet in making it a sacrifice they must perforce be blasphemous against the sonne of God Again Bellarmine confesseth against himselfe vnawares and against an article of popish faith That their popish masse is not verè propriè truly and properly propitiarie Quod Christus nunc immortalis nec mereri nec satisfacere potest Because saith Bellarmine Christ now being immortall can neither merit nor satisfie But I am well assured that their holy late councell of Trent teacheth otherwise These are the words Et quoniam in diuino hoc sacrificio quod in missa peragitur idem ille Christus continetur incruentè immolatur qui in ara crucis semel seipsum cruentè obtulit docet sanctasynodus sacrificium istud verè propitiatorium esse And because in this diuine sacrifice which is made in the masse that same Christ is contained and offered vnbloudily who on the altar of the crosse once offered himselfe bloudily the holy councell teacheth it to be a propitiatorie sacrifice truly indeed Loe how the papists say and vnsay one while it is truly a propitiatorie sacrifice another while it cannot truly be so called VVell the Pope hath allowed Bellarmines doctrine and he hath also allowed the Councell and yet wise men can see how they flatly disagree and that in the highest point of their melodie Fiftly the Popes owne decrees doe seale vp this truth against the Pope these are his words Sicut ergo coelestis panis qui Christi caro est suo modo vocatur corpus Christi cum reuera sit sacramentum corporis Christi illius viz. quod visibile quod palpabile mortale in cruce positum est vocaturque ipso immolatio carnis quae sacerdotis manibus fit Christi passio mors crucifixio non rei veritate sed significante mysterio sic sacrum fidei quod baptismus intelligitur fides est As therefore the heauenly bread which is the flesh of Christ is after it manner called the bodie of Christ when indeed it is the sacrament of Christs bodie of that bodie which is visible which is palpable mortall and nailed on the crosse and that oblation of flesh which is made
by the hands of the priest is called Christs passion death crucifixion not in the truth of the thing but in a mysterie which signifieth the thing so the sacrament of faith by which baptisme is vnderstood is faith Thus saith the text Let vs now heare their own glosse vpon the same text these are the expresse words Coeleste sacramentum quod verè representat Christi carnem dicitur corpus Christi sed improprie vnde dicitur suo modo sed non rei veritate sed significate mysterio vt sit sensus vocatur Christi corpus id est significatur The heauenly sacrament which representeth Christs flesh truly is called the bodie of Christ but vnproperly wherefore it is said suo modo after it manner but not in the truth of the thing but in the mysterie of the thing signified that this may be the sence it is called Christs bodie that is to say it signifieth his bodie Out of these golden words deliuered as God would haue it by the pens of papists to the confusion of all papists I note first that the holy and blessed bread of the Eucharist or Lords supper is called the bodie of Christ. Secondly that it is also called the passion death of Christ. Thirdly that it is not Christs bodie truly properly and in the truth of the thing Fourthly that it is Christs body as the sacrament of baptisme is faith Fifthly that it is not Christs bodie in truth but in signification Sixtly that it is only called Christs bodie because it is the sacrament of his body as baptisme is called faith being only the sacrament of faith Seuenthly that it is Christs bodie impropriè suo modo significat◠mysterio improperly after a sort in the mysterie of the thing signified which words must be well remembred and marked Lastly that it is said negatiuely non rei veritate it is not Christs bodie in truth in deed or in the veritie of the thing These words are the very vpshot of the controuersie they can admit no solution For if Christs bodie were in the sacrament really and substantially with bodie flesh bloud sinews bones and quantitie as the papists say and beleeue then doubtlesse he should be there in rei veritate in the truth of the thing euen in that true bodie which was borne of the blessed virgin the true mother of true God and true man Answere papists if ye can or els come home and yeeld to the truth for shame The third Member Of the barbarous and plaine villanous proceeding against Berengarius for deniall of the abouenamed popish sacrifice POpish decrees tell vs a long tale of one Berengarius sometime deacon of a church in Gaunt who held a doctrine surely grounded vpon the holy scriptures but wholie opposite to the late popish faith viz. That the bread and wine in the holy Eucharist after Christs words vttered which they call consecration are onely the sacrament and not the true bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ and that they cannot sensuallie or sensibly for so their owne word sensualiter signifieth bee handled or broken with the hands of the priests or torne with the teeth of the faithfull For this opinion so setled vpon Gods word as all the cursed Romish brood are not able in truth to gainesay the same Pope Nicholas with his Romish synod did so cruelly proceed against the sillie deacon as he must needs either abiure and renounce the truth or else betake himselfe to be burnt with popish fire and faggot out of hand In regard whereof the poore deacon ouercome with humane frailtie yeelded at least in shew of wordes to their most wicked cruell and very barbarous or rather villanous suggestion Then the Pope and Councell set downe the forme of words which he should pronounce the summe whereof I haue alreadie alleaged who as list may read the words at large in the place quoted in the margent I omit the wordes because they are long and tedious onely I wish the reader to obserue seriously with me for this reason can neuer be answered till the worlds end that it is an article of popish faith oh horrible blasphemie That the true and reall body of the sonne of God which was borne of the vigin Marie and sitteth at the right hand of God the father omnipotent and all sufficient is torne in pieces with the teeth of the faithfull and broken asunder with the hands of the priest in their idolatrous masse For these are the words of the popish synod Manibus sacerdotum frangi fidelium dentibus atteri Which wordes are so fully farced with blasphemie and repugnant to the truth that neither Melchior Canus nor the popish glosse nor Bellarmine can tell how to shuffle vp the same but with shame inough they passe it ouer as they can Bellarmine who is as it were the Popes owne mouth writeth in this manner Respondeo nunquam fuisse quaestionem an Christi corpus vere vt est in se frangeretur manibus dentibus tereretur certum enim est semper fuit Christi corpus incorruptibile nunc existens non posse frangi teri nisi in signo siue sacramento ita vt dicatur frangi ac teri cum signum eius id est species panis frangitur teritur I answere saith the Iesuite that question was neuer made if the body of Christ as it is in it selfe were truely broken with hands and torne with teeth for it is and and euer was certaine and sure that Christs bodie being now incorruptible cannot be broken and torne saue only in a signe or sacrament so as it may be said to be broken and torne when the signe thereof that is to say the forme of bread is broken and torne Out of these words I note first that by the Popes owne doctrine for the Iesuites doctrine is the doctrine of the Pope seeing the Pope hath approoued it Christs bodie cannot be broken or torne truely and indeede I note secondly that the Pope and his Councell decreed the contrarie doctrine and that as an article of popish faith when they compelled Berengarius to confesse it with his mouth and to beleeue it with his heart and did also publish the same per vrbes Italiae Germaniae Galliae through the cities of Italie France and Germanie for so saith the decree Ego Berengarius I note thirdly that it is truely said Christs bodie is broken because the forme of the bread is broken as popish doctrine teacheth vs. For we see here that this is all that the papists can say for themselues and vpon this strong foundation and inuincible bulwarke I inferre this golden and euident corollarie viz. That if it be true to say Christs bodie is broken and torne because the signe of his bodie is broken and torne then truely may wee say and truelie doe we say that Christs bodie is in the Eucharist because the signe of his bodie is there because the sacrament of his bodie
