but by the Mediatour the Sonne through whom righteousnesse is Imputed not purchased by workes neither to him that worketh saith hee but to him that beleeueth in Christ that Iustifieth the wicked And yet you seémyng not to bee so much as acquainted with this righteousnes by Imputation as that ye dare not once name this worde Imputation doe notwithstandyng stand so much in your owne conceite as though Christ at his commyng should finde all fayth in Osorius but no fayth at all in Luther If a man might be so bold with you it were no vneasie matter to pike out diuers other sentences out of Scripture whiche would quickly cracke the credite of your fayth As where the Apostle writyng vnto Timothe doth so manifestly Prophecie That it should come come to passe before the end of the world That many should departe from the faith beleeuing lyeng Spirites and doctrines of Deuilles forbidding Marriadge and the eating of meates which the Lord hath prepared to be receaued with thankes geuing These doctrines of Deuils for as much as the lying spirite of Osorius doth so stoutely mainteine bende all his force to vphold in this latter age of the world as besides him no man more obstinately what may be thoughe els but that either he is departed from the fayth or that the Apostle is an open lyar Agayne Where the same Apostle writeth touchyng Antichrist paintyng him out in his colours as it were so liuely expressing him to the apparasit view of the world his Throne his wickednesse his iuggling his lyes his pride his immesurable arrogancie vauntyng him selfe beyond all hautynesse of mans Nature What may a man Iudge of these sentences the meanyng of the whiche can by no meanes possible be applyed to any thyng els thē to the Romish Sée 2. Thess. 2. Agayne in the Reuelatiō of S. Iohn where the same Antichrist is set in open stage hauing the shape and countenaunce of a meeke Lambe whiche vnder the visour of false hornes should resemble the true Lambe and restore the Image of the wounded beast to lyfe and speache Whiche place of Scripture bycause can not be wrested any other wayes then to that Romishe Ierarchie whiche bendyng to ruine at the first was restored by that great Archeprelate of Rome yet in this most apparaunt Text of Scripture if Osorius faith he demaūded whether it may be applyable to the Bishop of Rome we shall finde him as farre dissentyng from the purpose of this Prophecie as if he were demaunded the way to Canterbury he might aunswere a poake full of Plummes We haue hitherto sufficiently enough declared I suppose that Osorius for all his bragges is voyde of all ayde to defende his Fayth And so for this tyme I will commit the cēfure of those gay workes which flowe so plentyfully out of that glorious Fayth to that Iudge which shall display the hidden corners of darkenesse and to the consideration of them who by the view of his bookes haue skill to discerne a Lyon by his pawes or rather an Asse by his lolieeares Now remayneth at length to discouer briefly that which he barketh agaynst Luthers fayth Now let vs see Luthers fayth sayth hee whether it can bryng forth any liuely fruite It cā not by any meanes c. Lye on yet more a Gods name First of all bycause hee teacheth that all workes appeare they neuer so godly are desiled with sinne Nay rather but that you were by nature of so corrupt a Iudgement that ye can not frame your selfe so much as to speake the truth you would neuer haue patched this lye amōgest the ragges of your leasings Luthers disputation cōcerning faith good workes tendeth to nothyng els but that which the Scriptures euery where the sacred spirite of truth and S. Paule inspired with the holy Ghost doe by all meanes and reasons confirme which we all ought of very duetie to embrace For Luther endeuouryng to make euidēt the doctrine of Iustification comparyng our good workes with the lawe of God is enforced to confesse the very truth of the matter that is to say That there is nothing so holy in workes but beyng of it owne nature in some respect vncleane and defiled must néedes be vnsauorie in the sight of God if without Christ it bee racked with exact scrutyne of Gods seuere Iudgement And hereof quarell is pyked forthwith agaynst Luther as though he should affirme that whatsoeuer workes the very regenerated engraffed in Christ them selues did worke were nothyng els but méere sinnes and wickednesse And bycause he doth abbridge good workes in that part onely wherein they be falsely adiudged to be of valew to Iustifie before God Osorius doth argue agaynst him in this wise as though he did vtterly roote out of mans lyfe all Ciuill and Morall vertues and vertuous conuersation Wherein a mā can not easilye determine whether he doth shewe him selfe more iniurious to Luther or bewray rather his owne blockish grosenesse No man euer taught more soundly no man more highly commended good workes then Luther did beyng separated a part from the doctrine of Iustification And whereas he doth extenuate the force of workes in the treatize of Iustification he doth not therein so altogether derogate from workes as rather frendly aduertize them whiche through vayne Confidence of workes doe challenge to them selues righteousnesse in the sight of God and do depende so much vpon the deseruynges of workes as though there were none other foūteine from whence our Saluation might be deriued Luther therfore vsing Argumēt agaynst those persons doth boldly auow that all our workes are defiled yet not simply but in respect of their application beyng considered without the fayth of the Mediatour Whiche beyng most truely spoken by Luther is as sinisterly wrested by Osorius as though he had spoken it simply that there is no good or commendable thyng in workes nothyng in them acceptable to God though neuer so duetyfully or vertuously performed And for this cause hee concludeth at last as with an vnuanquishable Argument That by no meanes possible Luthers fayth could bryng forth any frutefull workes like as that barren figge tree growyng neare vnto the high way whereupon grewe nothyng but leaues But this is Osorius his owne conclusion not Luthers a Sophisticall cauill concludyng falsely If S. Paule doubted nothing at all to esteeme all thinges sinnefull which were done without faith Rom. 4. If it were lawfull for Augustine to write in this wise Thy workes are examined sayth he and are foūde all defiled Why doth he rage so furiously agaynst Luther bycause he doth professe that the déedes which we call good are in none other respect to be daémed for good thē as they bee valued by the fayth of the Mediatour The consideration of this doctrine as is of it selfe most assured so doth it not tende to that end that Osorius imagineth to discourage godly myndes from vertuous endeuour Rather well disposed
forsooth and hereunto you haue pretyly stollen the wordes of Cicero agaynst Anthonius that with you Maisters tooles ye might wounde me the deéper with a false crime But I pray you Syr where is this haynous offence where is this blockish errour neuer heard of before wher with this milde sober father chargeth me wishing in me sobrietie some litle while As though I were alwayes drunken bearyng me in hand as though I were furiously mad that would commit such monsters to writyng forsooth if it please your Prelacie it will so be found in these two First that your selfe had made ougly your new glased Religion with all maner of filthy tauÌ„tes The other that I added thereunto is that some persons throates were cutte whoÌ„ no man knew but your selfe How say you Syr are not both these true I will alledge examples to discouer the matter clearely you challenge vs further that we mainteyne a kynde of fayth whereby euery man settyng aside all sorrow of mynde not regardyng good workes and drowning all endeuour of charitie promiâ—eth to him selfe hope of euerlastyng saluation No maner of person with vs doth acknowledge this glaueryng fayth no man doth defend it nay rather all men doe abhorre it and spitte at it This therfore is your own fayth hammered out of your own forge This is your owne lye This is your own cauill the which sithence your selfe doe pursue with such opprobrious infamie as you doe your selfe do disfigure your owne whelpe you dishoneste your owne creature In the Treatise of Freéwill you bring into your stage a certeine kynde of persons decked and apparelled with your owne wordes What els say you is meant hereby they keepe maÌ„s reason in bondage they bereue him of his freedome of aduisement mans will they entangle fast snarled in perpetuall chaynes and the whole man they doe vnclothe of iudgement and sense and so turne him ouer spoyled of all free choyse that there remaineth no more difference betwixt him and a stone for all maner of thynges which men doe imagine in their braynes endeuour and practise in theyr actions whether they be good or bad these men do ascribe to God the Authour therof and doe linke them together with a certeine fatall and vnaduoydable necessitie enduryng for euer By this tedious talke of yours you haue forged vnto vs certeine new Tyrauntes very fearefull in deéde of whom we neuer haue heard any mention before this tyme and which are meere straungers vnto vs Broyle them you on the gredyerne therfore and burne them with all your fagots and firebrandes of eloquence for here you doe scourge none but Hobgoblines and Bugge-beares with whom we were neuer acquaynted And therfore we suppose that these be your owne painted Poppettes deuises of your owne dreames vpon the whiche when you rushe with your doodgeandagger eloquence what els do you then murther shadowes of your own forgyng whom no man knoweth besides your selfe So the same offence and shame wherewith you do accuse others must neédes rebouÌ„d vpon your owne head when you can not finde them whom you haue accused Take a familiar example You call me dronkard whom all meÌ„ els I beleue do know to be sober enough except you that are scarse well aduised This dronkennes therfore if any be is your owne your owne lye and your owne reproch You exclame that I am madde whiche for that you do so manifestly lye wil be adiudged your owne errour your owne rage your owne ignoraunce You perceaue now at the length except you be more then franticke how truly I wrate that your selfe had misshaped your owne Religion had murthered those persons whom no man knew besides your selfe Awake therfore hereafter if you be wise and deliuer your gorge from this surfet of rancour and malice wherewith you are englutted and charge me no more with dronkennes madnes that am in all respects your equal your Myter onely excepted You affirme that you haue wounded Luther and his Champions onely But herein you haue dubbed a double lye For wheÌ„ you charge Luther with monstruous opinions where with that godly man was neuer acquainted you doe nothyng diffame Luther but batter downe your owne credite by coyning a certeine newfangled Diuinitie begynnyng now and erected first by your owne cauillations Luther did neuer allow this your owne counterfaite fayth I say counterfaite fayth marke what I speake nor euer affirmed it nor did at any tyme argue so fondly and absurdly of Freéwill as you report of him how soeuer you barke at him in your writynges It is no hard matter to espy and to barke at some one sentence of his vttered perhaps in heate of disputation which may haply disagreé with the rest of the processe But read Luther ouer and marke his whole doctrine this will remayne certeine and vndoubted at the length that Luther hath in the Church of God through Gods singular prouidence planted inestimable treasure of Christian discipline And that Ierome Osorius is a most peruerse ouerthwarte brauler who besides a coÌ„mendable facilitie in the Latin touÌ„g can profite the coÌ„mon wealth nothyng at all Thus much briefly once for all do I conceaue of M. Luther whom I did neuer vndertake to defend he hath other notable Aduocates exquisite meÌ„ in all kynde of learning who can with no labour auenge him from your cancred toung I stand in defence of my countrey and will persist therein so long as breath is in my body and although you assayle and wish vpon the same with most poysoned dartes and venemous battry yet I trust some part therof will recoyle backe vpon your owne breast and sticke so fast in the very entrailes of your carcasse that you shal neuer bee able to rubbe out the frettyng sistula of your slaunderous Inuectiue agaynst England And in this your second fault you were more then poreblind that though you would seéme to poste ouer your whole malice agaynst Luther and his associates you do notwithstandyng endite and accuse England by expresse wordes rayle on our Byshops with most filthy and false accusations outragiously condemne our subiectes in generall of stiffenecked crookednes most iniuriously Our Temples our ceremonies our lawes and our whole Religion with shamelesse toung and most insolent Inuectiue you doe deride most scornefully coÌ„demne most arrogantly and slaunder most impudently These your furious assaultes I will for my slender abilitie withstand in the behalfe of my Natiue countrey I wil encouÌ„ter your outragious force as much as I may Wherin I will not speake so confusedly as not to bee perceaued as you thinke that I do But I will so expresse all euery scabbe of your wickednes and ignoraunce in such colours that all meÌ„ shall perceiue what maner of man Osorius is if they will not be willfully blind At length you come downe by litle and litle to that slauÌ„derous crime of poysonyng wherewith when I saw you charge our frendes of a very insolencie to quarell
your owne Doctours and their whole doctrine is yours They were tractable for a tyme in the mariage of Priestes in the receauyng of the Sacrament vsing the necessitie of the present tyme but in all the rest as much as in them was they did gorgiously garnishe their Romish kyngdome And therefore in this last place you were fondly foolishe to affirme that your owne chieftaines displayed banner vnder your enemyes enseignes Truly either your memory is very slipperie or your wittes went a wollgatheryng when you were ouer earnest in your slaunderous imagination Yet are you much miscontented with these men likewise bycause they seéme to varie amongest them selues For they correct I will vse your intricate wordes by your leaue they alter they turne in and out they blotte out the old and make new places c. When you name places I suppose you meane common places of Scriptures or litle bookes of common places If it be so you ought to haue remembred the Grecian Prouerbe The secoÌ„d determinations are accoÌ„pted wiser then the first Neither can any thyng resemble the Christian modesty more nearely then if we amend our selues as neéde requireth We haue a notable example hereof Aurel. Augustine who made a booke of his errours entitled a Retractation But you are in an other predicament That is to say you are apprentices and so addicted bondslaues to these drowsie dreames the dayly practize whereof hath so betwitched your senses that no streÌ„gth of the truth caÌ„ mollifie your harts cloyed altogether in that phantasticall puddle of schoolemyre But howsoeuer you shall remaine stiffenecked your selues you ought not yet reproue the modestie of others whiche fashion them selues nearest to Christian simplicitie Neither was any exaÌ„ple at any tyme more coÌ„mendable in the Church of Christ then this of Augustine was You seé now what a stinckyng reward you haue gotten for this pursuyte of Sectaries and yet as if you had besturred your stumpes haÌ„dsomely you triumph in these wordes What can you Replie to this was there a generall consent betwixt them that sprang out of Luther no disagreement no contradiction in opinions But how much better had it bene for you to haue reuerenced that lead whereat you scorne so much then to haue opened such a gappe to so moÌ„struous pestiferours errours I aunswere that these your metie questions concerne me nothyng at all For I am an English man not a Lutherane I stand for England and not for Luther agaynst you Yet do I pronouÌ„ce this also that there was a generall consent amongest the Lutherans no disagreément no contradiction in opinions For they all sticke fast to Augustines coÌ„fession nor will suffer them selues to be drawen from it But that confession say you I do not allow Neither is this matter now in question what maner of confession that was for howsoeuer that be it is most certeine that the Lutherans did perseuer stedfastly therein As for the rest whiche you heape together are either fayned or coyned by you or banished from all men as well from vs as from you Or els they be your owne sweéte sworne brethren sauyng that they haue somewhat more modestie discretion then you Therfore this is but a slender ArgumeÌ„t to enduce me to reuerence your lead except I were too too leaddish by nature But sithence you haue shronke from your tackle and forsaken the leaden Bulles of your Monarche in so succourlesse a shipwracke without helme or cable in such dispayred perplexitie you are to be esteémed not onely a leadden and woodden but a durtie aduocate also of your Romish Monarchie if at the least any thyng may be more filthy then durte Yet that ye may the better proceéde you spitte on your handes and take hold of my wordes which are these But there came a thundercracke into our eares out of the heauenly authoritie of the sacred Scriptures that made our consciences afrayde and compelled vs to abandonne and forsake all mens Traditions and too putte our whole confidence in the onely freémercy of God Well I acknowledge this speache to be myne owne yea and gladly also And I finde nothyng therein blameworthy But what sayth Osorius to this grace Doe ye not say gramercy to Luther sayth hee that linked you so fast with such a singular benefite to abandonne all fearefulnes from you What is the matter my Lord what Planet hath distempered you I haue nothyng here to do with Luther nor with his doctrine of fayth I shewed that our consciences were terrified with the authoritie of sacred Scriptures and constrained to fleé to the freé mercy of God you say Luther hath written erroniously touchyng fayth forsooth these two hang together like a sicke mans dreame As if a man would argue in this wise Osorius is a most impudent rayler Ergo his companion of Angrence is a perfect Logician Are you not ashamed to cite whole sentences from an other writer beyng vnable to frame any probable obiections agaynst any one of them For as concernyng Luther albeit I haue not vndertaken to defende him as I haue oftentymes protected yet this doe I suppose that neither he nor any other interpretour of that Scriptures ought to bee admitted vpon euery particular Assertion but to haue relation to the whole discourse and meanyng of the Authour If this especiall regard bee had vnto Luther as in deéde it ought he shal be founde a profounde scholemaster both of fayth and a good workes and so farre to excell you in learnyng that ye shall not be worthy to beare his bookes after him howsoeuer you delight your selfe to gnaw vpon a few wordes of his vnaduisedly throwen out in some heate of disputation But by the way you stuÌ„ble also at an other straw of myne bycause I wrate that we haue forsaken and reiected the traditions of men And with many iâ—gglyng wordes challenge vs that we are beholdyng herein to Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Bucer Caluin and Peter Martyr O my ouer tedious and toylesome lucke that hoped to dispute with a learned and discrete Diuine who would without good grounde haue blamed nothyng nor vsed any cauillatioÌ„s but now finde all contrary For I am pestered with a fonde brabblyng clatterer which delightyng altogether in vncessaunt chatteryng snatcheth and snarleth at thynges ratified and approued by all men I am therfore constrayned now to play the child agayne in the principles of Diuinitie as he doth and those questions must be debated wherof no man hauyng any skill can be ignoraunt In the same maner therfore we haue cast away traditioÌ„s of men as our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ hath pronounced in the Gospell vnder the person of Esay the Propet But in vayne they worshyppe me teachyng the doctrine and traditions of men And as our Lord Iesu a litle before rebuked the Phariseis You haue made frustrate sayth he the commaundement of God through your owne traditions We geue eare vnto men as they be men but if they ones teach contrary
to your owne saying hath authoritie to dispence with sinnes by vertue of his Bulles not for a day a moneth or for a yeare onely but for euer euer which also keépeth the keyes of heauen at his pleasure wherewith he geueth the kyngdome of heauen vnto some persons and from others locketh it fast which is inuested in the fulnesse of all power is the vndoubted Uicare of God to whose most royall maiestie all and euery other powers and Magistrates must humble yeld submit them selues Whereas I say you allowe of all those titles of dignitie and not onely teache and defend them in this your vnbridled insolēcy but also so lustely couragiously vaūte and rayse vp your crest What doe you els in that blazyng brauerie of speach but coyne to your selfe others a most manifest Idoll which you may worshyp before whom you may prostrate your selfe most lowly humbly make intercessiō vnto And therfore dissemble Ierome as ye liste yet that is your Romish Idoll Your selfe also a manifest Idolatour You must with all willyngly endure all trauaile be it neuer so hard to attaine the fauour and blessyng of that your God perhappes you may picke vp some crommes thereby and through him be promoted so highe that ye may more nearely behold that your earthly God and be enstalled vnder his elbow in his palace wherin you may do sacrifice vnto his Maiestie You say that I do prouoke you to disputation This is vntrue I do not prouoke you but confute your false accusations wherewith you charge vs as mainteinours of a fayth voyde of all vertue and Religion And euer amōg you thrust in the name of Luther What perteineth that to vs Cast out your challenge to some one Deuine in England by name you shall seé how quickly he will take vp your gloue with no labour crush your Sophisticall canes in peéces You do wish me to peruse those your bookes entitled De Iustitia and in thē you say that I may throughly satisfie my selfe touchyng the iustifyeng of fayth Truly I haue perused your Uolumes deuided into threé bookes entitled De Iustitia in the first wherof ye speake much in the commendation of fayth and therein vse testimonies and Argumentes who doth reprehend you herein I pray you And yet all that your endeuour hath obteined no more but to shewe your selfe an vnnecessary arguer in an vndoubted controuersie Of the same stampe also is your second booke wherein you commend much the worthynes of good workes and herein we do nothing dissent from you but will aduaunce the same as much as you will wish vs. But your thyrd booke is almost altogether a Pelagian and beyng throughly poysoned with the heresies of the Greéke Church doth blasphemously inueighe agaynst the freé mercy of God the Father in Christ Iesu and namely agaynst S. Augustine an vnvanquishable patrone of the heauēly grace And therfore this your gaye poppet so gorgiously paynted whiche liketh your selfe so well is partly friuolous ouerwhelmed with to much tattlyng and partly wicked and execrable whiles it practizeth to trāsforme vs from naturall men almost to be Gods Neither am I alone of that opinion for Cardinall Poole also was for the most part of the same Iudgement whō although Rome had maruailously disguised yet all men knew to be farre better man in liuyng and much more expert in Diuinitie then you are he did alwayes withstand your attempt of publishyng in printe that your delicate impe which you as thē did so louyngly embrace and had in so great estimatiō as your owne derlyng And accomptyng the same to be most perillous and pestiferous gaue this famous verdit thereof worthy to be deépely engrauen in the very entrailes of all Christian hartes It is not possible sayth Cardinall Poole it is not possible to yelde to much to the mercy of God nor to abase the strength of man to much If you had had so much grace as to haue conceaued and emprinted in your braynes this doctrine of humilitie abacement you would neuer haue so nakedly stripped Christ of his grace nor so hautely and arrogantly enhaunced the power of mans will ne yet so proudely and boldly reproued and despised S. Augustine But what dare not Osorius doe who accordyng to the nature of his name dare boldly presume vpō all thyngs peraduēture you will demaunde how I knew Pooles mynde herein I will tell you Our familiar very frēd not vnknowen vnto you M. Ascham did sondry tymes aduertize me therof affirmyng that he did heare the same vttered by the mouth of the Cardinall him selfe This also doth trouble you very much bycause I affirmed it to be your own errour as which being imagined in your own braynsicke mazer you would falsely lay to others charge What then did I not say the very truth herein is it not your owne lye your owne haynous acte your owne slaunder yea your owne errour fayned coyned and imagined by your selfe though afterwardes you would poast it ouer to others without cause And yet you spare not to pinche me cruelly for so saying And amongest other scornes reproche me of my stammeryng speach as though I can not speake playnly But in the meane whiles you wryng your selfe by the nose and geue your selfe two foule blowes First of all in the matter it selfe as euen now and els where I haue declared sufficiently Then in the maner of speache where in steéde of barbarous endytyng ye reprehende me for my stammeryng toung Which neuer any person would doe that hath bene enured to write pure and cleane Latine Surely Syr I do speake very playnly and distinctly through the inestimable benefite of God but your toūg doth both stammer and stutte if the report of them be true who haue had conference with you which blemish bycause it proceédeth of nature I would neuer haue obiected against you if you had not first of all vpbrayded me with the same fault wherewith your selfe are naturally encombred At the length you are entred into the treaty of Iustification but first ye snatche at a few sentences of Scriptures which I haue set downe And the same without all reason after a certeine cōtinuall crooked vsage of cauillyng ye writhe and wrest ouerthwartely And therfore I will bid adewe to that your vnmeasurable captious Sophistry and will sift your Diuinitie a whiles which wil appeare to be your own that is to say most foolish detestably corrupt You rehearse out of my writing euē as it is that these workes are vnprofitable to Iustification yet that they ought not be despised bycause Paule doth seéme to verifie both positions Let vs seé what our Doctour Ierome sayth to this for sooth he raungeth abroad to originall sinne altogether besides the cushian He doth cruelly accuse Luther Caluine and Melancthon bycause they do cōdemne all the workes of the most holy men being cōpared with the glory of God And that the same could not be
and are you not ashamed to obtrude vnto them this grosse errour whiche is ech where most euidently conuinced in the whole discourse of the Gospell treatise of holy Scriptures Cākred malice hath not onely blinded you Osorius but so bewitched your senses that as ye can not seé the truth your selfe so yet of a most arrogaunt waywardnesse you will frowardly kicke agaynst the Preachers of the truth And yet this notwithstāding is most true That sinne doth alwayes dwell within vs and that there is alwayes a law lurking in our mēbers rebellyng agaynst the law of the mynde which draweth vs as bondeslaues to sinnyng But the Lord doth deliuer vs from this body of death through the bloud of Iesu Christ not by rootyng out sinne from vs altogether but for Christes sake pardonyng the sinnes of them that repent And hereof arise those comfortable reioysinges of the faythfull He that spared not his onely begotten Sonne but deliuered him to be slayne for vs all how can it bee possible but that he should geue vs all thynges together with him Agayne who shall accuse the elect of God Thirdly it is the Lord that doth Iustifie who shall condemne vs These are not spoken to the end to set out our innocencie perfection whereunto we can not aspire whiles we are pilgrimes in this miserable flesh but doe expresse vnto vs that God doth geue vs freé remission through Iesu Christ so that we will set our whole affiaunce and hope vpon him which pronounceth of him selfe that hee was sent not to the righteous but to the Sinners bycause they should repent and amende their lyues But you can not well disgest these sayinges my Lord for what can you beyng an old Byshop allow in the Scriptures that haue bounde your selfe apprentice to such bussardly Schooledregges And yet this confidence in the death and bloud of Christ will rayse vs vp into heauen at that dreadfull day when you and your couled generation with all your peltyng trinkettes of superstitious workes shal be throwen headlong into hell vnlesse ye repent in tyme. For we doe assuredly knowe that if we confesse with our mouthes our Lord Iesus and beleue stedfastly in our hart that God hath raysed him from death to lyfe we shal be saued For with the hart we beleue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth we confesse to Saluation And yet this confession of fayth doth neuerthelesse want no testimonie of good workes as where withall she is alwayes accompanied for we are not so indebted to the fleshe that we should walke accordyng to the flesh for if we liue accordyng to the fleshe we shall dye But if in the spirite we mortifie the sinnes of our bodies we shall liue For all those that are guided by the spirite of God the same are the sonnes of God Wherfore renoūce once at the length such lothsome communicatiō where withall lyke a most filthy hogge mooselyng in the durtie swynesty of Epicure you vse most wickedly to scorne and deride the faythfull seruauntes of Christ. For ye write that it is the maner of their thought We are in good case enough for we are most acceptable vnto GOD through fayth Wherfore we are as righteous as Peter and as Paule yea as the most holy mother of God Ye goe amasked altogether Osorius the faythfull Ministers of Christ doe not acquainte them selues with this vnsauory and hautie spirite of pride but rather doe earnestly call to their remembraunce the sayinges of Paule The night is passed the day is come nye let vs therefore cast awaye the workes of darkenesse and let vs put on the armour of light Let vs walke honestly as it were in the day light not in eating and drinking nother in chambring and wantonnesse c. But let vs put on Iesu Christ and not make prouision for the fleshe fulfill the lustes thereof c. Hitherto Walter Haddon The residue aunswered by I. F. begynnyng where Maister Haddon left agaynst Osorius APelles the most famous Painter of the worlde endeuouryng in most curious exquisite maner to expresse the feature of Venus at Coe in Greéce called in Greéke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was preuented by death as Plinie reporteth whē as yet he had drawen but the halfe of the portrait and thereby cōpelled to relinquishe the residue so vnperformed that no man of the Arte were he neuer so expert durst at any tyme after presume with pencill to pursue the President The like lot albeit in vnlike endeuour that ouertooke Apelles amiddes his blazing the beautie of Venus seémeth to haue encountred our noble Gentleman Walter Haddon in displaying the veritie of the Gospell For after hee had vndertaken the commendable and prayse worthy defence of the truth agaynst Ierome Osorius albeit he neither obteined to beautifie the part which he had begon nor to accomplish his purpose in the rest and yeldyng ouer to nature was amyddes his race constrained to surcease his exploite yet hath hee so poolished that part whiche hee left vnfinished with Apelles Pencill that is to say hath framed so singular a Paterne in excellencie of Arte that with the sight therof the whole posteritie may be afrayde to set hand to the attempt For determinyng with him selfe to aunswere the slaunderous Inuectiues of Ierome Osorius compiled into threé bookes although it was not graunted him to performe the whole yet hath he so singularely endited one booke and the halfe of an other agaynst the same confuted the reasons which were none at all discouered his lyes whiche were most shamelesse daunted his hauty pride and vtterly discomfited his vaine glorious Peacocklike Rhetoricke with such grauitie wisedome and so well disposed stile that if there were no supply made by any other the truth of the Gospell beyng of it selfe otherwise vnuanquishable might seéme to haue no neéde of any other patronage Wherefore so long as we enioyed the lyfe of this excellent learned man and him selfe endured amongest vs as the Churche of Christ had a very worthy and valiaunt Captaine So had Osorius also a couragious and puissaunt an enconterer and meéte conquerour for such a monster But now sithence he is taken from vs albeit the veritie it selfe haue no iust cause to dispayre yet can not we chose but be vnderfully dismayed if not for M. Haddons sake yet for our losse chiefly For as concernyng M. Haddon hee can not but be in most happy estate whom Gods good prouidence hath mercyfully trāslated out of this furious wretched world into more blessed quyet calme euen then especially when as beyng conuersaunt in the race of perfect godlynes he employed his vertuous endeuour in so sacred a cause where now neither Ierome Osorius nor any other braulyng barker can from henceforth disquyet or molest him There is greater cause rather to moue vs all the learned to much sorrow and grief of mynde who haue lost so great and learned a ryngleader of learning the losse of
confidence which doth minister necessary and comfortable gladsomnes to the godly afflicted consciences But our Porting all can in no wise allow of this confidence fearyng this thyng forsooth Lest this way be to swift and to easie to the attaynement of saluation as that whiche will drawe awaye the variable mynde of man from labour to slouthfulnesse and therfore it were much better that euery man beyng vncertaine of his owne sauetie should be holden still in feare rather And this perhappes he might seéme to haue spoken not without some reason if eternall lyfe were such a thyng as did depend vpon any couenaunt or condition of workes But whereas now it consisteth wholy in the freé mercy of God whiche neither can deceaue nor hath respect to the worthynesse of him that receaueth this grace but resteth vpon the onely credite of hym that promiseth is not apportioned to our good workes but freély geuen not to them whiche deserue but vnto them which doe beleue in him that doth Iustifie the vngodly what remayneth but that Osorius must either strippe the Scriptures naked of Gods promise towardes vs or of necessitie conclude our trust and assured affiaunce vnder that promise or that him selfe is vtterly ignoraunt what that promise of the Gospell purporteth and so bewraye his singular blockishnesse herein whiche is rather likely to bee true Now I would haue him first make me an aunswere vnto this Whether God haue made vs any promise at all Then whether that promise be the law it selfe or some other thyng ordeined besides and before the law And hereof Paule seemeth to bee a very fitte interpretour who reporteth that the promise was first of all geuen to Abrahā Then that after ii◠C. and xxx yeares the lawe was published and therefore that it could by no meanes make frustrate the Testament which was geuen first For if inheritaūce came of the law then is it not now of promise If we thinke good to beleue Paule rather then Osorius These thinges beyng now graunted I demaunde further if this Gentleman will vouchsafe to teach vs What kynde of couenaunt that was of the promised inheritaūce vnto vs whether he will confesse the same to be freé or not freé If he deny it to be freé then will S. Paule forthwith cry out agaynst him who doth ascribe all that promise made vnto Abraham of the blessyng of the seéde of the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of eternall lyfe vnto grace and not vnto the law yea and so also not onely before the law but euen when hee was not as yet in Circumcision But if he will confesse as he neédes must that the bare promise proceéded not of any couenaunt made in respect of our workes but was freély offred by the freé goodnesse of the geuer onely what reason will Osorius render vnto vs why we should not receaue the same with all assurednesse and most certeine assuraunce called in Greéke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if fayth as Osorius hath described it in his bookes entituled De Iustitia bee deriued of hauyng affiaunce vpon whom may a man settle his affiaunce more safely then vpon God or when more assuredly then when he promiseth simply without condition or what can be of more certeintie then that which is promised by God the Father almightie to all men without exception freély and of his owne accorde yea and that through fayth onely Freély I say whereby the bountifull mercy of God poured vpon all fleshe may shyne more liuely to the comfortable chearefulnesse of afflicted consciences Through fayth I say bycause all thynges depende vpon this one condition That is to say That we all should beleue in the sonne of God in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen I adde also fayth onely not bycause I will exclude good workes from her company simply as though they should not be put in vre but in such sort as that they shall not be esteémed to bee of such valewe as to be able to Iustifie not that beyng Iustified we should not exercise our selues in them But that we geue not vnto them the chief preheminence in Iustification not bycause we should let lowse the reynes to voluptuousnesse and treade the tract of vnbrideled lust or dissolue the seueritie of auncient godly discipline nor that we should vtterly extinguish all vertuous endeuours blot out the glory of honest actiōs or choke vp the light of true Religion and vndefiled sinceritie finally not to the end we should defile the commendable prayses of worthy renowne vnder colour of vnpunishable libertie of sinnyng in deede these are the paynted florishyngs of Osori forge glorious glytteryngs of his Sophisticall talke Wherin this our Simme suttle doth nothyng at all degender from the slye craftinesse of his predecessours Neither is this any new deuise or practize of those whiche when they are ouercharged with argumentes whiche they can not resolue cast vp presently such smocky and confused mistes of wordes and slaunderous reproches of purpose to dazell the eyes of the Readers that they may not seé the open light After the very same fashion Tertullus the Aduocate of the Iewes did behaue him selfe agaynst Paule Whose doctrine when hee could by no meanes emproue he rusheth vpon him like a Iolye Sycophaunte with slaunders and reproches vttered in smoathe and delicate order of speache with lyes vntrue reportes forged accusations and outcryes exclaimyng agaynst him that he was a troublesome man seditious a raiser of new sectes a defiler of the Temple For euen with all the selfe same cōtumelies Tertullus did then reproch S. Paule before Foelix then Presidēt like as now this our Tullian Tertullus with like vanitie and no lesse impudencie doth accuse Martin Luther of all whiche generally hee is as innocent and cleare now as Paule was at that tyme of his araignement Surely good consciences wayeng the matter indifferently cā not be ignoraunt nor Osorius him selfe I suppose will deny if he bee willyng to yelde to the truth but that neuer any such braynesicke thought dyd enter into Luthers head as to geue any scoape to the vngodly to pursue wickednesse but rather that hee was alwayes of this mynde to comfort afflicted consciences and to discouer the most sure founteines of consolation in Christ Iesu Crucified for vs. Whereby you may perceaue most vayne glorious Tertully what maner of Desperation and what kynde of Affiaunce Luther doth teach not that Affiaunce which is enemy to Saluation but that necessary and vndoubted Confidence which is able to approue it selfe allowable by the infallible promises of God and most assured testimonies of holy Scriptures For otherwise if Christian fayth had no other fortresse whereunto it might safely trust I would then fayne know of you where that peace where that reioysing in Christ Iesu is whereof Paule doth certifie them Whiche beyng Iustified by fayth haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ wherein we stand
which might haue endued him with the fayth of Christ what profite had he gotten towardes the attaynement of righteousnesse by all those helpes and aydes of pitie What shal be sayd of the riche yoūg man in the Gospell who beyng commaunded to keépe the cōmaundementes made aunswere that hee had obserued the same all the dayes of his lyfe What shall I recite the example of the Pharisaé prayeng in the Temple who vauntyng him selfe proudly vppon trust of his workes gaue thankes to God that he was not as others were that he lyued not of the spoyle did not fraudulently deceaue any man by contractes nor prodigally cōsume his owne goodes nor defile his neighbours wife committed not adultery was not murtherer or wrong doer to his neighbours neither was of that sorte like vnto the Publicane but fasted twise in the Sabboth gaue the tenth of his goodes to the poore c. What neéde I to produce Nathanaell whom Christ him selfe did both acknowledge to be a true Israelite and praysed him for his vnfained simplicitie Do ye not perceiue that these persons besides their duetyfull obseruaunce of the Ceremoniall law did in vtter shewe expresse a certeine resemblaunce of good workes and studious endeuour in the Morall law all which notwithstandyng they were not the valewe of one myte more regarded in the sight of God Albeit I do not alledge these things to the end I would extenuate the fault of the Iewes whom S. Paule affirmeth to be inexcusable But Osorius doth not seé the groūde of Paules accusation agaynst them First of all the Apostle did very well forseé that the law of God is of all partes most perfect and that it requireth an exquisite full and absolute obediēce to the same which as he conceaued could not possibly be performed by any industry of mā Neither was he ignoraunt of the vnmeasurable and arrogaunt pride of that Nation lynked with lyke vanitie which beyng by a wonderfull farre way distant from the meane obseruation of the law did yet swell and were puft vp with a most false glaueryng conceite of their owne excellency and perfection as though they had left no part therof vndone persuadyng vnto thēselues saluation thereby wherein they had much rather deserued vtter destruction And so did incurre double offence First bycause they did sundry wayes horribly dishonour and defile Gods most sacred law Then as though it were not materiall that they had not perfitely accomplished the whole law a man might iustly marueile how wonderfully they flattered them selues and as though they had trimmely behaued them selues at all assayes seemed in their owne conceite to bee prety holy men despising with a certeine Pharisaicall hautines all other Nations besides them selues Wherfore the Apostle indifferētly tenderyng the miserable errour of eche Nation aswell Gentiles as Iewes doth earnestly debate threé thynges chiefly in that place First that he might conuince the Iewes as also the Gentiles indifferently that they were sinners before God Then that he might remoue from them all false opinion of Affiance Lastly that hee might emprinte into them the true way of Confidence And in this last purpose of the Apostle Osorius doth openly bewray his blockishe ignoraunce swaruyng and varyeng altogether from the entent of the Apostle For although his Iudgement bee sounde and agreable with the Apostle in this that the trust whiche the Iewes reposed in the law of Moyses was no lesse vayne and voyde of reason then the Confidence of the Gentiles who framed their life after the law of nature yet when question is moued touchyng the assignyng of true righteousnesse Paule will teache one thyng but Osorius an other For whereas Paule doth bende the whole force of his disputation to this onely marke that excludyng all other deédes workes and endeuours whether they apperteine to the Ceremoniall or Morall law or to the rule and doctrine of maners hee might referre the summe of our Iustification and hope of Saluation wholy and onely in the fayth of the sonne of God What other thyng els doth this Ciceronian Tertullus discourse in those bookes entituled ` De Iustitia Wherein he playeth so much the Philosopher as though he were in the Schoole of Morall Philosophie what els doth he breath practize and and so greédely mainteine then to persuade vs that wheresoeuer S. Paule doth exclude workes from Iustification he doth exempt nothyng els but the Ceremoniall law And so for conclusion that true righteousnesse is not that righteousnesse in the sight of God whiche Christ doth Impute to the beleuers through fayth but that righteousnesse which euery man doth properly procure and make peculiar to him selfe through his owne vertue sinceritie innocencie and good conuersation Offryng the combate pardy to Paule whether in this quarell of Iustification S. Paule shall with more probable Arguments exclude Confidence from workes or Osorius driue fayth into vtter exile vnto the which fayth in all his bookes he leaueth no maner of place truly yeldeth very litle credite thereunto Neither is it any maruell For if the matter be as Osorius doth reporte That we ought to be iuste before God and not Iustified before God And if righteousnesse onely doe procure the fauour of God and Reconcile God to mākind wherein onely we ought to settle all our sauety and worthines And if no man an be righteous but hee that keepeth the lawe That is to say if the iuste mā shall now liue but by workes and not by Fayth Iudge I beseéche theé gentle Reader redeémed with the bloud of Iesus Christ of what efficacie either Christes bloud shed for theé may be or of what estimation thy fayth towardes Christ must be Truly by this meanes Osorius with his glorious eloquence may aswell plucke downe Christ out of heauen banish Fayth out of the earth snatche Paule out of our handes roote the Gospell out of our hartes and all comfortable consolation from our consciences Finally despoyle the world of the light of the Sunne that we may all together lumper and groape in darkenesse after this blynde guide and Capteine of darkenesse But here are one or two places of Paule obiected agaynst Paule him selfe whereby Osorius may the better mainteine his challenge agaynst Paule with Paules owne weapons What had not Paule sayth he a most sharpe cōflict with the Iewes alwayes touchyng the Ceremonies What hereof thē Doth he not in his Epistle to the Galathians protest in this wise If ye be Circumcised Christ doth nothyng profite you I confesse this to bee true In lyke maner writyng to the Hebrues doth he not say that the lawe doth auayle nothyng to perfection meanyng the Ceremoniall law Conclude at the length therfore Osorius in despight of Logicke though she be neuer so angry Ergo wheresoeuer Paule doth make mētion of abandonyng the law in the treatie of our Saluatiō there we must of necessitie interprete the same to be spokē onely of the Ceremoniall law and in
what sayth Osorius in the Ceremonies of the old law no not so for that were altogether Iewish in Fayth therfore neither yet so in any wise for this is the very doctrine of Luther Uouchsafe therfore a good felowshyp Osorius to escry out one safe Hauen for vs wherein we poore forlorne abiectes may cast Anker saue our selues frō shipwracke Forsooth in workes sayth Osorius and in keépyng the prescribed rules of vertuous lyfe That is to say in Innocencie in chastitie in modestie in abstinence in vprightnesse of mynde in holynesse of Religion in feruentnesse of the spirite in aboūdaunce of the loue of God in earnest endeuour of godlynesse in deédes of righteousnesse dueties of pietie in geuyng much almonesse in obedience in keépyng peacible vnitie and such like ornamentes treasures wherof Osorius in many wordes maketh a long rehearsall Of all whiche vertues there is not so much as one croome or sparckle in these Lutherans and Buceranes and these new Gospellers thē which kynde of people nothyng can bee named more wicked nothyng thought vpon more pestiferous nothyng more troublesome in the common wealth nothyng more readyly armed to rayse maliciousnesse to sow contentious quarelles strife enemitie nothyng more pernicious to procure the destruction of Princes none more geuē to bloudsuckyng and Treason who beyng embrued with all wickednesse licentiousnesse libertie lust with all manner shamelessenesse crueltie and madnesse outragiously rushe into all places whereby they may thrust their Gospell in place and defile all thynges with filthy stenche wheresoeuer they make neuer so litle abode they corrupt the land with trecherous villanies finally they doe poyson the ayre they doe abandone chastitie geue full scope to voluptuousnesse roote out all feare of Gods law and mans law and in all this outrage they promise vnpunishable libertie On the contrary parte I meane in the Court of Rome and in all that most sacred Citie florisheth a farre other maner of countenaunce and Maiestie of seuere discipline and vertuous lyfe And first of all in that most royall hygh and chief Prelate and most renowmed Monarche of all Prelates sittyng in Peters owne chayre In those Reuerend estates of the Tridentine Councell in the worshypfull Massemongers of the Romish Church in the great Doctours of that old Gospel in Monasteries and Dorters the very forgeshops of most pure doctrine in the most chast Selles of holy Nunnes finally in all that sacred Senate and Catholicke people no such Presidentes of wickednesse and abhomination may bee seene no spotte so much of corrupt infection raigneth no ambition no lust no insolencie neither any kynde of malice no quarellyng no crueltie no foule or vnseémely thyng sauoryng of any earthly contagion can be discernable amongest this generation But whole heapes yea huge mountaines of godly and heauealy store doth florishe and abounde no vnquietnesse or molestation of Empires and Princely gouernement no seéde plottes of mortall warres no shew so much of bloudy battell no Treason no ouerthrowe of Kynges and publicke authoritie nor any seditious plātes of cōtentious discorde finally no earthly thyng in the secret closettes of the Romishe Court in so much that if Diogenes would in midday with torche in hād prye neuer so narrowly he should no be able to finde in all the Citie of Rome one Harlot or strumpet so much To conclude it is not possible to heare amōgest that most sacred Catholicke conuenticle any sounde of cauillation at all no mutteryng of outragious slaunders no blaste of cunnyngly forged lyes wherof as all others of that sect are cleare so are these bookes of Osorius chiefly most purely purged wherein appeareth no smatche of brabling distempered affections no lyeng slaunder nor iarre of erronious doctrine no significatiō of a mynde troubled and seuered from the Castle of Reason But all thynges are debated and expounded with peaceble gentlenesse quyet tranquillitie of mynde wonderfull lenitie and mildenesse not with rigorous and malicious wordes not with slaunderous carterlike reproches but with inuincible Argumētes as forcible as the dartes of Achilles or Hector discharged I thinke out of the very guttes of the Troian horse nothyng vttered to the vayne ostentatiō of witte or reuengemēt of spightfull hatred as it were in Triumphe of victory fie beware of that gentle Reader but of a very simple earnest desire to aduaunce vertue pietie for this especiall cause forsooth that those sparkes and Embres of honesty and godlynesse which Luther hath raked vp buryed and vtterly quenched out might once agayne be quickened and florishe in that most sacred Seé of Rome These euen these same bee the workes if ye will neédes know them Catholicke Reader and good deédes of those men wherewith they doe prepare an entyre to true righteousnesse and furnish their iourney to heauen and wherewith as it were with ladders they clymbe by steppe to the purchase of eternall inheritaunce And how els this euen this must bee the right way to heauen But in the meane space with how many foggy and thicke cloudes hath S. Paule the seruaunt of God Apostle of Iesus Christ ouerwhelmed the Christiā people And into how deépe and darkened doungeons hath he drowned our senses Who albeit was rapt into the thyrd heauen had not as yet conceaued this incomprehensible wisedome out of the very forgeshops of mysticall Philosophy Belike he could not escry throughout all the heauens this hidden secret that men are not Iustified by workes but are made righteous by the Fayth of the sonne of God so by fayth that in no respect by workes Finally that the especiall meanes and singular substaunce of our Iustification is in this sorte to bee wayed as that it may not be attayned els where then in Christ onely nor by any other meanes then through Fayth onely in Christ. But if S. Paule had not receaued this doctrine from heauen or had not taught vs the doctrine which he receaued from thence or if you for your part Osorius had disputed after this sort as ye teach now in any Paynyme common wealth or before any Ethnicke Philosophers or amongest the Iewes or Turkes it might happely haue come to passe I suppose that this your Aristotlelike Iustice might haue obteined at the least some resemblaunce of truth or perhappes crept into some credite nay rather it is not to bee doubted but if the Iewes them selues or Turkes were now consederate with you in Portingall in the same Argument they could not scarsely alledge any other proofes then you bryng forth vnto vs at this present neither would I thinke expoūde the same in any other phrase of words then your selfe do vse But now for as much as we contend not together in Tullies Tusculane questions nor in his Academycall probabilities nor in Platoes common wealth nor in the Iewishe Thalmude ne yet in the Turkes Alcaron but in the Churche of Iesu Christ surely ye ought to haue regarded the place chiefly where you were when ye wrate this
