scripture 1. Deut. 17.12 He that harkeneth not vnto the priest that man shal die But mark I pray you what goeth before v. 11. according to the law which they shal teach thee according to the iudgement which they shall tell thee shalt thou do see then here is no absolute iudicial power giuen to the priest but according to the law of God 2. The example of the Apostles Act. 15. is as fōdly alleadged where it was decreed saith the Iesuite that the Gētiles shuld not be burthened with ceremonies which saith hee was not determined by the scriptures but by the absolute suffrages of the Apostles Again their decrees were absolutely imposed vpon the Churches without any further examination of the Disciples Ergo we are now also absolutely bound to obey all decrees of Councels Bellar. de concil 1.18 We answere first it is false that this matter was determined without scripture for Iames alleadgeth scripture Peter thus reasoneth we beleeue through the grace of God to be saued as wel as they v. 11. therfore what need this yoke of ceremonies 2. Though there had been no scripture who seeth not that the spirit of God so ruled the Apostles that their writings and holy actions should serue for scripture vnto the ages following Thirdly the Disciples needed not to examine their decrees knowing that they were gouerned by the spirit as they themselues write It seemed good to vs and the holy Ghost yet we see the brethren of Bereae searched the scripture for the trueth of those things which the Apostles preached Act. 17.11 When they can proue such a plenarie power fulnes of the spirit in their pastors and Councels as was in the Apostles we wil also beleeue them The Protestantes WE doe firmly beleeue that neither the Church nor Councels haue any such absolute power to determine without the holy scriptures either beside or agaynst them or to binde other men to obey such decrees Neither that the true Church of God dare or will arrogate such power vnto it self But that Councels are ordayned for the discussing deciding of doubtful matters according to the scriptures and word written 1. If the Apostles preachings might bee examined according to scripture much more the acts of all other Bishops and pastors But that was lawful in the Disciples of Berea Act. 17.11 which are commended for it therefore called noble couragious Christians because of this their promptnes diligence in searching out of the truth Ergo. 2. All things necessarie to saluation to be beleeued are articles of our fayth but al such articles must be grounded vpon the word of God therfore nothing can be imposed as necessary to saluation without the word of God Wherefore it is a blasphemous saying of the papists that the Church may make new articles of fayth Rhemens annot in 1. Tim. 3. sect 9. and Eckius maintained the same poynt agaynst Luther in the disputation at Lipsia and brought forth a new article of faith agreed of in the Councel of Constance that it is de necessitate salutis of the necessitie of saluation to beleeue that the Pope is the head of the Church The fathers of Basile more modest then so concluding that it was an article of fayth to beleeue that Councels were aboue the Pope doe vse this reason those things say they which we alleadge for the superioritie of general Councels are gathered out of the sayings of our Sauiour Christ. Ergo we are al bound to obey them Therefore we conclude that the word of God only written is the rule of fayth and al things necessary to be beleeued Rom. 10.10 Fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word Councels are to explane and declare articles of faith not to establish new 3 Lastly we will heare Augustine speake Nec tu debes Ariminense neque ego Nicaenū tanquā praeiudicaturus proferre concilium scripturarum authoritatibus c. Neither must I alleadge the Nicen Councel nor you the Arimine I am neither bound to the one nor you to the other let the matter be tried by Scripture cont Maximu Arrianum lib. 3. cap. 14. By this fathers sentence therefore no man is bound of necessitie to be tyed to Councels but the Scripture onely is absolutely to be beleeued THE SEAVENTH QVESTION WHETHER Councels be aboue the Pope or not The Papists THis is a matter yet not fully determined amongst the Papists Neither are error 35 they all of one opinion In the Councell of Constance and Basile it was fully concluded that the Councell is aboue the Pope Gerson of Paris that was also present in the Councell of Constance and a great dooer against Iohn Hus stifly maintaineth the authoritie of Councels aboue the Pope Other Papists more fauorable to their new God amight say that the Pope is by right aboue the Councell but he may if he wil submit himselfe to the Councell But now commeth in the stoute Iesuite and saith with the rest of the schoolemen that the Pope hath such a soueraigntie aboue the Councell that he cannot be subiect to their sentence though hee would Bellar. de concil lib. 2.14 Yet hee is in a mammering with himselfe for saith he in periculo schismatis when there is a schisme and it is not knowne who is the true Pope in such a case the Councell is aboue the Pope Let vs examine some of his best reasons 1 Now commeth in a great blasphemie All the names saith the Iesuite that are giuen to Christ in the Scriptures as head of the Church are ascribed to the Pope as he is called fidelis dispensator Luc. 12. a faithfull steward in the Lords house pastor gregis Iohn 10. the shepheard of the flocke Caput corporis ecclesiae Ephes. 4. the head of his bodie the Church vir seu sponsus Ephes. 5. the husband or spouse of the Church all these titles saith he are due to the Pope Ergo he is aboue the Church and so consequently aboue generall Councels Bellar. de concil lib. 2.17 O Lord what great blasphemie is here to appropriate the titles of Christ to a mortall man But goe to Bellarmine and the rest of that packe fil vp the measure of iniquitie of your forefathers say with Pope Athanasius that the people of the world are the partes of his bodie with Cornelius the Bishop in the Councell of Trent the Pope being the light came into the world and men loued darkenes rather then light with Pope Calixtus in the Councell of Rhemes who when hee saw the Councell would not consent to excommunicate the Emperour impiously cried out that they had forsaken him as Christ was left of his Disciples with Innocentius the third that all things in Heauen and earth and vnder the earth doe bowe the knee vnto him with Otho no Pope but a Cardinall that sitting amongst his Bishops blasphemously applied to himselfe the vision of Ezechiel cap. 1. resembling the Bishops to the sower faced beasts himselfe vnto God that approched to the
whether they that haue the dispensation of the Keyes doe alwaies necessarily bind and loose before God of these in order THE FIRST PART WHEREIN THE AVthoritie and power of the Keyes consisteth The Papists error 73 BY the Keyes and power of binding and loosing they chiefly and principally vnderstand the censures of the Church as Excommunications Anathematismes suspensiōs Degradations the whole Ecclesiastical iurisdictiō Rhemist Annot. Matt. 16. sect 14. Bel. lib. 1. de pontif cap. 13. Secondly they tye remission and retaining of sinnes to their imagined and deuised sacrament of penance saying that where Christ gaue authoritie to remit sinnes to his Apostles Iohn 20.23 he instituted the sacrament of penance Rhemist Iohn 20. sect 3. The sacrifice also and Sacraments of the Church say they are ministred for remission of sinnes Rhemist 2. Corinth 5. sect 3. Thirdly they seeme to grant in words that by preaching also of the Gospell sinnes are reteined and remitted ibid. but they make small account thereof for as we haue heard they make it not of the essence of their priesthood to preach neither doth it properly appertaine vnto that office yea say they absolutiō cānot be rightly sought for at the priests hands but by confession of our sins which is done in penance Rhem. Ioh. 20. sect 5. This then is their opinion that by their deuised ceremonie and Sacrament of penance sinnes are properly forgiuen and that the preaching of the word is not thereto necessarie Their chiefe argument is by abusing that place Iohn 20.23 where they say Christ instituted the Sacrament of penance when he gaue power to his Apostles to remit and reteine sinnes Ans. First your Sacrament of Penance is neither grounded vpon this nor any other place of scripture here in the wordes of Christ there is no institution of a sacrament because there is no visible element giuen whereunto the worde being added may make a sacrament Secondly here the commission is but renewed which was granted before to his Apostles and their successors Matth. 18.18 Fulk Annot. Iohn 20. sect 3. The Protestants THe Keyes of the Church that is the power to bind and loose sinners to open or shut vnto them the kingdome of God consisteth both in the externall discipline and gouernement of the Church lawfully executed according to the word of God as also in preaching of the Gospell by assuring in Christs name all faithfull and penitent persons remission and forgiuenes of their sinnes and in denouncing and threatning the wrath of God against the disobedient and impenitent also as the sacraments are ioyned to the word as seales and pledges of the promises thereof so by the right administration of the sacraments together with the preaching of the word sinnes are retained or remitted The Rhemists therefore doe vs great iniurie in falsely charging of vs that we should hold that the spiritual power of the Church standeth only vpon the preaching of the word whereas wee grant that it is exercised also in the Ecclesiasticall gouernement of the Church both in punishing excommunicating censuring of offenders which is the binding of them and in releasing and absoluing them againe which is the other power of loosing Rhemist 2. Corinth cap. 10. sect 1. Leauing now this part of spiritual power in Ecclesiasticall discipline which is not in this place in question betweene vs wee must touch that other part which is exercised in the word and sacraments 1 That the sacraments doe binde and loose it is proued out of the word of God they doe binde Whosoeuer eateth drinketh vnworthily eateth drinketh his own damnation 1. Cor. 11.29 they doe also loose As oft as ye shal eate this bread and drinke this cup you shewe the Lords death till he come vers 26. But here is a double caution and condition to be annexed First that all Sacraments worke not this effect but onely those of Christs institution which are but two baptisme and the supper of the Lord for Paul saith I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you 1. Cor. 11.23 If the Apostles would not neither might deliuer any Sacraments but those which were instituted of Christ what great presumption is it in any other to doe it Secondly we must not think that remissiō of sinnes is necessarily tied to the Sacraments as though there could be no remissiō without thē for the grace of remission may be effectual in the name of Christ by the preaching of the word without a sacramēt Ioh. 20. sect 4. Ful. For the word may be preached without a sacramēt but the sacramēt cānot be ministred without the word for that were as though a man should deliuer a seale without a writing Neither is it our meaning that as the Rhemists cauil with vs the sacramēt cannot be administred without a sermon of the death of Christ for though that were alwaies to bee wished yet where it cannot bee had there must and ought to be a briefe shewing and declaration of the death of Christ out of the word so oft as the Sacrament is administred as it is obserued in our Church Fulk Annot. 1. Corinth 11. sect 15. 3 We must take heede we conceiue not thus as though the Sacrament gaue grace by the worke wrought and that by the very vse forme and externall act of the Sacrament wee obtaine remission of sinnes as the Rhemists would beare vs in hand 1. Corinth 11. sect 15. But the Sacraments are onely effectuall to the worthie receiuers and to the worthie receiuing faith is requisite as Saint Paul willeth all men to examine themselues 1. Corinth 11.28 which is as hee himselfe interpreteth it to proue whether they be in the faith 2. Corinth 13.5 These conditions then being obserued we denie not but that there is an exercise of the keyes euen in the Sacraments 2 But chiefely and principallie is this power dispensed by the preaching of the word as Saint Paul saith Wee are the sauour of death vnto death vnto some there is the binding and to other the sauour of life vnto life there is the loosing 1. Corinth 2.16 So our Sauiour Christ saith He that refuseth mee the word that I haue spoken shall iudge him in the last day Iohn 12.48 Here is the power of binding Againe the truth shall make you free Iohn 8.32 Here is the power of loosing Who therefore doubteth this that the preaching of the word is the most proper and principall way and meane for the exercising of this Ecclesiasticall power for seeing faith is the key of heauen thereby wee haue free accesse vnto the throne of grace Rom. 5.2 and faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the word It remaineth that by the word the keyes are dispensed Augustine also subscribeth vnto this for speaking of reformation of life and repentance with remission of former sinnes thus he saith Quid empturus es vt facias quae emplastra quaesiturus ecce cùmloquor muta cor factum est quod tam
lawfull for any to inuent allegories of scripture as it seemeth good to them selues THE SECOND PART OF THE SIXTH QVEtion to whom the chief authoritie to expound Scripture is committed The Papistes error 9 IT was decreed in the Councell of Trent that scripture should be expoūded as the Church expoundeth it and according to the common and consonant cōsent of the fathers Sect. 4. The Rhemistes say that the sense of the scriptures must be learned of the fathers and pastors of the Church Praefat. Sect. 18. If the fathers agree not the matter is referred to a generall Councell if there it be not determined we must haue recourse to the Pope and his Cardinals The Iesuite dare not referre the matter to the Pope alone to expound scripture but ioyneth the Colledge of Cardinals with him Bellarm. lib. 3. de script cap. 3. 1 They obiect that place Deut. 17.9 where the people are commaunded to resorte vnto the Priest or Iudge in doubtfull matters Ergo there ought to be a chief and supreme iudge in Ecclesiasticall matters Bellarm. We aunswere First here the ciuill Magistrate and the Iudge are ioyned together as ver 12. Wherefore if they will gather hereby that the Pope must be supreme Iudge in all Ecclesiasticall matters then the Emperour ought to be as well in ciuill Secōdly the text saith they shal come to the Priests ver 9. assigning many not to one onely Priest Thirdly they must iudge according to the law v. 11. not as they list thē selues Fourthly here is no mentiō made of doubts in interpreting scripture but of controuersies that may fall out betweene man and man either Ecclesiasticall to be decided by the Priest or ciuill by the Magistrate Fiftly we graunt that in euery country there ought be a supreme and high seate of iudgement for determining of controuersiall matters betweene men but it foloweth not that there should be a supreme iudge ouer the whole Church especially in such matters as this concerning the sense of the scriptures which i◠not commited to the iudgement of men neither is any such controuersie named in that palce ver 8. 2 Ecclesiastes 12.11 The wisemā cōpareth the wordes of the wise to nayles which are fastned geuen by one pastor Ergo the Pope is supreme iudge We aunswere the wise men are here vnderstood to be the Pastors and Ministers of Gods word but this one pastor signifieth neither the high Priest in the old law nor the Pope in the new but Iesus Christ the high shepheard for our soules What great boldnesse is this to attribute that to the Pope which is onely proper to Christ 3 They also picke out some places in the new Testament as Math. 16.19 to thee will I geue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Christ saith so to Peter Ergo the Pope hath authoritie to expound scripture We aunswere First by the keyes here is meant commission to preach the Gospell not onely to expound doubtes Secōdly they were geuen to all the Apostles not to Peter onely Math. 28. v. 18.19 Thirdly the Pope is not successor of Peter no more then any other godly Bishop nor so much vnlesse he folow Peters steps So they abuse that place Math. 18.17 he that will not heare the Church c. Ergo the Bishops and chief pastors must expound the doubt in scriptures Aunswere First our Sauiour speaketh here of the discipline of the Church of correctiōs and admonitions not of interpreting scripture which dependeth not vpō the will fantacie of Pope Cardinals or Popish Councels but must be tryed by the scriptures them selues Secondly we must geue eare to the Church but with a double condition we must be sure it is the Church of God secōdly we must not heare them cōtrary to the scriptures but so long as they do teach the doctrine of Christ. The Protestants WE haue a more compendious way to come to the vnderstanding of the scripture It were to lōg whē we doubt of any place to stay till we haue the generall consent of the pastors of the Church or to expect a generall Councell or go vp to Rome And it were to much to trouble the Popes grauitie with euery questiō The Lord hath shewed vs a more easie and ready way see that we neede not ascend to heauen or cōpasse the earth or passe the Alpes but the word of God is amongest vs the scriptures them selues and the spirite of God opening our harts do teach vs how to vnderstand them the interpretation of Scripture is not assigned to any succession of pastors or tryed to any place or persons Our arguments folow some few of them 1 That onely hath power to geue the sense of Scripture which doth beget vs faith the spirite onely by the Scriptures begetteth faith Rom. 10.17 faith commeth of hearing the word Ergo the spirit of God is the onely interpreter of scripture The proposition also is cleare for seeing the Scripture is the true sense and meaning therof if any should geue the sense of the scripture but that which worketh faith then vpon him should our faith be grounded If the Pope therefore geue the sense of Scripture and our faith ariseth of the Scripture vnderstood then our faith is builded vpon the Popes sense argum Whitach 2. 9. 2 The Scriptures cā not be interpreted but by the same spirit wherewith they were writtē but that spirite is found no where but in the Scriptures Ergo. The first part the Papistes them selues graunt the second is thus proued the spirite of the Apostles is not geuen by secret inspiration that sauoureth of Anabaptisme where is it thē to be found whether is it like that S. Peters spirite should be found in the Popes chaire or in his Epistles or if they haue S. Peters spirite where is S. Paules found but in his writings Yet it is all one spirite appeareth not els where but in the Scriptures where euery man may finde it as wel as the Pope the spirituall man iudgeth all things 1. Cor. 2.15 you haue an oyntment from him that is holy and you haue knowen all things and ver 27. you need not that any mā teach you By these places it is euident that euery faithfull man by the spirite of God may vnderstand the scriptures 3 The doctrine of the Church must be examined by the Scriptures Ergo the scriptures are not to stand to the iudgement of the Church The former part is proued by the example of the Berrheans Act. 17.11 If they did well in examining Paules doctrine much more may the decrees of the Pope Church Coūcels be examined by the scriptures But they knew not whether Paule was an Apostle or not therefore they might examine his doctrine saith the Iesuite Answere it is no matter for the person of Paule they examined his doctrine which dependeth not vpon the person Secondly they could not be ignoraunt of his Apostleship who was famous throughout the Churches Thirdly they doubted onely whether Paul was an
Basile to be no necessarie poynt to saluation if wee did hold her to haue beene a virgin afore and many such other poyntes there are in scriptures which a man may be ignorant of without perill of saluation Ergo much more may we be ignorant of vnwritten verities or rather Popish fables 2. The Church hath no more authoritie then the Apostles nor yet in all things so much But they had no power to make articles of faith for Saint Paul deliuereth that which he had receiued concerning the sacrament he durst not adde vnto it as the Papists haue been bolde to doe since 1. Cor. 11. Ergo the Church may explane and open articles of fayth out of the scriptures but not make new 3. We prooue it by the confession of our aduersaries The fathers of Basile that concluded it was an article of the Christian fayth to beleeue the superioritie of the councel did gather it out of the saying of Christ dic ecclesiae and therfore enforced it as an article Whereby wee gather that they helde that the Church could establish no article of fayth without scripture Bellarmine likewise sayth that the Church is not now gouerned by newe reuelations but wee ought to be contented with those decrees which wee haue receiued from the Apostles Ergo as D. Whitakers doth strongly conclude the Church cannot coyne new articles of faith 4. Lastly we haue before prooued at large out of the worde of God that the scriptures containe all things necessary to saluation and therefore all articles of fayth must be deriued from thence 1. controu quaest 7. And so we conclude with Augustine Linguae sonos quibus inter se homines sua seusa communicēt pacto quodā societatis sibi instituere possunt Quib. autē sacris diuinitati congruerent voluntatem dei sequuti sunt qui rectè sapuerunt Quae omnino nunquam defuit ad salutem iustitiae pietatique hominum Men sayth he may deuise among themselues what language they will vse to expresse their minde But howe to serue God wise men euer followed the will and commaundement of GOD which neuer hath failed men in all necessary matters concerning righteousnes and godlines By this fathers sentence the scriptures which containe the will of God containe all necessary things Ergo we neede not seeke elswhere AN APPENDIX OR MEMBER OF THIS part of the question whether we are to beleeue in the Church The Papists WE ought to beleeue and trust the Church in all things yea to beleeue in the Church Rhemist 1. Tim. 3. sect 9. the scripture also vseth this speech error 25 to beleeue in men annot in 10. Rom. sect 41. 1. Exod. 14.31 they beleeued in God and Moses Ergo. We answere your owne vulgar text hath it crediderunt deo Mosi seruo eius they beleeued God and his seruant Moses that is hauing seene the great power of God in the destruction of the Aegyptians in the red sea according to the word of Moses they gaue credite vnto Moses which spake vnto them from God 2. Philem. v. 5. Hearing of thy loue and fayth which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus and vnto all the saints See say they here is faith toward the saints Wee answere there is no man that is not peruersly disposed but may easily distinguish the Apostles wordes to attribute fayth to Iesus Christ and loue to the saynts Which may appeare by the altering of the preposition as they themselues read in their owne translation loue and fayth in Iesus Christ and toward the sayntes so it must needes bee thus vnderstoode fayth in Christ and loue toward the sayntes this therefore is but a sophisticall cauill The Protestants THis word Credo beleeue is taken three wayes for there is credere deo to beleeue God that is to trust him in all things credere deum to beleeue God to be credere in deum to beleeue in God as our creator Lord and redeemer So we doe credere ecclesiam we beleeue there is one holy Catholicke Church credere ecclesiae we doe also beleeue and giue credence to the Church following the word of God But we do not in any wise credere in ecclesiam beleeue in the Church 1. We must not beleeue or put any confidence in a creature the Church is but a creature Ergo for to beleeue in God is onely proper to the Godhead and therefore Iohn 14.1 where Christ sayth ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me we doe necessarylie out of these words inferre that Christ is God because we are commaunded to beleeue in him 2. Fayth is of things that are absent and not seene but the Church is present alwayes vpon earth and alwayes visible as our aduersaryes hold how then can it bee an obiect of our fayth We can not beleeue in that which is visible seene for it is agaynst the nature of fayth 3. Augustine sayth sciendum est quòd ecclesiam credere non tamen in ecclesiam credere debemus quia ecclesia non est deus sed domus dei De tēpore serm 131. We must know that we are to beleeue there is a Church not in the Church for the Church is not God but onely the house of God THE SECOND PARTE OF THE QVESTION concerning the ceremonies of the Church The Papists THey doe holde that the Church of God may vse and blesse diuers elements error 26 and creatures for the seruice of God as holy water to driue away diuels the hallowing of salt waxe fire palmes ashes oyle creame milke honey Rhemist 1. tim 4. sect 12. 13. Yea that the Church may borrow rites and ceremonies of the Iewes ibid. sect 18. Yea by the creatures thus blessed or rather coniured they say remission of sinnes is obtayned sect 14. 2. Remission of sinnes was annexed to the oyle wherewith the sicke were annoynted Iames 5. Ergo remissions of sinnes may be applied by the like consecrated elements Rhemist 1. Tim. 4. sect 14. We answere First it followeth not because the creature of oyle was vsed in the miraculous gift of healing which ceremonie was no longer to continue than that miraculous gift indured it followeth not that other elements may be vsed so now there being not the like occasion seeing all such myraculous giftes are now ceased Secondly it was not the oyle whereby their sinnes were forgiuen them neither was it applied to that ende it was onely a pledge vnto them of their bodily health but the prayer of fayth shall saue the sick sayth the Apostle v. 15. for God hath promised to heare the faythfull prayers of his children both for themselues and others 3. Saint Paul vsed imposition of hands which was a ceremonie of the law vsed in consecrating of Priestes Ergo it is lawfull to borrowe ceremonies of the Iewes We answere It followeth not because Christ and the Apostles by the spirite of God retayned some decent actions vsed in the lawe therefore now the Church at her libertie may take of
the perfection and authority of the scriptures as also whether it be in the Pope to summone dissolue and confirme Councels which hath been sufficiently declared before in the controuersie concerning Councels Concerning other questions as the canonizing of Saints which they say appertaineth to the Pope the election and confirmation of Bishops pardons and indulgences we shall haue fitter occasion to deale in them in their seuerall places and controuersies At this time wee purpose onely to touch these two poynts aforesaide of the Popes Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE POPE may make lawes to binde the conscience and punish the transgressors thereof iudicially The Papists THat the Pope hath such authorie to make lawes for the whole Church error 49 which shall binde vnder paine of damnation as well as the lawes of God it is the general opinion of the papists Fox 981. articul 13. p. 1101. artic cont Lambert 29. But they put in this clause So they bee not vniust lawes nor contrarie to the diuine law Bellarm. cap. 15. And yet they say that the Pope may make lawes hauing not the authority nor warrant of scripture neither is it necessarie for these lawes to be expressed or diduced out of scripture And these lawes are not onely of externall rites and orders of the Church but euen of things necessary to saluation Bellarm. cap 15. in reprehens Caluini Yea he addeth further that in matters not necessary to saluation he can not be disobeyed without deadly sinne and offence of conscience cap. 16. loc 1. Bulla Leonis 10. aduersus Lutherum Fox p. 1283. col 1. 1. The Apostles prescribed a law concerning the abstaining from blood things strangled and offered to Idols concerning the which Christ gaue them no precept But this law did binde the people in conscience for euery where the Apostles gaue straight charge for the keeping of the decrees Bellarm. Answere First the Apostles commaunded no newe thing but the same which they themselues were taught of Christ that they should take heede of offence the Christians therefore were not bound in conscience any further to keepe the decrees concerning such things then for auoyding of scandal and offence Secondly for afterward the offence being taken away the law also ceased and Saint Paul giueth libertie notwithstanding this law to eate things offered to Idols if it might be done without offence Asking no question sayth he for conscience sake 1. Cor. 10.27 Ergo their consciences were not hereby obliged and bound 3. It is necessary to haue some lawes beside the diuine law for the gouernment of the Church for the word of God is too vniuersal neither is sufficient to direct euery particular action therefore other ecclesiasticall lawes must bee added but euery good and necessary law hath a coactiue and constraining power and bindeth the conscience to obedience Ergo the constitutions of the Popes and Councels which are the only ecclesiastical lawes doe binde the conscience Bellarmin cap. 16. lib. 4. Answere First the word of God contayneth all necessarie rules to saluation wherefore all lawes of the Church concerning matters of faith are but explanations and interpretations of the rules of fayth set forth in scripture if they be godly lawes and so are not the lawes of men but of God and doe bind the conscience to the obseruation thereof as the lawes of the Church which command Christians to resort to the congregation to heare Gods word and reuerently to receiue the sacraments are the very ordinances and commaundements of Christ who enioyned his Apostles to preach and baptize and his faythfull people to heare and to be baptized and therefore in conscience wee are bound to the obedience hereof Secondly there are other ecclesiasticall lawes appoynted for the publique order of the Church concerning externall rites and circumstances of persons and place as the houres of prayer the forme of the leâ—turgie publike seruice the times fittest for the celebration of the sacraments and such like These and such like constitutions do not binde in conscience absolutely in respect of the things themselues which are indifferent but in regarde of that contempt and offence which might followe in the not keeping of them contempt to our superiors whome wee ought in all lawfull things to obey offence in grieuing the conscience of our weake brethren So that euen these constitutions also which are made according to the rules of the Gospell that is vnto edification to the glorie of God and for auoyding of offence doe necessarilie binde vs in conscience not conscience of the thinges themselues which are but externall but conscience of obedience to our Christian Magistrates and conscience in taking heede of all iust offence sic Caluin Institut lib. 4. cap. 10.11 3 But we are not God be thanked driuen to any such straight that if there be neede of any such Ecclesiasticall lawes we should run for succor to the Popes beggerly decretals And yet such Canons as were in force amongst them agreeable to the rules of the Gospell we doe not refuse But if there bee want and penurie of good lawes euery Church hath as full authoritie to make decrees and ordinances for the peace and order and quiet gouernement thereof not as the Pope of Rome hath ouer the vniuersall Church for that by right is none or if it be it is but an vsurped power but as the Bishop of Rome hath in his owne Bishopricke and dioces The Protestants WHat our sentence is of this matter it doth partlie appeare by that which wee haue alreadie saide that the Pope hath no power ouer the whole Church and therefore can make no lawes to binde the conscience or otherwise for the same for it belongeth not to his charge Secondly we say that neither he nor any ecclesiasticall gouernement beside can make lawes of things necessarie to saluation other then those which are in Scripture conteined Thirdly all Ecclesiasticall lawes made concerning externall rites and publike order doe not otherwise binde the conscience then in regarde of our obedience due to Christian Magistrates in lawfull things and for auoyding of scandall and offence But in respect of the things commaunded such lawes doe not binde Caluin loc praedicto 1 Saint Iames saith there is one lawe-giuer which is able to saue and to destroy cap. 4.12 He therefore onely maketh lawes to binde the conscience that is able to saue and to destroy but that cannot the Pope doe Ergo Caluin argum Bellarmine answereth that the lawes of men doe binde vnder paine of damnation in as much as God is offended and displeased with their disobedience and so iudgeth them worthie of punishment cap. 20. All this wee graunt that the lawes of men being good lawes doe binde in conscience in respect of the contempt and disobedience to higher powers but not in respect of the thinges commaunded which in their nature are indiffereÌ„t The Iesuite should haue said that God is offended not onely for their disobedience but simplie
