the kingdome of heauen And we are all by nature the children of wrath In one word none are free from sin but he whom the blessed Virgin conceaued without the law of the flesh rebelling against the law of the minde as Saint Austin proueth most learnedly by a cloud of witnesses of the auncient Fathers against Iulian the Pelagian Nay euen they of the Church of Rome shew by their exorcising before baptisme that they thinke none to be without sin where we doe not now dispute of the lawfulnes of that vse but by that conclude that in this point they hold a truth So that the maine thing which you so seeme to mislike is a thing not holden or defended sauing in some particular case as the Virgin Marie by any that I know for euen that streame of originall sin hath ouerflowed all mankinde out of which dayly proceede those great and innumerable multitudes of actuall sins Your three false conclusions seeme to establish a threefold error contrary to the doctrine of all Churches that are accounted Christian. First that all sin is but one sin Secondly that all sins are equall Thirdly that all sins are vnited The first making no diuision of the kinds of sin the second no distinction of the qualities of sin and the third no difference in committing sin Against these we say and we hope warranted by truth that sins are of diuers kinds of diuers degrees of diuers natures and that all are not where one is Sins then may be distinguisht in respect of the obiect against whom God our neighbour ourselfe of the matter wherein in the 〈◊〉 Ignorance heresie in the body as the desires of the flesh from the manner of committing of Ignorance Infirmity Malice from the action it selfe or our dutie of omission of commission From the degrees by which they rise in the hart only in the toung in the hands or the worke it selfe From the qualities of the persons of Saints which are veniall not imputed of the wicked mortall for which they shall be condemned From the guilt not pardonable as the sin against the Holy ghost pardonable not crying or crying sins as the sheading of innocent bloud the afflicting of the fatherlesse or widow the sin of Sodome last of all the denying the laborers wages These are called crying sins because for their greatnesse they call aloude for a great punishment Others make a distinction of the seauen Capital or deadly sins which as we haue no great reason to admit so we haue as little reason to disallowe knowing that euen those are the heads and fountaines of all sins of the second table The second assertion which we hold is that all sins are not equall this was an opinion of the Stoicks who desirous to seeme vnwilling to commit the least held an opinion that they were equall to the greatest a good care grounded vpon an euill reason If a pilote say they ouerturned a ship full of gold he sinned no more then if he ouerturned a ship full of strawe for although there be a difference in the losse yet the vnskilfulnes or negligence is all one Or if two erre from the scope euen he that misseth a little as well erreth as he that misseth a great deale But as in the former of shipwrack the fault was greater because he had greater reason to make him circumspect reason telling vs that where we haue mo and stronger motiues to doe any thing there we haue lesse excuse and the sin greater if we doe it not for the latter he erreth as well but not asmuch seeing both shooting at one marke it is not al one to be a foote a rod wide And therfore that lawe that forbad but one thing thou shalt not kil forbad three things as Christ expoundeth it anger to thy brother to call him foole to offer him violence these hauing euery one as their seueral degrees so their seuerall punishment For who will say that the first is as great a fault as the second or the third as small as the first for doubtles things that are all forbidden doe in their owne nature admit more or lesse And howsoeuer in some sort vertues are called equall yet vices are not for all vertues from the vanity of the world tend but to one perfection either to reason as the Philosophers thought or to say better to the reueiled will of God which is the rule of good and euill but sinnes departing from this leadeth vnto diuers vanities in diuers kinds Neither are vertues all equall simply but by a kinde of proportion because they all proceede from the loue of God and all tend vnto his glory otherwise in it selfe faith is better then teÌ„perance one vertue may in the same man be far more excellent then in many others As faith in the Centurion obedience in Abraham patience in Iob the consideration of this inequality of sinne as it acquainteth vs with those steps that sinne maketh in vs â—o it causeth vs not to dispaire that we haue committed some but to hope and to be thankfull that we haue escaped greater Assuring our selues if we be not ourselues wanting that though wee cannot auoid all sinnes yet we may and shall auoid all great and presumptuous sinnes This heresie then wee leaue to his first Authours Iouinian