any good workes How know you this to bee true For I am assured that in Porting all and in Spayne good prouiso is made that no maÌ„ be so hardy to touch any of Luthers bookes if you referre your Assertion to England or Germany I doe not a litle marueile how this monstruous Spynx can cast his eyes ouer so many Seas so many high mountaines and so great distauuce of Countreys and so curiously behold the lyues of men and prye so precisely into their maners vnlesse some Phebus haue cloured vpon this Mydas head not the eares of Osorius but the eares of some lolleared Asse in the truncke wherof he may catche euery blast whatsoeuer any where blowen abroad or deuised in secrete through the reportes of whisperyng Talebearers like a credulous soole beleue the same forthwith But howsoeuer those Lutheranes in EnglaÌ„d and in Germany do exercise them selues in no good workes it goeth very well in the meane tyme with Porting all and Spayne that men lyue there holy and Angellike For I do beleue surely that men in those Countreys do so glytter in sinceritie of life and brightenes of vertues that their very shadowes do shyne in the darke and glyster more lyke Aungels then men that they are such men as plante their feéte no where but that they leaue behynd theÌ„ a certeine wonderfull fragrant sauour of modestie curtesie singular chastitie so make the very heauens in loue with their puritie sweétenes of their vertues But goe to Osorius tell vs at the length a good fellowshyp what the cause should be that such as doe geue eare to Luther will not apply them selues to doe good workes Truely I suppose that bycause he teacheth that meÌ„ are Iustified in the sight of God by fayth onely and not by workes therfore it must be an infallible consequent That whosoeuer attende to Luthers doctrine will forthwith abandone all thought to lyue vertuously and yeld him selfe carelesly ouer to all idlenesse and filthynesse As though with honest and well disposed persons fatherly clemencie shall cause the children to be sluggish to do their duties or as though the voyce of mercy doth at once vtterly abolish all Morall vertues To what ende therefore doth Christ so much not commende vnto vs that fatherly affection in the mercyfull father mentioned in the Gospell towardes his prodigall sonne but also painte him out vnto vs for an example if that doctrine of the freé mercyfulnesse of God be not true or if it be true that it ought not therefore be published bycause many vnchast and corrupt persons will abuse the same Nay rather why ought net the truth of God of greater reason be generally and openly preached for the necessary comfort of the godly Neither behoueth vs to be inquisitiue how much this doctrine doth worke in certeine particular men but rather to know how true this doctrine is of it selfe And accordyng as we doe finde the same to be true and constant so to preach the same accordyng to the capacitie of the hearers But Osorius doth vrge vs agayne with threé Argumentes chiefly as it were with a threé square battell lyke a threé headed Cerberus doth rushe vpon Luther with threé sondry assautes attemptyng to proue by his Logicke that this Luther of whom we speake doth exâ—irpe and roote out all vertue honestie and godly endeuour First by his disablyng of workes secondly through desperation of honestie thirdly by Confidence of false righteousnesse In threé wordes as it were threé lyes And first of all touchyng Desperation and CoÌ„fidence I thinke we haue spoken enough before where we haue so proued both to be falsely imputed to Luther as that we doe yet acknowledge them both in Luther For Luther doth describe CoÌ„fidence but the same which is the true Confidence he teacheth also Desperation I confesse it but the same very comfortable And therein teacheth nothyng els but the same that the EuaÌ„gelistes and Apostles haue alwayes taught For what can be more true and assureâ— Confidence or more comfortable Desperation or more â—onson unt with the Gospell of Iesu Christ and his Apostles then that we beyng in full dispaire of the righteousnesse of our owne workes doe shroude our selues wholy vnder the mercy of Christ and in his freé bounty and elemency That is to say not in workes whiche the grace of Christ hath wrought in vs but for vs As touchyng the brablyng that he maketh about the despising of good workes by what Logicke will hee proue his cauillatioÌ„ And now pause here a whiles good Reader note the passing pearcyng witte nurtured not in the Schoole of Stoicke Philosophy but nooseled by rather I suppose in some swynesty Luther doth strippe our merites and workes naked froÌ„ all Confidence Ergo Luther rendeth in peeces the very sinewes of all godlines setteth at nought and vtterly abolisheth all the efficacie and dignitie of good workes And though Osorius haue not placed his wordes after this order yet the bent of his conclusion tendeth to the same effect For what did Luther els in all his writynges and Sermons but cut of all hope of workes and so by that meanes allure vs to take ankerhold in the onely ayde helpe of the Mediatour if this be the waye to choake vp vertue and to bury her vnder grouÌ„de I confesse that Luther was an abolisher of vertue and S. Paule also as well as he But Osor. doth many tymes deny this Assertion of the Lutherans to be true that our righteousnes hope of our saluation so depeÌ„deth vpoÌ„ Christ as that the same should be Imputed to vs of God accouÌ„ted our own by ImputatioÌ„ through fayth onely For he supposeth this way to be ouer easie and that it will hereof come to passe that no man wil be carefull studious or desirous to accomplish any good worke In deéde I thinke Osorius is of the mynde of many persons whiche vnlesse be continually beaten pricked foreward lyke dull Oxen with goades and cudgels will neuer yeld their bodies to labour but forced as it were with threatenynges and stripes are drawen to the yoke quyte agaynst their willes But this neuer happeneth in natures of mylde and good disposition but rather the contrary so as by leâ—â—ie and remembrauÌ„ce of receaued benefites they are rather encouraged chearefully to doe their duties The bountifulnesse of almighty God is not to be measured after the proportion of mans imagination Neither ought we regarde how the wicked doe interprete thereof but rather what Christ doth coÌ„maunde to be preached how much the will of God will permitte and what thynges true discipline will allow of I know that there hath bene euer great store and that we shall neuer want to great a number of that sorte of people which will wickedly abuse all thynges that otherwise of their owne nature ought chiefly bee embraced Neither is it reason to defraude vertuous personages of their right for the abuses of
euill and peruerse disposed persons Yet such is the maner of of Osorius disputation as though no man could be founde that would amende his life or embrace godlynes at the preachyngs of the Gospell And as though nothyng ensued therof els but vnbrideled licentiousnesse and outragious boldnesse to rushe and range headlong into all vnpunishable libertie and lust the decay and ouerthrowe of all vertue the subuersion and drownyng of all godly discipline finally the very sinke and receptacle of all abhomination whiche as is most falsely belyed vpon him so I can not yet gesse to what end it is alledged vnlesse he meane thereby to persuade vs to abandone and banish the preachyng of the freé mercy of the Gospell and so to slide backe agayne to old Iewishnesse with the Scribes and Phariseés and that in steéde of Christ Paule Moyses may rule ouer our consciences agayne Cicero may be preached in our Churches Truely this is the marke that Osorius or rather in Osorius the auncient enemy of mankyng seémeth to shoot at who hauyng now spent all his shot and pouder vnable at the last to enfeéble or resiste the glory of Christ any longer practizeth by subtill engynes of crafty lyeng and slaunderous cauillations to vndermyne and batter his doctrine and to bryng this deuise to passe findeth none so fitte an instrument as Osorius chief champion of his garde I haue now set out vnto theé gentle Reader the substaūce of Osorius Diuinitie the grauitie of his doctrine and the forme of his accusation Whereby thou mayest perceaue the poysoned fistula whereof he would empeache Luther For this is his practize to enduce men to beleue that Luther doth teach extreme Desperation boldnesse to sinne and contempt of good workes Now remaineth to discusse by the sequele of his discourse what force of Argumentes and sleight of deuise he is furnished withall to mainteine his challenge And therefore Paule doth not in any wise promise inheritaunce of the kyngdome of heauen to those persons who rest them selues vpon the onely fayth of Luther but vnto them which do exercize them selues in good workes and do direct all their labour and trauaile to set forth the glory of Christ through the whole course of their lyfe c. In one sentence two euident lyes the one imagined agaynst Luther the other deuilishly deuised agaynst S. Paule First of all wheras hee burtheneth Luther to be the founder of this doctrine of Onely Fayth it is as false as there is no truth in Osori mouth In deéde Luther wrate much touchyng Fayth onely but neither he alone nor he the first nor taught he other doctrine then many famous Doctours of aūcient antiquitie did teache besides him Who did not onely excell him farre in learnyng but lyued many hundred yeares before he was borne And namely amongest all other S. Paule who through all his whole Epistles doth with a wonderfull vehemencie harpe as it were alwayes vpō this one string That true righteousnes cōmeth to no man by the law nor by the workes of the law but through the fayth of Christ freely without workes and so without workes as it hath often bene spoken before that if any mā will take hold of workes he is excludeth forthwith from Fayth But Osorius will say That no mention is made any where in S. Paule of this exclusiue word Onely Whereupon these Lutherans doe stand so much In Letters perhaps as you say Osorius or in sillables But why prye we after sillables when we hold the substaunce of the worde or to what purpose striue we about wordes when we are assured of the matter First of all I suppose no man will deny but that Paule doth denounce men to be Iustified by fayth Now hee that doth tye righteousnesse so fast to fayth that he vtterly abandoneth the law and all the workes of the law from Iustification what doth he meane els thereby though he professe it not in bare wordes then that fayth is the chief yea and onely foundation and builder of Iustification vsing herein the very same rule that Logicians doe vse in their Schooles framyng a sounde probable Argument from the proposition Exponent to the Exclusiue Euen as if a man disputyng with you would proue by Argument That Christ is the knowen and assured head of the Churche would argue thus that besides Christ is none other head of the whole Church vpon earth I beseéch you Syr what meaneth he elles that argueth so then that Christ onely ought to be acknowledged the head of the whole Church If it be so that this word Onely seéme so haynous to you and others of your fraternitie that it may not be admitted as in any respect tolerable yet can ye not accuse Luther for the same but you must withall endite guiltie of the same crime the best and most approued Doctours and interpretours of elder age who to expresse the meanyng of the Apostles doctrine more liuely haue not onely accustomed them selues sundry tymes to this word Onely in their Commentaries but also deliuered the same to the posteritie to be vsually frequented so that Luther now shal be founde to coyne no new thyng herein but rather make report of the studious carefulnesse and carefull trauaile of the auncient Father in this behalfe And first of all we will begyn with Ambrose vnto whom I pray you geue eare what he writeth herein who as it were one of the same number whō Osorius doth reproch to be wholy bent to this doctrine of Luther many hundred yeares before the name of Luther was knowen hath written in this maner God hath decreéd from eternitie sayth hee that the beleuyng man shal be Iustified by Fayth Onely Whereby appeareth that this word Onely came not first from Luther but from Ambrose rather But bycause the truth shall not want substaunciall witnesse and authoritie worthy the same witnesses we will adioyne to Ambrose the like testimony of Ierome whose wordes if may obteyne any credite with Osorius will be of such force efficacie for our present purpose as that they will seéme to haue bene written for none other entent then to cōuince this Iewish opinion of Osorius And these are his wordes The Iewes sayth he did affirme that he which trusted to Fayth Onely was to bee abhorred But Paule on the contrary part doth auerre that whosoeuer trusteth in Fayth Onely is blessed c. I beseéche you tell me for your Myters sake what can be spoken agaynst you more substaūcially Let vs now conferre your saying with Chrisostome You do adhorre them as Lutherans which doe rest them selues vpon Fayth Onely bycause Paule doth promise the kyngdome of heauen as you say to them that worke good deédes on the contrary part Chrisostome doth note them for Iewes especially and accompteth them execrable which deny that men ought to trust to fayth vsing this reason bycause Paule sayth hee doth professe those men blessed that trust to Fayth
Onely Now chuse you therfore one of these two whiche ye will whether we shall adiudge Chrisostome a Lutheran bycause he trusteth to Fayth Onely or your selfe an execrable Iewe which set your Confidence vpon workes Agayne the same Chrisostome in other place makyng a Commentary vpon the Epistle to the Ephes. vseth the selfe same exclusiue word By Fayth onely sayth hee shall Christ saue the offendours of the law And bycause ye shall know his meanyng perfitely not the offendours of the ceremoniall law but of the same law namely which was endited by the finger of God in the most sacred Tables conteinyng the tenne Commaundementes Adde also hereunto the saying of the same Doctour in his fourth Homely vpon the Epistle to Timothe What thyng is so hard to beleue as that such which are enemies and sinners not Iustified by the law nor the workes of the law obteined forthwith to be placed in the chiefest dignitie of merite through Faith Onely c. We haue recited a litle before the wordes of Basile vpon the Sermon De Humilit so that it neédeth no further rehearsall where in expresse speach excludyng from maÌ„ the glory of his own righteousnes he doth testifie that we are euery of vs Iustified by fayth onely in Christ Iesu. I might cite his owne wordes agayne vpon the 32. Psalme as effectuall as the rest where he describyng a perfect man doth describe him to be not such a one as trusteth to his own good deédes but such a one as reposeth all his whole confidence in the onely mercy of God In like maner also Theophilact Now doth the Apostle sayth he declare euidently that very Fayth Onely is of power to Iustifie And by any by he citeth the Prophet Abacuc as most credible witnesse thereof Briefly what shall we thinke that those auncient Fathers of the purer age and primitiue Churche dyd determine therof Whenas Thomas Aquinas him selfe chief champion of this Sinagogue of Schoolemen being otherwise in many thynges a very wrongfull and false interpretour Yet vanguished herein with the manifest truth was enforced no lenger to dissemble in this questioÌ„ of Fayth Onely For in his thyrd lesson vpon the first Epistle to Timothe the 3. Chap. disputyng of the law and concludyng at length that the wordes of Paule did not apperteine to the ceremoniall law but vnto the Morall law There is not sayth he any hope of IustificatioÌ„ but in Faith Onely and arguyng agaynst Osorius of set purpose as it were he citeth to this effect the testimonie of S. Paule We suppose sayth the Apostle that man is Iustified by Fayth without the workes of the law Rom. 3. I am not yet come to this pointâ— to discusse how true this doctrine of Luther is touchyng Iustification by Fayth Onely But whether this doctrine was erected first by Luther And I trust I haue sufficieÌ„tly proued that it began euen from the first age of the primitiue Church and in the very dawnyng of the Gospell and hath bene so deliuered ouer from the most auncient writers and continued vnshaken euen vntill our age so that no man neédeth hereafter to geue credite to Osorius makyng so shamelesse a lye vpon this doctrine of Fayth Onely Iustifieng And this much hetherto concernyng Luther I come now to that point wherein Osor. did likewise shamefull belye Paule And what doe I heare now Osorius Doth Paule as you say so promise the inheritaunce of the heaueÌ„ly kyngdome to them which worke good deedes and not to them also whiche rest vpon fayth onely That is to say Which haue reposed all their affiaunce in Iesu Christ onely How shall we conceaue this where finde you this and how doe ye enduce vs to beleue this out of the Epistle as I thinke to the VtopeÌ„ses Looke there Reader at thy bestleysure for Osorius was at good leysure to lye but had no tyme at all to confirme his lye But he alledgeth somewhat I suppose out of the Epistle to the Gallat 5. Chapt. That is to say that the Apostle doth threaten vtter banishement from the kyngdome of God to the wicked and haynous sinners which yeld them selues ouer wholy to all filthynesse of sinne This truely is a true saying of the Apostle Who denyeth it But what doth Osorius in the meane space gather hereof Forsooth bycause the horrible wickednesse of men doth exclude those persons from the kyngdome of God which are endued with a false fayth onely or none at all rather hereof doth he conclude his Argument by opposition of contraryes That life euerlastyng is promised to the good and vertuous workes of men O clownishe Coridon But we are taught by the rules of Logicke that if a man will frame a good Argument of coÌ„traries hee must bee first well aduised that those propositions which are appointed for contraries must dissent and disagreé eche from other by equall and proportionable degreés Wherby it is cleare that this is not a good consequent The silthy lyfe of the wicked doth exclude men from the inheritaunce of euerlastyng habitations Ergo the honest and vpright lyfe doth obteine euerlastyng habitations And why is this no good Argument bycause the propositions â—oe not agreé together in proportionable qualitie The offences that are committed by vs are of their own nature of all partes vnperfect euill purchase to them selues most iust daÌ„natioÌ„ But on the contrary part our good and verâ—uous deédes yea beyng most perfectly accoÌ„plished by vs want yet alwayes somethyng to absolute perfection and of their owne nature are such as rather stand in neéde of the mercy of God then may deserue any prayse in the sight of men To the same ende spake Bernarde very fittely Our righteousnesse is nothyng els then the indulgence of God But here commes yet an other place of S. Paule out of the whiche this wylde wiffler may rushe vpon vs with his leaden dagger not altogether so blunte and rustye herhaps The wordes of the Apostle a Gods name in the second to the Romaines Not the hearers of the law onely but they that performe the law in their lyfe and conuersation shal be accompted righteous before the IudgemeÌ„t seat of God c. To auÌ„swere briefly I will gladly allow that which this enemy to Paule doth obiect out of Paule so that hee will not in like maner refuse the the whole discourse of the Apostle and ioyne the first with the last For the whole Argument of the Apostle in those iij. Chap. is concluded in this one Sillogisme All men shal be rewarded with the coÌ„mendatioÌ„ of true righteousnesse God him selfe witnessing the same whosoeuer be able with their owne workes to accomplish the whole law published in the tenne Tables and commaunded by God to be kept absolutely as the law requireth But there is no liuyng creature whether he be a Iewe and is ruled by the law of the tenne Tables or a Gentile and lyueth after the law of nature
that is able to accomplishe the law as he ought to do Ergo No man linyng is able to attaine the true commendatiō of his righteousnes but in respect of his workes is of necessitie subiect to the Iudgement and curse of God In this Argument doth the whole force pithe of Paules disputatiō cōsiste if I be not deceaued In the Maior first proposition whereof he setteth down before vs the seueritie of Gods Iudgement In the Minor or second proposition he condemneth all men generally as guilty of sinne By the conclusion he allureth and as it were driueth all men to Christ necessaryly By this Argument you may playnely perceaue vnlesse you wil be wilfully blind like a want how you haue piked out not one scrappe so much of all that you haue hitherto raked together to salue the credite of your cause Finally to make shorte with you I referre you to note marke examine and search out all whatsoeuer the Churche doth acknowledge of the sayd Apostles Letters Epistles yea all his sentences Ye shall finde in them all so nothing agreable to this your Assertiō That Paule should attribute righteousnes to workes or promise be meanes therof possession of euerlastyng inheritaunce as that his whole bent and endeuour may seéme to bee in no one thyng els so earnest as in this wherein he trauaileth earnestly to persuade that the promise of God poureth out vpō all them that beleue in Iesu Christ most plentyfull and assured freédome yea such a freédome as is clearely deliuered from all entanglyng of workes So that the same Apostle doth inferre his conclusion on this wise If inheritaunce come by the law then not of promise And in an other place If we bee made heyres through the law then is our fayth made frustrate and the promise of none effect Rome 4. And agayne If righteousnesse come by the lawe then did Christ suffer in vayne Gal. 2. And least that your lying spirite should with sinister interpretation wrest those sentences spoken of the law to the ceremoniall law you may heare the Apostle there treating of that law which was geuē for offendours vntill the promised seéde should come which law should in steéde of a Schoolemaister lead vs as it were by the hād directly to Christ which law did shut vp all vnder sinne as well Iewes as Gentiles that the promise might be geuen vnto the beleuers through fayth in Iesus Christ. All whiche titles of the law can not be construed to haue any apte agreément with the ceremonies of the Iewishe Sinagogue And where are now those workes of the law maister Osorius vnto whom Paule doth promise possession of the kyngdome if you exclude those wherof Luther preacheth Sitheace Paule him selfe doth so wisely and carefully not onely exclude all presumption of mans righteousnesse from the inheritaūce of the kingdome but also rēder a reason wherfore he doth so By what law sayth he by the lawe of workes No ye may not beleue so Osorius And therfore that ye may the better vnderstand how no matter of Confidence at all is left to the consideration of the workes of the law But by the law of fayth sayth S. Paule the same lawe which consisteth in fayth and not in workes That is to say if we beleue the Paraphrast The very same law which requireth nothyng but fayth Now therfore sithence these matters are so throughly debated in the holy Scriptures discouered manifestly by the holy Ghost with what shamelesse face dare Osorius thrust those workes in the doctrine of freé Iustification whiche the Spirite of God doth so openly reiect or with what impudencie dare he affirme that Paule doth promise the right and title of inheritaūce to them whiche worke good deédes Whereas the same Paule mainteynyng the challenge of fayth and not of workes pronoūceth so expressely That God doth accept his fayth for righteousnesse whiche doth not worke but beleueth on him that doth Iustifie the wicked Which two sentences beyng so meérely opposite and contrary eche to other I referre me to the Readers Iudgemēt whether Paule shal be accōpted vnconstaunt or Osorius a false Fabeler But I heare a certeine gruntyng of this Pigge beyng no lesse an enemy to the Crosse of Christ thē to Paule who assoone as he heareth good workes to be banished from the effect of Iustification doth straightway cite vs to the Consistorie as though we did vtterly choake vp all care studious endeuour to liue vertuously and destroy all preceptes and rules of godly conuersation And hereupon conceauyng a vayne errour in his idle braynes he rageth and foameth at the mouth outragiously not much vnlike to Aiax Sometyme called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who beyng swallowed vp of extreme frensie did most foolishly assayle and batter poore seély sheépe in steéde of Agamemnon and other noble Pieres of Greéce But let vs once agayne geue eare to his gay Logicke which being sometyme esteémed the Schoolemystres of Inuētion and displaying the truth this Gentlemā hath made therof an Arte of lying and desceit as thus Luther doth exclude all good workes from the cause of Iustification Ergo Luther doth extinguishe all vertue and abolishe all Morall and Ciuill actions Agayne Luther doth make fayth onely beyng voyde of good workes the cause of Iustification Ergo Luther doth require nothyng in Christians but Fayth Onely I aunswere that this is a Fallax and a Sophisticallye deriued from the proposition that is tearmed in Schooles Secundum quid to Simpliciter Furthermore herein also hee doth bewray his Sophisticall iugglyng whereas by his liedger de mayne he conueyeth away the state of the questiō which concerneth the thynges onely to the circumstaunce of the persons For whereas we agreéyng herein with Luther do enquire the thyng onely which is the instrumentall Cause of our Iustification before God he in his aunswere doth describe vnto vs what maner of life they ought to lead that are already Iustified And bycause it is most requisite that those which are Iustified by the freémercy of God through fayth shall continually exercise thē selues in good workes hereupon he concludeth That Luthers propositiō wherein he affirmeth that fayth onely doth knit vp the knot of our Iustification without all ayde of workes is vtterly false As though Luthers disputation concerned the actions and endeuours of them to whom righteousnesse is geuen and not rather of the cause of Iustification onely or as though he did not as carefully require all faythfull persons to the dayly and cōtinuall practize of godly lyfe as any of all the Byshops of Portingall doe But if you be so vnskilfull Osorius as you seéme to be you must learne that it is one thyng to treate of the persons whiche are made righteous and other thyng of the Cause that doth make them righteous And therfore this is a deceitfull and a friuolous Argument The possession of heauenly kyngdome is promised to them which doe good deedes Ergo
Onely fayth doth not Iustifie This conclusion is altogether false and the subteltie therof transposed frō that which is not the Cause to ȳe which ought to be the Cause In deéde the inheritaunce of heauē is geuen to them which doe good deédes but not in respect of those good deédes whiche they doe But there is a certeine other thyng whiche doth both Iustifie the persons the good workes of the persons also That is to say which doth make the persons and the workes good also And therfore you do confounde those thyngs very vnskilfully which ought of necessity haue bene distinguished If you will make this the grounde of the question to enquire of what behauiour those persons ought to be whiche are called to the inheritage of euerlastyng lyfe Luther will neuer deny but that they ought to be such as must be conuersaūt in this world godly holy vnblameable as much as may be possible But if the state of the question tende to this end to shew what maner of thyng amongest all the good giftes of God that one thyng is in vs whiche doth procure our Iustification in the sight of God Luther will boldly pronounce that is Fayth Onely yea and approue the same with inuincible testimonies of Gods scriptures Neither will Osorius deny it without great reproch of errour Afterwardes he proceédeth to his accustomed trade of lyeng Workes do follow fayth as the Lutherans say not bycause they prepare a way to saluation for they shall not of them selues be cyted to iudgement but bycause they are deriued from faith as by a certeine way of procreation for as the tree bryngeth forth fruite by force of nature so doth fayth of necessity engender good workes which both propositions are false Or els Osorius doth lye for that wanted to make vp the periode But go to let vs seé what those two false propositions be which the Lutheranes do teach The first is that workes do prepare no way for vs to obteine Saluatiō bycause of them selues they shall neuer be cited to Iudgemēt The second is That workes do follow fayth of necessitie none otherwise then as fruite by force of nature is engendred of the treé Upon these he hath geuen sentence that they are both false But what reason alledgeth hee thereto Forsooth bycause workes sayth he do either procure vnto vs Saluation or Damnatiō vndoubtedly And yet Osorius ceaseth not to keépe his old wōt to lye And hereof no mā ought to be in doubt but that our deedes shal be throughly examined apart by thē selues by Gods sharpe Iudgemēt Yea say you so Osorius What shall they stād apart by thē selues what naked vnclothed of all succour of Christ of the promise of mercy Go to what shal be come of fayth thē Shall she stād ◠the meanes whiles with her finger in a hole like a Mome in a corner vnprofitablye whiles mercy being banished mēs deéds shal by thē selues be arrained before gods iudgemēt seate If this be true why do we not rase scrape cleane out of all bookes that saying of S. Paule Not thorough the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to the greatnes of his mercy hath he saued vs For if saluatiō be yet to be measured by the law of workes to be wayed after that Standard of Iudgemēt what place thē remayneth for fayth or for mercy And by what meanes is that hādwrityng of the law blotted out by the Crosse and bloudsheadyng of Iesu Christ if as yet we be holden fast yoaked vnder the curse of the law and not deliuered by grace for what doth the law elles if we dare beleue S. Paul but engēder wrath and procure to be accursed not bycause the law is of it selfe vneffectual if it might be accomplished but bycause we are all vnprofitable seruauntes vnable to performe the law And for your part doe ye thinke any mans workes to be of such valew as beyng throughly examined after the vttermost exaction of Gods Iustice can either endure the immeasurable horrour of Gods wrathfull indignatiō or by any meanes escape it Surely Dauid that godly Kyng and great Prophet perceauyng that there was no mortall creature but was ouerpaised and pressed downe with this heauy burden and weight of Iudgement beseécheth of God nothyng more earnestly then that he would not way his seruaūt in the ballaūce of his Iudgement And therfore in an other place he addeth If thou examine our iniquities Lord who abyde it Of this mynde was he euen then when he was a most trusty seruaunt of God As for Osorius I know not whose seruaunt he is neither am I hereof any thyng Inquisitiue but what Lord soeuer he serue I doe not a litle marueile at this in what place of heauen this Gentlemā shall stand whenas his wordes deédes yea all his thoughtes when so many his lyes slaūders errours blasphemies reprochfull speaches furies impieties whiche as it were to discharge his gorge he hath belched out in his bookes without measure or end shall come forth into brightnesse of Iudgement and shal be seuerely measured by the playne and streight squyer of Gods exact Iustice But let vs now ponder by the rules of the Scriptures the pretie reasons taken out of the same whereupon hee buildeth his defence And first of all that sentence offereth it selfe vouched out of the mysticall Psalmes where the holy Ghost doth witnesse that God will render to euery man accordyng to his workes This sentence I suppose is to be foūde in the 62. Psalme for Osorius had no leysure to note the place And I know not whether him selfe euer cited the same out of the very founteines them selues or rather scraped it out of the mustie Ambry of Hosius sinisterly applyed by him there and so this Marchaunt would wrest the same crookedly to fitte his owne drift After this S. Paule is vouched of a witnesse but no place noted where the Apostle doth affirme that all men generally and euery of vs particularely shal be summoned to Iudgement where euery one shall render accompt of the life that he hath lead and receaue reward accordyngly You shall finde this in the second Chap. to the Romaines Hereunto is annexed an other testimony of the same Paule All shall appeare and be arraygned before the Iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receaue reward according to the deserte of his life and euery mans peculiar worke may bewayed and measured in the iust and vpright ballaūce of seuere Iudgement Where is this Osorius Thou must seéke for it Reader The place is extaūt in the second to the Corinth the v. Chap. Here withall is also coupled that faying of Christ with like vncited place They that haue done well sayth he shall come forth into resurrection of life but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of death He had many other places to this effect besides these saith he
if he lifted to prosecute euery of theÌ„ but bycause they were beyond number the maÌ„ beyng otherwise occupied in other studies pardy seémeth well enough furnished with these few whiche he hath piked out of Hosius if I be not deceaued and so thought good to rehearse no more Well now Let vs seé what peéce of worke hee meaneth to frame out of these places of Scriptures so raked together and whereunto to he bendeth his force We shall all be summoned before the Iudgement seate of Christ. This is true Euery person shal be clothed agayne with his own body Those that haue done well shal be crowned with immortall felicitie and those that haue done euill shal be throwen into euerlastyng torments This is also vndoubtedly true Agayne the most iust and vpright Iudge shal be present which shall reward euery one accordyng to his workes and deseruynges I heare it and confesseâ—t to be true For who is ignoraunt hereof But what hereof at length what will Osorius Logicke conclude vpon this Ergo not fayth but workes sayth he doe iustifie which shall purchase for vs Saluation or Damnation But this ilfauored shapen consequent which you haue most falsely deriued from true thynges and confessed we doe vtterly deny vnto you and not we onely but the holy Scripture doth deny coÌ„demne all holy write doth reiect the whole fayth of the Euangelistes and doctrine of the Apostle and all the promises of God with generall consent do crye out agaynst hisse at it If out of these places of Scripture you would haue framed an Argument a right and accordyng to the true meanyng of the holy Ghost ye should more aptly haue concluded in this wise For as much therfore as there remayneth for euery of vs such a Iudgement wherein euery one must yeld an accoumpt of his lyfe speÌ„t there is no cause why any maÌ„ should flatter and beguile him selfe with a vayne promise that his wicked deédes or wordes shall escape vnpunished after this lyfe but rather that euery man so behaue him selfe in this transitory world that neither his good workes may appeare without fayth nor his faith want testimony of good workes Truely this conclusion would haue bene preached to them the number of whom is infinite not onely amongest the Papistes but also euen amongest the professours of the Gospel who professing the name fayth of Christ liue notwithstandyng so dissolutely as they bryng the name and doctrine of Christ into open obloquy And as though it sufficed them to professe Christes most sacred Religion in wordes onely or as though there should be no Iudgement at all to come make no accompt of their callyng but are caryed headlong agaynst equitie conscience into the gulfe of all licentious filthyues to the great dishonour of almightye God and the manifest ruine of their owne Saluation Surely I am of opinion if you had directed your conclusion in this maner agaynst those persons and others lyke vnto them which do so wilfully rash and throw them selues carelessely into manifest abhominations without all respect of equitie and conscience the consequent would more aptly haue bene applyed and of more force We shall all be summoned before the Iudgement seate of the hygh Iudge where accoumpt shal be made of the whole course of our lyfe Ergo who that wil be carefull for his Saluation let him haue especial regard to the vttermost of his abilitie that his life be agreable to his professioÌ„ and stand assured as much as in him lyeth in the testimony of a good conscience knit together with a true fayth voyde of all hypocrisie For otherwise we doe heare what the truth it selfe speaketh And those that haue done euill shall goe into the resurrection of Iudgement We shall likewise heare what Paule sayth Euen for these thynges sayth he the wrath of God doth come vpon the children of disobedience But to what purpose Osorius is this alledged agaynst the Iustification of fayth in them who hauyng receaued the fayth of Christ doe ioyne withall fruites of obedience as companions if not altogether pure and absolutely perfect yet do yeld their endeuour and abilitie at the least such as it is after the small proportion and measure of their weakenesse This trauaile endeuour though it be farre distaunt from that exact requireth perfection of the law is yet neuertheles accepted in place of most full and absolute Iustification in the sight of God who doth supply the want of our workes with his owne freé Imputation for the fayth sake in his sonne onely whiche is not Imputed for righteousnesse to them that do worke but to them that do beleue in him For what although the horrible rebellion of the vngodly whiche walke not after the spirite but after the fleshe doe procure vnto them selues most iust Iudgement of condeÌ„nation yet shall this saying stand alwayes inuiolable notwithstandyng and remayne assured for euer The righteous shall liue by fayth And he that beleueth in me shall not dye for euer Iohn 11. But yet that promise say you doth abyde most euident and vnuanquishable whiche doth promise resurrection of lyfe to them that do liue godly and good deédes Goe to and what conclude ye hereof Ergo Faith onely doth not iustifie vs say you Nay rather neither Faith Onely nor fayth any way els taken doth Iustifie a man or auayle any thyng at all to Iustification if workes accordyng to your interpretation bee examined by them selues by the waightes and ballauÌ„ces of Gods Iudgement shall make full satisfaction But ye conceaue amisse of the matter Osorius and therfore your coÌ„clusion is as ilfauoredly shapen Doe ye expect a reason Forsooth bycause you fayle in the rule Topicke whereby we are taught to apply true proper Causes to true effectes And therfore your consequent is faultie and a Sophisticall cautell deriued from that which is not the cause to that which is the proper cause Let vs discusse the very order of your wordes And they which haue done well What they shall come sayth he into the resurrection of life c. First of all ye perceaue that the workes alone are not treated of simply but the persons that doe the workes Surely in Iudiciall Courtes is no small obseruation vsed chiefly of the difference betwixt the circumstaunces of the Causes and circumstaunces of the persons As when a Seruaunt shall commit the very same which a Sonne shall doe although the factes be of all partes equall yet I suppose that the Sonne shall finde more mercy in his cause of his Father being Iudge then the seruaunt of his Maister being Iudge especially where the Iudge is not constreined to yeld Iudgement by any coaction or expresse rigour of Statute and Law but is at libertie to vse consideration of the trespasse accordyng to his own discretion EueÌ„ so neither do I thinke it all one if a Christian maÌ„ I say a true Christian man shall mainteine his cause before Christ his Redeémer as
if a Turke or Infidell should pleade before the same Christ his Iudge And why bycause the one is very much holpen by yeldyng his fayth to the promise the other hath none other ayde to trust vnto but the rigour of the law But let vs proceéde that we may come at the last to the pricke that is shot at I vnderstand therfore by these wordes of Christ what shal be betyed of thē at the last that haue liued well that vnto those that are founde such in the Iudgement shall geuen possession of eternall life I heare this well But I would fayne know at the length what the Cause should be why this mercyfull Iudge will vouchsafe to reward those workemen so highly For our controuersie consisteth not in this point that reward is geuen but in this for what Cause reward is geuen Whether of any desert or without all desert whether for the proper worthynesse of the workes them selues whiche you call good or rather for the Fayth of the person from whence those workes doe obteine both to bee called good and to bee esteémed for good You will say that the spring of this together working grace floweth vnto vs out of the founteine of Fayth from whence all abilitie to do good deédes is so aboundant within vs whiche being receiued afterwardes through the bountifulnesse of Christ fruites of holy workes do issue out from vs which do make vs worthy to be Iustified and to place vs in the possession of euerlastyng kyngdome I do aunswere that ye do neither speake as much as ye ought nor that altogether true that ye doe speake For albeit we confesse that all the good whatsoeuer we do proceédeth from the bountyfull gift of God yet this is farre wyde from the marke of our controuersie now in hand neither is this matter in handlyng now to know from whence the fruites of good workes do spryng but after they are come vnto vs the question is how much they do auayle vnto vs whether they them selues through their owne worthynesse do worke our Iustification before God or whether they stand destitute of any other ayde whereby they may be Iustified them selues whether doe ye thinke workes of their owne nature so effectuall as to bee able alone to endure the heauye burden of Gods Iudgement or that the operation of the Fayth of the beleuer rather thē of the worke doth present the persons together with their workes to Gods freé Imputation and so accomplish Iustification But I doe heare a continuall ianglyng of this Portingall Coockoe chatteryng alwayes one maner of laye in myne eares Not fayth but workes sayth hee wayed in the ballaūce of Gods Iudgement do purchase either Saluation or Damnatiō vnto vs. Where finde you this Out of the wordes of Christ And those that haue done well shall goe into euerlasting life but those that haue done euill into euerlasting destruction I aūswere it is most true that the Lord speaketh but most vntrue that Osorius concludeth hereof Christ comprehendyng the fruites of workes together with the whole treé and ioynyng the Causes together with the persons doth encourage them with the hope of eternall lyfe which do yeld their endeuour manfully to their vtterest abilitie to performe the rule of the Gospell not defiuyng what the proportion of their workes doe deserue but declaryng how bountyfully and manifoldly he will require their labours whiche haue suffered any kynde of afflictiō for his names sake Osorius framyng hereof meérely false propositions doth with his crafty conueyaunce wrest force those thynges to the workes them selues onely whiche the Lord doth apply to his faythfull that liue vertuously and so at length turnyng awry that is to say From the Concreto to the Abstractum to vse here the termes of Sophistry seueryng the persons from the thyngs doth conclude disorderly after this maner of false conclusion Faythfull and godly Christians liuing vertuously shal be rewarded with eternall lyfe Ergo Good workes by them selues wayed in the ballaunce of Gods Iudgement doe deserue eternall lyfe What cā be more falsely imagined or more foolishly cōcluded thē this lye In deéde workes are the fruites of Christiā fayth and tokens not causes of Saluation Euen as a treé that bringeth forth fruites if the treé be good it appeareth by the fruites not bycause the fruite maketh the treé good but bycause the treé maketh the fruite good In lyke maner the deédes of the godly haue nothyng in them selues that may enable them to stand vpright in Iudgemēt But if they finde any grace or reward the same may not bee ascribed to their owne merite but partly to Mercy partly to Imputatiō through the sonne that is the Redeémer to Mercy I say which doth forgeue our euill deédes to Imputation whiche accepteth our good workes though they be of them selues neuer so vnperfect as though they were perfect and doth reward them with a crowne of glory so that the glory hereof is not now to be ascribed to men but to God not to righteousnesse but to grace not to workes but to fayth not to Iudgement but to mercy For confirmation wherof if we seéke for authoritie who may require any one a more faythfull witnesse or of more approued authority then the Apostle who beyng sent vnto the Gentiles as to his proper peculiar charge what doth he preach vnto thē Not by the workes which we haue done sayth he but for his mercy sake he hath saued vs If wordes may obteine any credite with you what can bee spoken more playnely if the authoritie of the witnesse may preuayle what more assured testimony can be sought for then Paule that speaketh him selfe But Osorius lacketh not a shift of descante here thinkyng thereby to craze the force of veritie For whereas Paule affirmeth that we are saued for his mercyes sake he doth interprete this saying to be verified after this sort Bycause mercy doth endue vs with abilitie and power to worke that hereof those godly deedes of pietie doe ensue which may make vs vs righteous before God and that hereof likewise it commeth to passe that all whatsoeuer true righteousnesse appeareth in vs doth proceede from the mercy and bountie of God and not from our own nature Such is the doctrine that he scattereth abroad euery where in these bookes in those other also which he hath entituled De Iustitia followyng herein as it seémeth his forerunner Hosius who maskyng in the like maze doth affirme that life euerlastyng is geuē to men so farreforth through the grace of God as it is deliuered to mens merites which do issue out of the mercy and grace of God But Augustine will helpe to vnlose this knot easely so will also all the most famous and auncient interpretours of the Greeke Latine Churche who altogether with one voyce doe so ascribe all our saluatiō to the mercy of God not that which is obteined by doyng good deédes