And the apostles went vp to the Temple to pray Act. 3.1 Ergo prayers made in the Temple are more auaileable Bellarm. cap. 4. Ans. 1. See what Iewish arguments here are because the Lord gaue an especiall blessing to his Temple amongst the Iewes that was the onely place for sacrifices and so also a peculiar priuiledged place for prayer therefore hee will binde and tye himselfe to some certaine place now But our Sauiour sayth cleane contrary vnto the woman of Samaria The houre coÌ„meth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor in Ierusalem worship my Father Iohn 4.21 The prayers and sacrifices of Christians are now no more tied and limited to places That was but a type vnto the Iewes that as then God would be onely heard in his Temple so his name is now onely truely inuocated and called vpon in his Church 2. It is falsely alleadged that the Apostles went vp only to pray to the temple they went vp at the ninth hower of prayer when the people were accustomed to go vnto the Temple that they might preach the gospell vnto them The Protestants WE preferre publique prayers made by the Congregation in the Church before priuate prayers not because of the place but in respect of the congregation whose prayers ioyntly al together are more feruent effectuall then the prayer of one man But if we compare publique prayer with publique and priuate with priuate we doubt not but that the one and the other being made in faith may as well be heard out of the Church as in it Argum. 1. The promise of our Sauiour is generall Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together I am in the middest amongst them Math. 18.20 So S. Paul I wil that men euerie where lift vp pure handes 1. Tim. 2. Ergo they may be heard praying in faith in any place Argum. 2. So our Sauiour saith When thou prayest enter into thy chamber he sayth not go to the church Bellarm. saith he entereth into his chamber that prayeth without vaine glorie whether hee doe pray secretly or openlie Ans. Our Sauiours words are plaine without allegorie for he speaketh of shutting the dore of the chamber and there is a manifest opposition betweene the Pharisies praying in the corners of the streets and the frequencie of people and the others praying in secret Augustine saith Quid supplicaturus Deo locum sanctum requiris volenâ— in Templo orare in te ora ita age semper vt Dei TempluÌ„ sis ibi enim Deus exaudit vbi habitat When thou art about to pray what needest thou goe to any sacred place wouldest thou pray in the Temple or Church see that thou be the Temple of God and there the Lord will soonest heare where he dwelleth THE THIRD ARTICLE WHEther Churches and Temples maybe dedicate to Saintes The Papistes error 51 THey nothing doubt but as Churches may be consecrated and dedicated to the honour of God so they may be also vnto saints Argum. 1. The Temple of Salomon was not only built for sacrifices and prayer but for the Arke of God also as Dauid sayeth to Nathan Now I dwell in an house of Cedar trees and the Arke of God remaineth within curtaines 2. Sam. 7.2 But there is as great honour yea and greater due to the reliques of Saintes Ergo it is lawfull to builde Temples vnto them Bellarmine cap. quarto Ans. 1. When you haue a commandement to build Churches for reliques as they had to build a Temple for the arke ye may be bolde to do it 2. To build a Temple for the arke was all one as to build an house for the Lord for it was the Mercieseate of God it pleased the Lord to dwell betweene the Cherubims there to shewe euident tokens of his presence And whereas Dauid consulted to build an house for the arke the Lord doeth thus answere him by his Prophet Shalt thou build me an house for my dwelling verse 5. So the Temple was made in the honour of God being made for the Arke It was all one for the Arke to dwell there and the Lord him selfe to dwell there This argument therefore maketh nothing for them The Protestants TO build Churches and religious houses in the name and honour of saintes and to make them Patrones and Protectoures of those places and there to call vpon them and make prayers vnto them all which is defended by our aduersaries we holde it vtterly vnlawfull as tending to manifest impietie and idolatrie Argum. 1. No diuine worship is to be giuen to Saints therefore no Churches to be made in their names For it is part of the diuine worshippe to haue Temples Augustine saith Nos non Martyribus Templa sacerdotia aut sacra constituimus quoniam non ipsi sed Deus â—orum nobis Deus est Wee doe not ordaine Temples Priesthoodes or sacrifices for Martyres for not they but their God is both their God and ours None therefore is to haue a Temple but God But marke I pray you their distinction They say that Religious houses as they are Temples are onely consecrated to God but as they are Basilica palaces sumptuous buildinges the selfe same Churches may be dedicate to Saintes Bellarm. ibid. Ans. If one and the same Church may be consecrate both to God and to some saint beside I pray you who is the principal patrone of that church God or the saint You will say I am sure God is But I will proue the contrary because it hath the name of the faint It is called by the name of S. Peter S. Paul or some other not by the name of God Thus they are not contented to make saintes Gods fellowes but will euen thrust him out of place giuing vnto saintes the honor of Gods house 2. How names are to be giuen to places wee can not better learne then of those auncient founders of names the holy Patriarches As Abraham Gen. 22.14 calleth the mountaine Iehouah-iireh The Lord hath seene So Iacob giueth holy names to the place where he met the Angelles Gen. 32.2 and where he wrestled with the Angell ver 31. They as we see gaue holy and reuerent names vnto places not made peculiar for Gods seruice but onely for ciuil vse for the places to be called and knowen by how much more ought churches and houses of God to be called by his name We therefore conclude that Churches ought not to bee erected in Saintes names to worship them thereby and make them our Patrones mediators and presenters of our prayers for this were great Idolatrie Euen like as the Heathen called their Temples by the names of their Idolles Venus Iupiter Diana and the lyke Yet wee refuse not to call our Churches by the names of Saintes as they haue beene called of olde because wee are not inuentors of names and termes inured by continuall custome can hardly be left Wee vse them only as ciuil termes to distinguish places by if any otherwise vse them for any Religious
Augustine Si Laicus baptismum dederit nulla cogente necessitate alieni muneris vsurpatio est If a Lay man doe baptize where there is no necessitie it is an vsurping of another mans office But there is no such necessitie to cause him so to doe Ergo. THE FIFT QVESTION OF SVCH AS are to be admitted to baptisme Of the Baptisme of Infants part 1. THat infants are to bee baptized it is fully agreed and concluded betweene vs. Which point we doe strongly maintaine by the Scriptures against the Anabaptists of our age But herein we dissent from our aduersaries The Papists error 104 1. THey affirme that the Baptisme of children and infants is grounded vpon tradition and not vpon Scripture Bellarmine lib. 4. de verbo dei cap. 9. The Protestants IT were very hard if we had no more certaine ground for the baptizing of infants then tradition which is but a feeble weapon to fight against heretikes withall we haue manifest proofes out of Scripture for it First they belong vnto the couenant Genes 17. I will bee thy God and the God of thy seede Ergo they haue right to the signe of the couenant Secondly they are called holy which are borne of faithfull parents 1. Cor. 7.14 Ergo are not to be denied Baptisme Thirdly they are redeemed by the blood of Christ who died for all the children of God Iohn 11.52 To them belongeth the kingdome of God Ergo also Baptisme which is a pledge of remission of sinnes and eternall life Fourthly it is also proued by the practise of the Apostles who baptized whole families with all that thereunto belonged Act 16.33 Fiftly Augustine also proueth it out of Scripture by comparing our Baptisme with the circumcision of the Iewes Veraciter coniâ—cere possumus quid valeat in paruulis baptismi sacramentum ex circumcisione carnis quam prior populus accepit How auailable Baptisme is in little ones we may gesse by the circumcision which the former people in the lawe receiued Ergo not onely by tradition but chiefely by Scripture the lawfulnes of childrens Baptisme is confirmed The Papists 2. BAptisme they say giueth grace and faith to the infant that had none before error 105 Rhemist Galath 3. sect 6. This then is their opinion that infants though actually fully they haue not faith as other haue yet there is a certaine habite of faith and hope infused into them in Baptisme so that partly they doe beleeue of themselues and partly by the faith of others namely of them that bring them to Baptisme Bellarm. lib. 1. de baptism cap. 11. Argum. Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Rom. 3.28 We hold that a man is iustified by faith Ergo children if they haue no faith are neither iustified neither yet doe please God Bellarm. Ans. First these places doe as wel proue that children haue an absolute perfit and actuall faith for it is a perfect faith that iustifieth vs and maketh vs acceptable to God which I am sure our aduersaries will not yeeld vnto Secondly the iustification and saluation of children dependeth of the free election of God Rom. 9.11 And that which faith worketh in those that are of vnderstanding the spirit of God is able to effect in infants by some secret way best knowne to himselfe The Protestants THat infants neither haue faith in themselues nor yet are profited or furthered to their saluation by the faith of others it is thus proued Argum. 1. Saint Paul saith Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.17 But infants can neither heare nor vnderstand the word of God Ergo no faith is wrought in them Argum. 2. There is no habituall or potentiall faith that pleaseth God but the iustifying faith is alwaies actuall working by loue Galath 5.6 Ergo children haue either no faith or it must needes bee an actuall or working faith Argum. 3. Infants are not iustified nor relieued or helped forward towards their saluation by the faith of their parents or Godfathers when they are baptized for the Scripture saith The iust shall liue by faith Rom. 1.17 that is by his owne faith not the faith of another Augustine denieth that children are illuminate in their mindes when they are baptized Si illuminati essent ipsum baptismum laeti susciperent cui videmus eos cum magnis fletibus reluctari If they were illuminate they would ioyfullie receiue Baptisme which we see them to striue against with great crying And why should the Apostle say Bee yee not children in vnderstanding 1. Corinth 14.20 if so be their mindes were illuminate Wherefore that saying in the Gospell saith hee This is the light that lighteth euerie one that commeth into the world Iohn 1.9 Whereby they would proue that children doe receiue light at their verie first comming into the world is thus to bee vnderstoode Quia nullus hominum illuminatur nisi lumine illo veritatis because no man is lightened but onely by that light What now is become of that lumen fidei the light of faith which you say is infused into children in Baptisme AN APPENDIX OF THE POpish vse in baptizing of Bels. The Papists error 106 THey begin now to be ashamed of the blinde practises of their superstitious and ignorant forefathers for Bellarmine flatly denieth that bels are baptized amongst them but they are onely consecrate and halowed for diuine vses as other Church vessels are lib. 4. de Roman pontific cap. 12. The Protestants IT is a great shame for them to denie so manifest a thing For in the halowing of bels first there were Godfathers chosen secondly they gaue names to the bels thirdly the bels had new garments put vpon them as is accustomed to bee done to Christians in their Baptisme Fourthly the baptizing of bels was onely permitted to the Bishops suffragane whereas their Priests and Deacons did vsually baptize infants all this sheweth that it was not onely a Baptisme which they bestowed vpon bels but in a more principall kinde then common Baptisme was This was one of the greeuances which the Princes of Germanie complained of in the assembly at Noremberge that the suffraganes exacted of the people such great summes of money for the baptizing of bels with what face then can they denie this vngodlie custome of theirs in Christening and baptizing of bels THE SIXT QVESTION OF THE effects and fruites of Baptisme THe partes of this question are these first whether our sinnes are wholly remitted and cleane taken away in Baptisme Secondly whether Baptisme serueth onely for the remission of sinnes that are past Thirdly of the liberties and priuiledges which are obtained by Baptisme which partes are now seuerally to be handled THE FIRST PART WHETHER IN BAPtisme our sinnes be cleane taken away The Papists THe sinnes which are past they affirme not onely by the grace of Christ error 107 receiued in Baptisme to be forgiuen and pardoned and no more imputed but euen wholly to be rased
third of Iohn the last Chapter of Marke We differ not then in the new Testament vnlesse it be concerning the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews which ouer aduersaries stoutly affirme to be S. Pauls which we deny not neither certainly can affirme it seeing in some Greeke copies it is left out and in the Syriacke translation But it mattereth not who was the author seeing we receiue it as canonicall for the title is no part of the booke and so neither of Scripture and we receiue many bookes in the old Testament the authors whereof are not perfectly knowne So then all the question is about the Apocrypha of the old Testamēt they are called Apocrypha because they are hid and obscure not because their authours are vnknowne for as I sayd we knowe not by whom certaine Canonical bookes were written neither are they so called because of some vntruthes conteined in them contrary to Scripture as the most of them haue for it foloweth not that euerie booke which hath no vntruth or lye should straight wayes be taken for Scripture but they are therfore iudged and called Apocrypha because they were not in former time receiued into publike and authentick authoritie in the Church neither to be alledged as grounds of our faith though they may be read for example of life and may haue other profitable vse But the Canonicall Scripture onely hath this priuiledge to geue rules of faith and thereupon it hath the name that we may be bold to beleeue and ground our faith vpon the canonicall holy Scripture which is the onely word of God Wherefore out of this number of Canonicall Scripture we exclude all the books afore named therfore let not the reader be deceiued that although they be ioyned in one volume with the Scripture to think that they are for that of the same authoritie and credit with the rest first we will shew one reason in general and afterward come vnto the particular books in order 1 All canonical scripture in the old Testament was written by Prophets we haue a sure word of the prophetes saith S. Peter 2.1.19 and S. Paule Rom. 16.26 calleth them the Scriptures of the Prophets But none of those bookes aforenamed of Tobias Iudith and the rest were written by the Prophets for they were all written since Malachies time who was the last Prophete as the Church complaineth Psal. 74.9 There is not one Prophete nor any that can tell vs how long Ergo none of these bookes are canonicall 2 All the canonicall bookes of the old Testament were acknowledged of the Iewes and Hebrues for they were then onely the Church of God and where should Scripture be found but in the Church to them sayth S. Paule were committed the oracles of God Rom. 3.2 But the Iewes receiued none of these books for none of them are written in the Hebrue toung neither did they receiue them with the like authoritie as other bookes of Scripture and this some of the Papists can not denie Ergo thy are not Canonicall 3 There is no Scripture of the old Testament but it hath approbation of the new for as the Prophetes beare witnesse to Christ so he againe doth witnesse for the Prophets and therefore it is a true proposition of Caietane though he be controlled and checked of Catharinus an other Papist for it that there is no Scripture which was not either written or approued by the Apostles but in the whole new Testament you shall not find one testimony cited either in the Gospel or the Epistles out of any of the Apocrypha as out of other bookes of Scripture therefore hauing no approbation of the new Testament we conclude they are none of the old 4 It shall appeare in the seuerall discourse of the particular bookes that there is somewhat euen in the bookes themselues to be found that barreth them from being Canonicall OF THE BOOKE OF BARVCH The Papistes THis is their best reason for the authoritie of this booke because Baruch was Ieremies scribe and therfore Baruch can not be refused vnlesse also we doubt of Ieremie Bellarm. lib. 1. de verbo Dei cap. 8. The Protestantes THis booke was neither written by Ieremie nor Baruch first because it is in Greeke if either Ieremie or Baruch had written it it is most like they would haue written in Hebrue Secondly the phrase and manner of speach sheweth that it was neuer written in Hebrue for in the 6. Chapter in the Epistle of Ieremie it is said that the Israelites should be in captiuitie seuen generations that is 70. yeares but it can not be found in any Hebrue booke that generation is taken for the space of 70. yeares OF THE SEVEN APOCRYPHAL Chapters of Esther The Papistes ONe of their chief Arguments besides testimonies and authorities which would make to great a Volume is this which is common also to the rest of the Apocrypha they are read in the Church haue bene of auncient time Ergo they are Canonicall I aunswere that it is no good argument Hierome saith plainly Legit Ecclesia sedeos inter Scripturas Canonicas non recipit Praefat. in lib. Solomon The Church indeede saith he readeth them yet for all that they are not Canonicall And Augustine was wōt to read vnto the people the Epistles of the Donatistes and his aunsweres vnto them Epist. 203. The Protestantes THe most of our reasons against the authoritie of the 7. Chapters added to Esther for of the 10 first Chapters which are found in the Hebrue we make no doubt at all are drawen from the matter of the booke it selfe 1 In the second of the Canonicall Esther ver 16. it is said that the conspiracie of the two Eunuches against the king was in the 7. yeare of Assuerus but in the 11. Chap. ver 2. of the Apocryphall Esther we read that Mardocheus did dreame of this conspiracie in the secōd yeare Bellarmine aunswereth that both are true for the dreame was in the secōd yeare the conspiracie in the seuēth so belike there was fiue yeares betweene But in the 11. Chapter it is said that Mardocheus was much troubled about that dreame and the next night after his dreame the conspiracie was enterprised 2 The true history of Esther saith that Mardocheus had no reward at that time of the king cap. 6.3 but the forged storie saith that at the same time the king gaue him great gifts which can not be meant of that great honor which afterward was bestowed vpon Mardoche for then Haman being hanged the same day could worke him no despite wheras the forged story saith that after the king had rewarded him then Haman began to stomach him because of those two Eunuches 3 Againe the storie which is added was written many yeares after Mardoches Esthers death vnder the raigne of Ptolomaeus Cleopatra as it appeareth cap. 11.1 it is not like therefore to be a true storie Bellarmins ridiculous cōiecture is this that there were two stories
new Edition and he preferreth it in some places before other translations but is farre of from making it authenticall and so are we these are the Iesuites arguments De verb. Dei lib. 2. cap. 10. and some of our Rhemists in their Preface to the new Testament Some of our Argumentes are these for it is not necessarie to repeat all and it were to long 1 If the Latin translation be authenticall as it was decreed in the Councel of Trent then it must haue bene so from the beginning so soone as there was any Latin translation for the Councell had not authoritie to make that authenticall which was not but onely to declare it so to be But the Latin translation for the space of 600. yeares after Christ was not receiued as authenticall for we finde that the Latin writers as Lactantius Hilarius Ambrosius Hieronimus Augustinus and others did not vse the same Latin translation Ergo this vulgare Latin hauing not bene alwayes since it was extant authenticall why should it now begin 2 That Edition which was made and framed and first writtē by the Prophets Apostles Euangelistes is to be preferred before that which was not cōpiled by any Prophet or Apostle But such are the Hebrue in the old Testament and the Greeke Edition in the new by the confession of our aduersaries Bellarmin cap. 7. lib. 2. Such is not the Latin for it is vncertaine by whom it was written for the Iesuite confesseth that it is not all of Hieromes Edition as the booke of the Psalmes Wisedome Ecclesiasticus the Machabees which they thinke were not translated by Hierome But let vs graunt that the whole was of Hieromes doing yet was he no Prophet nor Apostle saith he Aliud est vatem esse aliud interpretem it is one thing to be a Prophet another to be an interpreter Wherefore it is no reason that Hieromes or whose translation els soeuer should be receiued before the writings of Prophets and Apostles But say our aduersaries if we had a perfect copie of the Hebrue Greeke editions we cōfesse they were to be preferred but now they are full of faults and greatly corrupted We aunswere First the Iesuite him selfe disputing against Canus and Lindanus two Archpapistes that though there may be some scapes in the translations by the fault of some Libraries and imperfect copies yet concerning the doctrine of faith and manners saith there is no corruption in them Lib. 2. cap. 2. Secondly though there may be and are some wordes falsly written and by errour thrust into the text yet they shall neuer proue that they are more corrupt the Hebrue and Greeke then the Latin for it foloweth no more that because of some scapes the Latin is to be preferred before them thē that a cloake altogether patched and ragged is better then a cloake of veluet that hath but one peece 3 The Iesuite him selfe and other Papistes confesse that in some cases it is very necessary to haue recourse to the originall as when some word seemeth to be mistaken by the writer as where cecinit is read for cecidit dorix for vorax cor for coram or when the Latin copies do varie or if the sentence in Latin be ambiguous and lastly the force and propertie of the wordes is better vnderstood in the originall Bellarm. lib. 2. cap. 11. Ergo by the Iesuites confessiō the originall or fountaines are more certaine and sure without doubtfulnesse and ambiguitie therefore more authenticall then the Latin 4 There are many great errors in the vulgare translation and contrarie to the originall Ergo it is not authētike Some of the places we will quote as Genes 3. ipsa conteret for ipsum she shall breake the Serpents head where we do read that not the woman but her seede shall breake his head Genes 6. ver 6. for figmentum cordis malum the thoughtes of mans hart are euill they read intenta ad malum cogitatio enclined to euill and so extenuate originall sinne Genes 14.18 for protulit panem vinum Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine they read obtulit he offred or made an oblation of bread and wine and would hereby establish the sacrifice of their Masse Ecclesiasticus 16.14 for secundum opera a man shall receiue according to his workes they read after the merite of his workes In their Latin translatiōs of the Psalmes there are many corruptions Psal. 67. v. 12. si dormiatis inter medios cleros though ye sleepe between two lots without any sēse the Hebrue thus inter ollas though you haue lyen amongest the pots as being blacke with affliction v. 22. they read conuertam in profundum maris I will turne them into the bottom of the sea for reducā profundo maris I will bring them frō the depth of the sea cleane cōtrary Psal. 132.15 viduā eius benedicam I will blesse his widow for victū I will blesse his victuails So in the new Testamēt are many false readings Luc. 1.28 plena gratia for gratis dilecta hayle Marie full of grace for freelie beloued Luc. 15.8 euertit domū for euerrit she ouerthrew the house for she swept the house 1. Cor. 15. v. 51. non omnes immutabimur we shall not all be chaunged for omnes immutabimur we shall all be chaunged Ephe. 2.10 creati in bonis operib created in good workes for ad opera bona created vnto good workes An hundred more errours and ouer you may finde noted in the readings of our learned country mā D. Whitakers 2. quaest de Scrip. 10.11.12 cap. these I haue set down for a tast Lastly we will rehearse Augustines iudgement Vtcunque est ei linguae magis credatur vnde est in aliam per interpres facta translatio Howsoeuer the case standeth saith he we ought to geue more credit to that toung out of the which other are translated Lib. 15. de Ciuit. cap. 13. Ergo the Hebrue in the old Testament and the Greeke in the new out of the which the Latin and all other trāslations haue issued ought to haue the onely preheminence THE THIRD QVESTION CONCERNING the vulgare translation of Scripture The Papistes THey do not absolutely condemne the translation of the Scriptures into the vulgare toung what soeuer they haue thought in times past neither would they generally haue euery mā permitted to read the Scripture but such onely as haue especiall licence from their ordinarie hauing the testimonie of their Curates that they be humble and deuout persons Rhenens praefat sect 6. So then they hold it daungerous for all men to read Scripture and they would not willingly licence any but their Pope holie deuout Catholikes they are like to make a mad peece of worke that go about to picke their faith out of Scripture say the Rhemists annot 1. Cor. 1.5 This then is their opinion that it is neither necessarie nor conuenient for all men to haue accesse to the Scriptures we will see some of their reasons 1 From
the time of Esdras till Christ and in our Sauiours time the Scriptures were not in the vulgare toung but onely in the Hebrue which the Iewes vnderstood not after the captiuitie Ergo it is not now necessary to haue them in the vulgare toūg That the people vnderstood not Hebrue the Iesuite proueth out of the 8. of Nehemiah where it is said that Esdras did expoūd the law to the people because they vnderstood it not We answere that the text saith cleane contrary that he read the law before the people that vnderstood it v. 3. and they might geue the sense though the people vnderstood the language Concerning the places obiected out of the Gospell to proue the Iewes spake another language thē Hebrue as it appeareth by those speaches Marc. 5. Talitha cumi Math. 27. Golgotha which sauour not of the Hebrue toung we answere that although they spake not pure Hebrue but many straunge wordes were vsed yet they vnderstood the Hebrue for why els doth Christ bid the people to search the Scriptures And they were not the Iewes but the Romane souldiers that vnderstood not the voyce of Christ vpon the Crosse saying he called for Elias 2 The Apostles saith the Iesuite wrote their Epistles onely in Hebrue or Greeke and not in the vulgare tounges of the natiōs to whom they preached Ergo it is not necessary that the scriptures should be in the vulgare toung We answere First it had bene an infinite labour for the Apostles to haue left their writings in euery language neither was it necessary seeing out of the original they might be trāslated into euery language Secōdly they preached the same things vnto the Gētiles in their own toūgs which they afterward left in writing Thirdly the Greeke toūg wherein they wrote was vniuersally knowen and few countryes were ignorant of it especially in the East parts 3 There is no cause say they why the Scriptures should be translated if it be for the vnderstanding of the people they vnderstād them not being translated neither We aunswere many things they may easely vnderstand and for the harder places they are nearer the vnderstanding of them being translated then before for then they haue two great lets the toung vnknowen and the obscure and hid sense now they need not to labour for the toung but onely for the sense 4 The Scriptures are occasion of offence and heresie being not right vnderstood Ergo. First because many surfet of meats and drinkes it is no reason that sober men should be forbidden the vse of them no more for heretikes wicked mens sakes ought the people of God to be barred from Scripture Secondly more haue perished by ignorance in Scripture then by misunderstanding it and the Scripture was ordained of God to meete with offences and to confute heresies 2. Tim. 3.15 Wherefore these men make them selues wiser then God that thinke the Scripture is an occasion of those diseases for the which it is apppointed a remedie The Protestantes WE do beleeue and hold that it is requisite expedient and necessarie for the Scriptures to be vttered and set forth in the vulgare and commō speach and that none vpon any occasion ought to be prohibited the reading thereof for knowledge and instructions sake and that Christian Magistrates ought to prouide that the people may haue the Scriptures in their mother knowē toung Wherefore great wrong was offered to the people of England that diuerse 100. yeares till king Henrie the eight could not be suffred to haue the Scriptures in English And how I pray you did the Papistes storme when as Tindals translatiō came forth some affirming that it was impossible to haue the Scriptures trāslated into English some that it would make the people heretikes others that it would cause thē to rebell Fox pag. 117. col 1. What fowle and shamefull slaunders were these For the vulgare translations of Scripture we reason thus 1 It is Gods commandement that the Scriptures should be read before the people that they may learne to feare God Deut. 31. vers 11.12 The people are commanded to write the law vpon their gates and in their houses to conferre and talke with their children and teach them the law Deut. 6.6.7.8 And our Sauiour biddeth the people search the Scripture Iohn 5. v. 39. Ergo what God hath commaunded no man ought to prohibite or forbid the people therfore must not be kept from reading of Scripture 2 Without Scripture there is no faith faith is necessarie for all people Ergo the knowledge of the Scripture that faith cōmeth by the scriptures read Iohn 20.31 these things are written that ye might beleeue Iesus Christ to be the sonne of God Againe the weapons of Christiā men are not denied to any whereby they should fight against their spirituall enemies but the word of God is a speciall part of our harnesse and a principall weapon euen the sword of the spirite Ergo. 3 The Gospell may be preached in the vulgare toung as our blessed Sauiour and the holy Apostles taught the people Ergo the word of God may be read and writtē in the vulgare toung The proposition our aduersaries graunt that Sermōs may be made in the vulgare toung but it foloweth not say they that therefore Scripture should be in the mother toung Rhem. 1. Cor. 14.8 But I pray you how can the preacher alledge Scripture in his Sermō vnlesse it be recited in the vulgare toung or how should the people know they preach the word vnlesse they may compare their doctrine with Scripture as the Berrheans did Act. 17. 4 We haue the practise of the Church of God in times past for our warrant for in Chrisostomes time the people had vulgare translations whereupon he exhorteth them to get them Bibles or at the least the new Testament the Actes of the Apostles the Gospels Homil. 9. Epist. ad Coloss. We heard before that the Armenians Sclauonians Gothes had the Scripture in their own language so many hundred yeares ago in England king Alured translated the Psalter a copie whereof was found in Crowland Abbey called S. Guthlakes Psalter as M. Lābert witnesseth and Bede our learned country man translated S. Iohns Gospell Fox pag. 1115. col 2. The Rhemistes also confesse that more then 300. yeare ago the Italians had the Bible translated and the French men aboue 200. yeares ago Praefatan Testam 4. sect Why should not the people of God haue the same libertie now freely to read the Scriptures as they haue had in times past 5 Let vs heare Augustines opinion Lectiones diuinas saith he in Ecclesia sicut consuestis audite in domib vestris relegite I would haue you both to attend vnto the publike readings in the Church and in your house to read ouer againe the holy lessons but how could the people read them at home if they were not in their vulgare toung AN APPENDIX OR PART OF THIS question concerning publike prayers and diuine seruice in the
