wist to haue a good pittance For vnto a poore order for to giue Is signe that a man is well yshriue For many a man is so hard of hart That he may not weepe though him smart Therefore in steed of weeping and of praiers Men more giue siluer to the poore Friers Now this answer being made to popish shrift for the remouing of the generall absolute and perpetuall necessitie thereof which the Papists vrge we are to adde concerning this point the doctrine of our Church which doth not denie or take away the free and godly vse of confession but teacheth that it is very profitable when it is discreetly done vpon iust occasion and a godly learned and trusty minister may be had for the searching of the wounds of sinfull soules and applying of fit counsell and comfort to distressed consciences and therfore our Church exhorteth when any cannot so wel by himselfe apply the means prescribed in the word to himselfe for the quieting of his conscience but requireth further counsell or comfort therein then to resort to some discreet and learned Minister of Gods word and to open his griefe that he may receiue such ghostly counsell aduice and comfort as his conscience may be relieued and that by the ministery of Gods word he may receiue comfort and the benefite of absolution to the quieting of his conscience and auoiding of all scruple and doubtfulnesse as it is in the second exhortation before the Communion For which purpose also a forme of absolution is prescribed in the visitation of the sicke to be vsed after speciall confession in sicknesse as well of mind as of bodie Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolue all sinners which truly repent and beleeue in him c. Digression 34. Concerning the necessitie or requisite condition of good workes for our saluation shewing that the Protestants hold it 11 The third point of our doctrine charged as tending to libertie is the article of good works wherein the Iesuite accuseth vs two wayes first that we hold they are not necessarie to saluation next that we denie their merit This latter accusation we confesse but denie the former and say themselues know it to be a lie not onely by our preaching and writings wherein the learned of our Church vrge men to a godly life m Melancth corp doctrin Chr. in repetit cōfess Kemnit loc c. de operibus renat q. 6. Caluin Inst l. 3. c 16. §. 1. Polād thes de bonis operibus nu 14. defending the veritie of this proposition that good workes are necessarie to saluatiō but also by the cleare confessiō of their own side n Bellar. de iustificat l. 4. c. 1. who going about to fasten it vpō vs that we should hold against the necessitie of good works yet acknowledge it is rather a consequence of our doctrine and our secret meaning then our maner of speech or teaching Wherein they shew their desire of contention and vnconscionable misleading the people when they wil not suffer vs to expoūd our own doctrine nor giue vs leaue to declare our owne faith but o Math. 5.17 Rom. 3 31. as the Iewes did Christ and his Gospel slander our doctrine with that which themselues know is farre from it For how can they say we hold good workes not necessary when they see well enough and acknowledge our doctrine is that p Bell de Iustif l. 1. c. 12. § Itaque man is iustified by the grace of God not imputing our sinnes vnto vs which grace faith apprehendeth by beleeuing q Idem l. 3. c. 6. Stapl. de Iustif l. 9. c. 7. and this faith is liuing and worketh by charitie without which faith and true repentance no man can be saued so excluding not the necessitie but onely the merit of our workes Yea Bellarmine r Bellar. de Iustif l. 4. c. 1. § Ac primum Stapl de Iustif pag 334. Protestantes ipsi quamuis à formali nostra iustitia sanctificationē nouā obedientiam distinguant vt non sit pars eius essentialis adesse tamen cam certo infallibiliter volunt omnibus Dei filijs tanquam indiuidnam fidei iustificantis comitem propriam sinorum Dei notam saith expresly that Melancthon Brentius Kemnitius Caluin and Luther teach that good workes must be done and shew them to be necessary in some sort in that they affirme it is no true faith vnlesse it bring forth good workes and be accompanied with charity Wherein he hath truly reported that we teach and by reporting it shewed the wilfulnesse of his owne side in giuing it out against their owne knowledge that we denie the necessitie of a good life The point we denie is this that our owne righteousnesse is the thing that must answer the law of God or by way of merite procure acceptation with God to eternall life or make vs righteous in his presence For God of his iustice requireth that euery man afore he be saued or admitted into the state of his children to enioy his fauour and friendship bring a full satisfaction and righteousnesse or iustice of workes answerable to the law the which iustice say we is not the righteousnesse that we do but the perfect obedience of Christ imputed to vs and made ours by faith our owne workes being only the fruite of this faith and a requisite condition of our saluation as the way to walke in and no otherwise which way whosoeuer findeth not or hauing found it walketh not shall neuer be saued because God saueth none but by iustification and sanctification both the former is to acquit them from the condemnation of the law and it is by the bloud and obedience of Christ the latter is to conforme them to the Gospel and to go the way that leadeth to God and it is by our owne inherent holinesse Both these must therefore of necessitie be done the obedience of Christ to iustifie vs and our owne works to go the way whither our iustification calleth vs whereupon it followeth they neither iustifie nor satisfie nor merite before God nor answer the righteousnesse of his law and yet are absolutely necessary as the fruites of faith and markes of the way that leadeth to heauen And euen as the king freely bestowing a place in the Court vpon his subiect this his free gift bindeth him ouer to come to the Court and receiue it and hauing so done to discharge the place with all diligence and attendance and yet the subiect cannot say that either his going the way or attendance procured him the place but onely the kings free gift put him into it and if this mans friend sometime tell him you must go to the Court and do your attendance though when you haue done all you can your so doing is not worthy the kings fauour he hath shewed you he doth not thereby perswade him to neglect his iourney seruice but rather the contrarie that the
thought this a fit course Dionysius Alexandrinus h Niceph. l. 6. c. 8. said of himselfe that he vsed somtime to be occupied in reading the writings and treatises of heretickes though it something polluted his mind with touching their vncleane opinions because he reaped this profit therby that he might the easilier refell them and the more execrate detest them If any will take vpon him to confute me the lawes of Christian conference specially in the points of faith bind him 1. to do it temperately abstaining from railing and reproaching 2. perspicuously that I may certainly know his meaning 3. honestly that what I say be faithfully set downe and what I proue my sayings by be not dissembled For I affirm nothing that concerneth the cause but I proue it either in the text by reason or in the margent by authoritie which I would not haue dissembled or according to an vsuall trade taken vp of late among them traduced with taunts and outcries as if it were false alledged vntill it appeare to be so indeed Which if he performe I shall thinke my lot the better to haue met with so profitable an aduersarie And so wishing the good Reader that with loue to all men and reuerence to Gods truth and care to leade a sanctified life he would pursue the cause of religion I take my leaue beseeching our Lord Christ by the power of his spirit to make way for the truth in all our hearts Amen A Table of the seuerall matters and questions handled and disputed in this Booke The first number signifieth the Section noted with this marke §. The other following the first signifieth the numbers of that Section VVhere the number is but one there the whole Section is meant THe true faith is absolutely necessarie to saluation 1. 1. No part of our faith stands vpon tradition 1. 2. Infolded faith is not sufficient without knowledge 2. 1. 7. There is a Rule whereby the true faith may be knowne 3. 1. This Rule is not visible and knowne to all men without exception 3. 2. The properties belonging to the rule of faith 4. The Scriptures translated into English are the rule of faith and how 5. The true reason why Papists deny the Scriptures to be the rule 5. 7. 8. The Scripture ought to be translated into the mother tongue that the people may reade it 5. 9. Touching the certaintie and truth of our translations and how we know it 6. The last resolution of our faith is into the authoritie of the Scripture 6. 9. 10. Our English translation is purer then that which the Papists vse 6. 11. The obscuritie of the Scripture disableth it not from being the rule 7. 1. All matters needfull are plainly laid downe in the Scripture 7. 3. Why the Papists pretend the obscuritie of the Scripture 7. 7. Whence it is that the Scripture is obscure 8. 1. The Scripture is vnderstood by it selfe and how 8. 1 2 3. How we are assured of the true sence of the Scripture which is it among many sences 8. 7 8. The true cause why men erre in expounding the Scripture 8. 13. Our faith is built on the Scripture not on the Church 8. 17. The Scripture is perfect containing all things 9. How I know this Scripture to be the very word of God 9. 5. All things needfull are fully comprehended in the Scripture 9. 9. The Papists hold that the sence of the Scripture varieth with the time 9. 11. Againe touching the errors of men in expounding the Scripture 10. The place of 2. Tim. 3.16 proueth the all-sufficiencie of the Scripture 11. How priuat men priuat cōpanies may see the truth against a multitude 12. By the Church the Papists meane nothing but the Pope 13. 2. Whether and how the Church of God may erre 14. 1. Tim. 3.15 expounded how the Church is the pillar of truth 15. The Protestants do not say that the true Church at any time failed was not 17. 1. The state of the question touching the visiblenesse of the Church 17. 2. The Protestants say no more touching the inuisiblenesse of the Church then the Papists themselues in effect do 17. 3. The arguments are answered whereby the Church is proued to be alway visible 18. inde The true faith is a sufficient marke of the Church 24. 2. The arguments against this are answered 26. to 31. 1. Ioh. 4.1 proueth that it is lawfull to examine the teaching of the Church 31. One Holy Catholicke and Apostolicke are not the marks of the Church 32. What the vnitie of the Church properly is 33. 1. The Protestant Churches want not true vnitie 33. 2. Gods true Church in all ages hath had some contentions 33. 4. inde The Protestant Churches haue the true meanes of vnitie 34. 1. What kind of vnitie the Papists haue 34. 1. 2. The Church of Rome vseth the Scriptures most despitefully fiue wayes 35. 3. The present Roman Church is departed frō the ancient primitiue faith 35. 9. The Church of Rome wanteth vnitie and liueth in manifest contention demonstrated 35. 16. The Popes authority was not receiued of old as the foundation of vnity 36. 2. The very Papists themselues do not yeeld to the Popes determinations 36. 5. The Popes supremacie is no sufficient meanes to preserue vnitie 36. 10. The places of Mat. 16.18 Luk. 22.32 Ioh. 21.15 handled at large shewed to make nothing toward the Popes authoritie ouer the Church 36. 11. inde The Primitiue Church acknowledged not the Popes supremacy foure experiences 36. 26. The Pope may erre euen iudicially and be an hereticke 36. 32. It is vnpossible to proue that the hope is S. Peters true successor 36. 36. No certainty among the Papists how the Popes supremacy is proued 36. 39. A place of Cyprian alledged for the supremacie answered 37. 1 2. The Protestants Church is truly holy and how 38. 1. Certaine words of M. Luther expounded 38. 2. Outward holinesse no proper and essentiall marke of the Church 38. 3. The vnholines wickednes of the Roman Church demōstrated 38. 4. inde What Saints the Protestants haue in their Church 39. 1. Canonization of Saints by the Pope a ridiculous conceit 39. 2. 3. The doctrine of the Protestants induceth not to libertie 40. 1. inde Fasting how the Protestants and how the Papists vse it 40. 2. Auricular confession or shrift iustly reiected 40. 6. Necessitie of good workes taught and defended by the Protestants 40. 11. Touching the merit of workes 40. 12. Touching mans power in keeping the commandements 40. 18. Whether all the good workes we do be sinne 40. 22. The distinction of sinne into mortall and veniall 40. 26. Satisfaction how taught by the Protestants and how by the Papists 40. 28. A short view of long Pardons 40. 35. The doctrine of Iustification by Faith only expounded and defended 40. 37. Predestination how holden by the Protestants 40. 43. What is the roote of Contingencie 40. 44. Freewill and Gods