with the Gospell the persons with the thynges them selues righteousnesse of fayth with righteousnesse of workes neither noteth which are the naturall causes of the thynges nor which are the proper effectes of the causes but disguiseth the causes vnder title of effectes and effectes likewise misturneth into causes For where as workes are properly the effectes of fayth neither are of their owne nature good nor can be esteémed for good but through Iustification goyng before yet our Osorius frameth his discourse as though the chief and especiall bullwarke of all our righteousnesse were built wholy vpoÌ„ workes And that which he readeth in Scriptures shall come to passe accordyng to workes the same forthwith he coÌ„cludeth to be done for the workes sake as though heauen were now a due reward for our trauaile and labours not the gift of grace as though they do worke might clayme it as due dette for their workes sake and were not rather promised to them that beleue for the Sonne the Redeémer his sake But we haue discoursed enough vpon this matter it remaineth that we pursue the tracke of the rest of his disputation And bycause we haue spoken sufficiently as I suppose of the one of those two propositions which he calleth false and whereof hee hath accused Luther to be the Authour Let vs now fyritte out the other and seé what vermine it is and how it is able to defende it selfe First of all whereas Luther hath noted this saying to be the chief piller and foundation of Christian doctrine That no man ought to ascribe the meane of his Saluation in any thyng els then in the onely fayth of Iesus Christ afterwardes he proceédeth to the other pointe That the fruites of good workes are engendred and doe issue from this fayth euen as the fruite is engendred of the roote of a good treé and that workes doe follow fayth of necessitie none otherwise then as a fertile treé budding out first his greéne leafe and beautifull blossome doth at the last by course and force of nature bryng forth fruite The sentence Osorius iudgeth to be haynous in no wise sufferable and yet in the meane tyme denyeth not but that good workes do follow fayth But he cryeth out with an opeÌ„ mouth this to be false that good workes doe follow Luthers fayth But it is well yet that we heare in the meane whiles that good workes are engendred out of Fayth but in no wise out of Luthers fayth I would therfore learne of you Osorius out of whose Fayth good workes doe proceéde Forsooth my fayth sayth hee is not Luthers nor Haddones fayth if he bee Luther Scholer herein Come hither Osorius a good fellowshyp that I may stroke the smoath shauelyng of yours a whiles Truely I can not choose but all to beloue you and beleue you also when you speake the truth for I I suppose that the Oracle of Apollo can bee no more true then this Oracle is that workes doe follow your fayth as you say They follow in deéde apasse in great clusters And bycause ye vouchsafe not your selfe to expresse vnto vs what kynde of workes those are it shall not greéue me to do so much in your behalf And yet what neéde I make proclamatioÌ„ of them whenas your owne bookes do so aboundauntly and manifestly vtter the same as that no man can be so blynd or deafe but he must neédes seé heare them What art thou desirous Reader to haue described vnto theé as it were in a painted Table what blossoms this pregnaunt fayth of Osorius doth shewe forth Peruse his writynges and his bookes especially those Inuectiues compiled agaynst Luther Haddon Was euer man in this world that hath heaped together so many lyes vpon lyes hath compacted so many blasphemies and slaunders hath vttered so many errours hath euer by writyng or practize imagined expressed vomited out so many tauntes reproches madde wordes vanities cursinges bragges follies and Thrasonicall crakes so much rascallike scoldyng mockes doggishe snarllyng as this beast hath brayed out in this one booke wherein you shall neuer finde Luther once named but coupled together with some title of reproche as outragious fraÌ„ticke or madde If those trimme monuments of your gay workes do cleaue as fast to your dayly conuersatioÌ„ as they are ryfe to be founde euery where in your bookes and the testimonies of your witte I Appeale to the iudgement of the indifferent Reader what consideration may bee had of that your fayth which whelpeth out vnto vs such a monstruous lytter For if a good â—â—â—â—growyng vpon a sounde roote do not commonly bryng forth fruites vnlike to the stocke And if children doe vsually represent their progenitours in byrth in some lineamentes of personage resemblaunce of maners or other applyable feature of Nature for the Gleade as the Prouerbe is doth not hatche forth Piggeons it must surely follow of necessitie that either your workes whereof you vaunt your crest do by no meanes follow your fayth or els we must neédes adiudge you a man scarse of any fayth at all And therefore to aunswere briefly to those glorious vauntes whiche you make touching workes that follow your faith and not Luthers fayth if you meane those workes which I haue rehearsed I will gladly agreé with you but if your meanyng tende to good workes truly your owne writynges will without any other witnes condemne you for a great lyar But go ye to Let vs allow this vnto you which you require to be graunted that is to say That your Fayth doth necessaryly drawe after it good deédes as the Southeast wynde doth draw along the cloudes yet what should be thestoppell in the meane space to barre good deédes from Luthers or Haddones fayth more then from yours Bycause say you fayth commeth by hearyng and hearyng by the word of God I do acknowledge this a very Catholicke maxime a sentence meéte for a true Christian. But I wonder what monster these mouÌ„taines will bryng forth at the last But Luthers fayth commeth not of hearyng for hee doth not heare the wordes of Christ. What wordes I pray you and where are they writteÌ„ Forsooth where Christ as he sayth doth promise euerlastyng life to them that Repente and doth man ace hell and destruction to them that are impenitent Where is this Seéke it Reader And bycause Luther doth not heare those wordes of Christ. Ergo his fayth commeth not by hearyng and therefore yeldeth no fruites of good workes but starke bryers brambles onely Go to And what doth your fayth in the meane space Osorius Let vs heare what grapes it produceth But my fayth sayth he that is to say the faith of holy Church whenas it coÌ„senteth to the wordes of Christ And whenas also Christ hym selfe doth threaten destruction to the impenitent sinners this fayth therfore wherewith I doe beleue these wordes of Christ causeth me to be repentaunt What do I heare Osorus why what neédeth repentaunce
at all where so manifold so great treasures of good workes doe flow so plētyfully out of that riuer of fayth which workes do prepare an assured way to perfect righteousnes For what mā is he that dare presume to challenge the name of a righteous man in respect of his vnrighteous dealyng or who is he that repenteth him of his good deédes But let vs marke the sequele of this tale Agayne whenas the same Lord doth say you shall bee my frendes if ye do the thynges that I commaunde you If I do geue credite to Christes wordes and doe earnestly desire to be receaued vnto his frēdshyp I will employ all the power of my soule to fulfill all his Commaundements c. Truely I do commēde you Osorius and accompt you an happy man also if you performe in deédes that ye protest in wordes But what neédeth then to make any playster of Repentaunce for as much as you do accomplish all Gods commaundementes as you say No but I doe apply all the power of my soule that I may accomplish them How so I pray you Bycause I doe beleue Christes wordes and therfore yeld my carefull endeuour that if I doe any thyng amisse I may purge the same with Repentaunce and that I may obserue all his good preceptes to the vtterest of my abilitie Behold now Reader the platforme of Osorius his fayth Whiche by succeédyng encreasinges of dayly buddyng blossomes yeldeth continuall fruites of most beautifull and holy workes cōteined in the sappe braunches and barke of that pleasaūt stocke How commeth this to passe First of all bycause hee is endued with that fayth which fayth is proper and peculiar to holy Church Thē bycause he doth beleue the wordes of Christ Furthermore bycause he doth prepare him selfe through this fayth that he may clense his sinnes with Repentaunce and what shall become in the meane space of righteousnesse of workes in the Confession of sinnes Lastly bycause he doth addresse the conuersation of his lyfe as neare as he can after the line and leuell of Christes rules Go to Let vs compare this platforme of his fayth and the fayth of Luther and Haddon together Osorius a Gods name doth credite Christes wordes Luther and Haddon distrusting Christ hath geuen no credit at all to the wordes of Christ. Osorius beleuyng Christ and esteémyng aright of his wordes gaue him selfe to Repentaunce as became a good Christian mā and so enured him selfe thereunto that hee abhorreth his owne wickednesse and is become obedient to Christes Commaundementes These iollyfellowes haue raunged all their lyfe long in such carelesse securitie as men neuer touched with any remorse of Repentaūce or regarde of amendemēt of lyfe after the doctrine of Christ. Auaunte therefore cursed Luther and his cōpanion Haddon both byrdes of an ill feather with this your vnbelief which could neuer be enduced to haue a will neither to beleue Christ nor to come to Repentaunce nor yet to accomplish Christes preceptes You might at least haue taken example by Osorius patterne and thereby haue learned fayth and bytternesse of Repentaunce But goe to now Bycause Osorius doth triumph so gloriously of the credite that hee geueth to Christes wordes Let vs discusse the truth of his speach and search out the difference betwixt this his fayth whereof he maketh such bragges and Luthers Fayth Take an example The wordes of Christ in the Gospell are these This is the will of my Father that hath sent me that euery one that seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him shall haue euerlastyng lyfe and I will rayse him vp in the last day Iohn 6. And immediatly after the same Christ redoubleth the same wordes agayne and agayne thereby to emprinte thē more deépely into their mindes Veryly veryly I say vnto you he that beleueth in me hath euerlasting lyfe Agayne Iohn the first To as many as beleeued in him he gaue power to be made the Sonnes of God And by by in the 3. Chapter He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath lyfe euerlasting And how oft doe you heare in the Gospell the sondry sentences and the notable titles and Testimonies wherewith the Lord doth aduaūce the fayth of his Elect and the wonderfull commēdation wherewith he doth amplifie the force and efficacy therof Thy fayth sayth hee hath saued thee Be it vnto you accordyng to your faith Math. 9. Be it vnto thee as thou hast beleeued Math. 8. Feare not beleeue onely Mar. 5. Beleeue onely and thy daughter shal be made whole Luc. 8. If thou canst beleeue all things be possible to the beleuing mā Math. 9. And he that beleueth in me shall do the workes which I do and greater workes thē I do shall he do Iohn 14. You doe acknowledge these wordes of Christ I suppose which you can not deny I demaūde of you now whether your fayth or Luthers fayth do agreé better with the wordes of Christ Luthers that doth call backe all thyngs vnto fayth Or yours that doth yeld ouer all to the workes of righteousnesse Whenas the Lord being dayly conuersaunt with the Publicanes as the Gospell reporteth doth preferre the Publicane before the Pharisee Mary Magdalene before Simō Banqueteth his prodigall Sonne more sumptuously then his obedient brother whenas he carrieth vpon his shoulders his scattered and lost sheepe looketh narrowly for his lost groate bindeth vp the woundes of him that fell among theeues offereth him selfe a Phisition to the sicke more gladly then to them that were sounde and whole whenas hee placeth Harlottes and Sinners in the kingdome of God before the Pharisees when hee requiteth their trauaile with equall wages that came to worke the last houre of the day with them that bare the brunte and heate of the whole day in the Vynearde when hee compareth and setteth the last before the first when hee promiseth Paradise to the theefe for his faithes sake onely when he fashioneth Paule of a deadly Enemie to be an Apostle whenas he doth not onely receaue to mercy the Gentiles castawayes by nature excluded from the promise voyde of all hope Reprobates for their Idolatrie but hath them in greater estimation then his naturall Sonnes What did hee meane els by all these examples then to disclose vnto vs the secret mystery of our Iustification Which consisteth rather in forgeuenesse of Sinnes then in doyng good deédes which is to be esteémed by the onely mercy and promise of God wherof we take hold fast through fayth and is not to be wayed by the valew of righteousnes nor any merites of workes Therfore sithence all you opinion doth so wholy discene from this kynde of Doctrine with what face can you affirme that your Fayth is consonaunt with the wordes of Christ and Luthers discrepaunt The Apostle doth in so many places throughout his whole Epistles thunder out as it were that there is no righteousnesse but through the faith of Iesu Christ that no saluatiō is to be obteined
persons are so much the more enflamed to embrace vertue by how much they finde them selues more bounde to Gods bountyfull mercy for as I vnderstand nature hath so prouided that fayth workyng by loue should alwayes be more effectuall thē the law constrainyng through feare If this rule of Paule can not yet be beaten into that bussardly braynes how that our déedes be voyde of all prayse and estimation teachyng you that all thyng is Sinne that is wrought without fayth Let Augustine yet preuayle somewhat with you Beléeue sayth he in him that doth Iustifie the wicked that thy good workes may proue good workes For I will not vouchsafe to call them good as long as they do issue from an euill trée And therefore our Sauiour him selfe recityng and rewardyng the good déedes of his faythfull doth not speake in this maner as though he spake generally Thou hast fedde the hungry Thou hast lodged the harbourlesse Thou hast refreshed the néedy and clothed the nacked but restrainyng all these thynges to the fayth which ought to be towardes him I was hungry sayth he and ye fedde me and I was naked and ye clothed me I was in miserie in chaines and emprisoned and you visited me and gētly refreshed me I was harbourlesse and ye refreshed me c. So that he regarded not so much the deédes them selues which are indifferently employed vpō the relief of the néedy as he esteémed the fayth which worketh those déedes for Gods sonnes sake his names sake Wherefore forasmuch as vpon this fayth dependeth not onely the Iustification of all mankynde but of all the actions of mans lyfe in the sight of God as vpon this onely roote and foundatiō what absurditie ensueth hereof to say That all our workes as of them selues their owne nature are filthy in the sight of God vnlesse they be sprinckled with the fayth bloud of the Mediatour Now these thyngs beyng agreéd vpon Let vs returne to the Argument of Osorius The fayth of Luther sayth Osorius can by no meanes yeld any good fruite Why so Bycause hee doth say that all our workes seeme they neuer so holy are infected and wholy defiled Go to and what more Ergo. No liuely fruites of good workes sayth hee can ensue from Luthers fayth for as much as all our doyngs are corrupt and sinneful as Luther him selfe witnesseth I do heare you aunswere you That the Antecedent is true but the consequent most salfe For to confesse that to be true which Luther hath most truly alledged that all our good deédes beyng viewed with the eyes of Gods Iustice without fayth and without the Mediatour are of them selues no lesse abhorred in the sight of God then wicked sinners yet is not Osorius conclusion therefore true that Luthers fayth is the wellspryng and seédeplot of all vngodlynes The reason therof is euident For whatsoeuer actiōs or endeuours of mās life are of their own nature blame-worthy the fault of the same proceédeth not from fayth but frō the poysoned corruption of our weake fleshe And therfore Luther agreéing very wel with Augustin cōmaūdeth to take hold-fast of fayth That our workes may thereby be made good workes For as much as whatsoeuer is not of fayth and is not onely not shielded vnder her protectiō deserueth not to be accompted for good but also after the testimony of Paule is esteémed in the sight of God no better then very sinne and offence This matter beyng confessed a mā may frame an Argumēt agaynst Osorius much more fitly after this maner For as much as the law in her proper effect cā do nothing but engender wrath and was for this purpose published that sinne should appeare much more sinnefull It followeth rather by Osor. doctrine who seémeth to mainteine with the whole bent of his skil the glory of the law that no good workes are engendred of the law but sinne rather as from whēce more plentyfull matter of wrath is raysed to our destruction But Luther handleth the matter farre otherwise all whose Diuinitie howe much the more carefully doth enseale vnto vs the fayth of Christ which is the onely mother and nourse of all vertuous deédes so much the greater encrease of good workes must of necessitie spryng by his doctrine And therefore as I suppose we haue handsomely enough for this tyme wrong out of Osorius his fingers this choakyng bone wherewith he hath kept all this sturre agaynst Luther and thrust it into his owne throate That Luthers fayth is the well spring seede plot of all wickednes but his faith the founteine of all vertue But here comes an other bolt out of the same quiuer as well made and as wisely shotte Let vs behold how neare the marke he shootes withall Agayne bycause Luther doth affirme that the force of lust is so strong that he beleeueth no man able to resiste it It is a common custome I perceaue amongest many persons to extenuate and despise boldly Originall sinne and that decay of nature in wordes but I could neuer finde any one that was able to suppresse and vtterly subdue the strength therof in deéde in this mortall lyfe except that onely man of whom it is written Whiche of you doth accuse me of sinne vnlesse we will couple this our Osorius next vnto him and make him his equall who with singular vnspeakeable courage doth fight agaynst nature so stoutely I thinke that no force of naturall corruptiō no entycementes of ticklyng lust can driue him from his state of innocencie But I will no more rippevp the lyfe and maners of Osorius I will examine the force and vigour of his Arguments and the vnioynted ioyntes and shiuered sinewes therof Luther doth deny that man in this lyfe is able to vanquishe the strength of sinne vtterly raignyng in the fleshe Ergo No good workes doe proceede from Luthers Fayth Why do ye not by the same Logicke conclude likewise Ergo There is nothyng in the world besides the Crowe that is blacke Nor any skill in the learned that is not in Osor. packe But go to let vs chaūge the names of men let the matter remayne And in place of Luther let vs vse the name of Paule Marke now as wise a reason or rather the very same onely the names of persons beyng chaunged Paule complainyng of the sinne which doth accosiber his flesh doth protest that in his flesh dwelleth no good thing Ergo No good workes are engēdred out of Paules fayth For what difference is there I pray you betwixt the wordes of Paule Luthers positiō if ye compare them together rightly whenas eche of them with vnelagreable assent haue relation to the selfe same vnuanquishable tyranny of Originall Sinne. But now let vs heare how necessarily this consequent must follow of this wonderfull reason wherewith hee would seéme to proue that Luthers fayth is the vtter subuertour of all good workes for in this wise crawleth forward that lyeng spirite out of
ouerwhelmed the glorious Maiestie of the Grace of the Gospell did of an incomparable shamelesse excessiue Impudencie extoll aboue Moone and Starres yea beyond all compasse of reason the force of mans Freewill in such wise that nothyng might beare palme besides mans merites onely and the workes of Freewill the mercy of God beyng vtterly banished and exiled Or if they did at any tyme admitte Grace to be cape marchaunt as it were with Freewill least they might seéme vtterly to exclude Grace Yet did they so admitte her as they dyd the Article of Iustification Wherein as they did with most vayne practize enforce this one point cōtinually to witte That fayth onely without workes could not Iustifie euen so and in lyk◠maner in this question of Freewill they would neédes haue this to bee graunted that the Grace of God was not the onely foundresse of good workes and of our Electiō but a seruaūt rather or at the most a companion of Freewill Whose vnmeasurable errour forced Martin Luther to that vehemet sharpnesse of speach and not without good cause And yet in all that his heate of wordes what can any man I pray you finde beyng not otherwise lead by corrupt affection that is cōtrary to the naturall truth of thyngs or that is not in all respectes faithfully agreable with the very spirite wordes of Gods Scriptures Freewill is denyed to be of any value not bycause it is of it selfe nothyng if you respect the substaunce of it but in respect of the operation therof it is sayd to be altogether vneffectuall to that worke whereunto it is supposed to be conducible not much vnlike to that figuratiue phrase of speach wherewith Paule doth esteéme of Circumcision and Uncircumcision to be nothyng worth wherewith Esay the Prophet doth tearme Idolles and Idollmakers to be nothyng and wherewith Ieremy beholdyng the earth with open eyes was sayd hee saw nought Or as a man might say that Osorius doth say nothyng at all when as otherwise he is ouer lauishe of toung if you regard his wordes and sillables but nothyng at all to the purpose if ye cōsider his Argumentes Semblably Freewill is called a fayned deuise amongest thynges or a tittle without substaunce from whence ariseth no preiudice to mās nature onely the corruption of nature is discouered hereby For it is vndoubted as Augustine truly teacheth that we do will when we will and that we doe worke when we worke But to be able to will and to be able to worke bee bringeth to passe in vs of whom it is sayd God is hee that worketh in vs both to will and to doe geuing most effectuall power to our will whiche sayd I will bring to passe that you shall doe Aud agayne in other place Thinking sayth he we do beleue thinking we doe speake thinking we doe all whatsoeuer we doe c. Loe here you haue the tittle of Freewill And forthwith in the same Chap. But to the attaining the way of righteousnesse and the true worshipping of God we are altogether of our selues insufficient for all our sufficiencie herein proceedeth frō God c. Where you may easily conceaue the substaūce it selfe which Augustine acknowledgeth to be none at all in Freewill but affirmeth boldly to cōsiste wholy in God Albeit neither doth Luther him selfe when he tearmeth Freewill to be a fantasie or deuise in thyngs simply and barely affirme the same to be so but annexeth thereunto an addition namely Post peccatum ante gratiam That is to say After Sinne and before Grace Whereby the godly Reader may vnderstand that those persones are not noted here whom either the Grace of Christ hath vouchsafed into Freédome or whō after Grace receaued Christ will crowne in glory to come For there be certeine distinct differences of tymes and persons if you know them not Osorius whiche ought chiefly to be obserued wherein if you be as yet vnskillfull ye may repayre to your M. Lumbard who will lead you to a descriptiō of Free-will deuidyng it into foure braunches as it were Wherof the first is The same that was created ioyntly with mans nature at mans first creation sounde and perfect The second whiche after mans fall was throwen downe in them that were not regenerated The third whiche is proper and peculiar to the godly after their conuersion vnto Grace The last which shal be accomplished in those that shal be glorified As touchyng the first and last whereof the Deuines make no question at all as I suppose Agayne if you will assigne Freewill to the thyrd braunche Luther will nothyng gaynsay you whose disputation concerneth those persons chiefly who after Sinne before their conuersion beyng wounded with originall Sinne haue not as yet recouered health in Christ Iesu through the triacle of better Grace In which sort of people if you be of opinion that the state of Freewill ought by any meanes to be defended I would fayne learne of you first whether ye will inueste those persons with Freewill playnly perfectly whole and not diminished or otherwise If you will attribute such a freédome vnto them it remayneth then that by way of definition ye expounde the difference betwixt the state and condition of the first man before his fall and this latter state and condition after his fall But if you will dismember it and will graunt vnto them certeine vnperfect dregges thereof onely neither will Luther vary much from you herein so that ye will yeld some distinctiō thereunto and vtter playnly and distinctly what kynde of libertie you meane in what thynges you settle it and how it ought to be taken what this word Freewill emporteth and to what actions of mans lyfe it ought to be referred and withall will vnlose those crabbed knottes of equiuocatiōs wherewith ye seéke to entrappe the truth For whereas the actions of mans lyfe are not all of one sort or kynde some wherof proceédyng from nature it selfe be naturall others altogether faultie and corrupt others politique and apperteinyng to maners are morall called good Agayne some other spirituall and consiste in the worshyppyng of God It behoued you here to make manifest vnto vs whiche of those actions you do meane If you speake of the first kynde certes euē vnto these by the very law of cōmon nature it selfe we are all fastened boūde of necessitie wherby we are bereft of the greatest part of our freédome For what freédome can bee so mighty in mans wil as to preserue mā so that he neuer neéde to sleépe but be alwayes watchfull that he neuer be sicke but alwayes healthy neuer receaue sustenaūce not to disgest the foode receaued not to prouide for his houshold not to be carefull for him selfe his family not to be busied abroad not to rest at home not to enioy the commō ayre not to lyue not to dye not to performe the other dueties apperteinyng to mans lyfe whereunto we are forcibly drawen by course of
be agreable to reason For God did also foreknow the euill will of the reprobate as there is nothyng in the world that his vnsearcheable purpose did not foreknow euen aswell as he foreknew before the glory of the elect that should come yet did he not therfore chuse vnto glory some bycause he foreknew thē nor did chuse all thynges which he did foreknow but whatsoeuer his Electiō had predestinated it is out of all doubt that the same were all foreknowen 4. Agayne the foreseéne pety workes which they make to be the cause of Election are either our owne or properly apperteynyng to God If they be Gods and not ours where then is the freédome of our choyse any merites of works But if they be ours that is to say in the direction of our owne willes then is that false that Paule teacheth God it is that worketh in vs both to will and to worke declaryng hereby that we are vnable to will or to attemp any thyng that good is without Gods assistaunce 6. The fift reason is this whatsoeuer is the cause of the cause is worthely adiudged the cause of the effect If the foreseéne workes of the faythfull be the cause of Predestination certes they must neédes be the cause of Iustification also whiche is directly opposite and aduersary to the doctrine of Paule and the Grace of Christ. 6. Workes as they issue from vs are thynges vncerteine But Gods Election is a thyng alwayes certeyne and permanent Now by what reasō will Osorius proue then that thyngs beyng of their own nature certeine vnchangeable shall depēd vpon thynges transitory and variable Not but foreknowledge sayth he of thynges that are foreseene doth stand in a certeine permanēt and vnremoueable assuraunce Neither do I deny this And therefore when the foreknowledge of God hath established thyngs in such a Necessary vnaduoydeable assuraunce whiche will be chaunged by no alteration what should moue him to gnaw so greédely vpon Luther for teachyng such a Necessitie of our workes 7. When as God did regarde the people of the old Testament as a Damsell naked polluted and adulteresse c. Agayne in the new Testamēt where we are heare the vyle things things despised in this world and thyngs which are not to be had in estimation with God Moreouer whereas accordyng to the testimony of August Gods Electiō is said to haue ouerpassed many Philosophers notable for their vertue famous for the cōmendable cōuersation of life doth not the thyng it self declare sufficiently that the whole exploite of our saluation is accōplished not of any desert of our workes that were foreseéne but of his onely bountyfull benignitie and most acceptable freé mercy 8. Moreouer what shall be sayd of Infantes who are taken out of this worlde assoone as they are Baptised what shall we thinke of the theéfe hangyng on the Crosse and others the lyke who hauyng lyued most abhominably were yet receaued into the kyngdome of Christ by holy repentaunce onely thorough fayth whenas they had done no good worke at all were either any workes to come foreseéne in these persons which were none at all shall we Iudge that they wanted Electiō bycause they wanted workes foreseéne before 2. Furthermore whereas this seémeth to be the onely scope of Paules Epistle to extoll and aduaunce the freé mercy of God by all meanes possible surely this scope is vtterly ouerthrowen and rooted out if the whole action of freé Election must be decided by merites of workes foreseéne before Whiche matter moued Augustine so much that to preferre knowledge of workes yea of foreknowledge of fayth either before the Grace of Election he adiudged matter of all other most intollerable 10. Lastly bycause Osorius doth so scornefully loathe our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 innouations as her termeth them as newfangled deuises of rascallike abiects to make it euidēt that we are not altogether destitute of antiquitie to iustifie our Assertions to be true we will ioyne with vs herein the Iudgement of Augustine who excludeth foreseéne workes altogether from the worke of Gods Electiō For these are his wordes most expressely set downe And least peraduenture the faythfull should bee thought to be Elect sayth he before the foundation of the world for their workes that were foreseene he proceedeth addeth therto But if Electiō come by Grace then cōmeth it not now of workes Or els Grace now is not Grace at all c. What say you moreouer to this that in an other place hee doth vtterly deny that choyse was made of the younger to beare rule ouer the Elder through the very foreknowledge of any workes at all c. Which matters being thus set in order what remayneth but that we encounter with our aduersaries argumentes wherwith they endeuour to reuiue the auncient heresie of Pelagius and hale it out of hell agayne For as those olde heretiques dyd teach that mans will was so farforth freé as that euery man was elected for the merite of their workes foreseéne before by God none otherwise do these our new Pelagians iarre vpon the same string or not very much vnlike treading the track of their forerunners the Archheretiques referring all thinges in lyke sort to workes foreseéne before least something maye seéme to bee found altogether without recompence in the behalfe of our most bountifull and souereigne God And amongest these notable Champions rusheth out this couragious ringleader Osorius and geueth a proud onset agaynst the kingdome of Grace and hath so disposed the whole force of hys battery that the maiestie of Freewill may not by any meanes bee endamaged trustyng chiefly to this Target of proofe before mentioned arguyng on this wise If election did consist of freemercy onely sayth he without respect or choyse of any the thinges that God did foresee he might be worthely accused of vnaduised and rashe dealyng But now whereas God accordyng to his vnpenetrable counsell doth determine all thinges aduisedly in a certayne well disposed order Ergo Gods Election doth not consiste of his mercy onely without respect or choyse of workes which he foresaw would be done by the faythfull To aunswere these thinges brieflye If Osorius senselesse iudgement were not throughly ouerwhelmed with heddinesse and rashenes he would not skatter abroad such black and thick cloudes to vse Augustines wordes and such crafty cautels of confused disputations We doe know and confesse Osorius that God doth neuer any thyng at all aduētures nor vnaduisedly Yet doth not that rashe imagination therefore followe whiche you haue as rashely conceaued in that blynde denne of your intoxicate braynes to witte that workes foreseene before are the cause of Election Moreouer Gods Election is neyther therefore decreéd vpon without cause nor yet therefore guyded by blynde chaunce though it hang not vpon the choyse of works afterwardes to be done But Osor. beyng a very naturall Philosopher and very Ethicall seémeth to
of God which we do see were begonne and atchieued not for any fayth foreseene before nor for any foreknowne good works but to magnifie and make discernable hys power and the prayse of hys grace And yet is not this vntrue that the fayth of the holy ones was foreseene and the works of the vngodly were foreknowne long before they were but yet these do follow as effectes and do not preuent nor make predestination nor do certifie a reason or playne demonstracion of Gods prouidence but are thēselues established rather by the reason of Gods prouidence For to hym that will enquire amongest all the workes of God what is it that his most hyest and vnsearcheable will hath respect vnto chiefly for what reason for what cause and to what end all these were instituted in the same order and maner as we do beholde them the matter may by this reason be made notorious vnto hym to make manifest sayth he the power of hys wrathe and to make knowne the riches of hys mercy But I will pursue the other reasons wherewith they do vrge vpon vs. If thou wilt conuert vnto me I will conuert thee and if thou be retourned and will make thy self to be retourned thou shalt stand before my face If thou wilt make separation of that which is precious from that which is vile thou shalt be euen as myne own mouth Be ye tourned and I will heale you I will retourne and not turne away my face from you The office of the holyghost is of two sortes the outward calling by preaching And the Inward operation of the minde whereof the first is layd open for all men indifferently the other concerneth none but the chosen properly Moreouer for asmuch as repentaunce is a spirituall resurrection frō death I cannot see how the same may be within the compasse of mans power more then for a man that hath bene dead can be able to restore hymself to lyfe agayne If God do vouchsafe to empart hys liberalitie to some without all respect of preparation he shal be iniurious and cruell to the others whō he passeth ouer in the meane time God doth witnes of hymselfe that he alone is he that is able do discerne and Iudge betwixt men when as otherwise we are all like eche other in all thinges but after what maner GOD doth discerne make the difference the scriptures doe declare Not in respect of mans preparation but according to the good pleasure of hys will for so we reade Ephes. That God hath predestinate vs all according to the purpose of hys will c. If God should not worke in respect of the workes foreseene before he should seeme vnrighteous in hys election S. Paule doth propose these same obiections to himself and withall maketh an aunswere to the quarrelling cauiller O man what art thou that doest aunswere with God adding thereunto the similitude of the Clay and the Potter And yet GOD hath much more power ouer men then the Potter hath ouer the clay If the Potter be at his owne libertie to fashion the Uessels as he will himselfe shall it not be as lawfull for God to shewe forth hys power vpon hys owne creatures but that he must be enforced to follow mens merites and that our deedes now must be vnto hym a rule of Election Roboam was sayd to be reiected for this cause because he did not encline hys hart to seeke God Ergo It is in mans power to make the harte apte to receaue grace The hardnes and peruersenes of the hart wherewith we are made prone and propense to wickednes vprofitable and vnable to do good is a generall disease of all mankinde vntill the new regeneration of the holyghost do minister a new remedy for the same Which remedy if it come once Grace is to be thanked for it onely If it do not come let euery man impute it to his owne frowardnes and to hys naturall disease and not vnto God who did create mans nature whole and sound at the beginning Briefly to aunswere at a worde This aunswere shall suffice to all those threatninges and exhortations which our aduersaryes do pyke out of the bookes of sacred scriptures euery where and do obiect agaynst vs. I may seeme perhapps to haue bene ouerlong and tedious in heaping together and confuting the obiections of our aduersaries It remaineth now that I make aunswere to certeine slaunders and lyes of these persones who being vnable to bring any thing to passe with sound argumentes and good matter do attempt the ouerthrow thereof with crooked conueyaunce with false slaūderous cauillations wherein as many others do turmoyle themselues very much so doth this our porting all ouer greedely busye hymselfe more then all the rest The Cauillacions of the Aduersaries wherewith they do impugne the doctrine of predestination as altogether vnprofitable and superfluous for edification and Iustitution of good lyfe FOr this they vse to obiect that by the meanes of this doctrine of predestinatiō all carefulnes is takē away frō mē that are fallē to ryse agayn that to such as do stand occasion of sluggishnes is ministred because mans trauaile is altogether Superfluous in both respectes if neyther he that is woūded cānot be able to become sound agayn through any hys owne industry neyther he that is chosen can fall away through any his negligence by the one whereof desperation is nourished by the other slouthfulnes is mayntayned If all things be first decreed vpon with God by hys vnchaungeable counsell of predestination what neede we thē any preaching or godly exhortations Whereby mens affections may eyther be stirred vp to embrace vertue or terrified frōtheir accustomable licēciousnes of life Whenas the desperate minde shall think with it selfe on this wise Whether we lyue well now or otherwise we shal be such notwithstanding at the length as God did foreknow that we should be if good then good if euill then euill Forasmuch therefore as through the teaching of thys doctrine the very sinewes of all endeuour are brust asunder and that there remayneth a certayne fatall Necessity onely they do say that it were more conuenient not to haue any wordes or speach at all of this matter They do add moreouer that it is superfluous to dispute of that matter the depth whereof neuer was man able to reache vnto as a thing nothing fitte for the instructiō of the Auditorye besides that if it were true yet ought it not be taught say they because it deliuereth matter very perniciouse not to be receaued and because such thinges being not able to be conceaued may without any daunger be holden in couert Moreouer there want not some now a dayes Which do defend their obstinacye by Auncientye forasmuch as the auncient fathers did eyther wryte nothing at all or els very litle thereof or do teach of this grace preuenting the merites of the holy ones farre otherwise Wherfore they would haue
nor any maner of Grauen Image as farre as I can learne are to be seene in any Temples or Sinagogues of the Iewes Turcks Sarracenes Moores Moscouites Tartareanes in Asie in Aphricke in Europe finally in no part of the whole worlde no not so much as in the Temples of Infidells eyther of the liuing or of the dead I do much maruayle howe the Papistes onely can be dazeled with such a monstruous blindenes in vnderstanding and drowned in such a Bottomeles gulfe of phanaticall forgettfulnesse to seéme in their owne conceiptes skarse religious vnlesse they bedawbe their Temples on euery side with pictures and Poppettes moreouer if those Mawmettes and signes of Sainctes be erected in their churches for none other ende but to put the beholders in remembraunce of the Saincts themselues as Osorius doth stoughtly mayntayne I meruell then what that should meane that in the Churches of the Papistes the rude and vnlettered multitude of Christianes are permitted euen to this day to prostrate themselues before them to sett vp burning Tapers to cense them with Franckencense to perfume them with sweete Odours and to hang pelting gamboldes vpon them made of waxe wood ledd or other metall Why is Ierome reported to knocke his brest when hee kneéleth before the Crucifixe why doe men gadde to and fro hither and thither on pilgrimage vnto them why do they visite prayse pray vnto kisse theÌ„ with their lippes why do they buy of theÌ„ myrackles and ease of diseases for mony what greater honor was euer geuen to the Gentiles Idolles in times past euen emongest the Infidells then is now a dayes frequented in the Churches of Christianes Is all this nothing els but to make men mindefull and to helpe the memory But the Israelites were commaunded in tymes past to reserue in their houses some remembraunce of their Auncestoures which might awake their forgetfullness for the benefites that they had receaued This is true in deéd So was the memory of the Brasen serpeÌ„t reserued a long tyme but wheÌ„ crawling and kreéping Supersticion beganne to abuse the same to playne Idolatrye Ezechias is worthely praysed for banishing this same very monument from amongst the people Euen as he dyd most prouidently prouide that the Bookes of Salomon entituled de curandis morbis should be abolished likewise assoone as the common people beganne to abuse them to wytchcraft and enchauÌ„tment as it is reported in the Greék Commentaries But let vs proceéde to the Remnaunt of this Catholicke description To witte to the thinges that appertayne to fayth to workes and the Sacramentes of our most sacred mother the Church For neyther is the Fayth of the Catholickes such as is playnly seen to be of those heretiques which doth eyther diminishe all hope of attayning honest lyfe or vtterly all feare of â—afety but it doth worke thys rather both to make men more willyng to embrace vertue and yet desiste not neuerthelesse to stand in the meane tyme alwayes in feare of the seueritie of Gods Iudgement And why so I pray you For whosoeuer are caried with ardent fayth vnto Christ those doth he beautifie with most abouÌ„dant stoare of vertue Moreouer whenas the same men do know that the same Christ will be a seuere Iudge against them which will not do hys commaundementes they are alwayes in continuall feare Well and whereunto tendeth all this Osorius so maisterly debated touching Fayth Hope and Feare for I coÌ„fesse playnely that such is my dul capacitie as is not able to coÌ„ceaue you more then an Asse vnlesse you open these thinges that ye treate vpon more distincktly and playnely and except ye come at length somewhat nearer to the matter whereupon you debate If you meane thus that Fayth doth not weaken any mans hope so but that he may and ought through Gods assistaunce lyue godly and vertuously in this worlde who will gaynesay you herein Nay rather what one thing doth the Fayth of the Gospell emprinte in vs more deepely then a desire to lyue godly or what doth it teach more carefully then that there is no good worke but such as is coupled with Fayth and begonne by Fayth But if the sence and meaning of your wordes tend to this ende that ye thinke all the force of Fayth to consiste onely in this to open euery mans hope to attayn that perfectioÌ„ in this lyfe which for our workes sake may make vs righteouse in the sight of God I am altogether agaynst you and dare boldly affirme that this is not the voyce of a Byshoppe or of a Deuyne but of a most filthy heretique Moreouer where you annexe Feare hereunto if you vnderstand it thus that Christian Fayth ought alwayes to be lincked together with the feare of God this will no man deny But if you racke out Feare of Gods seuere Iudgement not adding any distinction to that extremity that it leaue vnto vs no assuraunce of our sauetye but deteigne all men in a wauering mammering ye seéme to me That your affirmacion theÌ„ should emplye thus much that in the Scriptures is no promise at all euen as though GOD would now deale with his elect by the onely rigour of the law and not by promise and Grace No lesse blockishe is the same also which marcheth next in rancke touchyng Workes wherein the dignitie of this Church deserueth singuler and wonderfull commendation if it be true that is beleéued to be true in that Church For the Catholickes do beleue sayth he that the good workes of godly personages are such as are not defiled with the leste infection of vncomelynesse but be of all partes so vpright and holy that they make those men both righteous and holy by whoÌ„ they be exercized But touchyng this matter the matter of Free-will also hath bene spoken sufficiently already The next Fable that ensueth concerneth Ceremonies and Sacramentes in the which the holy mother Churche of Rome doth obserue this order That it beleueth that the holynes of all the Ceremonies ReligioÌ„ of Sacraments not newly instituted nor yet deuised by the witte of that fine man Haddon but most auncient and of greatest antiquitie and preserued by the full and generall consent of all holy Fathers ought most purely and reuerently be worshypped c. So that no man may dare be so bold without singuler impudencie as once so much to grudge agaynst these Ceremonies so holy so auncieÌ„t of so long continuaunce euen from the age of Euander as I suppose instituted as he sayth by wonderfull trauaile of holy Fathers and established by so autenticke coÌ„sent though otherwise they be growen into neuer so huge a quantitie that they may seéme to ouerwhelme the Christian people with the vnmeasurable rable of them and albeit many Christians are so wedded vnto theÌ„ that bidding adiew to Christian Fayth no small nomber do repose their chief ankerhold of holynesse and righteousnes in those trinckets yea though also they striue to preserue them
whereof as many their notable lessons did aboundantly declare so aboue all other who can wonder enough at that heauenly voyce of Scipio the Romayne surnamed Affricanus being an Ethnicke whereof Marcus Cicero doth make relatiō in his Treatize called the dreame of Scipio Writing on this wise There is sayth he a certayne sure and determined place reserued in heauē for all such as do preserue ayd aduaunce their natiue coūtrey where they shall liue in euerlasting felicity for euer and euer There is nothing more acceptable to that high and mighty God that guideth and ruleth all the world amongest all the actions of men then counsailes corporations and societies of men lincked and knitt together with orders and lawes which are called Citties c. If we regard the iudgement of the flesh what sentence cann be spoken more plausible or more notable in the singler commendation of vertue then this was which doth assure the good deseruinges and mutuall amities of men ech towardes other exercised here of eternall and infallible rest and ioyes in heauen Go to And what is it els almost that this diuinitye of Osorius doth trayne vs vnto then to teach the very same that Scipio the Romaine did namely That there is no passable way to the attaynmēt of the blessed felycyty of eternall lyfe then that whych is atchyeued by godly actions wyth an absolute integryty of excellent life Pag. 32. But heauenly Philosophy doth direct vs a farre more neare way The heauenly Scholemaister doth out of heauen display abroad and chalke vs out a speédier way and an easier iourney towardes heauen teaching vs in the Gospell on this wise I am sayth he the way the trueth and the life Neither will Osorius deny this to be true I know in word but in deéd what doth he els then deny it For to admitt him his saying that there is no passable way to heauen but which is purchased with absolute perfection of life what may we winne hereof els but that this way to heauē be not Christ but the speciall prerogatiue of our owne purchase So that by this reasō if our owne industry do satisfy all thinges what neéd is there of Christ thē or to what vse will his death and passion auayle yes forsooth to this purpose you will say that by the merite of his passiō he may purchase for vs the grace and gift of sanctification regeneration wherewith being once endued hereof fortwith springeth that excellency of absolute perfection and other ornamentes of charity and vertues which will make vs an easy passage into the kingdome of heauen What then doe you so depaynt vs out the whole office and power of Christ in this one onely action namely that he shall powre out vpō vs new qualityes godly actions by the Deuine operation of the holy ghost what doth he not redeéme vs also doth he not iustify vs and reconcile vs yes What els you will say Doth he iustify all men without exception or the faythfull onely if he doe iustify them onely that do beleue I do demaūd further what the cause is why they be iustified Is it for their faythe 's sake or for their workes sake If it be for their faythe 's sake I aske againe whether for faith onely or faith ioyned with good workes I do here expect some oracle frō you for an aūswere hereunto If you finde that there is no hope of any thing to be iustified by wtout fayth then must you neédes alter your foundation that you grounded vpon before to witt That there is no passable way to heauen but whych is atchyued wyth godly actions of thys lyfe Pag. 32. And that it is onely righteousnesse that doth obtayne the fauour of God to Mankynde Pag. 142. And in an other place That fayth onely is onely rashnesse Pag. 74. What shall fayth therefore be quite banished away No but you will couple her with some copemate that neither Fayth without the company of good workes nor workes without the cōpany of Fayth may be able to procure righteousnes But this knott will the aucthoritie of the Scriptures easily cracke in peéces for if Fayth onely doe not aduaunce the faythfull to saluation except it be coupled with excellēt integritie of life why did not Christ thē couple them together whē he spake simply Hè that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life Why did not Peter couple them together when he doth preach Remission of Sinnes vnto all as many as doe beleeue in his name prouyng the same by the Testimonies of the Prophetes Act. 10. why did not Paule couple them together Actes 16. where he instructeth the Gaylor in Fayth Beleeue sayth he in the Lord Iesus and thou and all thy houshold shal be saued Many Sentences might be vouched purportyng the same in effect but it shall suffice to haue noted these fewe for breuities sake The History of the Galathians is notably knowen who beyng seduced by the false Apostles did not simply reuolt frō Christ nor did simply abandone their Fayth in Christ but endeuoured to couple the good workes of the beleéuers together with Fayth in the Article of Iustification before God for the attaynemēt of lyfe euerlastyng On which behalfe how sternely and sharpely the Apostle did reproue them his owne Epistle beareth sufficient Testimony But here commeth a Reply by and by out of the same Epistle where writyng to the Galathians he doth treate vpon such a fayth as doth worke by loue Upon this place Osorius agreéyng with the Tridentine Councell doth builde an vnseparable coniūction of Fayth and Charitie together so that Fayth without Charitie as an vnshapen and vnformed Image is altogether vneffectuall to the absolute fullnes and perfect accomplishment of righteousnes But that Charitie which they call a righteousnesse cleauyng fast within vs is so vnable to be seuered a sunder from the worke of Iustification that they dare boldly pronoūce that it is the onely formall cause of our Iustification To satisfie this place of S. Paule here is an easie and a Resolute aunswere For in the same Epistle the Apostle doth endeuour by all meanes possible to call backe agayne his Galathians to the onely righteousnesse of Fayth from whence they were backslyden and withall bycause they should not be seduced with a vayne persuasion of counterfaict Fayth he doth discouer vnto them what kynde of Fayth it is which he doth meane Not the fayth that is idle and dead without workes but which doth worke by Fayth sayth he And in this respect it is most true that Fayth is not alone But what maner of concludyng an Argument is this Liuely Fayth is not alone without Charitie Ergo Not Fayth onely but coupled with Charitie doth Iustifie The Argument that is deriued from thynges setterer by nature to thynges coupled by nature concludyng from that which is Secundum quid ad Simpliciter is worthely reiected in the Logicians Schoole and is called a meére