Apostle but we are sure the Pope is none neither successor of any Apostle but very Antichrist Ergo we haue more iust cause to examine his decrees 4 Lastly let Augustine speake Nouit charitas vestra omnes nos vnum magistrum habere sub illo condiscipulos esse nec ideo magistri sumus quia de superiore loco loquimur vobis sed magister est omnium qui habitat in nobis omnib You know brethren saith he that we are all felow scholers vnder one maister and though we speake to you out of an higher place yet are we not your master he is the teacher and master of vs all that dwelleth in our harts Ergo the spirite of God speaking in the scriptures is the chief and best interpreter thereof THE THIRD PART OF THE SIXTH QVEstion concerning the meanes or methode to be vsed in interpreting of Scripture The Papistes error 10 OVr aduersaries prescribe this methode and course to be takē in expounding of scripture which consisteth in foure rules the generall peactise of the Church the consonant interpretation of the fathers the decrees of generall Councels lastly the rule of faith consisting partly of the scriptures partly of traditions vnwrittē Stapleton Cōcerning the three first we haue already touched them in part they appeare to be insufficient First the Councels and fathers he made chief interpreters of Scripture before and now they are but meanes what other chief iudge then is there to vse these meanes surely none but the scriptures Secondly these meanes are most vncertaine the practise of the Church is often changed fathers agree not in their expositiōs and Councels can not alwayes be had Concerning the rule of faith consisting of vnwritten verities he groundeth it falsely vpon that place Rom. 12.6 let vs prophecie according to the rule of faith and Gal. 6.16 as many as walke according to this rule This rule was a certaine platforme of Religion geuen by the Apostles before the Scriptures were written according to the which say they the Scriptures were afterward compiled by the Apostles Rhemens in Rom. 12.6 Answere S. Paul meaneth no other rule but that which is set downe in his writings no other forme of doctrine but that conteined in his Epistles as in the 6. to the Galathians speaking of this rule he alludeth to the former verse where he saith he reioyced in nothing but in the Crosse of Christ his rule therfore is to receiue Christ onely without the ceremonies or workes of the law against the which heresie he disputeth in the whole Epistle But of all other it is a great blasphemie to say that the Apostles set downe the Scriptures by a rule as though the spirite of God by whom they spake had neede of any such direction The Protestantes WHen we say that the scriptures must expound them selues our meaning is that by certaine compendious and ready meanes we should labour to vnderstand the scriptures by them selues the meanes are especially these foure First to haue recourse to the originall toung as in the old Testament to the Hebrue in the new to the Greeke as 1. Tim. 2.15 through bearing of children they shal be saued if they continue in faith and loue In the English it is doubtfull whether this clause if they continue in faith be referred to children or to those that beare them but read the Greeke and the doubt is remoued for bearing of children is all one word in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it must needes be vnderstood of the women for this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bearing of children is in the singular number that which foloweth of the plurall and it is but an action not a person so that it should be improperly sayd if they continue that is in bearing of children Stapleton obiecteth against this meane that it is not now needefull seeing there is a perfect and absolute translatiō authorised by the Councell of Trent he meaneth the vulgare Latin We answere First it is no perfect but an erronious translation and verie corrupt Secondly if it were neuer so perfect yet for more certaintie it is profitable to search the originall euery man will trust his owne skill rather then another mans Thirdly the Councell did fondly in authorising an old blind translation before the authenticall copies of the Hebrue and Greeke 2 Secondly the scope of the place the circumstance of it with that which goeth before and commeth after must be wayghed which will bring great light to the place we haue in hand an example we haue 1. Pet. 4.8 loue couereth multitude of sinnes the Papistes gather out of these words that loue doth iustifie vs before God and taketh away our sinnes but by the circunstance of the place the Apostole saying immediatly before haue feruent loue among you it is euident he vnderstandeth brotherly loue amōgest our selues whereby faultes are buried forgeuen and forgotten Stapleton obiecteth that this is but an vncertaine way and many times fayleth for the scripture passeth many times from one matter and argument to another how then can it helpe to consider the circumstance of the place being of a diuerse matter We answere we say not that any of these meanes serueth for euery place but when one fayleth to vse another when the circumstance helpeth not to runne to the originall if there we find no succour to cōpare places together and when we may to vse them all or the most 3 Thirdly the conference of places is very profitable as Iames. 2.21 Abraham was iustified by workes compare it with that place Rom. 4.2 there S. Paule saith flatly that Abraham was not iustified by workes Wherfore seeing one Apostle is not contrary to the other we must needs gather that this word iustified is diuersly taken Paule saith that Abraham was not iustified that is made righteous before God by his workes Iames saith he was iustified that is declared to be iust before men and so Thom. Aquinas expoundeth it Stapleton obiecteth that this meanes in cōparing of places is of it selfe many times of smal force Answere as though we affirme that these meanes must be vsed asunder and not rather ioyntly together and where one fayleth another to helpe Secondly some things are found but once in the scriptures Aunswere they are then either very plaine or not greatly necessarie Thirdly heretikes haue erred in comparing of Scripture Answere they compared them not diligently nor with a syncere minde but corruptly and negligently 4 The fourth rule is the analogie and proportion of faith which is nothing els but the summe grounds of Religiō gathered out of scripture such as are conteined in the Creede the Lordes Prayer the ten Commaundements and in our whole Catechisme We must take heede that in the interpretation of Scripture we swarue not from this rule of faith nor impugne any principle of Religion Wherefore the Papistes interpretation of those wordes of Christ we do reiect Hoc est corpus meum this is my
which is contrarie We aunswere whatsoeuer is imposed as necessarie to saluation beside the Scripture praeter Scripturas is also contra Scripturas contrarie to Scripture as are all Popish traditions which they lay a necessitie vpon both beside and contrarie to Scripture Neither did those false Apostles against whom S. Paule writeth so much bring in another or cōtrary Gospell as the Apostle saith ver 7. as they did labour to corrupt and peruert that Gospel which S. Paul taught Therfore all traditiōs whether praeter or cōtra beside or contrarie to Scripture are notablie by this place ouerthrowen 2 Iohn 20.31 these things are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name Ergo the Scriptures conteine all things necessarie to saluation for they suffise to worke in vs faith and faith bringeth vs to eternall life First Bellarmine aunswereth that Iohn speaketh onely of that which he had written Aunswere If this one Apostles writings were able to worke faith the whole body of Scripture much more but he rather speaketh of all other holy writings of the Apostles for he was the suruiuer of them all acknowledged their writings and approued them Secōdly saith he the Apostle saith not that those writings onely suffise but they are profitable and referred to this end to worke faith Aunswere The Scripture is not one of the meanes but the sole whole and onely meanes for if they perfectly worke faith what neede any other helpes but the first is true for they doe beget in vs a perfect faith which shall bring vs to eternall life Ergo they are the onely meanes of faith 3 The whole Scripture saith S. Paule is profitable to teach to improue to correct and instruct in righteousnesse 2. Tim. 3.16 Ergo it conteineth all things necessarie for what els is requisite besides these foure to teach the right faith improue error to instruct in righteousnes and vertue to correct vice First they aunswere the Apostle meaneth as well euery booke of Scripture as the whole euery part therfore hath this perfection as well as the whole But you will not say that euery booke conteineth all things necessarie to saluation therefore this perfection is not so to be taken We aunswere First S. Paule vnderstandeth the body of Scripture as ver 15. thou hast knowen the Scriptures he speaketh of them all Secondly if euery part had these vtilities you might as well conclude that euery word and sillable hath them for they are parts of Scripture Thirdly it appeareth by these foure great vtilities here set downe that the Apostle meaneth not any part or partes of Scripture but the whole for euery part of Scripture is not profitable for all these endes but the whole Secōdly they say it foloweth not the Scripture is profitable therfore sufficient they also graunt it is profitable Aunswere but we conclude out of S. Paule that the Scripture is not onely profitable but sufficient as it foloweth v. 17. that the man of God may be absolute perfectly instructed to euery good worke If then the scriptures are able perfectly to instruct vs then are they sufficient then neede we no other helpes 4 Lastly Augustine thus writeth in Psal. 66. Ne putetis saith he ex alijs Scripturis petendum quod forte hic deest Thinke not saith he that it is to be found in any other writings if it be not in Scripture And in another place In Euangelio quaeramus nam si ibi non inuenimus vbi inueniemus Let vs saith he seeke to be resolued in the Gospell if we finde not there where shall we find it Ergo by the iudgemēt of Augustine there is no truth necessary to be knowen which is not to be found in the Scripture THE THIRD PART OF THE SEVENTH question whether there be any traditions beside Scripture concerning faith and manners The Papistes error 13 THey vnderstand by this word tradition doctrine preceptes and ceremonies with other vsages of the Church which are not written in the scriptures They do not say that all their traditiōs are necessary but they make diuerse kindes of them some are vniuersall obserued in the whole Church some particular some are free some necessarie some are Apostolicall inuented by the Apostles some Ecclesiasticall by the Church so thus they conclude all traditions decreed in Councels and iudged Apostolicall whatsoeuer the Church of Rome receiueth as Apostolicall are not to be doubted but to be Apostolicall indeed Secondly all Apostolicall traditions are of equall authoritie with the writings of the Apostles Bellarm. lib. 4. cap. 2. 9. and they are that part of the word of God which is vnwritten as well as the scriptures are that part which is written Let vs see what arguments they bring for these traditions 1 They geue an instance of certaine traditiōs as the Baptisme of infants and the not rebaptising of those which were before Baptised by heretikes We aunswere these two customes of the Church are grounded vpon scripture for as childrē were in the time of the law Circūcised so are they now vnder the Gospell Baptised and that promise Gene. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seede as it belonged to them and their children so doth it appertaine to vs and our children Concerning the other point that they whom heretikes haue once Baptised ought not to be Baptised againe S. Augustine doth proue it out of the scripture Ephe. 4. there is one Faith one Baptisme Ergo not to be repeated But now they come in with other traditions as the Lenton fast which they vse most fondly and superstitiously the eight Ecclesiasticall orders Bishops Prists Deacōs Subdeacons Acolythistes Readers Exorcistes Doore-keepers the worshipping of Images with many other these they would face vs out to be Apostolical traditions and to haue bene vniuersally obserued which are but their vayne brags and Thrasonicall crakes they shall neuer proue them vniuersall much lesse Apostolicall And because they finde no scripture to establish these their superstitious fantasies by they flye vnto tradition which is their onely hauen where they hope to finde succour but all in vayne Bellarm. lib. 4. cap. 9. Consul Whitacher quaest 6. cap. 4. 2 They proceede and alledge scripture for their traditions as that place Iohn 16.12 I haue many things to say but you can not beare them now Ergo say they there are many traditions not written We aunswere First it foloweth not because Christ declared not all things at that time that therefore he kept them from his Apostles all together Nay whatsoeuer afterwardes the Apostles learned of the spirite of God they had heard before of Christ for it was the office of the spirite but to put them in remembrance of Christes sayings Iohn 14.26 which they had heard before but vnderstood them not and so forgat them Wherefore these things which Christ forbeareth to speake are the same things which are cōteined in
the Apostles writings Secondly if there were other matters which Christ vttered not how foloweth it nay what great presumptiō is it to say that those trifles and apish toyes which the Papistes vse in their Idolatrous sacrifice and their other beggarly ceremonies which boyes may well laugh at are those profoūd matters which the Apostles were not then able to conceiue 3 That of all other they take to be an inuincible place 2. Thess. 2.15 keepe the instructions or traditions which ye haue bene taught either by word or by Epistle Ergo there are traditions besides scripture We aunswere when S. Paule wrote this Epistle all the scriptures were not writtē wherefore besides these two short Epistles which do not conteine the summe of the Gospell nor all necessarie preceptes he by his preaching supplied what was wanting and so declared vnto them the whole mysterie of the Gospell as he saith 1. Thess. 2.2 these he calleth his traditions because yet he had not written his other Epistles wherein those instructions and traditions are conteined This then is but a weake argument the Thessalonians had other instructiōs and traditions beside the two Epistles writtē vnto them Ergo they had other traditiōs beside all the writings of S. Paule and the other Apostles this is their mayne and waightie argument The Protestantes FIrst we graunt that all things are not written which our Sauiour Christ and the Apostles taught and that it was the Gospell which they preached as well as this which is written yet in substance they preached the same Gospell which now is expressed in the scripture neither was there any necessarie precept deliuered in their Sermons which is not now to be found in the scriptures Secondly we denie not but there were certaine rites and orders ordained by the Apostles in diuerse churches which were not cōmitted to writing because they were not to continue and endure for euer in the Church as that precept Act. 16. that the Gentiles should abstaine from strangled and from bloud Thirdly we also graunt that the Church may vse externall rites and orders either left by tradition or ordained by the Church for decencie and comelynesse and tending to edification But we constantly affirme that there are no traditions in the Church of God necessarie to saluation beside scripture wherein all things are conteined necessarie to saluation both concerning faith and manners 1 It is not lawfull as to take ought from the word of God so to adde any thing vnto it Deut. 12.32 Apocal. 22.18 But they which bring in traditiōs necessarie beside the scriptures do adde vnto them Ergo. To the proposition the Iesuite aunswereth that all addition to the word of God is not forbidden for the Prophets did write after Moses the Apostles after the Euangelistes We aunswere that those holy men had authoritie from God to compile scripture if the Papistes haue the like Apostolike authoritie for their traditions let them shew it and we will beleeue them Secondly the Prophetes did but explane Moses and expound the law and the Apostles did as it were set forth their Commentaries vpon the Gospell this therefore was no addition because they did not derogate from the perfection of the scriptures any way To the assumptiō they aunswere that their traditions are but expositiōs of Scripture We aunswere their traditions are cleane contrarie to Scripture as the worshipping of Images and the sacrifice of their Masse and they adde to Scripture making it vnperfect saying it doth not conteine all things necessarie to saluation Wherefore they can not escape that curse which they runne into that adde to the word of God 2 All traditions among the Iewes besides the law were condemned Math. 15.3 Ergo all vnwritten traditions now must be abolished The Iesuite aunswereth First Christ condemned not the auncient traditions of Moses but those which were newly and lately inuented Aunswere first the Scripture maketh no mention of any such traditions of Moses Christ biddeth them search the Scriptures not runne vnto traditions Secondly these seemed to be auncient traditions bearing the name of Elders traditions and they were in great authoritie amongest the Iewes most like because of some long continuance Secondly saith he Christ findeth fault with wicked and impious traditions Aunswere First their traditions were not openly and plainly euill and pernicious but had some shew of holynesse as the washing of pots and tables and beds I would the Papists did not here take thē selues by the nose whose traditions come nearer to open impietie and blasphemie then theirs did Secondly Christ in opposing the Scripture against traditions therein condemneth all traditions not written besides the Scripture 3 If Paule preaching the whole Gospell Act. 20.27 did say none other things then Moses and the Prophetes then all things necessarie to saluation are conteined in the Scriptures For it can not be said to be a whole and perfite Gospell if any thing necessarie to saluation be wanting But Paule preached nothing but out of Moses and the Prophetes Act. 26.22 Ergo much more now is the Scripture a perfect rule of faith we hauing beside Moses and the Prophetes the holy writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles 4 Last of all although we might multiplie many arguments but these I trust strongly concluding out of Scripture may serue as a sufficient bulwarke against all Popish paper bullets Let vs heare in the knitting vp the iudgement of Augustine In his rebus inquit in quib nihil certi statuit Scriptura mos populi Dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda Epist. 86. In all those things saith he speaking of externall rules and ceremonies of the which we haue no certaine rule out of Scripture the custome of the people of God and the godly constitutions of our forefathers must stand for a law but concerning matters of faith and good maners the Scriptures do giue certaine rules as in another place In ijs quae aperte in Scriptura posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi De doctrin Christian. 2.9 all things appertaining to faith and the rule of life are plainlie expressed in the Scripture Ergo by the sentence of Augustine traditions besides scripture haue nothing to do with the doctrine of faith and manners but do consist onely in externall rites and customes of the Church THE SECOND GENERALL CONTROVERSIE CONCERNING THE CHVRCH HAuing now finished the questions betweene our aduersaries and vs concerning the Scriptures and word of God which all do belong to the Propheticall office of Christ in the next place such controuersies are to be handled as do concerne the Kingly office of Christ. And seeing the Church of Christ is his kingdome where he ruleth and raigneth we must intreat of the Church and first in generall of the whole and in speciall of the partes and members This present controuersie concerning the Church in generall standeth vpon fiue principall questions 1 Of the definition of the Catholike Church two partes
and although the true Church doth geue a notable testimonie thereunto yet doth not our faith depend vpon their witnesse testimonie or allowance Secondly the true visible Church is certainly knowen by the preaching of the word and the right vse of the Sacramēts so that we doubt not but there is the true Church where we finde these markes neither is it needfull to know the estate of euery particular member thereof for so long as all actions in the Church are directed and ordered by the rule of Gods word we neede not to doubt to commit our selues to that Church howsoeuer otherwise men do stand before God and yet so much as is necessarie the faithfull may be iudged knowen by their fruites Thirdly though we admit that wicked men are mēbers yet the vncertainty remaineth still for they them selues hold that neither men not Baptised or persons excommunicate or heretikes can be of the Church but many may liue in the Church whom we know not to be Baptised which may be ipso facto by the deed doing excommunicate without publike sentence and heretikes also wherefore euen amongest themselues they are vncertaine who are members of the Church The Protestantes WE hold that the Catholike Church consisteth onely of the predestinate and comprehendeth the vniuersall number of all those which shal be saued not onely those now liuing on earth but all that haue bene since the beginning of the world of this Church S. Paule was euen being a persecuter for he was neuer a member of the deuill nor reprobate as Iohn Husse saith articul 2. Of this Church Iudas the traytor neuer was though he were reputed for a Disciple of Christ for a while Huss articul 7. Therefore the wicked and reprobate though they liue in the outward assembly of Christians are no more the true members of Christ then the tares in the field may be counted wheat or good corne 1 The true members of Christ are also his sheepe the wicked are not the sheepe of Christ Ergo neither his members The sheepe of Christ heare his voyce they do not heare his voyce Ergo if they shall aunswere that hypocrites and wicked men do heare Christes voyce so long as they continue in the outward profession of Christians we thus improue it Christes sheepe do folow him in life and example Iohn 15.4 but so doe not they If it shal be yet aunswered that they may also a while walke in Christes steps this is not enough for all Christes shal be saued ver 9. wherfore the Gospell vnderstandeth such folowers as continue to the end 2 Christ is the head of his Church and all the partes thereof but he is not the head of the wicked reprobate Ergo. The Iesuite graunteth that he is the head euen of those partes that shall perish Bellarmin cap. 7. We thus answere Christ is the head onely of those for whom he gaue him selfe Ephe. 5.23.25 but he gaue not him selfe for the wicked Ergo. If this be denied we thus proceede Christ dyed onely for those whom he sanctifieth and cleanseth to make them a glorious Church without spot and wrincle Ephe. 5.26.27 But this can not agree any wise to the wicked Ergo. 3 The Church of God is the whole familie of the children of God in heauen and earth Ephe. 3.15 they both make but one Church the wicked are not of this familie for who would say that the Saintes in heauen and wicked and reprobate men vpon the earth are felow seruaunts and of one houshold Ergo they are not of the Catholike Church 4 Of all other that is a most euident place 1. Iohn 2.19 they went out of vs but were not of vs Ergo heretikes and reprobates are not of the church Bellarmine aunswereth though they were not of vs that is of the Church animis voluntate in soule and minde and purpose of hart yet they were of vs externa professione in externall profession Thus they are not ashamed such is there great boldnesse to contradict the scriptures for the Apostle saith non erāt ex nobis they were not of vs they say yes forsoth after a sort erāt ex nobis they were of vs the Apostle saith nay they say yea he saith indeed exierunt ex nobis they went out of vs which soundeth nothing like as erant ex nobis they were of vs as the Iesuite subtillie would conclude 5 Let Augustine speake for vs both Illa columba vnica pudica casta sponsa sine macula ruga non intelligitur nisi in bonis iustis sanctis That louely doue saith he the chast vndefiled and vnspotted spouse that is the Church of God is onely vnderstood of those that are righteous faithfull holy Ergo the wicked are not of the Church which is the spouse of Christ. THE SECOND PART OF THE QVESTION whether the Catholike Church be inuisible The Papistes THey do affirme that the Catholike Church is and hath bene alwayes visible error 15 not so visible because it might be seene but that it hath bene alwayes actually visible not seene onely vnto the mēbers of the church but notoriously knowē to the whole world Rhemens annot in Math. cap. 5. Sect. 3. Neither do they meane any particular Church so to haue bene visible but the vniuersall catholike church which they define to be a visible cōgregatiō of all faithfull men Canisius cap. de fide Symbol articul 18. Bellarmin lib. 3. de Eccles. cap. 12. ration 7. 1 The foundation of the Church is visible therefore the Church is visible the proportion they proue thus for whether we affirme Christ or Peter to be the foundatiō of the Church both of them are now visible in him which is the Vicare of Christ and Peters successor We answere First we vtterly denie either Peter to be the foundation of the Church or els the Pope to be his lawfull successor for Peter is no more the foundation of the Church then all the Prophetes and Apostles Ephe. 2.20 whose doctrine is the foundation not their persons And as for the Pope we care not so much for outward successiō in place which notwithstanding they can not proue to haue bene perpetuall without interruption as we do require a succession of faith and doctrine Secondly we affirme that Christ is the foundation but not the visible beholding of Christ with the carnall eyes but beleeuing in his name for when Peter had vttered that notable confession of Christ he said that flesh and bloud had not reuealed it but his father in heauen but if the beholding of Christ had geuen Peter a sight of the foundation thē flesh had reuealed it vnto him his carnall eyes had brought him to Christ. Thirdly we may much better returne this argument vpon them selues that because the foundation of the Church which is faith in Christ is inuisible therefore the Church is inuisible 2 They heape vp many places of Scriptures but to small purpose as Math. 18. tell the
that faith was requisite to make a true member of the church here he saith that without faith a mēber cā not be knowen much lesse therfore made 3 The Rhemistes confesse in these very words that in the raigne of their imagined and supposed Antichrist the externall state of the Romane church and publike entercourse of the faithfull with the same shall cease and that there shal be onely a communion in hart with it and practise in secret Annot. in 2. Thess. 2. Sect. 10. Where then I pray you shal be your tabernaculum in sole ciuitas in monte candela splendens in domo your tabernacle in the sunne your Citie in a mountaine your candle shining in the house that is say you in the world Math. 5. Sect. 3. Ergo out of their owne wordes we conclude that the church shall not alwayes be visible and notoriously knowen in the world Lastly we will conclude with Augustine Aliquando in sola domo Noah Ecclesia erat in solo Abraham Ecclesia erat in solo Loth domo eius Ecclesia erat in solo Henoch Ecclesia erat Sometime the church was onely in Henochs house sometime onely in Noah some time in Abraham alone in Loth his house How then hath the church bene alwayes so visible and notoriously knowē to the world when it hath layen hidden some time in one house yea in one man THE SECOND QVESTION whether the Church may erre THis questiō is deuided into two parts First whether the catholike church may erre at all or not Secondly whether the visible church vpon earth may fall away from God into Idolatrie and apostasie THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE Catholike Church may erre in doctrine The Papistes THey do teach that the catholike church can not possiblie erre not onely in matters absolutely necessarie to saluation but not in any thing which error 16 it imposeth and commaundeth whether it be conteined in the word of God or not yea that it can not erre in these things which beside the word of God are commaunded And by the church here they do meane not onely the Pastors and Bishops but the whole companie of the faithfull so that neither that which all the pastors of the church do teach can be erronious nor what is receiued generally of the whole church Bellarm. de Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 14. Rhemist annot an Iohan. 14. ver 16. 1 The church say they is the pillar of truth 1. Tim. 3. Ergo it can not erre We answere First it is no otherwise the pillar of truth then a virgin without spot and wrincle Ephe. 5.27 As that place doth not priuiledge the church frō all sinne and imperfection of life so neither doth this place exempt her from all error in doctrine Secondly she is called the pillar of truth in respect of vs because the truth is preserued in the true church and is not els where to be found not because the truth dependeth vpon the church for S. Paule sendeth not Timothie in this place to learne of the church as though it could not possiblie be deceiued but saith he these things haue I written that thou mayst know how to behaue thy selfe in the house of God ver 14.15 Ergo the word of God is the rule of truth and the church hath no warrant to be kept from error but as she is lead and gouerned by the word of God Thirdly the argument foloweth not for Peter was a pillar and yet erred Gallat 2.9.11 2 They heape many arguments together The church hath the spirite of God to lead it into all truth the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Math. 16. God hath geuen it Apostles teachers Euangelistes to keepe it in the truth Ephe. 4. Christ hath prayed for the church that it may be sanctified in the veritie Iohn 17. Christ prayed that Peters faith should not faile Ergo the church can not erre Rhemens annot 1. Timoth. 3.15 We answere euery one of the elect hath the spirite of God neither shall the gates of hell preuaile against the faith of any one of the elect to ouerthrow it Christ prayeth for euery one of his Disciples that they may be sanctified in the truth Iohn 17.20 wherefore it foloweth as well by these arguments that no one faithfull man can fall into error The pastors and teachers so long as they folow the Apostles doctrine may keepe the church from error but it is not gathered out of that place Ephe. 4. that the pastors if they swarue from Gods word can not erre Concerning Peter Christ prayed for him that his faith should not faile in that greeuous tentation which he fell into Secondly he prayed not for him as gouernour of the church but as he prayeth for euery faithfull man Iohn 17.23 Thirdly for all this prayer Peter erred Gallat 2. 3 This argument was vsed in the Councell of Basill the Church is without spot and wrincle Ephe. 5.27 Ergo without error We aunswere First S. Paule speaketh there of a glorious church such as it shal be in the kingdome of heauen not of the church as it is vpon earth so Reuel 7.14 The elders which sat round about the throne which are the Saintes in heauen were seene in long white robes which they had washed white in the bloud of the Lambe 2 It foloweth out of this place that the church is as well without sinne as free from error which the diuines in the Councell did also graunt But seeing by their owne confession euery member of the church being clothed in this mortall flesh sinneth how can the church be without sinne If the church consist of men and all men are sinners how is the church free If all the partes and members be sinnefull how is not the whole also polluted with sinne If all the partes of the body be sicke and diseased how can the whole be sound The church also is not ashamed to confesse her selfe to be blacke Cant. 1.5 she shal be made bewtifull and glorious without all spot blemish in the kingdome of God and euen now also is made righteous and iust before God through Christ not because she hath no sinne but because it is remitted and although some errors and imperfections remaine yet shall they be no hinderaunce to her saluation The Protestantes WE doubt not to say that the church of God may erre in some points not necessarie to saluation but can not fall cleane away from God into any dānable error Fulk annot in Ephe. 5. ver 29. That the church may erre as we say we do shew it thus and by the Church we vnderstand the whole companie and congregation the pastors with the people 1 When our Sauiour Christ suffred the church erred in faith Ergo it may erre the proposition is thus proued The church was either in the Scribes and Pharisies or els in the Apostles but both of them erred they in putting Christ to death the other in their incredulitie not beleeuing rightlie in the
