then beasts are the which God hath not created to misery farelesse to eternall condemnation Whereupon it followeth that God shall first be a reuenger before man be a sinner the which S. Austen euery where reclames that it doth repugne the infinit goodnes of God and in so doing God should be more cruell then the wyld bere and lyons for there is no beast so souadge who do intend to procread their birth and whelps to a extreame misery other is none that do not nourish and promote what in them lyeth to perfection And to the contrary God shal be more vnnaturall then the brut beasts after the doctrine of Caluins theology I cannot see by what reason men can promise assure ther soules whether to presume of their saluation or to dispayer in this doctrine of predestination How shall it be in our liberty and will to perseuer in good things and hope to be saued if predestination without frewill good workes and perseuerance make a consummation what hath Christ sayd in vayne Matth. 19. If thou wilâ— enter into lyfe kept the commandements Againe he that perseuereth to the end shal be saued But this Protestant predestination annihillate the wordes of Christ for it freeth vs of the commandements and of the vertu of perseuerance and sayth all good works are vnprofitable Moreouer there followeth another absurdity that if God of his own wil without forseen sinne What absurdiues follow the ProtestaÌ„ts doctrine of predestinatioÌ„ doth reprobate men there shal be fewer reprobat then elected which is false as Matth. 7. 22. by the consequent of the Scripture is probable for God is more propense and ready to haue mercy then to condemne therefore if predestination coÌ„sist in his owne will it is to be supposed to be fare fewer reprobat to death then to haue been predestinat to lyfe wherein consisteth electioÌ„ and reprobation and of his distinctioÌ„ For it is an idle argument that you Gather of predestination to make the vindictiue iustice of God to shyne seing by reason it is rather obscured who will God first to be a reuenger before man or Angell be and to forsee and predestinat them sinners before they be creatures for by all reason it ought to be first produced what is to be punished before the punishmeÌ„t be decreed and secondly the decree of the punishmeÌ„t is to be measured according to the fact So that the difference in election and reprobation consisteth in this distinction to wit that immediat election in perfect yeares subsist in his prescience with preuision of following merites presupposing cooperating grace and mediat knowledge And in children by preuised application of the Sacraments against sinne originall Reprobation is by apositiue act of his diuyne will by which God hath decreed to condemne some to eternall punishements The cause is giuen meritorious of the part of the reprobate to wit perseuerance in mortall sinne or in originall For where there is a reason giuen wherefore the Kingdome of God is prepared for the elect before the beginning of the world is there good workes and merits for it is sayd Matth. 25. that Christ in the day of iudgemeÌ„t shall say Forseen merits and demerits are causes of election reprobation come ye blessed of my Father by predestination from eternity and by grace in the present possesse yow the Kingdome prepared for yow from the beginning of the world that is to say from eternity Adiecting the reason wherefore not only it is giuen to them to possesse but also was prepared froÌ„ the beginning because sayth he I was hungre thristie naked c. and you succoured me contrariwise to the reprobat Goe from me accursed into hell fyre which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels for I was hungre thursty naked c. and you secoured me not so that the predestinat is elected to glory for their forseen merits and the reprobate are ordayned to Hell fyre for their forseen demerits Wherupon is the common maxime that the vulgares and idiots holde and is mantayned of all sectaries that a maÌ„ predestinat to eternall lyfe howbeit he doth euill cannot be a member of the Diueil The vulgars opinion of predestinatioÌ„ reprobatioÌ„ and contrariwyse the reprobat whatsoeuer good he doth or how well he liue cannot be a member of God By this doctrine righteous and good men are turned away from doing good workes and makes away for sinne and all vyces for hereby a man shall neyther merit nor demerite seing this Paradox teaches an infalibility that the predestinat caÌ„ do no euill and the reprobat can do good Which is false for it is not sayd to reprobat Cain disparing of the diuyne mercy of Gâ—d for which he was damned and to preuent him of reprobation he sayes Genes 4. v. 6. VVherefore art thow angry and why is thy countenance cast downe if thow doest well thow shalt be rewarded In which wordes it is euident that God promisseth to a reprobate man the reward of good things if he will worke them But the Protestants cheife designe is to extinguish all power and will to work any good thing The ProtestaÌ„ts will is to extinguish all power to merit or demerit through predestinatioÌ„ so that the predestinat cannot sinne nor the reprobate cannot merit withstanding the holy Scripture which sayes that Peter was predestinat to eternall glory and yet committed a most haynous sinne by swearing denying our Lord Matth. 