not withall difile all his posterity with that one onely morsell And by what reason I pray you surely not by way of participation of his offence but by way of propagation vnto the posterity In this Tipe of Adam lett vs behold the thing signified aunswereable to the Type And by Adam lett vs consider Christ who onely alone being found obedient did by this his owne onely obedience purchase life euerlasting for all his posteritye not by any partaking of his obedieÌ„ce but by propagatioÌ„ in the posterity onely namely by faith onely which faith doth onely and alone begett vs vnto Christ. Take an other Argument of the same doctrine out of an other Type Euen as in olde time to the Israelites was externall health of body geuen by the beholding of the brasen Serpent so likewise to vs is grauÌ„ted internall health of soule through Iesu Christ. The Israelites were healed by the onely view of their eies Ergo We are iustified also by fayth in Christ onely Hereunto may be annexed an other Argument as forcible as any of the rest taken out of Saynct Paule whereunto what aunswere Osorius will make I would wish him to be very well aduised We are made the righteousnes of God through Christ by the very same reason whereby Christ was made sinne for vs. But Christ was not made sinne but by Imputation onely Ergo Neither are we made righteous in the sight of God but by Imputation onely Hytherto in the behalfe of righteousnes of fayth out of S. Paule to the Roma Now let vs encounter Saynct Paule with an argument of the Romanists which they do knitt together for the mayntenaunce of righteousnesse by workes arguing in this maner forsooth ¶ Osorius Argument out of the Tridentine councell There is no iustification without the sanctification and renouation of the inward man Sanctification and Renouation consisteth in holy actioÌ„s and workes Ergo Iustification consisteth in good workes and not in fayth onely This Captious Sophistication can no man better auÌ„swere then Augustine Good workes do not goe before in the worke of iustification but followe iustification If workes doe followe how doe they goe together then If workes must be ioyned together with fayth how are they reported in Augustine to follow Now therefore to aunswere the Argument If the Maior be taken in this sence that an vnauoydable necessity of coupling and conioyning new obedience must neédes be required in the worke of iustification as the very cause thereof so that there be no hope for the vngodly man to be iustified but by his owne merite and innocency of life then is the Maior false But if good workes be sayd to be required as the fruites of iustification not the cause of iustification the Maior is true And it is not to be doughted but that with remissioÌ„ of sinnes the freé giftes of the holy ghost are ioyned who doth beginne and lay the first foundation of renouatioÌ„ sanctificatioÌ„ of life And yet is it not therfore true that this renouatioÌ„ is the thing for that which the vngodly man is to receiue remission of sinnes and to be adopted into euerlasting life Moreouer whereas the Tridentine Fathers doe add further that Iustification is not the onely Remission of sinns but the sanctification and Renouation of the inward man To speake their owne wordes through the voluntary receauing of grace and Gods giftes c. By what testimony of the Scripture will they proue this to be true Surely if sinne be the onely thing which did scatter abroad death into the world which alone doth procure the vengeaunce of God and make seperatioÌ„ betwixt God and men which alone doth make vs guilty of eternall damnation which alone forced Christ to suffer death vpon the crosse Now I beseéch you tell me for the loue of Christ what thing is iustification els but a continuall skourging and suppressing of sinne Euen as the life and the health of the body is nothing els but an excluding of death and Sickenesse Euen so sinne the reward wherof is death being vtterly extinct through remission what remayneth els but life and sinne being vtterly blotted out what remayneth els but iustification Howbeit neither doe we alleadge this on this wise as though \ we were ignorauÌ„t or did deny that sanctifiaction Renouation and such godly actions and vertues which do proceéd from theÌ„ce be the proper and peculiar giftes of Christ and must be practized of all godly Christians of very necessity But this is â—ot the state of the question properly for the state of the question here doth not consist vpon the direction and gouernement of this present life but of the life to come of the cause thereof not whether vertuous and godly actions of Christian piety ought to be exercised in this life but when they be accomplished whether they be of such valoure in the sight of God as to be able of themselues to deserue saluation and reconcile God vnto mankinde and whether vertues or the good workes of them which be regenerate be of such efficacy as may stand vpright and couÌ„teruaile the rigorous curse of the law agaynst the iudgement of god to preserue vs from damnation and whether in extreame terrours of conscience man may vndoubtedly and without feare rest assured vpon workes when that dreadfull question shal be demauÌ„ded to become the Sonnes of the liuing God and to deserue the euerlasting inheritaunce of our Father In that which you seé two maner of questions Osorius in the one whereof we doe easily agreé with you In the other not we onelye do gaynesay you but the whole authority of Gods Testament doth determine agaynst you whereby we be taught that man is not iustified by workes but by fayth in Iesu Christ. Rom. 3. And that we whiles we seéke to be iustified by him are not founde righteous are not found already endued with excellent integrity but are found vngodly sinners so that in this life which we lead in this flesh we liue none otherwise then through fayth in the sonne of God who loued vs and deliuered himselfe to death for vs. Gala. 2. Let vs note the wordes of the Apostle himselfe of being found sinners we liue by fayth howe cann Osorius make it good that we be righteous but if we be found righteous howe doth Paule iustify vs to be sinners but onely because whom this life doth make guilty of death the same is released by faith of the Sonne of God not whom he doth finde righteous but whom he doth make righteous not by liuing vprightly but by not imputation of sinne Neither is this therefore false that a godly carefullnesse of liuyng vertuously is required in the faythfull which may exclude presumption of sinnyng but it must be considered after what maner it is required If you suppose it be requisite to the necessitie of obedience you say truely but if you thinke it to be
142. Osori ExpositioÌ„ vpoÌ„ the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romaines Pag. 142. Wherin the sauetie of a Christian consisteth accordyng to Osorius Pag. 142. Phil. 3. The true vnderstaÌ„dyng of iustification accordyng to S. Paule Rom. 7. Rom. 4. Rom. 3. Ephes. 2. Pag. 143. Deut. 4. 5. Rom. 2. A double obseruation of the law Deut. 27. Gallat 3. Iames. 2. Galat. 3. Wherefore the law iustifieth not What workes doe signifie by Paule Rom. 4. 5.2 3.7.9.13 The righteousnesse of the Iewes Pag. 143. The fayth and righteousnesse of Abraham Rom. 4. Gene. 15. Rom. 4. The fayth and righteousnesse of Dauid Psal. 142. The righteousnesse of Iob. The fayth and righteousnesse of Paule Phil. 3. The fayth and righteousnesse of Cornelius before god The riche young man in the Gospell The Pharisie praying in the temple Nathaniell the true Israelite The scope of Paules disputation to the Romaines Workes of the Ceremoniall and Morall law both are excluded froÌ„ IustificatioÌ„ Osori doth take the workes excluded froÌ„ Iustification for the Ceremonies of the law Pag. 142. â— 140. â— Fayth hath no place almost with Osorius Pag. 143. Osori obiection confuted Osori doth erre in the rules of Logicke Osori Paralogisme from the insufficient enumeration of partes The Ceremonies of the law very hardly abrogated in the primitiue church Actes 15. The morall law abrogated not in respect of the vse but in respect of IustificatioÌ„ Psal. 142. Galat. 3. Rom. 4. Osori Iudgement of IustificatioÌ„ The fruite of good workes betwixt the Papistes Protestates to be wayed indifferently The markes of true righteousnesse among the Papistes An exhortatioÌ„ to the Readers The prayse of Cicero and other auÌ„cieÌ„t Philosophers discoursing vpoÌ„ vertue The difference betwene Morall and Christian Philosophy The end of Christian Philosophie Whom Osorius doth chiefly imitate Vertue to be embraced of all men True innocencie in mankynde loste long sithence Osor. obiection coÌ„futed By what meanes we doe recouer true innocencie Psal. 31. How the grace of God doth geue righteousnes to men Bern. in Sermo 23. super Cant. Basil. in Psal. 32. Orig. ad Rom. Lib. 9. Cap. 12. Aug. Epi. 105. Ad Sixtum BauÌ„l in Psal. 32. Aug. de Ciuit Lib. 19. Cap. 27. Aug. Retra Lib. 1 Cap. 19. Ierome Our saluation consisteth not in our owne righteousnesse but in the free mercy of God Iob. Euen the most perfect workes of men of no valew with God Paule Dauid August in Psal. 94. Ier. in Esay Cap. 64. Luther defended agaynst Osorius Osori pag. 141. Cicer. Tuscul Lib. 3. Osori accuseth Luther to be an Epicurean Pag. 141. How absurdely Osorius doth coÌ„pare Luther with Epicurus Osorius Rom. 3. Luther falsely accused to bee the Authour of wicked boldnesse The opinioÌ„ of SchoolemeÌ„ and Papistes touchyng the waye of righteousnes is false wicked Hosius Osorius Rosfenfiâ— against Luther Congruum CoÌ„dignum Conueniencie and worthynes Pag. 141. â— â— Thess. 5. Osori ibid. Oâ—or cauill agaynst the Lutherans workes A threefold lye of Osorius Disablyng of workes DesperatioÌ„ ConfideÌ„ce After what maner Luther teacheth Confidence and DesperatioÌ„ and how not Pag. 141. marg The marke of Osorius accusation coÌ„sidered Pag. 145. Two lyes vttered by Osorius Onely faith doth Iustâ—tie The testimonies of most auncient writers touchyng Onely Fayth An Argument from the propositioÌ„ exponent to the exclusiue The vocable Onely Ambr. in 1. Cor. 1. Chrisost. in Epist. Paul ad Galat. Cap. 3. Chrisosto Homel 4. in Timoth. Basil. in Homel De Humilit Basil. in Psal. 32. Theophil in Epist. ad Rom. Cap. 3. Thom. Aquin in 1. Tim. 1. Lect. 3. Rom. 3. Pag. 145. Osori his Obiection framed out of the Epistle to the Galat. Cap. 5. The Aunswere Bernarde Rom. 2. The summe of Paules disputation compreheÌ„ded in one Syllogisme Gallat 3. Rom. 4. Galat. 2. Right of inheritauÌ„ce is not promised to workes as Paul affirmeth Osori takeÌ„ tardy That is â—o say a scourger Fallacia a dicto secunduÌ„ quid ad Simpliciter Fallacia a non Causa vt Causa Fayth doth iustifie both the persons and the workes Pag. 141. 146. A double lye made by Osorius Pag. 146. Workes are not examined a part by theÌ„ selues in gods IudgemeÌ„t Tit. 3. Collos. 2. Rom. 3. Dauid terrified with the terrour of the law Pag. 146. Osor. obiection in the behalfe of righteousnes by workes agaynst righteousnes of faith Rom. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Iohn 5. Pag. 146. Collos. 3. Iohn 11. The Obiection coÌ„futed Fallacia a noÌ„ causa vt causa The words of Christ expounded The person accepted not for the workes sake but the workes for the persons sake An Obiection The Aunswere * Pag. 146. The words of Christ not wel vnderstoode but crookedly wrested by Osorius Osor. fallax a Concreto ad Abstractum Mercy forgeueth our ill deedes Imputation acknowledgeth our well doynges for good An other ObiectioÌ„ of Osorius In what wise Osori doth ascribe SaluatioÌ„ of Gods mercy Hosius August de temp 49. August de Spirit Liter Cap. 33. Basil. in Psal. 32. Ephes. 1. In what thyng our redemption chiefly consisteth Remission Bernard Serm. 23. in Cant. August in prima quinquagena in Prolog Psal. 31. ImputatioÌ„ The defeéco of mercy doth not abolish Iustice Ill workes whom they do condeÌ„ne and whom not Iohn 3. How christ is called a Iudge how a Redemer Luce. 21. Iohn 5. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 1. Gods iudgement two fold according to August De Consens Euang Lib. 2. Cap. 30. The Innocencie of Christ is the righteousnesse of Christians Gods Imputation in respect of Christ and in respect of vs. Of the reckonyng to be made in the last Iudgement The diuersitie of theÌ„ which shal reÌ„der an accompt is distinguished In Osorius writynges order wanteth and in distinguishyng thinges Methode Accordyng to workes For the works sake Osori doth deny that good works to followe Luthers fayth Pag. 146. What maner of workes doe follow Osori fayth Pag. 146. Luthers fayth yeldeth no good workes accordyng to Osorius Pag. 146. Ibidem The fayth and workes of Osorius A shewe of Osorius fayth Iohn 6. Iohn 1. 3. Math. 9. Math. 8. Mar. 5. A comparison betwixt the fayth of Osorius and Luthers Fayth The righteousnesse of sayth accordyng to the Scriptures Osori doth neuer name in his booke this worde ImputatioÌ„ A playne demonstration that Osori geueth small credite to the wordes of Christ. 2. Thess. 2. Apoc. 13. Pag. 146. Osori doth discusse the sayth of Luther Note here the cauill of Osorius The doctrine of Luther touchyng good workes Rom. 14. Aug. in prima quinqua gena ex Prologo Psal. 31. August Workes are not in any other respect accoÌ„pted for good in the sight of god then in respect of Christ thorough faith Good workes are Iustified by fayth Pag. 146. The Argument recoyleth backe vpon Osor. him selfe Pag. 146. Pag. 147. Osori Argument faultie in the forme A twosold kyngdome of Sinne. Rom. 6. The substaunce of the Argument is discussed Iob Esay Dauid Daniell
newe What was the chiefe cause and meanes of the Restoring the trueth of the Gospell The Arte of Imprinting was a singuler gift of God The yeare of Antichrist 666. Osori pag. 212. 213. Osorius exhortation to Queene Elizabeth Osor. pag. 211. Pestiferous Councell The Troiane horse Osori pag. 214. In matters of Religion it is more meete to deale with mens cōsciences rather then with Princes only Osor. quarrell for the Popes Chayre Osori pag. 214. Osori pag. 214. A slaunderous cauillation agaynst Haddon Why Oso bookes treating of Religion haue no force to perswade The constācye of Queene Elizabeth in defending Christian Religion Osor. pag. 214. Osorius reproch against the Lutherans The wonderful prouidence of God in the preseruation of Elizabeth our Queene The tēpest of Queene Maries persecution Apoca. 18. Horace ser. lib. 2. satir. 3 The circumcision of the crowne amōgest the Papistes Osor. pag. 215. Osor. pag. 216. The knowledge of the Scriptures doth apperteigne to all men indifferently 1. Tim. 5. Osor. doth build Memphyticall Steeples In fewe wordes much matter In many wordes nothing at all Osor. wrytinges discussed A recapitulation of all Osorius Epistle to the Queene What doth want in Osorius bookes Osori pag. 216. Osori but a greene souldiour God doth auenge him of the persecution of his Gospell Pag. 216. English Papistes Osori pag. 216. Osori pag. 117. Ausonius Tit. 3. Osori pag. 217. Osorius Epistle to Queene Elizabeth how full it is of slaunderous reproches Osori pag. 217. Antithesis a figure whereby one contrary is ioyned for an other A Comparison betwixt Haddon and Osorius Osor. pag. 217. Osor. charity for our sauety Cicero in his 1. Booke of duetyes Psal. 140. Osori carefull of our sauety The way to saluatiō after Osorius Rule Osor. diuinity is Philosophicall Cicero in the dreame of Scipio Iohn 14. Faith is not coupled with Charitie in the Article of Iustificatiō Iohn 6. Actes 10. Actes 16. Galath The Triden tyne Counsayle Ses. 6. Cap. 7. The fallax from the Diuision to the Coniunction Onely faith worketh Iustificatiō but is not alone In what respectes Fayth hope and Charitie be coupled What fayth doth worke through loue A new kynde of obediēce but vnperfect The formall cause of Iustification accordyng to the Tridentynes The Councell of Trident Canō 11. Canon 12. Math. 13. Rom. 4. How much the merite of Christes death and passion may auayle vnto vs according to the Tridentyne Councell An Argument agaynst the Trydentines deriued from Abraham An Argumēt against the Tridentines deriued from the Type of Adam An Argumēt agaynst the Tridentines deriued from the Type of the Brasen Serpent An Argumēt against the Tridentines deriued from S. Paule 2. Cor. 5. An Argument of the Tridentine Councell agaynst righteousnesse of fayth An Aunswere out of Augustin◠New obedience is not the cause but the fruite of Iustification The Assertion of the Tridentines confuted It is proued that Iustification in the sight of God is nothing els then the Remission of Sinnes agaynst the Tridentines The state of the questiō Two kindes of questions Rom. 3. Galath 2. To lyue Through fayth When good workes be necessary Wherefore fayth onely doth iustify Fayth worketh by loue but not as effectuall to eternall life Apoca. 3. A Collect. for the kingdome of England Onely Christ is to be called vpon as a Mediatour The death of the body the soule swallowed by Christ onely The Conquest ouer the Empire of Sathan 2. Thes. 2. The Childe of Perditiō Apoc. 18. Apocal. 14. Be not light of beliefe Osor. lib. 2. de iustitia Pag. 31. Thou onely art holy
the questions whereof ariseth our controuersie were so harde and intricate that they exceeded your capacities I would not haue entruded my selfe into your presence with this maner of persuasion but would haue referred my selfe rather to the censure of the learned But for as much as this Religion of Gods holy Gospell which we professe is so resplēdisant in the eyes and eares of all men as the bright shyning Sunne in whott Sommers day the doctrine I say wherewith we are enstructed which preacheth Repētaunce to the bruysed cōscience which agayne imputeth vnto the penitent persons free righteousnesse and deliueraunce from Sinne by fayth without workes in Christ Iesu onely which forbiddeth Idolatry which restrayneth to adde or diminish any title from the prescript rule of holy Scriptures which forbiddeth the inuocation of the dead and prayeng to straūge Goddes which acknowledgeth the humanitie of Christ the Sonne of God to be in no place but at the right hand of the Father which approueth honest and honorable estate of Wedlocke in all persons indifferently which hath made all foode and sustenaunce both fishe and flesh without choyse beyng receaued with thankesgeuyng subiect to the necessary vse of man which taketh away all confidence and affiaunce vsually ascribed vnto merites and workes which calleth vs away from the opiniō of soules health to be set in obseruation of prescribed dayes and monethes which reduceth vs from the naked elementes of the world from worshippyng of signes and outward ceremonies which I say cleareth our hartes and myndes from the bondage of mens traditions and dreames and doth ensure and establish vs in mearcy and grace which allureth all persons indifferently to the readyng of holy Scriptures which denyeth to no man the participation of the Cuppe of the new Testament in the bloud of Iesu Christ which abbridgeth all Ministers of the word from desire of all worldly superiority And to stay here frō the reckoning vpp of all the rest which are more notable and manisest then the bright shynyng Sunne in mydday what cann your Maiestie atchieue more worthy or more beseemyng your highe excellency then to admitt into the secrett closett of your soule this most euident trueth of heauenly discipline If your highnesse be not as yet made acquainted therewith or if ye know the same to be infallible and true that ye will no longer shrowde vnder your protection such pestilent errours allready disclosed and repugnaunt to the knowen veritie wherewith your grace may one day hereafter paraduenture desire to be shielded before the dreadfull Iudgemēt seate of the Lord of hostes accordyng to the promise of Iesu Christ. And the trueth sayth he shall deliuer you Iohn 8. And if your highnes shal be persuaded that this reformatiō of Religion whereof I haue treated doth not apperteigne to your estate or to the charge of seculer Princes what doth the wordes of Osori emporte thē wheras writyng of our gracious Queene Elizabeth he doth so carefully admonish her Maiestie to vouchsafe especiall regard to know what the glory of Christ meaneth what the law of the Lord teacheth how much the rule of sacred religiō doth exact of her highnes Again whereas in the same Epistle he doth very learnedly pronoūce that the speciall duty of Princely gouernemēt ought to be wholy employed to the preseruatiō of true and pure Religion Pag. 10. But els otherwise if your grace do thoroughly conceaue that is most true that the gracious restitutiō of gods holy word doth no lesse cōcerne the furtheraūce of the Gospell then the preseruatiō of your Royall estate Saluation of your subiectes I most humbly then beseech you most noble kyng by that redoubled linke of pietie wherewith you are first bounde vnto the Lord That as your Maiestie shall playnly perceaue this cause which we are entred vpon not to varye or decline any iote awrye from the true touchestone of the liuely word neuer so litle that your highnesse of your excellent clemency will vouchsafe to aduertize your Bysh. Osorius That being myndfull of his professiō he do behaue him selfe in debatyng the state of Religion in the vprightenes of iudgement so as the cause requireth and frō henceforth he desiste frō backbyting his neighbours with clamorous lyeng and slaunderous reproches who haue rather deserued well of him then in any respect offended him If he be of opinion that errours ought to be rooted out of the Church lett him first cōuince those for errours which he gaynesayth and shew him selfe abler man to make proofe by Argumēt thē to resist with onely cauillyng By such meanes will he be deemed a more profitable member of the Church and procure him selfe lesse hatred It is an easie matter for euery common rascall to vomitt out disdaynefull names of infamous persons as Protagoras Diagoras Cicloppes Blindsinckes Epicures gortellguttes and monsters But it fitteth comlyer for learned men and more profitable for the Christian congregation to lay aside distompered choler and instruct the vnlearned and reclayme the obstinate with sounde Argumentes and expresse testimonies of the Scriptures If this order be not obserued euery carter may soone by aucthoritie clayme to be a cōmon rayler An other methode of writyng was requisite in Osorius more effectuall to edifie then as he hath vttered in his bookes For this sufficeth not for him to reuile men with odious names as callyng them madd impudent childish and infaūtes and to declame whole cōmon places vsed agaynst heretiques I doe know and playnly confesse That it is most necessary to oppugne erronious sectes heresies But it is not errour forthwith that hath somewhat a bitter smatclie and is vnsauory to euery queysie stomacke neither is it allwayes trueth that is plausible to eche fonde and dotyng phantasie But wise men ought chiefly haue considered how euery mans assertiō is framed to the agreablenes of the word of God Yet now a dayes I cann not tell how the carte is sett before the horse and the preposterous frowardnes of some persons haue brought to passe that bycause men shall not be guided by the Gospell they will runne before it so mens imaginatiōs shall not obey but beare the principall Banner before But where as the right squaryer of Christian fayth hath none other sure foundation but that onely which is grounded vpon the holy Scriptures our dutie hadd bene to direct the buildyng of our Religion by this lyne and leuell and to ramme fast the wallworkes hereof with this cemente and morter But now I cann not tell how it is so come to passe that many do worke guyte contrary For they despise this well fenced order and hauyng as litle regarde to the meanyng purporte of the word they rayse to them selues a Church which they call Catholicke and the same they assigne to be the onely guide and gouernesse yet notwithstandyng they make no demonstration whether it be the Church of Christ yea or nay But measuryng the same by the onely Title of the Romish See
through swiftenesse of opinioÌ„ doe affirme her to be such a Church as cann by no meanes goe astray and whatsoeuer this Church doth denouÌ„ce and commaunde the same they doe most greedely catche after with the whole bente of their fayth and defende it with tooth and nayle Out of this sincke were plumped at the first mens traditions and sundry preiudiciall opinions as certein vnreproueable determinations they call them Vnwritten Verities which by leysure they do coÌ„ferre with the Scriptures but in such sorte that whatsoeuer shall seeme to serue for their purpose they Canonize the same as inuiolable but if ought be founde contrary to their expectation then either they submitt it to the IudgemeÌ„t of the Church or with violent wrestyng do racke the same to colour their suggestions And hereof sprang all that Darnell and Cockell of errours and dissensions bycause many men did fashion their fayth after this frameshapen chaungelyng and not after the simple conduct of the word In which Church when they perceaued those and such other doctrines to be embraced as these to witte that the Romish See ought to be supreme Empresse ouer all other Churches that Purgatory must be beleeued That Pardons were necessary that vowes made to remayne vnmaried were meritorious That Mounckery and cowled profession hadd a certein wonderfull perfectioÌ„ That Images ought to be worshipped Sainctes prayed vnto and that the Grace and deseruynges of Iesu Christ could not of it selfe suffice to the attaynement of Saluation That no man could obteyne righteousnes through fayth without workes That Christ him selfe flesh bloud and bones was conteined and sacrificed in the Masse vnder bare accidentes That lay persons should be denied the vse of readyng the Scriptures participatyng the cuppe of the Lord. All these and many other like drugges though they neuer could finde in the liuely wellsprynges of holy Scriptures yet bycause they perceaue them to be shryned in the Decrees and Decretalles of Rome they doe constauntly beleeue that they must be of as autentique aucthoritie as if they were so many Oracles letteÌ„ downe from heauen Hereby cometh to passe that vnder the vysour of the Churche sondry deformed byshapes of doctrine are fostered vpp in the Church and vnder the pretence of Christ the true Gospell of Christ is in no small daunger to be vtterly defaced So that the lamentable complaynte vttered by Chrisostome could neuer so aptly be applyed as to this our Age Many doe walke sayth he vnder the name of Christians but very fewe in the trueth of Christ. But bycause we haue debated these matters with Osorius hereafter at large I will not deteigne your Royall Maiestie with any further Register thereof It remayneth that we make humble intercession to almightie God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that of his immeasurable mearcy and loue wherewith he disdayned not to disclose him selfe vnto mankynde by his Sonne he will vouchsafe to beautifie and establishe and with his mighty power and outstretched arme to defende and make permanent from all errours and bloudy bootchery the true light of his holy Gospell the bright beames whereof hath allready enlightened the earth We beseeche him likewise that by the Trompett and dewe administration of his Gospell the kyngdome of darkenesse may dayly more and more be subuerted and the Church and kyngdome of his Sonne Iesu Christ may be dispersed abroad ouer the face of all the earth and preached thorough our all Nations and tounges Lastly we pray that he will endue all Christian Kynges and Princes beyng sett in aucthority and especially the puissaunt and victorious Sebastian Kyng of Portingall with all Princely ornamentes to enriche him with all perfect and absolute clemency in vertue and true godlynesse and to enlighten him with the knowledge of his glorious countenaunce and establishe his throne to the settyng forth of his glory and aduauncement of his Church through the merites of the same our Lord Iesus Christ who graunt you in this world millions of his grace and in the world to come lyfe euerlastyng Amen ¶ Faultes escaped in them printyng with correction of the same Wherein note that the figures direct to the Foland and A. B. to the first and second Page FOl. 3. b. President Presidentes ibidem is verified which is verified 15. b. lyfe hereof lyke hereof 15. b. groundewordes groundeworkes 16. a. endyng enduyng 23. b. iugglyng ianglyng 4.2 a. you say lay you 43. b. can vvith can not with 46 b. slaunder slaunderer 56. b. in a by a. 61. a. knowen an vnknowen ibidem to the of the. 66. b. was no litle was litle 96. b. with which 97. a. pitie pictie .105 a. of him in him .106 b. ofter after 10â— b. that may that we may .111 b. excludeth excluded .112 a. in other in an other 114 b Sophistically a Sophisticall lye ibidem rather of the rather the .116 a. of a. for a .117 a. requireth required .118 a. geauen be geauen .122 b. they do they that do ibidem the sentence these sentences .130 b. not one no not one .135 b. obiect obiecteth .136 a. of Luthers owne workes he alledgeth Luthers owne wordes .136 b. deny denyeth .137 b. do to to do 137 b nature the nature .151 a. frameth frame .165 a. do thteach doth teach 177. a. iudged be iudged .190 a. deliuered be deliuered .195 a. to onely to the onely 208. a. eare are .231 a. is it not .237 b. may be not may not be .239 b. includeth included .258 b. finally which finally in which .259 a. not but wonder not wonder .266 a. agaynst agayne .275 a. is neither as neither .278 b. to the by the .280 a. to credite no no credite to .285 a. Minister Minster 286. a. fourth a fourth .292 a. yee he .293 b. circumuerted circumuented .300 b. agaynst agayne .303 b. passe to passe .305 a. successours predecessours .313 a. pardon pardoned .329 b. nevves nevv .336 a. same the same ibidem yea yee .357 b. Romeo Rome do .360 b. this these .373 b. dot do not .379 a. hundred hyndred .392 a. by be .426 b. proued prouided .430 a. our your .437 a. sword word .446 a. seduced enduced .446 b. I he it he .462 b. this these 504. b. herefore there hereof therefore To the godly Reader Walter Haddon sendeth greetyng in our Lord Iesu Christ A Few yeares past a certeine Portingall named Ierome Osorius wrate a tedious Epistle to the Queenes Maiestic In the which he imagined many monstruous errours to bee frequented in our church with reprochful rayling most vnreuerently depraued the professours of the Gospel This publicke quarell against my nature countrey troubled me not a litle To some particular pointes wherof I thought good to aunswere although not to all in generall Partly bycause I wated tyme thereunto partly bycause I supposed that Osorius was deluded by some malicious report of our aduersaries therefore I hoped the man would haue bene somewhat satisfied with myne aunswere There passed ouer one yearâ—
with examples of such as haue runne headlong into vtter dispayre which haue gaynesayd or withdrawen them selues from the doctrine of Luther As touchyng Frauncisce Spira who reuolted from the participation of the doctrine whiche he had once receaued by Luthers preachyng bycause the Recorde thereof is somewhat old I will for this present omit what remaineth in history of him I will more willyngly vse fresher examples of our later age and yet not all ingenerall for it neédeth not neither is any one man able so to doe But I will rehearse some of the most notable And first of all a certeine mā called Iacobus Latomus a man sometymes wellbe seéne amongest the Deuines of Louayne I can not tell whether you your selfe knew him Osorius when he liued This mā mainteinyng the same quarell wherein you do now turmoyle your selfe agaynst Luther is reported to departe this life in the selfe same Desperatiō whereof you make mention who at his very last gaspes brayeng out most horrible and feareful roaring noyse vttered none other sounde in the eares of all men that heard him but that he was vtterly damned and forsaken of God and had no hope of Saluation layed vp in store for him bycause hee did wilfully resiste the manifest truth which he knew before to be most true I will couple two others with hym of the same fraternitie Guarlacke Reader of Diuinitie Lecture amōgest the Gertrudianes and Arnolde Bomelye Scholer to Tilman of the first of whō it is sayd that euen in the last panges before his death he spake in this maner that he had liued desperately could not endure the Iudgemēt of God bycause he did acknowledge his sinnes to be greater then that they could obteyne for geuenesse The other hauyng fully gorged him selfe with the doctrine of Desperatiō wherein he was instructed by his Schoolemaister of distrust surprised at lēgth with intollerable gnawyng of conscience practised first to kill him selfe with his owne Dagger at the last beyng wholy swallowed vp of Desperation dyd cut his owne bowelles out of his body with an other mans knife It shall not be amisse to ioyne vnto those Sadolet Cardinall of Rome who after sondry disputations mainteined agaynst Luther gaue vp the ghost not without horrible trembling and torment of conscience I suppose also that you are not ignoraunt of the like that happened to Cardinall Crescentius Legate of the Apostolique Seé and President of the Tridentine Councell beyng astonyed with sodeine horrour and troublesome abashement of mynde in the same Citie 1552. of whom Iohn Sledan hath made relation in his Commentaries What shall I speake of Castellane Archbyshop of Aurelia of Ponchere Archbyshop of Turone who procured to them selues Gods indignation and vengeaunce as appeared by the wonderfull fearefull passiōs wherewith they were oppressed at the tyme of their death not bicause they did heare Luther and read his bookes but bycause they did cruelly persecute his doctrine In the same Beadroll may be reckoned the remēbraūce of Iohn Eckius whose whole course of lyfe as was nothyng els but a continuall mortall combate agaynst Luther so his yeldyng to nature was so altogether voyde of spirituall consolation that euen in the last gaspes hee vttered no other wordes but of money and certeine thousand of crownes And what neéde I here rehearse out of the Recordes of aūcient Chronicles Minerius Cassianus Renestenses Martinus that miserable Mōcke called Romanus Prattes Lysettes Rusius Morines who beyng horribly plagued by the seuere Iustice of God may be sufficiēt Presidentes to teach you what it is insolently to kicke agaynst the pricke of Gods vnsearcheable prouidence The History of the French kyng Henry the second is yet but freshe in memory and deépely emprinted not in the myndes onely but in the eyes also of all men who extremely boylyng with inward hatred agaynst the same doctrine receaued his deathes wounde in the selfe same eyes wherewith he was determined to view the execution of others and was forced him selfe to become a manifest spectacle of Gods Iustice to all the world before he could bathe his eyes in the bloud of the innocēt And not long after the sayd Henry followed also the kyng of Nauarre who procured vnto him selfe most iust cause not onely of Desperation but of death also through none other occasion but by persecutyng this doctrine which you doe slaunderously reproche to be the doctrine of Desperation I could here make a Register of an infinite nōber not in Englād onely but of other Regions also which after they had receaued wonderfull cōfort out of the sweéte iuyce of this doctrine which you call Lutherane fell headlong into miserable anguishe and gnawyng of conscience by reuoltyng from this doctrine who could neuer attayne one sparckle of quyet mynde before they had reclaymed them selues from their first Apostasie Last of all how many thousandes of men wemen and children young and old can this our age truely recorde who haue shewed them selues more willyng to yeld their carcasses to fier fagottes sword rackyngs and all maner of horrible Torture rather then they would recante and renounce that comfortable doctrine where with they were enstructed which I suppose they would neuer haue done if they had suspected neuer so small embres of Desperation to haue lurked therein But I perceaue what Osorius doth meane by this word Desperation If he could either expresse his mynde aptly and distinctly or were willyng to deale simply and playnly To the ende therefore I may frame myne aūswere hauing regarde to the meanyng of the man rather then to his speach I will examine the maner of his disputyng somewhat more aduisedly Luther doth teach sayth he that no mā ought to place affiaunce of his righteousnes in merites and good workes Goe to and what is concluded hereof Therfore Luther doth teach the doctrine of Desperation A very new founde and straūge maner of Argument framed perhappes after the rule which concludeth from the staffe to the corner I suppose men of Syluane vse this kynde of arguyng in their wooddy forrests But I make this aunswere to the Argument If God had determined that our Saluation should haue bene purchased through godly actions and vertuous endeuour of mans life it were not altogether without reason that Osorius doth speake But for as much as our hope and confidence is limited within the boundes of the fayth of Christ and the foundation thereof builded vpon this Rocke onely I suppose surely that the person which doth allure vs home vnto Christ from confidence of workes and teacheth vs to repose our whole trust in him as in the onely Sanctuary and shoteanker of our Saluation doth declare rather the true way to assured hope then abolishe the same Neither doth he by and by rende in sunder the sinewes of mans endeuour who doth but embace and disable that part from mās power which doth properly apperteine to the sonne of God I thinke that he discouereth rather the well
assured and reioyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5. Where is that accesse with confidence and boldenesse through fayth in him Ephe. 3. Where is that accesse to the throne of grace with assured Affiaunce Hebr. 4. To what ende doth our Lord so oft in the Gospell encourage vs to conceaue couragious boldnesse vsing this reason That he alone had ouercome the world for the behofe of all people Iohn 16. If as yet euery one of vs must be enforced to purchase to him selfe the victory by his owne endeuour Where is that fulnesse of ioye in the holy Ghost If employeng our seruice after the maner of bonde seruauntes not as children we must lyue vnder the law and hope to attayne the possession of our inheritaunce as a rewarde of our workes and not thorough freé adoption rather Where is then that Spirite of Adoption cryeng in our hartes Abba Father Wherof S. Paule doth so oftentymes make mention or if you be not yet satisfied with these sentences what aūswere shall we make to Esay the Prophet Where he foresheweth euerlasting ioye vnto them which beyng redeemed by Christ are cōuerted in Syon Where is that cherefulnesse of hart Comfort in steede of mournyng glory in steede of Ashes the oyle of gladnesse in steede of the spirite of sadnesse Promised in the behalfe of the Messias that was yet to come More ouer where the same Prophet doth wonderfully commende the feéte of those which should preach peace to the people what other thyng els doth he note in these wordes then that most excellent glory of the Churche which should aboundauntly flow through affiaunce of the Mediatour vpon all that should beleue on him what meaneth that chearefull Prophecie of Ieremie concernyng the commyng of the Messias and the comfortable consolation of the Gospell to come In those dayes sayth hee Iuda shal be saued and Israell shall dwell with confidence Agayne the same Prophet And I will make them to dwell in Sauetie Whereunto accordeth likewise the saying of the Prophet Ezechiel who prophecying of the raysing vp of a Shepheard and of the blessednesse of that age euen in the same phrase of speache almost doth promise That it should come to passe that men should dwell and rest in securitie without all feare c. Now remayneth to learne of you Osorius what this sayeng to dwell in securitie without all feare doth emporte whiche for as much as your selfe will not confesse to haue relation to the fleshe then it must follow of necessitie that we interprete the same to bee spoken of the Spirite But in what sorte shall it appeare that this saying must bee applyed to the confidence of the Spirite whenas ye shall defraude the Christian fayth of assurednesse of Affiaunce as though ye would dispoyle the world of the benefite of the Sunne Finally what certeinetie of confidence shall remayne if the same doe depende as you say wholy vpon workes and not vpon fayth of the promise freé mercy of him that doth make the promise If you graunt thereunto one of those two ye must neédes confesse either that you ought to obteyne so much by the vprightenes of your workes as shall aūswere and satisfie the Iudgement of God which you can neuer doe or els that the variablenesse of your mynde shall alwayes stagger hether and thether in perpetuall amazed vncerteinetie Doe ye not perceaue Osorius into what streightes this your Diuinitie forceth you Goe ye to therfore Maister Tertullus thinke with your self whether of you two either Luther or Osorius with your Tullianisme doe more stiffely maintaine the doctrine of Desperation Surely S. Paule will teach you a lesson farre vnlike this who abrogatyng all cōfidence in workes which is none at all or at the least most vnassured doth cōclude all thynges vnder fayth onely Therefore through fayth sayth hee that it may be knowen to proceede accordyng to grace That thereby the promise may be assured to the whole seede And wherefore I pray you so through fayth forsooth bycause if the proportion of affiaunce must bee measured by the deseruynges of our workes It is so farre of that any man may possibly conceaue neuer so litle hope of saluation that he shal be forced rather to procure vnto him selfe a headlong downfall into the bottomles gulfe of Desperation And therfore S. Paul discoursing vpō both sortes of righteousnesse aswell of that of the law as that other of fayth after that hee had very exquisitely distinguished the one from the other bycause of the mutuall contrarietie or disagreément betwixt them wherewith they do varie eche from other doth conclude at the length That the Principall substaunce of the whole matter dependeth vpō fayth wholy accordyng to grace And wherfore accordyng to grace verely bycause hauyng abandoned all the righteousnes that commeth by the law which worketh indignation and therfore engendreth vncerteinetie the soule might be established in Grace takyng holdfast of the promise through fayth might attende for nothyng els from whence she should conceaue any other assurednesse of hope to attayne euerlastyng lyfe For as it is an vsuall custome amongest men earnestly to awayte for due performaūce of these thynges that are promised so contrariwise such thyngs as are graunted conditionally are then neuer till then assured but when the conditions are obserued Now if the conditions were such as might bee throughly accomplished accordyng to that absolute perfection of fulnesse wherewith they are limited thē no doubt the law were of it selfe effectuall enough to Saluation For hee that doth keepe the Commaundementes shall lyue by them But as the case standeth now for as much as we are all will we nill we subiect to the breache of the law and that no creature can bee founde whiche dare affirme him selfe able to performe all the conditions annexed to the law of God that I may be so bold to place your Maistershyp one of the number then must we all of necessitie seéke the meanes of our Saluation not from the law but from somewhere els bycause this eternall lyfe must be ascribed to an other mans death and not to our lyfe neither after the opinion of our workes but vnto the freé mercy of God Whiche doth onely ouercome when hee is Iudged Wherein for examples sake let vs heare how Dauid him selfe though neuer so well beloued of God doth as it were tymorously humble him selfe in his prayers beseéchyng God that he will not enter into Iudgement with his seruaūt And where with was hee dismayed I pray you Bycause sayth he no fleshe shal be Iustified in thy sight If so be then this so noble a Kyng and worthy a Prophet standyng to be arrayned before almightie God durst not commit the protectiō of his cause to the deseruyngs of his workes shall then Osorius or Hosius dare bee so bold to doe it We read what remayneth in Recorde of Barnarde beyng otherwise a
S. Paule in so many his Epistles doth so earnestly enforce That is to say That we should ascribe all the hope of our saluatiō in Iesu Christ onely and in him alone repose all our whole ankerhold of righteousnesse not in our selues but in the sonne of God not in the law of workes but in the law of fayth not in the preceptes of godly lyfe as Augustine witnesseth but in the fayth of Iesu Christ not in the letter but in the spirite not in the merites of good deédes but in the mercy of God Finally after that sorte in his mercy that we should not accoumpt this mercy to be mercy at all accordyng to the saying of Augustine vnlesse it bee altogether freély geuen How now are Christiās now a dayes straighted in such brambles that it may not be lawfull to speake franckely in the congregatiō the selfe same which the Prophetes Apostles Christ him selfe the holy Ghost and the purest Authours of auncient antiquitie haue set downe in writyng but that the partie so doyng shal be forthwith detected as though hee practized to subuert all honestie and vertuous endeuour and shal be constrayned to pleade for him selfe as if he were arrayned a cōmō Barretour and had committed some haynous horrible and execrable fact more detestable then high Treason Neither are these all the crimes yet wherewith this Tertullian rayler doth rage in his raylyng but crawleth foreward by enceasing degreées of amplificatiō For beyng not satisfied to haue accused Luther as an vndermyner of all honestye and vertue to haue cutte in peéces the very sinewes of godly exercise and vertuous endeuour besides this horrible accusatiō he chargeth him also with a crime passing all measure intollerable And what is that Bycause sayth he hee doth wrest the mynde and wisedome of Paule to serue his owne lust And redoublyng the same agayne in other wordes bycause he will not seéme to be an vnskilfull Ciceronian hee addeth further And he doth abuse the testimonies of holy Scriptures to establish his owne vnshamefastnesse c. Where Syr I pray you For sooth in sundry places of the Apostle and especially in the Epistle written to the Romanes Wherein bycause it shall not onely bee conceaued in mynde but also perceaued by the viewe how disorderly Luther the Standard bearer of all heritiques and his Cabbenmate Haddon and all the counterfaites of this new Gospell haue alwayes hetherto in the interpretation of that Epistle gropyngly lyke nightowles lumpred in darkenesse Let vs all and euery of vs open our eyes eares now and lysten to this new starte vp Prophet whiles this our most elegant Tertullus sittyng at high deske may instruct vs all blockyshe Asseheades and as it were an other Archymenides with lyne vpon the sande chalke vs out a way and set vp some speciall markes whereby we may finde out the lyuely naturall sence mynde and meanyng of that Epistle And first of all concernyng the Gentiles bycause he may begyn with them as Paule doth he sayth that it is euident enough that they were enlightened with a singular gift of nature endued with excellent vnderstādyng adorned and beautified with wonderfull ornamentes of Nature Who hath euer denyed this Goe to what followeth hereof Wherefore for asmuch as this so great force of nature excellencie of vnderstandyng knowledge in learnyng yea so great worthynesse of reason and capacitie could auayle nothyng at all with the Gentiles to perfect and righteous liuyng for they did exceede in all iniquitie and outragious lust thereby appeareth playnely that nature was voyde of all ayde and helpe to attayne the righteousnesse of eternall lyfe And this much by the waye touchyng the Gentiles From whom after the Apostle had remoued away all confidence whiche was vsually ascribed to the law of nature he turneth his speach forthwith to the Iewes And bycause the Iewes them selues did in lyke maner place their whole affiaunce in those shadowes and outward ceremonies The Apostle likewise yea more sharpely also inueyeth agaynst them declaryng that all those Ceremonies of the law and Ordinaunces prescribed by Moyses did profite them nothyng at all whereby they might bee any iote more restrained from running headlong into all kynde of wickednesse nothyng lesse enclined to all filthynesse of conuersation neither any myte lesse estraunged from vertuous endeuour then the prophane Gentiles whereby appeareth that the effect of Paules Conclusion tēdeth to this end To make this manifest that neither nature nor the Ceremonies of Moses law that is to say washyngs Sacrifices clensinges Circumcision and such like corporall ordinaunces with the cōfidence wherof that people did swell and were puft vp in pride did take away sinne or did any thyng at all auayle to righteousnes By this discourse of Osorius I doubt not gentle Reader but that thou doest sufficiently vnderstand if thou bee of any capacitie what the meanyng of Paule and the whole sence and disposition of his doctrine in this Epistle to the Romanes doth purporte accordyng to Osorius his Diuinitie That is to say That we may learne how that we may not hope for any ayde towards our Saluatiō frō nature or any ordinaūces of the old law which beyng graūted it remaineth further to learne out of this Oracle of our great Maister from whence we ought at length to seéke for the true way of Saluation and in what poynt it chiefly consisteth forsooth in righteousnes saith he that is to say as Osorius doth define it In Eschewyng sinne and earnestly embracyng all godlynesse vertue and pietie vnto the which righteousnesse onely we ought to referre all surety and ankerhold of our saluation And hereupō is coyned a new Oracle not from Delphos in Boeotia but forged by Osorius in the wildernes of Syluain worthy to be Registred to eternitie of all people and tounges For righteousnesse onely sayth he doth reconcile God to mankynde The man hath spoken This mystery beyng exquisitely piked out of the hiddē mysteries of Diuinitie sithence Osorius requireth so earnestly to be graunted him without contradiction what shall become of that Fayth onely wherewith those Lutheranes and Bucerans do prattle so much them selues to be iustified by Nay rather what shall become of any Fayth at all Osorius if the onely righteousnesse of workes doe accomplish the absolute fulnesse of our Iustification Oingenious head and wonderfull deépe conclusion framed through conference of reasons and apt application of the middle proposition with the first and Clarckely concludyng and shuttyng vp the same into one knotte together Unlesse this our deépe Deuine had cunnyngly culled this Argument out of the closet of the Popes own breast as out of some horsepoole within whose bosome all knowledge of God and man is enclosed or vnlesse this Endymyon had soundly snorted in Aristotles Ethickes as it were in the hill Parnassus can any man doubt whether hee could euer haue bene able so happely to haue pearced into the inward and hidden meanyng of the Apostles