be more edified they want therefore this fruit Thirdly touching Latin Seruice Thomas Aquine and Cardinall Caietan u in 1. Cor. 14 hold it is better for the edification of the Church to be in the vulgar tongue Fourthly touching the power of Priesthood to remit sinne x 4. d 18. §. Non autem the Master of Sentences and y Fr. Victor relect 1. de potes Eccl. sect 3. others with him hold that onely God forgiueth sinne and the Priest bindeth and looseth onely by declaring them to be bound or loosed himself working no spirituall effect Fiftly touching shrift z De poenit d 5 in poenit gloss Panot ibid. the Canon Lawyers say it was not ordained by Christ but taken vp by an institution of the Church and Michael Bononiensis a Expos in Ps 29. saith It is not needfull for our iustification or the pardon of our sinne and Caietan b 3. Tho. q. 80. art 4. holdeth A man by contrition without any confession is made clean a formall member of the Church 6. Touching iustificatioÌ„ by our own righteousnesse Th Aquin c In Gal. 3. lect 4. saith No workes either ceremoniall or morall are the cause why any man is iust before God For works are not the cause that man is iust but the execution and manifestation of his righteousnesse because no man is iustified with God by his works but by the habite of faith infused And againe d In Rom. 3. lect 4 1. Tim. 1 lect 3. he saith The Apostle sheweth iustification to be wrought by faith onlie there is in the workes of the Law no hope of iustification but by faith onely Seuenthly touching the imputation of Christs holinesse for our iustification and the apprehesion thereof by faith Pighius e Bell. de grat l. 1. c. 3. de iustific l. 2 c. 1. holdeth that there is in vs no inherent righteousnesse whereby we may be iustified but f Controu Ratispon contr 2. pag. 47. edit Paris 1549. that we are iustified in Christ not by our owne but by the righteousnesse of God and Christ interposing his iustice betweene his Fathers iudgement and our iniustice so we present our selues boldly before Gods tribunall not onely seeming but also being iust and the reason why our righteousnesse is placed in the obedience of Christ is because we being incorporate into him * Nobis illi incorporatis acsi nostra esset accepta ea fertuâ— ita vt ea ipsa etiam nos iusti habeantur it is imputed to vs and by the same we are accounted iust And the Diuines of Collen g Antididagm Colon. pag. 29. A booke written by Gropper of whom the def of the Cens saith he was the rare man of our age See his commondations in Sur. comment An. 1547. p. 424. say We are iustified by faith as by the apprehending cause such a faith as without all doubting assureth vs of the pardon of our sinnes through Christ whereof notwithstanding it behooueth vs to be assured by the testimony of the holy Ghost through faith and after the same manner we are iustified of God by a twofold iustice as it were by formall and essentiall causes whereof the first is the perfect iustice of Christ not as it is without vs abiding in him but as the same being apprehended by faith is imputed to vs. This righteousnesse of Christ thus imputed to vs is the principall cause of our iustification whereon we must chiefly trust and stay our selues Eightly touching the certaintie of a mans owne saluation h Enchirid. Concil Colon. tit de iustif c. noÌ„ habes ergo the same Diuines of Collen write thus We confesse the truth is that to a mans iustifiâ—ation it is required that he certainly beleeue not onely in generall that they which truly repent haue their sinnes forgiuen by Christ but that his owne selfe also hath forgiuenesse through Christ by faith i Innoc. Gentill exam Con. Trid. The same was also preached openly by Marinarius a Frier at the Trent Councell Ninthly touching merits k De iustif l. 5. c. 7. idem Waldenâ— tom 3. de Sacra c. 7. Bellarmine saith In regard of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and because of the danger of vaine glory the safest way is to put our confidence in the sole mercy and goodnesse of God 10. Touching the sacrifice of the Masse Cornelius Mus l Sixt. Senen bâ—blioth sanct lib 4. a Bishop so famous for his learning that he was a Preacher at twelue yeares old and all Italie ran after him defended m Fr. Sua. tom 3. d. 74. s 2. that Christ at his last supper offered no sacrifice at all 11. Touching the Apocrypha it is cleare n Lyra Hugo Caâ—et Sigonius and others that many deny them to be canonicall Scripture 12. Touching the communion vnder one kinde Ouandus o 4. d 9. Pro. 6. saith It were better to allow the cup to the people then to deny it and lesse hurt would grow by yeelding then by detaining it 13. Touching mariage p 4. d. 26 q 3. quem refert Ioh. Capreol ibid. Durand held it was no sacrament and Canus q Loc. l. 8. c. 5. saith it is none vnlesse the Priest by solemne words of the Church do it And r Tolet. Sum. cas l. 7 c. 21. that which some Papists call heresie that the innocent party may lawfully marrie againe after diuorce is affirmed by Å¿ Comment in 19. Mat. Caietan and t Annot in Caiet l. 5. Catharinus 14. Touching freewill Ariminensis u In 2 d. 26 p. 103. denyeth that a man can will any thing that is good by nature without the special helpe of Gods grace and Alphonsus x Lib. 9. verbo Libert holdeth our wil is free from constraint but not from necessitie 15. Touching the descention of Christ into hell y In 3. d 22. q 3 Durand and z Apol. qu. 1. Picus Mirandula deny it affirming that he descended not properly and in substance but onely by effect in that without any locall motion the power of his death reached thither By these few examples you may coniecture how well they agree that thus are diuided about the principal articles of their faith and nothing can be so generally or certainly receiued but some or other among them deny it 21 And to manifest this contention yet a little more you shal see what a number of opinions they haue among theÌ„ concerning any question which themselues moue in Diuinitie For example whereas in the Sacrament they thinke the substance of bread and wine passe away the formes or accidents onely remaining the question is in what subiect or substance these accidents abide Some say they remaine separated without any subiect this is the opinion of Occham Biel Cameracensis Maior and the Nominals Some that they obtain a way wherby to exist of themselues this is the opinion of
such reuelations as the Iesuit boasteth of For when the contention was among them about the conception of the virgin Marie and some to proue it was without originall sin alledged reuelations made to Saint Bernard Brigit and others the contrarie side replied as the Protestants do that these were fantasticke visions not sent of God but mens dreames and Saint Katherin of Sienna had a reuelation to the contrary i Anton. part 1. tit 8. c. 2. Thus answered Iohn of Naples and Antoninus himselfe a Saint teaching the Protestants how to answer henceforward when these miracles and reuelations are so importunately obiected 4 And sure it is as ridiculous an absurditie as they could lightly haue committed thus to multiplie their Saints turning heauen into a stage as k Scenam de Coelo fecistis Iul. Firmic de errore profan relig a father speaketh of the Gentiles and filling it with toyes and Legend fables and then to be so vncertaine about their owne deuice when they haue done yea to smile at the iest and laugh at their owne theater as Caietan Antoninus Iohn of Naples and others do But if the Iesuit and some of his minde carrie a grauer countenance in this matter and speake more respectiuely of their Saints they are wise herein seeing the Pope hath dubbed them and hath learned possible his lesson in l Verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas that saith It is no wisedome to be out of conceit with any god as Hippolytus was with Venus The best way is to say well of all specially at Athens now at Rome where vnknowne gods also haue altars dedicated to them Let our aduersaries bethinke themselues at last of this m No man is able to put any difference betweene the miracles of Christ with his Apostles and of these holy men Saint Thomas Aquinas Bernard Bâ—nauenture Beckes Francis Dominicke and infinite others Bristo moâ— 6. their dotage and making choise of such as are without controuersie true Saints in deed let them without idolatry preserue their memories and imitate their godlinesse and returne to the vnitie of their doctrine to reforme their innumerable heresies thereby Which if they will do they may with comfort reioyce in the fellowship of the Saints whereas now medling with them as they do they expose themselues to the scorne of men and rebuke of children § 40. Neither is their doctrine such as may of it selfe leade one vnto holinesse but rather to all libertie and loosenesse of life as for example to breake Fasting dayes to cast away Confession of sinnes to a priest which is knowne to be so soueraigne a remedie against sinne to neglect good works because they hold them not Necessarie to saluation nor Meritorious in Gods sight not to labour or endeuour to keepe Gods commandements because they hold them impossible and as it is said Impossibilium non est electio no man chooseth or laboureth to atchieue that which he esteemeth altogether impossible Not to be carefull to auoyd anie sinne because they hold that whatsoeuer we do is sinne and that all sinnes are Mortall in themselues and that there needeth no Penance or Satisfaction to be done of our part for anie sinne contrarie to that of S. Iohn Baptist Facite fructus dignos poenitentiae do ye workes worthie of penance and that of our Sauiour Poenitentiam agite Matth. 