auerreth That the only Catholike fayth quickneth sanctifyeth giueth life excluding not any workes but the false beliefe of Heretikes Origen vpon the third Chapter to the Romans and S. Chrysostome in his booke of Fayth and the law of Nature attribute Iustification to fayth alone without the outward accomplishment of any externall worke or without the precedent obseruation of the law whether it be externall or internall according to Vasquez both exemplifying in the theese vpon the Crosse so that among all the Fathers whom they obiect no one giueth sentence on their side 20. Finally besides these authorityes and the former common obiections one the Aduersarie yet reserueth as his sole Achilles and properly belonging to this place that our pious and godly workes are outward tokens only and manifestations as whitaker calleth them of inward righteousnes but not the causes which augment or make vs more iust for as the tree is not made good by the VVhitak in his answer to the 8. reason of M. Campian fol. 254. fruites it beareth but only declared and knowne to be such no more can a iust man become more iust by the fruits of good workes which he produceth but only be discouered and knowne to be iust because as the fruits presuppose the goodnes of the tree from whence they spring and do not make it good so good workes prerequire iustice in the worker and cannot concurre to constitute Matth. 71 v. 17. Maldon in c. 7. Matt. him iust Whereupon Christ compareth the iust man with a good tree which bringeth forth good fruits and cannot produce euill the wicked to an euill tree which shooteth forth euill and cannot bring good I answere with Maldonate first by retorting the argument vpon my Aduersaryes If by good works we cannot be made but only knowne to be good it followeth by necessary consequence that by euill works we cannot become euill but only declared and signifyed to be such So Adam being once a good tree planted by God either could not degenerate and bring forth the euill fruits of sinne as he did or by sinning was not made euill or worse then before by iniustly transgressing the Commandment of God became A differeÌ„ce betweene naturall and morall causes necessary to be noted not indeed vniust but was only marked figured with the notes of iniustice which cannot be affirmed without plaine impiety Secondly I answere that there is a great difference between naturall and morall causes as euery Nouice in our Schooles can instruct you Naturall causes by their good or euill effects are neither made good or euill better or worse as the fire waxeth not more hoat by the heate it casteth nor the stocke of the vine in it selfe more fruitful by the outward braÌ„ches it spreadeth abroad but these only demonstrate the fruitfullnes of the vine or heate of the fire Morall causes do not only worke well or badly because they are good or euill but by vvorking vvell or euilly they grovv good or euill become better or vvorse As vvee do not only liue temperatly because vve are teÌ„perate but by many acts of temperance become Arist l. 2. de mori c. 1. Ibid. c. 2. VVhitak l. 1. 8. aduers Duraeum August l. de fide oper c. 14. in psal 31. S. Thom. in Gal. 3. lect 4. Ambr. in cap. 8. ad Rom. Beda in c. â— ep lac temperate by the like dayly go forward increase in temperance For sayth Aristotle As by building builders by singing to the harpe men arriue to be cunning harpers or musitians so by doing good things men become iust by temperate things temperate by valiant exployts valiant Likewise by accustoming our selues to contemne and endure things fearefull and to be dreaded fortes efficimur we grow stout couragious Therfore although the tree which is a naturall cause of budding fruits receaueth not from them any sparke of life or increase of goodnes yet the iust man who is a morall cause in acheiuing good workes is more quickned in spirituall life and perfected in iustice by achieuing of them 21. Then they vrge out of S. Augustine That good workes go not before the iustifyed but follow him that is iust Out of S. Thomas Workes are not the cause that any one is iust before God but rather the executions and manifestations of Iustice. The like out of S. Ambrose Venerable Bede others I answere they are manifestations and remonstrances of the first iustice of the first infusion of grace as S. Thomas expoundeth himselfe and so they follow and are not the cause S. Thom. in c. 2. ad Gal. that any one is iust in that kind yet this withstandeth not but that they perfect and increase the infused iustice as true meritorious and morall causes thereof which is all that we require all that the Oecumenicall holy Councell of Trent hath enacted touching the Iustice of our works quickned with the seed or watered with the due of Gods celestiall grace The end of the fourth Booke THE FIFTH BOOKE THE XXII CONTROVERSY DISPROVETH The Protestants certainty of Saluation against D. Whitaker and D. Abbot CHAP. I. SO deep and vnsearchable are the iudgements of God so close and inscrutable the inuolutions of mans hart his foldes so secret so many his retraytes his search so weake in matters of spirit so hidden and vnknown the operations of grace the feares the doubts the anxiety so innumerable which the best belieuing Protestants and Ministers themselues feele in their consciences as I am wonderfully astonished at this arrogant speach that they should be all infallibly assured and vndoubtedly certaine of their saluation and my astonishment is the greater when I read the sentence of God and Eâ—â—â—â—â— 9. v. 1. 2. verdict of the holy Ghost passe against them in these tearmes vncontrollable There are iust men and wise and their workes are in the hand of God and yet man knoweth not whether he be worthy of loue or hatred but all things are reserued vncertain Prou. c. 20 v. 9. for the tyme to come And who can say my hart is cleane I am pure from sinne Where Salomon doth not affirme as Venerable Bede noteth vpon that place That a man cannot be but that he cannot certainly say or know himselfe to be pure from Beds in eum locum Eccles 5. v. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Abbot in his defence c. 4. f. 330. 331. c. Calu. l. 3. instit c. 2. §. 38. sinne Likewise Of sinne forgiuen be not without feare or as whitaker readeth out of the Greeke Of expiation or pardon be not secure To the first of these three testimonyes M. Abbot replyeth with Caluin his Maister That by outward things by thinges that are before our face a man knoweth not whether he be beloued or hated of God howbeit he may otherwise infallibly know it But this answere cannot be shaped to the latter clause of that sentence All thinges are
S. Luke confirmed by S. Paul And yet our Sacramentaries reiecting the agrement approbation of them al endeauour to interpret it by far more hard hidden passages Others do not only misconster but vtterly deny most apparent places vndeniable testimonyes For is there any thing more often inculcated or more largly amplifyed by the Prophets then the glory of the Messias and benefites we were to receaue by the comming of Christ Is there any thing more euidently expressed by the EuaÌ„gelists then his genealogy his natiuity his humane pedegree from the line of Dauid Yet Faustus the Manichee had his eyes darkned as S. Augustine testifyeth with presumptuous arrogancy that he sayd Searching the Scrippures Aug. lib. 16. con Paust cap. 2. 14. lib. 12. c. 2. lib. 2. cap. 2. I find there no Prophesyes of Christ The Prophets fortel nothing of him the Ghospell mentioneth not his temporall birth or procreation from man Howbeit sayth S. Augustine he euery where auoucheth himselfe the sonne of man But as Faustus was thus blinded and would not see a mistery so cleare what if Protestants be blinded in an article of Faith no lesse cleare and perspicuous We found not in Scripture the predictions of Christ neither do they discerne the Aug. ep 165. ad Donat Church of Christ as plainely described as Christ himself For in the Scriptures sayth S. Augustine we learne Christ in the Scriptures we learne the Church And then How doe we belieue we haue receaued out of the diuin writings Christ manifest Aug. epist 48 ad vinâ—eÌ„t Rogat â— vnles we haae also receaued from thence the Church manifest Truly we haue receaued it so manifest as all Nations see it all nations flocke vnto it all reuerence and obey it by the direction of Scripture only they see it not who would be ignoraÌ„t of nothing by their search of Scripture They see not I say the Catholike vniuersall Church visibly dispersed thoughout all the world lineally descended from the Apostles infallibly assisted by the spirit of God c. often recommended in holy Write vnto vs. 16. Secondly I might alleadge the copiousnes of Gods sacred word how some one 〈…〉 is often tymes so fruitfully impregned that as it is deliuered by the diuine Math. 7. v. 18. Interpreters of many true litterall senses so it is brought forth by priuate expositors with the vntimely birth of sundry heresyes Let that sole text of S. Matthew serue for an example A good â—ee cannot yeild euill fruits c. For by this a Hier. l. 2. aduers Iouin Iouinian vnderpropped his fornamed fancy That a good and iust man could not produce the fruits of sinne The Pelagians b Aug. l. 2. de nup. concup cap. 26. from thence concluded That the good sacred tree of Marriage that the pure and faithfull married couple cannot â—ngender euill Children infected with the contagiou of originall sin Others c Aug. l. 1. de grat Christ c. 18 of that crew by the force of the same wordes and those that follow Nor an euill tree yeild good fruits peruersly inferred That the good tree of Free-will might of it selfe without Gods grace procreate the fruits of goods works as the euill tree blossometh the fruits of euill Others d Aug. l. 3. cont lit Petil. capâ—â— 44. either Pelagians or Donatists picked from thence That a good Priest could not minister wrongfully the Sacrament of Baptisme nor an euill Priest rightly Out of the same clause e Hier. â—â— coÌ„ment ad hunc loc Aug. in disp 2. cont Fortunat the Manichees strained their impious dotage That some men were good by nature could not be euill some euill by nature and could not be good From whence also the Caluinists gathered two pernicious heresyes The * See both these obiections proposed answered in the 21. 27. Controuersy one That man being an euill tree hath no freewill to be conuerted to God ayded by his grace nor to cooperate thereunto before he be iustifyed The other That as the fruits do only declare the goodnes of the tree and do not make it good or bad so the vertuous and pious workes of the iust are meere signes and remonstrances but no true causes of their inherent iustice If this short heauenly saying through the rashnes of willfulmen hath bred so many false constructiours alâ— which notwithstanding were bolstened with other the like misapplyed passages how can Protestants presume to ayme aright at the marke of Truth in all questions controuerâ—ed by this vncertaine rule of expounding Scripture by Scripture alone 17. Thirdly I might produce the diuersity not only of the literall but of the literall and figuratiue speaches and demand of our Aduersaryes how the Collatours should discerne the one from the other when the words should be literally when figuratiuely vnderstood Origen was more skillfull in tongues more diligent in reading more wise in obseruing the course and connexion Basil hom 3. in Hex stâ—â— in Gonesim of Scripture then euer any Protestantâ— and yet S. Basil noteth him of grosse ouersight in imagining figures and Allegoryes in the first of Genesis in lieu of the letter â—estorius on the contrary side was dazelled with the letter instead of the figure in that speach of S. Iohn Dissolue Ioan. 2. v. 19. yee this Temple and after three dayes I will rayse it againe Whereby he contended that the Sonne of God only dwelled in Christ as in his Temple Marcions stroue for Rom. 5. v. 20. Ioan. 1. v. 14. Philip. 2. v. 7. Haeb. 4. v. 15. Rom. 8. v. 3. Matth. 3. v. â—â— the pure letter where S. Paul writeth The law hath entred that sinne may abound Munichaeus dreamed of a figure where S. Iohn sayd The word is made flesh that is as he proued by conference of sundry places in the habit likenes and similitude of flesh The Iacobits were illuded with the grossnes of the letter when they baptized or rather seared with burning yrons their sect-mates in their foreheads because it is written in the 3. of S. Matthew He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire Eutychius the Patriarcke of Constantinople was beguiled with the inanity of a figure when impugning the corporall resurrection of our flesh he expounded of a subtile spirituall and ethereall body that which S. Paul spake of a true naturall 18. And the matter is the harder not to be mistaken heerein because some tyme in the selfe same sentence one and the selfe same word ought here properly there metaphorically be expounded as learned Maldonate wisely obserueth Mald. in eum loc Matth. 8. v. 22. Ioan. 3. v. 13. in that saying of Christ Let the dead bury their dead or not to depart from the chiefest articles of fayth of which I haue hitherto spokeÌ„ The like is shewed in S. Iohn No man hath ascended into heauen but he that descended from heauen the Sonne of man who is
with iustice which they cannot haue without ordinary fayth yet he testifyeth of theÌ„ that they could not know whether they should perseuere and go forward in the way of iustice without reuelation therefore he must needs be vnderstood maugre M. Abbots out facing the contrary not of the ordinary reuelation of fayth which they had but of some speciall and extraordinary which they had not It were too long to lay before you the agreement heerein of S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Gregory S. Bernard Prosper Chrys hom 5. in c. 1. ad Tim. l. 1. de compun cordis Hier. ep 127. ad Pabiol l. x. comm in c. 7. Matth. Greg. l. 6. in 1. Reg. Bernar. ep 107. Prosp l. 2. de vocat gent. Luth. de capt Babil c. de Bapt. Abbot c. 3. sect 10 fol 321. 1. Ioan. 3. v. 9. Psal 37. v. 24. Sect. 9. f. 318. Fulke in c. 13. 1. ad Cor. sect 5. Fulk in c. 3 ep Ioan. sect 5. 1. Ioanâ— 3. v. 14. 15. and others 8. Therefore to conclude Luther some few yeares since stayned his breath with this contagious speach That the faythfull man cannot perish if he would how wickedly soeuer he liue vnles he cease to beleeue which the whole Christian world then abhorred as the furnace of licentiousnes as the mouth of hell But his disciples more pernicious then he dare now auerre that he cannot only not perish vnles he forsake his fayth but that he cannot at all forsake his fayth that he cannot by any deboyshnes by any lasciuious and wanton demeanour be finally abandoned and cast off from God For thogh the iustifyed by occasion fall yet they neuer so fall but that his seed remayneth in them And his hand is vnder to lift them vp againe In the Section before he openeth his meaning in this sort When we say that the regenerate man is neuer wholy cut off from Christ we meane as touching inward spirituall grace Another of that crew Though all sinne be against fayth and Charity yet we do not hold that either fayth or charity in them that are iustifyed is vtterly lost by deadly sin Likewise He which is borne of God cannot be voyd of loue towards his neighbour though he sinne particulerly against the rule of Charity If Beelzebub should send his preachers abroad could he desire a fitter Ghospeller a more zealous promoter of his kingdome then this A more ready to further iniquity to smother the truth of Christ and splendour of his Ghospel Which quite oppositely preacheth He that loueth not abideth in death whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murderer And you know that no murderer hath life euerlasting abiding in himselfe What is this life euerlasting but the inward and spirituall grace The inherent charity the seed of God springing vp to eternall life Which the holy Euangelist S. Iohn denyeth to abide in him that sinneth against the rule of Charity contrary to the auouchement of this new Euangelist Of him I say and some other his confederates for all are not attainted with so mischieuous a corruption D. Feild interpreting Fiel l 3. c. 22. fol. 118. the recited words of Luther A man cannot perish though he would and how wickedly soeuer he liue vnles he cease to beleeue Luther quoth he constantly teacheth that iustifying fayth cannot remaine in that man that sinneth with full consent nor be found in that soule wherein are peccata vastantia conscientiam as Melancthon speaketh following Augustine that is sins raging ruling preuayling laying wast and destroying the integrity of conscience which should resist against euill and condemne it This is all then that Luther sayth that no wickednes which with fayth may stand can hurt vs as long as fayth continueth but if sinne once become regnant and so exclude fayth we are in the state of damnation Heer you see that fayth may be lost that the iustifyed may fall into the state of damnation and vtterly perish 9. More plainely D. Ouerall then Deane of Paules in the publique conference at Hampton Court setteth downe his iudgment namely that whosoeuer though before iustifyed In the summe of the Confer before the Kings Maiesty 41. 42. fol. 42. fol. 30. did commit any grieuous sinne as adultery murder treason or the like did become ipso facto subiect to Gods wrath guilty of damnation whose opinion his Maiesty with his Princely censure most iudiciously approued and taxed the contrary as a desperate presumption with whome the greatest and learnedest part of that Assembly in all likelihood consented therefore I might haue spared this my labour if by the retchlesnesse of inferiour officers that execrable doctrine had not beene printed anew nor permitted to be sould and spread abroad in former writinges which because the secret fauourits of dissolute security are willing to dissemble Ioan. 4. v. 15. 14. Ioan 6. v. 37. Ioan. 15. v. 2. Philip. 1. v. 6. Rom. 11. v. 29. I must be as carefull to destroy the rest of their bold affiance which are these Texts of Scripture He that shall drink of the water that I wil giue him shal not thirst for euer Al that the Father giueth me shall come to me him that commeth to me I will not cast forth Euery branch that beareth fruit the Father purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit He that hath beguÌ„ a good worke in you will perfect it Without repentance are the guifts and vocation of God Therefore whome he once iustifyeth whoÌ„ he once inocculateth in the stocke of life he pruneth cultiuateth and neuer suffereth to perish or decay 10. To all these passages I answere as Maldonate doth Maldon in â—â—loca to the first and second out of Rupertus and others that they only declare the condition of God the benignity of Christ and nature of his grace that it is not like our corruptible water which is disgested consumed dryed vp in tyme tormenting them againe with thirst who drinke thereof but the spiritual water of the holy Ghost neuer perisheth is neuer consumed is of that incorruptible property of it owne nature that it maketh vs neuer to thirst any more it is a liuely spring which of it selfe spouteth vp to the mountaine of eternall blisse So Christ of his owne benigne and soueraigne clemency casteth off none but imbraceth all that repaire vnto him God the Father is ready to cut off all superfluityes from the mysticall boughes which grow in his Sonne he is ready to bring to perfection the worke he hath begun neuer willing to reuoke his gift vnles we by sinning make our selues vnworthy vnles we destroy his building breake 1. Ioan. 3. v. 9. Matth. 7. v. 38. Ierem. 32. v. 40. Abbot fol. 268. VVhitak l. 8. f. 626. ourselues off from that heauenly vine flye from vnder his wings vomit out his graces infused into vs then the fault is not his nor any defect in his grace but the whole blame lighteth vpon
themselues haue also arriued The third is perpetually without intermission withall the forces and powers of our soule to be actually carryed away with the supernaturall streames of loue This only is proper to the Saints in heauen and not axacted by God of any mortall creature besieged with the infirmityes of flesh and bloud in respect of this our iustice on earth yea the iustice and perfection of S. Paul is tearmed vnperfect it is an image or shaddow of vertues it may be sometymes touched with the spots of vncleanes and therfore of this Philip. 3. v. 12. 1. Ioan. 1. v. 5. only the Apostle auouched Not that now I haue receaued or now am perfect yet in regard of the former two degrees he arriued to perfection and was already perfect euen by the phrase of holy Scripture which speaking of the first degree sayth He that keepeth his word in him in very deed the Charity of God is perfected Of the second it is also written If Matth. 19. v. 21. thou wilt be perfect go sell the things that thou hast and come and follow me By these degrees therefore of perfection all the obiections may be easily warded which our aduersaryes bring either out of Scriptures or Fathers as when they affirme our Iustice to be imperfect defiled with the touch of impurity they speake of the first degree soyled with the dust of wordly cares and too often distayned with veniall defaults When they exhort vs to greater perfection that is not to the common of all the iust but to that singuler of the mortifyed and feruent persons finally when they teach that we can neuer be perfect in this life it is true in the last acceptation of the word according to the third degree heer specifyed Which triple diuision of perfection keepeth the aduersary at such a bay as he knoweth not whither to turne him how to escape or what to mutter against it THE XXVII CONTROVERSY WHEREIN Our good workes are acquitted from the spottes of sinne against Doctour Whitaker Doctour Fulke and Doctour Abbot CHAP. I. THIS calumniation is euery where so rife and frequent amongst Protestant writers as M. Abbot in his defence c. 4. sect 44. 45. 46. VVhitak in his an swere to the â— reason of M. Camp f. 250. in the translation whereunto is added in brief marginal notes the summâ— c. Abbot spendeth many Sections to attach his owne paynes and endeauours iustly all other mens good workes wrongfully yea perniciously with the guilty stayne of sinne and M. Whitaker vndertaking the patronage and approbation of that drunken sentence of Luthers All good actions be sinnes if God be seuere in iudgement they are damnable sinnes If he be fauourable they â—e but small ones auoweth Luther sayd this and he sayd it truly for in euery action of a man though neuer so excellent there is some fault which may wholy marre the action and make it odious to God if that which is done be weighed in the ballance of diuine iustice 2. But if Luther sayd truly then as Duraeus most pithily argueth against M. Whitaker the Apostle S. Paul sayd not truly If thou take a wife thou sinnest not theÌ„ S. Peter sayd not truly Doing these things you shall not sinne at any time VVhitak ibid. fol. 251. 1. Cor. 7. v. 28. 2. 2. Pet. 1. vers 10. 1. Ioan. 3. v. 8. 1 Ioan. â— v. 9. 1. Cor. 3. v. â—1 Matth. 6. v. 22. Luc. 11. v. 36. August l. 2. qq Euang c. 15. Maldon in c. 11. Luc. Matth. 5. v. 17. S. Iohn sayd not truly For this appeared the sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the Diuell If there be no worke which is not diuellish and sinnefull he sayd not truly Euery one that is borne of God committeth not sinne Neyther did S. Paul wel to compare good workes to siluer gould and pretious stones nor did the Prophets and Apostles well to exhort vs to good workes Christ did not well as Cardinall Bellarmin prosecuteth the argumeÌ„t saying If the eye be simple thy whole body shal be lightsome and If then thy whole body be lightsome hauing no part of darknes it shal be lightsome wholy and as a bright candle it shall lighten thee Where by the eye S. Augustine and others vnderstand the intention of maÌ„ By the whole body Maldonate expoundeth all his facultyes by the whole absolutely of which it is also sayd the whole shal be lightsome he interpreteth all his human actions which proceed froÌ„ the powers faculties of the soule All these sayth Christ flowing from the iust and leuelled by a right intention to a good end and obiect are so bright as they inlighten the whole man so pure and vnspotted as they haue no part of darknes no blemish of sinne to destaine them For which cause he calleth them in another place light So let your light shine before men c. Matth. 5. v. 17. 3. Lastly if Luther sayd truely God himselfe sayd not truly writing of Iob In all these things Iob sinned not with his lips neyther spake he any foolish thing against God And in the next Chapter he calleth him A right man fearing God Iob. c. 1. v. 22. Iob. 2. v. 3. departing from euill and retaining innocency Whereby it is euident that Iob in all his troubles committed no sinne neyther in thought word nor deed not in word because he sinned not with his lips not in deed because he departed from euill not in thought because he still retayned innocency in his hart And if we follow the Hebrew Text all this may be gathered out of the former words of the first Chapter For the Hebrew addeth not with his lips but without restriction absolutely readeth Iob sinned not or as our Protestants translate In all this did not Iob sinne Which Origen and the Grecians according to Pineda reférre to his Origen in his commeÌ„tary vpon Iob. Pineda in â—um loc Nihil peccauit Iob coram Domino Psal 16. v. 3. Psal 7. v. 9. 1. Tim. â— v. 17. 18. Matt. 5. v. 17. cogitations to wit that he entertayned no euill thought or cogitation against God but iudged wel of his goodnes and the 70. Interpreters subscribe hereunto who read in all these things which hapned vnto him Ioâ— sinned not at all in the sight of our Lord. The like King Dauid affirmed of himselfe Thou o Lord hast tryed me in fire and there was no iniquity found in me Therefore albeit he otherwise offended yet at that tyme he was cleane from sinne as also when he sayd Iudge me o Lord according to my iustice and according to my innocency Moreouer some workes of the iust are pronounced by the holy Ghost to be good God giueth vs all things abundantly to enioy to do well to become rich in good workes That they may see your good workes and glorify your Father which is in heauen And yet they could not be good nor commendable in
Proueth Inuocation of Saints to be lawfull against D. Reynolds D. Field and D. Fulke pag. 255. The 14. Controuersy Establisheth the lawfull worship of Images against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes pag. 276. The 15. Controuersy Maintaineth Purgatory and Prayer for the dead against D. Field and D. Fulke pag. 296. The 2. Chapter VVherin Prayer for the dead is defended against the foresayd Doctours M. Feild and M. Fulke pag. 316. THE FIRST BOOKE THE FIRST CONTROVERSY DECLARETH That neither the Holy Scripture by it selfe nor by any meanes the Protestants do assigne can be Iudge of Controuersyes AGAINST Doctour VVhitaker Doctour Reynolds and all other Protestants CHAP. I. THe extreme miserable refuge of al guilty persons who either mistrust the equity of their cause or feare the weaknes of their owne defence hath euer been to decline the barre of indifferent tryall and cleaue to the succour of some such Tribunall as will not or cannot giue sentence against them This was the wonted fraud of all ancient Heretikes this was the retraite of the Iran l. 3. cont haer Tertul l. 8. depraescrip Basil l. de Spir. sanct cap. 27. Aug. l. 1. cont Max. VVbitak coÌ„t 1. q. 5. c. 8. Reyn. in bis coÌ„f c. 2. diuis 2. p. 45. c. 8. diuis 1. p. 396. c. Bezainan noui Test 1556. in c. 10. Matth. in c. 22. Luc. Iran l. 1. c. 10. 20. 29. Aug. l. 32. con Faust c. 19. 21. Philast c. 36. Euseb l. 4. hist c. 29. Epiph. haer 30. Valentinians Eunomians Marcionists and the like This was the voice of Maximinus the Arian Bishop as S. Augustin reporteth writing against him And this is now the common cry of M. Whitaker M. Reynolds and their fellow-Sectaryes who will not stand to the generall arbitrement of Fathers Doctours Councells Historyes or former Churches not to the prescription of tymes presidents or approued customes not to any roll record or monument of antiquity They only appeale in all matters of Controuersy to the sole and silent maiesty of Gods sacred Stile and that for two chiefe and principall causes The one is to cloke couer their new deuises vnder the mysteryes of holy Writ The other with a cunning and guilefull sleight to auoyd indeed all manner of triall not to admit any Iudge at all For as long as they reserue in themselues this singular power to construe and expound Gods word as they list to receaue or reiect what Scriptures they please let vs produce any euidence against theÌ„ neuer so cleare they wil either cloud it with some colourable answere or wrest it to another sense or charge it with corruption as Beza doth in the Greeke text in many places or vtterly discard it as no Canonicall write as Heretikes vsually do such Oracles of God as condemnâ— their errours 2. Alleadge for example the old Testament against the Marcionists against the Manichees the new the Acts of the Apostles against Tatian Cerinthus against the Ebionites the Epistles of S. Paul they peremptorily deny these books of Scripture Pose Faustus the Manichee with these Ad Rom. 1. v. 3. Aug. l. â—0 con Paust c. 2. 2. Iac. 24. Cent. 2. c. 4. col 17. words of the Apostle to the Romans The sonne of God was borne of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh his reply saith S. Augustine is the booke is forged it is not Paules Proue against the Centurists out of S. Iames That by workes a man is iustisyed not by fayth alone they discredit the authority of his Epistle saying It is an adulterous and bastard Epistle Alleadge in like manner against M. Whitaker Intercession of Saints out of the vision of Iudas Machabeus concerning Onias he answereth His dreame of Onias I let passe as VVhitak in resp ad Ration c. Camp VVhitak ibidem Cyp. l. 3. ep 9. Ambr. l. 4. de side cap. 4. Aug. l. ad Oros Clem. Alex c. 7. strom VVhitak de sa Scrip. cont 1. q. 1. cap. 14. Orig. l. 2. de princ c. 1. Dionys Areop do Cal. hier â— 2. Cyp. ep â— 55. Aug. de doct Christ l. 2. c. 8. de ciut Dei l. 18. c. 36. a dreame As though God had not often reuealed to Ioseph diuers of his Prophets many thinges in their sleep Vrge him out of Ecclesiasticus with the liberty of Free-will he answereth That place of Ecclesiasticus I little regard neither will I belieue the liberty of Free-will albeit he affirme it an hundred tymes Then S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Augustine Clemens Alexandrinus were of light beliefe who credited this worke as the reuealed write Presse him at length with prayer for the dead out of the bookes of the Machabees he still replyeth I discouer in them a human Spirit a human wit a human confession all thinges human Then Origen Dionysius S. Cyprian S. Augustine were much deceaued who descryed in them the character stile and spirit of the Holy Ghost 3. But graunt our Aduersaryes admitted all those bookes of holy Writ the Church approueth or that they would be tryed by them we both imbrace yet I say the Scripture alone cannot be Iụdge or Vmpire between vs. Which that I may more strongly euince proceed more smoothly without rubb or incombrance in so waighty a question before I come to the period or full point of our variance I will briefly premise some certaine positions of our consent and agreement We accord then with Protestants 1. That the Scriptures are a diuine and infallible rule of faith yet not the sole and only rule as they affirme 2. We graunt with them that nothing is to be belieued The state of the question explained Deutr. 17. v. 9. contrary and repugnant to those oracles of God no traditions reuelations or interpretations whatsoeuer 3. We teach that the vniuersall iudgment and generall definitions of the Church are alwayes leueled and directed according to the inerrable prescript of holy Writ Therefore at her Oecumenicall Consistoryes she placeth They shal teach theâ— according to the law the Bible in some high eminent and honourable seat as the chiefe and speciall guide of her counsayles decrees 4. We yield that the letter of Scripture or to vse their phrase of speach that God speaking by that letter may improperly be tearmed the voice of our supreme Iudge in such manner as I shall explicate heereafter But our maine difference and dispute is whether it be such a voice and sentence of his as when any doubt or CoÌ„trouersy ariseth about the meaning of his word it may without any further externall and open declaration for of inward Inspirations in the Chapter ensuing giue a finall euident certaine and irresistable decision of all such doubts controuersyes to euery humble diligent skillfull and pious Reader and conferrer of places Our Aduersaryes say it is we say it is not proposing our arguments in this manner 4. The Scripture is the written word or outward rule by which
psal 130. and others obiected by you when they affirme This is to beleeue in Christ euen to loue Christ c. And which is also the only roote and cause of your errour who partially attribute that to fayth which is the chiefest priuiledge of Charity and function of other vertues not essentially coÌ„pounded but mutually conioyned in friendship togeather The principall obiection M. Abbot and other Protestants vrge against vs is that if fayth be not compounded of an act of Loue c. it is nothing els but the bare assent of the vnderstanding that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God But this is the fayth of the Diuells for they sayth M. Abbots professe so much O Iesus of Nazareth Abbot c. 4. sect 18. fol. 456. I know who thou art euen the holy one of God I answere there are sundry differences betweene the fayth of Christians and the fayth of the Diuells first because that if it be liuely and formed it is alwayes vnited with Charity Marc. 1. v. 24. Hope and other vertues which in the Diuels are neuer If dead and formeles as in wicked beleeuers yet in them it is a supernaturall and theologicall act in Diuells naturall and not so much as a morall vertue in them voluntary and free in Diuells forced and coacted in them it proceedeth from the pious affection of the will mouing the vnderstanding to that theologicall assent in Diuells it is wrested from them by the powerfullnes of miracles or euidence of things appearing vnto them Whereupon S. Augustine fayth That the Diuells knew Christ not by the light Aug. l. 9. de ciuit Dei c. 21. which illuminateth the pious who belieue by fayth but by other effects and most hidden signes of the diuine power And as they differ in these so they agree in some other points they Aug. tom â—0 l. 50. Hom. hom 17. tract 10. in epist Iaâ—n agree in that both giue assent to the misteryes of our faith both are fruitles and wholy insufficient to iustify vs before God In which respect S. Iames in his Catholike Epistle and S. Augustine often compareth the fayth of Diuels with the vnprofitable fayth of vngodly Christians not thaâ— this is not true and supernaturall fayth but that without Charity and good works it no more auayleth to purchase saluation then the naturall knowledge or beliefe of Diuells 18. When M. Whitaker insisteth that Charity and VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum in his aÌ„swere to 8. reason of M. Campian good Workes are inseparable companions of true fayth and that it neither is nor can be without them besides the arguments already made by which this fancy is reproued I aske how Charity is inseparable from true fayth is it a fruit which springeth from it as the apple from the tree then as the tree remayneth a true and perfect tree although it be sometym barren and voyd of fruit so fayth â—hay haue all things requisite to the essence thereof howsoeuer it be somety me depriued of Charity Is it an aceidental quality of inseparable passion which floweth from fayth as the power of laughing from the nature of man It should follow that Charity could not be in heauen separated from fayth no more then risibility can be deuided from man Is it an essentiall forme which is required to the integrity of fayth Then fayth alone doth not iustify but Charity also which is essentially conioyned and worketh with it Finally who taught you thus to enterfeite and wound your selues that fayth is the fountaine of spirituall life the roote which sprouteth from branches of Charity Hope and all good Workes and yet that all the works which proceed from the faythful be all of their owne nature damnable and deadly sinnes all stayned with the infection of mortall sinnes I would you were once constant in your absurdityes and mindfull of your leasings that we might know where to haue you and what to refute 19. Thus hauing stopped the gappe by which the wily aduersary thought to escape hauing compassed him with reasons hemmed him in with Scriptures I am Cyril l. 10. in Ioan. cap. 10. now to put him to open confusion with the testimony of Fathers S. Cyrill affirmeth The faythful by sincere fayth to be sâ—â—ps or branches inocculated in the Vine And yet he sayth a little after It is not inough to perfection that is to sanctification Chrys l. â— cont vitu monast vitae Basil in Psalter psal 110. Greg. l. 6. ep 15. August tract 10. in ep Ioan. Aug. l. defide operi c. 14. 15. l. 21. de ciuit Dei c. 16. â—n â—â—chir c. â—8 de octo dupl quaest q. 1. Augu. in praef Psal 31. Cent. 2. c. 4. Colum. â—0 61. Cent. 3. c. 4. Colum. 79. 80. Cent. 4. c. 4. Colum. 292. 293. Cent. 5. c. 4. Colum. 504. 505. 506. 507. 508. 509. 510. which by Christ is wrought in spirit to be admitted into the number of branches S. Chrysostome What profit will fayth affoard vs if our life be not sincere and pure S. Basil Fayth alone is not sufficient vntes there be added conuersation of life agreeable thereunto S. Gregory It is manifest that since the Incarnation of our Lord none euen of them can be saued who haue fayth in him and haue not the life of fayth S. Augustine Many quoth he say I belieue but fayth without workes saueth not And he vvriteth a vvhole booke of purpose besides many other inuectiues against this dangerous persvvasioÌ„ of only fayth to be sufficient to saluation he likevvise shevveth many sayings of the Apostle to be false that saying of Christ If thou vvilt enter into life keep the Commandments to haue beene in vaine vnles other thinges vvere necessary besides fayth yea besides true fayth for discoursing of the fayth of Abraham vvhich you cannot deny to be true he pronounceth that euen that Fayth of his had beene dead vvithout vvorkes and like a stocke vvithout fruit dry vvithered and barren But vvhat should I recyte particuler authorityes of this or that Father We haue on our side by voluntary confession and iudgment of our Aduersaryes the Magdeburgian Protestants the generall consent of all most ancient and illustrious vvriters vvhich liued vvithin the first fiue hundred yeares after Christ for in the second hundred they accuse by name S. Clemens Alexandrinus and Theophilus for approuing in this point the truth of our doctrine cyting their vvords and quoting the places vvherin they approue it They attach of the same fault Origen Methodius Tertullian S. Cyprian in the third Lactantius Nilus Chromatius Ephrem S. Hierome S. Gregory Nissen S. Hilary S. Gregory Nazianzen and S. Ambrose in the fourth In the fifth S. Chrysostome S. Augustine S. Cyrill S. Leo Prosper Sedulius Theodulus Saluianus Salonius Eucherius 20. Wherefore to conclude for the obiections which belong to this and the next I shall ioyntly make answere in the Controuersy of good workes if all these renowned
dead if Charity be wanting S. Augustine and S. Chrysostome Ambros ibidem Aug. l. 83. q q. 76. de fide oper c. 14. 15 praes in psal 3â— Chrys ho. 3. in c. 1. Gen. expound them of the works which flow from Charity and so they are true causes in way of merit of the second life which is the increase and consumation of iustice 6. To which purpose I remember an argument with which a Priest taken prisoner in Oxford once vrged D. Rauies then Deane of Christs Church after pretensed Bishop of London to proue that good workes taking them in the former two senses heer specifyed truly concurre to all kind of iustice His first Syllogisme was this Omnis iustificatio est ex fide viua Omnis fides viua ex bonis operibus Ergo omnis iustificatio est exbonis operibus In English thus Al iustificatioÌ„ proceeds from liuely Fayth All liuely fayth from good Workes Therfore all iustificatioÌ„ proceeds from good Workes Doctour Rauyes answered by distinguishing the Minor proposition thus Omnis fides viua est ex bonis operibus concomiâ—anter concedo cooperanter nego That is all liuely fayth proceeds from good workes concomitantly as a figne which accompanyeth it not cooperantly as the cause which worketh and effecteth the same Against which distinction the Priest replyed in this manner Vita non concomitatur sed cooperatur ad substantiam rei cuius est vita Sed bona opera sunt vita fidei viuae Ergo non concomitantur sed cooperantur ad substaÌ„tiam fidei viuâ— In English thus Life doth not accoÌ„pany or concomitate but worke or cooperate to the substance of the thing whose life it is But good workes are the life of liuely fayth Therefore they do not accompany or concomitate but worke or cooperate to the substance of liuely fayth M. Rauies not knowing against what proposition he shold contest yet ashamed either to yield or say nothing denyed flatly the argument with this exception habet enim quator terminos it hath foures termes And when the disputant replyed it had but three the Deane could not be drawne to assigne any fourth terme or discouer any fault in the Syllogisme but dismissed the Priest from his lodging brake off the disputation without any further satisfaction either to him or the auditory Which I leaue to the scanning of the iudicious Reader and will support the mayne Controuersy I haue in hand by some other suffrages of antiquity besides those I haue heere and there interlaced in explaning the Texts of Scripture 7. Origen As often as we sinne sayth he we are borne of Zabulon that is of the Diuell Vnhappy is he who is alwayes engendred of Zabulon and againe very happy who is alwayes borne of God for I will not say that this man is once borne of God but Orig. hom 9. in Isa by euery worke of vertue the iust man is euer borne of God And if you demand how He telleth you euen as heÌ„ that offendeth becommeth the slaue of Sathan more wicked and detestable before the face of God S. Augustine Hast thou money August serm 20. de verb. Dom. secund Matth. c. 3. Psal 1â—1 bestow it by bestowing money thou increasest iustice For he dispersed he distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice abydeth for euer Be hould what is diminished and what increased that is diminished which thou art to dismisse that is diminished which thou art to forsake that is increased which thou art to possesse for euer Could he write more pregnantly for vs But it is labour lost to cyte more authorityes The Centurists haue gathered innumerable to my hands whose wordes I will only repeate to checke our Protestants with a double argument at one instance with the testimony of the Father and acknowledgment of the aduerse part that he giueth in euidence vnanswerable on our side 8. In the first hundred yeares you haue heard what they write of S. Iames. In the second flourished as they Cent. â— c. 4. Colum. â—4 recount them Ignatius Theophilâ—s Antiochenus Serapion Papias c. Clemens Alexandrinus Quadratus Aristides Dionysius Corinthus Bacchylus Iustinus Irenaeus and the rest Of whome they auouch The article of iustification they haue not vnfolded clearely inough they haue ascribed more then they ought to the workes of the iustifyed which proceeded perchance from the errour of the false Apostles concerning the necessity of workes to Prefat in Centur. 2. dedicated to the most illustrious Princes Iohn Frederike the second Iohn Albertus c. and placed insome editions before the second bookâ— of the first Century Cent. 2. c. 4. Col. 60. 61. Clem. in paren l. 6. strom Cent. 2. c. 4. Col. 60. 61. Theophil l. 2. ad Autolic Niceph. l. 3. histor c. 15. Gent 2. c. 10. Colum. 169. 170. 171. Cent. 3. c. 4. Colum. 79. 80. 81. saluation The Martyrdome of Saints they extolled with such incredible prayses that some began to thinke them expiations or appeasements of sinnes Then they censure by name Clemens Alexandrinus for contradicting himselfe in writing thus Let it not repent you to haue laboured It is in your power if you will to buy most precious saluation with your proper treasure with Charity and Fayth of life which is truly a iust price which God doth willingly accept c. He placeth square and complete iustice in the perfection of vertue and to that he accommodateth the imputation of Abraham c. The like altogeather hath Theophilus Of set purpose he sayth that God created man free and of his owne arbitrement which yet might be excused if he added not these thinges which follow God hath communicated a Law and holy Precepts vnto vs which if a man obserue he may attaine saluation and rysing may purchase an incorruptible inheritance Besides He seemeth say they either to haue beene wholy ignorant or not to haue sufficiently explicated the word of the Ghospell for he doth plainely affirme that man by the obedience according to the Law may procure saluation and life euerlasting to himselfe And yet they obserue that Nicephorus accounteth this Theophilus the sixt Bishop of Antioch to whome S. Luke dedicated his Ghospel the Actes of the Apostles and themselues commend him for his learning zeale and constancy and report him to haue beene A writer of many excellent workes a propugnatour of the fayth and vanquisher of many heresyes the lesse are they to be credited when they after accuse him as wholy ignorant of the word of the Ghospell 9. In the third hundred years they reproach Origen the authour of the Homilies vpon the Canticles Methodius Tertullian and S. Cyprian for the like errour and first affirme of them in generall They attributed vnto workes iustice before God c. So Origen with full mouth declameth of the iustice of Iob. He only pronounceth him to be iustifyed for his vertues Orig. l. 1. in Iob. and legall workes