doctrine with so great sharpenesse and force of witte and vnderstandyng or haue euer descried the sence therof so effectually and discouered it so aboundauntly Why doe we not triumphauntly reioyce in this happynesse of learnyng in this blessed estate of the Catholicke people this our age be ioyfull for the good successe of that notable Realme of Portingall especially Which beyng otherwise renowmed for the great treasure of their trade in Marchādizes is yet become most fortunate in respect of this inestimable Iewell of the world which except in this great darkenesse of vnderstandyng had gratified vs with this wonderfull Deuine who might restore vnto lyfe all pietie Religiō suppressed by Luther who could with such singularitie expresse the meanyng of Paule beyng sinisterly corrupted after the sensualitie of naughtie packes and could so exquisitely haue hitte the nayle on the head all men might iustly haue doubted lest Diuinity should haue growē into great perill of vtter vndoing haue bene throwē into an vnrecouerable downfall For what mā in the world would haue interpreted Paules Epistle in this wise if he had not heard this mā before Truely I for my part and others like vnto me beyng not inspired with so profoūde deépe capacity did alwayes heretofore conceaue of the matter after this maner That the Apostles whole endeuour and trauaile in that Epistle tēded to none other end then by makyng men behold the greatnesse of Gods wrath first agaynst sinne hee might the better enduce them to perceaue and feéle how all nations and people aswell Heathenishe as the Iewes also them selues chiefly continuyng in the profession of Gods law were yet concluded vnder sinne and so might dispoyle them all of all matter to glorye vpon and so hauyng humbled and brought them into subiection before God might rayse agayne their comfort in Christ by denouncyng vnto them firme assured hope wherewith who soeuer did as then or would beleue in him afterwardes should obteine euerlastyng lyfe not through the merite of any worke but by the especiall grift of the freé promise not for our worthynesse but for our faythe 's sake simply without workes that the promise might be infallible not through any our merite which is none at all but by the mercy of God not accordyng to the proportion of that singular righteousnesse whiche is of our selues and peculiar to euery of vs but accordyng to that righteousnesse whiche is through the fayth of Christ Iesu whiche is of God euen that onely righteousnesse which is through fayth I haue bene alwayes hetherto persuaded that this was the very naturall meanyng and sence of Paules doctrine and this the right rule of Iustification neither could I euer gesse that when Paule pronounceth vs to bee Iustified by fayth without deédes of the law that part of the law was excluded onely which did treate of Ceremonies and had relation to the body and apperteined not to the soule But I accordyng to my grosse dulnesse rather did conceaue of his saying in this wise and not I alone but many other good men iarryng alwayes vppon the same stryng mistooke the note as I did and were of opinion that Paule by that his exemption did not exclude the Ceremoniall and shadowishe law onely which serued the letter onely but that most absolute and perfect part of the law also indifferently whereof he maketh his whole discourse in that Epistle the whiche also he doth note by name to be spirituall and sayth that it procureth wrath which was common to the Iewes and Gentiles all alyke Euen the same part of the law whiche commaundeth that thou shalt not lust by examination whereof Sinne is discerned Finally the same handwrityng conteyned in the tenne Tables written agaynst vs which was fastened vpon the Crosse of Christ. Bycause all those sayinges could not bee referred to the Ceremoniall law but to that part of the law whiche was conteyned in the preceptes of maners we could neuer otherwise interprete the sense meanyng of the Apostle then by such comparison of his owne wordes together vntill this new Doctour had published to the world this new light of Exposition Cōsideryng therfore the matter is in this plight It remayneth now gentle Reader that I appeale to thy Iudgement and abyde thy verdite herein whether it may seéme to theé that Luther haue wrested the mynde and wordes of the Apostle after his lust or Osorius rather haue peruerted the same to his owne folly But goe to I thinke good now to note the Argumentes wherewith Osorius iudgeth him selfe to be strongly fenced If Paule sayth he had sayd that the Iewes were commēdable for their integritie and innocencie of lyfe and yet that those deedes of godlynes did nothyng auayle them to attayne righteousnesse and so had concluded afterwardes that they were not iustified through the workes of the law the matter would then haue opened it selfe that by the name of workes he did meane the best actions and dueties of vertue Here is a strong foundation enough I suppose of an infallible Sillogisme deliuered vnto you attende now the other proposition of the same But this sayth hee is not founde in that whole discourse of Paule nay rather hee doth condemne them as guiltie of all wickednesse and crueltie This groundworke beyng this layd it remayneth that we rāme fast this buildyng vp with some good morter which in the maner of a conclusion is applyed in this wise Therfore Paule doth rightly conclude that where he affirmeth no man to be iustified through the deedes of the law he meaneth that the Ceremonies shadowes and Cleansinges of the law which consisted in outward obseruation dyd nothyng at all profite to the attaynemēt of Righteousnesse O passing pearcyng witte of Chrysippus O miserable Luther vtterly ouerthrowen with this Argument But goe to let vs ayde Luther somewhat and helpe to vnloose this Gordian knotte if it bee possible And although we may vtterly deny the forme of this Argument at the first choppe bycause it conteineth more in the cōclusion then was spoken of in the premisses yet either pardonyng or wynking at this escape Let vs examine the substaunce of the first proposition If Paule quoth he had perceaued the life of the Iewes to haue bene vndefiled and all the endeuoures and workes of their lyfe sincere and perfect and then had concluded that no man had bene Iustified by the workes of the law c. In deéde good Syr I confesse the same to bee true If the Apostle had perceaued this at the first and then had added that also that you speake it might happely then in some respect haue followed as you haue conclucluded But it could not bee possible Osorius that the Apostle would euer speake after that sorte For it is euident by Gods Scripture that it is impossible but that he which performeth the Commaundementes shall liue by them Wherfore if their conuersation had bene voyde of all blame and with like integritie
reposed in them the Apostles meanyng was to aduertize them that they should ascribe true righteousnes to those outward Ceremonies shadowes and cleansinges What a iest is this as though the Iewes did settle their cōfidence in the Ceremonies onely and did not much more rather glory in their Race in their Parentage in their worshippyng and callyng vpon God in their Prophetes in Gods promises in the deédes and workes of holynes Furthermore whereas this Epistle was not written to the Iewes but to the Romaines what aunswere will Osorius make here Were the Romaines also instructed to the obseruation of those Ceremonies or did they rest so much vpon them that it behooued the Apostle of necessitie to forewarne them in his letters written vnto them But what better weapon shall I vse in this conflict agaynst Osorius then one taken out of his owne armory for thus he speaketh If the Apostle had first praysed the Iewes for their vertues and good deedes and afterwardes had sayd that those vertues and good deedes were of no valew towardes the purchasing of righteousnes and then at last had concluded that they could not haue bene Iustified through the workes of the lawe then the matter had bene cleare that Paule had not excluded the Ceremoniall law onely but the Morall law also frō righteousnes Marke well gentle Reader and note aduizedly what hee speaketh If Paul had first praysed the workes of the Iewes afterwardes had derogated Iustification from these workes c. Uery well and what if out of the same Nation I doe name some men whose singular integritie of lyfe and study of righteousnesse Paule could by no meanes reproue yea whose godly endeuour vpright dealyng procured them no droppe of righteousnes notwithstandyng what will this Sophister say then And first of all let vs behold the workes of that most holy Patriarche Abraham who for his inestimable godlynesse can neuer be condignely enough commended of any of vs. And yet will ye heare Osorius the testimonie of the Apostle touchyng the same Patriarche What shall we say sayth hee that our Father Abraham did finde accordyng to the flesh For if Abraham were Iustified through workes he hath wherein he may glory but not in the sight of God Rom. 4. What then did he not obteine of God to bee called righteous Yes veryly but let vs seé by what meanes not through workes sayth the Apostle but by the commendation of his fayth which onely maketh vs appeare worthy in the sight of God For Abraham beleued God and it was Imputed vnto him for righteousnesse It is manifest therefore that he was accoumpted righteous but by what meanes forsooth not simply nor in respect of his workes but by way of Imputation onely Now what soeuer commeth of Imputation proceédeth from meére mercy of him that Imputeth and is not geuen in reward after the proportion of duetie or of dette For no man Imputeth that to an other that is duely owyng vnto him Now let vs here the testimonies of the Scriptures cōcernyng that whiche was Imputed Not bycause hee did the thynges which he was commaunded albeit he did many thynges wonderfully well but bycause he beleued God this was sayd to be Imputed vnto him for righteousnesse And why was not righteousnesse imputed vnto him aswell in those respectes bycause he did sacrifice vnto God Bycause he forsooke his natiue countrey Bycause hee offred his onely sonne to be slayne Neither doth the Apostle ouerskippe or conceale those causes especially bycause that he which was the Parente of the Posteritie the same also should be the Authour of the doctrine For why this was written sayth Paule videl That it was Imputed vnto him for righteousnesse not for his sake onely but for vs also to whom it shall likewise bee Imputed that beleue in him which raysed our Lord Iesus from death to life c. Rome 4. And thus much concerning Abrahā who though alone may suffice in place of all others so that we neéde none other example yet let vs ioyne to this holy Patriarche as holy a Kyng Dauid with Abraham both beyng deare vnto God both equally endued with like excellent ornamētes of godlynesse and vertue Whereof the one as he had nothyng whereupon to glory before God so the other did so disclayme altogether from righteousnesse that he besought nothyng more carefully of God in his prayers Then that hee would not enter into Iudgement with his seruaunt And rendreth a Reason of his most earnest prayer Bycause all flesh shall not be Iustified in thy sight And what other thyng is meant by this then that which Paule affirmeth in the selfe same wordes almost That no man is Iustified by the workes of the law Goe to then And where are now those wonderfull fruites of workes Where is that glorious shewe of righteousnesse Finally where shall Osorius him selfe appeare with all his cleannes good disposition temperaunce of mynde singular humanitie lenitie patience chastitie vnfayned charitie and with that absolute huge Chaos of bountyfull vertues so vnseparably vnited and linked together as it were chayned fast with yron ropes When as Dauid so great a Kyng and Prophet a most choyse vessell accordyng to Gods owne hart dare not presume to offer him selfe to Iudgement when as Iob a man commended of God for his singlenesse of hart and approued holynesse beyng asked a question of God durst not aunswere one word It will not be Impertinēt to the matter if we speake somewhat here of Paule him selfe Whose conuersation whiche he led vnblameable beyng as yet a Pharisie Tertullus him selfe could not charge with any fault The same beyng afterwardes engraffed into Christ liued in that vprightenesse of conscience that Osorius cā not iustly reprehende him as worthy of crime And yet all those so great and so many ornaments of holynesse did so nothyng auayle him to righteousnesse that hee him selfe accompted them for drosse Wherefore consider here with me Christian Reader a good felowshyp how much difference is betwixt Osorius and Paule where as the same workes whiche Osorius doth with so glorious pompe of eloquēt wordes garnishe so gorgiously Paule in playne termes doth compare thē to durtie drosse and filthy dounge whereby he may be found in Christ not to haue any his owne righteousnesse by the operatiō of the law but that onely righteousnesse grounded vpon fayth which is through the fayth of Christ. c. Cornelius of whom mention is made in the Actes of the Apostles was a holy man and feared God together which his whole houshold dealyng much almes to the poore and makyng continuall intercessions to almighty God This was a great and glorious commendation truely of excellent godlynesse which no sensible mā would say ought to be referred to the Ceremoniall law but to the Morall law rather And yet the selfe same Cornelius beyng neuer so notable for his commendable bertues vnlesse by the aduertizement of the Aungell had sent for Peter
no wise of the Morall law Ueryly I would not much sticke with you herein good sir if accordyng to your Logicke it may be lawfull to deriue a conclusion from the part to the whole But what kynde of Argument is this or who instructed you to frame an Argument in this sorte In some places Osorius sporteth bitterly enough vsing his Rhetoricall digressioÌ„s and is sometymes very pleasauntly disposed to play with Haddones Schoolemaister his nose who soeuer hee were that enformed him in the principles of Rhetoricke when hee was young but how much more iust cause might I take here if a man would vse the offered occasioÌ„ to geue the counter scoffe agaynst your own Maister quareller whosoeuer he was whiche nooseled your youth in Logicke and taught you so foolishly and senselesly to make bald ArgumeÌ„ts and to fetche a Conclusion from an vnsufficient numbryng of partes to affirme the whole For this is your disordered order of arguyng in this place Paule once or twise or perhaps speakyng oftentymes of the law hath relation to the Ceremoniall law Ergo wheresoeuer hee maketh any discourse about the law of God there his meanyng tendeth to the same construction eueÌ„ through his whole discourse and in all his Epistles Nay rather if you did vnderstand Paule throughly and would not crookedly wrest his meanyng after your owne grosse sensualitie Ye should easily perceaue that by way of Negatiue hee doth orderly proceéde after the surest maner of arguyng from the whole to the partes and from the vniuersall to the particular For if the vniuersall proposition may iustly be denyed it followeth of necessitie that the particular propositioÌ„s may not be admitted As where he doth say No workes at all of the law do Iustifie ye may duely conclude hereof Ergo neither the Ceremoniall Morall Naturall Politicke Ciuill nor any other law doth worke Iustification And marke here Osorius how much I doe beare with you when as I doe cut of so much of myne owne right vnto you whiche you could neuer bee able by Argument to wynne at my handes For to admit the foundation of your Argument which is otherwise altogether false we will yet for this present tyme graunt it to seéme true as you would your selfe it should bee that when Paule doth reason of the law he doth chiefly meane thereby the Ceremoniall law Yet what a monstruous Argument is this whereby ye trauaile to coÌ„firme the affirmation of one part by the nagation of the other part in this wise Paule doth deny that the Ceremoniall law doth Iustifie the Iewes Ergo the Morall lawe doth Iustifie them Nay rather how much more soundly should you haue reasoned turning your coÌ„clusion backward If the Ceremoniall law which was the principall substauÌ„ce of Moyses law doe not Iustifie Ergo neither any other part of the law doth Iustifie Albeit I will not deny but that in the very swathlyng cloutes of the primitiue Church many doubts arose amongest the Disciples them selues touchyng the reteinyng of Moyses Ceremonies in so much that Peter him selfe durst not be so bold as to receaue Cornelius the Captaine into the felowshyp of the Gospell before he was coÌ„maunded by the heauenly Oracle Neither could the strife about the Ceremoniall law be yet so appeased amongest the brethreÌ„ for the false Apostles and such as were of the Circumcision did stiffely as it were with tooth and nayle defende the obseruaunces of the Ceremoniall law neither would geue their consent that the Gentiles should be receaued into the coÌ„gregation vnlesse they would be Circumcized after Moyses law and endeuoured all that they could to charge the Christians with the yoke of the Ceremoniall law Vntill in a Counsell holden at Ierusalem the holy Ghost did determine that the Gentiles should not be charged with any Iudaicall Traditions except a very fewe onely And it is not to be doubted as Osorius doth say that Paule had much adoe in euery place about this Ceremoniall law yea and dealt ofteÌ„tymes therein not without manifest perill of lyfe Yet all this whiles appeared not so much as one sparckle of dissention or doubtfulnesse nor any one question was raysed amongest the brethren agaynst the Morall law the keépyng whereof was yet adiudged most necessary The controuersie remayned as yet about the Ceremonies customes of Moyses law At the last when this question was decided further enquirie began to be made afterwardes of that part of the law which seémed to challenge chief authoritie and especiall gouernement ouer the consciences of men And euen here through the inestimable benefite of GOD sprang vp vnto vs S. Paule Who first of all did call backe the controuersie of this question from the speciall or particular to the generall or vniuersall disputing not onely of the outward Ceremonies but of the whole doctrine of the Morall law also Whereunto I suppose hee was moued not without great cause For he had an incklyng surely that the very same thyng would ensue thereof which afterwardes came to passe That the Ceremoniall law beyng once made altogether vneffectuall many persons would wrongfully ascribe their freé Iustification purchased with the bloud of Iesus Christ to the workes of the Morall law which thyng as Paule did foreseé in the false Apostles the selfe same wee may easily perceaue now to happen in our Pharisaicall Rabbynes in these our dayes and amongest all other in this our Osorius chiefly at this present wherfore it is not to be doubted but that S. Paule was raysed vp by the speciall prouidence of God euen for this purpose who discoursing throughly vpon the whole law and vpon the effect vse office and end of the law doth fully describe vnto vs how much we ought to attribute to our workes and how much we ought to yelde to the grace of God herein discouereth the very well-sprynges of sounde doctrine finally declareth vnto vs whiche is the false and which is the true righteousnesse in the sight of God and wherein the same doth consist Likewise whereunto it ought not be referred Not to workes sayth he for no man liuyng shal be Iustified by workes Well then if not by workes how then Through Fayth sayth he in Iesu Christ. Yet is not this all that he speaketh But adding thereunto a proofe he yeldeth this reason Bycause if through workes sayth he then is it not now of promise After this maner teacheth Paule both learnedly and playnly But our Osorius practizeth to wype away this negatiue proposition of Paule with a trimme shift as though Paule in all those places where he dischargeth workes from Iustification did meane nothyng els but that no man should repose trust of assured sauetie in the Ceremoniall law onely Uery well then is it reason that he teach vs whereupon we should grounde our Affâ—aunce Veryly in Fayth sayth the Apostle Paule and so in Fayth that if in workes then not in Fayth at all This is truely spoken by the Apostle But
made free for all estates In deéde this may happely chaunce amoÌ„gest some persons for what caÌ„ be so well spoken at any tyme or so circumsplectly handled but that the malice of the wicked will take thereof euill occasion to wrest to their filthy lust So in the tyme of Paules preachyng there wanted not peruerse people which in like maner tooke occasion to slaunder his doctrine with his owne wordes videl Let vs doe euill that good may come thereof There were also some whiche were not ashamed to say that Paule did destroy the law did geue to much scope to libertie Of that kynde of people Peter doth coÌ„playne which with sinister deuises practized to wrest Paules writyngs crookedly to their own confusioÌ„ Shall not good men therfore frequent his Epistles Euen by the same Reason Osorius let not flowers grow in the spryng tyde bycause the Spyder doth aswell sucke poyson out of them as the Beés matter to make theyr honnycombe But if so bee that when good men doe geue vertuous and necessary exhortation of those thynges whiche they do thinke worthy to be embraced accordyng to their duety and profession of their fayth wicked men in the meane space starte vp betwene whiche will abuse the same good thynges to their owne destruction is this the fault of the teacher or rather the fallax of the accident as Logicians do terme it Many persons say you do take occasion of wicked confidence and vnpunishable libertie through that new Gospell of Luther But many on the contrary part do receaue froÌ„ the same very comfortable consolation and finde them selues thereby to be much more pricked foreward to pursue godlynesse with more carefulnesse If Luther teach the truth shall not his doctrine therfore be published bycause wicked men doe abuse it But if you thinke his Assertions to be erronious Why do not you O Thales I pray you vouchsafe to prescribe as becommeth the fulnesse of your wisedome some pretie rules of sounder doctrine whereunto Luther might more safely haue directed his opinions I beleue that he should by your aduise haue associated him selfe with the Schoolemen and Monckes and with that sacred InquisitioÌ„ of Spayne and vsed these kyndes of speaches videl That the kyngdome of heauen is a due reward for our good workes if it were not we should otherwise be vncerteine thereof Bycause that which is of duetie is most assured but that proceédeth from mercy is vncerteine Or els ye will require perhappes that he should teach vs as your Hosius doth preach who doth affirme that euerlastyng Saluation is obteyned by deseruinges proceédyng from the grace of God Or els as our Osorius doth Who calleth faith onely to be onely rashnesse boldly pronounceth that all the meanes and worthynesse of our Saluation consisteth in righteousnesse not that righteousnesse whiche we receaue by imputation from Christ through fayth but that same which euery maÌ„ maketh peculiar to him selfe by his owne purchase through workes Or els as the Schoolemen of your old Gospell do professe who bablyng very much about Iustification haue decreéd at the length that it must be taken two maner of wayes one way which is obteyned before any workes be done through grace geuen freély as they say as in Infantes beyng Regenerated by Baptisme The other in elder yeares through great store and perfectioÌ„ of workes That is to say through the resistyng of the froath enticementes of sinne dayly subduyng therof which they call in their phrase of speach Grace making acceptable or acceptyng Grace And although good workes doe not bryng to passe that first Iustification yet they do geue the second maner of Iustifieng the grace of God workyng together with the same which doth minister strength sufficient as well to worke stoutly as to striue agaynst the very stynges and prickes of the flesh effectually so that it may not onely be possible to lyue cleare froÌ„ deadly sinne but also to atteine to be Iustified peâ— Congruum Condignum You knowe well enough these fayre flowers Osorius if I be not deceaued and glorious speculatioÌ„s of your old Diuinitie Whiche how agreably seéme to accorde with your old Gospell I know not Sure I am that Christ neuer knew this Gospell the Apostles neuer taught it nor the EuaÌ„gelistes no nor the approued auncient Catholicke Fathers had euer any smatche thereof Nay rather Christ Paule the Apostles and EuaÌ„gelistes and auncient Doctours of the Church when soeuer they treated of Saluation and of lyfe euerlastyng do endeuour nothyng more seriously theÌ„ that seueryng our workes from the cause of Iustification altogether they might dispoyle vs wholy of Confidence of our owne sauetie and so referre vs ouer to the onely mercy of God who onely geueth the kyngdome of heauen not for any our deseruynges but for his promise sake onely But we haue sayd enough herein Let vs now proceéde to other cauillatioÌ„s of this troublesome trifler though it be somewhat greéuous and as neare as we may if we caÌ„ not all yet let vs briefly and orderly cut of the toppes of them There is no man that will geue him selfe to any good workes if he haue once heard Luther for his Schoolemaister c. Whereas Luther doth not take vpon him the person of a Schoolemaister nor hath challenged to him selfe the dignitie of high deske nor euer taught any Schooles of new factioÌ„s nor euer lead any trayne of Scholers but amoÌ„gest other Christians followed alwayes Christ the common Schoolemaister And was neuer knowen to haue vttered any other doctrine theÌ„ that whiche he receaued of Christ what should moue this quarellsome Docâ—or to reproch him with this enuious title of maister Many good and vertuous men haue heard Luthers preachyng but no man as I suppose acknowledged him for his Maister For that neéded not for through all Christendome in Uniuersities and common Schooles are whole droues of Maisters scattered abroad as though they dropped out of the Troiane horse Whom we doe heare also wheÌ„ they teach what they teach I will not here stand to discusse nor I make any estimate thereof The Christians did sometymes heare the Scribes and Phariseés teachyng in Moyses chayre neither doth the Apostle forbyd vs But that may take a tast of all doctrines but pet so tast them as we hold fast nothyng but that which is good If Luther teach any doctrine of his owne imaginatioÌ„ him selfe refuseth to be beleued therin but if the teach the doctrine of Christ and those thynges which he hath sucked out of the sweéte iuyce of Christes Gospell I beseeche you Syr doth he therfore professe him selfe a Maister to Scholers or a Scholer rather to his Maister Christ And therfore this scornefull title of schoolemaister wherewith ye reproche him is a scoffe more fitte for a common Rufâ—ian then a Deuine surely altogether vncomely and vnseémely for a Byshop But whereas ye pronounce that Luthers Auditory haue not geuen them selues to
promise where prophecyeng of the tyme of his commyng of Iudgement When you shall see the beginning of those thinges sayth Christ looke vp and lift vp your heades and so proceédyng yeldeth therof this Reason Bycause then your redemption draweth nye Marke well Osorius he doth not say your Iudgement but your redemption draweth nye And why did he choose to put his Disciples in remembrauÌ„ce of their redemption rather keépyng the name of Iudgement in silence Ueryly bycause there is so no IudgemeÌ„t of condeÌ„nation to them which are of the fayth of Christ Iesu as thereis no redeÌ„ptioÌ„ for them who without the fayth of Christ Iesu do wholy yeld their seruice to the world and to the fleshe Whereupon we may heare him agayne debatyng the same matter touching the freédome of Iudgement in the v. of Iohn Whosoeuer heareth my voyce and beleeueth on him whiche hath sent me shall not come into Iudgement but hath already passed from death to life And in an other place turnyng his speache to his Disciples whenas hee could promise them no reward of more excelleÌ„cie And you sayth he shall sit together vpoÌ„ seates Iudging the xy tribes of Israell Luke 22. What neéde I rehearse Paule writyng to the Corinthians Doe ye not know sayth he that the Saintes shall Iudge the world And raysing vs vp beyond the reache of earthly thynges to the excellencie of Aungels Doe ye not know that we shall Iudge the Aungels 1. Cor. 1. What then will you say shall we not all come into Iudgement shall we not all be arraigned before the Royall seate of the Maistie Yes Osori we shall all come to Iudgement But Augustine will discouer vnto you a DistinctioÌ„ of this Iudgement That the one part therof shall concerne Damnation the other sequestration whereby the Goates shal be seuered from the Lambes but the Lambes not condemned with the Goates And therfore I do firmely beleue that we shall come all vnto Iudgement but my assured hope and Affiaunce is that the elect shall not come into Iudgement of condeÌ„nation I know that all shall yeld accoumpt but this Awdite shal be so easie and so voyde of all feare vnto them which are engraffed into Christ as on the other side it will be most rigorous dreadfull to them which shall come forth into Iudgement with out Christ and the weddyng Garment And why so veryly bycause whom Fayth doth clothe with her Roabes the same doth Christ so shield defende and saue harmelesse with his innocentie agaynst all bytternes of tempestuous IudgemeÌ„t as though they should neuer appeare before any Iudge at all but passe presently from death to life And this truely euen this same innocencie of Christ is that pure righteousnesse of Christians which the Father doth none otherwise Impute vnto vs that beleue in his Sonne then he did once Impute to the same his Sonne all our sinnes when he suffred his Passion for sinners And he sayth the Prophet did beare vpon his backe all our Iniquities Esay 53. On the contrary part such as refusing this ankerhold of Christ and trustyng to their own tackle will hazard the sauetie of their soules before the seuere Iustice of God otherwise then clothed with this weddyng Garment must neédes suffer shipwracke of their soules voyde of all hope to recouer the hauen of perfect felicitie so beyng turned ouer to the furniture of their own store must neédes be bulged through and ouerpaâ—sed at â—ast with the buroeÌ„ of Iustice whiche they could neuer reach vnto in this life And hereof ariseth all that difference betwixt them which are ioyned to Christ and the rascall rable of Infidels For although in this iust Iudgement a reckonyng shal be made of all the deédes of all men before God and likewise reward decreede vndoubtedly accordyng to euery maÌ„s deseruynges yet the order of this Iudgement shall farre otherwise proceéde with the faythfull theÌ„ with the Reprobate For such as will challenge their Saluation as due vnto them for obseruyng the righteousnesse of the law thorough their owne workes and not through fayth and ImputatioÌ„ of Christ Those meÌ„ surely shal be rewarded according to the deserte of their own workes vnder this coÌ„dition That whosoeuer haue accomplished the rule of the law with that absolute perfection that he ought to haue done shall lyue accordyng to the decreé of the law But if he haue fayled one tittle in performaance lesse then the law required what may he hope for els then accordyng to the sentence of the law which holdeth all men fast chayned vnder euerlasting malediction that haue not continually in all the course of their lyfe perseuered vpright and vnblameable of all partes therof That no blemish be it neuer so litle may be founde in the breache of any one iote of the law whiche may procure most heauy matter of vtter condeÌ„nation vnto him And euen here most manifestly appeareth the Iustice of God for hee that of him selfe is altogether vnable to atteyne perfect righteousnesse and will likewise wilfully refuse the same beyng offered vnto him by another if he suffer punishement for his owne vnrighteousnes hath no cause to accuse the law of iniustice but must referre his plague to his owne infidelitie On the other part Those that departing hence with fayth repentaunce I speake here of sinners which are truly penitent in Christ do so prepare them selues as men reposing all their whole righteousnesse in the onely innocency of Christ and not in their workes shall neither bee impeached for their sinnes whiche Christ hath healed with his woundes And yet if they haue done any good worke they shal be rewarded with the inheritauÌ„ce of eternall lyfe not for the worthynesse of the workes but bycause of his freé Imputation he doth vouchsafe those weake workes bee they neuer so barren and naked worthy to obteine the promised inheritaunce not bycause they haue deserued it but bycause hym selfe hath promised it I suppose these manifold and manifest sayings hitherto are sufficient enough to declare the truth and discouer the falshoode of all this quarell of Osorius nay rather to shewe how many sondry faultes he hath couched vp into one coÌ„clusion how many errours he hath clouted together and into how many absurdities hee hath tombled him selfe headlong For endeuouryng to proue agaynst the Lutheranes That there is none other way to attayne true righteousnesse then by liuyng vertuously he seémeth to pretende a colour of a certeine few sentences pyked out of the Scripture such as him selfe scarsely vnderstandeth or hath ilfauouredly disguised to make a shewe in his maske and makyng no distinction meane whiles betwixte the persons and the thynges disposing nothyng in his due place and order but choppyng and shufflyng all thynges together in a certeine confused hotchpotte as it were in the old vnformed Chaos though they be as farre distauÌ„t as heauen and earth iumbleth them together without all discretion confoundyng the law
worke Nay rather let them vnderstand if they be the children of God that they are made plyable by Gods Spirite to doe the thynges that ought to be done and when they haue done so to yeld thankes to him by whom they were made to do so For they are made plyable bycause they should do something not bycause they should do nothing c. Which saying doth make euident vnto vs that eche of these two are to be founde in Freewill both that it is made to do when it doth well and agayne that it selfe also doth when it is made to do So that herein is no contrarietie at all but that it may both demeane it selfe by suffering and also by doing and to aunswere for Luther with Luthers owne wordes to witte after diuers and seuerall sortes and after the common phrase of speach in diuers and seuerall respectes For in respect of the worke it selfe whenas will occupyeth the place of an Instrument or toole it both doth is made to do euen as other tooles do in any matter whereunto they are applyed But if you haue relation to the efficient cause or workeman to whose vse it serueth in steéde of a toole in this respect the will of man demeaneth it selfe altogether sufferyngly as the which in respect of procuryng of Gods Grace from whence issueth all motion of good will it worketh nothyng at all but simply obeyeth suffereth For in any good worke what is mans will elles then an instrument of the holy Ghost voluntary in deéde bycause it is moued whether soeuer it is moued of her owne accord yet is it an instrument notwithstandyng bycause of thynges well done it is neither the cause it selfe nor any sparcke of the cause in respect of the worker but a seruaunt rather and a handmayde onely whose seruice the Spirite of God being the worker doth apply to do these things which it pleaseth him to haue to be done in vs for the accomplishyng wherof it ministreth no helpe at all as of her selfe But the Papisticall generation can not disgest this by any meanes to whom sufficeth not that Freewill shal be taken as an instrument or as it were a workeshoppe onely vnlesse it beare as great a stroke or rather with Gods Spirite workyng together with it nor doe they thinke it sufficient that the whole action of our Election and regeneration bee ascribed to the onely freé mercy of God vnlesse we also as felow workemē be coadiutours of this worke together with God For euen the same doe Osorius wordes emporte manifestly which folow in this wise Do ye not therefore perceaue sayth he by Paules owne wordes that Freewill is approued by his authoritie which Luther doth practise to ouerthrowe For to what ende would he haue called vs fellow workers with God if none of vs did further the worke that GOD worketh in vs to what purpose would he haue admonished vs to worke our owne Saluation if to do it were not in our owne power We are together Gods labourers as Paule reporteth 1. Corinth 3. Where I know that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie together labourers But what is this at the length to the purpose doe you not here playnly put the old Prouerbe in practize to witte I aske you for Garlicke and you offer me Oynyones I desire to borrow sickles and you lyke a churlishe neighbour deny that you haue any Mattockes How carefull the Apostles were in plantyng the doctrine of the Gospell we are not ignoraunt nor do deny And it is not to be doubted that Gods prouidence vsed them as most choyse instrumentes to addresse and husband his Uynearde yea and that not without singular profite But we make no enquiry here as now how much mans industry did bryng to passe by the outward preachyng of the word or whom it profited most but the question is here touchyng the fruite of inward cōuersion whether Freewill of her selfe do worke or not worke any furtheraunce towardes the embracyng of fayth towardes repentaūce towardes spirituall righteousnes towards attainement of Saluation and towardes the regeneration of lyfe So that the state of the question be now to witte Whether mās mynde and will beyng of the selfe same nature that it was when we were first borne be endued with any actuall or effectuall power able to worke together with Gods holy Spirite towardes the begynnyng of our conuersion and entryng into our godly consideration of good purposes and actions of inward obedience Wherein many writers doe vary in Iudgement and opinion yea that not a litle But Osorius propositiō alledged here of the Apostles together workers maketh nothyng to the purpose nor auayleth to the maintenaunce of Freewill a rushe For to admit that the Apostles were together workers with God yet that those same together workemē should be hypred to worke in this Uyneard and sent abroad into the Lordes haruest proceéded not of their owne voluntary motion or Freewill but of the freé Election and callyng of God onely Agayne this their Ministery as farre forth as concerneth their own persons euen then when they laboured most earnestly was extended no further then to the outward preachyng dispensation of the word for as touchyng the inward conuersion of the hearers nourishment of their fayth this was the onely worke of the holy Ghost and not of the Apostles Paule did plante Apollo did water But what doth this helpe to Freewill when as neither he that plāteth nor he that watereth are any thing at all but God onely who geueth the encrease And what is the reason then why they are sayd to bee nothyng Is it bycause he that plāteth and he that watereth and he that ploweth doth nothyng at all was Paule nothyng or did he not worke at all who beyng continually trauailyng is reported to haue laboured more then all the rest or shall we say that the rest of the Apostles did nothyng which did employ not their trauaile onely but shedd their bloud also in furtheryng the worke of the Gospell Yeas veryly wonderfull much if you respect the outward Ministery of Preachyng the word and their function But we doe enquyre of the inward operation of conuersion and the renewyng of the myndes which is the onely worke of God not of Freewill nor of mans outward endeuour Godly Preachers in deéde doe pearce into the eares of men with outward voyce set downe before them the wordes of fayth and truth And yet thus to do springeth not of their own Freewill but from the freé callyng of God whereby they are lead to do the same but to beleue the doctrine inwardly to become faithful hearers of the wholesome word is the onely worke of the holy Ghost who by secret inspiration doth dispose the myndes doth renew the hartes doth inspire with fayth finally of unwillyng doth make willyng so that here is no place left now for Freewill to challēge but that he onely possesse
the whole which onely worketh all in all who thrustyng out workemen to preach the word doth frameth the wills of the hearers that they may beleéue Whereupō I do aūswere to that suttle Argument of Osorius briefly and playnly in this wise Whosoeuer worketh together with an other worketh actiuely and not passiuely onely The Ministers of the Gospell are together workemen with God Ergo The Preachers of the worde when they worke with God do not suffer passiuely onely I aunswere that in the Maior proposition should haue bene added these wordes Per fe inys que ngit That is to say Of him selfe in the things wherein he worketh For the thyng that of his owne power worketh together with an others helpe doth somewhat in deéde in those thynges whiche it doth and is not wrought onely That is true And for the same purpose the Minor proposition must bee denyed for the Freewill of Gods Ministers doth neither worke in Preachyng the word Per se of it selfe except it be holpen by Gods Spirite nor doth proceéde any further euen when it is holpen thē to the outward action of preachyng But as concernyng the inward fruite of preachyng namely nourishment of fayth and the operatiō of conuersion all this action proceédeth from the holy Ghost and not frō Free-will And this seémeth to bee the very meanyng of Luther to witte hauyng respect to those thynges onely wherein Freewill can not challenge to be any meane of effectuall operation either in workyng or in together workyng nor can make any title of clayme therein nor prescribe to bee any partener with the holy Ghost in the worke It remayneth that we arme our selues agaynst the other sutteltie of Osorius which he coyneth out of the Apostles wordes S. Paule writyng to the Phillipians doth counsell them in a certein place to worke euery of them their own saluation with feare and tremblyng I doe heare it and I awayte what this choppelogicke will stampe out hereof Ergo sayth Osorius we are able to worke our Saluation of our owne Freewill I doe aunswere The antecedent is true but the consequent most false and altogether sauoryng of Pelagius errour nor agreable with the antecedent For this word working which the Apostle vseth doth not signifie any such thyng as may vphold the force of Freewill or declare it to be the efficiēt cause of Saluation as though it did depend vpō the dignitie of our workes but is onely a word of exhortation to comfort them to goe foreward diligently and to perseuer carefully in the course of Saluation where they were now settled And withall teacheth them further how they ought to perseuer with feare sayth he and trēblyng to witte exhortyng them to take vnto them the feare of God in humblenesse of mynde which might hold them alwayes conuersaunt in good workes whiles they made hast to attaine the goale of Saluatiō Finally that no man might cauill say that this vertue of perseueraūce did farre surmoūt their weakenes he addeth forthwith callyng them backe as it were to a better hope through cōfidence of greater helpe For it is God sayth he which worketh in you both to will and to worke accordyng to his good pleasure c. If God do worke in vs Osorius both to will and to worke what is it then that Freewill can will or doe Furthermore if life euerlasting be the gift of God not for the workes sake whiche we haue done how shall Saluation be obteined by good workes wherefore you trippe twise in your Argument First whereas you place Saluation in good workes Then whereas you deriue good workes out of mans Freewill as from the sprynghead therof For thus ye conclude If it were not in our own power to witte in our Freewill which both are false and most friuolous And yet after all these manifest trackes of Pelagius playne footesteppes not vnlike that craftie varlet Syrus in Terence whiche cleareth him selfe to his Maister as vnacquainted with the Mariage of his sonne euen so least he should seéme to be defiled with some spotte of Pelagius errour addeth immediately What Are we such as will consent with Pelagius Did we say at any tyme that we were able to worke any godly or prayse worthy worke through our own strength and industry If you will abide by your wordes Osor. you haue so said in deéde For he that doth auow that it is in our own power to worke our saluation what doth hee meane els by these wordes but that we be able of our owne strēgth to worke somewhat worthy cōmendatiō But whether he agreé herein with Pelagius or no let the indifferēt Reader Iudge as seémeth him best But I pray you sir by what meanes do you affirme that to be in our owne handes which you deny agayne to be in our owne power Or how cā ye defend them both but you must neédes make a lye in the one or what slipper deuise will you vse here to couer your lye withall You say that Saluatiō is not obteined by our own strength but through Gods grace workyng within vs. And why then chaufe you so maliciously agaynst Luther Melancthon Bucer and Caluine which affirme the same that you do But a litle earst ye confessed the thyng which ye do now deny Be stedfast therfore and set downe your mynde whereunto you will stand that we may know once where we may finde you If you affirme that all consisteth in our owne handes then do you not agreé with Pelagius but you go farre beyond him If you ascribe all to the grace of God what neédeth any more scoldyng But you will deuide your meanyng perhappes and will allowe to Gods grace such a parte of the worke that Freewill also may occupy some part with all Yet doe ye not vntwyne this meashe notwithstandyng For if you will so cut asunder this shippe which can by no meanes bee vnioynted and will yeld ouer the forepart therof to mās guidyng the powpe to Gods tuition surely S. Paule will gayne say you euery way which yeldeth the whole interest of both aswell the former as the hinder partes to God whether Osori will or no Declaryng That it is God that worketh in vs both to will and to bryng to passe all thyngs accordyng to his good pleasure But you will finde out some meane thyng paraduenture betwixt both whiche you may attribute to Free-will But euen here agayne you shall be driuen backe whereas you may heare Paule pronounce That it is God that geueth the increase so that now not onely the originall of good will but the encrease also of well doyng the accomplishyng proceédyng and successes also flow from out the holy Ghost and not from man If it be so thē will you say that Gods grace doth worke all in all in vs to what purpose serueth the Freewill that is naturally engraffed within vs or beyng holpen by grace how is it sayd to doe