4. do penance but that there is an easie remedie for all to wit that by Onely faith they be not imputed to vs Finally to be carelesse or desperate in all actions or consultations because they hold all things so to proceed of God his eternall predestination that man at least in matter of religion hath no Free-will and that he cannot do otherwise then he doth and that God himselfe is Author of sinne Lo whither this doctrine of it selfe leadeth consider whether this can be a good tree which of it owne nature bringeth forth so bad fruite and see whether this can be a Holy Church which teacheth such points of vnholy doctrine as of themselues draw men or at least open the gap to such disorderly and leud and wicked life The Answer 1 There is no part of our faith so holy but euill minds may peruert it and take occasion of liberty therby as they did that said a Rom. 6.1 Let vs sinne that grace may abound b 1. Cor. 15.32 and would do nothing but eate and drinke because to morrow they must die from the which peruersnesse of the wicked we confesse we cannot free our doctrine neither could the Apostles before vs but setting this aside the matter it selfe we teach is so farre from giuing liberty that we desire the holinesse of our Church be tried thereby rather then by any thing else And I maruell the Iesuite shamed not to say the contrary when the learnedst of his side giue this testimony with it that c Staplet de iustif l. 9. c. 7. the Protestants euerie one of them hold iustifying faith is liuely working by charitie and other good workes yea d Bell. de iustif l. 3. c. 6. no man can be iustified without such a faith and serious repentance for hence it followeth voluntarily that the whole course of our doctrine is against sinne because true faith working by loue serious repentance of their own nature expell libertie as one contrary doth another But this is the maner of our lying aduersaries first to misreport our teaching to the people next to extort violently from it what their malice can deuise to our discredit belying herein their owne knowledge and then to cry amaine one to another Lo whither this doctrine leadeth thus hoping with the dash of a goose quill to outface the truth of Christs Gospell But let the matter be examined and the points themselues here reckoned vp looked into and the reader shall finde that when they are conceiued as we hold them they endure neither lewdnesse nor libertie and many learned and right skilfull Papists hold them with vs that the Iesuite might blush at his ignorance Digression 32. Touching fasting and how we differ from the Papists therein and whether the doctrine of our Church be against it as the Papists charge vs. 2 The first point obiected against vs is meerly false For we haue no doctrine that teacheth to breake fasting daies but the contrary that fasting is a Christian exercise needfull to be vsed for the humbling and enabling of our selues to the duties of praier and repentance as often as the time shall require and we hold him no good Christian that omitteth it Yea our Church hath publicke fasts in the danger of any generall affliction and our people are taught to fast priuately as much as any Papist whatsoeuer setting hypocrisie and superstitioÌ„ aside The difference is that we reiect their set daies and their manner of fast vpon those daies by distinction of meates for conscience sake wherein they place the worship of God by way of merit and satisfaction
according to the spirit Neither when we say faith onely do we thinke that the faith whereby we are iustified is alone and without loue and works any more then he that saith the heate onely of the fire burneth meaneth thereby that the heate is without light but we hold that iustifying faith is alway accompanied with workes as the Sunne is with his light and trees with their fruite and causes with their effects though the workes themselues iustifie not but being the effects of iustification haue their proper vse to sanctifie vs which is a condition in his due time and order necessarily required to saue vs as well as iustification because as I said God bringeth no man to glory by iustifying him alone but by sanctifying him also for whom he electeth them he calleth and iustifieth and sanctifieth both 41 And this is it we meane by saying our sinnes are not imputed or we are iustified by faith onely whereat as often as our aduersaries wonder they should be put in mind of that which Erasmus told them long since This word Only which now adayes they shout at so in Luther is reuerently heard and read in the writings of the Fathers For Saint Ambrose t Comment 1. Cor. 1. saith This is the worke of God that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued WITHOVT WORKES FREELY BY GRACE ONELY receiuing the pardon of his sinnes Chrysostome u Hom. 7. Rom. 3. saith But what is the law of faith Euen to be saued by grace here the Apostle sheweth the goodnesse of God who not onely saueth vs but also iustifieth and glorifieth vs vsing no workes hereunto but requiring FAITH ONELY Basil x Hom. de humil saith This is true and perfect reioycing in God when a man is not lifted vp with his owne righteousnesse but knoweth himselfe to be void of true righteousnesse and to be iustified by FAITH ONELY in Christ Comment 2. Eph. Theodoret y saith We haue not beleeued of our owne accord but being called we came and being come he exacteth not puritie and innocencie of life at our hands but by FAITH ONELY he forgaue our sinnes Bernard z Cant. ser 22. saith Whosoeuer is touched with his sinnes and hungreth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in God that iustifieth sinners and being iustified by FAITH ONELY he shall haue peace with God Thus the Fathers in their time spake according to a Rom. 3.28 4 5. Gal. 2.16 the Scriptures whereupon we ground our selues whose words can no way be so wrested but they will yeeld our very opinion and plainly shew that in this point they held the same thing that we do 42 And out of all question our aduersaries themselues in times past haue thought it the truth For Aquinas hath left b Rom. 3. lect 4. Gal. 3. lect 4. written that workes be not the cause why a man is iust before God but rather they are the execution and manifestation of his iustice for no man is iustified by workes but by the HABIT OF FAITH infused yea IVSTIFICATION IS DONE BY FAITH ONLY And c Iac. 2. the ordinary Glosse Abraham was not iustified by the workes he did but by FAITH ONELY his oblation being a worke of his faith and a testimonie of his righteousnesse But Gropper with the Diuines of Colen d Antididagm pag. 29. speake more fully that By the faith of Gods word working in vs contrition and repentance and other workes of preuenting grace we are iustified as by a certaine preparatiue and disposing cause but by faith whereby without doubt we firmly beleeue our sins to be forgiuen for Christ we are IVSTIFIED AS BY THE APPREHENDING CAVSE So God iustifieth vs by a double righteousnesse as by formall and essentiall causes whereof one and the chiefe is the perfect righteousnes of Christ not as it is out of vs in him but as and when the same being apprehended by faith is imputed to vs for righteousnesse And this imputed iustice of Christ is the chiefe and speciall cause of our iustification whereunto we are principally to rely and trust 43 And thus we see the Protestants doctrine of onely faith and the not imputing our sinnes vnto vs was thought sound diuinitie among our aduersaries themselues till within these threescore yeares that the Trent Councell began to looke asquint at it which was no maruel for it is an ordinary thing that a man marrying a latter wife looketh strangely on his owne children had by a former yea giueth his land from them to their yonger brethren though once the time were when he was of another mind And so no wonder if the Church of Rome now begin to turne away her louing countenance from her former faith when she hath about her so many brats of latter opinions begotten by the Friers and Iesuites her new louers that would haue no nay Otherwise faith onely is a doctrine that might haue inherited her mothers lands euen this day in Rome had she not in her widowhood played the wanton And yet seeing in auncient times it was holden in the dayes of the Church of Romes first husband our aduersaries for reuerence of their schooles and credit of the Doctors should handle the matter as gently as might be and not so intemperatly reuile their mothers elder sonne calling it as this Iesuit doth a doctrine drawing men to leudnesse or as e Rom. 3.22 the Rhemists do a new no-iustice a fantasticall apprehension nor as f Whright art 9. another doth a Solifidian portion nor as g Apolog. ep sect 8. another doth a desolation of order a doctrine against a common wealth because such foule words as these will touch the Scripture it selfe and all the ancient Fathers and many Romane Catholickes as well as vs and they that are so lauish of their tongue in vsing them if they take not good heed may chance to haue his hap that threw a stone at a dog and vnawares hit his step-mother Digression 41. Intreating of Predestination and Free-will as the Protestants hold them and shewing that their doctrine concerning these points doth neither make God the author of sinne nor leade men to be carelesse of their liues nor inferre any absolute necessitie constraining vs that we cannot do otherwise then we do 43 In the last place he mentioneth our doctrine touching Predestination and Freewill as if thereby we led men to be carelesse in their actions because as this Iesuit vrgeth it God hauing predestinate all things mans free will is lost thereby that he cannot do otherwise then he doth but God himselfe is the author of sinne Wherein he sheweth his vnsatiable desire of contention and that besides h Pâ—â— 30.15 the graue the barren wombe the earth and the fire which neuer say I haue enough there is a fifth thing as vnsatiable as they the contentious spirit of an aduersarie neuer satisfied with lying and contradiction For let them say directly what is the point they mislike
mortall sinnes against them may be auoided u Occhā 1. d. 17 q. 2. lit c c. The workes of merit and charitie exceed not the whole facultie of mans nature though it stand in Gods liberalitie to accept such workes at meritorious God of his grace may accept the good motion of our will proceeding from our pure naturals and so consequently such an act may be meritorious And that which goeth beyond all this x Andrad orth explic l. 3. pag. 277. inde they hold the very Gentiles some of them knew God and did many things wherein was no sinne and this was sufficient to iustifie and saue them an opinion so vile and prodigious that y Greg. Arim. 2. d. 26. q. 1. Bayns de virt imp c. 2 some of their owne side confute it 60 Thirdly z Refert Greg. Arim. 2. d. 29. art 2. in sin Scot 2. d. 28. Dur. 2. d. 28. q. 4 they write that in the state of sinne without the speciall ayd of Gods grace by freewil alone we may loue God aboue all and easily keepe his commandements Andradius a Orth. expl l 3. pag. 280. saith Euen such as are aliens from the true knowledge of Christ may do workes that shal be polluted with no fault but deserue exceeding commendation And it should seeme this opinion had many patrons in the Church of Rome for Gregorius Ariminensis who misliketh it disputing against it saith b 2. d. 26. pag. 99 It is yet more to be wondred that any man should absolutely pronounce that a man by his pure naturals alone without the speciall helpe of God can will and do well when they that say thus exclude thereby the necessitie of Gods helpe which is by teaching and knowledge and so giue lesse to grace then Pelagius himselfe Where reporting the opinion so vehemently and charging some of his owne fellowes with it he maketh it plaine how currant it was And the c Bell. l. 5. c. 4. de grat lib. arb Iesuites censuring him for his labour shew they also haue a moneths mind to the conceit 61 Now if we reiect these opinions and denie freewill in these cases we are to be excused For the very Church of Rome it selfe neuer wanted some therein that denied it as wel as we and with great passion confuted it Ariminensis d 2. d. 29. art 2. answered a Doctor that held it against him that sauing his reuerence it was Pelagianisme And Dom. Bannes e 2. 2. q. 24. saith he thinketh it false and worse then false that any man without the speciall and supernaturall helpe of God can be able to do a supernaturall act And f Bayus de virt imp c. 8. a late professor at Louan Freewil without Gods help is of power to nothing but sinne and it draweth towards iniquitie so much the faster by how much the sharplier it is bent to action And g L. 2. d. 25. g. the Master of Sentences Freewil before grace repaire it is pressed and ouercome with concupiscence and hath weaknes in euil but no grace in good and therefore may sinne and cannot but sinne euen damnably So that our mislike of freewil in this case is true doctrine euen by the iudgement of our aduersaries 62 But there are yet two other points which aduance the will of man euen in the state of sinne more then all this The first is the merit of congruitie whereby they teach that a man doing what is in himselfe by the onely power of his nature so can dispose and prepare himselfe to his iustification Antoninus h Part. 1. tit 4. c. 2. §. 