per gratiam He would not therefore say eternall life is the stipend of iustice but he had rather say eternall life is the grace of God because the same merits to which it is rendered are not of our selues but wrought in our selues by God through grace The second text of holy scripture is contained in these wordes I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the future glory which shall be reuealed toward vs. Loe all our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all our passions afflictions and penalties that we are able to endure in this life are so farre from being meritorious of eternall life that they are in no wise comparable to the same Theoderetus doth liuely expresse this verietie in these most golden wordes Superant certamina coronae non comparantur cum laboribus remunerationes labor enim paruus est sed magnum lucrum speratur Et propterea non mercedem sed gloriam vocauit ea quae expectantur The conflicts of the crowne doe remaine the labours are not comparable to the rewards for the labour is small but the gaine hoped for is great And therefore the things expected are not called a reward but glory Anselmus hath these wordes Hoc est si quis pateretur omnes paenarum acerbitates quae in tempore presentis vitae sufferri possunt non essent omnes illae passiones dignum meritum ad consequutionem futurae gloriae quae ablato omni velamine reuelabitur in nobis If one should suffer all kindes of torment which can bee endured in this life yet would not all those afflictions torments or passions be a sufficient and condigne merite to atteine the future glory which when euery vaile is taken out of the way shal be reuealed in vs. Marke well these wordes in this famous popish writer because they are most important for seeing he was a great papist his proofe must needes be good against the papists Againe his words are so cleere and manifest that no euasion can haue place For he saith in plaine and expresse tearmes that all which is possible to be done or endured in this world can not be a worthy or condigne merite of eternall life No answere in truth can be made hereunto it iumpeth in deed with the true sense and meaning of Saint Paul The third place of holy scripture is contained in these words Not by the works of iustice which we haue done but according to his mercie he hath saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holy Ghost These are the Apostles words euen as our Rhemists haue alledged them By which words it is most cleere and apparant that we are not onely iustified but also saued of meere mercie and the free gift of God And consequently that eternall life hath no merite on the behalfe of man For after saluation once accomplished all merite is vaine and needlesse Anselmus hath these golden words Tunc saluos nos fecit qui nostris meritis eramus perditione digni non enim ex operibus iustitiae quae fecimus nos processit haec salus quia nulla opera iustitiae feceramus vnde salutem meruissemus sed ipse secundum misericordiam suam saluos nos fecit non secundum merita nostra nobis hanc salutem dedit Then did he saue vs who by our owne merites deserued perdition For this saluation came not from the workes of iustice which we haue done because we had done no workes of iustice by which wee should merite saluation but hee according to his mercie saued vs and not according to our merites gaue hee vs this saluation The famous papist Dionysius Carthusianus expoundeth Saint Paul euen as Anselmus did These are his wordes Non ex operibus iustitiae quae fecimus nos id est non propter merita nostra quae nulla fuerunt quia predictis peccatis eramus obnoxij sed secundam suam misericordiam saluos nos fecit à potestate diaboli reatuaeterui tormenti merito suae conuersations passionis Not of the works of righteousnesse which we haue done that is not for our merites which were none at all because we were subiect to the afore named sinnes but according to his mercie hath he saued vs from the power of the deuill and guilt of eternall torment by the merit of his holy conuersation and passion Loe our saluation commeth not of mans merits but of the merits of the sonne of God This shall suffice for the first reason which is drawne from the authortiie of holy writ The second reason drawne from the authoritie of the holy fathers SAint Austen hath many excellent testimonies in his workes which doe euidently approoue and confirme this my doctrine against the popish supposed condigne merit of works but I will content my selfe with one or two at this present Thus doth he write Virtus est charitas quaid quod diligenduÌ„ est diligitur haec in alijs maior in alijs minor in alijs nulla est plenissima vero quae iam non possit augeri quandiu hic homo viuit estin nemine quandiu autem augeri potest profecto illud quod minus est quaÌ„ debit ex vitio est Ex quo vitio non est iustus in terra qui faciat bonum non peccet Ex quo vitio non iustificabitur in conspectu Dei omnis viuens Propter quod vitium si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus nos met ipsos seducimus veritas in nobis non est Propter quod etiam quantum libet pâ—ofecerimus necessarium est nobis dicere dimitte nobis debita nostra cum iam omnia in baptismo dicta facta cogitata dimissa sint Charitie is a vertue with which we lout that that ought to be loued This in some is more in others lesse in others none at all but the perfect charitie which cannot be increased while a man here liueth is found in none so long as it can be increased that doubtlesse which is lesse then it should be proceedeth of sinne by reason of which sinne there is not one iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not by reason of which vice if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs by reason of which sinne how much soeuer we profit yet must we say of necessitie Forgiue vs our trespasses euen after that all our thoughts words and workes are forgiuen in baptisme Thus writeth Saint Austen that mightie piller of Christs Church out of whose most golden wordes I note sundrie excellent documents to the great comfort of the faithfull and to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent papists For first Saint Austen saith that no man can haue charitie in that perfect degree which the law requireth Secondly that the want thereof proceedeth of that vice that is inherent in vs. Thirdlie that by reason of this vice euery man is a sinner Fourthly that by
reason thereof none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight Fiftly that by reason thereof whosoeuer saith he hath no sinne is a flat lier Sixtly that how vertuously soeuer we liue yet must we desire God to forgiue vs our sinnes by reason of this inherent vice Seauenthly that we must thus pray euen after all sinnes be forgiuen vs in our baptisme Againe the same Saint Austen in another place hath these wordes Iustitia modo nostra ex fide iustitia perfecta non est nisi in angelis vixin angelis si Deo comparentur tamen si qua perfecta iustitia anim arum spirituum est quos Deus creauit in angelis sanctis iustis bonis nullo lapsu auersis nulla superbia cadentibus sed manentibus semper in contemplatione verbi Dei nihil aliud dulce habentibus nisi à quo creati sunt in ipsis perfecta iustitia est in nobis autem ex fide coepit esse secundum spiritum Our iustice is now of faith there is no perfect iustice but in the angels and scarce in the angels if they be compared to God Yet if there be any perfect iustice of soules and spispirits which God hath created in the holy Angels iust good by no lapse auerted by no pride falling but euer abiding in the contemplation of the word of God and thinking nothing sweet but him onely which created them in them iustice is perfect but in vs it is not perfect it is onely begun of faith according to the spirit Thus saith Saint Austen telling vs very plainely that there is no perfect iustice in man but doubtlesse where no perfect iustice is there can be no condigne merite of eternall life S. Ambrose is consonant to S. Austen who writeth in this manner Caro contra spiritum contra carnem spiritus concupiscit nec inuenitur in vllo hominum tant a concordia vt legi mentis lex quae membris est insita non repugnet Propter quod ex omnium sanctorum persona accipitur quod Ioannes Apostolus ait si dixerimus quoniam peccatum non habemus nos ipsos seducimus verit as in nobis non est The flesh saith S. Ambrose coueteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh neither can there be found in any man such concord or agreement that the law which is ingrafted in the members fighteth not against the law of the mind And for that cause Saint Iohns words are taken as spoken in the person of all Saints If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. Thus writeth S. Ambrose out of whose words I note first that concupiscence mooueth rebellion against the spirit in the holiest man vpon earth Secondly that this rebellion is sinne in euery one for S. Iohn speaketh of sinne indeed Thirdly that no man liuing is free from sinne and consequently that none liuing in this pilgrimage of mortalitie can condignely merite eternall life S. Chrysostome is consonant to S. Ambrose and S. Austen these are his words Etsi millies moriamur etsi omnes virtutes animi expleamus nibil dignum gerimus adea quae ipsi percepimus à deo Though we die a thousand times and though we accomplish all vertues of the mind yet doe we nothing worthie of those things which we receiue of God Theophilact saith in this manner Seruauit nos aeternum non ex operibus quae fecimus hoc est neque secimus opera iustitiae neque per haec conseruati sumus sed vniuersam salutem bonit as ipsius atque elementia operata est He hath saued vs eternally not of the works which we haue done that is neither haue we done the workes of iustice neither are we saued by them but his goodnesse and his clemencie hath wrought