the matter would admitte some other interpretation yet ought Assertiō haue bene compared with Assertion and place with place Finally consideration ought to haue bene had of the entent and meanyng of the writer then also of the first originall scope of his doctrine whereunto it tended and what it emported And if ye would examine vprightly the opinions and assertions of mē accordyng the true touchstone of Gods truth and not sinisterly for eiudge them whether opinion I pray you seémeth in your cōceite most sounde of those which doe aduaunce the Maiestie of Gods grace or of those whiche doe enhaunce the weakenesse of mans nature of those which doe make mens merites workes the effectes of Saluatiō or of those which do ascribe it to Gods freé imputation through Iesu Christ of them which doe determine that righteousnesse commeth by fayth or of them which say it is obteyned by the workes of the law of those whiche spoyle Freewill of all matter to glory vpon or of them which do call mē backe to a true and humble acknowledgement of them selues of those whiche razing out the euerlastyng and vnchaungeable decreé of Gods Predestination doe committe the successes of thynges to happe hazard and blynd chaunce and to freé affectiō of mans will or of them whiche settyng aside all chaunceable euentes of fortune and all power of mans will doe referre all things to the assured gouernaunce of Gods infallible foreknowledge guidyng all thyngs after his own pleasure in most stayed and stable order And yet doth not Luther so roote out all Free-will altogether and all chaunceablenesse of fortune but that he doth admitte the vse of them in some respect to witte in respect of inferiour causes although in respect of hygher causes in those thynges whiche concerne saluation or damnation he beleueth surely that no force of Freewill ne yet any chaunceablenesse of fortune doe preuayle any thyng at all For as much as this is the chief grounde of Luthers doctrine what els may the well affectioned indifferent Reader I pray you cōceaue of this his Assertiō then that which may magnifie the glory of God extoll his omnipotencie may establishe the sauetie of the faythfull dependyng vpon the freé promise of God through fayth not vpō the worthynes of merites through Freewill may terrifie the wicked with a wholesome feare of God may restrayne them frō outrage may comfort vs agaynst death with lyfe that is in God agaynst miserie with grace against infirmitie with strength agaynst destruction with Gods mercy may rayse vp the godly to loue and embrace their God The fruite of all which thyngs as the godly Reader may easily reape by this doctrine let vs seé now on the other side what poyson Osorius doth sucke out of the fame as one that seéth nothyng in this Assertiō but horrible wickednes as he fayth shamelesse arrogācie detestable maddnes execrable outrage And now would I fayne heare how he will confirme this proude affirmatiue so vehemētly vttered For sayth he this beyng graunted I doe say that lawes are abolished decrees put to silence sciences rooted out learnyng extinguished peace and trāquillitie disturbed and vtter confusion made of all right and wrong without all order If Osorius require this at our handes that whatsoeuer his lauishe tounge shall rashly roaue at large be coyned for an vnreproueable oracle thē is this matter soone at an end But that world is gone long sithēce Osor. wherin this Pythagoricall Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was takē for a law We thinke it not now enough to harken to all that a man will speake but to cōsider what vpon what groūde a mā speaketh Well what say you vnto vs at the lēgth Osorius That lawes will decay statutes be put to silence sciences rooted out learnyng extinguished trāquillitie disturbed and right and wrong confounded together Certes you haue heard of this man here many hygh and absurde speaches gentle Reader but heare yet much more absurditie I say furthermore that hereupon doth follow that mā is spoyled of sense bereft of aduise and depriued of reason and driuen to that passe as no difference may seeme to be betwixt him a stone throwen out of a mans hād And yet haue you not heard all Osori crauleth forward still is come now as it seémeth into some mayne playne where he purposeth to make vs a course of his harysh eloquence I say also that the holy cōmaundements of God his preceptes statutes his exhortatiōs and threatnyngs rewardes promised for well doyng and punishmēt threatened for malefactours were all in vayne prescribed to the posterity by Gods word O Heauē O Earth O Sea of Hercules But is there any more yet tush all these be but trifles yet For ouer and besides this ensueth so haynous a fact more horrible then toung can speake or hart cā thinke so vnspeakeably filthy so monstruously straūge that all the rest beyng layd together may in respect of this be accompted scarse worth the speakyng And what is it a Gods name Forsooth that Luther or Melancthon Bucer or Caluine or whosoeuer were the first foūder of this doctrine besides that he doth thereby turne all states and cōmon weales quite vpsidowne he breaketh yet further into such vnmeasurable impiety as that he doth imagine God him selfe the most holy of holy ones our most deare Father to whō no iniquitie can by any meanes be imputed to be the author of all wickednes and cruelty We haue heard a tedious Catalogue of haynous absurdities which as he sayth must needes ensue vpō Luthers doctrine And if it be not true He requireth vs to make him a lyar as that either Luther neuer spake so or els to teach him that Luthers doctrine may well be mainteined As though there were any such pitthe in all this your rayling M. Osorius that might not easily be confuted or any such weakenes in Luther that might not much more easily be defended yea so defended as that neither he may seeme to haue taught the doctrine of Necessitie without good cōsideratiō nor you able to deface the same without great perill of cōmittyng horrible sacriledge I speake now of Necessitie not that Necessitie that is called violēt coactiō but of that which is named of vndoubted assuraūce absolute infallibilitie not that Necessitie which the schoolemen call Consequēti◠but which is called Consequētia or ex Hypothesi For Necessitie is neither takē after one onely significatiō amongest the Deuines nor yet amōgest the Logiciās Philosophers wherof of I suppose you be nothyng ignoraunt at the least you ought not be ignoraunt therof surely Therefore they that haue employed their studyes somewhat more carefully about the scannyng of this matter haue defined Necessary after this maner to be such a thyng as can not bee altered a certeine settled and firme vnmoueablenes which can not be chaūged by any meanes from that
the Apostles doctrine ye may now at the last I warrant you learne of this Portingall Thales the pure and sincere Interpretation of Paules discourse touching the Predestination of the Gentiles and the reiection of the Iewes whereof he debateth in all those his three Chapters 9.10.11 The vnderstanding whereof because neyther Luther himselfe nor any of all the rest of Luthers Schoole were able to conceaue it is good reason that we not onely attentiuely harken vnto but also without controlement beleue this new pyked caruer not of sentences onely but a planer of wordes also whiles he do lay open before our eyes the very naturall meanyng of that place to be sensibly felt euen to the vttermost tittle thereof And for as much as there be two thinges chiefly handled by Paule in these three chapters First wherein he reioyseth with the Gentiles for that their calling and most prosperous knowledge of the light of the Gospell Secōdarily wherein he lamenteth the lamentable fall of the Iewes their most sorowfull blindenes and taking occasiō hereupon doth forth with enter into a discourse of fayth and the infallible certeintye of Gods promises For whereas that blessednes was promised to the posterity of Abraham here might some scrupule haue troubled his minde as there wanted not of the Iewes some that pyked hereout matter to cauill vpon as though God had broken the promise that he once had made as one that hauing obliged hymselfe before with so many couenauntes and promises to this generation did now contrary to his othe cast them of and despise them S. Paule valiauntly impugning the disorderous reproches and cauillations of these with sondry forcible reasons doth fortifie this his defence with iiij Argumētes chiefly First that this promise of the blessing was made in deede to Abraham and Israell and to their posteritie but this promise in as much as is spiritually to be taken did not so restrayne it selfe onely to that externall Family alone after the kinred of the fleshe as that it noted not vnder the same fellowshyppe and kinred of Israell the Gentiles also such especially as were endued with like sincerity of fayth He addeth furthermore that albeit the same promise did concerne those Gentiles chiefly which ioyned themselues to Christ yet the same was not so wholy translated to the Gentiles the Iewes beyng forsakē but that a great portiō of these also remnaunts as it were of that lamētable shipwracke beyng preserued should be partakers of the same promise and blessednes together with the Gentiles In the third place that it came to passe through their own villany vnbelief not of any inconstancie on Gods behalfe that this promise of God did so much fayle them but that they did exclude themselues rather from the benefite of Gods promise Lastly that neyther this reiection shoulde continue so for euer but that it should once come to passe as the Apostle prophecieth that the fulnes of the Gentiles beyng accomplished the whole nation of the Israelites recouering at the length the former grace of their auncient promise shoulde be restored agayne to the benefite of their former blessing Uerily I do confesse that this interpretation of Osorius is not altogether amisse wherein I seé nothing yet false or newly deuised moreouer nothing spoken of here that hath not long sithence bene spoken yea and with a farre more playne lightsomnesse by our expositors for we beyng long agoe sufficienly enstructed in Paules schoole haue vnderstood well inough without Osorius schooling the that promise was peculiar to the seede of Israell beyng the children of promise and not to the Children after the flesh Moreouer neither are we ignorant hereof that that blindenes happened not to all Israell but in part onely not of any inconstancy on Gods behalfe but that they fell themselues from true righteousnes by their owne default as people following the righteousnesse whiche came not by fayth but flattering themselues in obseruing the workes of the lawe Furthermore that whiche Thapostle doth prophecie shall come to passe concerning the restoring agayne of that whole nation at the length as we all hartily wish for so no man I suppose is so blockishe but doth vnderstand sufficiently all whatsoeuer Paule hath spoken of this matter by his owne writing though Osorius did neuer interprete it And agayne touching the examples of Isaac and Iacob set downe by Paule whom Gods election would should be preferred before their brethren though elder in birth in the deuision of the Fathers patrimonye We are neither ignoraunt nor forgetfull thereof whereupon we do nothing disagreé frō Osorius in conceauing the same thing vnder the types and figures of those persons and doe professe in as many wordes that neyther the prerogatiue of kinred nor workes nor yet the lawe but that Gods election calling and grace doth make the true Israelites Forasmuch therefore as our expositours in all these poynts of doctrine haue nothing at all hitherto swarued from the truth of Paules doctrine or your interpretation what corrupt exposition is that at the length of these our Interpretours wherewith you are so much offended forsooth say you because they doe not sufficiently enough conceaue the very ende whereunto Paule did referre those argumentes Goe to then sith you prouoke vs hereunto Let vs first seé what argumentes those be of Paule then to what ende they be applied Because the Iewes did challenge to thēselues a title of righteousnes through the obseruaunce of the law which neuerthelesse they did not obserue in very deéde partely because swelling w e pryde for the Nobilitie of their race they did promise vnto thēselues a certaine peculiar election with God before all other nations Paule entending to treate very sharply agaynst the insolent arrogancie of them doth argue agaynst thē with most forcible argumentes taken out of holy Scriptures namely That the substance of Gods election neither did hang vpon the works of the Law neyther vpon the roialtie of race not yet vpon auncient of parentage but did depend vpon the onely freemercy of Gods compassion and Fayth of the Gospell And to make the same appeare more euidently he putteth foorth vnto them the example of Isaac and Ismaell whereof the one though by byrth were yonger yet obtained through grace to be the first and was thereby aduaunced to the dignity of inheritaunce where as they both were generall issues of one and the same father Abraham though they had not both one mother And to auoyde the daūger of scrupule that might ensue by reason of the two mothers hee doth yet confirme the same with a more notable exāple Namely the example of the two brothers that were twinnes Iacob and Esau who issuing of one Father of one mother and one birth and before they had done any thing good or euill God did translate the honour of birthright and blessing to the yonger to beare rule ouer the elder And whereof came this but from the freé
Cauiller did oppose agaynst him selfe Is there any vnrighteousnesse with God why doth he yet complayne of man who is able to resiste his will It may appeare most euidētly that Paule was fully resolued there that as well Election as reiection did depend altogether vpon the very will of God without all mans deseruynges For otherwise there had bene no place to make this Obiection For if they onely should be chosen that did deserue and they likewise should be onely cast away which did not deserue what reasonable man might murmure at this when Gods Iustice rewardyng euery man accordyng to his deseruynges did now leaue no cause to moue man to be offended nor gaue any stumblyng blocke to the Apostle to enter in this kynde of Obiection But let vs now draw neare to the aunswere of the Apostle it selfe which seémeth to me to be two maner of wayes The one in respect of the person whereby he stoppeth the mouth of the murmurer O man what art thou that pleadest against God The other in respect of the thyng whereby he doth expresse the very cause it selfe perswadyng it by a certeine similitude of the Potter and the clay For as the Potter in makyng his vessels doth not regard any desert on the clayes behalfe Euen to Gods purpose in the gouernement of his Election is at libertie and freé from all respect of workes and is directed by the onely will of the maker And for this cause Paule doth make this comparison betwixt this Election of Grace and the power of the Potter Doth the thyng formed sayth Paule say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus hath not the Potter power ouer the claye to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and an other to dishonour And yet GOD hath much more power ouer men then the Potter ouer the clay In deéde the Potter hath power to fashion his vessels as him listeth If God were not able to doe the lyke with his creatures then were the Potter of more power then God For the Potter is able to fashion his vessels yea to breake them and fashion them a new after his own will And shall God then be bounde to our merites and regulate his Election by the measure of our deseruynges Take this Argument if it may please you The power that the Potter hath ouer his vessels the same power hath God ouer men The Potter is of power to make vesseles to honour or to dishonour as him listeth nor is bounde to any worthynesse of the Claye Ergo God is of power to dispose his creatures after the bountie of mercy or measure of his Iustice as him listeth without all regard of deserte in his Creatures To this Argument the aduersaries make this aunswere that they do not take away power from God and that they are not able so to do neyther did euer meane anye such thinge but that onely power which he putt of from himselfe And albeit there is nothing that his omnipotēt power cānot bring to passe yet would he neuerthelesse be no more able then was be seéming to his Iustice. And because it is horrible to condemne anye man without deserte by the same reason it standeth not with equitie to defraude good workes of their due rewarde And therefore it behoueth Gods Iustice to yelde this of Necessitie that whom God would haue to be saued the same he should haue chosen for their good workes foreseéne before and the Reprobates hee should destroy for their wickednesse for otherwise if heé had no consideration of workes his Iustice could not be constant and vnchaungeable And therefore this Trifler doth conclude vpon the premisses That the Lutheranes assertion is false that in the worke of Election and Reiection choyse or respecte of workes is meerely opposite and cōtrary to the libertie and power of God c. But this obiectiō is to be encountred withall on this wise That it is one thing to treate of Election and an other thing to treate of Gods iudgement As concerning Gods iudgement it is true that no man is damned vnlesse heé haue deserued it through wickednes of sinne and that no man is saued vnlesse same cause be found in him which may be imputed vnto him for saluation But it is not so in Election and Predestination which is accomplished by Gods Freewill without all respecte eyther of former workes or workes to come afterwardes Or els what meaneth the Apostle by speaking of gods freé Election when he sayth Not of works but of him that calleth Whereupon let vs heare what Augustine wryteth Saying this not of Workes sayth hee but of him that calleth was spoken touching that the Elder shal be in subiection to the Yonger For he doth not say of works past but when he spake generally of workes in that place hys meaning was as well of workes already done as of workes that were to be done to witte workes past which were none at all and workes to come whiche as yet were not c. Workes therefore haue both their place and tyme but in Election they haue neyther place nor tyme neither is there any thyng effectuall in Election besides the onely will of God which neither hangeth vpon Fayth nor vpon Workes ne yet vppon promises but Workes Fayth promises yea and all other thinges whatsoeuer do depend vpon Election Neyther is Gods Election proportioned after the qualitie or quantitie of our workes but our workes rather directed by his Electiō none otherwise then as the effectes do depēd vpon the cause not contrariwise the cause vpon the effectes And yet in the meane tyme God is not vnrighteous Neither doth GOD therfore offend in Iustice distributiue if he haue mercy on whom hee will haue mercy or if hee doe harden whom he will harden And why so because hee oweth nothing to any man for whereas all men are borne by nature the children of wrath altogether why might not God according to the purpose of hys will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy and agayne cast them awaye whom him listed leauing them to their naturall filthe and corruption to witte not hauing any compassion vpon them Wherby all men may throughly perceaue as well the reprobate what the cause is that they are rightfully condēned as the elect also how much they be indebted to God for this his so vnmeasurable mearcye These matters beyng so cleare your foolish consequent then whereby you wrestle so much for the vpholding of works against the Election of Grace as though if God did not work Electiō for the merite sake of the workes foreseéne that then his Iustice could not possible beé acquited nor defēded frōiust accusation of slaunder is vtterly fonde faynte and not worth a rush for if it were true then is not Election of Grace but of workes yea Paule spake foolishlishly also saying that the remnant are saued according to the Election of Grace and according to the purpose
of the Grace of God and so should he haue spoken more aptly in thys wise that the remnaunt were saued according to the Election of workes And how then shall God be sayd to haue mercy on whom he will haue mercye and so harden whom hee will harden if that he will nothing but that whiche is due of verye right nor doth receaue any to mercy vnlesse it appeared that he rewarded them both according to their workes forseéne But what kinde of duety can that be called which is freely geuen or what kinde of mercy is it whiche is not poured foorth vpon any but such as do deserue it If it be of Grace sayth the Apostle now is it not then of workes or els were Grace no more Grace Whereunto Augustine doth further annexe Not of workes done already sayth he but where the Apostle vseth this generall phrase of speech Not of works there he doth meane this to be spokeÌ„ both of workes past and workes to come c. Whereof let Osorius beé well aduised lest whiles he immagine in hys mynde vnder the colour of purging Gods Iustice of due reproche to escape the iutte of a moulehill he breake hys neck ouer a Rock by putting Gods mercy out of doores for what place will there be left for mercy or what office will Osorius assigne vnto her If Gods Iustice doe measure all thinges by lyne and leuell of hys foreknowledge of things to come For Osorius in this disputation of Election and of the purpose of God calling backe all things to the foreknowledge of thinges which God doth perceaue will came to passe Osorius doth not in wordes onely professe but with the whole bent of his skill practize that ouerthrowe of Grace Goe to And what be those goodly workes good Syr whiche God doth foreseé shal come If they be good and righteous what is more agreable to equitie then that the workes which be good should be worthely embraced and accompted prayse worthye But if they be euill that then also they should euen of very right be forsaken And what shall become of Mercye in the meane space but that shee sitt mute in a corner with her handes in her bosome like a dumbe stocke play mumme budget in Osorius Stage of merites But here forthwith will Osorius rayse vp hys Bristles and merueile it is but that we shall heare him belching out agayne in most beastly braying noyse Feuers quartanes tertians furies woodnes frensies helhoundes botches shamelessnes and what soeuer outragies els he hath suckt out of the olde tragicall deuises What will he say haue I euer spoken or imagined any thing of Gods mercy otherwise then becommeth me what kynde of foolehardinesse is this what vnmeasurable and disorderous kynde of liyeng Doe I thrust the grace of God out of doores with what face dare you aâ—ow this vpon me where when in what place in what phrase of wordes to whom in whose presence in whose hearing in what booke can ye approue that I euer vttered any such thing who haue alwayes most reuerently esteemed of the Grace of God and do yelde euery where so much to Gods mercy that I haue affirmed that in Gods mercye onely the whole protection of Gods Iustice doth consiste whiche if were not otherwise fortified with the ayde of mercy could neuer be free from reproche And how is it that I am so sodenly accompted a changeling fugitiue a traytor to Gods grace and a cutthroate of mercy I doe heare you well good Syr surely these bee smoothe wordes that you speake But may I be so bolde by your leaue as to cyte your owne wordes before the Inquisition and to rack the same after the maner of an Inquisitour to seé whether ye approue the same man in deéde which you so boldly pronouÌ„ce to be in wordes you say that ye diminish not so much as the value of a myte of Gods grace and that you doe not so exclude Gods mercy out of doores but that ye rather coÌ„clude all things vnder her as vnder the most especiall and onely fortresse of all other Goe to then Let vs take a taste both of your selfe and your doctrine And forasmuch as there be iiij thinges in the whiche all our saluation and doctrine is chiefly conteyned Namely Election Vocation Iustification the Glory of immortalitie forasmuch also as the whole purporte of the sacred Scriptures and the generall profession of Christian doctrine do consent in this one thing aboue all others that the whole hope and confidence of our Saluation consisteth in no one thing els but in the onely mercy of God promised vnto vs in all these now would I fayne learne how much Osorius wisedome doth yeald vnto mercy whiles he ascribeth so much to Gods Iustice. First as touching Election and Predestination if workes foreknowne do beare the whole sway here and that Gods Election falleth vppon no man but whose whole course of lyfe being knowne before hath made not vnworthy of this honorable dignitie of Election what place I pray you then is left here for mercy seéing this whole worke of Election seémeth to be ascribed to Iustice rather For as Iustice vouchsaffeth none but the good and such as deserue it euen so Grace and mercy doe relieue none for the more part but abiectes outcastes such as are altogether vnworthy therof Moreouer as concernyng VocatioÌ„ and CoÌ„uersioÌ„ if the habilitie of mans Freewill be such accordyng to this new Maister Doctour that it may not onely worke together with God but may also as well preuent the grace of God by some good motioÌ„ as follow it and that Grace is none otherwise either offred vnto vs vnlesse we put forth our willes thereunto before or that it is not otherwise effectuall in vs but whiles we stand fast to our tacklyng and hold fast the helpe offred vnto vs yea and encrease it with our owne strength and that no man is holpen of GOD but who that both willyng hopyng and prayeng doth make him selfe apte thereunto truly whosoeuer teach this doctrine let them set neuer so glorious a face towardes the blazyng of mercy in wordes yet in very deéde they be nothyng els but very Rebelles to Gods Grace or at the least manglers and spoylers of the best part and power of Gods Grace whiles they attribute part to grace and part to Nature The same is also to be adiudged of the worke of Iustification from the whiche though you seème not to exclude the Free-mercy of God altogether yet doe you gelde the most forrible partes therof surely and yeld them ouer to workes flowyng froÌ„ out the fouÌ„teyne of Freewill wherein also you make such a myngle mangle that ye will neither graunt onely fayth in the worke of Iustification nor onely Grace on the worke of Election by any meanes Lastly what shall we say of the reward of Glory for if our workes beyng wayed in the righteous ballaunces of Gods
Iudgement shall procure vs lyfe or death as Osorius writeth Pag. 145. Agayne if the righteousnesse onely which consisteth of well doyng doth purchase Gods fauour to mankynde Pag. 142. What soppe I pray you shal be left for mercy here to deale withall or what shall remayne at all wherein the Grace of God may be exercized If these be not your owne wordes Osorius deny them if you dare but if they be with what artificiall Argumēt will you persuade vs not to accōpt you for an enemy of Gods grace whiles ye sight so much vnder the banner of his Iustice Yet will not I be so captious a cōptoller of your wordes as to call you by the name of an enemy of Grace though in very deéde I dare scarsely thinke you to be in any respect a sownde frende thereunto hetherto veryly as yet haue you declared your selfe no better And the same euen your owne writings do more then sufficiently denounce agaynst you in that which it is a wonder to seé how lauish prodigall you be in the aduauncyng of the prayses of Iustice for the amplyfieng whereof you can scarse finde any end but in the meane tyme towardes the commendation of Mercy so sparyng a niggard and hardelaced that ye seéme either not to conceaue of the wonderfully Maiestie therof sufficiētly or els very vngratefully not to be acquainted therewith sauyng that ye begyn now at the lēgth to preach somewhat of the excellency therof also takyng occasion of these wordes of Paule What shall we say then Is there vnrighteousnesse with God God forbid for he sayth to Moyses I will haue mercy on him to whom I do shew mercy and I will haue compassion on him on whom I haue compassion In that which place say you Paule doth render a Reason Wherfore no man cā by any meanes accuse God of vnrighteousnesse And doe annexe hereunto a conclusion agreable enough to your defence For the defence of Iustice say you cōsisteth wholy in mercy And agayne But the mercy of God doth acquite his Iustice free from all reproche Whiche reason of yours Osori although perhaps might be allowed in some respect yet doth it not exactly and substauncially enough discusse the naturall meanyng of the Apostle nor sufficiently aūswere the Apostles question Which will euidently and playnly appeare either by the Apostle him selfe or by Augustine the Expositour of the Apostle if we will first note before the marke and state of the question diligently and truely The scope wherof Augustine affirmeth to be this That the Apostle may lay open before vs that the Grace of fayth ought to be preferred before workes not to the end he might seéme to abolish workes but to shew that workes do not goe before but follow grace and to make the same more apparaunt he alledgeth amongest others the example of Iacob Esau Who beyng not as yet borne into the world hauyng done nothyng worthy either to be fauored or to be hated but that equabilitie of estate had made eche of them equall with the other and betwixt whō was no difference of natures or deseruyngs which might procure aduaūcement of the one before the other Finally whenas by orderly course of byrthe and right of first byrthe the elder might haue challenged the prerogatiue of honour before the younger Almighty God vsing here his vnsearcheable Electiō did make this difference betwixt them whereas was no difference of workes or merites as that for sakyng Esau who by no merite after the rule of Iustice had deserued to bee reiected he gaue the preheminēce to the younger turnyng the common order of nature vpsidowne as it were that whereas the younger are wont to be subiect to the elder now contrary to kynde the elder should become seruaunt to the younger Whereupon whē the Apostle sawe what scrupule might arise in the imagination of the hearer or Reader therof he putteth a question vnder the person of one that might argue agaynst it whether God had done any thyng herein agaynst equitie and right or any thyng that he could not iustifie accordyng to Iustice distributiue whereunto him selfe aunsweryng immediately doth with wonderfull vehemency detest that slaunderous cauill and withall acquiteth God freé from all accusation and suspition of vnrighteousnes this not wtout lawfull authoritie of the Scripture What sayth he do we not read spokē vnto Moyses on this wise I will haue mercy on whō I do take mercy and I will haue cōpassion on whō I haue compassion Besides this also addyng forthwith the example of Pharao he doth conclude at the length on this wise Therfore he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth But if our captious accuser will yet persiste in his obstinacie as though it sufficed not for God to do what it pleased him he doth cōfute him with a most manifest Argument of lyke comparison on this wise The Potter fashionyng his vesselles either vnto honour or to dishonour or to what purpose seémeth him best doth not offend at all And shall it be lesse lawfull or God to shew his power vpon his owne creatures then for the Potter vpon his Chalke or Clay Therfore whether God be willyng to haue mercy or to indurate any man he doth nothyng herein but that which is most lawfull and most agreable with equitie You perceaue therfore Gods Iustice sufficiently enough desended I suppose which in all his workes ought by good right be mightly defēded But how it is defēded is now to be seéen Osorius vrgeth stoughtly that Gods Iustice standeth not otherwise to be defended but onely in respect of his Mercy which albeit might be graunted after a sorte yet is not altogether simply and absolutely true and the reason therof is pyked out of Osorius credite rather then out of any Argument of S. Paule Whereas Paule seémeth to referre all this whole defence of Iustice not to mercy but to onely will of God Saying God taketh mercy on whom he will and hardeneth whom he will Albeit I will not in the meane whiles deny but that the Election of the faythfull doth consist vpon mercy alone yet surely the defense of Election is not vpholden but through the will of God onely Likewise also albeit the castyng away of the Reprobates do proceéde from the onely Iustice of God yet will no man say that the defence of this reiection consisteth in Mercy but in the onely will of God And therfore it is the onely will of God which doth defende Mercy in Election and Iustice in reiection For otherwise how could this come to passe that the onely Mercy of God should defēd his Iustice either in the Reprobate in whō scarse one sparckle of Mercy is discernable or els in the Predestination of the faithfull wherein appeareth no execution of Iustice therfore what is it then that may defend Iustice in these Mercy in those other but onely the purpose of Gods will onely wherof S. Paule maketh
No say you for so much as nothing could more varie from the minde of the Apostle nor be more repugnaunt to the most milde nature of God then to conceaue that God should hymselfe frame vessels vnto dishonor seyng that no man runneth headlong into ruine but through hys owne voluntary blindenes And who did euer deny this yet doth this nothing more exclude the will of God from fashioning his vessels as him listeth As on the other side neither doth the will of God receaue vnto mercy those that haue offended so that nothing withstādeth now why the vessels of wrath should be lesse deémed to be fashioned vnto destruction by the will of God and withall that themselues also do procure to themselues their own destruction But why did not Paule say you set downe thys matter in expresse wordes which God himselfe did forme vnto destruction whiche he would surely haue done if he had thought that God had bene the Authour of destruction Truely I will aske you a question in as few wordes Osorius why the Apostle did choose rather to say Vessels Fashioned to destructiō then leauing out the word Fashioned to say Vessels of destruction for this would haue accorded farre fitter with your exposition if so be that he thought that the Vessels did perish without the will of God Agayne why did he call them Vessels and not creatures rather why did he annexe this supply to witte Wrath finally why did he bring in God himself willing to shew forth hys wrath agaynst the Vessels of wrath but that you should vnderstand that all those circumstances are to be reduced to the most sacred will of God euen as to the working hand of the Potter For first as I sayd before when you heare this word Vessels thereby you vnderstād the Potter Secōdly when you heare this word Fashioned therein the hand of the Artificer is cōceaued Thirdly when you heare Fashioned vnto destruction therin appeareth the certeinty of Gods will in his Predestination Whereas the Vessels do perish it is their own fault but where it is sayd that they are Fashioned thereunto this surely is not proper to the Vesselles but doth note a certayne other hygher cause and a more playne demonstration of the creator for Vessels are not wont to bee Fashioned of any but of the craftesman as I suppose what man is so madde to say that Vessels made are made of themselues namely to their owne dishonor and not formed thereunto by the workman rather and I maruell greatly that Osorius hauing any sense or feéling in him at all cannot quickly conceaue the meaning of the Apostle eyther by the comparyng of the text together or by the maner and order of speéch namely sith the matter it selfe doth so disclose so many manifest reasons to discusse the doubtfull signification of the wordes First you will not deny but that this will of God wherewith he had decreéd both to shew hys wrath that is to say the seuerity of his Iustice and his mercy also was euen from the beginning This will then beyng once determined vpon by God could neyther by any meanes be made of none effect nor againe by any meanes made discernable vnles it were poured out vpon some matter whereupon it might worke And euen here doth that wonderfull Electiō of God display it selfe at the first wherewith before the foundations of the world were layd he had predestinated them whom he would should be saued and reiected thē whō he would haue dāned Next vnto this Election immediately ensued the Creation wherewith the almighty Creator with a most singuler excellency and exquisit workmanship did forme all vessels out of one selfe lump of Clay and yet not those all ingenerall appoynted to one ende For some vessels he made to serue to shew forth hys mercy some other to shew forth his Iustice. These things being thus established immediately after Creation ensueth Vocation or Callyng the same two maner of wayes accordyng to hys purpose and not according to his purpose wherof the one is lynked with Grace making acceptable the other is voyde of Grace though not altogether yet destitute of effectuall Grace And hereupon doe issue Blindenesse Rebellion Hardenesse of hart Infidelitie Breache of the Law Execution of Iustice not by force of any coaction but by reason of the sequele or consequent For the grace of God once denying assistance what soeuer remayneth in man is nought els but the seéde of the Serpent or some vncurable Fistula wherewith man is deadly poysoned Agayne out of the other Vocatiō which is according to purpose springeth Fayth a will to obey forgeuenes of Sinne Iustification and such like inestimable treasures not ensealed into vs by nature but frāckly geuen vs from aboue Now out of that Infidelitie and execution of Iustice ariseth the destruction of the Reprobate of the which Paule treateth here which is not without the speciall will of God Or els in what sense doth he say God was willing to shew his wrath and yet not without their most due deseruing neither as on the other side Saluation and Glorification do spring of Fayth Iustification for asmuch as in them the cōmendatiō of his Iustice in the other the dignite of hys mercy doth shew forth their bright beames to the inestimable glory of gods maiesty who is the chief and principall ende and foundation of all workes Wherefore forasmuch as God was willing to shew both as well hys wrath as also hys mercy and this hys will could by no meanes be accōplished vnlesse there were some vpō whom both hys wrathe and hys mercy might make hys power on eche part discernable hereupon then is no small stoare of proofe ministred wherby may be perceaued from whence aswell the destruction of the reprobate as the Saluation of the elect doth proceéde And first of all your selfe do not deny that godly persons are predestinated vnto glory through the onely bountifulnes of God I demaunde now whether thys selfe same mercy of God haue predestinated to glory all creatures generally or not all I attend your aunswere If you will say all without exception where then are the vessels of wrath what shal be come of this saying God willing to shew hys wrath vpon the Vessels ordeyned to destruction Finally what shal be thought of that saying of Christ Many are called but few are chosen If so be that all are receaued by a generall Electiō how can this Election be made frustrate and vneffectuall or what kinde of Reiection can there be then But if you will not say all it followeth then that there must bee some Uessells of reiection of Necessitie as well as of mercy to witte by like agreablenesse of contraries Or els how shall a man vnderstand that some vessels are Predestinate to Glory vnlesse by the same Argument ye confesse that some vessels were also reiected to dishonor which beyng agreé vpon I demaund further of the reprobation
no vnrighteousnes with God and likewise it must be firmely beleued that God hath mercy on whom he will haue mercy and on whoÌ„ he will not haue mercy theÌ„ he hardeneth That is to say on whom he listeth he will not take mercy whereupon whether he geaue any thing or require that is dew vnto hym neyther he of whom he requireth it can well complayne of hys vniust dealing nor he to whom he geueth ought to be ouer proud and boast of hys giftes for the one neither rendereth any more then is due and the other hath nothyng but that which he hath receaued If God had commaunded vs to do the thinges that hym selfe saw were impossible for vs to do he might seeme worthely to be accused of vnrighteousnesse This obiection were perhaps to some purpose vnlesse the scriptures had prouided a Triacle for this malady namely Fayth in hys Sonne in whom when we do beleéue endeuoring in the meane whiles as much as lieth in vs we do then fulfill the whole Law of workes That is to say we do attayne full absolute righteousnes as well as if we had fulfilled the whole beyng endued wiâ—h righteousnes now albeit not properly our owne yet enioying hym notwithstanding whiche of God was made our righteousnesse by Fayth Whereupon Luther in hys booke of Christian liberty hath written very excellently That which is impossible for theé to bring to passe in the whole works of the Law sayth he which are in number many thou shalt easily accomplish with small labour Namely by Fayth Because God the Father hath placed all thinges in Fayth so that whosoeuer is indued with this Fayth may possesse all thinges and he that is voyde of this Fayth may possesse nothing at all After this maner the promises of God doe geue that which the commauÌ„dements do exact they do finish that which the law commauÌ„deth so that now he onely alone is he that may coÌ„mauÌ„d and he onely and alone is he that may bryng to passe c. To what end are ordinauÌ„ces to liue well prescribed why are threatninges added to the stifnecked and rebellious if men were not able to liue well why is a freedome of choyse set out vnto vs to enter into whether way we will if we can not be able to holde the right way who is so madde to commaund a blinde man to keepe the right path or who will commaund that man that is so fast bound as beyng vnable to moue hys arme but vnto the left side to reache hym a a thing on the right side whiche is not possible for hym to doe Augustine will aunswere That which man is not able to atteine to by nature vnto the same may he yet attayne by grace he doth meane there of liuyng commendably not of liuyng perfectly which was neuer as yet graunted to any one person in this life no though he were aided by grace but to Iesu Christ alone But ye will demaund agayne to what end then was the law published and naturall choyse set out vnto vs if that choyce be not free to make choyse of these thinges that are set forth to our Election I do aunswere That this complaynt of Nature might beé not altogether impertinent if he that gaue the lawes had created the same Nature such as we haue at this present But now whereas he did at the beginning create Nature vpright and vnspotted God according to the selfe same Nature did publishe hys law vnto men whiche shoulde be holy and vndefiled Neither could he do otherwise whose commaundemeÌ„ts if we be not able now in this corruption of Nature to accomplish with due obedience there is no cause why the fault thereof should be imputed to GOD who can neyther will nor commaund any thing but that which is most righteous but we our selues and our first parentes Authors of this disobedience and the Deuill the couÌ„sellor are to be blamed therfore God caÌ„ not be vnlike himselfe If we become vnlike to our selues whose fault is it ours or his Furthermore touching the obiection of the blind and the maÌ„ that was bound hereunto I do aunswere That the similitude is not in all respectes correspondent for this cause For if God had blynded man at the first or had chayned hym fast with such Roopes of Necessitie and afterwardes had commaunded hym whom he made blynde to keepe the right pathe or him whom he had first bounde fast to reach afterwardes ouer to the right hand this were perhappes not altogether from the purpose that is cauilled but now for as much as the cause of this blyndnes was procured by man him selfe and not sent by God he is not to be blamed that geueth necessary counsell to speake as Augustine doth but he that hath entangled him selfe into such a Necessitie out of the whiche he can by no meanes vntwyne him selfe agayne A righteous and wise Law geuer doth neuer proclayme such Statutes the performaunce whereof will exceede the abilitie and capacitie of his subiectes God is the most righteous and most wise Law geuer Ergo God in publishyng his law did prescribe nothyng beyond the capacitie and abilitie of his owne Creatures I do aunswere vnto the Maior two maner of wayes First That the same is true in deéde in those lawes whiche were established of the Lawgeuer to this onely ende that the subiectes should exactly performe the same But albeit GOD did desire this thyng chiefly that all men should precisely and throughly obserue his Ordinaunces yet besides this consideration there are many other endes and causes 1. That the Iudgement and wrath of God agaynst Sinne should be made manifest 2. That we might be more easily brought to the acknowledgemeÌ„t of our Sinnes and weakenesse 3. Thyrdly that vnderstandyng our weakenes the more we feéle our selues more heauyly oppressed with this burden the more sharpely we should be prouoked as with the Schoolemaisters rodde to fleé vnto Christ who is the end of the law 4. That by this Schoolyng as it were we may learne what way we ought to take that if it be not geuen vs at the least to atteyne the full and absolute obedience of the law yet that begynnyng to be obedient we may profitte as much as we may Secundaryly we do confesse that the Maior is true in respect of those lawes for the due obseruation of the which there is no cause to the coÌ„trary either by the Lawgeuer or in nature it selfe but such as appeareth rather in the Subiectes Whose onely fault and disorderous licentiousnes procureth the breach therof As for example If a Prince do sende foorth an Ambassadour in all respectes whole sounde and well enstructed to whom afterwardes he geueth in commaundement to put some matter in execution which he might very easily bryng to passe vnlesse through his owne default and disorder he made him selfe lame halte or vnable to execute the commaundement of his Prince Now if this Ambassadour
done by him we beleue assuredly is done either to expresse his power or to make his glory discernable or to commend his Iustice or els to discouer the wonderfull riches of his mercy Wherfore when Luther doth affirme that with GOD all thynges are done by an absolute Necessitie whether they come by destiny chaunce or any fortune at all why should not it be as lawfull for him to speake so as for Osorius to speake in the lyke phrase and in lyke titles of words That God is of Necessitie the best the most iust and the most wisest But I heare the sounde of an Argument from the Popish Diatriba They say that they abridge not God of his power no nor that they can do it neither would at any tyme otherwise then as him selfe hath abridged it Although there be nothyng but that the omnipotency of God can bryng to passe yet would he haue nothyng lawfull for him selfe to do that might be contrary to his Iustice. And bycause it is an horrible matter that any man should be damned without euill deseruynges and that it is not reason that good workes should be defrauded of their due reward therfore it must needes follow accordyng to the rule of Iustice that God should chuse thē whom he would haue to be saued for the good workes whiche he did forsee to be in them and condemne the other lykewise for their euill doynges For otherwise if he doe not regarde the workes then were not his Iustice constaunt and permanent This Obiection must be ouertaken after this maner It is one thyng to treate of Gods Election and an other thyng to treate of his Iudgement As concernyng the Iudgement of God it is euident that no man is damned vnlesse he haue deserued it for his wickednesse and that no man is saued vnlesse some matter be founde in him whereunto his saluation may be imputed It is farre otherwise in Election and Predestination which is accomplished accordyng to Gods Freé determination and coūsell without all respect of workes either goyng before or commyng after Or els how can that saying of the Apostle be true Not of workes but of him that calleth c. meanyng thereby the Free Election of GOD Whereupon let vs heare Augustine very aptly discoursing in his booke De Praedestin Grat. It is sayd not of workes but of him that calleth The elder shall serue the younger He doth not say of workes done before but when the Apostle spake generally not of workes here he would that men should vnderstand it both of workes done and already past and workes not as yet done that is to say workes past which were none at all and workes to be done which as yet were not done c. Workes therfore haue both their tyme and their place Certes in Electiō they haue neither tyme nor place Neither is any thyng here of any value but the onely will of God which neither dependeth vpon fayth nor vpon workes nor vpō the promises but workes fayth and the promises and whatsoeuer els doe all depend vppon it For neither are our deédes vnto him a rule to direct his Election by but our deédes are directed by his Election as the effectes do consequētly depend vpon the causes and not the causes vpō the effectes Neither doth God worke vnrighteously in the meane tyme in this if he take mercy on whō he will take mercy or if he harden whō he will harden And why so For sooth bycause he is indebted to no man For sithence we are all in generall euen from our mothers wombes ouerwhelmed drowned in this puddle of originall sinne he may accordyng to his good pleasure haue mercy on whom it pleaseth him and againe passe ouer whom soeuer hym lysteth and leaue them to them selues that is to say not take mercy vppon them Whereupon all men may easily perceaue aswell the Reprobates what it is whereof they may iustly accuse thē selues as also they that are chosen how much they are indebted to God for his great and exceédyng mercy Euen as if one man kill an other with a sworde no man doth therfore accuse the sword but he rather is knowen to be in faulte which did abuse the sword to murther with as good reason for asmuch as men are nothyng els but as instrumentes of wickednesse onely in Gods hand they that yeld of Necessitie are not so much in fault as he rather deserueth to be blamed that caused them to do wickedly If so be that men whom God hath created after his owne Image were such kynde of Instrumentes whiche lyke vnto a sword or sawe were driuen not of them selues and without any motion or consent of their owne or if God were such a Royster or hackster that would delight in the slaughter of men the similitude were not altogether to be mislyked Now to graunt vnto them that the wills of men are directed and are subiect to a stronger power then they are able to resiste yet do they not suffer onely as Instruments brutish and senselesse doing nothyng them selues in the meane whiles Men are drawen in deéde but with their owne wills as Augustine maketh mention Neither is any man euill but he that will him selfe And if man will be of his owne accord euill who ought to be blamed therfore but him selfe For where shall we say that sinne is but where a will is founde to committe Sinne But Osorius ceaseth not as yet frō his chatteryng They that doe affirme that God hath seuered out of all the vniuersall masse of mākynde some whō he would prepare to euerlastyng glory and some others whom he would appoint to euerlastyng destruction not for any other cause but bycause it so pleaseth him doe plucke Gods prouidence vppe by the rootes The Lutheranes do alledge none other reason of Gods Predestination besides his will onely Ergo The Lutheranes do foredoe and plucke the prouidence of Cod vppe by the rootes I beseéche you Osorius if as yet you haue not cast away all feélyng of an honest and sober Deuine vtterly returne to your selfe at the length In deéde say you so Do they foredoe Gods prouidence which say it is so for none other cause but bycause it pleaseth him c. What kynde of Argument doe I heare from you Cā God be pleased to do any thyng that is not most correspōdent to reason or cā any Reason be of all partes so absolutely perfect that can disagreé frō the chief and principall patterne of his will or do you seéme a reasonable man that doe talke so fondly But I beseéche you Syr. For as much as the will of God whether soeuer it bende and encline it selfe is nothyng els but a most perfect Reason of it selfe and of all partes most absolute and without blemishe and for as much also as Reason it selfe is nothyng els then the very rule of Gods will nay rather for as much as the will of God is the very essence