and the rest and so come to the last point Because Saint Iaemes saith hee that keepeth the whole law and offendeth in one is guiltie of all some thought all sinnes to be imputed vnto him that committed anie one but Saint Iames onely telleth vs that God exacteth a keeping of them all The Schoolemen they interpet this place thus In all sin are two things a departure from God a comming to the creature which made S. Austine call sinne an vsing of that which wee ought to enioy and an enioying of that which wee ought but to vse So that in respect of the departure it is true that S. Iames saith he departeth as well from God that committeth but one sin as he that committeth many but not so farre Therefore to impose this vpon vs were to adde euen to those that are oppressed already a burthen farre greater then the law doth for by obedience of the diuine lawe wee tend from manie to one but by disobedience from one to many and those diuers and therfore though vertues haue amongst themselues their vnion and consent yet vices haue their dissent nay their opposition So that this then is the conclusion that though no man bee without all sin yet many are without many presumptuous sinnes which because through prayers and good meanes they auoid it followeth not an vtter exclusion of all sinne nor because they commit the least it followeth not that they offend equally as if they committed all ARTICLE X. Of Predestination LEast you should be like those whose humility ye are loth to imitate ye haue drawne your readers in this Article to a serious consideration of
A IVST AND TEMPERATE DEFENCE OF THE FIVE BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTICAL POLICIE WRITTEN BY M. RICHARD HOOKER Against an vncharitable Letter of certain English Protestants as they tearme themselues crauing resolution in some matters of doctrine which seeme to ouerthrow the foundation of religion and the Church amongst vs. Written by WILLIAM COVEL Doctor in Diuinitie and published by authority The contents whereof are in the page following Psalm 112.6 The righteous shall be had in an euerlasting remembrance At LONDON Printed by P. SHORT for CLEMENT KNIGHT dwelling at the signe of the holy Lambe in Paules church-yard 1603. The Articles handled in this Booke 1 Of the Deity of the Sonne of God 2 Of the coeternitie of the Sonne and the proceeding of the holy Ghost 3 Whether the holy Scriptures containe all things necessary to saluation 4 Whether the Scriptures be aboue the Church 5 Of the nature and freedome of mans will 6 Of the vse of faith and good works 7 Whether God allow more then he commandeth 8 Of the vertue of good works 9 None free from euery sinne how from all 10 Of Predestination 11 Whether the Church of Rome be any part of the visible Church 12 Of Preaching and Sermons 13 Of the Ministers office 14 Of the nature of the Sacraments 15 Of Christs institution of the Sacraments 16 Of the necessitie of Baptisme 17 Of Transubstantiation 18 Of speculatiue doctrine or sentences mistaken 19 Of Caluin and the reformed Churches 20 Of Schoolemen Philosophie Reason c. 21 Of the stile and maner of M. Hookers writing TO THE MOST REVEREND Father in God my verie good Lord the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace Primate and Metropolitan of all England THree principall causes Right Reuerend haue moued me to offer this small Labour to your Graces view First the iust respect of my particular dutie which challengeth al parts of my labor as a most thankefull acknowledgement of that seruice which I owe vnto you Secondly the forme of our Church gouernment which imposeth a submitting of our labours to the censure and allowance of those to whom by right that charge belongeth wherein seeing your authoritie and care next vnto our dread Soueraigne is and is to bee esteemed greatest I desire you to vouchsafe to giue that allowance which your Grace in your wisdome shall thinke fit The last reason is the person of him who whilest he liued was aduanced honoured and esteemed by you and now being dead his learning and sinceritie against the false accusations of others challengeth a defence at your Graces hand For doubtlesse it is more right to vertue to defend the deceased then to aduance those that are liuing This as reason euer expecteth at the hands of vertue so especially then when men of worth of desert of learning are mistaken and accused by those that doe want all I craue to the rest of all your Graces fauours that this last may be added That whatsoeuer my imperfections are in this iust and temperate Defence they may no way diminish the honourable remembrance of him whom I doe defend all allowance is his due the faults are mine for which in all humilitie I craue pardon Your Graces to bee commaunded W. COVEL TO THE READER SEeing we are all bound in the dutifull respect of a common iust cause euen to defend those who are strangers to vs it cannot seeme vnfit to any if we affoord theÌ„ so much fauour whose persons and deserts are verie well knowne There is no better