Was not here great amitie and loue thinke you amongest the Popes Another notable example of their vnitie we haue in Pope Vrbanus time the 6. against whom stood vp a contrarie Pope in Fraunce named Clement it is worth the noting what coyle these two popes kept between whō many battailes were fought many thousands slaine Pope Vrbane beheaded fiue Cardinals together after long torments Bishop Aquilonensis because he did ride no faster was had in suspition and slayne and cut in peeces by Vrbans souldiers at his commaundement behold here I pray you the vnitie of these Catholikes We will adioyne one other example no longer since then in king Henry the eights time The Duke of Bourbon being the leader of the Emperors armie layd siege to Rome and sacked it the souldiers brake in vpon the Pope which was Clement the seuenth being at Masse slew diuerse of the Priests and one Cardinall called Sanctorum quatuor they layd siege to the Castle of S. Angell so long till the Pope yeelded him selfe The souldiers dayly that lay at the siege made iestes of the Pope sometime they had one riding like the Pope with a whore behind him sometimes he blessed sometime he cursed sometime with one voyce they would call him Antichrist See here is their Catholike obedience to their chief Bishop Thus much concerning their vnitie and concord in life Let vs likewise take a view of their vnitie in doctrine We heard before how Pope Stephen and Sergius abolished the decrees of Formosus how then saith the Iesuite that the decrees of Popes do consent together The Councell of Basile and Constance before that decreed that the Pope should be subiect to generall Councels but this Canon was afterward reuersed and now generally the Papists hold the contrary that the Pope is aboue Councels Let vs see the consent of their writers Bellarmin lib. 1. de verbo cap. 12. maintaineth against Lyranus Driedo Genebrard and others that Iudith was in Manasses time Against Alphonsus de Castro that heretikes are no members of the Church Lib. 3. de Eccles. cap. 4. Against Iohannes de turre cremata that faith is not necessarie to make one a member of the Church Lib. 3. de Eccles. cap. 10. And euery where the Iesuite taketh great libertie to confute and controll other his felow Papistes belike hauing found out some starting holes that they either knew not or were ashamed to creepe into as the Iesuite doth But saith he we denie not but that we haue dissentions but they are not in materiall points but in such things as appertaine not to faith I meruaile he blusheth not thus to say him selfe knowing the contrary Is it not a substantiall point and belōging to faith to know which bookes are canonicall Scripture which are not But in this question they do much disagree Caietanus the Cardinall saith that we must acknowledge no Scripture but that which was either written or approued by the Apostles But Catharinus a Papist doth reiect that opinion Hugo Cardinalis Arias Montanus do hold no bookes of the old Testament to be canonicall which are written onely in Greeke the Papistes now generally hold the contrary Ex Whitacher 1. contr c. quaest cap. 6. Bellarmin saith that all those opinions which the Church holdeth as articles or preceptes of faith were deliuered by the Apostles that the Church must not now seeke for new reuelations but content her selfe with the Apostolike traditions and doctrine de Scriptur lib. 4. cap. 9. Out of the which words it doth necessarily folow that the church is not now to foūd any new article of faith but this generally is denied by the Papistes and Stapleton an English Papist is not ashamed to say that the Church may adde more bookes to the canonicall Scripture by her absolute authoritie Further to beleeue that the virgine Marie was without sinne yea conceiued without originall sinne is now amongest the Papistes receiued for an article of faith and therefore in Paris none are admitted to be Doctors of Diuinitie which doe not first confirme this article by their oth Yet this was a great question betweene the Scotistes and Thomistes and a great and hote contention arose about this controuersie anno 1476. betweene the Dominicke Friers who affirmed that she was conceiued in sinne and the Franciscanes that held the contrary But these Franciscanes had the vpper hand and foure of the other order were condemned and burned for it at Berne and yet for all this our aduersaries will say still that they varie not in matters of faith Thus we haue seene what is to be thought of Popish vnitie Now to answere briefly to their false accusation whereby they charge vs with manifold schismes and dissentions yea Bellarmin is not ashamed to say that an hundred seuerall sectes are sprong amongest vs. cap. 10. lib. 4. de Eccles. 1 We say with S. Paule oportet haereses esse 1. Cor. 11. there must be heresies and diuisions in the Church And it is a signe we haue the truth when the deuill goeth about by schismes and contentions to hinder the preaching thereof We answere to you as Augustine did to the paganes Non proferant nobis quasi concordiam suam hostem quippe quem patimur illi non patiuntur Let them not boast of their concord and cast in our teeth the dissention of Christians the enemie assaulteth not them as he doth vs Quid ibi luchri est quia litigant vel damni si litigant the deuill shall get nothing if they should disagree nor lose any thing by their agreement for he hath sure hold enough of them already consenting all in Idolatrie But amongest Christians he laboureth to hinder the truth by discord because he can not otherwise withdraw them frō the true Religion Hearken now ô ye Papistes if you consent together it is in euill so long it pleaseth the deuill well enough he should destroy his owne kingdome in sowing dissention amongest you for you fight for him He vseth to cast fire brands amongest good Christians to withstand by this meanes the proceeding of the Gospell 2 It is a great sclaunder that there are so many diuisions amongest vs an hundred saith the Iesuite but he shall neuer proue ten He might haue bethought him selfe of a full hundred of sectes amongest his owne darlings the Monkes and Friers as M. Fox hath faithfully gathered the number pag. 260. 3 Those few schismes and dissentions which we haue and yet to many we must needes confesse are not about points of faith and articles of Religion but concerning some things belonging to discipline and Church gouernement which matters we denie not but haue bene somewhat to hotely and egerlie folowed of some amongest vs but God be thanked this contention hath not bene pursued by fire or death as the Franciscanes did persecute the poore Dominickes nor yet to the pronouncing of ech other heretikes as Eugenius your Pope was condemned as an hereticke in the Councell of
come after him which should preach the same fayth that hee had taught and should conuert many from their errors And many such examples wee haue of holy martyrs and worthy Prophets But we hereby doe not proue our Church Yet this I hope hath not been out of the way to haue aunswered a little to our aduersaries vaine and vntrue bragges Hitherto we haue touched the principall notes and markes whereby the Papists doe decipher out their Church vnto vs Now it followeth that we declare the right and certaine signes of the true Church Of the true and infallible Notes of the Church of Christ. THe outward tokens whereby the true visible Church is discerned are not many in number as our aduersaries doe reckon vp many the Iesuite no lesse than 15. supplying belike in number that which they want in waight Neither in this place doe we speake of the vniuersal Catholike inuisible Church which is beleeued and not seen being an article of our faith but of particular visible Churches which are discerned and knowen by these two essentiall markes the true preaching of the word and right vse of the sacraments Some also doe adde a third namely ecclesiasticall discipline Beza confess de eccles art 7. Hooper vpon the Creede articul 72. But this partly is comprehended in the 2. former for there cannot be hearing preaching of the worde the frequenting of the sacraments vnlesse there bee an exercise of Church discipline partly also we say that it is not so essential a note as the other are for the absence of the other make a nullity of the Church If the word or sacramēts in substance be corrupted the Church also is defaced but if there be not an exact forme of discipline it doth not straightway cease to be a Church Wherfore we conclude that the true preaching of the word and right vse of the sacraments are the only necessary and essentiall notes of the Church Where these two are rightly vsed according to Gods worde there is a right Church as here in England God be blessed Where they are falsely and impurely handled there is a false and corrupt Church as among the Papists where they are not at all in vse there is no Church as amongst the Turkes Iewes and Infidels First we will examine our aduersaries arguments and then bring foorth our owne The Papistes 1. BEllarmine thus argueth the true notes of the Church ought to be proper and particular not common and generall as these are for euery sect of hereticks doe chalenge to themselues the right preaching of the word and vsage of the sacraments Ergo they are no true notes We answere 1. It skilleth not how many do lay clayme to those notes the word of God it self is a manifest iudge where pure doctrine is taught and the sacraments rightly kept according to the institution It is no matter howsoeuer Papists and other heretickes doe make their bragges the scriptures themselues can soone decide this question 2. I maruaile they are not ashamed to obiect that our notes are common seeing theirs are most common for not only assemblies of hereticks but euen the heathen and Idolatrous Gentiles might as well prooue themselues to be the Church by those popish notes of vniuersalitie for Idolatrie had ouer-spread the whole world of vnitie they all consented to persecute the Church of Christ of antiquitie for the worship of Idols continued aboue two thousand yeares of succession for the monarch of the Assyrians endured 1300. yeares their kings all this while one succeeding another They had also Prophets and such as wrought miracles Our aduersaries may be now ashamed to cast vs in the teeth that our notes are common when as theirs doe well agree to the Synagogues of Sathan and assemblies of Infidels 2. Sayth he the note or the marke must be better knowen and more notorious then the thing marked or notified by it so are not these for we know not which is the worde of God nor what bookes are canonicall and to be taken for scripture but by the Church We answere the Iesuite still beggeth that which is in question a foule fault in a professed disputer for haue we not largely prooued before 1. contr quaest 4. that the Church dependeth vpon the authoritie of the scripture and not contrariwise and that there is no more certaine and euident and vndoubted thing in the whole world vpon the which a man may bee bolde to builde and ground his faith then vpon the scriptures This sure is a childish and ridiculous argument to take that as graunted which is most of all in controuersie 3 The true notes sayth hee are inseparable from the Church it is neuer without them But many true Churches haue wanted these The Church of the Corinthians was a true Church and yet they beleeued not the resurrection cap. 15. The Galathians were a true Church and yet they held that Moses lawe was to bee obserued together with the Gospell And the Corinthians likewise did not sincerely obserue the Sacraments 1. Corinth 11. Ergo they are no true signes We answere First this argument may with better right bee returned vpon their owne head for many true Churches haue wanted their markes Christ and his Apostles had neither succession from Aaron nor vniuersalitie and yet they made the true Church The Church of the Iewes after Malachies time had no Prophets nor miracles for the space of 400. yeares before Christ yet were they the true Church and so of the rest of your notes the Church of Christ hath many times wanted them Secondly It was not the whole Church of Corinthus that doubted of the resurrection but certaine false Apostles that laboured to seduce others 1. Corinth 15.34 Some of you sayth the Apostle haue not the knowledge of God he saith not all So likewise amongst the Galathians there were false teachers that stood for the lawe of Moses Galath 5.9 a little leauen doth marre the whole lumpe It was not therefore a publike doctrine in the Church but secretly taught by false Apostles Thirdly there may be some error in the Church but being not fundamental such an one as destroyeth faith it doth not dissolue the Church as there was some abuse amongst the Corinthians in receiuing the Sacrament but the forme and institution and substance of the Sacrament was kept Nay yet to graunt a little more though the error bee daungerous and of great waight and moment and such an one as being stifely maintained would destroye the faith and Church too yet if they haue fallen into it rather of ignorance then any other cause and doe not continue in it but doe submit themselues to bee reformed by the word it ceaseth not for all that to be a Church So the Corinthians referred themselues wholly and their opinions to the iudgement and determination of the Apostle Hetherto our aduersaries haue sayd nothing agaynst vs now wee will say somewhat for our selues The Protestants 1 FOr the sufficiencie of these
Notes we would desire no better arguments then those which our aduersaries alleadged against vs for first our notes are proper onely to the Church and cannot bee found in any place where the Church of God is not Secondly they are most notorious markes and a man by the Scriptures may more easely knowe what true doctrine is and which are the right Sacraments then which is the true Church Thirdly these markes can not be absent from the Church but doe alwayes accompanie it and it is no longer a true Church then it hath those markes 2 We are able out of the Scriptures to proue these marks which may stand in stead of many reasons Iohn 10. my sheepe heare my voyce Ephes. 5. clensing it by the washing of water through the word Ergo the Word and Sacraments are true notes of the Church Bellarmine answereth to the first place that the hearing of the word is not a visible note of the Church but a signe vnto euery man whereby he may knowe his election Wee replie agayne looke which way a man is knowne to bee a member of the Church by the same way the Church also it selfe is discerned if the hearing of the word doe make one a sheep of Christ then doth it also shew which is the flocke and fould of Christ As I knowe my hand or foote to bee a part of my bodie because it hath life and motion of the bodie euen so the bodie is discerned from a carkas because it moueth and liueth To the second place he answereth very simply that the Apostle there sheweth not which is the Church but what good Christ hath wrought for his Church We replie againe But the Church is best knowne by the benefites that Christ hath bestowed vpon it amongst the which the Word and the Sacraments are not the least Ergo by these the Church is knowne and in that place by the Apostle described And let the reader iudge whether that place of the Apostle where there is direct mention made of the word and sacraments be not fitly applied to our purpose concerning the description of the Church 3 Let Augustine speake In scripturis didicimus Christum in scripturis didicimus ecclesiam epistol 166. In the scripture we doe learne Christ in the scripture let vs likewise learne the Church His argument is this Looke how Christ is knowne so is his Church but Christ is onely knowne by his word Ergo so is his Church The fourth question of the authoritie of the Church THe Papists affirme that the authoritie of the Church consisteth in these fiue poynts First in authorising the scriptures and defining which are Canonicall Secondly in giuing the sense of the scripture Thirdly in determining matters besides scripture Fourthly in making lawes constitutions for the Church Fiftly in exercising of discipline Concerning the two last we doe not greatly stand with them We acknowledge the Church hath authoritie to make decrees and constitutions but so as the Apostles did Visum est nobis spiritui sancto It seemed good to vs and the holy Ghost the Church must be directed by the wisedome of the spirit speaking in the scriptures We also acknowledge the holesome power of the Church in exercising of holy discipline but it must be done in the name and power of Christ. 1. Cor. 5.4 not according to the will of men Concerning the two first we haue alreadie shewed that neither the Church doth giue authoritie to the word of God but doth take her authoritie from thē for the scriptures are of sufficient credite of themselues 1. controu quaest 4. Neither that the sense of scripture dependeth vpon the interpretation of the scripture but that the word expoundeth it selfe 1. controu quaest 6. There remaineth therefore onely one poynt to be discussed of the authoritie of the Church namely in deciding of matters beside the scriptures which are of two sorts either necessarie appertayning to faith or indifferent concerning ceremonies of both these in their order THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE CHVRCH hath authoritie in matters of faith beside the scriptures The Papists WE ought to take our faith and al necessarie things of saluation at the hands error 24 of our superiours Rhemist Act. 10. sect 8. In poynts not decided by scripture wee must aske counsaile of the Church Praefat. sect 25. The Church is the onely piller and stay to leane vnto in all doubts of doctrine without the which there can be no certaintie nor securitie we must therefore beleeue it and trust it in all things annot 1. Timoth. cap. 3. sect 9. Yea it hath authoritie say they to make newe Articles of faith as in the Councell of Constance it was decreed to be necessarie to saluation to beleeue the Pope to be head of the Church In the Councell of Basile it was made an Article of the faith to beleeue that the Councell was aboue the Pope and therfore Pope Eugenius in not obeying the Councell was adiudged to be an heretike 1 Vpon these words in the Gospel Iohn 15.27 the spirit shall testifie of me and you shall beare witnesse also they conclude thus Ergo the testimonie of the trueth ioyntly consisteth in the holy Ghost and Prelates of the Church Rhemist Iohn 15. sect 8. We answere The witnesse of the spirit and of the Apostles is all one witnesse for the spirit first testifieth the trueth to the Apostles inwardly and the Apostles inspired by the spirite did witnesse it outwardly so the Pastors of the Church witnessing with the spirit which is not now inspired by reuelation but onely found in the scriptures are to bee heard but if the spirit testifie one thing in the word and they testifie another there we must leaue them 2 The Church erreth not Ergo we must heare her in all things Rhem. 1. Timoth 3. sect 9. We answere First the Church may erre if she followe not the scriptures Proued before 2. controu quaest 2. Secondly so long as the Church heareth Christs voyce we are likewise to heare hers and so long as she is preserued from error she will not swarue from Christs precepts neither impose any thing vpon her children without the warrant of her spouse The Protestantes THat the Church hath no such power to ordaine articles of faith or impose matters to be beleeued necessarie to saluation not contayned or prescribed in the holy scriptures We prooue it thus and wee are sure that the true Church of Christ will neuer chalenge any such prerogatiue 1. All truthes and verities in the scriptures are not so necessary to saluation that the ignorance thereof should bring perill of damnation Ergo much lesse are any verities out of scripture of any such necessitie the first is manifest for to know the iust chronologie of time or space of yeares from the beginning of the world to Christ is a veritie in scripture yet not necessary so to beleeue that Marie continued a virgin euer after the birth of our Lord was thought by
it is not like that the Chalcedone Councel and the Emperour would haue yeelded to so vnreasonable a matter as they did Thirdly Eulogius Patriarke of Alexandria doth call the sayd Gregorie vniuersall Pope which name he vtterly refuseth and yet Eulogius had no such meaning to make him Bishop or Patriarke alone but onely to giue him a preeminence aboue the rest This modest and humble Bishop of Rome Gregorie in stead of the title Vniuersall brought it into the Popes stile to be called Seruus seruorum dei seruant to Gods seruants Ergo wee conclude with Gregorie that this title Vniuersall is an Antichristian name and that it hath misliked the ancient Bishops of Rome themselues and how other Patriarkes and Bisshops haue challenged that ambitious name and title as well as the Popes of Rome THE SIXT QVESTION WHETHER THE Pope may erre or not The Papists THey denye not but that both the Pope by himselfe and together with a error 47 whole Councel may bee deceiued in matters of fact that is in historicall poynts and the truth of things that are done because it dependeth of the testimonie and information of men But in matters of faith and doctrine the Pope determining with the Councel is not subiect to error yea the Pope by himselfe alone decreeing any thing concerning faith cannot bee deceiued Bellar. lib. 4. de pontific cap. 1â— No nor yet in precepts of manners prescribed to the Church by the Pope is there any feare or daunger of error cap. 5. Yea it is probable sayth he that the Pope not onely as Pope cannot erre but not as a priuate person is it like he should fall into heresie or hold any obstinate opinion contrarie to the faith cap. 6. 1 Luke 22.31 Simon I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Christ here prayeth for Peter and his successors that they might not at any time erre or be deceiued in matters of faith Bellar. cap. 3. Rhem. annot in Luk. 22. sect 11. We answere First this was a particular prayer for Peter that his fayth should not fayle in that great and dangerous tentation into the which our Sauiour foresaw hee should fall For if it were to be vnderstood of Peters successors they also must first be sifted by Sathan as Peter was and deny Christ and so being conuerted strengthen their brethren if they will vnderstand one parte of Peters successors I pray you why not all Secondly Our Sauiour prayeth likewise for all his Apostles that they might be sanctified in the truth yea for al that should beleeue by their preaching yet is not euery Christian priuiledged from all error of fayth Thirdly after this Peter himselfe erred and was reprehended of Saint Paul Fulk annot in Luk. 22. sect 11. 2. The high Priests that sate in Moses chayre were priuiledged not to erre Ergo much more now are the chiefe pastors of the Church free from error Bellarm cap. 3. Rhemist Luk. 22. sect 11. We answer the high Priests had no such priuiledge for some of them fell into strange errors Vriah the high Priest set vp an idolatrous altar at the Kinges commaundement 2. King 16. Eliashib was ioyned in Affinitie with Tobiah the Ammonite contrary to the law of God Fulk ibid. The Protestantes THat the Popes and Bishops of Rome haue not onely erred in manners but euen in fayth and not onely priuately and personally as men but pulikely and iudicially as Popes that they haue by their publike and open preaching defence allowance and consent approued and established erronious and some hereticall opinions thus we trust to make it playne and euident to all men 1. Peter erred Ergo the Pope may though he were Peters successor First Peter erred in denying of Christ the Iesuite answereth First he began not yet to be the chiefe Bishop which he entred not into till after the resurrection when Christ sayd vnto him Feede my sheepe Iohn 21. therefore all this while he might erre A goodly answere I pray you tell me was not the Church before Christs passion and after built vpon the same rocke I trow they cannot denie it but Peter was not the rock before therefore not after If he were therefore called a rock because of his confession of Christ why should he not then rather straight after his confession take possession of his office then immediately after his deniall of Christ Surely this is but a silly shift Secondly sayth the Iesuite Peter fayled in charitie when he denied Christ not in fayth cap. 3. and if he fayled in fayth he lost the confession of fayth and not fayth it selfe We answere First and can a true fayth then bee separated from loue by your doctrine The Apostles knew no such fayth Saint Iames sayth it is a dead fayth that is without the works of loue and the fayth of diuels that is no faith Iames 2.17.19 If then Peters loue failed his fayth also fayled Secondly we doe not say that Peters fayth was lost and vtterly extinguished for Christ prayed for him but whether it were an error in fayth which Peter fell into for it is not all one to erre in fayth or cleane to lose fayth Thirdly hee lost the confession of fayth he denied Christ in word Ergo he denied the fayth howsoeuer he thought in heart for these two are the principall fruites of fayth to Beleeue with the heart and Confesse with the mouth Rom. 10. and where either of these is wanting there can not be a right fayth for he that putteth away a good conscience maketh shipwrack also of faith 1. Tim. 1.19 But the Iesuite I see hath a queazie stomack let him cough vp lustily and say with one of his fellowes Petrus non fidem Christi sed Christum salua fide negauit Peter denied not the fayth of Christ but his fayth remayning sound and whole hee onely denied Christ. Loe here is newe popish diuinitie that a man may denie Christ and yet not denie the faith Secondly Peter erred in constraining the Gentiles to doe as the Iewes Bellarmine saith it was an error in example conuersation not in fayth or doctrine cap. 7. We answere First in this example of Peter there was also included an error in fayth for how should the Gentiles better know Peters iudgement then by his example by the which they fell into an error of fayth and were constrayned to conforme themselues like to the Iewes thinking that the Iewish ceremonies were necessary to bee retayned Secondly Saint Paul himselfe sayth they went not the right way to the truth of the Gospell Ergo they erred from the trueth of the Gospell and so in fayth Thirdly the diuines of Paris doe attribute to Peter an error in fayth Fulk annot 4. Galat. sect 9. 2. We can produce many examples of the Popes which haue erred iudicially namely openly haue maintayned errors To let passe Marcellinus who sacrificed to Idols as a slippe of his person and he afterward repented him of his fall
yet by the way the Iesuite is deceiued that thinketh it probable that the Popes particular person cannot fall into heresie here you see Marcellinus fell into Idolatrie Liberius subscribed to the Arrians consented to the condemnation of Athanasius as testifieth Ierome confessed by Nicolaus Cusanus and Alphonsus de castro both papists Iuel pag. 164. defens Apolog. Honorius 1. consented to the heresie of Sergius Bishop of Constantinople who was a Monothelite and held that there were not two wills or operations in Christ and so destroyed the two natures That Honorius was a Monothelite Melchior Canus a papist confesseth hee was condemned for an heretike in the 6.7 and 8. generall synodes Bellarmine answereth that the Councels are corrupted or they might be deceiued in iudgement as in a matter of facte or that Honorius onely misliked the speech to say there were two willes in Christ and not the thing See what poore shiftes heere bee to make Honorius no heretike and yet all will not be Pope Stephen the sixt tooke vp Formosus body and cut off two fingers of his right hande and buried him againe in a lay-mans Sepulchre Then followed Rhomanus the first Theodorus the second Iohannes the ninth and restored Formosus with his decrees iudging him to bee lawfull Bishop After them commeth Sergius the third who tooke vp the body agayne cutte off the head and cast it into Tiber. The Iesuite answereth that Stephanus and Sergius erred onely in a matter of fact A goodly cloke to couer the filthines of their Ghostly fathers withall But by your leaue a little doe you not holde it to bee an article of fayth to beleeue the Pope to bee heade of Christes Church Then was it an article of fayth to hold that Formosus was right Pope for at that time there was no other Ergo Stephanus and Sergius erred in fayth defining the contrary All that you can say is this that it was not yet determined and decreed for an article of fayth so to beleeue see I pray you these mennes fayth is pinned vpon Popes sleeues Why masters the rule of fayth is certaine you cannot make new articles of fayth now but onely declare and explane those that are But doe you not thinke that these iollie Popes that would rake the dead out of their graues for their holines might deserue at GODS hand to haue a priuiledge not to erre in fayth Siluester the second was a Necromancer and a Coniurer and therefore fallen from the fayth Bellarmine sayth hee was a good man and all are fables and lyes that are tolde of him and because hee was cunning in Geometrie that ignorant age straightwayes iudged him to bee giuen to Necromancie Thus wee may take the Iesuites worde if wee will But the storie is reported by authors of better credit then Bellarmine as Iohannes Stella Platina Petrus Premonstratens Nauclerus Antoninus Fox pag. 167. Anastasius was a Nestorian heretike whose heresie was this that there are as two natures so also two persons in Christ Alphons de castro lib. 1. de haeresib cap. 4. Celestinus is reported by Laurentius Valla a Canon of Rome to haue been a Nestorian heretike de donation Constantin Now commeth in Pope Hildebrand or rather Heldebrand for hee was a very brand of hell fire called Gregory the seuenth Of whome Benno writeth thus that hee poysoned sixe Popes his predecessors to make himselfe a way to the popedome that hee was a Coniurer a raiser of Diuels and in his rage hee cast the sacrament into the fier But sayth Harding our countrey man though vnworthily Benno was his enemie and wrote of displeasure and Bellarmine thinketh that some Lutherane was the author of the booke which goeth vnder the name of Benno who was Cardinall in this Hildebrands time But Benno onely doth not thus report of him he was openly twise for the same crimes condēned in Councel first at Wormes thē after deposed in the Coūcel at Brixia in Italy Pope Clement 3. elected to succeed him And the said Gregory died in exile of whom Antonius reporteth that before his death he repented him of his insolencie shewed toward the Emperour Henrie the 4. whom with his wife and young child bare foote and bare legd hee had caused three dayes together in extreame frost and colde to waite at his palace gates at Canusium before he could speake with him Yet this Hildebrand for all these insolent cruell and dishonest partes is commended by our papists Harding Bellarmine and other for a deuout Catholike man who did all things of a zeale to the Church By this you may iudge whome our aduersaries count a Catholike man Pope Iohn the 22. affirmed that the soules lie in a traunce till the day of iudgement and feele neither payne nor ioye Harding and likewise Bellarmine answere that this was an error but no heresie Yet in the Vniuersitie of Paris it was condemned for heresie as Gerson writeth Againe sayth Harding he held it only as a priuate opinion But Massaeus sayth that Pope Iohn preached this heresie and sent out preachers to maintaine it Hee was condemned sayth he with his error by the diuines of Paris in the presence of Philip the French King before he was Pope when he was yet but a priuate Doctor But the contrary is proued by B. Iewel that he was Pope 13. yeares before Philip was king Iuell defens apolog p. 667. Pope Iohn the 23. denied the life to come and the resurrection of the body And this heresie was openly obiected against him in the Councel of Constance Bellarmine and Harding before him answere that he was not the rightful Pope for there were three at that time and therefore might erre But Platina sayth that he was chosen at Bonoma by the consent of all the Cardinals ex Iuel pag. 671. Lastly Pope Eugenius the 4. was condemned and deposed as an heretike in the Councel of Basile Where the Iesuite hath no other answer then by condemning the Councel as Schismatical to acquite the Pope Lib. 3. de pontif cap. 14. By these examples it may appeare to the indifferent reader that it is no rare nor impossible thing for the Popes of Rome to erre yea become playne heretikes And as for that shift of the Iesuite that they are no longer Popes whē they openly begin to teach heresie this is as Alphonsus sayth In re seria verbis velle iocari to dallie with words in a serious and earnest matter And so euery Bishop shal be as well priuiledged as the Pope and cannot fall into heresie for why may we not say that a Bishop when he is knowen to bee an heretike ceaseth to bee Bishop any longer as the Pope is no longer Pope and so as long as he remayneth Bishop cannot possiblie bee an heretike Surely this is but paltrie and beggarly stuffe 4. Augustine is not a whit afrayd to say Episcoporum literas per sermonem sapientiorem cuiuslibet in eare peritioris per aliorum