our saluation wholly Now to knit vp this reason with all consents in one I will here set downe the flat and plaine report of a famous Frier and popish bishop in that booke which he dedicated to Pope Sixtus the fift Post humillim am sanctorum pedum deosculationem These are the words Eodem etiam modo considerantes omnes alij doctores sancti naturalem solum modo bonorum operum valorem illum à valore iusta vitae aeterae aestimatione longissimè distare perpendentes prudenter dixerunt opera nostra non esse meritoria aut digna vita aeterna Ex lege tamen siue conuentione siue promissione facta nobiscum opera bona hominis cum adiutorio gratiae dei fiunt aeternae vitae digna illi aequalia quae seclusa illa dei promissione quae passim in sacris literis reperitur fuissent tanto premio prorsus indigna All other holy doctors also considering after the same manner the naturall value onely of good workes and perceiuing that it is exceeding farre distant from the value and iust estimation of eternall life said wisely That our works are not meritorious nor worthie of eternall life Yet for the couenant and promise made vnto vs the good workes of man with the helpe of Gods grace are worthy of eternall life and equall with it which for all that that promise of God which is frequent in the Scripture set aside were altogether vnworthie of so great reward Thus saith our popish bishop our holy Frier euen to the Pope himselfe after the humble kissing of his most holy feet VVho though he bestirre himselfe more than a little to establish the condigne merite of mans workes yet doth he in his owne kind of dispute and reasoning vtterly confute and confound himselfe For first he graunteth that not onely S. Chrysostome but all the rest of the holy fathers with him marke well gentle reader affirme constantly and vniformely with one voice and assent a testimonie almost incredible to proceed from the mouth of a papist so deere to the Pope That good workes neither are meritorious nor worthie of eternall life Secondly he graunteth freely that the best workes considered in their owne nature and kind are vnworthy of eternall life Thirdly he graunteth willingly and telleth the Pope roundly post deosculationem pedum but after the kissing of his feet that good workes euen as they proceed of grace and assistance of the holyghost are for all that altogether vnworthie of eternall life if Gods promise and free acceptation be set apart VVhich three points doubtlesse are all that we desire to be graunted concerning the doctrine of good workes And consequently though the papists neuer cease to impeach accuse slaunder and condemne vs in this behalfe yet doe we defend nothing herein as is euident to the indifferent reader but euen that which their owne best doctors in their printed bookes doe teach vs yea in those very bookes which are dedicate to the Pope himselfe and that with the solemne and religious deosculation of his holy feet The conceits which bishop Frier Ioseph alledgeth to make good his imagined
condign merite of workes are very childish and too too friuolous For first where he saith that the fathers speake of good workes onely in respect of their naturall value as he tearmeth it I answere that that silly glosse is onely inuented by him and his fellowes to saue the life of their beggerly doctrine if it would be For no such thing can be found in any one of all their bookes Nay our Frier bishop confuteth himselfe vnawares of such force is the truth when he graunteth that good workes done in grace are vtterly vnworthie of heauen if Gods promise bee set apart Where I wish the reader to obserue seriously the word prorsus vtterly which is indeed his owne and most emphaticall against himselfe Their highly renowned Abbot and cononized saint Bernardus shall tell them the truth and giue the vpshot of the game these are his expresse words Iam vero de aeterna vita scimus quâ—non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam nec si vnus omnes sustineat Neque enim talia sunt hominum merita vt propter ea vita aeterna debeatur ex iure aut deus iniuriam aliquam faceret nisi eam donaret Now touching eternall life we know that the sufferings of this time are not worthie of the glorie to come no not if one man could sustaine all For the merits of men are not such that for them eternall life is due by right or that God should doe some iniurie if he gaue it not The same Bernard in another place hath these expresse words Deest gratiae quicquid meritis deput 13. Nolo meritum quod gratiam excludat Horreo quicquid de meo est vt sim meus nist quod illud magis forsit an meum est quod me meum facit Gratiae reddit memihi iustificatum gratis sie liberatum à seruitute peccats It derogateth from grace whatsoeuer thou ascribest to merite I will haue no merite that excludeth grace I abhorre whatsoeuer is of mine owne that I may be mine owne vnlesse perchance that is more mine owne which maketh me mine owne Grace iustifieth me to my selfe freely and so deliuereth me from the bondage of sinne The same Bernard in another place hath these expresse words Sic non est quod iam quaeras quibus meritis speremus bona presertim cum audias apud prophetam non propter vos sed propterme ego faciam dicit dominus Sufficit admeritum scire quod non sufficiant merita Sed vt ad meritum satis est demeritis non presumere sic carere meritis satis ad iudicium est So there is no cause that thou shouldest now aske by what merits we hope for glorie especially since thou hearest the prophet say I will doe it saith the Lord not for your sake but for mine owne It is sufficient to merite to know that our merites are not sufficient But as it is ynough to merite not to presume of merites so to want merites is ynough to iudgement Out of the most excellent testimonies of this famous papist I note many worthie lessons for the benefit of the reader First that nothing which man can doe or suffer in this life is worthie of the ioies of heauen Secondly that heauen is not due to any man for his owne deserts Thirdly that God should doe no man wrong no not the best liuer on earth if he should debarre him from the ioyes of heauen Fourthly that whatsoeuer is ascribed to mans merite the same is derogatorie to Gods grace Fiftly that Bernard renounceth all merit which excludeth grace that is to say all merit of mans workes whatsoeuer for so himselfe expoundeth himselfe Sixtly that he abhorreth whatsoeuer is his owne and so he denieth any thing within himselfe to be meritorious or worthie of eternall life Seuenthly that the most sufficient merit in man is this viz. to know and confesse that our merits are no merits indeed Eightly that to want merits is ynough for mans condemnation VVhich last obseruation doth fitly expound that which I vttered in the beginning of this article to wit that the word merit in that sence in which the fathers vse it is not to be reiected though in these our daies it commonly be abused For to want merits in their sence as Bernard here declareth euidently is to haue no good workes which good works I affirme willingly both with the old and late writers of best account to be so necessarie to attaine eternall life as the vsuall ordinarie and vndoubted means by which God decreed from eternitie freely for his owne name sake to bring his chosen and elect to saluation that without the same none haue beene are or shall be saued world without end if as I said in the beginning time be graunted to doe them The third reason drawne from the doctrine of best approoued Papists and their renowned schoole-doctors THomas Aquinas whose doctrine no papist may gainesay or refuse hath these expresse words Manifestum est autem quod inter deum hominem est maxima inaequalitas in infinitum enim distant totum quod est hominis bonum est à deo vnde non potest hominis à deo esse iustitia secundum absolutam aequalitatem sed secundum proportienem quandam in quantum scilicet vterque operatur secundum modum suum Modus autem mensura humanae virtutis homini est à Deo ideo merituÌ„ hominis apud deum esse non potest nisi secundum presuppositionem diuinae ordinationis ita scilicet vt id homo consequatur à Deo persuam operationem quasi mercedem ad quod Deus ei virtute operandi destinauit It is manifest that between God and man there is exceeding great inequalitie as which doe differ in infinit all the good that man hath is of God VVherefore mans iustice receiued of God cannot be according to absolute equalitie but after a certaine proportion to wit in as much as either worketh according to his condition Now man hath the measure and condition of his vertue from God and therefore mans merit cannot be with God saue onely according to the supposall of Gods holy ordinance so forsooth that man may attaine that at Gods hand by his working as a reward to which God hath designed to him the facultie and power of working Thus writeth their grand master papist Aquilias who vtterly ouerthroweth all popish merit as it is this day defended and beleeued in the Church of Rome For first Aquinas telleth vs marke well for this is a weightie point that where there is not perfect equalitie there can be no merit properly Secondly he graunteth freely that there is infinit inequalitie betweene God and man as euery child knoweth to be true Thirdly he freely confesseth that mans iustice is not absolute but imperfect Fourthly he graunteth willingly that man doth merit nothing in Gods sight saue onely by way of his free acceptation Fiftly he confesseth in like