contentment for our labour past then in the assurance from our conscience that it is well imployed for doubtlesse the spurning at vertue giueth a greater stroke to the doer then to him that suffereth yet euen that religion that coÌ„mandeth patience forbiddeth not the iust defence of our selues in a good cause especially then when by wronging a particular man there may be some hazard of the truth it selfe Our Church hath had some enemies more openly discontent in the case of Discipline then they now appeare whom to satisfie with reason Maister Hooker indeuoured with much paines that which might haue contented all was in diuers a spurre to a more violent choler for medicines how profitable soeuer worke not equally in all humours From hence proceeded a desire in some to make question of things whereof there was no doubt and a request for resolution of some points where in there was no danger to this end a Letter which heere is answered was published by certaine Protestants as they tearme themselues which I heare how true I know not is translated into other tongues this they presume hath giuen that wound to that reuerend and learned man that it was not the least cause to procure his death But it is farre otherwise for he contemned it in his wisdome as it was fit and yet in his humilitie would haue answered it if he had liued Surely for mine owne part I neuer thought it conuenient that the grauity of this present businesse and the reuerend worthinesse of him that is accused should not be answered with grauitie both of person and speech and my witnesses are both in heauen and earth how iustly I can excuse my selfe as Elihu did Behold I did wait vpon the word of the ancient and harkened for their knowledge I stayed the time and a long time vntill some elder and of viper iudgement might haue acquited me from all opinion of presumption in this cause which being not done by theÌ„ whom many reasons might haue induced to this Defence I could not for that part which I beare in that Church whose gouernment was defended by Maister Hooker with patience endure so weake a Letter anie longer to remaine vnanswered And herein I haue dealt as with men although to me vnknown of some learning and grauitie to whom peraduenture in manie respects I am farre inferiour and yet for anie thing that I know or appeareth in this Letter they may bee clothed with the same infirmities that I am But if this had beene by himselfe performed which I heare he hath done and I desire thee to expect it thy satisfaction gentle Reader would haue beene much more yet vouchsafe in thy kindnesse to accept this The Authours Preface LIttle hath labour done to make any man excellent if vertue haue not as much power to make it continue neither were it anie honour to deserue well if our memories might die with our names â—or our names be buried as often â—s malice or enuie doth seeke to hide them Fewe things are eminently good which are indured amongst distempered iudgements without bitter reprehension for where weakenesse hath not strength enough to imitate and reuerence that vertue which it feareth it hath violence and malice sufficient to detract from that vertue which it hateth Amongst euill persons as there be fewe things that are good in themselues so there be not manie things which they are willing should appeare good in others for vertue where it is not followed
in the strength of it often So that some ascribed more then was fit others lesse then they ought imputing al to a stoical and fatall necessitie Now that we may truly vnderstand the ignorance or mistaking wherof hath bin the ground of your exception in this third article what good things man of himselfe may do or know without the grace of God we are taught first that all actions are of three sorts naturall which are common to man with the brute beasts as to eate sleepe and such like which appertaine to his naturall life Secondly ciuill which we call politicall or morall humane actions as to buie sel to learne anie art and to conclude any other action which concerneth the politick or priuate society of man Thirdly those which belong to the kingdome of God to a perfect happy and true Christian life as to repent vs of our sinnes to beleeue in God to call vppon him to obeie his voice to liue after his precepts and such like now the question is what grace and power is requisite to man to performe any or all these Where we must obserue that some men how properlie I know not make the grace of God to be threefold First that generall motion and action diuine of which Saint Paule saith in him we liue we moue and haue our beeing This the Schoolemen call a generall ouerflowing and of the late writers especially of Luther it is called the action of the omnipotency and this grace is common to all that are within that compas to be called creatures Secondly there is a grace of God which is a special fauor of God by the which he bestoweth and deuideth his gifts and morall vertues both to the faithfull and vnfaithfull as pleaseth