from his whole ministerie But the power before spoken of hee hath at his first receiuing of orders We thus shew it Whatsoeuer belongeth to the office of a Minister set ouer a flocke or charge hee receiueth the power thereof when he is ordayned But to preach the word belongeth to the office of such for preaching is properly the feeding of the people But see the absurditie of the papists they say it is not proper to the priesthood to preach but onely to haue power to sacrifice the body of Christ But it is proper to the Bishop say they to preach We answere First then the Bishop is properly the pastor of euery flocke and congregation in his diocesse for hee that properly feedeth is properly the Pastor And hee that is properly the Pastor hath the charge of soules properly yea more then hath the particular Pastor for he is improperly their Pastor but as it were the Bishops substitute and Vicar But what Bishop in the worlde is able to beare so great a burthen to haue the especiall and proper charge of all the soules in his diocesse It is not to be denied but he hath a charge of their soules as a Christian Prince also hath in some respect of his subiects but to say hee is the proper Pastor and hath the proper principall charge of soules in teaching and feeding of them for the question is now of preaching not of gouerning who is able to abide it Secondly but our Rhemists tell vs another tale that many that are not able to preach are meete enough to bee Bishops 1. Timoth. 5. sect 13. Ergo it is not proper to Bishops neither to preach I pray you then for whom is it proper if neither for Bishops nor inferior Pastors then for none Thirdly they make but seuen orders of Ecclesiasticall Ministers and the priesthood is the chiefe for a Bishop and a priest make but one order as Bellarmin confesseth cap. 11. But to none of all these orders it is proper to preach for seeing it is not proper to the priest none of the inferior orders can challenge it See then what goodly orders these are which leaue the very chiefe parte of the ministery vndone which is the preaching of the word I thinke their meaning is that this preaching is not so necessary a dutie but may be well spared in the Church 2 That which a man is bound to doe vnder paine of the curse of GOD that he may lawfully performe in due order without the leaue of men but a woe is layd vpon them that preach not the Gospell where they are bound 1. Cor. 9.16 Ergo. Argum. Wicliffi 3 A man is bound to giue corporal almes to the poore the needie the hungry the thirstie neither is he to craue leaue of any Ergo much more to teach the ignorant to comfort the weake and doe other dueties appertayning to his charge Argum. Wicliffi Concerning the power of giuing orders As Saint Paul speaketh of the laying on of his handes 2. Timoth. 1.6 so he maketh mention of imposition of hands by the Eldership 1. Timoth 4.14 And the Rhemists vpō that place mislike not the practise of the Church that their Priests doe lay on their handes together with the Bishop vpon his head that is to be ordayned So that by this it is manifest that imposition of hands doth not wholly and folie belong vnto the Bishop seeing the rest of the Elders were wont to lay on their hands likewise or the Bishop in the name of the rest Fulk annot Tit. 1. sect 2. So that the Elders were not excluded THE THIRD PART CONCERNING THE office and title of Cardinals The Papists BEllarmine would faine haue the office of Cardinals as ancient as the Apostles error 72 times and the name to be worthilie appropriated to the See of Rome that as the Pope himselfe by his prudence and holines is tanquam cardo Ecclesiae to the Church as the hingell to the dore vpon the which it is turned and borne vp so his Counsellers and assistants should be called Cardinals hauing the care of the Vniuersall Church but the Iesuite beside some vaine shew of mothworne antiquitie hath not one good argument to proue the name and office of Cardinals to be either ancient or commendable Then especiall office as they are Cardinals is to elect and chuse the Pope and to be assistant vnto him in Counsell for the gouernement of the vniuersall Church Bellarm. cap. 16. The Protestants THat neither the name of Cardinals as proper to Rome is ancient nor their office or either of them lawfull or commendable but vsurped and Antichristian thus briefely it is shewed 1 In Augustines time it was a common name vsually applied both in the good and euill parte to chiefe and principall men of any place or sect as he calleth the ringleaders of the Donatists Cardinales Donatistas Cardinall or captaine Donatists de baptism lib. 1. cap. 6. Surely if it then had been onely due to the assistants of the Romane Bishop Augustine had been much to blame to applie the name to Heretikes 2 Augustine thus writeth to Hierome Quamues secundum honorum vocabula saith hee Episcopatus presbyterio maior sit tamen in multis rebus Augustin Hieronim minor est Though according to the custome of the Church a Bishop be greater then a Priest yet Augustine a Bishop in many things is inferior to Hierome a Priest Now Hierome was a Priest of Rome and a Cardinall as our aduersaries say and therefore they picture him commonly in a red gowne and habite of a Cardinall yet you see Augustine as a Bishop was before him though for his great learning he putteth himselfe behinde him 3 Augustine in another place complaineth of one Falcidius a Deacon of Rome qui duce stultitia saith hee diaconos presbyteris coaequare contendit who being led or carried away with follie did goe about to make Deacons equall vnto Priests Is not the same follie now generally practised in Rome or a greater for they doe not onely preferre Cardinall Deacons before Priests but euen before Bishops and Archbishops in Augustines time this was counted a great follie 4 Concerning the office of Cardinals in the electing of the Pope we haue shewed before quest 2. part 2. that it is of no great antiquitie and that it is iniurious to three estates to the Emperor who was wont to cōfirme the election to the Clergie of Rome who had in times past interest in the election and to the people whose consent was also in time past required But now all these are excluded and the matter is wholly referred to the Chapter of Cardinals THE FOVRTH QVESTION CONCERNING the Keyes of the Church committed for the execution to the pastors and gouernors thereof THis question hath foure partes First wherein the authoritie of the keyes consisteth secondly to whom they are committed thirdly whether there is absolute power of binding and loosing in the Church or ministerially onely fourthly
deserue greater punishment then Iewes or Gentiles that they are more straightly obliged and bound by their couenant vnto God then the other and not onely as the Iesuite sayth because they haue tasted more of the goodnesse of God and so are more vnthankfull for there are two parts of the couenant betweene God and vs The Lord sayth Thou art my people and so enricheth them with knowledge and euery good thing The people say Thou art my God Hosh. 2.23 And thus as the Lord doth couenant with them so they doe binde themselues vnto God The breach of which couenant is that which stirreth vp principally the anger of God against vs. 2 Augustine vpon the 75 Psalme writeth thus Vouete reddite domino de◠vestro omnes communiter Quid debemus vouere credere in illum sperare ab illo vitam aeternam bene viuere secundum communem modum Make your vowes and pay them vnto God generally altogether What must we vow to beleeue in him to hope for eternall life to liue honestly not to steale not to commit adulterie These then are the common and generall dueties of Christians no other then we promised and vowed in baptisme THE THIRD PART CONCERNING VOLVNTArie vowes whether they be any part of the worship of God The Papists error 86 AL voluntarie vowes say they made by Christians as not to eate flesh not to drinke strong drinke or to liue vnmarried doe concerne the worship of God and thereby men are made more acceptable vnto him Bellar. cap. 16. 1 Iacob vowed to pay tithes Genes 28. Dauid to build a temple vnto God Psal. 131.2 But neither of these two were commanded them and yet they were properly referred to the seruice of God Ans. First we denye not as we haue sayd but that in the law and before there might be such voluntarie vowes yet it followeth not that there should bee any such now Secondly both those dueties were necessarie and commanded in generall though not in particular As first Iacobs vow was that the Lord should be his God vers 21. No man can denye but this was necessarie and a commandement Then seeing the Lord is his God it is also necessarie that he should acknowledge him by some externall worship as by appointing the Lord an house in that place and bringing oblations vnto his altars these are but particular duties that doe followe that generall commandement Secondly Dauid did vow that he was bound to doe being King of Israel namely to haue a care of the temple of God for thus he sayth to Nathan the Prophet I dwell in an house of Cedar trees but the Arke of God remaineth within the curtaines 2. Sam. 7.2 This belonged to the King of duetie as it was generally commanded all Israel Hagg. 1.4 but that Dauid was discharged of this care by the especiall warrant of God by the Prophet 2 Hebr. 13.16 To doe good and to destribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased Intelligitur sayth Bellarmine de eleemosyna non praeceptae it must be vnderstood of almes which is not commanded Ans. As though all kind of almes and releeuing of the poore be not commanded for the works of charitie and to doe good are alwaies enioyned vs. Againe this place serueth nothing at al for vowes It seemeth he was hard bestead that had no better choise of places The Protestants WE grant that there are other kind of vowes then before we spake of which doe not directly concerne the worship of God neither are of things commanded vs nor yet is God thereby the better pleased but they serue onely as helps to make vs more fit vnto Christian dueties As a man that seeth he is by nature giuen to dronkennes doth vowe that he will take no strong drinke lest he should offend that way Another purposeth to fast thereby to tame his flesh and the more feruently to pray As Iob made a couenant with his eyes not to looke vpon a maide 31.1 But these things of themselues by the outward act are not the more acceptable vnto God neither is God by eating or not eating or looking or not looking the better worshipped as these things are considered in themselues Wherefore by the word of God we condemne all voluntary and superstitious vowes of men inuented to serue God by as vowes of chastitie of going in pilgrimage offering to Images and such like 1 S. Paul condēneth al voluntary worship of God which is inuented by man as vnprofitable though it haue a shew of wisedome in humblenes of mind and not sparing the bodie Coloss. 2.23 As such are the ordinances of the world in worshipping of Angels and in abstinence Touch not tast not handle not But such are all popish vowes a voluntary seruice of God euen in the same things which the Apostle taketh exception against for they make vowes to Angels to Saints vowes to keepe daies holy and to fast in them Ergo they are vnlawfull 2 Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne that is grounded vpon knowledge out of the word Ergo all voluntarie vowes made to serue God by are to be abandoned because they haue no warrant out of Gods word Bellarmine answereth that the place is not so to be vnderstood but rather by faith is meant the conscience of man and so whatsoeuer is done against the conscience is sinne Ans. By faith is not vnderstood any conscience but the assurance of a right conscience which must needes be builded vpon the word for vers 22. S. Paul saith If thou hast faith haue it with God This cannot be spoken of a corrupt conscience which is not able to abide Gods trial but a right conscience established out of the word 3 Let vs heare Augustines iudgement Sunt multi qui vouent alius pallium alius oleum alius ceream ad luminaria noctis alius vt vinum non bibat per aliquot annos alius vt ieiunia certo tēpore faciat alius vt carnes non comedat Non est istud votum optimum neque perfectum adhuc melius volo non eligit Deus nec speciem tuam nec oleum tuum nec ieiunium tuum sed hoc quod hodie redemit ipsum offer hoc est animam tuam There are many that vow one a cloake another oyle another a waxe candle another that he will drinke no wine another that he will fast another that he will eate no flesh This is not the best kind of vowing God neither careth for thy comely apparell nor for thy oyle nor for thy fasting but offer that vnto him which he hath redeemed that is thy soule De tempor ser. 7. We see by this what account Augustine maketh of superstitious voluntarie vowes made with an intent to please God thereby THE FOVRTH QVESTION CONCERNING Monasticall vowes in particular THere are three kinds of vowes which belong vnto Monkerie the first is the vow of voluntarie pouertie the second the vow of obedience vnto the Monasticall presidents
other but all shall not passe through Purgatorie by their owne confession They are driuen to this shift to graunt that vers 13. the fire is taken in one sense namely for the sentence and iudgement of God and vers 15. in another that is for the flames of Purgatorie But who seeth not how absurd a thing this is that in an allegorie the same word and in the same place should be so diuersly taken Thirdly The day shall reueale it that is sayth Bellarmine the day of the Lord at the comming of Christ the Rhemists vnderstand the particular day of euery mans death so well they agree together But it is apparant that this is the meaning that the day that is the time shall declare it for God hath appoynted a time to examine euery mans doctrine by fire which is nothing els but the iudgement of God by the fire of his word whereby euery man in the day of his calling and conuersion shall knowe whether he hath preached aright or not Fulk The Protestants THat there is no such place of Purgatorie after this life but that here onely is the place of repentance and to be reconciled vnto God and that the soules departed are presently either receiued vp to heauen or thrust downe to hell thus it is proued out of the scriptures Argum. 1. The scripture maketh but two kinds of works either good or euill Ecclesiastes 12.14 But two sorts of men he that beleeueth shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be condemned Mark 16.16 But two places heauen and hell Math. 25. Christ hath but two flockes one of sheepe at the right hand another of goates at the left and he saith to the one Come ye blessed to the other Goe ye cursed There are but two sorts of men therefore but two places Ergo no Purgatorie Bellarm. There shall be indeede at the comming of Christ but two places heauen and hell Purgatorie shall haue an end Ans. First you say your selues that there shall be two infernall places for euer Hell for the wicked and a Limbus for infants that dye vnbaptized and heauen that maketh three and now you say there shall be but two Secondly there are but two places now because there are but two sorts of men for the beleeuers are alreadie passed frō death to life Iohn 5.24 The vnbeleeuers are alreadie condemned Iohn 3.18 Thirdly Augustine consenteth with vs Non est vlli vllus medius locus vt possit esse nisi cum diabolo qui non est cum Christo There is no middle or third place but he must needes be with the diuell that is not with Christ. De peccator remiss merit lib. 1. cap. 28. And againe Tertium locum penitus ignoramus imo nec esse in scripturis sanctis inuenimus The third place beside heauen and hell we are vtterly ignorant of nay wee finde not in scripture that there is any Arg. 2. S. Paul saith that euery man shall receiue the works of his bodie according to that which he hath done either good or euill 2. Cor. 5.10 Therefore there is no place to cleanse and purge the soules of men after this life for then they should not receiue according to the works done in their flesh Bellarmine sayth that euen they whose sinnes are remitted after death doe receiue nothing but that which was done in the flesh for they deserued in their life time to be helped after death Ans. First as for desert we will shewe elsewhere that it hath no place before God neither in this life nor the life to come for the scripture sayth Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne not who deserueth remission of sinnes Rom. 4.6 Secondly this deuised and friuolous distinction doth not stand with the Apostles meaning for he speaketh of things actually done in the flesh not deserued to be done and of the workes of the bodie not of the soule of things perfectly done not begun onely or in choate and he vseth it as a reason to perswade men euen while they liue to be accepted of God vers 9.11 But if there might be any such helpe after death there needeth no such hast presently to be conuerted vnto God Argum. 3. Apocal. 14.13 Blessed are the dead from henceforth that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours Ergo there is no Purgatorie for all the godly departed are at rest Bellarm. First it is not meant of all the godly but onely of Martyrs which dye for the name of Christ. Ans. As to liue in Christ Iesus is a phrase of scripture signifieth to liue godly in Christ 2. Timot. 3.12 so to dye in the Lord signifieth to dye in the faith of Christ 1. Thessal 4.16 Therefore this place is vnderstood of all the godly Bellar. 2. This word amodò from henceforth is not to be vnderstood straight after their death but straight after the day of iudgement thē they shal be blessed Ans. First by this reason none that are dead in Christ should be happie before that time And yet by your owne confession Martyrs are straightway receiued vp to heauen Secondly S. Iohn vseth this word elsewhere to signifie from this time forward as Iohn 1.51 Christ sayth to Nathanael From henceforth you shall see heauen open Rhemist Thirdly it may be also vnderstood of the soules of Purgatorie that are without danger of sinne and damnation and are put in vnfallible securitie of their saluation with vnspeakable comfort Ans. First so the Saints liuing are blessed being as well without feare of damnation Rom. 8.1 and are assured of their saluation Rom. 8.16 Secondly I pray you what rest or comfort can they haue that endure greater paine then any in this life And how can their consciences be quieted seeing their soules are so afflicted for bodies they haue none whatsoeuer they suffer is in soule how then can ioy and paine comfort and horror be together in the soule Fulk ibid. THE SECOND PART OF THE CIRCVMSTANces and other matters belonging to Purgatorie The Papists error 11 1. THey say it is an article of faith to beleeue that there is a Purgatorie and that he which beleeueth it not is sure to goe to Hell Bellarm. lib. 1. de purgatorio cap. 11. The Protestants WE hold that it is not onely an article belonging to the faith but contrarie to it and that though there were a Purgatorie yet it should not be necessarie to saluation to beleeue it First because the scripture hath not determined it which containeth all things necessarie to saluation Secondly the Greeke Church holdeth it not to this day they confesse no Purgatorie though they pray for the dead it were a hard matter therfore to pronounce them damned Thirdly Augustine doubted of it He sayth that there should be some such place after death non incredibile est it is not incredible vtrum ita sit quaeri potest aut inueniri aut latere fideles potest whether it be so or not
one for another is commaunded and requyred of God as the other is not Wherefore to run vnto saints and not vnto Christ is to doubt either of his readines or ability to helpe vs. 3 Iohn 16.26 Christ saith that after he hath by his mediation and intercession brought vs into the fauour of God In that day shall you aske the Father in my name and I say not that I will pray to the Father for you for the Father himselfe loueth you If then the prayer of Christ to God his Father shall not then be needfull what vse is there of the prayer of other creatures Fulk 1. Tim. 2. sect 4. Augustine saith Pro quo nullus interpellat ipse pro omnib hic vnus verusque Mediator est lib. 2. cont Parmenian cap. 8. He for whome no man prayeth but him selfe entreateth for all men he is the onely true Mediator Ergo saintes no mediators and therefore not to be prayed vnto THE SECOND PART WHETHER THE Saints departed do pray for vs. The Papists error 29 THat the saints in heauen do not onely pray in general but particularly for vs ready in all our needs by their prayer and mediation to assist vs thus they would proue it Argum. 1. 2. Pet. 1.15 I wil endeuour saith the Apostle that you may haue remembrance of these thinges after my departure Peter promiseth to be careful of them and to pray for them after his departure Rhemist ibid. Bellarm. cap. 18. Ans. This which here the Apostle promiseth he performeth in writing this Epistle whereby they might be put in remembrance when hee was gone And therefore he saith ver 13. I think it meete so long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you vp by putting you in remembrance he acknowledgeth now only to be the time wherein he may do them good and therefore deferreth it not There is no sillable which soundeth that way that he would pray for them after his dissolution Argum. 2 Apocal. 5.8 The 24. Elders are said to haue golden vialles ful of odors which are the prayers of the saints Rhemist in hunc locum Ergo the Saints in heauen do pray for vs. Ans. The 24 Elders do represent the Church Militant vpon earth whose conuersation is in heauen and they do continually offer vp their prayers And that the place is so to be vnderstoode it appeareth verse 10. Thou hast made vs Kinges and priests and we shall raigne vpon the earth that is their kingdome is spirituall in fighting against and ouercomming the concupiscence of the flesh and all carnall desires The Protestants THat the blessed Saintes doe sing vnto the praise of God in heauen and doe magnifie the Lord and praise him with a new song of thankesgiuing which is a kinde of prayer we deny not Apocal. 5.9 and that they haue a general desire and longing both for vs for themselues and all the elect of God that the day of our refreshing were come and that all the people of God were ioyned in one and their enemies vanquished and destroyed we learne also out of the scripture Apocal. 6.9 But that they should offer vp our speciall prayers make particular request for vs to God it no where in the scripture is found but rather the contrary Argum. 1. The scripture no where testifieth that the Saints in such manner do pray for vs Ergo we may safely be ignorant of it nay it were great presumption without scripture to beleeue it Argum. 2 The Saints departed know not our wants nor what is done in the earth The liuing know that they shall die but the dead knowe nothing at all Eccles. 9.5 But of this more shall be said in the next part See Augustine of this matter contro 8. quaest 2. part 3. THE THIRD PART WHETHER THE Saints vnderstand our prayers and be alwaies at hand to helpe vs. The Papists THey affirme 3. things which they are driuē to graunt by necessity of Argument while they stifly mantaine inuocation of Saints For first they graunt error 30 that they know our hearts and our inward repentaunce and secret thoughtes for otherwise it would not auaile to pray vnto them yet not of themselues but by the reuelation of God Bellarm. cap. 20. Ans. We deny not but that God may reueale vnto them some things at his pleasure but heereof it followeth not that they know all our affaires and heare all our prayers Againe what a preposterous order is this and superfluous God first reuealeth vnto them our prayers and then they solicite God in our behalfe I praye you what neede this seeing God knoweth our prayers First why is he not as ready of himselfe to graunt our requestes as to staye till he be entreated Secondly seeing it were in vaine to pray to Saints if they had not power to help vs they also are vrged to confesse that the saints are patrones of men and haue the gouernment of the worlde committed to them yea that they may receiue others into the kingdome of heauen Argum. 1. Apocal. 2.26 To him that ouercommeth wil I giue power ouer nations and he shall rule ouer them with a rod of Iron Ergo the saints haue the gouernment of men committed vnto them Rhemist ibid. Bellarm. cap. 18. Ans. The power which our Sauiour heere promiseth is the participation of his kingly inheritance first spiritually to ouercome the world by faith in this life and after this life they shall be set in ful possession of his royall inheritance The Rod of Iron is the worde of God which is also called a two edged sword whereby they execute vengeance vpon the heathen Psal. 149.7 It is the sword of the spirite whereby the wicked shall be destroyed Augustin expoundeth it to be the rod of Iustice whereby the good are corrected and the wicked broken in peeces Homil. 2. in Apocal. Argum. 2 Luke 16.9 Make you friends of the vnrighteous Mammon that when they need they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations see the saints may receiue their friends and benefactours into their eternal mansions Rhemist ibid. Ans. 1 Almes bestowed vpon the poore do procure their prayers but not their patronage 2 The wordes are thus parabolically to bee vnderstoode They shall receiue you that is shall giue testimony of you and your almes shall be a testimony of your charity and proceeding from a liuely faith shall euerlastingly be rewarded 3 That it is not meant of the persons but of the worke it is plaine because almes which issue from a true faith shall be rewarded at the Lords hand though bestowed vpon an hypocrite Fulk ibid. Thirdly They also hold that the saints at their pleasure can be present with their bodies and be amongst vs and so heare our praiers Bellarm. cap. 20. Argum. 1 Otherwise the saints should be fettered as it were in heauen if they remaine and be kept all in one place Ans. They are not fettered when they are limited by the Lord to a place see also what
est vt ieiunium Sabbati horribilius haberetur By the which sayth he it came to passe that the fast of the Sabboth was more abhorred Augustin ibid. But this reason now bindeth not vs because the name and heresie of the Manichees is now worne out and therefore there is no feare of any scandale to arise that way Thirdly we grant that the Lords day is not the fittest time for publique fasts first because it is a day of reioycing so we reade that the people in Nehemiah his time were forbidden to mourne and weepe after the lawe was read vnto them by Ezra because it was a day of ioy and mirth Nehem. 8.11 Secondly the day of solemne and publique fasting ought to be set a part from other dayes and to be proclaimed solemnely and to be spent wholly in spirituall exercises euen as the Sabboth with vacation and rest from other bodily labours as we may reade 2. Chronicl 20.3 Nehem. 9.1 And therefore any day is more fit then the Sabboth because that is a holy day alreadie vnto the Lord but when we will humble our selues before the Lord by fasting and prayer some day would onely for that purpose bee consecrate vnto GOD that may be as a voluntarie sacrifice whereas wee are bound of necessitie to keepe the Lords day But concerning priuate and particular fasts when men by themselues haue occasion to giue themselues to prayer whereof S. Paul speaketh 1. Corinth 7.5 Such priuate exercises may be better performed vpon the Sabboth because of the ordinarie exercises of the word which are notable meanes to kindle and stirre vp true deuotion in him which at that time will humble himselfe yea and publike fasts though not ordinarily yet wheÌ„ there is iust occasion may be kept vpon the Sabboth as we reade Act. 20.7 how that Paul continued his preaching till midnight whereof Augustine writeth thus Necessarius sermo resiciendi corporis causa interrumpendus esse non visus est profecturo Apostolo The necessary preaching of the Apostle he thought not good for the refreshing of their bodies to breake off being readie to depart We conclude therefore that it is lawfull to fast vpon the Lords day though it be not alwaies expedient And Augustine very well determineth this matter Ego in Euangelicis Apostolicis literis video praeceptum esse ieiunium quibus autem diebuâ—â—non oporteat ieiunare quibus oporteat praecepto domini vel Apostolorum non inuenâ—o de finitum I finde both in the Euangelicall and Apostolicall writings that fasting is commanded but vpon what dayes we ought to fast vpon what we ought not I doe not finde it defined Epistol 86. Wherefore to fast or not to fast vpon the Lords day or vpon any other being not determined in scripture is left as a thing indifferent to the Church of God The Papists error 67 8. THe name Sunday is an heathenish calling as al other weeke-daies in our language some imposed after the names of Planets as in the Romanes time some by the name of certaine Idols which the Saxons did worship which names the Church vseth not but hath appoynted to call the first day the Dominike after the Apostle Apocal. 1.10 the other by the name Feries vntill the last of the weeke which she calleth by the old name Sabboth because that was of God not by imposition of the heathen Rhemist annot Apocal. 1. sect 6. The Protestants Ans. FIrst as the name of Sunday and the rest is of the heathenish beginning and therefore were better to be otherwise termed as the first second or third from the Lords day as the Iewes called their daies from the Sabboth so your terme of feries is no lesse heathenish deriued from the word feria or feriae which were so called a feriendis victimis of striking the heathenish sacrifices as Sextus Pompeius sayth Fulk ibid. 2. We haue other names also that might bee reformed as of our moneths as March is so called of Mars Iune of Iuno Ianuary of Ianus which were heathen goddes Iuly and August doe beare the names of men yea and if wee might bee inuentors of newe names the termes of Christmas Michaelmas Candlemas should not stand in force nor any more be vsed which are as offensiue as the rest for as for the names of heathen Idols the most part are ignorant of them but the vulgar terme of Masse is to too well known too much loued of many of our countrey men Now for the name Sunday which is so great a mote in your eye if there were no more but that Augustine sheweth how it might be fauourably expounded Dies magni solis celebramus illius solis de quo dicit scriptura orietur vobis sol iustitiae We doe keepe Sunday holy namely of that great Sunne whereof the scripture speaketh the Sunne of righteousnesse shall arise 3. We wish that all these termes might be layd downe as Augustine sayth Nolumus vt dicant vtinam corrigantur vt non dicant We would not haue men so to speake and I wish they were reformed But seeing by continuall custome mens tongues are inured to such termes let them knowe that they are vsed onely as ciuill names to call things by not for any religion or mysterie in them contained or signified THE THIRD PART OF THE FESTIVAL daies of Christ and the holy Ghost The Papists THE feasts of Easter and Whitsontide and other solemnities of Christ were error 68 prescribed they say by the Apostles Rhemist Matth. 15. sect 2. to be kept vpon certaine dayes and that Peter did appoint that Easter should not be kept the 14. day of the first Moone as the Iewes obserued it but the Lordes day after And of the feast of Pentecost mention is made 1. Corinth 16.8 Ergo these feasts were instituted of the Apostles Bellarm. cap. 12.13 The Protestants Ans. FIrst wee graunt that it is expedient for the Church to keepe the memoriall of the Natiuitie Passion Resurrection Ascension of Christ and of the comming of the holy Ghost and the dayes instituted for the remembrance thereof no doubt ought to be had in greater account then any other holy dayes instituted by the Church Secondly it cannot be proued that they were prescribed by the Apostles or if they were but as indifferent ceremonies which are subiect to alteration and in the which the religion or worship of God dooth not consist Certaine it is that before the time of Constantine the great there were not many festiuall dayes kept in so much that the feasts of the Natiuitie of Christ Easter Pentecost were not vniformally obserued for many yeares after as appeareth by diuerse Councels And before Constantines time there was great contention betweene the Bishop of Rome and the Bishops of the East about the celebration of Easter they alleadging the constitution of Saint Iohn the other of Saint Peter wherefore it is like that the Apostles appointed no such certaine dayes for then the Church would