vs expresly that the two tables written with the finger of God contained all the wordes which the Lord spake to them in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly Fiftly God commanded that the king of the Israelies so soone as he should be established in his throne should write out the Deutronomie or law repeated in a book according to the example which the priests of the Leuiticall tribe should giue him that he might meditate therein all the dayes of his life Sixtly Iosue made a couenant with the people and gaue them a law in Sichem and wrote all the wordes in the booke of the law VVhich words were nothing else but a repetition of the couenant written by Moses which couenant Iosue was commanded to obserue so strictly that he might neither decline to the right hand nor to the left And the same law contained all those precepts ceremonies and iudgements which God commanded Moses to teach the people of Israel Locus secundus Ne addas quicquam verbis eius Dei ne forte arguat te inueniaris mendax Thou must ad nothing to Gods words lest he reprooue thee and thou be found a lier This text Saint Hierome vnderstandeth of the holy scriptures to which no man may ad any thing bee it more be it lesse The scriptures therefore are most perfect and absoute and containe euery doctrine needfull for vs to know Locus tertius Ad legem magis ad testimonium Quod si non dixerint iuxta verbum hoc non erit eis matutina lux To the law and to the testimonie If they speake not according to this word there is no matutine or true light in them Loe they that refuse to be taught of Gods prophet who is the mouth of God and seeke helpe at the dead which is the illusion of Satan are here reprooued as men void of knowledge and as blind leaders of the blind And withall they are charged to seeke remedie in the word of God where his will is declared They and wee must euer in all doubts and difficulties haue continuall recourse to the law of God which law is here tearmed the testimonie because it is the testification of Gods will toward man because there is set downe what God requireth of vs because we may find in it whatsoeuer is necessarie for vs to know For the Prophet ioyneth the testimonie with the law not as a thing distinct from it but as an explication of the same As if he had said yee must in all doubts haue recourse to the law of God because it is the testimonie of his holy will Saint Hierome yeeldeth the like sense and interpretation of this place these are his wordes Si vultis nosse quae dubia sunt magis vae legi testimonijs tradite scripturarum Quia si noluerit vestra congregatio verbum domini quoerere non habebit lucē veritatis sed versabitur in erroris tenebris If ye will know the things that are doubtfull ye must haue recourse to the law and to the testimonies of the scriptures For if your people will not seeke Gods word they cannot attaine the light of truth but shall walke in the darknesse of errour Locus quartus Mementote legis Mosis serui mei quam mandaui ei in Horeb ad omnem Israel Remember the law of Moses my seruant which I commanded to him in Horeb to all Israel Marke these wordes seriously because they proue euidently the question now in hand For this Malachias being the last of Gods Prophets and foreseeing by the spirit of God that the Israelites should bee without Prophets a long time euen till the comming of Christ doth here exhort them diligently to be mindfull of the law of Moses As if he should say the time is at hand when ye shall be destitute of Prophets and therefore yee must marke well what the law saith and doe according to the prescript rule thereof But what is the reason why hee maketh no mention of the Prophets doubtlesse because all things as you haue already heard are fully comprised in the written word of the law For although the law and the Prophets were vntill Iohn the one foretelling Christs comming by word the other by tipes and figures yet was the doctrine of the Prophets nothing else in deede but an explication of the law and consequently Malachie willing the Israelites to remember the law of Moses doth thereby sufficiently insinuat the doctrine of the Prophets as who are nothing else but the interpreters of Moses For from the law they might neither turne to the right hand nor to the left That the law containeth the whole Christian doctrine necessarie vnto saluation two famous popish doctors Lyra and Dionisius Carthusianus doe testifie whose wordes shall be alledged expresly when I come to the places of the new testament Ex nouo Testamento Locus primus Haec scripta sunt c. These are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Here the reader must obserue seriously with me that this Gospell was written after all other scriptures of the old and new testament euen when the canon of the scriptures was complet perfect and fully accomplished viz. almost an hundred yeeres after Christ ascention into heauen about the fourteenth yeere of the raigne of Domitianus then emperour VVhich obseruation being well marked all the sottish cauils of the papists will easilie be auoided Now let vs see how the auntient fathers doe vnderstand this place of scripture Saint Cyrill hath these wordes Non omnia quae Dominus fecit conscripta sunt sed quae scribentes tam ad mores quam ad dogmata sufficere putarunt vt recta fide operibus ad regnum coelorum perueniamus All things which our Lord did are not written but those things onely which the writers deemed sufficient as well for manners as for doctrine that by a right faith and good life we may attaine the kingdome of heauen Saint Austen hath these wordes Cum multa fecisset dominus non omnia scripta sunt electa sunt antem quae scriberentur que saluti credentium sufficere videbantur VVhen our Lord had done many things all were not written but so much was chosen out to be written as was thought to be sufficient for the saluation of the faithfull Loe gentle reader so much is comprised in the holy scriptures as is necessarie for our saluation as well in those things which concerne our life and manners as in things concerning faith and doctrine VVhich if the papists will graunt vs they may keepe their vnwritten traditions vntill Gods people haue need thereof For I see not why they should enforce vs to admit them except they were necessarie either for faith or at the least for good maners both which notwithstanding
not the scriptures onely but the fathers also doe denie Locus secundus Non enim subterfugi quo minus annuntiarum vobis omne consilium Dei For I haue not spared to shew vnto you the whole counsell of God This portion of scripture is vnderstood of things pertaining to our saluation as two famous popish writers Nicholaus Lyranus and Dyonisius Carthusianus doe contest with me Carthusiauus hath these wordes Sed cum alibi scriptum sit quis consiliarius eius fuit sapiens quoque dixerit quis homini poterit scire consilium Dei quomodo potuit Paulus omne consilium Dei annuntiare hominibus respondendum quod non simpliciter de omni consiliâ—â— Dei intendit sed de omni consilio Dei quantum ad humanam spectai salutem Quemadmodum etiam ait saluator omnia audiui à patre meo nota feci vobis But seeing it is written else where who hath beene his counseller and seeing the wise man also saith what man can know the counsell of God how could Paul shew vnto men all the counsell of God answere must bee made that he meaneth not simply of all the counsell of God but of all the counsell of God so farre foorth as appertaineth to mans saluation As our sauiour also saith all things which I heard my father I haue notified vnto you Lyra teacheth the very same doctrine I omit his words for the regard I haue to breuitie By whose iudgement it is most euident that the whole counsell of God touching our saluation is contained in the holy Scriptures And it will not helpe the papists to answere or say that all the counsell of God was preached but not written For first the Apostle saith he was called to be an Apostle seuered into the Gospell of God which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy Scriptures Secondly he auoucheth plainely that he taught none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come to passe Thirdly Lyranus and Carthusianus two renowmed papists tell vs that all necessarie doctrine is contained in the precepts of loue Carthusianus hath these words Omnia precepta documenta hortamenta legis ac prophetarum ordinantur ad horum obseruantiam mandatorum virtualiter continentur in cis sicut conclusiones in primis principijs All precepts documents and exhortations of the law and the prophets are ordained to the keeping of these coÌ„mandements and are virtually contained in them as conclusions in the first principles Lyranus hath these words Propter hoc omnia mandata legis monitiones non sunt nisi quaedam explicationes istorum duorum mandatoruÌ„ Quia omnia ordinantur ad dilectionem dei proximi similiter doctrina prophetarum ad hoc ordinatur For this