discrete man admitt any such person to be Iudge And yet I stand not so much vpon a Iudge herein This one thing doe I wishe onely that with the obiections of our aduersaryes our aunsweres may be heard with indifferency And I assure you if I could preuayle with wishing I would desire nothing more hartely then that the renowned king of Portingall Sebastian a prince of excellent Maiesty sith I suppose verely that the arbitriment detreminatiō iudgement of this cause doth concerne Christian Princes chiefly would vouchsafe of his singular clemēcy according to the aunciēt Lawes of Athens to geue eare indifferently to both cause and to lend his princely eares but euen a litle whiles not vnto me but to the cause it selfe whereof I shall entreate I would not doubt his highnes being iudge but that I would easely iustify that all whatsoeuer the Catholickes doe alledge at this day for their antiquitye are but bare bragges And that with vs remaineth nothing wherein they may iustly condemne vs of Nouelty And in this behalfe I can not wonder enough what came into Osorius minde to exact of vs a warrant of our Nouelty seing that of his owne Antiquitye he can yeald vs no manner of warrant at all But let vs harken a while to those notable reasons of our aduersaryes wherewith they doe defend their Antiquitye which being throughly confuted we will presently proceéde to the argumentes which they doe obiect agaynst our new masters of this new Gospell as they terme it There is a principle in the ciuill Lawe The lawes sayth they are fauorable to the party in possession in a title of prescription Yf prescription of fifty yeares doe cleane cut of all chalenge what shall be sayd then of them which affirme their continued possession in doctrine a thousand yeares and more By the same prescription of time say they the priestes of the old lawe did chalenge vnto themselues a lawfull right to sit in Moyses chayre Ergo Mans lawe doth adiudge no man a wrōgfull dissensor being able to prescribe fifty yeares possession Aunswere The priestes of the old lawe doe chalenge a right to sitt in Moyses chaire in respect of the continued prescription of time I doe confesse this to be true in deede And yet this prescription notwithstanding the Lord did call the very same priestes theéues and murtherers Agayne touching their allegation of the wrongfull disseisor by lawe and prescription of time I doe aunswere In the ciuill lawe this is true in deéd but not so in Gods lawe And yet there is also a rule in the ciuill lawe A wrōgfull disseisor shall not ohtayne though he prescribe neuer so long continuance of possession Agayne An ordinaunce begunne wickedly at the first is not sayd to be allowable for prescriptiō of tyme. But as concerning Gods lawe there be many notable testimonies of most worthy personages which disproue the same for an vntrueth Namely emongest all others the saying of Augustine chiefly The veritye being discouered custome must geue place to trueth let no man preferre custome before reason and trueth because reason and trueth doe alwayes exclude custome And Gregory Yf you pretend custome sayth he you must note what the Lord sayth I am the way the trueth and the lyfe He doth not say I am custome doughtles euery custome though neuer so auncient though neuer so generall must geue place to the trueth Emongest whome also heare what Cyprian doth say If Christ onely must be harkened vnto sayth he we may not regard what any other did thinke conuenient to be done before our time but what Christ hath done first who is aboue all other For we ought not to followe the custome of men but the trueth of God for as much as the Lord spake by the month of his Prophet Esay and sayd They worshippe me in vayne teaching the doctrines and tradicions of men Moreouer whereas themselues knowe this rule to be infallible that no custome shall prescribe agaynst the prince how much rather ought it be sayd no time or custome shall prescribe agaynst God Otherwise what shall we say of Antichrist which because he hath possessed his Seé more then an hundreth yeares shall he therfore not be accounted for Antichrist for his title of prescription Hitherto therefore the reasons wherewith the Catholickes do maintayne their Antiquitye are declared It remaineth now that we purge our selues of the cryme of Nouelty fasly obbraydid agaynst vs by Osorius especially sith Osorius doth vrge vs so earnestly thereunto wherein I would gladly conferre with that indifferent and vpright reader whome earst I spake of or with any other Catholicke man who hath any sparke of sound and vpright iudgement And I would enquire of him first his iudgement vpon this poynt of doctrine whereas we beleue and professe that our nature euen from our first creation is so vtterly lost and forlorne that in our selues remaineth no helpe at all to rise agayne without Christ agayne that Christ the sonne of God taking our nature vpon him hath made so perfect satisfaction for our sinnes that there remayneth nothing wherein his deseruings haue not sufficiently enough satisfied for all generall yea for the sinnes of the whole world Moreouer that these his merites are so by wonderfull dispensation spread abroad with ouerflowing plenty vppon all mankinde through the singuler and inestimable benefitte and mercy of God that a freé passage is made wide open for all miserable wretches penitent sinners being endued with fayth to haue freé accesse vnto Christ and so layd open as that freély through fayth without all merites of ours without all the works of the lawe they be pardoned and accepted vpon this poynt I say I would fayne heare the opinion of the godly and Catholicke Reader whether this Assertiō hane any maner of Nouelty in it which hath not proceéded from Christ himselfe from Saynt Paule frō the holy Ghost and from the sacred word of God I thinke no man will say so What meaneth this That where the same scripture doth teach vs to repose all our affyaunce not in workes but in Christ onely grounding our selues in the meane space assuredly vpon the infallible promise of God whereof we haue no mistrust but that he which promised freely the same will performe most faithfully not for any our sake but for hys Sonnes sake onely in whom we do beleue so that now there be no reason els of any our righteousnesse in the sight of God then through fayth onely Let the Godly and vpright Reader iudge here agayne with me what Nouelty or Sacriledge is in this manner of Doctrine If according to the authority of Tertullian that thing ought to be preferred that was first diliuered I will aske again of any indifferēt Reader whether this custome were receyued in the Church first namely that we should acknowledge one onely Aduocate and Mediator of God and men the man Christ Iesus Or
whether we should seéke vnto many Aduocates and Mediators for the ease of our miseries Of Inuocation adoration and worshipping this is not a new but an auncient comaundement Thus shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And agayne thou shalt make to thy selfe no grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing c. And with what face then do you accuse them of innouation who obserue these thinges according to the prescript rule of the auncient commaundement God did institute in his Church two Sacramentes as appeareth euidently which he commaunded vs to obserue very carefully and deligently If we do not frequent these in that sincerity of Religion as we ought to doe Let vs be condemned But if we doe herein according to duetye and simplicitye of true Religion I pray you what Noueltye is in thys our doinge If we measure the auntient Fathers and Authors of true doctrine by number of yeares we say with Iustine Paule is the Father of Fathers whose authority is of such credite that if an Aungell of heauen would bring any thyng contrary to that which Paule hath taught let him be holden accursed But the same Paule gaue freé liberty to all persons ingenerall to take wyues and did dignify the Mariage bedde by this tytle honourable And called the forbidding of Mariage the doctrine of Deuils And there were amongest the Apostles some which did not only marry wiues but did lead them about with them also according as was lawfull for them to do And how is this contrarye to the auncient custome examples of the Elders If ministers who are appoynted to the ministery in Churches marry wiues for the necessary comfort of theyr liuelyhood We read the scriptures to the vnlettered people in their mother toung we do cōmunicate with them also vnder both kindes both bread and wyne If the Apostles did not vse the same Lett Osorious haue the prise I will further debate thus with this vpright and frendlye Reader desire him that he will vouchsafe to peruse all the parts of our doctrine and view with his eyes euery angle and corner of our Churches Peraduenture he seéth no portrayctes of Images blazed abroad to be worshipped for pence he beholdeth Bare wals and iudgeth them more like vnto Barnes then vnto Churches Yet was the most Auntient Temple of Salomon euen such an other Barne yea such a Barne also was the Tabernacle of God more auncient then the other in the Law carnall may not we wante the gaze of Images in the spirituall Law He seéth no tapers lighted at high noone no palmes no Reliques no belles no oyle no spittle no consecrated fire nor water he seéth not the Sacramentall bread lyfted vppe aloft worshipped he seéth no markette of pardōs no Iubiles no sacrificatory Masses no shauelinges nor beardlesse Priestes no differences of dayes of monethes yeares garemēts meates and colors no stately and pompeous supplications and Processions besides innumerable other Byshapes of frameshapen Ceremonies all which whether ought to be tollerated in Christian Churches I do not at this time discusse Yet this I deale with and enquire of my Reader whether our Churches which doe lacke all these trumperies deserue rather to be condemned of nouelty or do more neérely resemble the liuely and perfect patterne and countenaunce of the most true and most auncient Church But Luther doth teach that freéwill hath no power at all that whatsoeuer a man doth is sinne that whatsoeuer good or euill we do commeth of absolute and vnauoydable necessity c. And what can be spoken so sincerely but by sinister construing may be depraued For how deépely doth not the deadlye sting of Momus wound if it may freély pearce without resistaunce Luther doth embase the power of freéwill in deéde but in that man onely that is not yet regenerate but in thinges appertayning vnto God wherin he weakeneth the effectuall force of freéwill he doth strengthen and establish it with the accesse of Gods grace Of the greatnesse of Sinne and distinction of necessity hath bene spoken so much already that it is neédelesse now to redouble the same agayne All which notwithstanding the indifferent Reader shall finde nothing to be spoken by hym that was not spoken before his time and drawen from the very fountaines and most auntient springes of the Prophettes and Apostles as hath bene declared before both out of the Prophette Esay who recoūteth all our righteousnesse no better worth then a foule menstruous clothe out of Moyses Paule the Prophets who haue taught this doctrine to be most assured That it is God that doth harden the hartes that doth deliuer ouer into reprobate mindes which hath created the wicked man the euill day and that there is no euill in the City that the Lord hath not wrought c. All which if a man should preach in these dayes in the same wordes there is no doubt but Osorius would accuse him of hereticall nouelty Of the iustifyng fayth Luther did discourse very aboundantly and profoundly and with all no lesse faythfuly and truely Whose iudgement we do all embrace gladly and ioyfully And render vnto God most harty thanks for this his inestimable benefite finding nothing in this doctrine that is not throughlye approued most true not onely by the testimony of the Apostles but by the generall consent and agreément of the most auntient Prophettes Paule doth teach that man is iustified in the sight of God by fayth without workes Luther doth teach that we are iustified by fayth onely what difference is there here I pray you Osorius ascribeth rewardes to workes Paule doth openlye take away all rewarde from workes Whose Iudgement is more true or more auntient And what kinde of new doctrine is there here now If Luther agreéing with Paule excludynge workes do establish fayth onely in the doctrine iustification and yet not so altogether excluding workes as that he woulde haue no workes practized but so and in such wise as they may not be sayd to iustify so that now godly and carefull endeuour in faythfull workes should not be sequestred but wicked confidence and vayne superstitious glorying vpon merites vtterlye cutte of rather With which kinde of doctrine if Osorius be offended as with a certayne new fangled Gospell whether is it more reasonable that the euerlasting truth of GOD shall geue place to Osorius persuasiōs or that Osorius should reuoke his errour according to the rule of the trueth In this therefore that Luther teacheth that fayth onely doth iustify in the sighte of God is no new doctrine but the doctrine of Paule But that the minde and meaning of Paule may the better be conceaued it might haue bene added out of S. Iames the best Interpretor of Paule as the which doth more fully expresse the meanyng of Paule what manner of men they be whom onely fayth doth iustify not wicked obstinate Sinners
but humble and prostrate Sinners onely truely and vnfaynedly repentaunt Sinners For otherwise such as raunge outragiously and willfully in their Sinnes nor are touched with any remorse of sorrowfull minde for their wickednes coÌ„mitted nor moued with any earnest desire to obtayne forgeuenesse vnto such I say Paule doth not bouchsafe to ascribe either Fayth or any righteousnesse at all no more doth Iames defraud the others which with repentauÌ„ce haue an earnest desire of Saluation of any part of IustificatioÌ„ No more do euen those which though be moued with neuer so great a remorse of Conscience obtayne any mercy at Goddes handes by any other meanes possibly then through onely fayth whiche is in Christ Iesu our Lord. Whereby you may perceaue sufficiently that in the Doctrine of Iustification all workes are excluded and Fayth onely weareth the gareland But that the meanyng of the Apostle may appeare more playnly to be so bold to vse schoole tearmes the predicatum must neédes agreé with his subiectum on this wise as where it is fayd that fayth onely doth iustifie this is true in deéde but whom Not the proud not the obstinate stubborne and outragious sinners but those sinners onely which stricken downe with an earnest acknowledgement of their sumes and entring into a serious meditation of amendement of lyfe doe most humbly flee vnto Christ through fayth euen with all their hartes Such that doe on this wise simply and vnfainedly repeÌ„t for Luther speaketh not a word of others if a man doe teach to be freely iustified through fayth onely agreéing herein with Paule with Iames and with Christ himselfe doth this man seéme in your eyes to teach a new Gospell or rather a most true and most most auncyent Gospell It were a tedious peéce of worke to runne ouer all the places of doctrine Let this be the summe to speake breefly Martine Luther did publishe many articles Iohn Caluine hath set forth his Institutions Melancthon hath made a collection of Common places the same also hath done Wolfg. Musculus Henry Bullenger hath written his Decades Peter Martyr hath made sundry commentaryes vpon the old Testament and the newe and discoursed notably vpon the Sacrament The same did before him Hulderick Zuinglius Iohn Oecolampadius Marine Bucer hath geuen vs many aunsweres and Apologies Emongest those may be placed the Apologie of Iohn Iuell no lesse famous and worthy Of Antichrist now openly and in good time discouered besides many other things hath Gaulter Rodulph compiled a treatise Of many other matters lykewise many writers haue treated largely Finally the professions and confessions of many natioÌ„s peoples prouinces Kingdomes Cities townes incorporate proclaymed published in writing through all their seuerall Churches by generall agreément conspiring and concluding all with one assent in one vndoughted trueth In all whose writinges monuments and confessions If you canne shew any thing new neuer heard of before or that is not auÌ„swerable and correspondent to the auncienty and doctrine of the Apostles I geue you here freé libertye to exclayme agaynst those doctours of the new Gospell as lowde and wyde as ye canne But if hitherto your selfe haue found no such matter nor euer shall be able to shew any such to what end raungeth this shamelesse vnbryveled impudency in matter so manifestly false You call it a new Gospell shamelesly enough yelding no reason that moueth you to call it newe Wherein you haue set before our eyes a very playn and euident demonsiration of your foolishe vanitye For if we should confesse the trueth in deéde to what purpose is all this brabble contentioÌ„ and discention emongest vs but for this onely matter because we do endeuonr to reclayme you that haue forsaken the true natiue simplicitye of the true and auncient Gospell roauing at randone after I can not tell what new-fangled straunge and imaginatiue deuises of mens traditions and are desirous to haue you come home to the auncient antiquitye of the true simple and pure Euangelick veritye agayne If any man shall doubt hereof and thinke this vntrue that I speake the apparant proofe is at hand Uouchsafe vs once this one petition that ye would be but willing to haue the Christian doctrine to recouer and returne to her auncient state and first institution euen the same state wherein it florished in those most auncient dayes of Christ and his Apostles weéding out by the rootes all that pilfe and baggage that hath ouergrowen the Churche since their departrue hence and wherewith they nor any of them were euer acquainted we will desire none other condicions or couenauntes of vnitie and attonement to be concluded vpon betwixt vs. Whereby the godly and indifferent reader may by this onely argument coniecture where those maisters doe lurke whome Osorius doth accuse of Noueltye Howbeit this nick-name of newe Gospellers wherewith the Catholickes doe obbrayd vs is no newe reproch For in lyke manner the Prophets in times past thapostles yea Christ himselfe were called New fellowes because they taught new doctrine Tertullian and Eusebius also do record that this nickname was vsually frequeÌ„ted eueÌ„ in the very swathling clowtes of the Church But they did easely deliuer themselues from that reproch of Nouelty Wherein albeit we haue not attayned so prosperous a successe as they did yet haue we yelded our endeuour in the same cause as farre forth as we trust the godly and indifferent reader will be satisfied and pleased withall I haue spoken now of our Antiquitie It remaineth that you aunswere lykewise Osorius as much as you may for your Antiquitye For it is agaynst all reason and iniuriously handled to exact a speciall accouÌ„pt of an others Antiquitye that can render no reason for your owne And therefore whereas this religion of yours which vnder visor of a true Church you do falsly call by the name of a Catholicke Church is ouâ—rwhelmed with infinite preceptes lawes and doctrines of men oppressed with innumerable decreés decretals extrauagantes Quintines Sixtines Ceremonies Traditions Rules Prescriptes Edictes Cannons and Synodalles Rites vowes and curses Let vs be certified therfore how much antiquitie is resiauÌ„t in the whole rabble of these your inuentions and deuises And to begyn at the very toppegallaunt of all your Religion that highe Prelate the Pope him selfe let vs first take a view of all his Titles by the which he is called to witte Uniuersall Byshop Prince of Priestes high and supreame head of the Church on earth Christes Uicare generall the onely Successour of Peter the most holy Father most Reuerend Byshop keépyng ioynte Consistory together with God the onely Monarche of the visible Church Byshop of Byshops These Titles and Additions of names I doe not enquire whether were euer named or heard of in the tyme of Christ or of his Apostles neither do I aske whether they were receaued into the Church in the tyme of Gregory sixe hundreth yeares after the AsceÌ„sion
assault agaynst vs as finding nothing offensiue to any man in our fayth in our Religion in our manner of worshypping nor our Church ordinaunces he presently rusheth vpon our liues and rippeth abroad the vnhonest behauiour of men and in this discourse he spendeth all his powder and shotte of slaunders lyes outcries figures and all his exclamations of accusation And therefore it behoueth me also to alter the state of my defence so that from henceforth I shall not need to aūswere for our doctrine our fayth our Sacramēts and the institution of our Churches which differ not frō the institution Apostolicke but for the liues onely and the outward conuersations and maners of our Ministers And first It is well truely and I do prayse you Osorius so do all the rest of vs likewise acknowledge our selues indebted vnto you in a whole Cartlode of thankes in this behalfe For sithence you apply all the force of your accusation to reproue our euill demeanor and corruption of maners onely hauing els no matter of reproch iustly to charge vs withall surely euen by this onely testimony of your owne mouth you doe fully acquite vs in such wise as all men may well playnely perceaue that all thinges els are well stayed and sound with vs concerning other poyntes of our doctrine and christian profession All which if you thinke may be tollerable enough amongest vs why may ye not aswell release vs of your action of heresy and schisme in so much as all hereticall waywardnesse consisteth not in conuersation of life properly but in doctrine and Religiō But if it be our doctrine that you and your Catholickes doe mislike chiefly why do you not prosequute this action agaynst vs why do ye not stay here why runne you away like a coward from your challenge wherefore do ye turne ouer all the substāce and rigor of your accusation agaynst our liues and manners leauing our doctrine in the field why are ye so lusty and frolicke in that one and so white liuered and caponlike in this other You do accuse vs of Nouelty If you charge the doctrine of our Religion with this Noueltye declare them in playne wordes in what part of Doctrine and in which one article of the commō Creéd we do vary frō the Apostolique or propheticall scriptures Nay rather what doe our Churches professe at this day that we haue not drawen taken from the Apostles the Euangelistes yea and from Christ himselfe the very author and foūder of fayth which also we mayntayne and keép very Religiously you haue tofore treated I confesse of freéwill of righteousnesse of workes and of certayne other principles somewhat but so haue you handled your selfe therein that it had bene better for you to haue bene silent and mumme for the further you roll in this puddle the more durt cleaueth to your backe and both bewrayeth where you haue bene and maketh you to loase the whole grace of your market And now perceauing your selfe destitute of ayde in this kinde of conflict you flye the field cowardly and renew your skirmish in narrow streights inuading the corruptions and escapes of maners and lyues with lyeng and slauntyng Wherein I would not so much reprehend you as though you had delt much amisse if in this behalfe you proceéded against vs with a good simple meaning and as we do all with you altogether who are no lesse agreéued with that outragious corruption of maners thē your selues are Now euē here also you shew your selfe so cold and vnprouided as that by your vnskilfull hādling of the matter you disclose rather the scabbe of your owne Fistula then minister salue to any others soare For you do not therfore so earnestly reproue our lewdenes and misdemeanour how horrible so euer it be bycause your mynde is so much agreéued thereat or bycause you haue any earnest desire to bryng vs to amendemēt but this rather is the whole scope of your scoldyng that as it were occasioned by these you might pyke out some fitt matter to whett your cursed and slaunderous toung more freély agaynst Luther and other godly Ministers and bryng them into hatred contempt conceauyng in your imagination to bryng this to passe that if the world would by your meanes but conceaue euill of the Lutheranes as that their Churches did swarme and were ouerwhelmed with abhomination of life then the credite of our doctrine should be easily crackt those godly personages which tooke vpon them to restore the sinceritie of the Gospell should be accounted for errant heretiques most execrable false Prophetes for hereunto is your whole Rhetoricke strayned Osorius But let vs seé how well this Rhetoricke doth agreé with the Rules of Logicke And bycause as your selfe say it is not sufficient for a mā to affirme what him listeth with bare wordes onely let vs behold not your vayne ianglyng but the very substaūce of your meanyng And to begyn now with the principall part of the controuersie to witte whereas in the defence of our Church Haddon had sayd as true it was in deéde that our doctrine was neither new nor did differre any iote from the Institution and discipline of the Apostles all this saying of Haddon Osorius doth vtterly deny doth Reply agaynst it that our Church hath no affinitie at all with the Institution and discipline of the Apostles nor any continuaūce in Antiquitie And who so Now marke his reasons gentle Reader and marueile a whiles at the wonderfull dexteritie of this Portingall Prelate For Haddon sayth he doth bryng no president or example of that auncient vertue Fourth a Gods name Moreouer in all that Church appeare no exāples of that heauenly vertue What vertues speake you of here good Syr Miracles What doe ye looke for such miracles in these dayes No. But luste say you raungeth in your Churches wickednes is ryfe hygh wayes and passadges are replenished with theeues treasons and conspiracies are common practizes of the people treachery and villany bringeth all thynges into perill for the simple puritie of the Gospell these fellowes haue in all cōmon weales scattered abroad horrible wickednes for concorde and charitie execrable dissentions pride in steade of modestie for Religiō Sacriledge for freedome seruile bondage for Ciuill orders outrage finally for trāquilitie and peace cruell and detestable tumultes and commotions And who be they I pray you Luther I thinke Melācthon Bucer Caluine Zuinglius Haddon and such others their like Go to is there any more yet And all these mischieues say you after the doctrine of these men tooke place were in such wise not rooted out as that they encrease rather dayly more and more amongest vs and are growen to greater heapes all which mischieues notwithstandyng if were but light or meane at the least the matter were not so great for that might haue bene pardonable in respect of the weakenesse of mans Nature But what shall we say now of that most horrible and execrable haynousnes
and veniall faultes rather No. But euen the most hainous the most wicked not to be named Lust murthers Conspiracies Treasons Tumultes Pride Sauadgenesse Vproares Destructions and Dispensations and what not I maruaile of one thing much that whiles you are exquisite skilfull in numbring and multiplying our faultes as that no horror and filthinesse of life can be found in all yonr Rhetoricke whiche you haue not by all wayes meanes of Amplification stretched out to the hard hedge agaynst the Lutheranes That ye forgot to obbrayd the Lutheranes with one poore abhomination amongest all the rest which my selfe will not name here but will referre you ouer to the gentle remembraunce of Cardinall Casus and to his brethren and to that Catholicke crewe and most holy children of that most holy mother Church S. Maryes But I returne to our owne Catalogue what say you that all those abhominations therfore raunge abroad with vs vnpunished yea in deéd Syr. What with vs English men onely or do ye not cōprehend in the same Cataloge Frēch men also Germaynes Danes Switzers Bohemyās Polans Rettes Scottes all other natiōs Fautors of the Lutherāes doctrine also Yea truely whersoeuer throughout the whole world the doctrine of these men hath bene published wheresoeuer these new Gospellers doe set theyr feete on the ground they doe defyle the heauēs the ayre and the earth with the horror of theyr iniquity Good words good Syr. What be those notorius crimes so common and generall amongest vs alone that the same cannot be found any where among you Catholickes yes but not so much In deéd do you thinke that there is not euen as much and will you geue me leaue then to aunswere hereunto as I thinke Surely I will not speake much neither is it neédefull namely in a matter so apparaunt This one thing will I speake boldly and the same also no lesse truely then as Demetrius on a time was sayd to aūswere Lysimachus A Strūpet doth behaue her selfe more modestly amongest vs Osorius then Penelope doth amongest you By this one bethinke your selfe now Osorius what my opinion is of all the rest And yet do I not in the meane space deny but that we are by many degreés farre vnlyke to the life which the Apostles did lead and which indeéd beseémeeh the true professors of the Apostolicke doctrine Neuerthelesse as we dot glory much of our vertues so neither do we so stroake and flatter our selues in our vyces but we iudge the same worthy of sharpe correction and chastisement But whē you haue reckoned vppe all the spottes of our ill fauoured life and agrauated the filthinesse thereof as much as you may yet are you to aunswere me directly to this namely whether ye think these faultes to be proper to men or to doctrine if vnto mē let your exclamation therefore touch them which haue deserued to be exclaymed agaynst They be Lutheranes say you that be so abhominable There be Lutheranes also that do liue godly And I thinke that all your Catholickes doe not lead theyr liues like Apostles Now if the former faultes be proper to the doctrine But it hath bene long sithence declared that this doctrine is none other then which Christ and his Apostles deliuered Wherefore if these faultes and licentiousnes of life be imputed to the doctrine and professors of the same doctrine then look about you Osorius how farre your slaunderous speéch doth stretche and whom you touch therewith for euen all those whom you doe accuse for Lutheranes do beleue in Christ and not in Luther nor do acknowledge any other Author of theyr faith then all other Christian men doe so that this profession can not iustly be charged with any crime which cleaueth not fast to the Gospell of Christ and is common also to the Apostles themselues But the doctrine of Luther say you hath discouered vnto them this liberty and ministred occasion of this dissolute life If it shall be enough for Osorius to affirme in bare wordes onely that whereof he hath not hetherto made any proofe nor is euer able to iustify We are vtterly ouerthrowen for he imputeth all that huge heape of haynous abhomination to Luthers doctrine And why so Syr Byshoppe how do you proue this to be true Luther did open the fountaynes of the Gospel of grace he did display abroad to the view of the world the freé promises of God which had bene pent vppe in a deépe doungeon of long scilence and almost pyned awaye with long emprisonement he raysed vpp and recomforted with the comfortable confidence in the Medyatour consciences that were vtterly foredone and forelorne yea and this not altogether vnfruitfully he discouered the force and efficacy of fayth learnedly he confuted the vayne talkatiue opinion of vayne confidence in mans righteousnes the part of the Law which consisteth of workes he bounde within her proper lymittes and boundes he enclosed it within her peculiar persons and Tymes and seuered it cleane from the Gospell he called backe the slippery mindes of men from carnall superstition and fryuolous Iewish zeale to the spirituall worshipping of God and true Religion It followeth Forasmuch as Luther Melancthon Bucer Martyr Caluine and others of the same crew haue stuffed their bookes full of these thinges and taught the same also openly in theyr Sermones euery where what haue these new Gospellers brought to passe by theyr new doctrine be therto as yet els then cut in sunder the very Sinowes of seuere discipline scattered abroad ouer the whole world lycentious lust murthers and vproares filled all common weales with abhominations Tumultes pride Bondage vproares vnpunished liberty to sinne outrage and all abhominable infections of mischiefes and vntimely deathes in steed of Concord Cleanesse modesty freedome Religion peace I beseéch you Osor. for the loue you beare to your chastity modesty freédome and Religion what aunswere canne you make hereunto Can it not be lawfull for vs to preach the Gospell of God but that we shall forthwith ouerthrow all vertue may we not comfort and cherish wounded and pyned cōsciences but we must withall open an high way for the wicked to raunge in all outrage vnpunished Is it not possible to distinguish the law from the Gospell◠to make a difference betwixt the workes of the Law and the righteousnesse of fayth to display the force of the heauenly grace but we must be accounted enemies of Gods law and rooters out of honesty Is this the manner of your reasoning and the superaboundance of your eloquence or the barraynenesse of your iudgement or super infirmity of your slippery braynes And yet what wonder is it though Luther be so infamed sithence Paule himselfe being in the same predicament could not by any meanes escape the venemous snatches of like vypers nor could skarse shake them away from his hand For so we read that it was obiected against Paule yea euen of his owne brethren namely That he taught a defection from
were not partaker of the spoyle did not onely winke at them but authorize them also by her owne Bulles so to do Agayne when these felowes Tecelius Wympine were gone to what purpose was Cardinall Caietane posted abroad in the yeare 1518 who in in the Councell of Augusta might reuiue the same opinions agayne and force Luther who had already confuted these abuses by open Disputation to recante And how will Osorius his defence now hang together with these practizes of his Pope denying vtterly that these Pardones were neuer scattered abroad by the consent of that holy mother Churche If it be true that the Church did not so what did that forme of Commission vsually geuen from the Seé of Rome emporte the tenour whereof was this He that soweth niggardly shall reape sparely but he that soweth bountyfull shall reape aboundauntly vnto life euerlastyng And agayne what meaneth this We do exhorte you all generally in the Lord do enioyne you vpoÌ„ payne of Remission of your Sinnes that of the goodes that God hath geueÌ„ you ye enlarge bouÌ„tifully your charitable deuotion vnto theÌ„ c. For these wordes were euery where scattered abroad by Maisters of Hospitalles Which what is it els theÌ„ to set vp a commoÌ„ Marte and moneybancke of remission of sinnes which is due to Fayth not to workes and which the Scripture willeth by all meanes possible to be freé and what is it els then as Chrisostome sayth to turne the forme of worshippyng and prayer into an occasion of wicked buyeng and sellyng But Osorius will cite vs forthwith to the Tridentine Councell wherein these Markettes of Pardons were after a sort mitigated with a certeine quallification Uery well But how much better had the Fathers of that Councell prouided if they had vtterly abrogated not the Markettes of Pardons onely but the very Pardons them selues out of all ChristiaÌ„ CongregatioÌ„s Regions But these Fathers now fosteryng continually this frettyng Fistula within the Bowels of the Christian common weale thinke they haue besturred them selues gayly if they foreseé not that the caÌ„ker may be throughly cured and kept from crawlyng any farther but that it be suppressed aloft and so suffred to creépe more closely below that is to say that men may freély now and withoâ—t money plunge their soules into hell But what is this to the purpose whether Pardons be put to sale or not put to sale For this is not in questioÌ„ now whether Pardoners may be abridged of their bold presumptioÌ„ but the question coÌ„cerneth Pardons theÌ„ selues not whether they ought to be sold but whether they may be tollerable how freé soeuer they be whether it be consonaunt to Christian Fayth or lawfull by the authoritie of the Scriptures for the Pope of Rome to make any kynde of choppyng and chaungyng with mens peltyng Pardons for the redeémyng of mens Sinnes I speake of those Pardons that are now in vse not such as were deliuered by the auncient Fathers For the Church had alwayes her Consistories and Iudiciall Courtes wherein for notorious offences certeine publique chastisement was ministred the Greékes called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we call theÌ„ Canonicall Satisfactions The rigour of the Church did vse many tymes to quallifie or acquite by releases pardons as occasion did serue accordyng to the qualitie of tymes places persons offences As if a man had reuolted froÌ„ the Fayth of Christ wtout any cause which kinde of backsliding was not thought worthy to be receaued to mercy in the primitiue Church yet afterwardes some courtesie was extended vnto such as repented them of the same and shewed them selues hartly sorrowfull for the same and such were enioyned to penaunce by the space of 12. yeares as appeareth by the 11. Canon of the Nicene Councell Wemen that either would procure vntymely birthes before they were borne or would murther their childreÌ„ beyng borne were by the same Canon excluded froÌ„ the CongregatioÌ„ for euer After this ensued the 21. Canon of the Councell of Antycira Which moderatyng the auncient censure with lenitie did prescribe vnto such wemen tenne yeares penaunce If a man had committed manslaughter by chauncemedley the same accordyng to the auncient Canon was enioyned seuen yeares penaunce which afterwardes thorough gentler mitigation of the same Councell was abridged to fiue yeares penaunce by the 22. Canon At the Councell of Agathe was a Canon made which was in noumber the 37. speakyng on this wise The auncient Fathers did enioyne a greuous payne vpon such as forsooke their Fayth whom we abridgyng the noumber of yeares doe enioyne onely two yeares penaunce We read in Eusebius that a certeine Bysh. returnyng with teares to the Church froÌ„ the heretique Nouatus was receaued into the CoÌ„gregatioÌ„ the whole Congregation makyng earnest Supplication for him contrary to the order of the Canons Cyprian reporteth that the Martyrs of his tyme consideryng the earnest amendement of lyfe in certeine PeniteÌ„tiaries and perceauyng the tyme of their penaunce limited vnto them by the Church to draw neare to an end obteined by their earnest petitions made to the Elders of the Church that they releasing some part of their penaunce might receaue them into the Congregation agayne as reconciled notwithstanding their satisfactions beyng not fully accomplished And the Reason of this Pardon doth the 5. Canon of the CouÌ„cell of Antycira declare A Byshop sayth the Canon ought to haue this prerogatiue as that he may vpon consideration of the demeanour of Penitenciaries become somewhat more tractable and either quallifie the rigour of the penaunce or aggrauate the censure as he shall thinke conuenient and as necessitie shall require So also in the Nicine Councell the 5. Canon Let them stand excommunicate sayth the Canon vntill either the Congregation or the Byshop shall thinke it conuenient to mitigate the tyme of their penaunce Thus much I thought not amisse by the way to note brieflye of the maner of publique penauÌ„ce and Canonicall satisfactions exercised in the olde Church To the end it may more fullye appeare by what meanes those auncient ordinaunces of publique penauÌ„ce did first decay and were abolished in the Popes church and how by litle and litle certayne new Satisfactions were crept in thrust in place For albeit this name of Satisfactions be of some auncienty yet were Satisfactions exercised farre otherwise in the auncient Church then they are now in dayly practise in the Popes Church For in the Primitiue Church such satisfactions were enioyned as publicke penaunce for publicke offeÌ„ces only But your Popes CoÌ„fessioners do enioyne satisfactory penaunces for certayne priuate and secret sinnes The first sort were neuer ministred but in presence of the congregation onely to serue for outward Discipline onely and not to redeéme the wrath of God for their sins by way of satisfiyng and the cause why they were called Satisfactions was because they did satisfy the opinioÌ„ of the congregatioÌ„ in
men not to the worshipping of the liuing God but to the inuocation of dead soules and adoration of Reliques not vnto fayth but vnto workes not vnto freé forgeuenesse but vnto Pardons not vnto grace but vnto workes not vnto the promises of God but to mens satisfactions not vnto heauen but vnto Purgatory which doth allure vs not to the spyrite but vnto the hungry letter to ceremonies to written Traditions and vnwritten verityes to the bare naked elemēts of this world to bodyly exercises which of theyr owne nature do prenayle litle or nothing at all If this be not the very naturall power and state of all your Religion almost confound me if you can but if you cannot with honesty denye it where is then that glorious bragg so often craked vpon of the first principles of your Traditions which how gaylye are liked and blazed abroad by you let other mē like as they list Surely I am of this opinion that there be no surer groundworkes of our Religion nor better layd then such as the Apostles and Prophettes haue established vnto the which if you will but call vs we will yelde gladly and ioyne with you But you doe meane some other principles and foūdations I suppose not such as were builded vpp by the Apostles and Prophets but such as haue bene inuented by Mounkes Fryers and Noonnes whose orders and institutions you iustify to be most holy and godly and haue determined with your selfe that all thinges which are swarued from thence ought to be called home agayne to the holynesse of these sacred orders howsoeuer some particuler Mounckes doe abuse theyr profession yet you do stoutly auerre that the first institutiō of the profession and foundation of their orders doth persist as at the first and ought not by any meanes be dissolued This is well But what if I be able to iustify the contrary to witt that the very first foundations of those Mounckeryes as they were erected by the first founders thereof be wicked damnable and to be detested of all christians Now I beseéch your syr Byshopp for the honor of your sacred Myter if any man doe direct you to any other redeémer then vnto Christ the sonne of God or will allure you to seéke for any other redemption then in the most precious blood of Iesus Christ Doe ye thinke such a fellow in any respect tolerable I do not beleue it Goe to then let vs take a view now of the originall causes and principles vpō the which were groūded the first foundations of Mounckeryes I will speake onely of our owne Mounckeries here in England as much as I know by experience When the first foundations of Mounckeries beganne to be erected in this Realme which was in the tyme of a certeyn Mounck called Austine whēas Ethelbert reigned king of kent in the yeare 605. We will declare euen out of his owne letters patentes the very cause that moued him chiefly to build an Abbay at Douer for the order of Benedictines And these be the very wordes of his owne charter I Ethelbert established in the kingdome of my father and enioying the crowne and dignity of my father by the permission of God in peacible tranquillity emōgest other churches that I haue builded by the persuatiō councell of our holy father Austen haue erected from the very foundation a Church to the most blessed Prince of the Apostles S. Peter and to S. Paule Doctour of the Gentiles and haue endeuoured to enriche the same with large Reuenewes and landes and haue caused there to be assembled Mounckes which do feare God Therefore entending to amplifie and to enlarge the same Church to the proportiō of a iust heighth being in perfect minde and sownde iudgement I haue geuen vnto the same church by the consent of Ealbalde my sonne and other my deare counsellors a Towne called Cistelett for the redemption of my soule in hope to attayne euerlasting reward for the same c. I do not accuse the well disposed king worthy of singuler prayse but I doe vtterlye condemne Austen the Mouncke that wicked counsellor and instrument of that doctrine Uerely if redemption of soules be purchased by buylding of Abbyes then dyed Christ in vayne and the promise is made voyde and of none effect finally what remayneth for vs by this reason but that weé haue as many redeémers as we haue Mouncks You haue heard of Ethelbert the father now harken likewise of Ealbalde hys Sonne I Ealbalde placed in my Fathers kyngdome followyng my Fathers steppes who of a valiaūt courage did build Churches of God at the earnest entreaty of Father Austen and enriched them with diuers dignities doe freély and willyngly geue and graunt a certein part of my kyngdome called Northburne to the behoofe of the Monckes of the Monastery of Peter Paule at Douer in the honour of almighty God and his holy Apostles and of S. Augustine for the Redemption of my Fathers soule myne owne soule and my predecessours soules c. I Ethelrede kyng of Mercia do graunt this Charter for the redemption of my soule and to be prayed for by the seruauntes of God the Moūckes of Malmesbury The same Charter was confirmed by kyng Berthewalde for the Saluation of his soule as his Letters Patētes do declare and for the Remission of the Sinnes that he hadd committed What shall I speake of the rest of Osricke kyng of Mercya of Oswy kyng of Northumberland of Whitrede Cissa kyng of Southsex Ethelrede Prince of Mercia Ina Renulphe Offa Alurede Athelstane Edgar William of Normandy Henry the first Stephen kyng Iohn and Edward by whom whereas many Monasteries haue bene erected euen from the first foundations and endowed with large possessions and reuenewes if we behold the originall Charters of the first founders we shall finde that they were erected for none other cause nor vnder any other Title but for the Redemptiō of soules for saluation of soules and to vse their owne wordes for the remedy and remission of sinnes For myne owne soule and all my predecessours soules for my fathers soule and mothers soule for the soule of my wife and all Christian soules for the Remission of sinnes for the prosperous estate of our kyngdome the subiectes of our Realme To the honour of the blessed Uirgine Mary for reward of eternall felicitie c. For all these titles are extaunt in the auncient Charters of the kinges grauntes After the same maner did Elfride wife to the Earle Ethelwolde builde an Abbay at Malmesbury for the death of her husband whereof she was her selfe a Procurour for the Remission of that wicked acte into the which afterwardes she made her selfe a perpetuall Recluse for euerlastyng penaūce Moreouer kyng Edgar which murthered the sayd Ethelwolde for the loue of his wife for satisfactiō of his offence and for the preseruation of his subiectes is reported to haue builded so many Abbayes as there be weékes in the yeare
of the very bowels of Hystories and philosophy wherein I do not so much mislike with him for his good councell But whereunto were these glorious flooryshes framed more for Queéne Elizabeth then for anye other Potentate or Prince of the world then for the King of Portingall or for his proper pigsnye the Pope When or in what place hath our soueraygne Lady whose Princely mildenes doth surmount all her Predecessors in lenity and temperaunce so demeaned her selfe in all her most fortunate and prosperous calme of happy Reigne that her Maiesty may seéme to stand in neéd of this your Philosophicall persuasions more then any other Prince Wherein hath she euer vaunted her Royaltye in such sort that she must be enstructed by this Portingall Solon to haue regard to the slippery state of this fickle life Declare a good fellowshipp Osorius what matter haue you noted at anye time or heard of by report done by her Maiesty wherin you may iustly reprehend want of wisedome in counsell or lacke of clemeÌ„cy in iustice beseéming the most vertuous prince of the world I will boldely also adde hereunto wherein this mayden Queéne may not worthely compare with the most mighty and auncient Monarche of most famous memory And if you thinke that this litle Isle of England is so voyd and barreyne of councell that Kinges and Queénes must of necessitye be enstructed of Osorius How happened it that you did not vtter your skill and signifye your good will rather to Queéne Marye her graces Sister whom you might haue persuaded to temperaunce and lenity whenas she executed Tyrannye without all measure and meane in shedding her owne subiectes blood where was theÌ„ this Portingall Clawbacke whiche should haue remembred the Queéne of humayne weakenesse and imbecillity that was so forgettfull of all humanity and her owne fraylty Reioyse therefore Elizabeth our most noble and vertuous soueraigne for this your Alcion dayes you may well seé nowe howe muche you be indebted for this your most prosperous raigne For if that mighty MacedoÌ„ King Phillipp were so ioyously affected in his sonne Alexanders behalfe that it chaunced him to be borne in the time of the famous philosopher Aristotle why should not ye rather clappe your handes for ioy in respect of your most happy happynesse more then AlexaÌ„ders felicity whom it happeneth to raygne now in the time of this notorious Solon the eighth wise in number or the third Cato of this age who is able to replenish your eares with most wholesome preceptes of life and fashion your fayth with true catholicke institution and doctrine who if your Maiesty will vouchsafe to beleue his lessons is able to direct your grace by lyne and by leuell to know the difference betwixt true religion and false howe your highnesse ought to discerne betwixt true and false Prophets how you ought to coÌ„ceiue of Purgatory of pardoÌ„s of auriculer coÌ„fession of compulsary single life of the sacrifice of the Masse of Images Pictures and Reliques of Saynctes Who cann restore your owne person to her auncient freédome from out of that Tyrannous bondage of false flatterers wherein your grace is now holden captiue To with that of a freé Queéne you may at the last become a seruile bondmayd of the Pope For vpon this onely bunch of thraldome hang all the Keyes of Osorius freé Manumissions And therefore sith the matter is come to this passe what remayneth Most renowmed and vertuous Queéne but that you finde meanes to send for this new Solon by all meanes possible and assigne him a place emoÌ„gest the chiefe of your priuye councell and alter the whole state of your Realme after his directioÌ„ and appoyntment who will guyde your Maiestye on this wise First that renouncing this Religion whereunto you haue bene enured euen from your Cradle you may now straggle away to the trimme Traditions of the Romish Religion which Osorius doth mayntayne that where as you haue begonne in the spirite you may end afterwardes in the flesh that you may banish the scriptures from your subiectes hearing That you may conuert your publique preaching into mumbling Massing That your subiects may beginn to learne to call vpoÌ„ God in an vnknowen toung that excluding that righteousnesse which doth consist in the fayth of Iesu Christ your people may be noosled in confidence and assuraunce of theyr owne workes and merites that you should dispoyle the communion of the one part of the Sacrament that you should dissolue lawfull marriages of Christes Ministers That in your owne Realme you should establish a kingdome to the Pope of Rome that he may gouerne your scepter and you carry his Crosier That he may haue full skope in your kingdome to distribute benefices to geue Byshopprickes to exact first fruites tenthes and yearely pencions that after he hath once swept away the cropp of English Golde you may come after gather the drosse Finally that you make a cleare dispatch of these Lutheran Heretiques kill them spoyle them â—â—ll England full of fagott fier so that the English blood being spilte and the name of English Nation being vtterly rooted out the Portingalles may freély be propt vpp in theyr possessions Surely this is notable councell Osorius and right well beseéming your dignity which whatsoeuer colourable shew it pretend in wordes doth in trueth and in deéd sound and breath forth nothing els but slaughter and bloud For hereof you can not be ignoraunt that this Romish counterfait could neuer be receiued into this Region without wonderfull disturbaunce of the state and losse of many liues And for this cause I suppose you directed your bloody and murtherous Inuectiues to our noble Queéne whereunto if she would haue bene pliable the whole Realme had bene long sithence replenished with fire and flame wherewith you would haue made boanefiers with the blood of many good Preachers But you come to late gentle Synon with these fables and bables and may keépe your breath to keale your potage The late lauish lewdnes of Queéne Maryes madd daies hath made vs to well acquaynted with that Romish Iennett to graunt him any grasing within English soyle or to permitt any pasture for such a popish palfray Christ Iesu be thanked for euer and euer now that this Romish Ruffler is excluded we liue in godly calme who as now cann neuer hope to haue anye footing here before concorde be exiled and peace vtterly banished Wherefore if that your superexcellent Byshopp of Rome be rauished with so hott a zeale of Ambicion that he can not reigne without a kingdome if he will follow my simple councell either lett him seéke out for some straunge vnknowen Islandes where he may rule ouer such as do not know him or els lett him chauÌ„ge the state of his Religion In like maner I would aduertize Osorius if he be of that courage that he can not stay the outrage of his quill but must neédes presume to perke and preach to kings and to Queénes