doe as well belong to the institution as the other Secondly they say that the words of institution doe not serue any thing at all for the instruction of the people to shew them the right vse of the Sacrament but onely for benediction and consecration of the elements Bellarm. cap. 19. Thirdly they doe hold that only by the pronouncing of those words the elements are consecrated whereas by the whole action and cerebration of the Sacrament the giuing receiuing inuocation thankesgiuing according to Christs institution the consecration is performed vpon the elements Fulk 1. Corinth 10. sect 4. Arg. 1. That the words of institution rehearsed do helpe as well to admonish stirre vp the people to a thankful remēbrance of the death of Christ as to consecrate blesse the elemēts it is manifest whereas Christ saith as the words are vsually rehearsed Doe this in remembrance of me and S. Paul saith That by receiuing the sacrament we doe shew forth the Lords death 1. Corinth 11.26 Ergo the people are by the words pronounced instructed and admonished and taught the right vse of the sacrament Argum. 2. that the words of institution doe helpe toward the benediction or consecration of the Elements we deny not but not by them alone but praier also and thankesgiuing and the whole action beside of receiuing To the consecration or sanctifiyng of any creature two things are required the word of God and praier 1. Timoth. 4.5 Neither the word sanctifieth without praier nor praier without the word Ergo to the sanctifiyng cōsecrating of the sacrament the bare rehearsall of the institution sufficeth not without inuocation and praier Augustine saith Accedat verbum ad elementum et fiet Sacramentum Let the word be ioyned to the element and it is become a Sacrament And in an other place he sheweth what word he meaneth Faciente verbo non quia dicitur sed quia creditur hoc est verbum fidei quod praedicamus The word effecteth this not because it is spoken or vttered but because it is beleeued this is the word of faith saith the Apostle which we preach thus farre Augustine tract in Johan 80. Wherefore it is not the muttering of a few words in a strange toung after the manner of enchaunters that by any secret force giuen vnto them hath power to consecrate but the vnderstanding hearing and beleeuing the institution of Christ with calling vpon the name of God and thankesgiuing before him AN APPENDIX OF THIS PART WHETHER THE forme of wordes in the institution of the Sacraments may not be by some addition or other alteration changed The Papists THe words of institution may be changed two manner of wayes either substantially error 89 when the sence is also altered with the words or accidētally whē the elements or syllables are onely changed but the sence remaineth the same If there be a change in the substance of the words the sacrament is imperfect if the alteration be of the forme onely of words and not of the sence the sacramēt is not destroyed but he sinneth that doth so alter them Wherefore it is not lawfull any way at all to alter or change the forme of words Bellarmine cap. 21. li. 1. Argum. It is not lawfull to adde or take to or from the words of scripture much lesse to change the words appointed to be vsed in the Sacrament Bellarm ibid. Ans. To adde or detract to or from the word of God with a purpose and intent to wrest it to a contrary meaning and destroy the true sence thereof cannot be done without great impiety and such is the manner of all heretikes But to alleadge Scripture in keeping still the full sence though we misse of the wordes is not to be counted so heinous a sinne we see the holy Apostles in citing textes of Scripture doe not alwaies binde themselues to the very wordes as Act. 7.43 Heb. 10.5 The Apostle saith A body thou hast giuen me In the Psalme we read Mine eares hast thou opened diuerse wordes yet the same sense Augustine saith very well they that vnderstand the Scripture though they keepe not alwaies the wordes are better then they that read and vnderstand not Sed vtrisque ille melior qui et cum volet ea◠dicit et sicut oportet intelligit But he is better then both that both remembreth the wordes and keepeth the sense too yet he also deserueth praise that beareth the sense in minde though he cannot the words The Protestants NO substantiall change we confesse is to be admitted in the forme of Institution which may alter the sense neither is any particular man by himselfe to make any accidentall change and bring in a new forme of wordes but the publike and vniforme order of the church must be kept yea and the church likewise is bound both to reteyne the true sense and as neere as may be the very words but where occasion serueth to make some small accidentall change of the words the sence being nothing diminished it is not condemned as an vnlawfull and sinfull act Argum. 1. The Euangelists report not all the same forme of words which should be vttered by our Sauiour neither yet S. Paul fully accordeth with them in the precise and strict forme of institution as by comparing of them together it may be seene Mat. 26. ver 27. Take eat this is my body S. Luke cap. 22. This is my body which is giuen for you do this in remembrance of me ver 19. S. Paul Take eat this my body which is broken for you doe this in remēbrāce of me 1. Cor. 11.24 ver 28. This is my blood of the new testament that is shedde for many for the remission of sinnes This cup is the new testamēt in my blood which is shed for you This cup is the newe testament in my bloud this do as oft as you drink it in remēbrance of me If it had beene a sinne to haue missed in some termes and sillables no doubt the spirite of God would not haue suffered these holy writers to haue made the least scape Is it to be thought a sinne in the Church which in stead of Take ye eate ye in the plurall number hath appointed the Sacrament to be ministred particularly in the singular number to euery of the cōmunicants saying Take thou eat thou drinke thou Wherfore all accidentall change of words carieth not with it a guilt of sinne Augustine indeede saith Certa sunt verba euangelica c. The words of the gospell are certaine whereby Baptisme is consecrated But yet he saith else where In ipso verbo aliud est sonus transiens aliud virtus manēs In the word spoken the sound which passeth is one thing the vertue or sense of the words which abideth is an other It is then the sence of the words not the sound or sillables that is certaine and permanent THE THIRD PART OF THE INSTRVMENTALL cause of the Sacraments that is the lawfull
how all men are iustified before God and what is the vse of the sacraments in all men and therefore it is no extraordinary or exempt case but the common case of all the faithfull that righteousnes saith the Apostle might be imputed to them also Rom. 4. 11. Secondly although Isaac with many other were first circumcised and after iustified yet this is perpetuall they were no more iustified by circumcision then Abraham who was iustified before he was circumcised but by faith onely and therefore the Sacraments are seales of the iustice of faith whether the iustice of faith goe before or follow after Argum. 2. Augustine saith In Isaac qui octauo die circumcisus fuit praecessit signaculū iustitiae fidei et quoniam patris fidem imitatus est secuta est in crescente ipsa iustitia cuius signaculum in infante praecesserat In Isaac who was circumcised the eight day the seale of the righteousnes of faith went before and because he did follow his fathers faith as he grew iustice it selfe followed the seale whereof went before in his infancy Ergo circumcision was a seale as well to Isaac as to Abraham and so consequently to all THE SECOND QVESTION OF THE efficacie and vertue of the Sacraments THis question also hath diuerse partes First whether the Sacraments do giue or conferre grace by the worke wrought Secondly of the difference of the Sacraments of the olde and new testament Thirdly whether the Sacraments of the new law doe imprint a signe or character in the soule that can neuer be put out Fourthly of the necessity of the Sacraments THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE SACRAMENTS of them selues doe giue or conferre grace The Papistes error 92 THe Sacraments giue grace ex opere operato by the worke wrought that is by force and vertue of the worke and word done and said in the sacrament Rhemist Act. 22. sect 1. So that not faith onely iustifieth but the Sacraments also and other workes of religion Rhemist Rom. 6. sect 5. The Sacraments then are immediate instruments and efficient causes of our iustification not mediately as they nourish and encrease our faith but properly and in themselues Faith in the receiuer giueth no efficacie to the Sacrament but onely taketh away the lets and impediments which might hinder the efficacie of the Sacrament as the drynes of the wood maketh it to burne the better yet is it no efficient cause of the burning which is the fire onely but onely a helpe Thus they compare the Sacrament working of it selfe to fire that burneth and faith is as the drying of the wood but a disposing and preparing of the hart Bellarm. lib. 2. de sacram cap. 1. Argum. 1. Be baptized and wash away thy sinnes Act. 22. ver 16. The Sacrament of Baptisme doth of it selfe wash away sinnes Rhemist And we see in S. Iames that remission of sinnes is annexed to the vnction with oyle Rhemist 1. Timoth. 4.14 Ergo the Sacraments giue and conferre grace Ans. 1. To the first we answer that the text ioyneth with the Sacrament the inuocation of the name of God to the which saluation is promised Rom. 10.13 to wash away sinnes wherefore that place maketh nothing for your purpose Secondly in the other place health of body is promised by the gift of miracles but remission of sinnes is said to be obtained by the praier of the Elders The praier of faith shall saue the sick Iam. 5.15 Argum. 2. S. Paul saith He hath cleansed his Church by the lauer of water in the word Ephes. 5.26 Ergo baptisme is an instrumental cause of our iustification Bellarm. Ans. 1. It is not vnusuall in the Scripture to call the signe or Sacrament by the thing signified as Exod. 12.11 the Paschall Lambe is called the Passeouer whereas it was but a signe and memoriall thereof So Baptisme is called The lauer of regeneration Tit. 3.5 because it is a sure signe of our regeneration by the holy Ghost Secondly the Apostle in this place expoundeth himselfe for he saith that We are washed by water in the word that is the outward element doth send and referre vs to the word and promise of God whereof it is a seale The Protestants THe sacraments haue no power to giue or conferre grace to the receiuer neither are they immediate instruments of our iustification instrumentall meanes they are to encrease and confirme our faith in the promises of God of themselues they haue no operation but as the spirit of God worketh by them our internall senses being moued and quickened by those externall obiects Neither doe we say that the sacraments are bare and naked signes of spirituall graces but they doe verily exhibite and represent Christ to as many as by faith are able and meete to apprehend him So to conclude looke how the word of God worketh being preached so doe the sacraments but the word doth no otherwise iustifie vs but by working faith at the hearing thereof So sacraments doe serue for the encrease of our faith faith is not a seruant and handmaide to the sacraments as the Iesuite declared by the homely similitude of the fire and drie wood but faith is the more principall and the sacraments haue no other vse or end then as they are helpes for the strengthening of our faith Grace of themselues they can giue or conferre none Argum. 1. Rom. 1.17 The iust shall liue by faith Ergo he liueth not that is he is not iustified by any worke wrought as by the sacraments but onely by faith faith therefore giueth life and efficacie to the sacramentes it is not contained absolutely in themselues Againe Saint Paul saith That faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes before he was circumcised Rom. 4.10 Ergo he was not iustified by circumcision no more are we by the sacraments but both he and we are iustified onely by faith Argum. 2. Saint Peter sayth Baptisme saueth vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request vnto God by the resurrection of Christ 1. Pet. 3.21 Ergo it is faith in the resurrection of Christ which worketh in vs peace of conscience and not the outward washing that saueth or iustifieth Kemnitij argum Augustine thus writeth Aliud est aqua sacramenti aliud aqua quae significat spiritum dei ista visibilis est abluit corpus significat quid fit in anima per illum spiritum anima mundatur saginatur The water of the Sacrament is one thing the water which signifieth the spirit is another the one is visible and washeth the flesh and signifieth what is done in the soule but by the spirit the soule is cleansed The Sacrament of Baptisme then by this fathers sentence and so all other sacraments doe not giue grace but signifie onely and represent grace THE SECOND PART OF THE difference of the olde and new Sacraments error 93 THe sacrifices and ceremonies of the olde law were so farre
First that they doe not onely signifie but exhibite and represent vnto vs after a liuely manner the spirituall things which are signified Secondly they must haue the institution perpetuall commandement of Christ. Thirdly the sacraments of the new law must succeede in the place of the olde Hereupon we will inferre that there are but two sacraments in the new Testament Baptisme and the Lords Supper Argum. 1. These two alone are not onely signes of heauenly things but seales and pledges vnto vs thereof whereby our fayth is strengthened and our hope confirmed in the promises of God as the remission of sinnes is represented in Baptisme Act. 2.38 the death of Christ shewed foorth in the Eucharist 1. Corinth 11.26 The like commendation is not giuen of any other of their sacraments Argum. 2. Christ onely commaunded these two sacraments to bee vsed for euer in his Church to such spirituall purposes as Baptisme is instituted and commaunded Math. 28.19 the Lords Supper likewise Math. 26. Many other ceremonies Christ vsed himselfe as lifting vp of hands the tempering of clay and spittle his Apostles imposition of hands and anoynting with oyle But he hath not layd his commaundement vpon these ceremonies enioyning vs perpetually to keepe them as he hath charged vs with the other two Argum. 3. The sacraments of the newe Testament succeede in the roume of them of the olde Baptisme standeth in stead of Circumcision the Lordes Supper is come in place of the Paschal Lambe But they cannot shew what old sacraments those fiue other newly inuented confirmation orders penance matrimony extreame vnction doe succeede and supplie Ergo they are none And beside if all these should be sacraments and so seuen in all we should haue more in number then the Iewes had which is not to bee admitted for they had but two ordinary sacraments Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe two extraordinarie as their baptisme in the red sea and the clowde and their eating of the Manna and drinking of the rocke 1. Corin. 10.2.3 So they should haue but foure sacraments for your seuen Other legall rites ceremonies and sacrifices they had and many typical shadowes and significations but no more sacraments then we haue heard Augustine yeeldeth to haue no more sacraments then onely two As Eua was made out of Adams side as hee was asleepe Sic ex latere domini dormientis in cruce manauerunt sacramenta ex quibus formaretur ecclesia So out of the Lordes side sleeping vpon the crosse the sacraments of the Church issued that is water and blood by the which he vnderstandeth the two sacraments THE SECOND PART OF THE order and degree of the sacraments among them selues The Papists error 97 IF any man shall say that these seuen sacraments are of equall dignitie and not one in some respect to be preferred before the other let him be accursed Concil Trident. sess 7. can 3. In diuers respects one sacrament may excell another as Baptisme excelleth the rest because of remission of sinnes thereby effected or as we say represented Orders excell in respect of the minister because they are onely say they conferred by a Bishop Matrimony excelleth in respect of the signification the coniunction of Christ and his Church But simply the Eucharist exceedeth all because of the substance of the sacrament the reall and bodily presence of Christ. Bellarm. lib. 2. cap. 28. Answer First that Baptisme and the Eucharist exceede all the other we do easily admit for we holde them to be no sacraments and therefore we stand not vpon their seuerall priuiledges Secondly neither Baptisme is more excellent then the Lords Supper because it representeth the remission of sinnes for that also is insinuated in the other for how can we shew foorth the Lords death which is done in that sacrament vnlesse we call to minde the benefits purchased by his death as remission of sinnes Neither doth the Eucharist goe beyond Baptisme in regard of a more full presence of Christ for he is not otherwise present in one sacrament then in the other presenting himselfe in both spiritually to be apprehended of the worthy receiuer as for that carnal and grosse presence of the body of Christ in the sacrament we acknowledge none as afterward it shall more fully appeare when wee come in order to that question Augustine sheweth that Christ is no otherwise present in the Eucharist then in the preaching of the word for the manner of his presence Eucharistia panis noster quotidianus est quod vobis tracto panis quotidianus est quod in ecclesia lectiones quotidie auditis panis quotidianus est the Eucharist or sacrament of thankesgiuing is our dayly bread that which I handle and preach to you is our daylie bread that which you heare read daylie in the Church is our daylie bread If Christ then be no more really present in the sacrament then in the worde what is become of the preeminence that the one sacrament in that respect should haue aboue the other The Protestants THat the one sacrament should be so much extolled aboue the other namely the Lords Supper to be preferred before Baptisme as the more worthy and excellent sacrament we finde no such thing in the word of God but that both of them are of like dignitie in themselues and to be had equally and indifferently in most high accompt thus it is prooued Argum. 1 They are both commaunded and instituted by the same authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ neither is one by the first institution aduanced aboue the other Secondly there is the same matter and substance of both sacraments Christ Iesus with all his benefites Thirdly one and the same end of them both which is the increase and strengthening of our fayth in the promises of God Ergo they are both of equall dignitie and worthynes Let them say now which is the more worthy thing Baptisme or the word preached no doubt they will preferre Baptisme for they holde that the sacraments doe giue grace by the worke wrought and so doth not the worde yea they are offended because we say that the sacraments are no otherwaies instruments of our iustification then the word preached is but that the one worketh by the hearing the other by the senses of seeing handling tasting but they all serue to one end namely to beget and increase fayth in vs. This our assertion they vtterly mislike Bellarm. lib. 2. de sacram cap. 2. Whereby it appeareth that they preferre Baptisme before the word We then thus reason out of Augustine He thus writeth Dicite mihi quid plus videtur vobis verbum dei an corpus Christi respondere debetis quod non sit minus verbum dei Tell me which is the chiefer in your opinion the word of God or the body of Christ that is the sacrament of his body ye must answere that the word of God is not inferior Homil. 26. Hence we frame this argument The word of God is equiualent to
the sacrament of the Lords bodie Baptisme is equiualent to the word of God by our aduersaries own confession Ergo also it is of equall value and dignitie with the other sacrament THE TWELFTH GENERALL CONTROVERSY OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISME THis controuersie standeth vpon diuers questions 1. Of the name and definition of Baptisme Secondly of the partes of Baptisme Thirdly of the necessitie of Baptisme Fourthly of the Minister of Baptisme Fiftly of the parties which are to be baptized Sixtly of the effects of Baptisme Seuenthly of the difference of Christs Baptisme and Iohns Eightly of the ceremonies of Baptisme THE FIRST QVESTION OF THE NAME and definition of Baptisme COncerning the name there is no question betweene vs for the name of Baptisme hath the originall and beginning from the scripture Saint Paul vseth this word Coloss. 2.12 We are buryed with him through Baptisme And againe Heb. 6.2 All the question is about the definition of Baptisme The Papists error 98 THey define Baptisme to bee a sacrament of regeneration by water in the worde that is not which signifieth and sealeth vnto vs our regeneration and assureth vs of remission of sinnes but actually iustifieth and regenerateth vs Bellarm. lib. 1. de Baptism cap. 1. The Protestants WE rather according to the scriptures define baptisme to be a signe or seale of our regeneration and new birth whereby wee are assured that as verily by fayth in the blood of Christ we are cleansed from our sinnes as our bodies are washed with water in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost So that Baptisme doth not actually bestow remission of sinnes by the work wrought but is a pledge and seale of the righteousnesse of fayth as Saint Paul sayth of Circumcision Rom. 4.11 for it is not the washing of the flesh by water but the establishing of the heart with fayth and grace that saueth vs 1. Pet. 3.21 See this poynt handled more at large Controuers 11. next before quest 2. part 1. Augustine saith Per fidem renascimur in baptismate by fayth wee are borne agayne in Baptisme De tempor serm 53. It is then the proper act of fayth to regenerate vs not of Baptisme the vse and end whereof is to strengthen and increase our fayth THE SECOND QVESTION OF THE PARTES which are the matter and forme of Baptisme AS touching the matter that is the externall element vsed in Baptisme there is no question betweene vs but that it ought to bee plaine and common water Act. 10.47 Saint Peter saith Can any man forbid water that these should not bee baptized Wherefore wee condemne the foolish and vngodly practises and inuentions of heretikes that either exclude water altogether as the Manichees with others or doe vse any other element as the Iacobites that in stead of water burned them that were to be baptized with a whot yron or as the Aethiopians which are called Abissines that vsed fire in stead of water misconstruing the words of the Gospell Matth. 2.11 That Christ should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire which is not literally to bee vnderstoode but thereby is signified the internall and forceable working of the spirite which kindleth zeale and loue in our hearts as fire Concerning the forme of Baptisme we all agree that no other is to be vsed then that prescribed by our Sauiour Christ to baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost that it is neither lawfull to change this forme in sense as many heretikes haue done nor yet in words as to leaue out any of the three persons in Trinitie and inclusiuely to vnderstand them by naming of one for whereas some alleadge that place Act. 2.38 Bee yee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for remission of sinnes to proue that it is lawfull onely in the name of Christ to baptize wee are to vnderstand that the forme of Baptisme is not in that place expresly set downe but the scope onely and end of Baptisme which is to assure vs of remission of sinnes in the name of Christ as Beza very well noteth vpon that place The point of difference betweene vs concerning the forme of Baptisme is this The Papists THey are bold to affirme that this forme of Baptisme to baptize in the name error 99 of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost is not fully concluded out of Scripture but deliuered by tradition for say they the commandement of Christ to baptize in the name of the Trinitie Matth. 28. may bee vnderstoode thus to baptize them into the faith of the Trinitie or by the authoritie of the Trinitie And it were sufficient by those words to doe and performe it in act without saying the wordes were it not that wee haue otherwise learned by tradition that this very forme of wordes is to bee kept Bellarmine de baptism lib. 1. cap. 3. The Protestants WE neede no tradition for this matter the very forme which is to bee vsed in Baptisme is plainely proued out of the Scriptures for that commandement of Christ Goe and baptize c. doth necessarily imply a forme of speech to be vsed Wee grant that in the Scriptures this word name is taken for power vertue authoritie as Act. 3.6 In the name of Iesus arise and walke So also as there is a Baptisme with water there may be a baptizing with fire Matth. 3.11 Wherefore if part of the commandement bee to bee taken properlie and literally as this Goe and baptize why not the rest also In the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost If then the whole commaundement bee properly and plainely vnderstoode how can they baptize in the name of the Trinitie vnlesse the Trinitie bee spoken and named Secondly it appeareth also out of other places of Scripture that this forme was vsed in the Apostles time As Act. 10.47 Can any man forbid water why these should not be baptized which haue receiued the holy Ghost as well as wee As if Saint Peter should haue reasoned thus these haue receiued the giftes of the holy Ghost Ergo they may be also baptized in the name of the holy Ghost Likewise Act. 19.2 When the brethren at Ephesus had answered Paul that they had not heard whether there were a holy Ghost he saith vnto them Vnto what then were you baptized By this interrogatorie it appeareth it was their manner to baptize in the name of the holy Ghost and so consequently of the whole Trinitie Wee haue no cause then to flie vnto tradition this matter being so plainely decided by the Scripture Augustin tract in Iohann 80. Vpon those wordes of our Sauiour Iohn 15.3 You are cleane thorough the word which I haue spoken vnto you Detrahe verbum quid est aqua nisi aqua Accedit verbum ad elementum fit sacramentum Take away the word and what remaineth in Baptisme but bare water let the word be ioyned to the element and it maketh a Sacrament The forme then of Baptisme is the word which Christ
yet after another maner For he is in heauen according to the naturall existence of his body in the sacrament he is really present in his flesh yet sacramentally by his omnipotent power Concil Trid. sess 13. can 1. Argum. 1. The figures must be inferior to the things that are figured and represented the sacraments of the law were figures of the sacraments in the Gospel therfore they ought to be inferior But vnles the bread wine should be the very blood flesh of Christ in the sacrament their sacraments in the law should not only not be inferior but far superior to ours As for example the Paschal Lambe is in nature to be preferred before bread and the slaying of the Lamb did more liuely represent the death of Christ then the breaking of bread the eating of flesh doth also better set forth the spirituall nourishing then the eating of bread Wherefore vnlesse we beleeue a reall presence in the sacrament their sacrifices in dignitie and excellencie should farre exceed and excel ours Bellarm. lib. 1. de sacram Eucharist ca. 3. Ans. 1. It is not true that their sacraments were figures of ours But S. Paul sheweth that both their sacraments and ours doe figure out and represent the same thing as the spiritual eating and drinking of Christ 1. Corint 10.2.3 Our sacraments are indeed figures correspondent and answerable to theirs and theirs also had a certaine reference and relation to ours but they were not types of ours for then our sacraments should bee the body of theirs whereas Christ is the bodie both of their sacraments and ours Saint Peter sayth that Baptisme is an antitypon a figure answerable to the sauing of the eight persons in the flood 1. Pet. 3.21 They are correspondent one to the other and had mutuall relation and respect one to the other But that was not properly a type of Baptisme but both Baptisme and that are figures and signes and liuely representations of our saluation in Christ. 2. If the reall presence of Christ onely commendeth the sacrament and aduanceth it before the rytes of the law which in all other respects are better by this argument Baptisme still remayneth inferior to the sacramēts of the law for you affirme no reall presence in Baptisme as you do in the Eucharist and in all other respects it must needes giue place to Circumcision for the cutting of the flesh is a more liuely representatiō of regeneratiō thē is the washing by water and the flesh of man is in nature more precious then water So by this reason though you haue wonne credite for the Eucharist yet you haue lost it for Baptisme 3 We answere therefore that although the reall presence bee set aparte yet our sacraments are more excellent then theirs First the price and woorth of thinges in their nature are not to be weighed in a sacrament but they must bee considered in respect of the vse to the which they are ordayned by the institution Flesh you say is better then bread so is wine and milke better then water in their nature but in Baptisme water is better then they because Christ hath now set it apart for a more holy vse Secondly the slaying of the Lambe doth more liuely represent say you the death of Christ then the breaking of bread Answ. We graunt that if breaking of bread had beene vsed in the law it had not been then so significant as the slaying of beasts but the breaking of bread now in the light of the Gospell in this abundance of knowledge and instruction being a signe of a thing already done and finished must needes be more pregnant and liuely in representation then the killing of sacrifices in the law which were types of things to come the mystery of the Gospel being not yet opened to the world Wherefore our sacraments are more excellent then theirs in respect of the more cleare light and fuller signification which they haue by the word of God the preaching of the Gospel ioyned vnto thē We neede not deuise any other way of excellencie for our sacraments then this which we haue sayd agreeable to the scriptures 2. Cor. 4.3 Galat. 3.1 The Papists ARgum. 2. Iohn 6.55 Christ sayth My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drinke in deede he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him First this place must be vnderstoode not of any spirituall eating or drinking of Christ without the sacrament but is properly meant of the manducation and eating of him in the sacrament First Vers. 51. The bread sayth Christ that I will giue he speaketh of a thing to come for the sacrament was afterward instituted but if this bread were to be taken for his word and the eating thereof for beleeuing in him in this sense the bread was giuen already Answ. Christ also speaketh in the present tense vers 32. My father giueth you the true bread from heauen I am the liuing bread that came down from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer vers 51. Hee sayth not he that shall eate but he that euen now eateth And afterward he speaketh of the time to come The bread that I shall giue because his death and passion was not yet finished therefore he sayth The bread that I shal giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the worlde But he speaketh euery where of the eating of his flesh in the present tense vers 35.50.51.53 which cannot bee vnderstoode of the sacramentall eating the sacrament being not yet instituted but of a spirituall manducation The Papists SEcondly those words being applyed to the sacrament must needes also bee vnderstood properly and literally for the very eating of the flesh of Christ drinking his blood not tropically or figuratiuely 1. The flesh of Christ which Christ promiseth to giue them to be eaten he preferreth before the Manna which their fathers did eate in the wildernes the true bread which he giueth them is more excellent then the bread of Manna But if the bread in the sacrament doe but signifie the flesh of Christ and be not it in very deede it should be no better then Manna which also did signifie and shew foorth Christ Bellarm. cap. 6. Ans. Christ compareth not the spirituall substance of Manna with his flesh and blood but the corporall foode which being receiued into the belly and not receiued into the heart by fayth hath no power to giue eternall life For vers 32. Christ sayth that Moses gaue them not Manna from heauen Ergo he meaneth the corporall foode not the spirituall substance of Manna for as it was a sacrament of Christ it was heauenly bread Againe vers 49. Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernes and dyed He speaketh of the materiall foode for they that did Manna spiritually by fayth died not in soule Ans. Now on the contrary side we will prooue that this place contayned in the sixt