cause all the commandements of the law and all admonitions are nothing els but certaine explications of these two commaundements Because all things are ordained to the loue of God and of our neighbour and in like manner the doctrine of the prophets is referred to the same end Fourthly the Iesuit Bellarmine telleth vs that the books of the prophets and Apostles are the infallible rule of faith These are his expresse words Illud in primis statuendum erit Propheticos Apostolicos libros iuxta mentem ecclesiae Cath. olim in Conc. 3. Carthag nuper in Conc. Trid. explicatam verum esse verbum dei certam ac stabilem regulam fidei This must be set downe for a ground and sure foundation that the bookes of the prophets and Apostles according to the mind of the Catholike Church declared aforetime in the third counsell of Carthage and of late in the counsell of Trent is the true word of God and the sure and stable rule of our faith The same Iesuit in another place hath yet more manifast and cleere words which are these Quare cum sacra scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissimaque sit sanus profecto non erit qui ea neglecta spiritus interniâ—soepe fallacis semper incerti iudicio se commiserit VVherefore seeing the holy Scripture is the most certaine and most secure rule of faith he is not well in his wits doubtlesse who hauing neglected the same shall commit himselfe to the iudgement of the internall spirit which often deceiueth and neuer is sure or found These words of our Iesuiticall Cardinall if they be well marked will not onely confound himselfe who elswhere teacheth the contrarie doctrine but also euidently proue the controuersie now in hand For first he saith that the bookes of the Apostles and Prophets rightly expounded are the infallible rule of faith Secondly that the holy Scripture is the most safe and most secure rule how to beleeue Thirdly that he is mad whosoeuer will giue credit to the inward spirit and not stay himselfe vpon the written word All which doubtlesse confound him and his Iesuiticall broode as who will not relie vpon the written testimonies of Gods truth but seeke after vnwritten falshoods and vanities and ground their faith vpon the same Fiftly S. Austen teacheth the selfesame truth when he telleth vs flatly that nothing is contained in the Gospell and epistles of the Apostles which is not also comprised in the law and the Prophets These are his expresse words In eo tanta praedicatio prenuntiatio noui testamenti est vt nulla in euangelica atque Apostolica disciplina reperiantur quaâ—uis ardua diuina proecepta promissa quae illis etiam libris veteribus desint In the old testament the new testament is so largely preached and foreshewed that nothing can be found in the discipline or doctrine of the Gospell and of the Apostles although they be hard and diuine precepts and promises which are wanting in those old bookes This being so it followeth of necessitie that all things needfull to saluation are contained in the Scriptures For S. Paule preached all the counsell of God S. Paules preachings are contained in the doctrine of the prophets the doctrine of the prophets is contained in the law the law was written with the finger of God Ergo à primo ad vltimum all things necessarie for our saluation are contained in the written word of God Locus tertius Because from thine infancie thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhich are able to make thee wise vnto saluatioÌ„ throgh faith which is in Christ Iesus Thus saith S. Paul But doubtlesse if so much be written as is able to make vs wise to saluation we stand in need of no more it is ynough Let the papists keepe their vnwritten traditions to themselues let vs relie vpon the written truth Let vs be wise vnto saluation contenting our selues with that which it pleased God to reueale in his written word and let them be presumptuous and curious to follow mans inuentions and to beleeue vnwritten vanities The second reason drawne from
the authoritie of the holy Fathers DIonysius Areopagita who liued in the daies of the Apostles doth liuely deliuer this truth vnto vs in these expresse words Omnino igitur non audendum est quicquam de summa abstrusaque diuinitate aut dicere aut cogitare praeter ea quae nobis diuinitus scripturae diuinae countiarunt In no wise therfore may we make bold to speake or thinke any thing of the most high and ineffable diuinitie saue that only which holy writ hath reuealed to vs from heauen S. Augustine that glistering beame and strong pillar of Christs church auoucheth plainely that all things necessarie for our saluation are contained in the written word as is alreadie prooued in the former reason and he confirmeth the same doctrine in another place where he hath these expresse words In his enim quae apertè in scriptura posita sunt inueniunter illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi spem scilicet atque charitatem For in those things which are plainely set downe in the holy Scripture all things are found which containe faith and manners that is to say hope and charitie The same S. Austen in another place hath these expresse words Credo quod etiam hinc diuinorum eloquiorum clarissima authoritas esset si homo sine dispendio promissae salutis illud ignorare non posset I beleeue that euen in this point also we should haue most cleere testimonie of holy writ if a man could not be ignorant thereof without the losse of his saluation S. Irenaeus hath these words Non emim per alios dispositionem salutis nostrae cognouimus quam per eos per quos euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quidem tunc preconiauerunt postea vero per dei voluntatem in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum For we know the dispensation of our saluation by them onely by whom the Gospell came to our hands which Gospell they first preached but afterward by Gods appointment they deliuered the same vnto vs in writing that it might be the foundation and pillar of our faith Tertullianus an auncient writer who liued aboue 1300 yeeres agoe hath these expresse wordes Adoro scripturae plenitudinem quae mihi factorem manifestat facta An autem ex aliqua subiacenti materia facta sint omnia nusquam adhuc legi Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis offiicina si non est scriptum timeat vae illud adijcientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum I reuerence the plenitude fulnesse and perfection of the scripture as which sheweth to me both the maker and the things which are made But that all things are made of some subiacent matter I neuer could yet read any where Let Hermogenes his shop shew vs where it is written If it be no where written let him be afraid of that woe which is prouided for them that adde or take away from the Scripture Loe gentle reader these three most auntient fathers doe teach vs many very excellent documents First that we know the dispensation of our saluation by Christs Apostles Secondly that we receiued the Gospell from them Thirdly that they first preached the mysteries of our saluation deliuering the Gospell by word of mouth Fourthly that afterward they committed the same to writing Fiftly that the Scripture was written by Gods owne appointment Sixtly that it was written for this end and purpose That it might be the pillar and foundation of our faith Seuenthly that we may not speake or thinke any thing of God which we find not written in Gods booke Eightly that the holy Scripture is perfect and containeth all things necessarie for vs to know Ninthly that all such as teach or beleeue any doctrine not contained in the Scriptures must drinke of the cup of eternall woe for their paines Let vs proceed and see what other fathers of later times tell vs. S. Cyprian who liued about 249 yeares after Christ viz. aboue 1300 yeares agoe hath these words Vnde ista traditio Vtrumne de dominica euangelica authoritate descendens an de Apostolorum mandatis epistolis veniens Ea enim facienda esse quae scripta sunt deus testatur proponit ad Iesum Nave dicens Non recedet liber legis huius ex ore tuo sed meditaberis in eo die ac nocte vt obserues facere omnia quae scripta sunt in eo Si ergo aut euangelio precipitur aut in Apostolorum epistolis aut astibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio From whence came this tradition Did it descend from the authoritie of our Lord or his Gospell Or came it from the mandates of the Apostles or their epistles For that those things must be done which are written God himselfe doth witnesse and propose to Iesus Naue saying The booke of this law shall not depart from thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein night and day that thou maiest obserue to doe all things which are written in it If therefore it be either commaunded in the Gospell or be contained in the Epistles or in the Acts of the Apostles let this diuine and holy tradition be obserued Thus writeth S. Cyprian shewing plainely that all traditions ought to be examined by the written word and nothing to be admitted which is not contained in the same or grounded thereupon VVhere I note by the way for the helpe of the reader that though Cornelius then bishop of Rome whom now the papists tearme Pope