26. whome before he confessed the sonne of God and King of Israell Matth. 16 Lykewyse is not S. Paul predestinat yet he himselfe confesses that he had been a blasphemer a persecuter and a wicked liuer which is the workes of reprobatioÌ„ except you would say that a blasphemer is worthy of an eternall reward then was he a blasphemer of necessity or then was he a member of the diuel for all wickednes must be of the Diuell for as S. Gregor Hom. in domin 1 Quadrag The head of all the wicked is the Diuell and the members of this head are all the wicked Thus he Who would thinke S. Paul to be predestinate and S. Peter whose deeds are opposed or how did their concurre with predestination ensuing seing as they say the predestinate cannot sinne How then haue they others sinned lyke fooles assuring your selues of predestination and eternall lyfe who cannot faill no more then Christ himself with Caluin you are not ware of presumption lib. 4. inst cap. 17. § 2. Whilst you trust in your own suppositions concerning predestination and reprobation for many haue perished who haue thought to haue ben predestinat and many hath been saued vvhose lyfe appeared to others reprobate OBIECTION THe Scripture sayth Rom. 9. v. 11. when as yet they were not borne nor had done eyther good or euill that according to election the purpose of God should remayn sure not of works but by him that calleth it is sayd that the elder shall serue the younger as it is writen
actions of man and Brut-beastes and man shal be after the same inclination and appeare with them alyke then freewil must be subiected to the appetite and concupiscence is of necessity what can be spoken mare wildly against the excellency of humane dignity is not also this an open axiom plainely contrary to reason putting no difference betwitxt man beast for indenying this it taketh away all consolation it freeweth man of solicitude it secludeth feare that he may do what he list he is exempted of reason and discretion what he doth of necessity he must do it whether it be good or euill That thereby this end may follow security and idelnes referrâ—ng all to the grace of God and only fayth sluggish to euery good works extinguishers of vertue peruerting the grace of God introducing ineuitable necessity and excusing sinne in making God the author of sinne and chargen the bening goodnes of God of all wickednesse OBIECTION GOD sayth I haue indured the hart of Pharao Exod. 10. v. 1. Lykewyse Ioseph bretheren who sould him sayes Gen. 50. v. 19. can we resist the will of God But the diuyne will of God hath predeterminat Pharao to afflict the people the brethren of Ioseph to sell him Therfore there is no liberty of frewill ANSVVER THe consequent is false for God hath not forced Pharao to the detention and affliction of his people but in iust iudgment for great sinnes going before he hath depriued him of his grace for that cause he is left to himself and turning him from God leanning to the creature hath indured him self for so it is written Exod. 8. v. 15.19 Pharao hath obdured his hart againe it is sayd that the hart of Pharao is obdured so that Pharao waÌ„ted not frewill but he wanted the grace of God to worke with his frewill because of his forgoing sinnes As concerning Ioseph and his bretheren it is to be vnderstood of the determinat will of God for the exalting of Ioseph and is not attributed for a sinne to his bretheren which glory and exaltation God had decreed longe before to him as may be gathered of his visitions and dreames and therefore for this cause it is sayd in the v. 20. yee thought of me euill but God hath turned it in good that he might exalt me so that their frewill by this was no wayes necessitate and forced but concurred with the will of God for the glory exaltation of Ioseph OBIECâ—ION IT is neyther the Willer nor the Runner but it is of the mercy of God Rom. 9. v. 6. Therefore there is no frewill but God doth all in vs after his will and mercy ANSVVER I Deny the Sequell for the mynd of the Apostle is that the beginning of good workes is not of humane will neyther from the indeuoire of maÌ„ but first of the preueaning grace of God which excludeth not the free cooperation following