annot Hebr. 7. sect 7. Wherefore they which minister vnder the Gospell are worthilie called Priests which word doth so certainely implie the authoritie of sacrificing that it is by vse made the onely English of Sacerdos Rhemist act 14. sect 3. The Protestants FIrst we hold it to be a great blasphemie to say that the Priesthood sacrifice of Christ vpō the Crosse is not that sacrifice or Priesthood into the which the old sacrifice Priesthood was translated changed The Apostle proueth the contrary for that sacrifice whereby the new Testament is established is that whereunto the old sacrifice and Priesthoode is translated but this is done by the singular sacrifice of Christ who is the suretie of a better testament Hebr. 7.23 Ergo his singular sacrifice vpon the crosse is that whereinto the old Leuiticall sacrifices are changed and no other Againe the Priesthoode after Melchisedechs order is that into the which the old Priesthoode is changed but the Priesthoode of Christ vpon the Crosse was after that order Ergo. But here they are not ashamed to denie that the sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse was after Melchisedechs order but doe most impudently and blasphemously affirme that it was after the order of Aaron Heskin lib. 1. cap. 13. And thus euery vile massemonger shall be more properly a Priest after Melchisedechs order then Christ himselfe Secondly none but Christ is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech for vnto whome the Lord saide Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech to him the Lord saith also in the same Psalme Sit thou at my right hand Psal. 110. But this cānot agree to any popish Priest therefore not the other Againe the Apostle maketh this difference betweene the Priesthoode of the lawe and the Gospell because then there were many Priests they being prohibited by death to continue but Christ is the onely Priest of the New Testament because he dieth not Heb. 7 23.24 If they answer as they doe that although there be many Priestes yet it is but one Priesthoode because Christ concurreth with them in the actes of the Priesthoode Rhemist We answer first Christ concurreth with his faithfull ministers in the actes of their Ministerie but no such Priesthoode doe wee acknowledge Secondly so Christ concurred in the actes of the Leuiticall Priesthoode and the sacrifices of the law that were rightly offered wherefore this concurrence of Christ dooth no more take away the multitude of Priests in the Gospell then it did in the lawe Thirdly concerning the name of Priests in their sense as it implieth an authoritie of sacrificing we vtterly abhor it secondly but as it is deriued of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an Elder we refuse it not but wish rather that it had not bin abused in cōmō speach to signifie popish sacrificers Thirdly as for the word sacerdos which may be englished a sacrificer we finde it no where in the New Testament giuen to the ministers of the Gospell and so much Bellarmine confesseth cap. 17. And therefore vnfitly and vnproperly agreeth vnto them If some of the fathers haue confounded the names of Sacerdos and Presbyter they are not to be commended The word Sacerdos a sacrificer being a proper name of the Leuitical Priests cannot properly be attributed to the Ministers of the Gospell To conclude this word Priest as it is the English of Sacerdos we doe not approue but as it giueth the sense of Presbyter from whence it is deriued we condemne it not for so it signifieth nothing else but an Elder If common vse of speech haue drawne it to a contrarie sense it would be amended Augustine saith Sacerdotiū Iudaeorum nemo dubitat c. No faithful mā doubteth but that the Priesthood of the law was a figure of the royall Priesthoode in the Church whereby all that pertaine to the bodie of Christ are consecrated He acknowledgeth no other Priesthood abiding in the Church then that whereby all Christians are made Priests to offer spirituall sacrifices vnto God through Christ. THE THIRD QVESTION OF THE VERTVE AND efficacie falsely ascribed to the sacrifice of the Masse The Papists 1. THey blasphemously affirme that it is a sacrifice propitiatorie that is auailable error 130 to obtaine ex opere operato by the very worke wrought remission and pardon of all their sinnes Trident. Concil sess 22. can 3. Argum. Christ himselfe sayth in the institution This is my blood shed for you for the remission of sinnes Ergo the sacrifice of the Masse is auaileable for remission of sinnes Bellarm. lib. 2. de miss cap. 2. The Protestants Ans. FIrst Christ instituted no sacrifice as we declared afore but onely a Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion Secondly the Sacrament rightly administred serueth to assure our faith of remission of sinnes by the death of Christ but it doth not by it owne vertue conferre remission of sinnes neither profiteth by the worke wrought for the Apostle sayth That without faith it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11.6 wherefore no action is accepted of God not proceeding of faith Argum. The Apostle sayth Where there is remission of sinnes there is no more sacrifice for sinne Hebr. 10.18 Seeing then remission of sinnes is fully obtained by the death and sacrifice of Christ there can be no more sacrifice for sinne Ergo the Masse is no sacrifice for sinne The Papists 2. THe sacrifice of the Masse is not onely propitiatorie for sinnes but auaileable error 131 to obtaine all other benefites as peace tranquilitie health and such like Bellarm. cap. 3. Argum. S. Paul willeth That prayers and intercessions should be made for all men especially for Kings that we may leade a godly and a peaceable life 1. Timoth. 1.1 These are the prayers which are made in the celebration of the Masse Bellarm. The Protestants Ans. FIrst the Apostle speaketh generally of al prayers made by whomsoeuer as it appeareth vers 8. Therefore this place is vnfitly applied to the praiers of Priests in the Masse Secondly this place proueth that temporall benefites are obtained by faithfull prayers not by the sacrifice of the Masse which S. Paul neuer knewe Thirdly Augustine indeed expoundeth this place of the publike prayers of the Church vsed in the administration of the Sacrament for he calleth it Domini mensam the Lords table not the altar he meaneth nothing lesse then your popish Masse Argum. It is contrarie to the institution of Christ to applie the Sacrament for any such temporall or external vse It was ordained to be receiued in remembrance of Christs death to assure vs by faith of remission of sinnes and other spirituall blessings not to giue vs assurance of health peace life prosperitie for the obtaining of such blessings according to the will of God other meanes are appoynted The ministerie of the Sacraments no more serueth for such vses then the preaching of the word THE FOVRTH QVESTION FOR WHOM THE sacrifice of
sed ad arbitrium Dei orationes sanctorum Sinnes are not loosed or retained at the pleasure of men but according to the will of God and praiers of his Church The Papists error 24 2. THe satisfactorie and meritorious workes of the Saints which doe abound being communicable and applicable to the faithfull that want are the very ground of the indulgences and pardons of the Church and the very treasure thereof and to be dispensed according to euery mans neede by the pastors of the Church 2. Corinth 2. sec. 5. Coloss. 1. sect 4. The Protestants HEre are many blasphemies and vntruthes couched together 1 That a mans penalties may exceede and bee greater then his sinnes and so his abounding may supplie another mans want for thus the Rhemists say which cannot stand with the iustice of God to punish a man more then he hath deserued And it is contrarie to the Scriptures Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified Psalm 143.2 And Iob saith If the Lord should call him to account he should not answere one to a thousand 9.3 2 How can the Church gouernours dispense the merites of one to another Who made them stewards of another mans good Yee say also the contrarie your selues That the abounding passioÌ„s of the Saints are applicable to others by the sufferers intention Rhem. 1. Colo. 2.2 Then not by the Churches dispensation 3 It is a great blasphemie that one may bee holpen by another mans merites and it doth derogate from the death of Christ whose onely merites are the treasure and storehouse of the Church The most righteous man that euer was can but saue his owne soule Ezech. 14.14 And that onely by Christ. Augustine saith Vnusquisque pro se rationem reddet nec alieno testimonio quisquam adiuuatur apud Deum vix sibi quisque sufficit c. Euery man shall giue account for himselfe before God no man is holpen by the testimonie of another the testimonie of his owne conscience doth hardly suffice for himselfe The Papists 3. THe dispensing of pardons and indulgences is onely committed they say error 25 to the chiefe magistrates the Popes and Bishops and as the Bishops in their Diocese haue especiall cases reserued to themselues wherein inferiour Priests are not to deale so the Pope hath also his proper reseruations wherein other Prelates are not to meddle Concil Trident. sess 14. cap. 7. The cases reserued to the Pope are 51. in number Fox pag. 785. The Bishop of Paris ann 1515 reserued these cases to himselfe to dispense in murder witchcraft sacrilege heresie simonie adulterie ex Tileman Heshus loc 9. de poeniten err 63. Likewise the yeares of their pardons are limited Bishops may not exceede 40. dayes pardon the Pope may be lauish in his hundreds and thousands yea and this reseruation of cases standeth not onely with the externall policie of the Church but is of force euen before God Concil Trident. sess 14. cap. 7. The Protestants WE will not much contend with them about reseruation of cases for wee acknowledge no such power to giue pardons or indulgences either in superior or inferior Priests yet wee will shew how this deuise of theirs standeth not with their owne doctrine Argum. 1. It is a greater power to remit the sinne then to release the punishment but euery Priest hath the greater power as they say to remit sinnes yea as fullie as hath the Pope himselfe Allen in his booke of pardons cap. 2. Ergo why haue they not the lesse power which is by indulgence to dispense with the punishment And that of these two the remission of sinnes is the greater it is confessed by the Rhemist 2. Corinth 2. sect 6. Argum. 2. In the point of death the reseruation of cases hath no place but at that time euery Priest may absolue from all manner sinnes and punishment Concil Trident. sess 14 cap. 7. But euery houre is with some and ought to be with all the point of death because we are vncertaine when it commeth and therefore ought alwaies to be in a readines Therefore euen by their owne rule euery Priest hath at all times authoritie to absolue in all cases Againe if those words of Christ be spoken to all ministers and preachers of the Gospell Iohn 20.22 Whose sinnes ye reteine c. which cannot bee denied to them all then is committed equally that power of binding and loosing which is exercised by the preaching of the word THE NINTH QVESTION OF THE ceremonies and circumstances of penance The Papists error 26 1. THey enioyne their penitent Clients to poll their heads and their women to weare a vaile to goe in black to put on sackcloth to looke sowrely and such like presumptions they haue concerning the habite of those that doe penance Bellarm. lib. 1. de poenitent cap. 22. The Protestants OVr Sauiour cleane contrarie biddeth his Disciples not to looke sowrely nor to disfigure themselues when they fast and repent or to shew any other outward token of their sorrow but to doe it secretly betweene themselues and God to wash their face to annoynt themselues with oyle that it appeare not to men that they fast Matth. 6.16.17 Augustine also answering a certaine obiection that young men newly married might make How can I shaue my head or change my habite saith thus Vera conuersio sufficit tibi sine vestimentorum commutatione The true conuersion of the heart may suffice thee without changing of thy vesture The Papists error 27 2. THey enioyned them to fast bread water certaine dayes in the weeke to lie hard to absteine from marriage or to doe some great almes deedes to satisfie for their sinne Bellarm. ibid. to goe a pilgrimage and such like workes of penance were prescribed them The Protestants TRue repentance consisteth not in such outward exercise of the bodie but is a conuersion rather of the heart It was the manner of hypocrites idolatâ—rs and superstitious men to seeke to appease their Gods with afflicting of their flesh as the Gentiles did cut their hayre Deut. 14.1 Baals Priests did launch their flesh 1. King 18.28 Argum. What is to be thought of such punishing of the carkasse Saint Paul sheweth Coloss. 2.23 He calleth it voluntarie religion or superstition in not sparing the bodie when men doe not vse such outward exercises of fasting and abstinence for the chastisement of the flesh to subdue it to the spirit but with an opinion of meriting thereby preferring them before the faith and conuersion of the heart as the papists doe Augustine saith Non sit satis quòd doleat sed ex fide doleat non semper doluisse doleat Let it not suffice to bee sorrowfull but let his sorrowe proceede of faith and let it grieue him that hee is not alwaies grieued for his sinne So then true repentance is especially an inward worke of fayth rather then an exercise of the body and it ought alwayes
works which were done of the heathen without faith and of carnal men before they are called how goodly soeuer they seeme in the sight of men are nothing els but peccata speciosa glorious and goodly sinnes Argum. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. And without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 6.6 Seeing then they could not please God with their faithlesse workes they must needs be in danger of his wrath Augustine writeth thus Si ad consequendam beatam vitam quam nobis fides quae in Christo est promittit nihil prosunt homini virtutes nullo modo possunt verae esse virtutes If mens vertues helpe them not towards the attaining of eternall life which is promised onely by faith in Christ they cannot be said truely to be vertues but such are the workes of men before they haue faith Ergo if they be not vertuous actions what are they els but vicious and sinfull THE SECOND QVESTION CONCERNING the law with the seuerall partes thereof THe partes of this question are these First whether it be possible in this life to keepe the law Secondly whether iust men doe sinne Thirdly of the workes of supererogation Fourthly whether God be to be serued for hope of reward or feare of punishment Fiftly of the vse and office of the Law THE FIRST PART WHETHER IT BE possible in this life to keepe the Law The Papists 1. IF any man say that the precepts and commandements of God vnto a man error 66 iustified and in the state of grace are impossible to be kept let him be accursed Concil Trid. sess 6. can 18. Argum. Rom. 8.4 That the righteousnes of the Law might be fulfilled in vs Ergo the law of God by the grace of Christ may be kept and the keeping therof is our iustice S. Iohn also saith The commandements of God are not heauy 1. Ioh. 5.3 And our Sauiour saith His yoke is sweete and his burden light Ergo the commandements of God are possible to be fulfilled in this life The Protestants Ans. FIrst the Apostle saith not that the law is fulfilled by vs but in vs by Christ who is made our righteousnes and sanctification by faith 1. Cor. 1.30 The law remaineth still impossible to be kept by vs through the weakenes of our flesh neither doth God giue vs ability to keep it but Christ hath fulfilled it for vs we notwithstanding being bound to walke in obedience to the commandements of God which is farre off from perfection or keeping the law as Gods iustice requireth 2. To him that is borne of God and his sinnes pardoned by the grace of Christ the commandements of God are not grieuous not because they can perfitly be fulfilled but because strength is giuen to keepe them in part and the curse of the law is taken away and our transgressions answered in Christ. Argum. 1. If it were possible for any man to keepe the law it is possible in this life to be without sinne But if any man say he hath no sinne he is a liar 1. Ioh. 1.8 Argum. 2. S. Iames saith 2.10 If a man should keepe the whole law and yet faile in one point is guiltie of all He then that will keepe the law must keep it perfectly and not faile in the least point but so is no mortall man able to doe wherefore it is an horrible blasphemie to say that it is possible for any mortall man to keepe the whole law Augustine thus expoundeth that place Philip. 3.15 Let vs as many as be perfect be thus minded by the which place the Rhemists would proue a perfection of iustice in this life Potest quis esse perfectus iustitiae cognitor licet non sit perfectus effector A man may know the rule of iustice perfectly though he be not a perfect doer he vnderstandeth a perfection of knowledge not a perfection of iustice The Papists 2. THey say that those sinnes which they call veniall that is the lesser smaller error 67 offences doe not hinder the iustice of men but that they may truly be called and are indeede iust for all those sinnes and may notwithstanding them keepe the law of God and be free from the curse thereof which is laide vpon mortall and great sinnes not veniall and smaller offences Rhemist 1. Iohn 1. sect 5. Galath 3. sect 4. The Protestants THat men are iust before God for all their daily transgressions of frailetie and manifolde infirmities by the righteousnes of Christ made theirs by a liuely faith we deny not but that there is no perfect inherent iustice in themselues neither that they can perfectly keepe the law because of those sinnes thus we proue it out of the word of God Argu. They which doe but in the least point break the law are subiect to the curse thereof for it is written Cursed is he that continueth not in all things written in the law to doe them Galath 3.10 And what is to be vnderstoode by all things our Sauiour declareth Math. 5. where he sheweth how murder may be committed in the affection and in the tongue and adulterie likewise in the eye Ergo the smaller offences are also transgressions of the law from the which seeing the most righteous men vpon earth are not free they cannot perfectly keep the law nor by their own iustice escape the curse thereof Augustine Custodit vias Dei qui non sic exorbitat vt eas relinquat sed in eis currendo proficit et si aliquādo vt infirmus titubat proficit tamen minuēdo peccata He is saide to keepe the waies of God which doth not so turne aside out of them that he altogether leaue them but doth dayly profite and goe forward in keeping of them and although he sometime stumble yet he profiteth by diminishing of his sinnes As he therefore that stumbleth and is turned sometime out of the way doth not perfectly keepe the way no more doth the righteous man perfectly keepe the law of God which he transgresseth by his daily sinnes In isto ergo conflictu induimur ea iustitia qua ex fide viuitur In this conflict therefore let vs put on the righteousnes of faith he giueth counsell that men should leaue their own righteousnes and rather labour to liue by faith and be counted righteous in Christ. THE SECOND PART WHETHER iust men doe sinne The Papists error 68 1. A Iust man in his good workes doth not sinne so much as venially that is not in the least manner no not at all Concil Trident. sess 6. can 25. Whervpon it followeth that the good works of righteous men are so perfect that the least imperfection or blot cannot be found in them The Protestants THe most righteous men vpon earth haue not onely their infirmities and are in danger to sinne dayly but euen their best and most holy workes are blemished with some infirmitie and haue a smacke of sinne Argum. Iob saith If I wash my selfe with snowe
life or quickening to bee made a true and right faith The words then are thus to be read and distinguished So faith without works is dead that is this kinde of faith which neither worketh nor euer shall Not thus Faith is dead without workes as though a true faith were quickened by works But euen as the bodie is dead hauing neither soule nor the operations thereof life motion sense so this vaine speculatiue kinde of faith is dead both wanting the spirite and soule that is hauing not one sparke of true faith neither the operations and fruites thereof which a liuely faith sheweth by loue as the soule worketh life and motion in the bodie for a liuely faith can neuer bee without workes And a dead faith will neuer haue workes but remaineth dead for euer Wee must not therefore thinke that it is one and the same faith which sometime is dead without workes and againe is made aliue and quickened when workes come But wee must vnderstand two kindes of faith one altogether voide of good workes which is onely a faith in name and a verie dead faith Another is a liuelie faith alwaies working and this can neuer become a dead faith so neither can the other bee euer made a liuelie faith Argum. That charitie is not the forme or any cause of faith but the effect rather and fruite thereof we doe learne out of the word of God Christ saith Iohn 3.18 Hee that beleeueth shall not bee condemned but is alreadie passed from death to life Iohn 5.24 Faith then is able to saue vs and alone iustifieth vs before God without loue which alwaies foloweth a true faith but is not ioyned or made a partner with it in the matter of iustification But faith could doe nothing without the forme thereof Ergo charitie is not the forme of faith Saint Paul also faith Faith which worketh by loue Galath 5.6 The being and substance of faith is one thing the working another Loue onely concurreth with faith in the working it is no part of the essence or being of faith August Ea sola bona opera dicenda sunt quae fiunt per dilectionem haec necesse est antecedat fides vt inde ista non ab istis incipiat illa Those onely are to bee counted good workes which are wrought by loue faith of necessitie must goe before for they must take their beginning from faith and not faith from them Faith then goeth before loue that worketh therefore loue is not the forme of faith for forma prior est re formata the forme should goe before the thing formed THE FOVRTH PART HOW MEN are iustified by faith The Papists WEe are saide to bee iustified by faith because faith is the beginning error 81 foundation and the roote of iustification Concil Triden sess 6. cap. 8. Faith then by their sentence doth not fully iustifie the beleeuer but is the beginning way and preparation onely to iustification Andrad ex Tilem de fide err 11. Rhemist Rom. 3. sect 3. The Protestants FAith is not the beginning onely of our iustification but the principall and onely worker thereof neither are wee iustified in part or in whole by any other meanes then by faith Argum. He that is at peace with God is fully and perfectly iustified his conscience cleared and his sinnes remitted But by faith wee haue peace of conscience Ergo by faith wee are fullie and perfectly iustified Rom. 5.1 The Scripture also faith The iust man shall liue by faith Rom. 1.17 But wee liue not by iustification begun onely but perfited and finished Ergo our full iustification is by faith Augustine vpon these words Iohn 6.29 This is the worke of God that yee beleeue c. Si iustitia est opus Dei quomodo erit opus Dei vt credatur in eum nisi ipsa sit iustitia vt credamus in eum If iustice or righteousnes bee the worke of God how is it the worke of God to beleeue in him vnlesse it be righteousnes it selfe to beleeue in him See then it is not initium iustitiae credere sed ipsa iustitia it is not the beginning of iustice to beleeue but iustice and righteousnes it selfe THE FIFT PART WHETHER faith bee meritorious The Papists BY faith we doe merite eternall life Catechis Roman p. 121. ex Tilemann de error 82 fide err 20. Rhemists also ascribe meriting to faith Rom. 3. sect 3. Argum. Faith is a worke Ergo if we be iustified by faith wee are iustified by workes and soe consequently by merite The Protestants Ans. FAith in deed is a worke but not any of our owne works it is called the worke of God Iohn 6.29 God doth wholly worke it in vs Ergo wee cannot merite by it Argum. Saint Paul saith Ephes. 2.8 By grace are you saued through faith not of yourselues for it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe Faith then is no meritorious cause of our iustification but onely an instrumentall meanes whereby we doe apprehend the grace of God offered in Christ God giueth both faith and the end of faith Vtrumque Dei est as Augustine saith quod iubet quod offertur Beleeue and thou shalt be saued both come of God the thing commanded that is faith and the thing offered namely saluation Ergo all is of grace THE SIXT PART WHETHER to beleeue bee in mans power The Papists RHemist Act. 13. sect 2. giue this note that the Gentiles beleeued by their error 83 owne free will though principallie by Gods grace therefore to beleeue partly consisteth in mans free will though not altogether this is their opinion The Protestants FAith is the meere gift of God Ephes. 2.8 and wholly commeth from God it is not either in part or whole of our selues Argum. Rom. 11.36 Of him through him and for him are all thinges Ergo fidei initium ex ipso neque hoc excepto ex ipso sunt caetera Therefore saith Augustine the beginning of our faith is of him vnlesse wee will say that all things else are of God this onely excepted And afterward hee sheweth that our faith is wholly of God not part of him part of our selues Sic enim homo quasi componet cum Deo vt partem fidei sibi vendicet partem Deo relinquat So man shall as it were compound with God to chalenge part of faith to himselfe and leaue part for God THE SEVENTH PART WHEther faith may be lost The Papists error 84 A Man may fall away from the faith which once truely he had as Saint Paul saith of some They had made shipwrack of faith 1. Timoth. 1.19 Rhemist ibid. Ergo true faith may be lost The Protestants Ans. THe Apostle saith Some hauing put away a good cōscience made shipwrack of faith Such a faith in deed that hath not a good cōscience may be lost for it is not a true liuely faith but a dead fruitelesse faith Argum. But hee that once
hath receiued a true liuely faith and is thereby iustified before God can neuer fall away neither can that faith vtterlie perish or faile in him for He that beleeueth is alreadie passed from death to life Iohn 5.24 If then it be possible for a man to be brought from life to death from heauen back againe to hell then may a faithfull beleeuer become also a faithlesse infidell Augustine doth plainely set downe his sentence of this matter Horum fides quae per dilectionem operatur profectò aut omnino non deficit aut siqui sunt quorum deficit reparatur antequam vita ista finiatur Their faith which worketh by loue either neuer faileth at all or if it doe fayle in any it is repaired againe before their life be ended THE EIGHT PART WHETHER wicked men may haue a true faith The Papists THe certaintie of remission of sins with a sure confidence and trust in Christ error 85 may be found euen amongst schismatikes heretikes and wicked men Conc. Trident. sess 6. cap. 9. The Protestants IT is impossible that a true liuelie faith whereby wee are iustified before God which worketh in vs a sure confidence and trust in God should enter into the heart of a wicked man Argum. Christ saith Hee that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirst Iohn 6.35 And verse 40. This is the will of God that hee that beleeueth in me should haue eternall life Ergo if wicked men and reprobates may haue this faith they also shall haue euerlasting life which is a thing impossible Augustine Nostra fides .i. catholica fides iustos ab iniustis non operum sed ipsa fidei lege discernit quia iustus ex fide viuet The Catholike faith discerneth iust men from vniust not by workes but by the lawe of faith for the iust shall liue by faith If then the difference betweene the godlie and wicked be onely faith if the one may haue faith as well as the other there should bee no difference betweene them THE THIRD QVESTION OF good workes THe parts of this question first what workes are to be counted good works secondly whether there are any good workes without faith thirdly of the vse and office of good workes whether they bee applicatorie expiatorie meritorious fourthly of the distinction of merites fiftly the manner of meriting THE FIRST PART WHICH BE the good workes of Christians The Papists THey doe not onely call them good workes which are commanded of God error 86 but which are also enioyned by the Church and the gouernours thereof and that euen by such workes men are iustified Concil Trident. sess 6. cap. 10. Tapper ex Tileman loc 11. Err. 1. The Protestants SAint Paul defineth good workes otherwise namely those which God hath ordeyned that we should walke in them Ephes. 2.10 They are not the precepts of men but the commandements of God in his word the doing whereof hath the name of good workes As for the traditions and iniunctions of men not warranted by Gods word they are so far from being commended or commanded that our Sauiour calleth the doing thereof but a Worshipping of God in vaine Mark 7.7 Augustine vpon those words in the 103. Psalme vers 18. The louing kindenes of the Lorde is vpon those that keepe his couenant and thinke vpon his commandements to doe them saith thus Vide vt praecepta teneas sed quomodo teneas non memoria sed vita Memoria retinentibus mandata eius non vt reddant ea sed vt faciant ea See that thou keepe Gods commandements but how not in thy memorie but in thy life not to say them by rote but to doe them Ergo they are Gods commandements which we must thinke of to doe them for vnto such the blessing is promised not to the obseruers of mens precepts or traditions THE SECOND PART WHEther there bee any good workes without faith The Papists THough they dare not altogether iustifie the workes of the heathen and infidels error 87 yet they doe excuse them and doe blame vs for saying that infidels doe sinne in honoring their parents in fighting for their Countrey and such like They therefore doe discharge the heathen of sinne in these workes of theirs Rhemist Rom. 14. sect 4. The Protestants THese workes are not sinne in themselues but in infidels they are because they proceede of infidelitie Argum. It is the rule of the Gospell that a corrupt tree cannot bring foorth good fruite Matth. 7.18 But all infidels are corrupt trees being without faith Ergo they can bring forth no good fruite The Pelagians thought to haue posed Augustine with the same question which the papists propound to vs. Was it sinne in the heathen say they to clothe the naked Augustine answereth Non per seipsum factum peccatum est sed de tali opere non in domino gloriari solus impius negat esse peccatum The fact of it selfe is not sin but in doing any such thing not to reioyce in the Lord none but wicked men will denie it to be sinne THE THIRD PART OF THE vse and office of good workes THey make a threefold vse of good workes as they call them first by them the merites of Christ they say are applied vnto vs secondly they doe purge our sinnes thirdly they are meritorious THE FIRST ARTICLE WHEther bona opera be applicatoria The Papists BY any worke proceeding of faith and charitie the merite of Christs passion error 88 is applied to vs Soto ex Tilemann loc 11. err 21. Men by their sufferings and other workes may applie to themselues the generall medicine of Christs merites and satisfaction Rhemist annot 1. Coloss. sect 4. The Protestants IT is the propertie of faith onely to apprehend and applie vnto vs the benefits of Christs passion and all other his merites Argum. Rom. 10.7.8 We neede not saith the Apostle to ascend to heauen or descend into the deepe to bring Christ from thence it is the word of faith which wee preach By faith then we doe scale the heauens and beholde Christ it is not the doctrine of works but the word of faith that performeth this And therefore the Apostle defineth faith to be the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11.1 This definition cānot agree vnto works or vnto any other thing but faith for then it were no good definition nor yet description Ergo faith onely is the euidence of things inuisible and therefore onely applieth Christs precious merites which are things beleeued and not seene Augustine thus also describeth faith Rerum absentium praesens est fides rerum quae foris sunt intus est fides rerum quae non videntur videtur fides Faith maketh things absent present things without vs to bee within vs things not seene to bee seene Ergo faith onely hath this applicatorie power to applie Christs merites not present nor seene and to make them as our owne THE SECOND ARTICLE WHEther bona