and his holinesse together with the whole nationall synode of all the bishops of Italie had made a flat decree touching rebaptization and though also Pope Stephanus his holinesse had confirmed the same decree and commaunded it to be obserued and thirdly though our papists of late daies doe obstinately affirme that their Pope cannot erre when he defineth iudicially Yet this notwithstanding S. Cyprian teacheth and telleth vs plainly and roundly that in his time the bishop of Rome had no such authoritie as this day he proudly and antichristianly taketh vpon him for he roundly withstood the decree of Pope Stephanus who then was bishop of Rome and both sharpely reprooued him and contemned his falsely pretended authoritie And for all that S. Cyprian was euer reputed an holy bishop in his life time and a glorious martyr being dead But if the bishop of Rome had beene Christs vicar and so priuiledged as our papists beare the world in hand he is then doubtlesse S. Cyprian must needs haue beene an hereticke and so reputed and esteemed in the Church of God For if any Christian shall this day doe or affirme as S. Cyprian did or publickely denie the Popes falsely pretended prymacie in any place countrey territories or dominions where poperie beareth the sway then without all peraduenture he must be burnt at a stake with fire and faggot for his paines S. Athanasius hath these words Sufficiunt sanctae ac diuinitus inspiratae
scripturae ad veritatis iuditionem The holy scriptures inspired of God are sufficient for the discussion and manifestation of the truth VVhere the reader must obserue with me that Athanasius contending against the Gentiles that their idols were not gods and proouing that Christ was true God and true man by the Scriptures and withall auouching that the Scriptures were sufficient to decide and determine the controuersie should haue made a very foolish argument and haue concluded nothing at all if any necessarie truth had beene wanting and not fully contained in the holy scriptures S. Epiphanius hath these words Nos vniuscuiusque quaestionis inuentionem non ex proprijs ratiocinationibus dicere possumus sed ex scripturarum consequentia VVe cannot shew the inuention of euery question out of our owne proper reasons but by consequence of the scriptures S. Cyrill hath these words Necessarium nobis est diuinas sequi literas in nullo ab earum prescripto discedere It is necessarie for vs to follow the holy scriptures and not in the least iot to depart from the prescript rule thereof S. Chrysostome hath these words Si quid dicatur absque scriptura auditorum cogitatio claudicat nunc annuens nunc haesitans interdum sermonem vt friuolum aduersans interdum vt probabilem recipiens Verum vbi è scriptura diuinae vocis prodijt testimonium loquentis sermonem audientis animum confirmat If any thing be spoken without the scripture the cogitation of the auditours faileth sometime yeelding sometime staggering and sometime reiecting the speech as friuolous sometime receiuing it as probable But so soone as the testimonie of Gods voice is heard out of the scripture it confirmeth both the word of the speaker and the mind of the hearer The same S. Chrysostome in another place hath these words Quicquid quaeritur ad salutem totum iam adimpletum est in scripturis Loe these holy fathers and auntient writers who all of them liued aboue a thousand and one hundred yeeres agoe teach the selfesame doctrine with the former fathers They tell vs first that the holy scripture is sufficient to decide all controuersies Secondly that we must affirme or hold no doctrine but that which we find in the scriptures Thirdly that we must not in the least point of doctrine depart or swarue from the rule of holy scripture Fourthly that in the holy scripture is fully comprised whatsoeuer is necessarie for mans saluation But let vs yet heare the verdict of some others S. Ambrose hath these words Non negamus imò potius horremus hanc vocem Sed nolo argumento credas sancte imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus interrogemus apostolos interrogemus prophetas interrogemus Christum VVe denie not but rather abhorre the word Yet holy emperour I would neither haue you beleeue our argument nor our disputation Let vs aske counsell vpon the scriptures let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ himselfe and so know what is the truth S. Basill hath these words Si quicquid ex fide non est peccatum est sicut dicit apostolus fides vero ex auditu auditus autem per verbum dei ergo quicquid extra diuinam scripturam est cum ex fide non sit peccatum est If whatsoeuer is not of faith be sinne as the Apostle saith and if also faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God then doubtlesse whatsoeuer is not in the holy scripture the same is sinne because it is not of faith The same S Basill in another place hath these words Stemus arbitratu in spiratae à deo scripturae apud quos inueniuntur dogmata diuinis oraculis consona illis omnino veritatis adiudicetur sententia Let vs be iudged by the scripture which came from God by inspiration and whose doctrine shall be found consonant to Gods Oracles let the truth be iudged to be on their side S. Hierome hath these words Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur This opinion is as easily reiected as it is affirmed because it hath no authoritie from the scriptures The same S. Hierome in another place hath these words Quomodo narrabit non verbo sed scriptura Videte quid dicat qui fuerunt non qui sunt vt exceptis Apostolis quodcunque aliud postea decatur abscindatur non habeat postea authoritatē Quamuis ergo sanctus sit aliquis post Apostolos quamuis disertus sit non habeat authoritatē Quoniā dominus narrat inscriptura populorū principū horam qui fuerunt in ea How shall he shew it not by word but by the holy scripture Marke what he saith who were but not who are to the end that the Apostles being excepted whatsoeuer other thing be afterward spokē it must be reiected it must haue no authority at all Wherfore though a man be holy though he be learned yet seeing he commeth after the Apostles let him be of no authoritie For our Lord speaketh to vs in the scripture of his people and of the princes that were therein The same Saint Hierome in an other place hath these wordes Erog nec parentum nec maiorum error sequendus est sed authoritas scripturarum Dei docentis imperium Therefore we must neither follow the errour of our parents nor of our auncestours but the authoritie of the scriptures and the commandement of God teaching vs. The third reason drawne from the authoritie of famous popish writers IOhn frier the late bishop of Rochester one highly renowmed amongst the papists and with them canonized for a Saint and glorious Martyr so as his authoritie must perforce be of credit against them hath these expresse words Scriptura sacra conclaue quoddam est omnium veritatum quae Christianis scitu necessaria sunt The holy scripture is a certaine store-house of all truths which are needfull to be knowne of Christians In another place the same famous papist hath these wordes Contendentibus itaque nobiscum haereticis nos alio subsidio nostram oportet tueri causam quam scripturae sacrae Therefore when heretiques contend with vs wee must defend our cause by other meanes than by the holy scripture These are the very expresse words of their owne famous popish bishop of their holy Saint of their glorious matyr who laboured with might and maine for the Popes vsurped soueraintie and defended the same in the best manner he was able And yet for all that he hath bolted out vnawares and against his will such is the force of truth which must needs in time preuaile so much in plaine tearmes as is sufficient to ouerthrow all poperie for euer and to cause all people that haue any care of their saluation to renounce the Pope and his abhominable doctrine to their liues end For first our popish bishop telleth