Sophistication If all thyngs that goe commonly after a certein maner together be done together must be coupled applyed to one and the selfe same operationÌ„ by this Reason it must come to passe that he that hath feéte eyes and eares and haue them not by them selues alone therefore he shal be supposed to goe not vpon his feéte onely but to walke vpon his eyes and to seé with his eares For the matter goeth none otherwise in Fayth Hope and Charitie which threé heauenly Iewelles albeit be instilled into vs by the freé liberalitie of God with Remission of Sinnes and cleaue fast within one subiect yet euery of them are distinguished by their seuerall properties and functions notwithstandyng As for Example If a question be demaunded what thyng it is that doth Iustifie vs in the sight of God and obteine vs euerlastyng lyfe I doe aunswere that it is Fayth yea and Fayth onely If you demaunde by what meanes I do aunswere through Iesus Christ the Mediatour Agayne if you aske what kynde of Fayth that is I do aunswere not an idle nor a dead Fayth but a liuely Fayth and a workyng Fayth If you will demaunde further by what markes you may be able to discerne a true Fayth from a false Fayth S. Paule will make aunswere vnto you The true Fayth is that which worketh by Charitie If you will demaunde further yet what this Fayth worketh I doe aunswere accordyng to the seuerall properties thereof two maner of wayes namely Fayth worketh Saluation thorough Christ and it worketh obedience of the law by Charitie what absolute obedience I doe not thinke so What then vnperfect obedience But such a Fayth must neédes be insufficient to the full measure of absolute righteousnesse and perfect felicity And where is now that excellent integritie of lyfe which doth purchase vs a way into the kyngdome of heauen where is the effectualnesse of Charitie auayleable to eternall lyfe where is that solemne Decreé of that Tridentine CouÌ„cell which doth ascribe the onely begynnyng of our Iustification to Fayth but maketh the Formall cause thereof onely Charitie as a certein new kynde of obedience which they call a righteousnesse cleauyng fast within vs whereby we are not onely accompted righteous but be both truely called righteous and be also truely righteous in the sight of God Annexing thereunto a very dreadfull and terrible curse If any man dare presume to say that man is iustified either by the onely Imputation of Christes Righteousnesse or by onely Remission of Sinnes excludyng Grace and Charitie which is poured forth into their hartes by the holy Ghost and cleaueth fast within them or if any man will presume to say that the Grace whereby we be Iustified is the onely fauour and mercy of God Lett him stand accursed And agayne in the Cannon followyng If any man dare presume to say that Iustifiyng Fayth is nothyng els then a CoÌ„fidence of Gods mercy forgeuyng Sinnes for Christes sake or to be that onely affiauÌ„ce whereby we be Iustified lett hym be holden accursed Behold here learned Reader a notable Decreé of this Councell which when these graue Fathers did coyne may any man dought but that the Maister of the Familie was a sleépe when the enuious maÌ„ did scatter abroad darnell emongest his wheate They doe discourse and determine vpon Iustification but none otherwise then as they might argue in Aristotles schoole about naturall causes or powers of the soule For how much more nycely could Aristotle him selfe the Prince of the Peripateticall Schoole dispute if he hadd accoÌ„panyed them and debatyng this cause together with that Ghostly Councell then Osorius and the Tridentine Deuines did Philosophically dispute of the formall cause of Iustification which consideration of doctrine if must be holden for an infallible foundation then lett vs be bold and blush not to roote out withall the whole natiue and essentiall substaunce of all mysticall Diuinitie and lett vs raâ—e out the very foundations of all our Religion For if the state of our Saluation be come to this passe that it must be established by merites not by freé Imputation onely where then is that righteousnesse which is called the righteousnesse of Fayth the force and power whereof is so highely and often aduaunced by Paule what shall become of the difference betwixt the law and the Gospell which if be not obserued very diligently we shall wander and straggle blindely in the course of the Scriptures none otherwise then as wantes and rearemyce at the bright beames of the cleare Sunne Moreouer what shall become of that Antithesis of Paule betwixt the righteousnesse of the law and Fayth betwixt grace and merite what shall become of all that excluding of glorious boastyng vpon workes where is that Fayth Imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse Moreouer how shall this saying of Paule agreé with these Tridentine Lawgeuers to witte Not to him that worketh but vnto him that beleeueth on him that doth Iustifie the wicked Sinner Fayth is imputed for righteousnesse Moreouer what shall become of those exceptiue exclusiue senteÌ„ces of S. Paule wherein all the consideration of our Saluation beyng taken away from confidence in workes is ascribed wholy to Imputation Finally what shall become of all those sweét and most amiable promises of God if according to the rule of this doctrine we shal be excluded from our assurednesse of Saluation and Gods freé imputation We do heare the Lord promising in the Gospell When you haue lifted vpp the Sonne of man on high I will draw all things vnto my selfe And how cann this be true if all assurednesse must be attributed to merites according to the TrideÌ„tines Not so simply to merits say they but we do couple Grace therewith which grace because is not receiued but through the merites of Christ herefore there it commeth to passe that the merite of Christ is so farr forth effectuall to vs in the worke of our saluation as God doth powre into vs the measure of his grace to worke well O notable Deuines But goe to that I may the better aunswere them may I be so bold to demaund a question or two touching Abraham whose workes if we behold what thing coulde be more holy If we respect the vprightnes of his life what was more excellent if we regard the grace of his sanctificatioÌ„ and renouacioÌ„ where was it euer more pleÌ„tifull in any man And now lett vs heare the iudgement of S. Paule concerning all those so manifold and wonderfull workes For if Abraham haue anye thing whereupon he may glory sayth he he hath it in respect of meÌ„ but not of God What where the most excellent workes of Abraham are nothing worth shall our most filthy workes be auayleables Lett vs haue recourse to the first creation of mankinde and lett vs call to remembraunce the auncient age of our first Parent Adam who alone tasting of the forbidden fruite did he
an infallible assuraunce of Saluation and eternall lyfe there cā be nothyng more false and more damnable for as much as the same is not obteyned by our owne merites and deseruynges but is freély geauen to the vnworthy and vndeserued and is thē also geauen whenas we are founde Sinners so that in this whole worke the mercy of the Lord doth beare the whole and full prayse and palme not our workes which do but folow Gods reconciliation as fruites and not make attonement with God None otherwise then as Osorius whenas he doth Consecrate when he doth geaue orders when he doth weare his Myter he doth not all these to the ende he would be made a Byshopp but bycause he was made a Byshopp before therefore he doth execute the duties apperteignyng to a Byshopp And as the Seruauntes of noble men are knowen by their seuerall Badges but do not weare noble mēs badges bycause they shall become those noble mēs seruauntes In semblable wise Christian Fayth albeit it worke allwayes by loue and doth shew a speciall demonstration of pure and true Fayth doth not therefore procure Saluation bycause it worketh but bycause it doth beleéue in Christ Iesu who beyng able alone to geaue that absolute integritie which is required for this cause therefore onely Fayth in Christ Iesu doth obteyne our Saluation not our perfection and integritie So that all the whole felicitie of our happy lyfe doth not proceéde from any efficacy or force of our owne worke but by consideration of the Obiect onely which is receaued thorough Fayth Neither are the endeuours and actions of loue charitie and pietie excluded in this course of transitory obedience as I haue often declared before as though by this meanes they should be of any lesse necessitie not to accompany or not to attend vpon Fayth Agayne neither are workes so ioyned with Fayth as though they should exclude Fayth from her dignitie and her proper operation nor enfeéble or abase the wonderfull riches of the grace of God which is in Christ Iesu nor that they should extinguish the Glory of Christes Crosse nor dispoyle afflicted consciences of their heauenly cōsolation nor should destroy the synceritie of sounde doctrine which the Apostles haue left vnto vs which for as much as ascribeth the whole estate of our Saluatiō to no one thyng els then to the onely freé liberalitie and mercy of Christ Iesu I doe appeale to the secrett Iudgementes of all the godly whether the opinion of them be better which doe establish their sauetie in Fayth onely or of Osorius which doth measure all our assuraunce and confidence of Saluation by the onely Rule of our owne righteousnes and who doth affirme that Fayth onely is onely rash temeritie Truely if the Spirite of the Lord could not disgest those Laodiceans which beyng droūken with vayne persuasion of their owne righteousnesse hadd not any feélyng or perseueraunce of their owne vgly deformitie and filthy barraynesse It may easily be coniectured what we may determine of the hawty spirite of this Portingall Deuine and of all his Diuinitie Wherefore in that you seéme so inwardly carefull for our sauety Osorius as herein your honest inclination of gentle courtesie towardes vs may not vnthankefully be neglected of vs altogether Euen so we also in requitall of our good will towardes you do earnestly exhort and hartely desire you that either you will vouchsafe to instruct vs in the true doctrine of Saluation more wholesomely and purely hereafter or els that you reteigne still with your selfe this your safety which you do wish vnto vs if you can wishe vs no better and enioy the same to your great comfort as much and as long as you will for euer and euer world without end Amen ¶ Lett vs pray OSorius I do hartely pray and beseech the hygh and eternall Lord Iesu Christ for the loue of his most precious bloud which was shedd for the Saluation of all mankynde for his woundes for his bitter passion for his death wherewith he dyd vanquish death for his victory wherein he triumphed ouer the kyngdome of Sathā that he would vouchsafe to enlighten with the bright beames of his coūtenaunce and deliuer frō all errours this kyngdome which was once a Receptacle of all vertue Religiō wisedome and Iustice disquieted now by the wicked practises of naughty packes woulde also vouchsafe to reclayme it to the Fayth and vniforme consent of most sacred Religiō into the aūcient boundes of the Churche defend the same with the assistaūce of his holy Spirite that whereas we are now disagreeyng in opinions we may be conformed together at the length in vnitie of one Fayth and one vniforme mynde of most vndoughted Religion and may attayne together that euerlastyng glory to the vnspeakeable ioy and Reioysing of all the holy Citizens in heauen At the Feast of Easter Alleluya Alleluya In recompence of this your solemne collect Right Reuerend Father what remayneth at the length but that we all and euery of vs doe with one mouth one spirite and one voyce sing as lowd as we can vnto you Amen which being but one word wanting onely to the knitting vpp of the prayer I doe not a little maruaile why was forgotten of you vnlesse perhappes because it was skarse a good Latyne word and neuer foūd in the bookes of Cicero therefore it was vnworthy to be inserted in this place as not meéte for your fine phrase of Ciceroes Eloquence Neuerthelesse it is right well yet that making intercession for vs poore outcast Englishmen you skippe ouer all other pelting and petty mediatours and aduocates and haue thought good to call vpon the helpe of the most mightye mercyfull Lord Iesus Christ without calling for or inuocating the helpe of any other Gods Which deuise how well will agreé with the rest of your discourse I can not well conceaue for you seéme to pray one way and to dispute an other way quite contrary You doe pray as a Lutherane but you dispute as a Papist What a contradiction is this I pray you where the Pyper playeth the hornepype and you daunce the Antyck For if this be true as we are taught by your example that we ought to fleé for succour to Christe onely as the most chiefe and highest Soueraigne and in him onely alone to repose all our whole shoote ancker of prayer inuocation without praying to all other perry Saincts what neéde we then of any other Sollicitours Patrones and Aduocates But if the estate of our necessitye be such as may not want their ayde and assistaunce how chaunceth it that renouncing the necessary helpes of pettygodds and pettygoodesses intercession is made here onely vnto Christ Afterwardes you doe proceade in your whott zealous prayer doe make intercessiō For his bloods sake that was shed for the saluation of all mankynde for his woundes sake for his most bitter passion sake for his death sake wherewith he vanquished
smoath Scholemaster that they geue not in the meane tyme to creadulous an eare to the counterfaicte craft of his proper pack but haue allwayes in minde the pythy sentence of Epicharmus the wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And withall that they take especiall care if they haue a desire to imitate his wryting not to enure themselues in any wise to his sawcy malapertnes of slaundering or cursed speakyng Then which kinde of contagion as there can be no Canker more Pestilent skattered abroad emongest the conuersations of christian men so doe I more hartely wish that the vertuous witts of studious youth may not be polluted with this crawling skabbe And I cann not wonder sufficiently to thinke what frantique fury hath whirled this Prelate into such vnmeasurable outrage of rayling penne But the matter goeth well enough on our side namely that his raunging speéch is agreable to his disordered profession and his Lauish style is coupled with his lewd doctrine for what could haue bene more fitt for this bloudy Religion then bootcherly brawlyng and currish cauilling lyke vnto lyke yet how much more commendable hadd it bene and withall how much more sitting and seémely his personage and dignitye if espying any blemish or wrinckle in mens maners or errors that might haue bene offensiue he hadd as a Priest a Deuine and a Byshopp with friendly and milde application of persuadible Scriptures enduced the ignoraunt to better regard by gentle enstruction rather then with rigorous rayling and to haue geuen a simple demonstration of the soundnesse of his fayth rather then haue bruted abroad the beastely botch of his shamelesse impudencye It is the propertye of vertuous literature and ciuill discipline so called of the ciuilytye thereof to reclayme the raunging riott of wandering wittes to mildenes of maners and to a certein comely ciuilitye of meéke modestye Certes this sauadge sawcynesse wayward wrangling whether may be found emongest tyranous Turkes I know not surely is very vnseémely for learned men much more vncomely for Deuines but altogether blameworthy in Byshopps Moreouer besides the rule of Christian Religion surely reason it selfe would haue required this much at the least that in reproching other mens faults such as can not be mindefull of their owne should reproue no more in others then such as be faultes in deéde not causelesly condēne the innocent with forged crymes and malicious cauillations This also should haue bene foreseéne as an especiall poynt of a graue Deuine that he that of sett purpose will become a prowling pickethanke of other mens eskapes should first peruse their bookes with earnest bent heédefulnes should aduisedly note the maner of the errors and make faythfull report of the same accordingly not foreiudging the thinges which he knoweth not nor carping ouer greédely the thinges that he vnderstandeth not nor corruptly deprauing the rest that is well spoken But our Osorius here doth inueigh agaynst men whom he neuer sawe doth defame their lyfe whom he neuer knew doth with his currishe Eloquence gnaw the bookes that he neuer handled condemning the cause first before both partyes be heard confuting first before he vnderstand what requireth refutation Not much swaruing from the example of some in these dayes Uenetians and Italians especially who being enflamed with canckred malice agaynst the French Hugonoughtes whom they neuer sawe being demaunded of their Paramoures and other vnskilfull young headds concerning the qualyties and disposition of those Hugonoughts doe aunswere that they be not men but certein mōstruous shapes of men hauing Dogges faces glowing eyes Boares Tuskes sprouting along their snoughtes Dragons heads fowle outstretched cheekes lowling eares from the crowne of the headd to the bottome of the shoulders Finally they doe describe them out in most vgly mishapen deformitye not because they be such kinde of people in deéde but because they may by this meanes make them to be more enuyed and more malitiously hated Not much otherwise this good man Osorius here doth besturre himselfe agaynst the Lutherans First wheresoeuer he may heare of any persons that be named Lutherans though he know not the men themselues yet doth he by by conceaue in his brayne by the very name Imagine them to be such as he hath paynted out here in his Bookes to witte Outcastes Churchrobbers Traytours Scorpions Murtherers Leacherous the firebrandes and whirlewindes of all the world Enemies of mankynde Spoylers of Princes Heretiques Scismatickes Botches of Religiō Rooters out of all vertue Finally skarsely men but vnder mens countenaūces nothing but hellhoundes raysed vp of Sathā himselfe Agayne wheresoeuer he doth heare of any mischieuous naughty packes treacherous villanyes common Barretours or any infamed persons reproched for any corruption of opinions errours sectes scysmaticall deuisions heresies or notorious for any other deteitable crime or execrable mischiefe he doth for forthwith conclude all those whatsoeuer vnder the common name of Lutheranes without exception as it were within one predicamēt euen as though there were no contradiction contrariety or diuersity of sectes people iudgemēts and factions in the world but Lutheranes onely Furthermore as though all this sufficed not to procure thē to be maligned enough he hath forged hereunto opinions false horrible blasphemous which neither entred into their thought at any time nor euer eskaped frō out their mouthes or writing which although appeare manifestly in infinite places and manifest tokens euery where yet lett this one be admitted for examples sake What sayth he shall I beleue that I shall recouer health so long as I do not feele my selfe stricken and pynched wyth any such gryefe of sicknesse that I make no force whether any medicine be applied so long as I nourish myne owne sicknesse so long as mine owne wickednesse doth delight me c. No in deéde I do not beleéue it nor doe I thinke it worthy to be beleéued And I pray you what one of all the Lutheranes did euer dreame of any such thing in his sleépe or euer taught it being awake when consciences are shakē with engines of distrust as oftentimes happeneth amongst the faithfull being in affliction whereas the whole force of the mind doth imagine all possible wayes by what meanes it may counteruayle the wrath and indignation of God The Lutheranes here haue sett downe a plaister for this soare taken out of the Phisick of Scripture namely Fayth onely and the merites of Christ Iesu On the contrary part Osor. vrgeth very stoughtly that we are not reconciled vnto God by fayth in Christ onely but by onely righteousnes of workes wherein we doe exercise our selues thorough the ayde assistaūce of grace how true this assertiō of his is I do appeale herein to the secret iudgementes of the learned In the meane space lett the godly Reader consider well with what slaunders and iniurious accusations he doth reproch godly and vertuous personages for whereas they do treate of the greéuous assaultes combates of tormented consciences properly and of sinners
pag. 19. b. Peter Lombarde The Retractation of August There was no disagreement amoÌ„gest the Lutherans Coelest Anabap. Interem Math. 25. Osorius his ignoraunce in iudgement and triflyng about words Luce. 7. Cicero pro Mar. Coelio Osori fol. 24. August Epist 19 Osorius his vanitie také tardy Iero. ad Marcel in Epist. cuius initium est Mensur charit non habet Chrisost. in 1. in 3. Concione de Lazaro Of the suppression of Monkes Luce. 3 Luther vntruly charged with vprores in Germany George Duke of Saxone 1. Kyngs 18 Luke 18 Luther charged with the ouerthrow of the Hungarians most vntruly Tomorraeus Archb. of Tholosse Paulus Iouius in his 23 booke of Histories Osorius slauÌ„der touchyng the death of kyng Edward the sixt Of the ouerthrow of the Emperour Osor. slauÌ„derous lye touchyng the poysonyng of Queene Mary The death of Queene Mary The death of Cardinal Poole The foreine mariage of Queene Mary Osorius doth accuse Fraunce of highe treason Thraso The most miserable murthering of Henry the Scottish kyng Erasmus his commendable report of Luther The death of Luther which was most holy sinisterly depraued by the malicious slauÌ„derers In the Epistle to the Queene pag. 11. In myne aunswere pag. 8. Deut. 18. Math. 3. Iam. 4. Iohn 3. Deut. 4. Psal. 27 Psal. 25. Psal. 119 Exod. 3. Esai 53. Iaco. 1. Act. 20. Ad Galat. 1 Aristarchus was a great quareller Osorius a Proctour for monkes 1. Cor. 12. Ephes. 4. Act 10. and 11. Math. vlti Cicero in his booke of dueties Aristotle in his Ethickes Leuit. 21. Leuit. 19. 20.26 Deut. 27. Math. 28. Math. 5. 1. Cor. 7. Legenda Aurea Rom. 3. Rom 2. Iohn 4. Galat. 2.3 Osor. Fable of an hypocriticall Monckes Of the vowes of widowes 1. Cor. 7. Luke 19. Osorius fol. 37. Hoc tantum munus c. 1. Cor. 7. Gal. 2. Luthers Mariage reproued Gene. 1. Pope Gregory the 7. Hildebrand by name was the first that did establishe single lyfe by Decree Of Images The Images of Cherubins The brasen Serpent Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Ezechias Exod. 32. Sence in Hercul fur The Papistes are taken tardy in committyng manifest Idolatry Of the Images of the Crosse. 2. Tim. 3. Thomas of Canterbury Of Schoole Diuinitie The second CouÌ„cell of Nice Osori fol. 47. In myne answere to Osor. Epist. Luke 4. The last chap. of the Apocal. 1. Timo. Exod. 1â— Iohn 4. Hyperbole is called an excessiue vehemency of speach Whereunto the Apologie of Haddon had especiall regard Exod. 32. Rom. 9. Rom. 6. How we ought to esteeme of the Sacramentes Ex opere operat Rom. 4. Rom. 10. Sacraments are tokens of saluatioÌ„ but do not worke saluation 1. Cor. 1. ConfessioÌ„ Sacrament of the Altar Two Sacramentes Auâ—icular ConfessioÌ„ Heb. 9.10 Actes 2. Iames the last chap. Osorius Iames. 1. Psal. 22.30 Deut. 32. Mercenaâ—ie ConfessioÌ„ Iohn 1. Luke 17. 1. Cor. 4. Luce. 16. 1. Tim. vlt Ad Hebâ— vlt. Ezech. 33. Apoc. 21. Apoc. 3. Apoc. 1. Apoc. 5. Math. 28. Ad Cor. 4. Psal. 51. A true forme of Confession out of Dauid Publique CoÌ„fession Luce. 15. An example of priuate ConfessioÌ„ in the prodicall Sonne Heb. 4. Esay 11. 1. Tim. 3 The place of Esay wrongfully wrested by Osorius Luke 10. Esay 11. The place of Esay explaned Of the Sacrament of Euchariste Osori Tullyes couÌ„tersaite Cicero de natura Deoâ—um Actes 1. Hebr. 1. Osori Prolopopoâ—ia agaynst Peter Martyr The aunswere of Peter Martyr agaynst the Prolopopoâ—ia of Osorius 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 10. Actes 1. Iohn 6. Iohn 6. Iohn 6. August de doct christi Tertullian What tyme TransubstaÌ„tiation was brought in first A shew of Osorius pride Cyprian Actes 2. Actes 20. The confutatioÌ„ of the Transubstantiation Pope Innocentius the thyrd 1. Cor. 14. Of vnknoweÌ„ and straunge tounges in Churches Ibidem Gallat 4. Phil. 3. Luke 11. Math. 33. Osori fol. 69. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Cor. 14. Luke 3. 1. Cor. 14. Iohn 21. Luce. 4. 2. Timo. 3. The knowledge of Scriptures ignoraunce accordyng tâ— Osoriuâ— Iohn 4. Iames. 1. Peter 1. Psal. 12.19 1. Peter 1. Of Christ being a king and a Byshop 1. Pet. 2. A kyngly power Rom. 13. 1. Tim. 2. To the Hebrues euery where A shewe of Osorius slaunderous speach The bookes of Osorius De Iustitia Cardinall Pooles iudgement of Osorius bookes of Iustitia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee hath sayd Gregor lib. â— Epist. â—0 24. lib. 7. Epist 3â— lib. 4. Epist. 34. 38. 36. c. To be conueniently distaunt Dominari Rom. 14. A miserable distinction of Osorius How far in what causes kynges doe beane rule 1. Timo. 2. Peter 1.2 Ilâ—â—ne Illi False Latin in Osorius puttyng Illi for Illos Ofori rayling agaynst our Bishops of England 1. Timo. 3. Thersites a notable brauler Homer in Iliad Out of the bookes of the Kynges and Paralipom The courtes of Princes subiect to flatterers The Popes Parasites Kyng Henry the viij Sueto in the lyfe of Nero. Rom. 13. Rom. 13. Math. 17. â—uce 20. Wherein the office of a kyng consisteth Numb 16. Distinct. 22. Cap. Omnes Decrees ful of blasphemie The Popes power Martin Bucer Peter Martyr The Idoll of Rome The bookes of Osorius de Iustitia Tenne Cardinall Poole his iudgement of Osorius his bookes This worde Osor. signifieth bolde in the Portingall toung Ascham StaÌ„meryng of â—he touÌ„g turned vpoÌ„ Osorius necke Of the cause of Iustification Psal. 13. Psal. 50. Rom. 13. Rom. 11. Math. 11. Gallat 3. 1. Iohn 1. 1. Peter 1. Apoc. 1. 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 7. Rom. 8. Luke 5. Rom. 10. Rom. 8. Rom. 13. Plinius lib. 35. cap. 10. That is to say coÌ„myng out of the Sea The decease of M. Haddon Osoria melancholycke brauler The summe of all Osorius worke briefly coÌ„prehended in three wordes Exclamatâ—oÌ„ of Osorius agaynst Luther Osorius pag. 141. The doctrine of desperation whether is it more proper to the Papistes or to the Lutherans Iohn Eckius with others Henry second FreÌ„ch kyng his death The affiaunce and assurauÌ„ce of saluation wherein is it to be placed Two kyndâ— of desperation The ende and office of the law The lawe vnprofitable to saluation A wholesome kynde of trust and mistrust Osori pag. 141. The trust of saluatioÌ„ depeÌ„deth vpoÌ„ promise not vpoÌ„ the Law Ergo the more assured Promise made before the Law and without the law Galat. 3. The promise of saluation free and simple without condition Fayth onely howe it doth exclude and not exclude good workes Tertull. Actc. 24. Christian peace and affiaunce Rom. 5. Ephes. 3. Hebr. 4. Iohn 16. Galat. 4. Esay 35. Esay 61. Esay 52. Ierem. 23. 32. Ezech. 39. Rom. 4. The righteousnesse of the law and of fayth Leuit. 18. Psal. 142. The affiaunce of workes Barnard How farre the workes of the lawe come short to true righteousnesse Augustine Aug. Confes Lib. 9. Cap. â—3 Gregor in Iob. Cap. 9 Gregor Com. Cap 11. Barnardu Osorius Pag. 142. Phillipica August Epist 105. pag.
Argument Aunswere Aristot. Ethic Lib. 3. Cap. 3. The Fallax from that whiche is not the cause to the cause 4. Causes of Election or Predest by Paule Rom 9. Ephe. 1. Rom. 9. Osor. 2. argument The argument pag. 153. Aunswere The Aduersaries obiect resolued Leuit. 20. Numer 11. Marc. 1. The reason of the aduersaries touching the mercy and iustice of God and the cause of the same expounded and confuted The respect of merites are directly against Gods free power Pag. 156. 157. Osori Obiection Aunswere August de nat grat Cap. 5. Math. 12. Rom. 3. Arguments Both the propositiōs of the arguments are denyed All the defence of Gods iustice doth consist in hys will Aug. de Trinit lib. 3. Obiectiō of a Sclaunderer The argument of the Aduersary Maior Minor Conclusion An Aunswere out of S. Paule The Apostle doth aunswere two manner of waies Rom. 9. The similitude of the Potter Rom. 9. S. Paules Argument against foreseene workes The aunswere of this Proctour and others The confutatiō of the aduersaries aunswere Rom. 9. August de Praedest grat Cap. 7. Electiō depēdeth not vpon fayth in our workes but fayth and workes depende vpon Election The stinolous cauillation of Osorius hys ouerthrow Rom. 11. Rom. 9. Rom. 11. Aug. depredest grat Cap. 7. Osorius taken tardy as Enemy to Grace Osori pag. 257. The summe of Christian doctrine doth consist in foure thynges chiefly Electiō and Predestination Vocation Conuersiō Iustificatiō and lyfe euerlastyng Glory of immortalitie Osori doth couer an Enemy of Grace vnder a glorious praysing of vertue Rom. 9. Osori pag. 157. August ad simplicia Lib. 1. Quest. 2. The meanyng of Paule opened by Augustine The defēce of Gods Iustice consisteth not in any thing els thē in the onely mercy of God according to Osorius Esau. Iacob The hardenyng of Pharao Osorius Pag. 158. The confutation of Osori Obiection The chief meanes wherewith Gods Iustice may be defended Rom. 9. An other exception of Osorius confuted Osorius pag. 158. The reason of Osorius touchyng the cause order of predestination Aug. ad simplici lib. 1. quest 2. Rom. 9. The words of Paul expounded August ad simplici Lib. 1. Quaest. 2. In Predest the first cause must be coupled with the last end Osori pag. 158. 159. 160. The aunswere to Osorius cōclusion Pag. 161. Osori pag. 161. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The office of a Iudge of a creatour farre diuerse Rom. 9. Osori pag. 161. The Argument of Osori out of S. Paule The aunswere with an explication of S. Paule Osori Cauill vpō the wordes of Paule Fashioned The will purpose of God the first cause Election Predestination Creation Calling accordyng to his purpose Vocation accordyng to purpose Fayth Iustificatiō The Glory of God the last end Pag. 161. Osori Obiection pag. 161. Aunswere Aunswere Whether vessels of honour be made of wickednes onely as of the first cause Pharaoes Reiection proceeded not of his Rebellion but his Rebellion rather of his reiection A double consideration of the Vessels of wrath Rom. 9. Cauilles of the aduersaries An answere to Osorius Cauils Gods will taken two manner of wayes Psal. 113. Luke 10. Gods will is the beginning and rule of all thinges How wicked men do the will of God I. Thessa. 4. The order and processe of causes Rom. 9. The place of Paule to the Rom 9. expounded The cause effecient The cause deficient How the causes of Election and damnation do differr agree betwixt them selues How Gods will doth behaue it self in the Elect. The damnation of the wicked ought not to be imputed to God In the damnacion of the wicked two thinges are to be cōsidered Malum culpae Malum poenae How the damnation of thē that perish thorow their owne default tourneth to good in the sight of God Aug. Enchi Cap. 95. Aug. Enchi Cap. 100. How the efficient cause of saluation and damnation do differre The efficient cause The deficiēt Cause out of Aug. lib. de Ciuit. dei 12. Cap. 6.9.7 Question Answere The promise of God is generall with a promise Singuli generum Gunera singulorum The end of Creation to Godward The prouidēce of god ought not to be accused in the destruction of the Reprobates How Gods sufferaunce dealeth in mens actions or life Whether Gods sufferaunce or hys will beare more rule in mans lyfe A dubble obiection The originall of sinne is to be ascribed vnto the Creature not vnto the Creatour God dyd not create man to the ende he should perish Frō whēce the cause of damnation sprang at the first The Obiections confuted The cause of eche mās dānation is within him selfe Infidelitie proceedeth rather of ignoraunce thē of will Fayth being the gift of God springeth not frō mans will 1 Peter 2. 2. Thessa. 1. Actes 13. 1. Cor. 2. Esay 6.9 Math. 20. Luke 8. 1. Pet. 2. Two things to be considered in Gods mercy Whether Gods mercy be generall to all indifferently and how it is generall Grace of Vocation Grace of Election Fayth and Saluation take their originall from Grace rather then from our owne will An Aunswere to the place of Chrisostome The secret will of his good pleasure vnreuealed i. Beneplaciti The expresse will of God reuealed i. Voluntas Signi Vocation taken two maner of wayes accordyng to Augustine◠August ad Simplici Pighius touchyng the equalitie of Gods Grace towardes all Pighius similitude taken out of the Epistle to the Hebrues The Reason of Pighius and Osor. is cōfeted Whether it be of God or of man that the good and the euill do differre An answere Pighi similitude The place out of the Epist. to the Hebrues An other Reason of the aduersary leading to absurdity An acceptiō of persones The aduersaries obiections are mett withall That those that are not chosen doe not come how mans will gods predestination do seuerally work Selfe power or libertie to liue after her own will Aug. contra 2. Epist. pela lib. 1. Cap 3. Aug. de predest 1. sancti Cap. 3. Mans will is neuer so free but that it is alwaies coupled with Necessitie The strēgth of Orignall sinne Gods predestination both elder in tyme and in power surmonnting all mās will The obiections of the Aduersaries The aunswere Aug. ad bonifacium lib. 1. Cap. 19. De lib. arb Cap. 2. 17. Aug. de correp grat Cap. 1. epist. 107. ad victalem Wherein effectuall Grace doth consiste Aug. de gra libe arbit Cap. 5. Aug. contra 2. Epist. pela lib. 1. Cap. 18. Osori pag. 162. The complaynt of Osorius agaynst Luther touchyng the subuersion of Ciuill societie The Tyrannicall state of the Pope somewhat troubled by Luther The Pope The Cardinalls Mytred Byshoppes Droues of Monckes Friers The Wolfe doth accuse the Lambe for troublyng the water Gene. 26. The seat of the beast in the Apocali Apoc. 16. 2. Thessa. 2. Amos. 7. 3. Kyngs It is declared by exāples what and how
vnam Sanctam What kinde of obedieÌ„ce popes vse towardes Magistrates A conspiracie of Iohn 12. most abhominably practized against Otto the Emperour ContentioÌ„â— raysed betwixt the Emperours and the popes rehearsed out of Hystories A singuler president of the popes obedience towardes the lawfull Magistrate Conrade his brother HeÌ„ry the 5. teazed agaynst their own father through the popes faction Anselme agaynst HeÌ„ry 1. Kyng of England Henry 5. is enforced to yeld to the popes commauÌ„demeÌ„t 25. Quest. 1 violatores The popes of Rome do challenge a certeine heauenly power vpon earth Gratian his booke of Decretalls Ionocent 2. ouerthroweth the order of Senatours in Rome The cruelty of Alexander 3. agaynst the Emperour Fridericke Barbarossa The singuler insolency of Hadrian 4. in banishyng the dignitie of Consulshyp The troublesome seditions of HadriaÌ„ the pope Hadrian choaked with a flye 1159. The seditious tumults of AlexaÌ„der the pope agaynst Caesar his soueraigne Lord and Prince The vnspeakeable pride of a seditious pope A president of the popes pryde farre passing Tarquines pride Iudas â— Nazianzen Oration vpon the holy Penthecost The incredible fury and outrage of Innocent 3. of Honor. and Gregory 9. agrynst Frederick 2. Extimo Concil 49. Pag. 639. The filthy gaynes of the pope Innocent 4. doth sette vpon the same Frederick the Emperour Agaynst the Successours of Frederick do Vrbane 4. and Clement 4. kept warre The pope Clement doth conspire the death of Conrade Frydericke Nicholas 3. doth sowe the seedes of discention betwixt Charles King of Sycile and Peter Kyng of Arragon The seditiouse troubles of Boniface 8. agaynst Celestine agaynst the Family of Columne agaynst phillyppe the Frenche kyng and agaynst Albert the Emperour Clement 5. doth prescribe lawes to Emperours Ludouick the Emperour most shamefully abused by Clement 6. Charles 4. appoynted Emperour agaynst Ludouick the true Emperour by the procuremeÌ„t of Clement 6. The onely popes of Rome the common pestilence of Christianes and of all Europe How little the Romish obedience doth agree with the Rule of Paules obedience Chilpericke the French kyng Henry 2. kyng of England Iohn kyng of England Victor a Byshoppe Phillippe the French kyng Henry 6. the Emperour Wicked practize of Pius 2. agaynst the Emperour Out of Recordes of Germany Henry the 8. kyng of EnglaÌ„d excommunicated by pope Clement the 7. Pius the 5. keepeth a sturre agaynst Elizabeth Queene of England Osori pag. 170. B. The maner of Popishe obedieÌ„ce to their Princes The horrible crueltie of the Spanish Inquisitours against English Marchauntes The king of Spayne subiect to his owne subiectes Inquisitours How the Catholicks be obedient subiectes to their owne kynges Anselme Theobald Thom. Archb of cauÌ„terbury Byshop of Ely Stephen Langton Edmund Archb. of Caunt Iohn Peccham Rob. Wilkelse Gualter Archb. The froward coÌ„tumacy of Monckes agaynst their kyng Out of Mathewe Parisâ— vpon the lyfe of Henry 3. Math. Parisiensis The proude rebellion of the pope the Bishops agaynst the kyng A tenth of all moueables in EnglaÌ„d and in Scotland graunted to the pope Mathaeus Parisiensis The auncient lawes and ordinaunces of Emperours enfringed by Popes Dist. 63. Out of the Englishe Chronicles Osor. The Troumpetour of the Romishe Ierarchy Pag. 170. The picture of the crosse must be worshipped Images of Sainctes Sanctusâ—es Lord for the bloud of Thomas graunte our prayers to wend c. No Nation in the world hath any pictures or grauen Images in their Churches but Papistes onely Osorius doth defend pictures to be as Kalenders of remeÌ„braunce Osorius pag. 17. The monument of the Brasan Serpent and the bookes of SalomoÌ„ de curandis morbis abrogated by Ezechias for the abuse Osorius pag. 171. How the Fayth of the Catholickes is ioyned with hope and feare Confidence of workes by Osor. Fayth How feare ought to be ioined with the fayth of the gospell Of workes Osorius pag. 172. Of Ceremonyes and Sacraments Pag. 171. Of Confession Osori pag. 172. 1. Iohn â— Pag. 172. Plaut in Bacchid Luke 10. The Charecter of the priest The Character of the Beast in the Apocalips Math. 9. Luke 7. Mar. 5. Mar. 9. Luke 4. Chrisost. vpon the 51. Psalme Homel 2. Actes 15. Actes 26. Actes 10. The Reformation of Confession The Superstition of SatisfactioÌ„ A poena culpa Osori pag. 172. Osori pag. 173. FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce that so holy lyfe and so great chastitie of the papistes doth proceede The incredible force and efficacy of the Masse Osori pag. 173. Osorius reason to proue that the rude people should be restrayned froÌ„ readyng the Scriptures Vnknowne tounges in the Papists churches Osor. pag. 173. Smale care had of preaching the word in the popes churches The senteÌ„ce of Barnard To muche light or no light at all How light must bee quallified according to Barnard that there be not too much light nor to litle Psal. 19. Psal. No man ought to be forbidden from reading the Scriptures Ephes. 3. Ephes. 1. The cause is fouÌ„d out why the Byshoppes do fle so much the light of the scriptures What kinde of authority it is of the Popes and Byshoppes in the Popish church Osor. pag. 173. Out of the Trepartite history 9. Booke cap. 35. Si non caste tameÌ„ cauté How farre the lawfull authority of the church extendeth it selfe Luk. 10. Ioh. 20. The Ecclesiasticall dignitye wherein it consisteth There is one power of the church an other of this world Iohn 5. Of the Rites and state holy dayes of the Romish churche Osori pag. 174. How great occasion of idlenes and dronkennes the multitude of holy dayes do engender How blasphemous Idolatrous the songes of the Romish Churchebe Christemasse day Pag. 175. Ashewednesday Palmesonday Good Friday Easter EueÌ„ Easterday Ascention day Whitsonday All HolleÌ„day What thingeâ— be reproued in the papistes holy dayes ceremonies Esay â— Popish worshyppyng compared with the worshyppyng of the Iewes in the olde law The superstitioÌ„ of the people in their state holy dayes ceremonies ought to be reformed Osori pag. 175. Esay 58. Gala. 4. Osor. pag. 176. Principles of Osorius Religion How much commodity and necessity there is in outward ceremonies and signes in Osorius iudgement Sarcasmus a nipping skoffe An Aunswere to Osorius mocke The papists acquayntaunce with mortall fragility The vow of chastity What Ceremonies are necessary with the Christians Baptisme The Communion All Ceremonies are not to be coÌ„demned yet in the allowaunce of Ceremonies Reason and choyse must be â—â—dâ— Osorius spightfull â—nuectiue by a Rhetoricall figure wrest back vpon the Lutheranes Pag. â—77 Osor. pag. 178. Osor. pag. 179. Osorius bauld Rhetorick The confutation of Osorius inuectiue Luther Phillippe MelancthoÌ„ Martin Bucer Huldricke Zuinglius Iohn Caluiâ—e Luther vpoÌ„ the 15. Psalmes of Degrees How the Pope is afflicted by the Lutheranes Apoc. 1â— The authoritie of the Romish See can not agree with the authoritie of the Scriptures The complaint of Osori concernyng the ouerthrow of Monckeryes and Nunneries It was
his mouth But for as much as no man can enterprise any good action vnlesse he doe first utterly cut of the kyngdome of Sinne. But the kyngdome of sinne can not be vtterly cut of if it be true that Luther teacheth It remayneth therefore that no man is able to worke any good deede As touchyng the forme of this Argument perhappes the punyes in Sophistey may somewhat allow but if ye behold the matter thereof Certes the Doctours of Diuinitie will reiect the same as faultie Vnlesse sayth he the kyngdome of sinne be first vtterly cut of c. Truly I would not much stand with you here Osorius If you will first expresse vnto vs apely and distinctly what you meane by this worde kyngdome For whereas Deuines do agreé that there are two sortes of sinne whiche we call actuall sinne whiche also they doe distinguish two maners of wayes into Sinne reigning and Sinne rebelling you must teach vs whether of those two you meane For it is not all one thyng to suffer thy selfe to be carryed away with sinne to yeld thy selfe willingly captiue into his Tyranny as to be vanquished of sinne through weakenes For the first cōmeth of will the next of Infirmitie We are all many tymes ouercome of sinne neither liueth any in this flesh but offendeth sometymes sondry wayes Yet are we notwithstanding ouercome agaynst our willes and drawyng backe as it were The most chosen seruaunts of God are sondry tymes cast down through Sinne reigning in their mēbers But neuer yeld ouer wholy as subiectes to his kyngdome Uery well therfore doth S. Paule counsell vs Let not Sinne reigne in your fleshly bodies Rom. 6. And yet the same Paule did not alwayes bring to passe the good that he would But did worke many tymes the euill that he would not Not he now but Sinne dwellyng within him These thynges beyng thus opened Let vs search out the pythe of the Argument Hee denyeth that vertue hath any place there where the kyngdome of Sinne is not vtterly rooted out If Osorius do meane the kyngdome of Sinne as a kyng or a tyraunt doth reigne ouer his subiectes The Maior proposition is true but the Minor most false For Luther did neuer teache no not so much as dreame otherwise then that Sinne should bee suppressed as much as were possible But if his meanyng tende to this end That no man can enterprise any good worke vnlesse the tyranny of Sinne beyng first brought vnder yoke he haue so tamed the fleshe that no motion so much may bee felt to rebell within that may wounde or infect the conscience how can Osorius make proofe of that which he verifieth in his Maior or confute that which he doth obiect agaynst Luther in his Minor Or where shall he finde that conquerour of Sinne who hauyng throughly mortified Sinne and vtterly vanquished the ragyng Rebellion of naturall corruption dare promise rewarde of perfect righteousnesse vnto him selfe Iob a man of all other famous for his vprightenesse of lyfe was yet so displeasaunt with him selfe that hee seémed to stand in doubte of all his workes Esay doth condemne all his righteousnesse to be more lothsome then a menstruous cloute Who was more holy or more acceptable to God then Dauid And yet besides that he dare not presume to offer him selfe to Iudgement as beyng dismayed with feare of his secret conscience he doth not spare franckely to pronounce That no fleshe liuyng can bee founde righteous in the sight of God The greate Prophete Daniell doubted not to make his humble Confession together with the people saying That he had Sinned with his forefathers What shall I speake of Ionas and the other Prophetes And to let passe the other Apostles what shall I say of Paule and Peter S. Iohn declaryng That we all are Trespassours in many thinges doth not exempt him selfe out of the same number Next to the Apostles ensued the Age of auncient Antiquitie and learned Fathers who although with all their power might did valiauntly mainteyne cōtinuall battell agaynst the assaultes of sinne yet could they neuer so surely encampe gard them selues in so firme a grounde but they should be vndermined with the countermoyling of her outragious Pyoners that lyke dastardes mistrustyng their owne strēgth they should feéle them selues enforced sometymes to forsake their standyng and fleé for rescue to the onely mercy and forgeuenesse of God as to the onely vnpenetrable rocke of their Saluation And therfore S. Ierome in playne wordes doth note truly that though man did atteine to perfection hee should yet stand in neéde of Gods mercy and that mans full and perfect perfection did depend vpon grace and not vpon deseruynges c. No lesse effectually Augustine writyng to Boniface touchyng perfect righteousnesse or rather of the imperfection of our righteousnesse Uertue sayth he whiche is now in a righteous man is sayd to be so farreforth righteous as vnfayned acknowledgement and humble Confession of his owne imperfection doth admitte the same to bee perfect Agayne the same Augustine in an other place doth accompt that man to haue profited much in this life who by profityng doth feéle in him selfe how farre he is distaunt from true perfection And bycause the Latin Church shall not seéme to want the testimonies of the Greékes Let vs heare the wordes of Basile treatyng of mans righteousnesse This is full perfect reioysing in God when as a man is lifted vp not with any righteousnes of his own but knoweth him selfe empty and naked of true righteousnesse and so to be iustified by Faith Onely in Christ Iesu. Whereby Osorius may perceaue what estimate is to be made of our owne righteousnesse though it seéme neuer so beautyfull which Augustine him selfe adiudgeth worthy of execrable curse if it bee examined besides the mercy of God But bycause sayth he thou doest not narrowly sharpely searche our offences we doe hope assuredly that we shall obteyne some place for pardon in thy sight It is not neédefull to make a Register of all the testimonies of writers the matter especially beyng so euident and so strongly fenced with multitude of authorities whenas the consent and agreément of all writers is in no one thyng more generall and stedfast then in the abacyng of perfection of workes and humbly crauyng pardon of our owne imperfection Whereupon Augustine stand not in Iudgement sayth he agaynst thy seruaūt requiryng of me all thynges that thou hast taught and commaunded For if thou enter into Iudgement with me thou shalt finde me guilty I had neéde therfore of thy mercyes rather thē thy seuere Iudgement I demaunde now what you cōceaue of the wordes of Augustine Surely although I doe not thinke that the man was voyde of wonderfull willyng endeuour yet if he had bene of all partes endued with that integritie of vndefiled lyfe and had vtterly rooted out the whole kyngdome of Sinne with the