him To the faithfull that hauing the helpe afterward of a better light they may serue to be meanes of their saluation to the vnfaithfull for speciall vses and manifold in the society of man and to make themselues in the end without excuse Such were those gifts in the Romans and others of the heathen of iustice fortitude temperance prudence which they thought were from nature but we acknowledge to be from the speciall fauour of God for as being so truth is but one and by whom soeuer it is done or spoken it proceedeth from the Holy-ghost and therefore I both maruaile at those who make an opposition betwixt this light of nature and the scripture being both from one fountaine though running in diuers streames and that some men peeuishly refuse the excellentest truthes of heathen learning seeing euen in them these haue proceeded from the Holy-ghost Thirdly there is a grace of regeneration or the grace of Christ without which there can bee nothing performed of man truly good for saith our Sauiour Without me you can doe nothing and Saint Paule Not I but the grace of God which is with me so that this must be the perfection of the other two which is powerfull to mans saluation not rasing out that which before was but finishing that which before was imperfect The two first induing man with a passiue power as the schoolemen call it which though actually it can doe nothing yet it is fit to performe that which it hath no repugnancy in his owne nature to resist as wood can be made fire which water cannot The last only affoording that actual power which maketh him capable of the supernaturall worke so that it is true in diuinity that the possibility to haue faith is from nature but to haue it it is of grace as Saint Austin and Prosper hold neither of them vnderstanding an actuall hauing of faith without the grace of regeneration This made the Fathers in their sermons to the people to stirre them vp to prayer and good workes to tell them often that wee can loue God and doe good workes whereunto they only ment that we had a passiue power which stocks and brute beasts haue not Now for the actiue power wee hold that man hath not this in naturall things without the generall helpe of God and in morall actions or the learning of artes not with that generall helpe onely which hath bin some mens error but from a more speciall and peculiar grace the weakenes of those common notions of good and euill iust and vniust left in our nature by a newe impression after sin is for the most part such that they can hardly discerne any thing no not in arts vnlesse they be inlightned from aboue And therfore that Numa amongst the Romans Solon amongst the Athenians Lycurgus amongst the Lacedemonians and that many other amongst the Gentiles were wise and in that kinde vertuous was not so much from nature as from a speciall grace whose morall workes saith Saint Austin were good in their office and action but not in their end This argument he very learnedly handleth against Iulian the Pelagian where he concludeth two thinges that there can be no true vertues or truly chast workes in infidels and that those works whatsoeuer they are are not from nature but from a speciall grace the hauing whereof though it serue not of it selfe to saluation yet we are not afraid to affirme that the want of these doe ordinarily exclude from saluation Iustice fortitude temperance prudence being the effects of the same grace but lesse powerfully working faith hope and charity only taught by a supernaturall truth So that though the light of nature teach a truth necessary to saluation without the scripture yet it teacheth no knowledge which is not conteined in holy scripture the difference only being in this that the light of nature doth not teach all that the scripture doth but that the scripture teacheth all more perfectly which is taught by the light of nature heerein only neither excluded as vnnecessarie the one being subordinate to the other and both meanes of the same thing To conclude then this point wee hold being warranted by holy truth that the scriptures are the perfect measure and rule of faith and that without Christ we cannot be compleat and yet for all this that nature so inlightened teacheth those morall vertues without which is no ordinary saluation but we say not that matters and cases of saluation bee determined by any other lawe then warranted by holy scripture or that we are or can be iustified by any other then in Christ by faith without the workes of the lawe for there is no other name which is giuen vnder heauen amongst men by which we must be saued The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him for except a man bee borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of heauen ARTICLE IIII. Holy scriptures aboue the Church THough the vnthankefulnes of man be without excuse euen from the brightnes that riseth from looking vpon al the creatures which with their beames shineth into the darkest corners