WOrkes done before iustification though they suffice not to saluation error 93 yet be acceptable preparatiues to the grace of iustification and such as moue God to mercie As were the almes deedes and prayer in Cornelius Act. 10. sect 5. Rhemist The Protestants Ans. COrnelius prayers and almes were not without fayth as Augustine confesseth Non sine aliqua fide donabat orabat He did not giue almes pray without some fayth And he proueth it by that saying of the Apostle Rom. 10.14 How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Seeing then Cornelius had fayth his iustification also was begun for so soone as fayth commeth it iustifieth These were not then workes preparatiue to fayth and iustification but the fruites of his fayth and iustification begun Argum. Before fayth come there can be no workes of preparation acceptable to God because Without fayth it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11.6 Augustine also sayth Ea ipsa opera ante fidem quae videntur hominibus laudabilia inania sunt those very workes which seeme to be commendable before fayth are altogether vaine and vnprofitable If they be vaine they are no preparations to fayth THE SECOND PART OF THE two kindes of iustification The Papists error 94 THere is a first iustification which is meerely of grace without workes as when an Infidel is made iust who had no acceptable workes before to be iustified by The second iustification is that wherein hee that is in Gods grace daylie proceedeth in by good workes Rhemist Rom. 2.3 This iustification and sanctification are all one Concil Trident. sess 6. cap. 7. And it is augmented and increased by the merite of worke sess 6. can 24. Argum. Of the first iustification S. Paul speaketh where he saith We are iustified by fayth without workes Rom 3.28 Of the second Saint Iames intreateth A man is iustified by workes and not of fayth onely 2.24 Rhemist Ans. This your deuice of first and second iustification is but a new deuice not yet 60. yeare olde your second iustification is nothing els but the effect fruits of iustification before God and a declaration that wee are iust before men Saint Paul and Saint Iames do speake of one and the same iustification by faith But they take the word diuersly for Saint Iames by iustifiyng meaneth nothing els but a testifiyng or declaration of our iustification before men And in this sense is the word taken Math. 11.19 Wisdome is iustified of her children that is declared to be iust The Protestants FIrst iustification and sanctification are two diuers things We are iustified by fayth onely by the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ Roman 4.7 We are sanctified when by fayth working by loue we walke in newnes of life These two are perpetually distinguished in the scriptures I meane iustification and sanctification 1. Corinth 1.30 6.11 and Galath 5.25 If wee liue in the spirite let vs walke in the spirite Our iustification is the liuing in the spirit our sanctification the walking in the spirite Secondly our workes can be no cause of the increase of our iustification and the grace of God in vs But both our iustification and sanctification are the free gifts of God For what hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Corint 4.7 This was the olde Pelagian heresie that the grace of God is giuen according to our workes confuted by Augustine Epistol 106. Gratia iam non erit gratia quia secundum merita datur nam merces fidei auctae erit merces coeptae Thus grace shal be no grace for it is giuen according to merite for the increase of fayth or iustice is made the hyre or wages of fayth that is begun Thirdly the scripture speaketh but of one iustification which glorification followeth Rom. 8.30 Whom he iustified them also hee glorified vnles you will haue another iustification to come after our glorificatiō Likewise Rom. 4. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen ver 7. The iustification in remission of sinnes doth make a man blessed Ergo it is the onely sufficient iustification And Augustine accordingly sayth Donando delicta fecit se debitorem coronae by forgiuing our sinnes he hath made himselfe a debtor for the crowne or reward We see heauen is promised at the first remission of our sinnes what neede then any other iustification Wherefore it is a false and blasphemous decree in the Councel of Trent that wee are not iustified onely by remission of our sinnes sess 6. can 11. THE THIRD PART OF inherent iustice The Papists THey teach that men are not iustified by the onely imputation of the righteousnes error 95 of Christ Trid. Concil sess 6. can 11. Neither that wee are formally made iust by the righteousnes of Christ can 10. but by iustice inherent in vs whereby we are not onely reputed and accounted iust but are truely called iust and are so indeede sess 6. cap. 7. Rhemist Rom. cap. 2. sect 4. Argum. Rom. 2.13 Not the hearers of the law but the doers are iustified Ergo we are iustified by an inherent iustice Rhemist Ans. 1. Saint Paul speaketh of the iustification of the law and proueth by this argument that none could be iustified by the law because none were able to doe it And without performing of the law there was no iustification by the law what is this to the iustification of fayth 2. But if we will vnderstand it of the true iustification of Christians it must so be taken as August saith Non vt factorib iustificatio accedat sed factores legis iustificatio praecedat not that iustification doth come to the doers but that it goeth before the doers of the law The Protestants WE acknowledge an inherent iustice in all faithful men beleeuers but it is imperfect not able to iustifie them before God it is no other then sanctification which is a fruit of iustification But that iustice whereby we are iust before God not falsely accounted but made truly iust by God is by the righteousnes of Christ onely which we apprehend by fayth Argum. That iustice whereby we haue peace with God is the only iustice whereby we are iustified before God for vntil we are cleared and made iust before God it is impossible to haue peace with him But this is onely the iustice of faith Rom. 5.1 Ergo by this iustice onely are we iust before God August hath a good speech Si dixerimus quod nihil iustitiae habemus aduersum Dei dona mētimur si enim iustitiae nihil habemus nec fidem habemus si autem fidem habemus iam aliquid habemus iustitiae If we say we haue no iustice at all in vs we do belye the good gifts of God for if we haue no iustice we haue no faith But if we haue faith then haue we some iustice in vs. Here Augustine acknowledgeth no inherent iustice but onely the iustice of fayth THE FOVRTH PART OF
IVSTIFIcation onely by fayth The Papists error 94 FAyth is not the only cause of our iustificatiō but there are other also as hope charitie almes deedes and other vertues Rhemist Roman 8. sect 6. Yea workes are more principall then fayth in the matter of iustification Iam. 2. sect 7. Whosoeuer therefore sayth that a man is iustified onely by fayth and that nothing els is required to iustification we pronounce him accursed Trident. Concil sess 6. can 9. Argum. 1. Rom. 8.24 We are saued by hope Ergo not onely by fayth Rhemist Answ. 1. We are sayd to be saued by hope not because wee are thereby iustified but because by hope we do expect and waite for our saluation which is not yet accomplished as it followeth vers 25. If wee hope for that wee see not then doe we with patience abide for it Argum. 2. Galath 5.6 Fayth that worketh by charitie Fayth then hath her whole actiuitie and operation toward saluation of charitie It doth not therefore iustifie vs alone but fayth and charitie together of the which charitie is the more principall Rhemist ibid. Answ. We graunt that it is a working fayth that doth iustifie as the Apostle here sayth but not as it worketh but as it apprehendeth and beleeueth Charitie is a principall effect of fayth and followeth it how then can fayth receiue actiuitie from charitie the effect doth not giue life to the cause You know Augustine often sayth Opera non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum Workes goe not before vnto iustification but followe in him that is already iustified But if charitie should beget fayth then workes proceeding of charitie should goe before fayth by the which wee are iustified The Apostle sayth Without fayth it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11.6 Ergo neither doth charitie please God without fayth Fayth giueth actiuitie to charitie how then can it receiue that which it giueth Argum. 3. Iam. 2.24 We see how that of deedes a man is iustified and not of fayth onely Ergo we are not iustified by fayth onely Rhemist Answ. Saint Iames is not contrary to his fellow Apostle Saint Paul who concludeth Rom. 3.28 that We are iustified by fayth without workes that is as much to say as by fayth onely And he excludeth not onely workes of nature or of the law but euen workes of grace which God hath ordayned Ephes 2.10 Therefore S. Iames in saying we are not iustified by faith onely meaneth not that iustification whereby we are made iust before God for then he should impugne Saint Pauls principles But by iustifiyng or being iustified he vnderstandeth nothing els but to be declared iust as well before men as in the sight of God which declaration is testified and shewed forth by our workes proceeding of faith Thus the word iustified is taken Rom. 3.4 That thou maist be iustified in thy words that is knowne or declared to be iust Augustine also sayth Iustificabuntur id est iusti habebuntur They shall be iustified that is counted iust as we also say Sanctificetur nomen id est sanctum habeatur Let thy name bee sanctified that is reputed and acknowledged to be holy amongst men The Protestants WE are not enemies to good workes as our aduersaries falsely charge vs nay we preach good workes we exhort to good workes we establish good workes teaching the right vse of them out of the word of God which is not to concurre or be ioyned with faith in our iustification but to follow necessarily and issue out of faith as liuely testimonies thereof to the glorie of God the example of others and our comfort but faith it is onely which as a liuely instrument ordained of God doth assure vs of our iustification by grace in Christ. Argum. 1. Saluation is ascribed onely to beleefe Mark 16.16 Act. 16.31 But it is the propertie of faith onely to beleeue not of hope or charitie the effect of hope is by patience to abide Rom. 8.25 The operations also of loue are set forth 1. Corinth 13. Where amongst other Loue is sayd to beleeue all things that is mutuall loue amongst men is not mistrustfull but taketh all things in good part but to beleeue the things of God it is the propertie onely of faith as Augustine vpon those words of the Apostle How shall they call vpon him on whom they haue not beleeued In his duobus tria illa intuere fides credit spes charitas orant In these two behold those three faith beleeueth hope and charitie pray Faith therefore onely beleeueth and so consequently onely iustifieth Enchirid. cap. 7. Argum. 2. Our iustification and saluation is of the meere grace and mercie of God not at al of any merite or desert in vs Ergo we are iustified only through faith for it is of grace that we are saued through faith Ephes. 2.8 That all is to bee ascribed onely to the mercie and grace of God the Apostle euery where sheweth Rom. 9.12 It is not in him that willeth or runneth but in God that sheweth mercie We are iustified freely by grace Rom. 3.24 What hast thou that thou hast not receiued Augustine saith Intelligenda est gratia Dei per Iesum Christum dominum nostrum qua sola liberamur à malo We must vnderstand the grace of God by Iesus Christ by the which we are onely deliuered from euill Si quid boni est magni vel parui donum tuum est nostrum non est nisi malum si quid boni vnquam habui à te recepi If there bee any good in vs much or little it is thy gift nothing is ours but the euill in vs Ergo all good things are of God and onely of his grace and therefore our iustification Argum. 3. There are many euident places which doe attribute our iustification to faith without workes Rom. 3.28.11.8 Ephes. 2.8.9 In all these places in plaine termes We are sayd to bee iustified by faith without workes As for those friuolous euasions that the Apostle speaketh of the first iustification not of the second or of the workes of nature or of the lawe not of grace we haue answered before Quaest. 2. part 3. artic 3. If they will oppose that saying of S. Iames. 2.24 we answere with Augustine Nec Apostoli sunt inter se aduersi ille dicit Abrahae opus omnibus notum in filij immolatione magnum opus sed ex fide laudo fructum boni operis sed in fide agnosco radicem The Apostles are not contrarie one to the other he sayth Abrahams worke was knowne to all in offering vp his sonne a great worke but of faith I praise the fruite but it was rooted in faith His meaning then is this that Abraham was iustified that is declared to men to be iust by this worke HERE FOLLOW SVCH CONTROVERSIES AS doe arise betweene the Protestants and Papists about the natures of Christ. WE haue now through Gods gracious assistance entreated of all those
vs sustine hath bene mine I haue endured the labour I would abstine might be theirs that they would abstaine from ill speaking Lastly if I haue taken vpon me more then is performed I haue done foolishly for that olde verse might haue warned me sufficiently Sumite materiam vestris qui scribitis aptam viribus But I trust by the gratious assistance of God I haue in some smal measure accomplished that I would and I say with Augustin Gratias ago Deo qui quantum voluit donando quod voluit fari promisit et vâ—i voluit tacendum linguae terminum posuit For it is God that gaue me strength to proceede so far as I haue done and hath set me my bouÌ„ds which I should not passe for no mâ—n may exceede the line and measure of his gifts 2. Corin. 10.14 Thus I end commending these my labours to the charitable and christian iudgement of the Church of God whom I desire to profit and to your Honors protection whom I wish in vertue and honor to tread your Fathers path and both of you to liue so long as it pleaseth God to his glory and the comfort of his Church and afterward to be euerlastingly rewarded in heauen through the onely merits of Christ Iesus to whom be praise for euer Your Honors to commaund in the Lord Christ Andrew Willet HERE ENSVE THE CONTROVERSIES OF THE FIVE OTHER POpish Sacraments Penance Matrimony Confirmation Orders Extreme Vnction THE FOVRTEENTH CONTROVERSIE of popish Penance VNto this controuersie belong these questions following First of the name Penance whether it be rightly giuen 2. Whether that which they call Penance but we much better Repentance be a Sacrament 3. Whether there be any other Sacrament of repentance beside Baptisme 4. Of the essentiall partes of penance as the matter and forme and of the 3. material parts Contrition Confession Satisfaction with an appendix whether repentance goe before faith 5. Of Contrition 1. The cause thereof 2. The quantity thereof 3. Whether it be ioyned with faith 4. Whether it be satisfactory 5. Whether contrition be necessary for venial sinnes 6. Of contrition which onely proceedeth of feare 6. Of Auricular confession 1. Whether it be necessary 2. whether it be a diuine ordinance 3. To whom it is to be made 4. Of the time 7. Of satisfaction with the seuerall branchâ—s of this question 8. First of penall iniunctions 1. Whether necessary 2. By whom to be imposed Secondly of indulgences 1. Whether there be any such 2. The grouÌ„d of them 3. In whose power they be 9. The circumstances of penance 1. Their habite 2. Their workes 3. Of the time of their penance THE FIRST QVESTION OF THE name of Penance The Papists THe Latine word Poenitentia which they translate Penance being deriued of error 1 poena doth signifie say they not onely confession and amendement of life but contrition and sorrow for the offence and painefull satisfaction Bellarm lib. 1. cap. 7. Argum. Math. 11.21 the word must needs signifie sorrowful paineful and satisfactory repentance Rhemist Math. 3.2 The Protestants Ans. THe place quoted out of S. Mathew proueth no such thing where our Sauiour saith that Tyre and Sâ—don would haue repented in sackecloth and ashes which is no satisfaction for sinne but an outward signe of true sorrow for sinne Argum. The Greeke word euery where vsed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth as Laurentius Valla noteth emeÌ„dationem mentis the change or amendemeÌ„t of the minde and no such outward satisfactory penance as they pretende Wherefore it is more fitly englished Repentance And although the Latine word Poenitentia doe not properly expresse the Greeke word to the which resipiscere resipiscentia repentance and to repent do better answere yet agere poenitentiam in Latine is not to doe penance as the Rhemists translate it but is all one as to say repent yea and so the Rhemists themselues read be penitent Mark 1.15 and not doe penance And Act. 11.18 they translate poenitentiam repentance Augustine thus taketh this word poenitentia Rectè poenitens quicquid sordium contraxit oportet vt abluat saltem mentis lachrymis The true penitent man must at the least wash away his sinnes with the teares of the minde If then repentance be in the soule what is become of this outward satisfactorie penance THE SECOND QVESTION WHETHER THERE be any Sacrament of penance The Papists error 2 CHrist they say instituted the Sacrament of penance when he breathed vpon his Apostles after his resurrection and said vnto them Receiue ye the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained Ioh. 20.22 The faculty of the Priesthoode coÌ„sisting in remitting of sinnes is heere bestowed vpon the Apostles Rhemist annot Ioh. 20. sect 5. Herevpon they are bolde to conclude that penance is truely and properly a Sacrament Concil Trident. sess 14. canon 1. Bellarm. lib. 1. de poenitent cap. 10. Ans. 1. If the power of remission of sinnes were heere first instituted how could the Apostles baptize or minister the Lords supper before without power to remit sinnes to the penitent Christ therefore in this place doth but renewe and confirme the authority of their Apostleship which was granted to them before Math. 18.18 Secondly this power here giuen is principally exercised by preaching of the word of God and denouncing publikely or priuately the promises of God for remission of sinnes to the penitent or the threates and iudgement of God in binding the sinnes of the obstinate and impenitent So Luke 20.24 Christ commandeth his Apostles to preach repentance and remission of sinnes in his name Thirdly we confesse also a iudiciary power of the keies in binding and loosing which is exercised in ecclesiasticall discipline in punishng and absoluing according to the word of God as the incestuous person was bound when he was deliuered vp to Sathan 1. Cor. 5.5 he was loosed againe when he was restored to the Church 2. Cor. 2.7 But neither this nor the other was commended to the Church as a Sacrament The Protestants TRue repentance we doe acknowledge which is a dying to sinne and a walking in newnes of life Rom. 6.4 But a Sacrament of repentance we finde none in Scripture and therefore we deny it Argum. 1. In euery Sacrament there is an externall sensible element as water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Lords Supper but there is none in their penance Ergo no Sacrament Bellarm. answereth that the words of absolution and confession are the outward signes in penance it is not necessary it should be a visible signe it is a sensible signe being audible cap. 11. Ans. 1. There must be the word beside the element as Augustine saith Accedat verbum ad elementum Let the word be ioyned to the element and it maketh a Sacrament the word it selfe cannot be the element for the same thing cannot both sanctifie and be sanctified And if the audible word be the element by
this reason the preaching of the word also shal be a Sacrament Argu. 2. There was repentance and absolution of sinnes both in the olde testament for both Dauid confessed and was sory for his sinne and the Prophet Nathan pronounced forgiuenes from God 2. Sam. 12.13 so likewise Iohn preached repentance for remission of sinnes and the people came and confessed their sinnes heere were all things necessary for true repentance yet was it no Sacrament all this while as they themselues confesse which they holde to be instituted after Christs resurrection Trident. concil sess 14. cap. 1. Why then should it be rather a Sacrament now then before Augustine thus writeth Sacramentum ideo dicitur quia aliud videtur aliud intelligitur It is called a Sacrament because one thing is seene another vnderstoode And then he saith Quid tale aut ipsi vident aut alijs queunt ostendere in eo quod sacramentum poenitentiae vocant But neither doe they see or can shew to others any such visible signe in that which they call the Sacrament of repentance Heere Augustine denieth repentance to be a Sacrament because it hath no visible signe THE THIRD QVESTION WHETHER THERE be any other Sacrament of repentance beside Baptisme The Papists error 3 BAptisme serueth onely they say for remission of sinnes done before for sinnes committed after Baptisme the Sacrament of penance which is a distinct Sacrament from Baptisme is appointed for a remedy and therefore is fitly called The second table of refuge after shipwracke Concil Trident. sess 14. canon 2. Argum. S. Iohn saith If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull to forgiue vs 1. Epist. 1.19 he saith not that by the memory of Baptisme but by confession which is a part of penance our sinnes are forgiuen Bellarm. cap. 13. The Protestants Ans. FIrst we say not that by the bare memory or remembrance of baptisme sinnes after committed are done away but that the sacramentall force of Baptisme doth extend it selfe to our whole life that is to be a seale vnto vs of remission of all our sinnes in the blood of Cbrist Secondly so that confession of our sinnes is not a taking away of the force of baptisme but a more effectual applying thereof as the people which were baptized by Iohn confessed also their sinnes Argu. We acknowledge no other Sacrament of repentance but baptisme for so the scripture calleth it The baptisme of repētance for remission of sinnes Marke 1.4 So Augustine calleth Baptisme Sacramentum fidei et poenitentiae the Sacrament of faith and repentance what neede we then seeke for a new Sacrament of repentance which cannot any where be found in Scripture THE FOVRTH QVESTION OF THE essentiall partes of Penance THE FIRST PART OF THE MATTER and forme of popish penance The Papists error 4 THe forme of this Sacrament say they consisteth in the words of absolution pronounced by the Minister the matter thereof is the contrition confession and satisfaction of the partie penitent Concil Tridentin sess 14. cap. 3. Bellarm. lib. 1. cap. 15. The Protestants NEither is their penance a Sacrament neither can these be partes of a Sacrament Argum. 1. In euery Sacrament there are two things required res terrena and actio externa the earthly thing or element as is water in Baptisme and the externall action neither doth the element alone nor the action alone make a sacrament as in baptisme there is both water which is the matter and the washing that is the action Wherefore seeing in their penance there is nothing but the action of the Minister and the action of the receiuer it can be no sacramēt Argum. 2. The partes of euery sacrament as the forme the matter must be instituted of Christ But this are they not able to shew for the forme and matter of penance namely the institution of Christ Ergo it is no sacrament THE SECOND PART OF THIS QVESTION OF the three materiall partes of popish Penance contrition confession satisfaction The Papistes THese three they say are the true and proper partes of penance contrition error 5 and painefull sorrow of the hart confession to the Priest and satisfaction to God for our sinnes Concil Trident. sess 14. can 4. Rhemist Math. 3. sect 2. Argu. Contrition is proued Psal. 51.17 A contrite hart is a sacrifice to God Confession Math. 3. They were baptized in Iordane confessing their sinnes Satisfaction Math. 11.21 They would haue repented long agoe in sackecloth and ashes Bellarm. cap. 19. Ans. 1. That godly sorrow and contrition of the hart is necessary to true repentance we neuer will deny but that this sorrow is any satisfaction to Gods iustice we abhorre it as a monstrous blasphemy Secondly Confession and acknowledgement of our sinnes vnto God and in some cases where the conscience is not satisfied to the Minister or some other faithfull man we do willingly graunt but that it is necessary to make generall confession of sinnes to the Priest that place proueth it not for Iohn had had shriuing worke enough for many yeeres to heare euery mans particular confession Thirdly that sitting in sackecloth and ashes was no satisfaction for sinne but an outward signe of true sorrow for sinne The Protestants WE doe make two partes onely of true repentance according to the scriptures that is the mortifying of the olde man with his works by dying vnto sinne vnto the which belongeth true sorrow and contrition of hart for our sinnes 2. Corinth 7.11 acknowledgement and confession thereof before God 2. Sam. 12.13 and a perfect hatred and detestation of sinne and indignation with our selues for the same 2. Corinth 7.11 The other part is the renewing and quickening of the new man in vs which consisteth partly in setting our consciences at peace with God our sinnes being forgiuen vs Rom. 5.1 and working in vs a zeale studie care and desire of newnes of life 2. Corin. 7.11 these two partes onely we finde in Scripture Argum. Isai. 1.17 Cease to doe euill Learne to doe good we must die vnto sinne and walke in newnes of life Rom. 6.4 Put off the olde man put on the new Coloss. 3.9 Augustine saith Fructus est dignus poenitentia transacta deflere peccata ea iterum non agere This is true repentance to lament for sinnes past and not to commit the same againe though this be no perfect definition of repentance yet we see that both confession and satisfaction are excluded AN APPENDIX WHETHER REpentance goe before faith The Papists error 6 THeir opinion is that repentance goeth before iustification by faith and that it is a way rather vnto faith and iustification in the remission of sinnes poenitentia est via ad remissionem peccatorum et prior iustificatione Bellarm cap. 19. Argum. Act. 2.38 Repent and be baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sinnes Remission of sinnes followeth repentance Ergo iustification also and faith Bellarm. The Protestants Ans. FIrst this place proueth not
people What this singulatim credere meaneth he sheweth a few lines after Quicquid cum loquor agnoueris in te quisquis expertus â—s crede contingere omnibus qui de manu inimicoruÌ„ precioso sanguine redimuntur That which I say thou that hast the experience thereof in thy selfe knowe that it is common to all that are redeemed by that precious blood Ergo euery man must haue a particular feeling and experience of his redemption in himselfe The Papists 2. FAith a man may feele and knowe to bee in himselfe because it is an act onely of vnderstanding but a man cannot bee assured thereby that error 77 his sinnes are forgiuen him or that he is in the state of grace Rhemist 2. Corinth 13. sect 1. The Protestants Ans. WE see what a poore miserable faith the faith of popish Catholikes is They say it is but a bare act of the vnderstanding which bringeth with it no certaintie or assurance of saluation But the Apostle Hebr. 11.1 defineth faith after another sort It is the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene Faith then hath two parts as it worketh the euidence and knowledge of heauenly things in the vnderstanding so also it begetteth a strong hope and perswasion in the heart of the promises of God it is not therefore onely an act of the vnderstanding Argum. But that by a liuely and true faith men may knowe that they are in grace and may bee assured of saluation Saint Paul teacheth Proue your selues whether you be in the faith know ye not how that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse yee be reprobates 2. Corinth 13.5 By faith therefore wee may knowe whether Christ bee in vs Ergo whether wee are in the state of grace for Christ dwelleth onely by faith in the elect and such as shall be saued Ephes. 3.17 Augustine Vnusquisque inspiciat se intus appendat se probet se in omnibus factis suis fides quae operatur per dilectionem si in vobis est iam pertinetis ad praedestinatos Let euery man looke into himselfe examine proue himselfe if faith working by loue bee in you euen now yee doe belong to the number and companie of the predestinate Ergo by a liuely faith men may bee assured of their election THE SECOND PART OF THE DIVERS kindes of faith The Papists error 78 1. THere is a kind of faith called fides implicita the faith of simple men and idiots who although they are not able to giue a reason of their beleefe yet it is enough for them to say they are Catholike men that they wil liue and dye in that faith which the Catholike Church doth teach Rhemist Luk. 12. sect 3. This implicite faith which they say is sufficient for common Catholikes is nothing els but to beleeue as the Church beleeueth though they knowe nothing themselues particularly The Protestants AS before they spoyled faith of the better part thereof which is a stable and certaine perswasion of the heart so now also they robbe it of the other part which is an euidence and light of spirituall knowledge for faith cannot stand with ignorance but necessarily bringeth with it an illumination of the mind as it worketh stablenes in the heart Argum. Wherefore it is not enough for a Christian to say he beleeueth as the Catholike Church beleeueth for we must be readie to giue account to euery one that asketh of that hope that is in vs 1. Pet. 3.15 Ergo euery true Christian must be able to giue account of his beleefe Augustine writeth Ita apud omnes vulgatam confirmatam esse catholicam fidem vt nec notitiam possit fugere popularem That the Catholike faith was so common and so plaine that it could not bee hid euen vnto the popular sort For now in these dayes the prophecie of Ieremie ought to bee fulfilled They shall all knowe me from the least of them to the greatest Hebr. 8.11 The Papists error 79 2. THey affirme that the faith of miracles spoken of 1. Corinth 12.9 is of the same substance with the common iustifying faith it differeth onely in an accidentall qualitie of more feruor deuotion and confident trust Rhemist ibid. Yea that faith which Saint Iames calleth a dead faith is notwithstanding a true faith and the same which is called the Catholike faith and which the Apostle defineth Hebr. 11. and in substance all one with that which iustifieth Rhemist Iam. 2. sect 11. The Protestants FIrst the faith of miracles and the iustifying faith are not all of one nature because the faith of miracles may bee in wicked men Matth. 7.23 The iustifying faith can be in none but those that shall be saued Mark 16.16 They that beleeue shall bee saued But what intolerable boldnes is this to ascribe greater confidence and trust to that faith which may be in wicked men then to the true iustifying faith in the elect Secondly the dead faith that Saint Iames treateth of is not of the same nature with the iustifying faith nor that faith which is handled Heb. 11. For by that faith the Patriarkes pleased GOD and beleeued that hee was a rewarder of those which sought him verse 6. But this dead faith hath no such operation Againe it is great blasphemie to make this dead faith and a liuely iustifying faith of one and the same kinde and nature for as a dead man cannot be said properly to bee a man no more can a dead faith bee properly called a faith Nay further the faith of diuels and the faith of Saints cannot bee of one nature and substance but this dead speculatiue faith may be in diuels Iam. 2.19 Ergo it is a blasphemous assertion that these two faiths are all of one Augustine saith Discerne fidem tuam a fide daemonum daemones credunt quod oderunt distinguit Apostolus fides quae operatur per dilectionem Discerne thy faith from the faith of diuels the diuels beleeue that which they hate The Apostle doth distinguish them faith which worketh by loue Ergo a dead faith which is fruitelesse and worketh not by loue is the faith of diuels and so not of one nature with a true iustifying faith THE THIRD PART WHEther charitie be the forme of iustifying faith The Papists IT is so affirmed by our Rhemistes Iam. 2. sect 11. Faith being formed error 80 and made aliue by charitie iustifieth Loue is not as the instrument whereby faith worketh but as the proper forme Tapper ex Tileman Heshus de fide err 7. Argum. Saint Iames saith As the bodie without the spirite is dead so faith without workes is dead 2.26 But the soule or spirite giueth the forme and life to the bodie Ergo so doe the workes of charitie to faith Rhemist The Protestants Ans. WE must consider of what kinde of faith Saint Iames speaketh not of a liuely or iustifying faith but of a dead faith which in deede is no faith neither can possiblie receiue any