2. saith Albeit no man by his freewill can merit grace whereby he may do workes meritorious yet he may dispose himselfe to the obtaining of such grace which God will not deny him if he do that which is in himselfe And therefore it is not altogether without the compasse of our will to do workes meritorious And Alexander Hales i 3. part q. 69. n◠5. art 3 p. 249. It must be confessed that if man do what is in himselfe God giueth his grace necessarily that is immutably as the Sunne giueth his light to all that will receiue it and as we say it is of necessitie that God be immortall And Altisiodorensis k Sum. l. 2. p. 71. The proportion betweene a corporall and spirituall blind man holdeth not because the spirituall blinde hath a power preparatiue and operatiue to his seeing because he can do somthing which being done he shall see when grace is powred into him bringing forth the act of seeing from the faculty of seeing there is no new facultie bestowed vpō him And l 2. d 28. q. 5. 1 d. 17. q. 2 lit n. Durand All men grant and good reason that a man without any new habituall grace infused from God can prepare himselfe to grace He saith all men grant it and so I thinke they do because I finde the merit of congruitie taught and maintained by m Tho. 1.2 q. 114. art 3. 6. Bonauen compend Theol. l. 5 c. 12. Biel 2. d. 27. 28 Scot. 2. d. 28. 4. d. 14. q. 2. art 2. Mayr 2. d. 28. Occh. 1. d. 17. q. 2. Turrecrem 23. q. 4. Nabuchodon the greatest clearkes in the Church of Rome which yet is the very heresie of Pelagius And it is no matter though the Iesuits now begin to say this kind of merit is now reiected For themselues and their peers teach the very same disposing of our selues to our owne iustification that the Schoolemen meant by it Hosius n Confess Petricou c. 73. saith The Councell of Trent chose rather to call good works going before iustification dispositions or preparations to grace then merits of any sort They are content to lay by the name he saith but the thing they hold as fast as euer any did For Suar. o Homil. 2. in Apoc. saith Our workes before we haue attained grace dispose and prepare vs to grace And p Wind. de effic mort Christi p. 173. another very lately According to Scotus opinion which I neither defend NOR DISALLOW the Gentiles by their workes morally good and by the common influence of nature might merit of congruitie the effectuall grace of God seeing his goodnesse suffereth no man to perish who doth that which is in himselfe The like is holden by q Euerard Bill defens iudic Colon. p. 267. 269. Conra Cling loc l. 1. c. 8. others long after the Schoolemen yet it is the heresie of Pelagius by the confessiō of their own fellowes This r Relect. 1. de potest Eccl. sect 3. p. 16. saith Victoria is a good part of Pelagius his error if I haue any skill and the like say ſ Bann 22. p. 390. Bellar. de grat l. 6. c. 6. others though the Church of Rome still imbrace it And so it is cleare that our aduersaries
giuen to nature which belongeth to grace that cannot be without eminent danger But whatsoeuer we haue done in the point this I am sure of that our aduersaries are gone too farre euen by their owne confession There haue not bene wanting Diuines in our times d 22. p. 390. saith Dom. Bannes who haue giuen too much to freewill and the power of nature and while they thought to eschue the error of Lutherans they fell into the proud heresie of Pelagians And * Et 393. to make men free they haue made them proud filled them with sacriledge This is the truth For freewill hath of it selfe either some strength though small or none at all If any then Christ said not true without me ye can do nothing If none then where is freewill and the cooperation thereof with Gods grace I will end the point with Saints Austins complaint e De verb. Apost Ser. 2. Vnthankfull men to ascribe so much to weake wounded nature true it is that man when he was made had great strength of freewill but by sinne he lost it But f Sixt. Senens praefat l. 5. Staplet de Iustif l. 2. c. vlt. our aduersaries thinke Saint Austin went too farre in this question attributing too little to mans will § 41. In the Romane Church I confesse there be some bad and sinfull folke For the Church is called nigra formosa blacke and faire Cant. 1. because in it are mixed good and bad as out of diuerse parables of our Sauiour I proued before but there are two differences betwixt the sinfull which are in the Romane Church and among the sectaries And first of those that are among the sectaries there are none truly Holy of which as of the better or more worthie part their Church may be denominated and termed Holy as the Romane Church may be It may perhaps be that diuers of them abstaine from grosser sinnes as swearing backbiting stealing c. and that they do sometimes many workes morally good as giue almes erect hospitals liue at least in outward shew in modest and moderate sort but alas these be not sufficient or certaine signes of sanctitie all this and perhaps much more we may find in the heathen Philosophers These outward actions may proceed from naturall and sometimes from vicious and sinfull motiues and consequently may be verie farre from true holinesse which must proceede of true charitie without which charitie to distribute all that one hath to feed the poore or to giue ones bodie to burne doth nothing profite 1. Cor. 13. The which charitie must proceed de corde puro conscientia bona fide non ficta 1. Tim. 1. The which things being most inward and consequently hidden and secret cannot sufficiently be shewed to be present by those outward actions Nay they cannot be infallibly knowne of the partie himselfe for Nemo scit vtrum amore an odio dignus sit quis potest dicere mundum est cor meum Pro. 20. but are reserued to him onely qui scrutatur corda to wit almightie God and it cannot be perfectly knowne of vs who haue them truly and consequently who be truly Saints vnlesse it please him to reueale it by miracle or some other certaine way vnto vs. The Answer 1 To proue we are not the holy Church of God the Iesuite obiected our sinfull liues as if we had bene of worse conuersation then the professors of the true faith could be But forsomuch as he wisely foresaw that if we fell to comparing the liues of one another his owne Church would receiue as much disgrace thereby as ours and his argument bent against vs in the discharge would recoile vpon himselfe and roll in the fall vpon the heads of his owne people because they are as bad and sinfull as their fellowes therefore now he answereth that difficultie by assigning a difference betweene the people of his Church and the people of ours in this point and the difference he saith is this that although in his Romane Church there be some bad and sinfull yet all are not so whereas with vs there are none good but all are wicked A proud and ridiculous bragge but yet I answer it True holinesse consisteth in the concourse of the righteousnesse of iustification and sanctification The former of iustification is wheresouer Christ with all his merits is imputed and apprehended by faith for the pardon of our sinnes and accepting of vs againe to eternall life a Rom. 4.11 3.24 This is called the righteousnes of faith and they which haue it are truly holy thereby and our Church teacheth it against the Church of Rome that hath renounced it and so depriued her children of all true holinesse The second of sanctification is when we bring forth fruites worthy of amendment of life not walking after the flesh but after the spirit And we affirme that in our Church this also is ioyned with the former though we all confesse it be in great weaknesse and farre from that perfection which we desire and such as walke in it b 1. Ioh. 3.7 Mat. 7.16 12.33 Rom. 8.9 Gal. 5.22 Eph. 5.9 2. Pet. 1.5 are proued thereby to be truly holy 2 Against this externall righteousnes of our sanctification the Iesuite obiecteth that though we abstaine from grosser sinnes and do many good morall works c. yet this is no certaine signe we are holy for this and much more may proceed from sinfull motions and be found among the very Gentiles Whereto I answer that this were a good argument against vs if we had no righteousnesse among vs but such as he hath herein described For this morall holinesse is no holinesse indeed neither do we thereby declare the holinesse of our Church but say the good workes done among vs proceed from faith and loue and are directed to the glory of God according to the rules of sanctification and so are sufficient to testifie for vs. And we grant as the Iesuit requireth that many great and plausible workes of moralitie may proceed from naturall yea sinful motiues and that therefore there is no true holinesse vnlesse it proceed from charitie grounded on a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained but we adde withall that the workes of our Church proceed from this charitie and thence receiue their condition of holinesse 3 And how doth the Iesuite know the contrary because he saith so confidently the holinesse found among vs ariseth not from charitie What is the ground whereupon he saith so He answereth true charitie a good conscience and faith be things inward and secret and therefore cannot by our outward actions be shewed to be present nay he saith the partie himself without reuelation or miracle cannot be sure he hath them The which if it be true I desire him to answer plainly how he knoweth his owne good workes proceed from faith and charitie and by what meanes he will demonstrate it to me that
doubt it for reuelation and miracle I am sure he can shew none because the miracles of his Legend which is all he can pleade concerne not him that neuer had them and yet he thinketh his holinesse and the holinesse of his people is a good marke of the Catholicke Church It is false therefore that he saith No man by his outward workes without miracle can be certaine he hath faith or charitie For c 1. Ioh. 3.7 Saint Iohn saith He that doth righteousnesse is righteous as God is righteous And Saint Iames d Iac. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works And our blessed Sauiour e Mat. 7.16 By their fruites ye shal know them f Luc. 6 43. It is not a good tree that bringeth forth euill fruite nor an euill tree that bringeth forth good fruite For men gather not figs of thornes nor grapes of thistles A good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill And if charitie cannot be proued to be present by our workes because it is a thing hidden secretly within vs then no cause can be proued or knowne by the effects and no physitian can know the inward state of the bodie by the outward signes which were absurd And the word of God calling vpō vs g Mat. 5.16 to let our light so shine afore mē that they may see our good workes and h 2. Pet. 1.10 bidding vs thereby to make our election sure and promising an abundant entrance into Christs kingdome to all that follow vertue temperance patience c. should deceiue vs if when we had taken paines in so doing we could not be assured that our workes arise from faith without which faith no worke were good nor could minister any argument of our saluation to vs. 4 Our workes therefore being not founded on mens traditions as popish workes are nor directed to a false end but done according to the direction of the word and for the glory of God in the faith of Iesus Christ without any opinion of perfection either to iustifie vs or to merit or satisfie thereby are good workes and infallibly secure the doers that they haue true charitie and are the true Saints of God though they haue no miracles nor other reuelation then this of Gods spirit renewing them For of such workes our aduersaries themselues say i Tho. lect 4. in Gal. 3. They are the execution and manifestation of our righteousnes Yea the Diuines of Colen affirme expresly against that which the Iesuite here saith k Antididag Colon. pag 30. that we rely not principally vpon our inherent righteousnesse because it is vnperfect but thereby as by a certaine inward experiment we are certified of the remission of our sins who feele and proue in our selues such a renouation of our spirit and that the perfect iustice of Christ is imputed to vs and that so Christ by faith dwelleth in vs. In which words affirming the experiment and certificat that Gods children haue within them and the feeling of their renouatiō and Christ dwelling in them by faith all which they say ariseth from their workes they make it plaine how false and friuolous it is that the Iesuite assumeth that no man without reuelation or