the free will both being the rationall power of desiring but that the one respecteth the end and then it is called will the other respecteth the meanes and then it is called free-will So the same power of vnderstanding as it respecteth the first principles is called vnderstanding as it respecteth the conclusion which is gathered by a discourse from the principles it is called reason Now this reason concerning things doubtful hath naturally in it selfe a way to both opposites but leaneth to that for the most part wherunto either appetite ignorance or grace sway it So that though freely and without constraint it follow naturally the wisedome of the flesh yet without a supernaturall grace the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God For it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeed can be This being duly weighed with vnderstanding and considered of with a charitable humilitie such as the cause requireth euery man may see notwithstanding your accusation that our Church in this neither differeth from the truth nor Master Hooker at all from our Church ARTICLE VI. Of Faith and Works WHere charity hath not power enough to guide reason there malice out of ignorance is able to make conclusions against sense For the eies being blinded which naturally are to perform the best offices of seeing the colours that are discerned otherwise are litle better then the false errors of a troubled fancy For where the light is darkenes how great must that darkenes be To attaine by a supernaturall power to that felicity which is an acte of the greatest mercy as infinite numbers faile in the thing so there are not a few which vtterly mistake the meanes And whilest all that are Christians acknowledge it to be a grace eager contentions are stirred vp whether it be imputed or inherent in vs. And seeing in this acte of iustification by the consent of all man doth receiue from God what he hath the question is what vertue must be in that hand to inable weakenes to receiue such strength and how that faith must be accompanied that is able to clothe our soules with the righteousnes of anothers merit Heere we haue aduersaries whom peraduenture we mistake as they mistake vs making as in other points a misconstruction to be the ground of a great difference and the strongest opposition to arise from hence that nether part is willing to vnderstand each other Heere if we should but discouer the least meanes of reconcilement some hasty spirits would not stick to accuse vs as more then partiall and that treacherouslie we sought to betray the cause In that we purpose to set downe what truth warranteth in this behalfe it is rather to free him from suspition whom you doe accuse then that hee in that wherein you accuse him any way standeth in neede of our weake defence If man rightly value but the merit of the Sonne of God and how so humble and innocent obedience to so lowe a state must needes in iustice make a full satisfaction for so great a sin he cannot chuse but confesse that onely for the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ through faith and not for works and our merits we are accounted righteous before God If the soule of man did serue only to giue him being in this life then things appertaining to this life would cōtent him as we see they doe other creatures which creatures inioying those things by which they liue they doe seeke no further but in this contentation doe shew a kinde of acknowledgement that there is no higher good which any way doth belong vnto them With man it is far otherwise for although all inferiour things were in the possession of one yet he would euer with a desire thirst for some thing aboue all those so that nature euen in this life doth claime a perfection higher and more diuine then any thing in it selfe which man must receiue in the reward now rewards doe alwaies presuppose such duties performed as are rewardable our naturall meanes vnto blessednesse are our workes nor is it possible that nature should euer finde any other way to saluation but only this Yet seeing that no man can say since the foundation of the world that his workes are pure but that all flesh is guilty of that for which God hath threatned eternally to punish there resteth either no way vnto saluation or a way which must needs be supernatural and aboue mans reach Had Adam continued in his first estate mans absolute righteousnes and integrity in all his actions had bin the way of life to him and to all his posterity though peraduenture not in so large a manner as heauenly felicity doth import the possession whereof euen the least moment were too abundant a retribution Yet now we fayling in that which was our dutie it were a thing impossible in nature to obtaine the other The light of nature is neuer able to find out any way of obtaining the reward of blisse but by performing exactly the works of righteousnes Therfore God hath prepared a supernaturall way namely that we doe beleeue not that God doth require nothing vnto happines at the hands of men as Maister Hooker sayth sauing only a naked faith for Hope Charity we may not exclude but that without faith all other things are as nothing this being the grounde of those other diuine vertues The principall obiect of faith is that eternall verity which hath discouered the treasures of hidden wisdome in Christ the highest obiect of hope is that euerlasting goodnes which in Christ doth quicken the dead the final obiect of charity is that incōprehensible beauty which shineth in the countenance of Christ the Son of the liuing God The first beginneth heere with a weake apprehension of things not seene and endeth in the beholding of God in the world to come The second beginneth heere with a trembling expectation of things far remoued and as yet but only heard of and endeth with a reall and actuall fruition of that which no toong is able to expresse The third beginneth heere with a weake inclination of hart towards him vnto whom we are not able to approch and endeth with an endles vnion the mystery wherof is higher then the reach of the thoughts of men And howsoeuer the apprehension of that righteousnesse wherby man is iustified be properly but the worke of one yet we dare not neither doe any learned in our Church make faith to be naked of other vertues and therefore it is so much the more strange that you follow the error which our aduersaries haue accused vs for as though it were an opinion holden by our Church In this article against Maister Hooker you say that God requireth no more at the hands of men vnto happinesse then a naked beleefe And a little after We claime nothing by any dutie we do or can do or any vertue which wee find in our selues but onely by
of God then the word Church Somtimes it is taken for any assembly somtimes for a faithful religious assembly and theÌ„ it sometimes noteth out the whole bodie of the elect in all ages times places both in heauen earth and only them So it is in the article of our faith I beleeue the catholike church that is all those who are or shal be saued both Angels men so it is taken in that speech of our Sauior VpoÌ„ this rock will I build my church that is the whole catholike church Somtimes it is taken for that part only which is in heauen as when it is said that the church is without spot or wrinckle which can be verified of no part whatsoeuer the Anabaptists dreame but of that which triumpheth Sometimes it is taken for that part of the catholike church which is militant that thou maist knowe howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the church of the liuing God the piller and ground of truth So feare came vpon all the church Sometimes it is taken for the pastors and gouernours onely of the church as when it is said Tell the church that is the heads and gouernours of the church Sometimes for the people Take heede therefore vnto yourselues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the church of God which he hath purchased with that his owne bloud Somtimes for particular churches professing the doctrine and religion of Christ as To the Angell of the church of Ephesus so we say the church of Rome the church of Corinth the church of England now from the mistaking of this worde Church doubtlesse much harme and needlesse contentions haue come vnto the church of Christ. For in the first great contention of what persons the Church consisteth in my opinion wee dispute of one Church namely the true Catholike all which must be saued they dispute of the visible wherein are hypocrites also So that the reasons that are brought on both sides are smally to the purpose seeing both sides directly mistake the question Thus in the iudgment of those of the Church of Rome persons excommunicate though vniustly are cut off froÌ„ the particular Church but not froÌ„ the catholike excommunication being only the censure of a particular Church Therfore saith our Sauior Christ many are called with an externall calling to the society of the â—isible Church but few are chosen that is to the Cathoâ—icke For though both be a folde yet of the visible Church saith Saint Austin In the Church there are many wolues and out of the Church there are many sheepe but in the Catholicke without any other mixture are sheepe only Now visible and inuisible maketh not two Churches but the diuers estate condition of one the same Church Hence coÌ„meth it to passe that in this question of the visibility of the Church there is the like mistaking as in the former for they of Rome say we haue made this distinction because our Church hath not bin alwaies visible but we say if our Church had bin as glorious and as famous as any Church in the world we would haue accounted the Catholicke Church inuisible Which no doubt of it they of Rome doe vnderstanding Catholick and visible as we meane For the Church of Christ which we properly tearme his mystical body can be but one neither can that one be sensibly discerned by any man in as much as the parts therof are some in heauen already with Christ and the rest that are on earth albeit their natural persons be visible yet we cannot discerne vnder this property wherby they are truly and infallibly of that body only our minds by internal conceit are able to apprehend that such a real body there is a body collectiue because it conteyneth a huge multitude a body mystical because the mystery of their coniunction is remoued altogether from sense Whatsoeuer we reade in scripture concerning the endles loue and the sauing mercy which God shewed towards his Church the only proper subiect therof is this Church They who are of this society haue such markes and notes of distinction from al others as are not subiect vnto our sense only vnto God who seeth their harts and vnderstandeth al their secret cogitations vnto him they are cleere and manifest In the eie of God they are against Christ that are not truly and sincerely with him in our eies they must be receiued as with Christ that are not to outward shew against him to him they seeme such as they are but of vs they must be taken for such as they seeme Al men knew Nathaniel to be an Israelite but our Sauiour pearsing deeper giâ—eth further testimony of him then men could haue done with such certainty as he did behold indeede an Israelite in whom is no guile Now as those euerlasting promises of loue mercy and blessednes belong to the mystical Church euen so on the other side when wee reade of any duty which the Church of God is bounde vnto the Church whom this doth concerne is a sensible knowne company and this visible Church in like sort is but one continued from the first beginning of the world to the last end which company beeing deuided into two parts the one before the other since the comming of Christ that part which since the comming partly hath imbraced and partly shal hereafter imbrace the Christian Religion we tearme as by a proper name the Church of Christ. For all make but one body the vnity of which visible body and the Church of Christ consisteth in that vniformity which al seueral persons thereunto belonging haue by reason of y e one Lord whose seruants they all professe theÌ„selues to be that one faith which they al acknowledge that one baptisme wherwith they are al receiued into the church As for those vertues y t belong vnto morall righteousnes honesty of life we do not speake of them because they are not proper vnto Christian meÌ„ as they are Christian but do concerne theÌ„ as they are men True it is the waâ—t of these vertues excludeth from saluation so doth much more the absence of inward beleefe of heart so doth despaire and lack of hope so emptinesse of Christian loue and charity but we speake now of the visible Church whose Children are signed with this marke One Lord one Faith one Baptisme In whomsoeuer these things are the Church doth acknowledge them for her children them only she holdeth for aliens and strangers in whom these things are not found For want of these it is that Saracens Iewes and infidels are excluded out of the bounds of the Church others we may not though you doe denie to be of the visible Church as long as these things are not wanting in them For apparant it is that al men are of necessity either Christians or not Christians if by externall
that the Sacraments by the worke done actiuely doe not affoord grace though rightly vnderstood passiuely they may by the worke done for in that iustification and meanes of righteousnesse whereof man is made partaker by the Sacraments manie things concurre First in Gods behalfe a will that we should vse those sensible elements in Christs behalfe his passion from which the sacraments haue their vertue in the Ministers behalfe his power his will in the receiuers behalfe will faith repentance in respect of the Sacrament it selfe the externall action which ariseth out of the fit application of the matter the form of the Sacraments Now that which in all this actiuely and instrumentally bringeth grace is the externall action which is commonly called the Sacrament This hauing his vertue from his institution and not from anie merit either in the Minister or in him that receiueth For the wil of God which vseth the Sacramēts as that meanes of grace which it hath ordained concurreth actiuely but as a principall cause the passion of Christ concurreth as a cause meritorious the power and the will of the Minister necessarily concurre but as causes further remoued hauing their vse only in effecting the sacramentall action in whose due circumstances of administring he is vnwilling to faile Will faith and repentance are necessarily required in the receiuer that is of yeares not as actiue causes but as fit dispositions for the subiect for faith and repentance make not the sacramentall grace nor giue power to the Sacrament but onely remoue those lets which are hindrances that the Sacraments exercise not that vertue that is annexed to them So that in infants in whom no such disposition is required the sacrament of Baptisme is auaileable without these And therefore to satisfie your demaunds in this Article wee conclude that a man dying without faith and receiuing the sacramentall signes for sacraments he cannot receiue shall not be saued and not receiuing them if his want bee not either negligence or contempt may be saued Yet the latter to vs is fearefull and ordinarily impossible whereas the former is an euidence of our hope and giueth most iust reason charitably to iudge So that we say with Saint Austin he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation but he that contemneth to eate hath not life and therefore shall not come to eternall life And yet those things that hurt the vnworthy receiuer do much profit him who receiueth them as he ought ARTICLE XV. Of Christs Institution IT is not an apprehension equally incident vnto the iudgments of all wise men rightly to conceiue the true dependance of things for those who allow and confesse actions to haue much vertue oftentimes do mistake from whence that vertue commeth this as it happeneth in causes of more vsuall and knowne nature so it is sometimes euen in those things where the authour is but one and he incomparably the best Because he vouchsafeth to admit instruments of a lower conditiō to be agents in the performance of things of so great an vse This maketh men in the sacraments those holy institutions of God left vnto the Church often to faile in a due estimation of them And when they do graunt their vse to be singular yet euen then to doubt whereupon this dependeth because the same things performed by diuers are not the same and those which admit no difference in respect of substance yet are subiect in regard of some circumstance to an alteration either more or lesse From hence hath proceeded the difference in this article which ouer violently you vrge to be betwixt Maister Hooker and our Church of whom as vsually you do you carie too iealous a suspition of too great agreement with the Church of Rome That sacraments haue a vertue euen more then to be onely signes is already proued but whether this vertue be lesse where the Minister hath moe faults or none at all where his intention is not to administer a sacrament that commeth now to be discussed in this place To make the Sacraments depend for their grace vpon the integritie of men were to denie the benefit to a great number without cause and to punish men for a fault that were none of theirs The first of these is denied by fewe nay some are so farre from opinion that sin in the Minister is anie let to the sacrament that they are not affraid to affirme that Sacraments are effectuall though administred by Satan himselfe Doubtlesse few sauing onelie some Anabaptists denie the efficacie of the Sacraments for the defects of life in the lawfull dispensers of them They are inestimable fauours vnto Gods Church not to be measured by the hand from whom immediately wee receiue them but by that Almightie power the fountaine of all goodnesse from whence they do first come For as amongst men it were want either of iudgement or ciuilitie or both lesse to esteeme of the benefit for the meannesse of the messenger where we are vndoubtedly assured that it is the princes seale so in the Sacraments we must esteem them as the seales fauours of God himselfe whatsoeuer the imperfections are in those Ministers from whom we haue them For the defects of men being in the Church and lawfully called to those functions no way touch the efficacie of the Sacraments whose vertue dependeth vpon a higher power And therefore we denie all reiteration of Baptisme whatsoeuer the defects for manners are in those that do first giue it For we are equally baptized into the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-ghost what vnworthines or inequality soeuer remaine in the persons that do baptize For the holinesse of the Sacraments is no way polluted by the vncleannesse of the handes that giue them For those Sacraments which vnreuerently being handled as Saint Austin saith doe hurt the giuer yet euen by their hands profit those that receiue them worthily It was both in Asia and Africk an error longe since that the Sacraments were not firme which were administred by Heretickes or Schismatickes separated from the vnity of the Church The first author of this was Agrippinus Bishop of Carthage whom Saint Cyprian succeeded as Saint Austine writeth and was a little infected with the same errour After these were the Donatists but we wil not labour for confirmation of this point because you obiect nothing against Master Hooker in it And it is no controuersie at all betwixt vs and the Church of Rome and therfore we say with the auncient Fathers Stephanus Siricius Innocentius the first Leo Anastasius the second in his epistle to Anastasius the Emperour with the councels first the generall councell of Nice often alledged by Saint Austin to this ende the first councell of Carthage the last assembly at Trent with the testimonies of Fathers and Doctors and according to the articles of our Church by you alledged That by the malice of wicked men which are ouer the administration