he speaketh not generally of all readers of the scripture but of those wicked ones which depraue not onely S. Paules Epistles but also all other scriptures to their owne perdition Howbeit to debarre all the godly who with all humilitie and reuerence desire to read the scriptures and to abandon one onely particular euill by taking away the good wholly and generally may well be resembled to those vnskilfull physitions who cannot deliuer their patients from any particular disease except they take away their liues But wise Salomon was of another mind when he affirmed all the words of wisedome to be open and easie to euery one of vnderstanding that is which haue a desire to the truth and are not blinded of the prince of this world For as by the foole he meaneth euery wicked man so by a man of vnderstanding he meaneth euery one that is godly Hereupon it is said that God reuealeth his secret counsels to all that feare him That whosoeuer will do the will of God the same shal know his doctrine That they which abide in Gods word shall know the truth That God reuealeth his will vnto the simple and vnlearned ones and hideth his secrets from the wise and prudent That the whole bodie of the scripture from the head to the foot thereof is tearmed a lanterne to ourfeet and a light vnto our pathes That Gods word is like a candle shining in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day-star arise in our hearts That the spirituall man doth vnderstand all things which are necessarie for his saluation for so Lyra and Dionysius Carthusianus two great learned papists doe expound the place And consequently if Gods word be hidden to any it is hidden to those that perish to those whose vnderstandings the God of this world hath blinded that the light of the Gospell of the glorie of Christ should not shine vnto them S. Chrysostome hath these golden words Quid opus est concionatore Per nostram negligentiam necessitas ista facta est Quamobrem namque concione opus est Omnia clara sunt plana ex diuiais scripturis quaecunques necessaria sunt manifesta sunt VVhat need is there of a preacher Our negligence hath caused this necessitie For to what end is a sermon needfull All things are cleere and euident in the holy scriptures what things soeuer are necessarie the same are manifest The same S. Chrysostome in his Commentaries vpon the Epistle of the Colossians hath these words Audite quotquot estis mundani vxoribus prae estis ac liberis quomodo vobis potissimum precipiat scripturas legere idque non simpliciter neque abiter sed magna diligentia Sequitur Paulo inferius Audite obsecro seculares omnes Comparate vobis biblia animae pharmaca Si nihil aliud vultis vel nouum testamentum acquirite Apostolum Acta Euangelia continuos ac sedulos doctores Si acciderit maestitia huc veluti apothecam pharmacorum introspice Hinc tibi sume solamen mali siue damnū euenerit siue mors siue amissio domesticorum Imònon introspice solum sed omnia iterum atque iterum versa menteque illa contine Hoc demum malorum omnium causa est quod scripturae ignorantur Iterum doce puerum tuum Psalmos illos canere Philosophiae plenos Hearken all ye that are encombred with worldly affaires and haue charge of wiues and children how you specially are commanded to read the scriptures and that not simply nor slenderly but with great diligence Heare I pray you all secular persons Prouide and furnish your selues with bibles the soueraigne medicines of your soules If you will haue no other thing at the least prouide the new Testament the Apostle the Acts the Gospell the continuall and diligent doctors If any griefe come turne thine eye vnto the scripture as to the Apothecaries shop full of medicines From hence receiue sollace of euill whether domage or death or losse of worldly goods chance vnto thee Yea looke not onely to the scripture but volue and reuolue all things contained therein and keepe the same in mind For this is the cause of all manner of euils that men are ignorant in the holy scriptures Teach your children to sing Psalmes which are full of Philosophie Thus writeth this holy father teaching vs at large how necessarie and needfull a thing it is for euery one to studie and read diligently the holy scriptures For first he telleth vs plainely that all necessarie points of doctrine are so plaine and manifest as one may vnderstand the same without the preacher Secondly that they who are charged with wiues children and worldly affaires are specially and more than others commaunded to read the scriptures The reason hereof he yeeldeth in another place because the more they are encombered with the cares of the world the more need they haue to enioy the helpes of the holy scripture These are his words Quid ais homo Non est tui negotij scripturas euoluere quoniam in numeris curis distraberis Imò tuum magis est quam illorum Neque enim illi perinde scripturarum egent presidio atque vos in medijs negotiorum vndis iactati VVhat sayest thou ô man Is it not thy part and dutie to read the holy scriptures because thou art encombred with many worldly cares yea it is so much more thy charge than it is theirs For they haue not so great need of the helpe of the scriptures as you haue who are tossed in the middest of the waues of worldly troubles Thirdly that all secular persons of both sexes must furnish themselues with the holy Bible Fourthly that they must not onely read the scriptures barely and slenderly but that they must doe the same with great diligence Fiftly that the scriptures doe minister comforts for all sorrowes and soueraigne medicines for all sores Sixtly that the ignorance of the scriptures is the cause of all euils Seuenthly that parents must teach their children to sing Psalmes yea euen those Psalmes which are replenished with Philosophie S. Austen teacheth in the same manner that all things necessarie for mans saluation are plaine and easie to be vnderstood These are his expresse words In his enim quque apertè in scriptura posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi For in those things which are plainely set downe in the holy scripture are found all things concerning faith and manners The same S. Austen in another place hath these words Magnifice igitur salubriter spiritus sanctus ita scripturas sanctas modificauit vt locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret God hath so tempered the holy scriptures that by manifold places he might prouide against famine and by those which are more obscure he might cleanse the loathsomenesse of our stomacke And his reason hereof followeth in these next words Nihil
should raign 1000 yeeres after the generall resurrection Basilius another holy father saith that Zacharias the sonne of Barachias slaine betweene the altar and the temple was father to S. Iohn the baptist These absurdities the papists are this day ashamed to hold and yet did these fathers receiue them by Apostolicall so supposed tradition as their own famous doctor Andradius graunteth willingly Fiftly popish tradition telleth vs that all the bishops of Rome one after another haue taught succesiuely the selfesame doctrine with S. Peter Howbeit their own deere doctor and religious frier Nicholaus de Lyra auoucheth plainely roundly and boldly to the whole world that many bishops of Rome haue fallen away from the faith and become flat Apostataes And least this my narration be thought strange vnto many that our holy fathers the Popes should be Atheists or Apostataes and that their own deare brethren in high esteeme among them would neuer so write of them I will deale plainely in this important point and after my wonted manner set downe his owne expresse words Thus doth he write Ex quo patet quod ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis ecclesiasticae vel secularis quia multi principes et summi pontifices et alij inscriores inuenti sunt a side apostatasse Propter quod ecclesia consistit in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera et confessio fidei et veritatis VVhereby it is euident that the Church doth not consist in men by reason of power or dignitie either ecclesiasticall or secular because many princes and Popes and others of the inferiour sort are found to haue beene apostataes and to haue swarued wholie from faith For which cause the Church consisteth in those persons in whom there is true knowledge and confession of the faith and of the truth Thus writeth this learned papist whom their owne so supposed martyr sir Thomas Moore called a great clearke as he was indeed whose words are well worthie to be engrauen in marble with golden letters For by his iudgement it is cleare and euident that not they who sit in S. Peters chaire are euer the true and lawfull successors of S. Peter but they only and solely that confesse and preach S. Peters faith and doctrine as also that their receiued maxime vbi Papa ibi Roma vbi Roma ibi ecclesia catholica is false vaine and friuolous VVe therefore this day impugne nothing in popish proceedings but the selfesame indeed which famous popish doctors reproued afore our time and that in their publicke writings published freely to the whole world VVhich thing whosoeuer will seriously ponder as my selfe haue done that man must perforce detest and abhorre all popish superstitious trumperie But of this argument I haue discoursed at large in my booke of Motiues Sixtly popish tradition telleth vs that the blessed virgine Marie the true mother of true God and true man was conceiued without originall sinne and that the bishop of Rome did for that end ordaine a feastiuall day of her conception to be kept vpon the eight of December But by your leaue Aquinas their owne Angelicall Doctor affirmeth resolutely that she was conceiued in originall sinne Yea their other holy doctor and deare frier Bernard doth very sharpely reprooue the Cathedrall Church of Lyons because they obserued the feastiuitie of the conception of the blessed virgine and the calleth that their practise the noueltie of presumption the mother of temeritie the sister of superstition and the daughtet of leuitie That done he addeth these words Hoc non est virginem honor are sed honori detrahere This is not to giue honour to the virgine but to take honour from her Yet Pope Sixtus the fourth did institute the feast of the conception Seuenthly popish tradition telleth vs that the emperour Constantine worthily surnamed the Great was baptised at Rome in a font there remaining to this day my self haue seene the same Howbeit Hieronymus Eusebius