miracles can infallibly know whether he haue true faith and loue or not And I will make it yet plainer in the Digression following Digression 43. Prouing that Gods children without miracles or extraordinary reuelation may be and are infallibly assured that they haue grace and are in the state of saluation 5 For to the place of Eccles 9.1 I answer first the Iesuite hath misalledged it For the Hebrew is thus No man knoweth loue or hatred all things are before him And I care not though his Trent-vulgar-latine be as he alledgeth it for the Hebrew is the onely authenticall text and not the Latin whereof themselues haue a base conceit though the Councell of Trent haue canonized it For Dominicus Bannez l In 1. par The. q. 1. art 8. dub 4 reporteth that since this decree there are not wanting many great men in the Church of Rome that take vpon them to correct and censure it and say the interpreter missed it fouly in many things And himselfe is of the same mind and acknowledgeth that being at last conuinced by his owne experience he iudgeth the Hebrew text vncorrupt What vanitie therefore is it in our aduersaries to alledge a translation which themselues despise as corrupt and vicious Secondly to the words I answer that Salomon doth not say that No man can simply know the loue or hatred of God to him but in a compound sence that No man can know it by the outward euents of this life the which hindereth not but it may be knowne by the testimonie of Gods spirit renewing vs as Catharinus himselfe a Papist expoundeth it and this is it that we say m Rom. 5.5 Gal. 4.6 Gods loue is shed in our hearts and made knowne to vs by the holy Ghost 6 To the place of Prou. 20.9 I say briefly that it proueth euidently against the Iesuit that no man can keepe Gods commandements because he cannot make his heart cleane from sinne but it toucheth not the assurance of grace because grace is and infallibly knowne to be where the heart beginneth to be cleansed though yet as it neuer shal be in this life it be not perfectly cleane For we are not assured that charitie and faith dwell in vs by this that our hearts are perfectly cleane for then the text had bene against vs but by this that they are free from hypocrisie and begin to be cleansed and dayly increase therein 7 The manner how we know we haue grace and shall be saued is by the meanes of the holy Ghost whose worke it is to assure vs the which he doth first by producing in vs the effects of sauing grace and predestination which is the constant reforming of our life within and without Whereupon it followeth that he which giueth himselfe effectually and stedfastly to a godly life may infallibly be secured thereby of his saluatiō because God whose promises are infallible n Rom. 8.13 Heb. 5.9 hath vowed saluation to all such Next by infusing or inspiring into vs the motion of assurance and by inclining our heart to giue consent to the promises of the Gospell The which inspiration is a supernaturall work of God created in vs by the outward meanes of the word and the inward operation of his Spirit consisting in a certaine knowledge and feeling that we haue of Gods good pleasure toward vs when once we truly beleeue And as the eye in seeing hath a certaine propertie annexed that it knoweth it seeth so faith and grace in whom soeuer it is hath this condition that it knoweth it selfe to be such and it not onely
kings gift calling him to the place implieth both So is it in our sanctificatiō which is the way that leadeth to the kingdom that God hath freely giuen vs and the dutie which that gift calleth vs to and therefore necessary in it owne kind and order no otherwise Which the Protestants holding do not teach thereby that men should neglect good workes but the contrarie they onely thinke them not necessary or requisite to our iustification for the satisfaction of the law because herein nothing concurreth with the merit of Christ or can do as many learned Papists themselues confesse and the ordinarie sort of people that now misconceiueth our doctrine in this point when they vnderstand it as I haue laid it downe will not denie Digression 35. Touching the merit of our workes and what is to be holden thereof 12 Next the Iesuite accuseth our doctrine of good works because it denieth the merit thereof For answer whereunto we beleeue assuredly our good workes shall be rewarded both in this life and in the life to come yea farre beyond that which they are worth onely we deny their merit that is to say we thinke this reward is not giuen for the merit or desert of the worke but of the meere grace and mercie of God for the merits of Christ Wherin we haue not onely the Scripture and ancient Doctors but the most skilfull and learned Papists that euer liued on our side t Exod. 20.6 The law saying the reward is of mercie and u Rom. 8.18 the Gospell telling vs The sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glorie in the life to come 13 That which the Papists meane by merit is this which I set downe in their own words and let the reader iudge whether the Protestants haue not reason to refuse it Andradius x Orth. expl l. 6 saith The heauenly blessednesse which the Scripture calleth the reward of the iust is not giuen them of God gratis freely but is due to their workes yea God hath set forth heauen to sale for our workes The Deane of Louan y Expl. Artic. Louan tom 2. art 9. saith Farre be it from vs that the righteous should looke for eternall life as a poore man doth for his almes for it is much more honour for them as victors and triumphers to possesse it as the garland which by their labour they haue deserued Bayus z De merit operum l 1. c. 9. saith That although the restauration of mankinde be ascribed to the merits of Christ yet it is not for Christs merits that our workes are rewarded with eternall life neither doth God when he giueth the reward looke toward Christs death but onely to the first institution of mankind wherein by the law of nature it was appointed that in the iust iudgement of God obedience should be rewarded with life as disobedience is with death Suarez a Tom. 1. in Tho. 3. d. 41. sect 3. §. Secundo oportet saith A supernaturall worke proceeding from grace within it selfe and of it owne nature hath a proportion and condignitie with the reward and a sufficient value to be worth the same The reward therfore is not giuen for Christs merit The merit of Christ cannot be made our merit therefore neither can our merits haue the power of meriting from Christs merits or any more worthinesse then they be ordained to haue of themselues It must not be denied but our merits are true merits so that the workes of the godly proceeding from grace haue of themselues an inward worthinesse and are proportionable to the reward in the same manner as if we conceiued a man to be iust and worke well without the merits of Christ as many thinke of the Angels and of man in the state of innocencie Thus the merits which the Protestants denie are not the reward of good workes but that inward condignitie which our aduersaries place in them whereby they thinke God is bound to reward them yea without any respect to the death or merits of Christ This we hold a detestable opinion because it abrogateth the Gospell and setteth on foote the couenant of workes 14 Beggers asking for almes shew their wounds but Papists will haue vs shew our merits and not aske heauen as an almes for Christs sake but challenge it as due for our workes sake but what saith one b Marc. herem de his qui putant se ex oper iustif He that doth good seeking reward thereby serueth not God but his owne will Origen c Ad Rom. l. 4. c. 4. saith I can hardly beleeue there is any worke that may require the reward of debt Austin d De gr lib. arb c. 9. writeth We must vnderstand that God bringeth vs to eternall life not for our merits but for his owne mercie And Bernard e De Annunc serm 1. That the merits of men are not such that eternall life should be due to them of right or that God should offer men iniurie if he did not therefore bestow it f In Cant. ser 61. The mercy of God is my merit g De grat lib arbit The things which we call our merits are the nurses of our hope the prouocations of loue the signes of our election the forerunners of our future happinesse the way to the kingdome not the cause why we raigne And Gregory himselfe who was a B. of Rome h Super. Ps 7. poenit saith It is one thing for God to reward men according to their works and another thing to giue the reward for the workes themselues When the Scripture saith according to our workes the qualitie of our workes is vnderstood that the reward shall be his whose the workes are for vnto that blessed life wherein we liue with God can no labour be compared no worke likened seeing the Apostle saith The suffering of this life is not worthy of the glorie of the life to come This that these fathers haue said is it we also say for our selues answer our accusers Now I know well enough a witty Romanist deuoted to contention can inuent some fine distinction to make these men speake good Romane Catholicke whatsoeuer they meant let him do vs the like fauour making the same distinction for vs that he will do for Austin Bernard or Gregorie and we shall be as good Catholickes as they 15 Moreouer it is diligently to be obserued that howsoeuer our aduersaries contend for their merits yet the learnedst and most iudicious among them disauow them teaching people at their way-gate to renounce them and holding that which I haue said to be the sounder doctrine so did Anselme the Bishop of Canterbury 500. yeares since teach the people to die in this faith i Refert Hos confes Petrico◠1. c. 73. confessing Lord I set the death of Christ betweene me and my bad merits and I offer his merits for my owne merits which I should haue but haue not
and betweene me and thine anger I interpose the death of my Lord Iesu So also k In Luc. c. 7. saith Stella God my Protector looke not vpon me but first looke vpon thy onely Sonne and place betweene me and thee him thy Sonne his crosse his bloud his passion his merits that so thy iustice passing through his bloud and merits when it cometh at the last to me it may be gentle and full of mercie Waldensis l Sacramental tit 1. c. 7. p. 30. idem Erasm â—eclarat ad Cens Paâ—is p. 197. saith He is to be reputed the sounder Diuine and the better Catholicke and more agreeable to the Scripture that simply denieth such merit confessing that simply no man meriteth the kingdome of heauen but obtaineth it by the grace free will of God that giueth it Bellarmine m De iustificat l. 5. c. 7. §. Sit tertia saith that by reason of the vncertaintie of a mans owne righteousnesse and for feare of vaine glory it is the safest way to repose our whole confidence in the sole mercy and goodnesse of God And he giueth the reason because no man without reuelation can be sure he hath true merits or that he shall perseuer therein and nothing is easier then to be tempted with the pride of his owne good workes Pighius n Controu 2. Ratiâ—bo saith We are made righteous not by our owne righteousnesse but by the righteousnesse of God in Christ who putteth his owne iustice betweene his Fathers iudgement and our iniustice vnder the which as vnder a shield he protecteth vs from the diuine wrath which we haue deserued Ferus o L. 3. commen in Mat. c. 20. saith The parable of him that hired labourers into his vineyard teacheth that whatsoeuer God giueth vs is of grace not of debt for all our righteousnesse is as a cloth polluted yea the very sufferings of this life are vnworthy of future glorie If therfore thou desirest to hold the grace and fauour of God make no meÌ„tion of thy merits And let all such as contend with vs about this point assure themselues their owne schooles were of our mind herein till of late Gregorius Ariminensis p 1. d. 17. q 1. â—â—t 2. p. 89. defendeth at large that no worke done by man though coming from the greatest charitie meriteth of condignitie either eternall life or any other reward either eternall or temporall because euery such worke is the gift of God And against that coÌ„ceit which saith there is an inward worthines in the nature of our works deseruing the reward which worthines is coÌ„monly called the merit of condignity he disputeth that the reward is simply due to no workes nor of their nature but onely through the free appointment of God who out of the abundance of his mercie hath ordained to reward such workes with eternall life But Durand is so plain that the merit-mongers are faine to disclaim him He q 2. d. 27. q. 2. p. 200. saith There is no merit of condignitie betweene man and God but onely betweene man and man the said merit being strictly taken as the Papists now do to import a voluntarie action whereto the reward is due of iustice so that if it be not giuen there is wrong offered And whatsoeuer we receiue of God whether it be grace or glory whether temporall or spirituall good whatsoeuer good worke we haue before done for it yet we receiue the same rather of Gods liberalitie then of the debt of the worke And forasmuch as no mans free gift can bind him to giue more but he that receiueth more is the more bouÌ„d to him that giueth it therfore hence it followeth that by the good habits and deeds which God hath enabled vs to do he is not bound by the debt of his iustice to giue vs more that he should as the Papists now say be vniust if he gaue it not but we rather are bound to him and it is rashnesse yea blasphemy to thinke or say the contrary as r Vpon Heb. 6.10 the Rhemists do Then he concludeth that if God giue any reward to our well doings this is as the Protestants speake not that he is a debtor to the workes but of his owne liberalitie Marke the argument he vseth against merits and then iudge freely whether it can possibly be answered No man hauing freely bestowed a gift vpon another is bound by the good vse of the said gift to bestow more but he that receiueth it is rather bound to him that giueth it But all the workes of grace whatsoeuer though neuer so well vsed are freely bestowed vpon vs by God therefore God is not bound by the good vse thereof to bestow more And so consequently man is bound rather to God and all his reward is of mercie not of condignitie 16 Besides all Papists are not of one minde concerning these merits that men may see they talke against the Protestants abroad that which they are not agreed of among themselues at home which is more then ridiculous For Å¿ Scot. 4. d. 14 q 2. Ipse Scotus assignat quoddam meritum congruuÌ„ quod ipse vocat attritioâ—em ex putis naturalibus quae est ratio aliqua remissionis peccatorum iustificationis Dom. Bannes part 1 q. 23. art 5 p. 496. Tho 1 2. q. 114. art 3. 6. in 2. sent d. 27. q 3. Et ibi caeteâ—i scholastici some hold that a man doing what he is able by the power of his freewill before his conuersion omitting nothing that tendeth to the obtaining Gods fauour merits hereby of congruitie that God of his goodnesse which bindeth himselfe to accept euery one that turneth himselfe to him should prepare him to further grace but t Hos conf c 73 othersome reiect this kind of merit and accuse it of heresie that we might know what stuffe the Popes schooles now and then harbour in them And touching the merit of condignitie you heare what is commonly said u Rhem. annot vpon 1. Cor. 3.8 Heb. 6 10. Andrad Oâ—th explic l. 6. that our workes of their very nature deserue eternall life the reward whereof is a thing equally and iustly answering to the time and weight of the worke rather then a free gift so that God should be vniust if he gaue it not yet x Anselm Stella Waldens Bell. Pightus Ferus Ariminens Durand others whom I alledged immediatly before deny this and Bellarmine himself whether he were asleepe or what extremitie he was driuen to I know not but y Indic de lib. concord mendac 8. he writeth expresly To workes done by faith and the helpe of God we ascribe no such merit as hath the reward of iustice to answer them but onely the merit of impetration which the schoolemen called the merit of congruitie not of condignitie and yet I shewed before that Hosius saith the merit of congruitie is Pelagianisme Againe z Tho 2. d.
hath the appointing of the satisfactory workes k Catech. Rom. p. 342. One saith the Priest at shrift by vertue of his keyes nay l Scot. 4. d. 15. q. 1. d. 18. Biel d. 16. q. 2. art 3. dub 5. Ouand 4. d. 16. pro. 40. saith another the penitent is not bound to do that which he inioyneth him but may reserue himselfe to Purgatory or haue satisfied before he came to confession But who are the persons in state to satisfie m Scot. 4. d. 21. q. 1. Biel. 4. d. 16. q 5. art 1. One saith A man without grace by the power of nature can satisfie for veniall sinne n Suar. tom 1. disp 4. sect 11. Hopk memor tract of satisfact §. 1. Another denieth this and calleth it heresie holding it necessarie he be indued with grace and charitie But what are the things that our works make satisfaction for o Satisfactio est compensatio poenae temporalis debitae Greg. Valent. tom 4. d. 7. q. 14 punct 1 Hopkins vbi supra pag. 385. One saith only the temporall punishment due in this life p Vega l. 13. c. 36. Another saith the sinne also q Tapper expl artic Louanien art 6. A third saith The sinne and the eternall punishment also And how do these workes satisfie whether of condignitie meriting or onely of congruitie begging the release obtained by them r Bayus de indulg c. vlt. One answereth They do not properly satisfie but onely do some thing in respect whereof Christs satisfaction is applyed to vs. Å¿ Indic de lib. concorn Luthe ran mendac 8. And Bellarmine writeth that he ascribeth no merit of condignitie to any workes done by faith and the helpe of God that in iustice the reward should answer them but onely the merit of congruitie But t Suar. tom 1. disp 4. â—ect 12. another saith that euen in the rigor of Gods iustice they satisfie and merit remission But what if I make no satisfaction or haue no pardon to release me u Surius comment rerum in orb gest p. 450. One in a furie answereth I am damned The Lutherans saith he need no pardons because relying vpon their barren faith they go right downe to the pit of hell But x Mag. 4. d. 17 Host de poenit remâ—ss cap. Deus qu. Archidiacon apud Gloss Panorm vbi supra others say that by contrition onely without confession or payment of outward punishment or liberalitie of the Prelate or pains in purgatorie I may go straight to heauen And touching the pardons whereby satisfaction is released y Caieta tract de indulgent c. 1. Durand 4 d. 20. q. 3. they confesse that neither the Scripture nor the ancient Doctors mention them which sheweth them to be monsters that talking so much of the necessitie of satisfaction yet omit it vpoÌ„ a deuice of such vncertainty Again z Tho. 4 d. 2. q. 1 art 3. Allen tract of pardoÌ„s p. 281. Bellarm. de indulg l. 1. c. 2. Sum. Syluest v. indulg n. 4. some thinke these pardons to be grounded on the merits of the Saints ioyned with Christs merits that by vertue of both these together the partie may be released But a Sum. Angel verbo indulg n. 9. Duran 4. d. 20. q. 3. quem referunt Ouan Grego de Valent Caietan Suarez others deny this and say the merits of the Saints haue bene alreadie rewarded yea beyond their desert and so are exhaust and spent and the pardons are giuen out of the treasurie of Christs passion alone But b Fr. Mayro 4. d. 19. q. 2. QueÌ„ sic exponunt Valent. tom 4. p. 1457. Caiet de indulg quaesit 3. Henriqn Sum. pag. 490. some think there is no such treasury at all neither of the merits of the Saints nor of Christ Whereby we may see what account they make of satisfaction that dare release it by a deuice whereof they haue so smal assurance that they know not whence it receiueth his effect 35 And to shew yet more fully how basely they thinke of it we must call to minde how they haue taught the people to whom satisfaction belongeth to redeeme the same by saying ouer certaine prayers very iests to make a man laugh that they haue printed in their ordinary Primers Would they haue sold it at so vile a rate if it had bene in their owne conceits of any worth or is it possible for vs to exchange it for any thing baser then these shreds I will lay them downe as I find them in c Nicol. Salicet Antidot animae And the Salisbury Primer called Horae B. Mariae their owne bookes There is a short praier which whosoeuer saith deuoutly shall haue three thousand daies pardon of mortall sinnes and twenty thousand daies of venials giuen by Pope Iohn the two and twentieth And if that praier be too long and the pardoÌ„ too short let him say fiue Pater nosters before the vernacle and he shall haue ten thousand daies pardon granted by the same Pope Or if so many Paters nosters be too tedious there is a shorter cut about the scantling of an Aue which if a man say at the Leuation he shall obtaine pardon for twentie thousand daies of the grant of Pope Innocent the sixth Or if he had rather haue it for yeares then daies though he take the more pains for it there is a praier made by Pope Gregory about the length of a Creed which whosoeuer saith deuoutly shall receiue fiue hundred yeares pardon prouided alway that at the end of euery verse he say a Pater noster and an Aue. Or if he would haue some odde daies cast into his hundreds and thousands he must kneele before the crucifixe and say a praier as long as three Aues and he shall haue pardon for sixe thousand sixe hundred threescore and sixe daies of the grant of Gregory the third iust so many daies as Christ had wounds in his body saue that our Lord on a day appeared to S. Briget at Rome and told her his wounds were but fiue thousand foure hundred and fourescore or as d Ludolf vit Christi part 2. c. 58. Eck ser de Passione other authors tell it fiue thousand foure hundred fourescore and ten not reckoning possible the pricks of his crowne e Suar. tom 2. pag. 347. which were threescore and twelue in honor wherof if she would say euery day of the yeare fifteene Pater nosters and fifteene Aues so she should worship euery wound if she mist it not in Arithmeticke once a yeare But if she would take paines to vse fifteene other praiers which he taught her and are set downe in the booke adding them in order to the foresaid fifteene Pater nosters then she should deliuer out of Purgatory fifteen of her kindred and fifteene more should be confirmed in grace and fifteene sinners conuerted to God with many other prerogatiues which it were too long to rehearse as my author speaketh But
death for vs which obedience both merited the remission of our sins and effectually wrought the righteousnes of the law For the deriuing whereof vnto vs two things must be done one on Gods behalfe another on our owne That which God doth is called imputation of Christs obedience to vs for the pardon of our sins and the making of our persons acceptable as if our selues had neuer sinned That which we do is beleeuing in Christ and so receiuing that which God offereth both which actions when they meet Gods offering Christ and our receiuing him the iustification of a sinner is then formally accomplished 39 The next terme is faith whereby we do not meane either a fleeting opinion of Gods fauour standing onely in imagination nor yet as our aduersaries define it onely an assent vnto all those things which God hath reuealed beleeuing them to be true but we hold it to be ouer and besides this * Nec fides excludit omnem dubitationem sed dubitationeÌ„ vincentem trahentem in oppositum credibilis Scot. 3. d. 23. an infallible knowledge and apprehension of Gods good will towards vs in particular whereby we apply the speciall promises of the Gospell to our owne selues the which knowledge we hold is obtained two wayes one is by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit that God doth now accept vs for his sons in Christ the other leading hereunto is by the reuelation of the Gospell promising iustification to all that do the things required therein whereto when we by the grace of God and a liuing faith performe them our conscience enlightened with the truth answereth We haue done them By this meanes we say a man may be able to beleeue Christ to be his Sauiour and so beleeuing he apprehendeth the promise and is iustified by his faith as by an instrument that is to say this his consent and obedient yeelding himselfe to beleeue Christ Iesus his Sauiour and his speciall promises is as it were the hand whereby a sinner must receiue Christs obedience for his iustification And if it be obicted that no man can thus beleeue because he knoweth not the wil of God or if he do beleeue thus he may deceiue himselfe I answer that it is in no mans power to attain to this knowledge of himself but as God reuealeth it and worketh it in vs by his word and Spirit infusing it secretly into our consciences by the preaching of the Gospell and our faith and obedience thereunto as a man heareth his friend telling him a secret in his eare wherein if one be diligent and faithfull it will worke three effects in him First it will humble him and shew him his misery and so driue him to Christ for helpe Secondly it will conuert his life and of a profane person make him a godly man Thirdly it will infuse and drop into him by degrees the feeling of Gods good will toward him and so inspire him with comfort from all which he may as infallibly by faith conclude his redemption as if his name were written in the Bible Which I declare by a similitude of a King who sending a pardon to fortie thousand rebels setteth not downe their names in particular but putteth in a condition that all they shall be pardoned that wil lay by their weapons and come to him the which he sendeth a herald to proclaime and the people hearing it do accordingly and thereby know infallibly they are pardoned and if any man would molest them because their name is not expresly written in the pardon they might contemne him and securely conclude their deliuerance from the condition that is expressed In the same maner do we apprehend our iustification by faith For all men being sinners against God he hath sent out the pardon of his Gospell not writing any mans name therein particularly but putting in a condition that so many as will be saued by Christ repent beleeue and obey him the which being published by preaching as soone as the elect heare they receiue and so know infallibly they are pardoned And if any man would molest them as the Papists for example do because their name is not expresly written in the Creed they might despise them and both against theirs and the diuels accusations securely conclude their saluation from the condition expressed thus He that repenteth and forsaketh his sinnes and beleeueth and obeyeth the Gospell vnfainedly shall be saued But I repent and forsake my sinnes I beleeue and obey vnfainedly Therefore I shal be saued The first proposition is expresly contained in the Scripture the second is the perpetuall and constant testimonie of the conscience in such as are called * The Schoolmen confesse they are conclusions of faith which arise from two premises the one wherof is immediatly reuealed in the Scripture the other deduâ—ed by good consequeÌ„ce or naturally knowne and added to that which is reuealed Greg. de Val. tom 3. pa 34. A. B. Medin in 1. 2. q 112. art 5. pag 627. The conclusion therefore must needs be true and cannot deceiue because it is extracted out of the word of God and perfected by the worke of his owne spirit in the conscience where all the generall propositions of the law and Gospel are applied If the second proposition be false as it is in all that abide in their wicked life and impenitencie and infidelitie there is no way but to amend and vse the meanes of reformation vntill the conscience may without error assume it This conclusion thus grounded is that faith that we meane when we say we are iustified by faith and it is so farre from giuing libertie to sinne and excluding a good life that you see a good life and the promise made thereunto are the premises that beget it yea of absolute necessitie they must reform themselues afore they haue it and perseuere in all good workes if they will maintaine it 40 The third terme is Onely whereby the meaning is not to debarre repentance and good workes but to exclude them from being either the righteousnesse that maketh vs accepted to eternall life or the meanes whereby that righteousnesse is applied to vs though they haue their vse and absolute necessitie otherwise repentance in preparing and making vs fit to be iustified by faith and afterward the same with good workes in the life of man For the elect are brought to glorie not by iustification alone but by vocation and sanctification also In the former we say our workes haue no roome at all in as much as it standeth in the clearing of a sinner from the law and the making of him perfectly iust in the sight of Gods iudgement which no mans works can do but only the obedience of Christ communicated to vs by faith In the two other they are required because it is the ordinance of God that if any man come and be in Christ he should repent and be a new creature walking not according to the flesh but
mankind and vpholdeth his being yea the being and mouing of all his actions good and bad so that no man could either moue to an action or haue being himselfe if God sustained not Whence it followeth that * The Schoolemen call it Substratum peccati pars materialis quae subest ipsi malitiae the very positiue act called the materiall part of sinne whereunto sinne cleaueth is of God in the same sort that all other actions of the creature are Secondly a Esa 6.9 Ioh. 12.39 Rom. 9.18 2.5 1. Sam. 2.25 he withholdeth his grace being bound to no man and leaueth the wicked to themselues wherupon it followeth that their hearts harden and they cannot but sinne the maner how he hardeneth is not by creating the sinne as he doth grace in the elect but by denying them the power of his grace which should mollifie them and by offering them sundry obiects which they conuert into occasions of sinne and ruine whereby they stand exposed to the temptations of Satan and haue neither power nor will to stay themselues Thirdly he ordinateth the sinne which is nothing else but the directing of it in such maner as he pleaseth that it proceede no further or otherwise then his good pleasure willeth Sometime he restraineth it that it shall reach no further then he willeth sometime he turneth it to another end then the person doing it thought of sometime he maketh way for it to passe to punish one sin with another And this is all we hold touching this point and I dare vndertake to shew euery parcel thereof in the Papists owne bookes as I haue said already And therefore their writing that the Protestants make God the author of sinne are but clamors and verball quarels arising from malice For they may vnderstand if they will that when we say God willeth or worketh sinne and positiuely ordaineth it or any such like we meane not this of Gods formall will but of the three inferior actions that I haue here briefly touched whereby he gouerneth it Digression 42. Againe touching Freewill wherein the doctrine of our Church is methodically propounded in euery point compared with that which the Papists hold that the seuerall questions betweene them and vs and the maner how and where they rise may be seene distinctly set downe 52 When we speake of freewill the question may be laid either touching that freedome which man had before his fall in the state of innocencie or touching that which remaineth with vs now in the state of corruption Concerning that which man had before his fal there is no question but he had a perfect freewil both to good and euill the which was naturall to him and giuen him with his creation by the strength whereof he had power in himselfe to perseuere in grace because the grace whereby he might perseuere was in the power of his will Onely he was created mutable that is such as albeit he were euery way perfect yet he might fall from that perfection if he would and he needed the generall helpe of God to preserue his nature and to moue him to his actions the which he had from the instant of his creation to his fall neither of which impaired the libertie of his will but rather perfected it In this matter there lieth no question for it is a Tho. 1.2 q. 109 ar 2. ad 1. Arim. 2. d. 29. art 1. a Schoole point that man before his fall needed the influence of Gods grace to moue his wil which he had 53 The question is touching our will now in this corrupted nature And we are all agreed that the facultie or power of mans mind called the will is not lost by his fall no more then the parts of his body are but the controuersie is about the NATVRE first and then the STRENGTH of it And touching the nature of our will we hold two things first that although Adams will by nature was free as wel in things spirituall concerning God as in things naturall concerning this life yet ours is not so but in things spirituall it is stark dead till God create spirituall life and libertie in it and so that freedome it hath is in it by grace and not by nature By nature we haue power to will naturall things but till grace come there is no facultie to will heauenly things concerning the sauing of our soule or once to mind them This is the first point and the Papists dedenie it saying that will by Adams fall was not extinguished or lost outright but onely maimed or weakened and left destitute of that which guided it and the grace of God approching doth onely heale it againe or as it were waken it out of sleepe and they liken it to b Andr. orth l. 4 Salm. Rhem. in Luc. 10.30 a man wounded that still hath life in him though physicke and cure bring perfect health And c Bell. de gra lib. arb l. 6. c. 15. § Dices quom the Iesuites hold that before any grace come it is free to do good but this freedome is as it were bound and stopped till God giue it power As a man hauing the sight of his eyes yet seeth not till some sensible forme come which forme is not the cause he seeth but that which perfecteth the sight And d Bell. de grat pâ—â—m hom c. 5. 7. de grat lib. arb l. 5. c. 13. § Decimus they write that all our naturals are as whole in vs as euer they were in Adam and we onely want a supernaturall gift to guide them which he had To this purpose e OcchaÌ„ 1. d. 17. q. 2. lit c. they write that it exceedeth not the facultie of mans nature to do the acts of charitie which may euen merit at Gods hands and f Andrad orth l. 3. that all the workes of the very Gentiles are not sinne and g Gabr. 2. d. 28. that by doing what is in our owne power euen by nature without any grace we may merit Gods grace of congruitie as I shall shew hereafter The which assertions of theirs shew what they hold touching the nature of our will namely that euen by nature afore any grace come it hath some freedome to good but if God do but preuent it then it is able to do much more Wherein we refuse them because the Scripture saith h Col. 2.13 a naturall man is dead in sinne and i 1. Cor. 2.14 perceiueth not the things of Gods spirit neither can know them for they are spiritually discerned 54 The second point touching the nature of freewill is that as some Diuines thinke it standeth not in freedome from all necessitie but from all externall constraint For I haue shewed before that Gods will ordereth and determineth all wils from which determination no creature is free but they all depend on God and can do nothing but what he pleaseth yet for so much as this will of God taketh
or no. An assertion so vnreasonable that some of their owne Doctors haue forsaken it and imbraced the doctrine of our Church Our owne strength i Corn. Mus. concion tom 1. pag. 252. saith a Bishop of theirs is not sufficient to bring vs backe from death We cannot be conuerted and saued by our owne power The exciting grace which disposeth thee to thy conuersion God worketh in thee without thee God soweth it in vs without vs but he reapeth it with vs not that our cooperation is needfull but that our consent is required when that first stirring vs vp is gone before our consent not the workes of our will therefore dispose vs to iustification but the grace of God which is against the merit of congruity and the efficacy of that grace dependeth not on our consent but goeth before it and worketh consent 65 Touching the state of regeneration when a man is iustified and adopted we thinke the will is set at libertie and hath receiued a new condition that it can will and cooperate with Gods Spirit all the daies of our life as an instrument of musicke being set in tune can afterward yeeld good musicke which before it could not and all the good that a man eleuated into this state doth are the workes of his renewed will as things outwardly wrought by an artificer are the workes of his owne hands Yet this must be expounded with three limitations euery one whereof the Church of Rome denieth k Psal 127.1 First that it still needeth the grace of God to protect it as before adoption came it needed his power to create it This protectioÌ„ standeth in shewing the minde what is good and euill in directing and applying it to the actions in gouerning and strengthning it that it faint not and putting away temptations which else would hinder it being mutable Against this l Refert Bann 22. q. 24. art 6. concl 5. our aduersaries hold that a men indued with the habit of charitie needeth no more but Gods generall helpe to the acts and exercises of his charitie And that which is worse he may increase in charitie without any further helpe yea that God by his prouidence preuenteth not the will to the doing of such an act but it is the man himselfe that first deliberateth of it The second limitation is that perseuerance in good beginneth not in the will but in Gods protecting grace that vpholdeth the will from desisting whence it follweth m Mat. 6.10 Psal 94.16 that to euery new worke the will needeth a new grace as Organs giue sound no longer then while the bellowes are blowing Against this n Bell. de grat lib. arb l. 6. c. vlt. our aduersaries teach that a iust man when himselfe will can practise any righteousnesse internall or externall by doing good workes and keeping Gods law Neither needeth he ordinarilie any new grace to excite him but onely to help him o Anton. part 1. tit 4. c. 2. § 6. And in case of falling into sinne When it is said the will cannot cooperate to rise again the meaning is that it cannot do it so easily There are among the Papists p Bann vbi supra that thinke this impious blasphemie and sauoring of Pelagianisme Alphonsus q Aduer haeres l. 7. verbo Gratia saith When our wil by Gods help hath begun to do any good it cannot without the same speciall helpe prosecute the good begun nor perseuere in it And Gregorius Ariminensis r 2. d. 26. p. 95. writeth that euery man in this present state is so weake and infirme to each good worke falling vnder Gods law that not onely to do it better and more easily but euen simply to do it he needeth by reason of his infirmitie the speciall aide of Gods grace so farre forth that without this aide he can do no good 66 The third limitation is that the will being freed and vpholden by the grace of God in maner aforesaid Å¿ Rom. 7.14 23. 8.18 yet can it performe no perfect obedience to Gods commandements nor do any thing that shal haue no sin in it much lesse can it do workes meritorious but all that regenerate will can do is vnperfect and needeth forgiuenesse as I haue shewed t Digress 35. 36. before And although u Deut. 32.4 Gods workes be perfect and vndefiled which himselfe alone worketh out of vs yet the things he worketh in vs by his Spirit in this life are vnperfect because of our flesh til the time of the next life come when that which is vnperfect shal be done away And some Papists seeme to be of this mind Altisiodorensis x Sum. l. 2. tract 11. p. 70. saith Libertie from sinne is onely in good men whom Gods grace hath set free not that they cannot sinne but that sinne shall beare no dominion ouer them But the Church of Rome holdeth the contrary y Greg. à Valent tom 2. p. 993. That Gods grace so healeth our nature that we do not onely receiue thereby a condition to be able to auoid all mortall sinnes all our life long but also by our workes merit the increase of grace and eternal life z Ib. 1061. 1077. a Occham 1 d. 17. q. 2. Biel. 2. d 27. dub 2. The substance of which works proceedeth from our owne freewill the grace of God doing no more but adding to them a certaine condition or respect that maketh them meritorious because as they imagine although it exceed not the facultie of our nature to do a good worke yet it is not in vs to make the same meritorious vnlesse God of his bounty will accept it 67 And hitherto I haue laid downe what is to be holden of freewill and how the Papists differ from vs wherein it is singularly to be obserued that we haue in euery point the voice of one or other among themselues on our side and that we haue not as b Bell. praefat de lib. â—â—b Apolog epist they maliciously report vs turned meÌ„ into beasts or stones by taking away freewill but acknowledge it so far as to make all flesh vnexcusable before Gods iudgement seate And truly had we ascribed somewhat too little to it and taken from it to giue the more to Gods grace yet were our error on the better hand and deserued not to be set vpon the stage with such outcries as if all our Church were proued vnholy therby for a Saint of their owne by c Consult ad Maximil art de lib. arb the testimony of Cassander who was also of his mind saith This is the part of godly minded men to attribute nothing to themselues but all to Gods grace Whence it followeth that how much soeuer a man giue to grace yet in so doing he departeth not from pietie though to do it he should detract something from the power of nature and freewill But when any thing is taken from Gods grace and
Papists as deepe in breaking fasting daies as the Protestants ibid Fasting was an indifferent ceremonie in the Primitiue Church ibid. Lent fast was holden diuersly ibid. Fathers and Doctors are not the rule of faith 23.1 They may erre ibid. The Papists boast that the Fathers are on their side 44.4 They had their errors 44.5 We are not bound to euerie thing that they haue said but may sometime lawfully dissent from them 44.7 The Papists themselues do it ibid. The state of the question touching the authoritie of the Fathers 44.8 Who the Papists meane by the Fathers nu 9. What they meane by all the Fathers consenting in one nu 10. The Pope vshers the Fathers nu 11. The practise of the Papists in reiecting the Fathers nu 11. 12. Forefathers how farre forth to be followed 61.2 What is to be thought touching our forefathers that liued and died in the times of Papistrie 6â— 4 Freewill denied by Papists 35.20 All the questions touching freewil laid downe in order as they rise with their true states Digress 42. The want of freewill debarreth not consultation 40.48 How it is reconciled with Gods praedestination nu 45. What freewill is and wherein it standeth nu 54. Free-will in naturall and ciuil things expounded nu 55. No freewill in spirituall things till grace come nu 56. The Papists doctrine to the contrarie nu 57. Some learned men in the Church of Rome thinke freewil to be Pelagianisme nu 61. The will of man concurreth not with Gods grace in vprising from sinne nu 64. The Papists doctrine to the contrarie nu 64. The efficacie of grace dependeth not on our will ibid. What freewill man hath when he is regenerate nu 65. Frier how defined by Lincolniensis 50.32 G. GOd not the author of sinne 40.50 See Author of sinne Good works necessarie to saluation Digress 34. They are to be excluded out of our justification but not out of our sanctification ibid. They merit not Digress 35. The Protestants do not say Good works are sinne Digress 37. Grace The Papists meaning expounded when they say Mans wil without grace can do nothing 40.57 The Papists teach that a man of himselfe can do good before any grace come ibid. Man cannot dispose himselfe it is grace that doth it 40.63 What that is that maketh grace effectuall 40.64 A man may infallibly know if he be in grace Digress 43. Greeks They haue as good outward succession as the Romish Church hath 55.2 Gropper the Cardinall A storie of him 55.7 H. HIerome of Prague a good man Holinesse no note of the Church 43.1 The holinesse of the Romane Church disproued 38.1 The places of Luther and Smidelin answered that are obiected against the holinesse of the Protestant Churches 38.2 The holinesse of the Protestants doctrine is iustified 40. ad 49. What holinesse the Protestants lay they haue 41.1 Complaints made by Papists against the vnholinesse of their own Church Digress 31. A man may infallibly know if he be truly holy 41.3 and Digress 43. Honorius a Pope that was an heretick 36.34 In that cause of Honorius you haue an example how the Papists denie all authorities 44.15 I IGnorance in matters of faith is commended by the Papists 2.5 Images not allowed of in ancient times and their worship forbidden 47.5 They are a new deuice 35.13 The Papists are not at one among themselues touching the first that rejected Images 50.5 Images of the Trinitie when brought in 50.11 Image worship when it was first brought in 50 1â— 51.5 The Papists are deuided among themselues touching the adoration of Images 50. 16. They worship stocks stones as the Pagans did 51.6 Imputation of Christs righteousnesse for our iustification is acknowledged by Papists 35.20 What this imputation importeth 40.41 Indies not conuerted by the Iesuites 48.2 but vtterly rooted out by cruelties vnspeakable which are touched at large Digress 50. The Protestants religion was in India afore the Papists knew them 48.3 Iudge of controuersies is the Scripture Digress 3. Papists will be iudges in their owne cause 5.7 The Pope is made iudge who is a partie 5.8 The iudge of controuersies assigned by the Papists falleth into the â—ame difficulties that are layed against the scripture 34.2 The Papists will not stand to their owne iudges 30.4 35.15 Iustification is by faith and not by works 35.14 20. Digress 40. What iustification is and how it is distinguished from sanctification 40.38 K. KEeping the commaundements See Law of God Keies giuen to the rest of the Apostles as wel as to Peter 36.12 They import not the supremacie euinced by disputation 36.16 inde Digress 30. What the keyes of the Church meane 36.18 Knowledge very commendable in the people 2.7 Great among them of the Primitiue Church ibid By what meanes the elect know and are assured of their owne saluatioÌ„ 40.39 L. LAtin prayers and seruice misliked by some Papists 35.20 against antiquitie 47.2 Law of God No mans righteousnesse can satisfie it Digr 34. No man can keepe it Digress 36. Why giuen when no man can keepe it 40.21 The Papists say absurdly that the coÌ„mandements are easie to keepe and a man may liue without sin 40.19 Lay people ought to reade the Scriptures and to haue them translated See Scriptures and Translations Lay men haue bin made Bishops 5.11 LegeÌ„d The miracles recorded therin are of no credit 42.2 Nor the Legends themselues 42.7 Lent fast not holden in the Primitiue Church as now it is 40.4 Libertie Our faith is falsly charged to be a doctrine of libertie 43.2 Luther His calling is iustified 52.5 59.2 And his writings 57.3 And his life and death against the malicious reports of the Papists Digr 57. Those reports are touched ib. M. MAriage no sacrameÌ„t 35.20 The mariage of Priests not restrained in ancient times 47.4 When the restraint began 50.10 Marks of the Church See Church Virgine Mary The Papists say the Church was in her alone when Christ died 17.3 Masse not offered by Christ at his last supper 35.20 When it began 50.14 Merits renounced by Papists 35.20 and 40.15 Merit of workes none 40.12 and 14. When that opinion began 50.13 The Papists hold it and what they meane by it 40.13 The diuers opinions that are among the Papists touching merits 40.16 Merits of Christ how farre they go by the Papists doctrine 40.13.29 Merit of congruitie what and how holden in the Church of Rome 40 62. Miracles not now needfull 12.6 Their proper vse 42.4 The time when the Church had them and the end why 41.4 The miracles that the Papists stand vpon are of no certaine credit 42.5 inde The Gentiles had as good miracles as the Church of Rome hath 42.6 The Legendaries tainted for whetstone liers 42.7 Incredible reports in the Legends and some also in the ancient fathers 42.8 Morall works what 40.59 Touching naturall freewill in things morall ibid. Monkes of ancient time not like ours of this time 41.3 and