afterward of freewill to this purpose sayth the Apostle 1. cor 3. v. 9. We are Gods helpers and S. Iohn Epist 3. v. 9 exhortes vs to be helpers to the truth ergo Frewill remayne in man to worke cooperat with the grace of God OBIECTION NO man commeth to me except my Father who hath sent me drawe him Iohn 6. v. 41. but he that is drawne hath not frewill ergo man hath not frewill because drawing designes violence ANSVVER TO draw is vnderstood for internall vocation by which God sturreth our will to worke good things but this vocation oftentymes man resistes as is sayd Prou. 1. v. 24. I haue called and you haue refused for that cause it followeth such vocation not to be violent so that after God hath called vs frewill is left in vs to inclyne to the vocation or to that which may chiefly please vs eyther good or euill and therefore he is sayd to be drawen when he is called for if the Poet say trabit sua quemquae voluÌ„ptaes and as S. Aug. sayes ostendas puero nucem trahas cum so that neyther in loue neyther in showing a child a nut make any violence but motions to frewill and therefore God in calling and powring in his grace in man so draweth that the follower may will and therefore frewill is in man without any violent drawing but in mercifull vocation to accept and repell as euery mans pleasure is OBIECTION AL our works thou hath wrought them in vs sayth the Prophet Isai 26 v. 12. and the Apostle lykewyse Phill. 2 v. 13 sayes that it is God which worketh in you both the will the deed euen of his good pleasure Therefore the frewill of man altogeather is passiue neyther can do any thing but as it is moued ANSVVER GOD so worketh good things in vs yet notwithstanding a place is left in our frewill to worke togeather with God to this purpose and effect S Paul argue for vs saying that he hath more laboured then the rest yet notwithstanding he sayth not I to wit only of my strenght but the grace of God with me 1. cor v. 10. for grace freewill are coherent as the first cause with the second as expounds S. Aug. de gra lib. arb cap. 5. Greg. lib. 16. cap. 11. Bern. Tract de gra lib. arb as for example who is to drawe his nyghbour out of the pit draweth him that is willing to be saued on togeather with him euen so God workes with the freewill of man first by a generall concurse secondly be a speciall help illuminating the vnderstaÌ„ding to the knowledg of God and pushinge the will in lyking vertue and honesty thirdly by habitual grace which worketh grace to the soule and giues to the body corporall health all thire-wayes God worketh in vs so that God worketh not allone neyther impedits nature neyther predeterminat any act by freewill but helpeth by influence of grace as wyne helpes the weake and sicke persones and as a stocke which a sicke man leanes to is a helpe to walke with facillity so that he no wayes is forced or is necessitated for grace takes not away nature but helpes and perfytes it OBIECTION THe Scripture fayth that we are in the hands of God as clay in the hands of the Potter as is sayd Isai 64. v. 8. We are clay and thou art our fashioner but the clay is passiue to suffer only ergo euen so are we in frewill with God ANSVVER THe Apostle sayth sup obiect 2. We are Gods fellowe helpers a fellow helper must be actiue ergo not passiue but in so farre as we called clay is in respect that clay is as it is of it self filthy and of no worth without the labour of the cunning potter to make it in a good and an excellent veshell Euen so no man may merite of his owne power or may attayn to be adopted a child of God seing all are borne children of wrath and seing all are the work of God by giuing of preuening grace and iustification which is not
sinne and loue of God yet notwithstanding not without feare and trembling if they consider their owne infirmity and weaknes And as concerning that saying of S. Iohn 1. cap. v. 10. who belieues in the sonne of God hath the testimony of God in himself It is true to wit by fayth belieuing the verity which God witnesses so that this place doth not speake of the testimony of righteousnes but beaâ—e witnesse and giues testimony of the diuinity of the sonne of God which the Father exhibites of his Sonne and is belieued of man OBIECTION THe Apostle sayth 1. cor 13 v. 8. That charity neuer failles but we haue this charity in baptisme which we are certaine neuer to lease Therefore we are certaine of grace and consequently of righteousnes ANSVVER SAinct Paul denyeth not but that charity may faill in this lyfe but in the other world to come it shall not faill For if fayth and hope may faile why not also charity Ergo we are not certaine of our righteousnes OBIECTION THe Apostle sayth 2. cor 1. v. 12. This is our glory the testimony of our consciences but a testimony is none except it be certaine ANSVVER THe testimony of conscience in which the Apostle glories and reioyses or by whose example we may glory the lyke to wit is not to be guilty in our selues of sinne and to liue confidently vs to stand in grace Which testimony of conscience consistes not in righteousnes of workes but in sanctification and holines of lyfe for all reioysing anexed with feare is not assured and certaine For it it sayd ps 2 serue the Lord with feare and reioyce in him with trembling OBIECTION MAny are certaine in themselues to haue walked righteously and to haue eshewed all mortall sinnes which cannot be without iustifying grace therefore must certainely and assuredly any man may know himself to be in grace and consequently certaine of his saluation ANSVVER THe Minor is false for it is sayd ps 18. v. 13. who doth know his sinnes And S. Peter 2. Epist cap. 1. v. 10 Exhorteth by the flying of sinne to make our calling and election sure by good workes That we be not in vaine called for whosoeuer perseueres not in vaine is his vocation consequently a man is neyther certayne of iustifying grace neyther of saluation OBIECTION TO Deny this certitude of grace makes men to doubt and dispayre Ergo. ANSVVER ALbeit his certitude of Grace and only fayth be excluded and denyed there is no occasion of anxiety doubt because there is many things that brings consolation to go fordward in righteousnes in the feare of God as loue charity contrition the Eucharist tribulations as witnes the Apostle saying 2. cor 7. v 4 Aboue measure I reioyce in all our tribulations c. QVAESTIO XXX Of the Purenesse of good Workes WHerefore extolleth the Papists so much the workes of Righteousnes seing all good workes whatsomeuer whosoeuer done of any man are sinne and blotted with impurity of the corrupted flesh and are made imperfect with a perpetuall affection of imperfections So that as our Arch-Rabbies teaches that the very elect are Guilty of sinne before God and of the feare of the iudgement of death Luth art 31. 32. Caluin lib. 3. inst cap. 11. § 11. cap. 14 § 9.10.11 lib. 4 cap. 15 § 11. ANSVVER VVHat execrable assertion is affirmed be there Ghospellers who being empte of all good workes and holynes following the flesh must sauour of the impurity of the flesh consequently wyld sinners and as brutish creatures to follow their owne imaginations concerning righteousnes and good workes Many good workes are without sinne and glorifyeth God Which we defend and confesseth that good men de facto may performe and exhibit by the help of Gods grace many good workes meritorious and verily to be without any spot of sinne as vndoubted fayth teaches and holy Scriptures beare witnesse For to what end doth Christ exhort men to good workes if they be sinne in themselues saying Matth. 5 v 16. Let your light thyne before men that they may see your good workes and glorify your Father which is in Heauen But wicked and sinfull workes are not good neyther is God glorifyed of them but in the contrary what is good and glorifyeth God are not siâ—ne neyther polluted of the flesh which is verifyed secondly of the doctrine of the Apolste who exhorting them to follow good workes shewing what offect follow them saying 2. Pet. cap. 1. v. 10. In doing of these things you shall not sinne which â—â—hey had been sinne the Apostle Peter so foolishly world not haue bidden vs to make our calling electioÌ„ sure by good workes if they had not profited vs and glorifyed God Moreouer the Apostle 1. cor 7. v. 38. speaking of Virginity sa yt Who giues his virgin to Matrimony doth well and who doth not doe better if this positiue gifte Mariadge be not sinne How much more excellent a worke is Virginitie to be a worke without a sinne Lykewyse the Apostle commending the dignitie of a Byshop sayes 1. Tim. 3. v. 1. If any man desyre to be a Byshop he desyreth a good workeâ— And last of all it is sayd to the great prayse of Iob that in all his afflictions he had not sinned in his lippes cap. 1. v. 22. Therefore it is euident that many good workes by the helpe of Gods grace may be accomplished and done without any spot of sinne or any quality appertayning to sinne both to the glory of God and profyt of the doer If good works were sinne God should be a prayser of sinne And therfore to say that our good workes are defayled and spoted with sinne it should follow that God should prayse euill workes which is opposed to the nature of his owne goodnesse Moreouer reason accordeth with the Scripture because there is no quality in man that necessitates and forces him that he should defayle and contaminat his owne workes with sinne neyther is he moued of God nor of his owne nature to that euill seing that God is no tempter of euill neyther doth nature desyre of it selfe or worketh force or any violence neyther the Diuell because he cannot compell violently the freewill of man neyther bowe it or fraime it to his disposition and desyre For if a man can doe no good woâ—â—â— without the blot and euill effect of sinne it should follow that the grace of God and the whole merits of Christ should be vnprofitable and without effect to abolish sinne And againe in the day of iudgement there shal be neyther merite nor demerite rewarded in the present tyme it is all a lyke to spoill and robe as to giue almesse consequently mortall sinne and habituall grace shall dwell and exist togeather and moreouer in vaine are all the exhortations monitions perused in the Scriptures to moue men to pennance mortification and satisfaction of lâ—fe if a man can doe no good thing but sinne And
that all his actions are sinne then wherefore it is sayd to sinners Iohn 1. v. 12. That he hath giuen them power to be the sonnes of God who belieue in his name if by sinne they remaâ—â—e euer the children of the Diuell and of darkenesse as Caluin affirmes saying that the very elect are Guilts of sinne before the tribunal seat of God and subiect to he sentence of death whose blaâ—â— he my and arogant mynd is damned of all Christian men who can iudge any thing equally in this subiect and matter OBIECTION THe Prophet Isai 64. v. 6. sayth We all are made as vncleane and our whole righteousnes is as a menstruouse cloath that is to say our whole workes which seeme iust vnto vs. are vnclean with sinne Therefore all our works are defaylled with vncleanesse and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sinne ANSVVER THe Prophet speakes according to the meaning of S Hiero. in the persone of the Iewes and yet notwithstanding not of all men amongst whome were many good men whom the Scripture commendes for their righteous workes but of the wicked whose legall workes Sacrifices Sabbothes and New moones were adiudged before the Lord pollured and vncleane to wit when they were done of them in the estate of sinne not that these effectes was sinne of themselues but because they profited nothing by reason of the actors who remayned in the estate of sinne Moreouer neyther doth the Prophet speake so extending his wordes absolutly against all tymes and all men but only to that tyme in which he speake these wordes when iniquity abounded in Israel for which iniquity God was to permit that they should be leade into captiuity as may be euidently gathered of all wordes following v. 10. saying The city of thy holynesse is desert Sion is made vast and Ierusalem is disolat c. OBIECTION ECcl. 7 v. 21. sayth There is not a iust man in the Earth who doth good and sinneth not Ergo all our workes are sinne ANSVVER IN the Hebrue text it is read that the iust man shall not sinne at all tymes But the true sense is that no man is so firme and constaÌ„t to doe good that he can neuer sinne and it is not needfull neyther of necessity that he shall sinn in all his works and labours ergo there is iust men in Earth that doth good and sinneth not OBIECTION IT is sayd in Gen. 6. v. 5. That God did see that the whole cogitations of the hart of man was bent to euill at all tyme But of euill cogitations of a will inclyned to euill no good workes can proceed ergo where there is no good thought there is farrelesse good workes ANSVVER THe true sense of these wordes after the interpretation of the auncient Father is that many cogitations of the hart of man were inclyned to euill for such sayings are common in the Scriptures as for exemple all are sayd to be absent wheÌ„ almost all are present euen so in the same place v. 12. It is sayd that al flesh to haue corrupted his way and notwithstanding Noe and Enoch are praysed for righteous men Lykewyse S. Paul complaynes Phil 2. v. 2â— That all sought that which was for their owne profyt and not which appertayned to Iesu Christ And yet in the contrary S. Paul himself and the other Apostles sought not their owne profyt but Christ Iesus Ergo all men neyther the thought of all men are not inclyned to euill but also to good and consequently to good workes OBIECTION IT is sayd an the Psalmist 142. v. 2. That all lyuing souls shall not be iustifyed in thy sight And Matth 7 v. 8. sayth That an euill tree cannot bring forth good fruict but where there is no iustification and good fruictes there can be no good workes Ergo c. ANSVVER THe true meaning of the Psalmist is saying that if God would doe with sinners in righteousnes and eqâ—â—â— there is none who absolutly and altogeather can be pronunced iust without some veniall sinnes by reason of which he is not altogeather iust to this effect is vnderstood that place of S. Iohn i. Epist Ioh. cap. 1. v. 8. If we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our solues and the verity is not in vs â—etnot with staÌ„ding desists not or failles to be iust for it is sayd that the righteous masinnes seatientymes in the day Prou. 24. v. 16. which sinnes are not iudged mortall to Robbe him of righteousnes but veniall inclyning and not effecting and so the holy man concludes that no man can be iustifyed in the presence of God innocent and pure of all sinne which veniall sinne doe not impedit righteousnes because as oft we say the Lords prayers as is presupposed of all learned men veniall sinnes are forgiuen And as concerning that place of S. Matth. That an euil tree cannot bring forth good fruict S. Augustin expoondes it of the intention to wit that so long as an euill intention is retayned in the mynd a maÌ„ cannot bring forth good workes for vnto an euill intention euil followeth Whereupon it followes that freewill is in our owne power vnderpropted with diuine help to turne it to Good and so to bring forth good fruictes OBIECTION AMongst other preceptes God hath two first that we loue God with our whole hart Deut. 6 v. 5. Secondly he sayth That we shall not couet Exod. 20. v. 17. But who fulfills not these two precepts inteirly sinnes ergo what righteousnes can we worke but it it sinne seing we caÌ„not kept these two commandements ANSVVER IN the contrary S. Iohn Epist 1. cap. 2. v. 5. saith who kepes his worde in him is the loue of God parfect indeed as for the precept thow shall not Couet the consent of will is forbidden and not first motion and for that cause we consent not euer neyther sinne euer and consequently we may fulfill these two precepts in keeping his coÌ„mandements when we consent not in will to Couet and so we worke righteousnes without sinne in keepting his Commandements as at more lenght is discouered in the twenthy-fyue question QVAESTIO XXXI Of the merites of good Workes WHerefore doe the Papists so arrogantly teach that a man properly may merite the augment and increase of grace in this lyfe and the rewarde of eternall lyfe seing this derogates the Maiesty of God For that cause the name of merite is as a thing full of arrogance which our reformed Church hath abhorred and detested Calu. lib. 3. inst cap. 15 § 12 alij ANSVVER IT is no maruell that good workes the name of merit be in hatred and detested of you who allowed none but all to be sinne Which affirmitiue make men to fle from the vertu of all good workes as chastity humility c. And other Christian Godly workes as from deadly poyson and to enter in the broode way which leadeth to perdition Matth. 7. v. 13. But the true verity is that a man standing in habituall grace may truely
him againe fall with his owne waight in the waters breaking his bones strangled and almost left dead this was the euent of his myracle as witnesseth Thomas Bozio de signis eccl dei lib. 5. cap. 2. Therfore iustly of the reformed minysteres and all Protestants we Catholycks demaunde and aske by what power they haue entered into the church of God Myracles for confirmation of their doctrine iustly demaunded for no true faith is without myracles and with what supernaturall signes for the confirmation of their reformation for a new faith moust haue newe myracles and therefore seing they haue induced a new faith in all things repugnant to the faith professed and belieued this thowsand fyue hundreth yeares past and doe contemne the ordinary mission lawfull succession ordination of the Church and haue intruded theÌ„selue extraordinarly by their mouing spirit therfore rightly demauÌ„de we supernaturall myracles for the confirmation of their supernaturall vocation And seing from the tyme of the begynning of the old Church Myracles are necessary to proue trew faith and lawfull vocation vnto the vprysing of the new no man denyes and all affirmes that myracles were euer needfull For the Heretickes theÌ„selues affirmes myracles to be so necessary as a proofe of their lawful vocatioÌ„ That they who otherwayes would entre into the Church of God to be preachers reformers planters of Religion and Faith are to be adiudged bold temerous heretickes presuÌ„ptuous imitatores of Chore Dathon worthy for their intollerable Zuing. condemnes those that preach a new faith without myracles and diuelish arrogance to descend into Hell for taking more on them then Iohn the Baptist Peeter and Paul yea and Christ himself This hath zuingl vttered against the Euangelicall extraordinary vocation as is euident to be read in his owne booke Tom. 2. Eccl. fol. 52.53.54 Lykewyse Brentius declareth the effect to what end myracles are done Brent declairs that myracle are to confirme trew faith In cap 3. Luc. hom 6. hom 76. de Resurrectione Christi myracles sayth he haue this vse especialy that they are a testimony and a confirmation of a doctrine and religion reuealed from heauen Vnto Brent agreeth and subscrybeth Luther Tom. 4. in cap. 35. Isa Musculus in loc comm 41. de nomine dei pag. 394. The Hereticks seek myracles of the other Sectes and professores of the new Gospell In so much that the Heretycks themselues impugne and contradict other Sectaries and requyre of them myracles who professe a new doctrine For they affirme proue that no doctrine which is from heauen can want myracles for the confirmation of the same doctrine Therfore this their doctrine is not from heauen Heretycks are lyke the sons of Scena the Iewe in working of myracles who are men lyke vnto the sonnes of Scaena the Iew as is written of them Act. 19. v. 14.15.16 who were more presumptuous then wyse who thought to haue coÌ„iâ—red Diuells and for their laboures were beaten of the Diuels so the Protestant willingly would worke myracles but the proofe takes none effect not so much as onlay me-horses No maruail that they worke no myracles Casu blasphemy against myracles after the pharisies manner who account so little of myracles for they so esteem of them as Caluin sayth as of feined fantasticall and Diuelish things and not to be of God Cal praef instit So sayd the Pharesyes of Christ myracles Matth. 12. and the paganes of thoses myracles which were done amongst the Christians yea the Heretyckes shew themselues worse and attributed the working of myracles to the Diuell The Heretiks of old were of this same mynd against myracles Of this mynd were the Arrians Eunomians Vigilantius so that these myracles done by the Catholickes were ascrybed to be wrought by the power of the Diuell and not of God as witnesse the holy Fathers as Aug. lib. de ciuitat dei cap. 18. Ambros Serm. de Geru prof Hier. cont Vigil Victor lib. 2. de vandalica persecut But the Catholyks haue better assurance to wit the word of God and promise of Ghrist for the defence of myracles against all counterpoyses manyfolde sleightes of Sathan Moyses with lawfull vocation workes myracles in Aegypt or what such hyrelings can obiect For first is not Moyses sent to Pharao by diuyne vision and hath communicated to him myracles and the power to worke myracles that the Iewes may belieue that the God of their Fathers hath appeared to Moyses Iohn Baptist natiuity and lyf is full of myracles as Scripture witnesseth Exod. 4.5 Lykewyse is not Iohn the baptist sent to denounce the mysterie of the Incarnation hid to the world who vvas adorned and beautifyed vvith many heygh myracles and a man replenyshed with the holy Ghost Moreouer is not Iesus the sonne of God sent who hath not glorifyed himself as heygh Priest but aboad vntill the tyme that his Father sayd Thou art an high Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech ps 109. And was approued of God by the oppenyin of the heauens Christ proues his owne mission with myracles and the desceÌ„ding of the spirit of God in the forme of a doue vpon him vvith a voyce saying This is my beloued sone in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. That after bearing vvitnes to the truth for vvhich he vvas sent sayes to the Ievves The workes themselues which I do bear witnes of me that the Father hath sent me Ioh. 5. And agayne he sayes in the 10. cap. If you will not belieue me yet beliue the workes that ye may know and belieue that the Father is in me and I in him And lykevvyse the Apostles The Apostles and Disciples are sent to preach and do confirme it with myracles and Disciples are sent into the vvhole vvorld to preach the Euangely but not except from Christ the chief presedeÌ„t of his Church vvho gaue them povver to preach baptisme and coÌ„secrat bread into his blessed body vvith povver to absolue and bynde synners and to vvorke myracles receauing giftes freely and commaunded to giue freely as witnesseth Mat. 10. saying He gaue them power ouer vnclean spirits to cast them out and to cure all deseases Moreouer in the 7. v. he sayth to them As ye go preach saying the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is at hand heall the sicke clense the leprouse rayse vp the dead cast out diuels frely you haue receaued frely giue And in lyke forte diuerse Prophets vvere sent extraordinarily The Prophets mission was approued with myraclest but not allowed except their missioÌ„ were approued of God vvith signes and myracles for so it agreeth vvell vvith the disposition of Gods prouidence as S. August disputes lib. 22. de ciuit dei cap. 8. For except mission and the doctrine be approued vvith myracles from heauen and receaued with common consent of men Trew doctrine must be approued from heauen with myracle and by the authority of the