Socrates Theodoritus Sozomenus Cassiodorus and Pomponius doe all affirme very cōstantly that he was baptised at Nichomedia Eightly popish tradition hath brought flat idolatrie into the Church teaching to adore them as saints and Gods friends who were known heretickes and professed enemies to God and his Church This to be so their owne deare friend and brother Platina will tell them when he affirmeth the dead corps of Hermannus to haue been worshipped for a saints reliques at Ferrara the space of twentie yeares together who for all that was an hereticke as the same Platina auoucheth VVhere two speciall things are to be obserued seriously first the vncertainetie of vnwritten traditions secondly the danger in giuing credit to the same Now it remaineth for the better contentation of the reader to make answere to such obiections in defence of popish traditions as the papists haue euer in their mouths and boast of them as if they were insoluble The first Obiection VVe doe not know which bookes of the scripture are canonicall and which are not but onely by the vnwritten traditions of the Church And yet is this a matter of faith and very necessarie vnto saluation The answere This is that mightie obiection wherein the papists glorie and boast beyond all measure and say more rashly than wisely that it can neuer be truly answered I therefore shall desire the gentle reader to ponder well my words and then to iudge of the matter as right reason shall prescribe My answere is this First there is great ods betweene the primitiue Church and the Church of late daies VVhich to be so the famous popish doctor Durandus will contest with me For the Apostles as Durand saith wisely heard Christs doctrine saw Christs myracles and were replenished with the holy ghost and consequently they must needs be fit witnesses of all that Christ did and taught But these adiuncts cannot be rightly ascribed to the late bishops of Rome and their cursed Iesuited brood Secondly the old testament was deliuered by the Iewes and confirmed by Christ and his Apostles and therefore as the papists admit that tradition and withall doe reiect their other manifold vnwritten traditions which the Iews in their Talmud affirme to be of Moses euen so doe we receiue this tradition and reiect all vnwritten traditions contrarie to the same Thirdly the bookes of the new testament are but an exposition of the law and the Prophets as I haue alreadie prooued in the first proposition of this present article And consequently it may be discerned and tried by the same as the godly Bereans tried S. Paules preaching Fourthly when we affirme all things necessarie for our saluation to be comprised and contained in the scriptures we then speake of them as they are acknowledged and agreed vpon both among the Iewes for the old Testament in the which the new is comprehended and ioyntly for the old and new throughout the Christian world And
Athanasius that albeit the words be not expressed in the scriptures yet haue they that meaning which holy writ approoueth Answere ô papists if ye can if not repent for shame and yeeld vnto the truth The eight Article Of the impossibilitie of keeping Gods commandements in popish sense TOuching this article the reader must seriously obserue with me this adiunct in popish sense because it is both emphaticall and of great moment For I will not affirme simply and absolutely that Gods children can not keepe his commandements in a godlie sense and Christian meaning but this I constantly denie and at this presēt intend in God to proue the same effectually against all Iesuits and Iesuited papists That none haue kept do keepe or can keepe Gods commaundements in popish sense and meaning viz. that none are so pure holy and free from sinne that they can stand with God in iudgment and challenge eternall life as of debt due vnto them for their holy life Marke well gentle reader my discourse for I hope in God to hit the naile on the head and to set downe that which will be as heauie to the papists heart as a piece of lead The Apostle telleth vs in plaine and very expresse words That the best liuers vpon earth are sinners In multis enim offendimus omnes For we all offend in manie things But certes if it be true as it is most true indeed for S. Iames being inspired with the holy Ghost cannot lie That the holy Apostles committed many sinnes then doubtlesse it is not in euerie ones power to keepe Gods commandements neither will it helpe the papists to distinguish after their wonted manner of mortall and veniall sinnes For besides that I haue proued alreadie in the sixt Article that euery sinne is mortall in it owne proper nature both the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the transgression of the law and also the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a declining from the right way doe euidentlie conuince the same For it can neuer be trulie said that hee performeth and keepeth the law which transgresseth the law or swarueth from the same It is the truth which S. Paul alledgeth out of the law Cursed is euerie one that abideth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to doe them It is also the truth which S. Iames saith That whosoeuer keepeth the whole law and yet faileth in one point is become guiltie of all To which may be added innumerable texts both of the old and new testament that the best liuers vpon earth doe sinne and transgresse Gods commaundements Holy Moses telleth vs in the first booke of his Pentatench That when God saw that the wickednes of man was great on the earth that all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only euill continually then it repented God that he had made mā on the earth Iob telleth vs That God found no stedfastnes in his Saints yea he saith farther That the heauens are not cleane in his sight And he addeth these wordes How much more is man abhominable and filthie which drinketh iniquitie like water The kingly Prophet saith that in Gods sight none that liueth can be iustified VVise Salomon saith that no man living is able truely to say he is cleane from sinne The same wise man saith in like maner that the iust man sinneth many times Esay saith that all our righteousnes is as filthie clouts Esdras saith he was ashamed for his own sinnes and for the sinnes of the people because their trespasse was growne vp vnto heauen Saint Paul sheweth at large that all men are sinners and that no man is able to be iustified by his workes All saith hee both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne There is none righteous no not one they haue all gone out of the way they haue all beene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Now we know that whatsoeuer the law saith it saith to them which are vnder the law that euery mouth may be stopped and all the world be subiect to the iudgement of God There is no difference for all hane sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Againe in another place he hath these words For they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God going about to stablish their owne righteousnesse haue not submitted themselues to the rightenesse of God the case is cleere and euident For as the Prophet saith If God should marke our iniquities and reward vs after our deeds none of vs were able to endure it Now let vs heare S. Austens graue sentence concerning this controuersie Diliges inquit proximum tuum sicut teipsum Deum vero ex toto corde ex tota anima ex tota mente vt omnes cogitationes tuas omnem vitam omnem intellectū in illū conferas à quo habes ea ipsa quae confers Cum autē ait toto corde tota anima tota mente nullam vitae nostrae partem reliquit quae vacare debeat quasi locum dare vt alia ve velit frui Thou shalt loue thy neighbour saith he as thy selfe but God with thy whole heart with thy whole soule and with thy whole mind that thou maist cōferre vpon him all thy thoughts and all thy life all thine vnderstanding of whom thou hast receiued the selfe same which thou doest conferre or giue But when he saith with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy mind he hath left no part of our life which may be vacant and as it were giue place to haue fruition of any other thing The same Saint Austen saith againe in another place That this commaundement of louing God with all our heart cannot be perfecty fulfilled of any man in this life These are his wordes In quae plenitudinc charitatis praeceptum illud implebitur Diliges dominū Deum tuū ex toto corde tuo ex tota anima tua ex tota mente tua Nam cum est adhuc aliquid carnalis concupiscentiae quod vel continendo froenetur non omnimodo ex tota anima diligitur Deus Non enim caro sine anima concupiscit quamuis caro concupiscere dicatur quia carn aliter anima concupiscit Tunc erit iustus sine vllo omnino peccato quia nulla lex erit in mēbris eius repugnans legi mentis eius sed prorsus toto corde tota anima tota mente diligit Deum quod est primum summumque praeceptum Cur ergo non praeciperetur homini ista perfectio quamuis cam in hac vita nemo habeat Non enim rectè curritur si quo currendum est nesciatur In which fulnesse of charitie that commaundement shall bee fulfilled Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy