2. I haue spokē in the answere vnto his secōd argument But heere it appeareth that such heretikes did then trouble the church Last of al not al the vehemēt speeches of the fathers are to be taken or vnderstoode as they sound but they must be warely red and wisely examined by the touchstone of Gods word And then it will appeare that the Fathers either may well bee taken or iustly refused And thus hauing I trust in the iudgement of the indifferent Reader sufficiently confirmed the trueth answered the Scriptures alleadged to the contrary and shewed some causes why the fathers should in this point be read with good aduise and iudgement it now onely remaineth that I lay open the absurditie of that shift wherein they trust much and which indeede is the chiefe strength of their cause For being pressed with the testimonies out of scriptures especially out of saint Paul which plainely testifie that we are iustified by faith Rom. 3.28 without the workes of the law first they deuised this answere that S. Paul speaketh of the ceremoniall laws that we are iustified without them but not without doing the works of the law morall or of the commaundements But this being so vntrue an answere that master Bellarmine himselfe is ashamed of it De iustificat lib. 1. cap. 19. and reasoneth against it Master Bellarmine bringeth another answere namely that the Apostle speaketh of the workes before faith So that he would haue the wordes of the Apostle thus to sound Wee are iustified by faith without the works of the law that were done before we beleeued And for the credit of this interpretation he would faine father it vpon S. Augustine and S. Ierome De gr lib. arb ca. 7. de praedest sinctor cap. 7. In praefat ps 31 Ier. ad Ctesiphontem contra Pelagianos but most vntruely as he that examineth those places shall easily see that S. Augustine and S. Ierome in those places doe not so expound those wordes of saint Paul neither giue vs anie rule so to expound them Neither yet doe Chrysostome Ambrose Theophilact or Primasius vpon those words either in the third to the Romans or second to the Galathians so expound it Rom. 4.4 Or yet S. Ierome vpon the Galathians And in the Epistle that he writeth against the Pelagians to Ctesiphon he denieth that those words may be vnderstood of the law ceremoniall but concerning this exposition which master Bellarmine bringeth there is no word As for the reason that Bellarmine hath out of S. Paul to prooue this his exposition let vs consider of it Vnto him that worketh saith S. Paul the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt Therefore saith M. Bellarmine he speaketh onely of those workes that are done by the power of free will without grace How little S. Paule dreamed of free will hath in the former chapter beene declared And that hee doeth not in these wordes expound what he meant before by the workes of the lawe the text it selfe prooueth For hauing said that Abraham beleeued God and that was counted to him for righteousnes therevpon the Apostle inferreth that if he had beene iustified by workes his iustification had bin of debt not of grace So that he doth not heere expound his former wordes but beginneth in this fourth chapter an other argument by the example of Abraham being already iustified and a holie man to prooue iustification by faith without workes euen by forgiuenesse of sinnes or couering them And as I haue shewed master Bellarmines interpretation to stand vppon no good ground but that the place aledged maketh against himselfe so that which we gather out of S. Paules words to be the most true meaning namely that workes neither before nor after our first iustification as they call it can merit the circumstances of the place do proue the whole course of his doctrine He instructeth the Rom. Galath in this doctrine who were already become christians already were iustified He doth not only shew that the works of the law do not iustifie but telleth vs that the nature of the law is to make vs to know sin Rom. 7.7 Rom. 4.15 to cause wrath euen after we be iustified And S. Paul himselfe teacheth so much in that he counted al that was in him to be but losse yea dung That he might win Christ Philip. 3.8 9 be found in him not hauing his own righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through Christ Marke heere how the Apostle saint Paul in these wordes which were written almost thirty yeeres after his conuersion still relieth vpon the righteousnesse that is by faith and he calleth it Gods righteousnesse and refuseth that which commeth by workes and that he calleth mans righteousnesse Now of this which is said I trust I may thus reason Saint Paul excludeth from iustification not only the works that are done before we beleeue but also the works which we afterwards doe therefore master Bellarmines interpretation is not true If then workes cannot iustifie as hitherto I haue taught wee may say with saint Augustine Wo bee euen to the commendable life of man Confess lib. 9. ca. 13. if thou Lord setting mercie aside examine it For Enarrat psal 109. as he saieth in an other place Whatsoeuer God hath promised hee hath promised to them that are vnworthie that it shuld not be promised as wages for good works but grace according to the name of it should be freely giuen Confess lib. 9. cap. 13. O therefore that all men that with Saint Augustine I may wish that godly wish would know themselues and they that reioyce Ad Ctesiphontem contra Pelagianos would reioyce in the Lord. For this onely perfection is left to men that they knowe themselues to be vnperfect as truly and godlily saint Hierome writeth Of iustification by Faith and what Faith is CHAP. 26 THE PROTESTANTS ANd this Iustification which by our workes we can not deserue yet by faith we do obtaine Not because our faith can of it selfe worke any such effect What faith is But it beeing a liuely and certain perswasion of our heart and conscience that God for Christ Iesus his sake forgiueth vs al our sinnes and in him accounteth vs holie and righteous doeth thus iustifie vs not as that that worketh our iustification but as that which apprehendeth and taketh holde of that righteousnes that Christ hath wrought for vs. And so by faith he being made ours is vnto vs wisdome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption And being thus iustified by faith Rom. 5.1 wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ THE PAPISTS BVT our aduersaries because they like not that Christ shoulde bee the onely salue for our sores neyther will they haue faith to bee the hande that applieth this soueraigne medicine
alleadge M. Bellarmines reasons though not alwayes because he is accounted learned amongest vs and also commeth after others so that he hath seene what others haue and hath taken out of them what he liketh And as in all this treatise my endeuour is to proue I trust with some good effect that the doctrine of the church of Rome is not catholike so that it may the better appeare I haue towards the end set downe an abridgement of Vincentius Lyrinensis whereby I trust the meanest that seeth it shal be able to iudge how they make an vniust claime to the catholike religion And although I know my own wants and could rather submit my selfe to be a scholer vnto many than a teacher almost of any yet because I know not how my minde giueth me that this manner of writing may do some good especially among the vnlearned that are desirous to be taught I thought my duetie forced me to take this in hand though I want many helpes and meanes that other haue And to whom should this my labour such as it is be due rather than vnto you next after that place where I did sucke as it were my first milke of learning and laid almost the foundation of that knowledge such as it is that God hath indued mee withall By your good liberalitie I confesse my selfe to be the better inabled to do any good be it neuer so little that I can do in the church of God To your Worships therefore I confesse this my trauell to be due as a simple token of my sincere heart which would haue yeelded a better remembrance if my abilitie could haue affoorded it And the rather do I dedicate this Booke vnto your W. Company that you seeing the meaning of bestowing your exhibition which is to bring vp Labourers in Gods haruest teachers in his church to be in some part performed in me who first in Oxford receiued your liberalitie as I doubt not but you haue seene much more plentiful fruit in many other you may the more willingly continue your godly course and not be weary of your wel-doing Accept in good part I pray you this simple gift and if you see in it but my desire to doe good giue glo◠y to God to whose good grace I commit you and yours and my selfe to your good prayers From my house at Ryton in the Bishoprike of Durham Anno 1595. ⧠A necessarie Table of all the principall matters contained in euery chapter of this Booke THAT the Scriptures or word written is onely Gods word and not traditions Chapter 1 That this word is sufficient Chapter 2 The Scripture a sure rule Chapter 3 Scriptures easie Chapter 4 That onely the canonicall bookes of the old and new testament are this written word or Scriptures Chapter 5 What the catholike church is that in the creede is mentioned Chapter 6 That the catholike church mentioned in the articles of our creede is not visible or to be seene Chapter 7 The church here militant vpon the earth may erre Chapter 8 Of the markes of the church or how we may know the true church Chapter 9 What a sacrament is what is the effect of it or what it worketh how many sacraments there are Chapter 10 Of the sacrament of Baptisme Chapter 11 Of Confirmation Chapter 12 Of the Lords supper and Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ and namely of transubstantiation Chapter 13 That the wicked receiue not in the sacrament Christs body and bloud Chapter 14 That the cup ought not to be denied to the lay people which thing the papists do Chapter 15 Against their sacrifice of the Masse or of the altar as they call it Chapter 16 Of true and christian repentance and of the Popish Sacrament of penance Chapter 17 Of lawfull calling into the ministerie and against the sacrament of Orders as they call it Chapter 18 Of matrimony that it is not a sacrament and that it is lawfull for all Chapter 19 Of anoiling or extreme vnction that it is not a sacrament Chapter 20 Of originall sin what it is and whether concupiscence be sin or not Chapter 21 Of the works of infidels and such as are not regenerate Chapter 22 Of Baptisme whether it doe extinguish and kill in vs originall sinne or not Chapter 23 That we haue not of our selues free wil or power to deliuer our selues from sinne Chapter 24 That by our workes we cannot bee iustified and against the doctrine of merites Chapter 25 Of iustification by faith and what faith is Chapter 26 That good works are necessary duties for all christians to perfourme Chapter 27 Of prayer to whome and how we should pray Chapter 28 Against Images in churches or anie where else for religions cause Chapter 29 What fasting is and of the true vse of fasting Chapter 30 Of Purgatorie Chapter 31 An Abridgement of Vincentius Lyrinensis with obseruations vpon the said Author Chapter 32 An exhortation to christian magistrates for to defend this truth Chapter 33 FINIS That the Scriptures or written word is onely Gods Word and not traditions CHAP. 1 THE PROTESTANTS The rule of faith life BEcause it is confessed of al that gods worde must bee the rule and square of our faith and life of our religion and conuersation It is very meete that first wee enquire what is this word of God And wee affirme What is gods word that that onelie which is contained in the Bookes of the old and new Testament is the very true word of God First bicause we are so often earnestly charged not to adde any thing to it or to take any thing from it Secondly this is prooued by the practise of the godlie of all times The Iewes most religiously kept the word written with great sinceritie and made it the Touchstone to try their actions by and by it they reformed such things as were amisse in religion especially As in Iehosaphat Ezechias Iosias and others it may appeare Christ also and his Apostles confirmed that which they taught out of the Scriptures yea they confirmed and expounded the Lawe Mat. 5. and preached no other gospell thā that which before was promised by the Prophets Rom. 1.2 And accounted them accursed that shoulde preach any other Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. Lastly the Fathers of the purer times of the Church did not only with open mouth submit their writings and doctrines to the iudgement of the Scriptures but also they tried doubts established all trueths and confuted all heresies onely by this word written THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of ROME not suffering herself to be hemmed in within so narow lists Prou. 22.28 hath remoued the ancient bounds which their fathers made and faineth that God who hath hitherto had but one voice now in our dayes shoulde speake with two tongues What is gods word in the Ro. church For they make Gods word to consist of two partes namely of the word written which we
see Master Bellarmine hath forgotten that which in an other place hee telleth vs that a man sinneth aswell in not doing that hee should as in dooing that hee shoulde not And therefore Master Bellarmine saieth falsly that in not doing such works as occasion is offered they should not sinne I might therefore conclude with that golden sentence alleadged out of saint Augustine by the master of sentences Lib. 2. dist 41 The whole life of Infidels is sinne and there is nothing good without the chiefe good Where is want of knowledge of the eternall trueth euen in the best manners is but counterfait vertue but that I think it very necessary to shew how violently master Bellarmine seeketh to wrest from the true sence that euident testimony of our Sauiour Christ Luc. 6.43 matth 7.18 That an euill tree can not bring foorth good fruit which because it is applied to sundry purposes as himselfe confesseth it is plaine that it is a generall sentence both in the one place and the other applied as occasion serueth And for the meaning of it to the ende it shoulde not seeme to prooue that for the which it is alleadged in this question Master Bellarmine hath three answeres to that place De gratia lib a◠b◠t. lib. 5 cap. 10. First that as a good tree doeth not alwayes bring foorth good fruit so an euill tree doth not alwayes bring foorth euill fruit but commonly or for the most part so it is Which answere of his doth flatly deny that which Christ affirmeth Christ saith An euill tree can not bring foorth good fruit yes saith Master Bellarmine by your leaue but it may sometime Euery tree is knowen by the fruit saith Christ not so saith master Bellarmine for sometimes the fruit may be good although the tree be euill Is not this a sawcie mate so impudently and openly to controll the Author of all trueth His second answer if we will trust his owne report is a plaine solution of the argument And it is this that this euil tree is the euil wil of man De actis cum fol. Manich. lib. 2. cap. 4. Which answer he would faine father vpon saint Augustine but in the place alledged there is no such matter I remember that S. Augustine in another place doth say De gratia Christi ca. 18 that this euill tree is a man of an euill will but not the euill will it selfe Well thus master Bellarmine granteth this place to bee true that an euill tree that is lust or a man that worketh according to lust cannot bring foorth good fruit But first master Bellarmine hath falsified S. Augustine as I haue saide Secondly he expoundeth this place otherwise than saint Ierome and Theoph. doe for they vnderstand it euen as we doe that an euill man whilest he is euill can not bring foorth good fruit but being conuerted hee may Yea the wordes themselues are very plaine that our Sauior Christ meant it not of the euil wil that is in man but of the man himselfe in that he addeth Luc. 6.45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth foorth euill Yet then this place alleadged proueth substantially that Infidelles or heathen men whilest they continue so can not do any workes that shall be perfectly good or voide of sinne His third and last answere to this place is this The euill tree saith he is an euil man and the good fruit is a meritorious worke And after this meaning he thus answereth the place An euill man cannot do a meritorious worke Is not this a notable abusing of Gods word after his owne pleasure to wrest and wring it what one word induceth him to dreame here of meritorious workes Nay the words confute him mightily for it is said An euil tree bringeth forth euill fruit Euill Matth. 7.17 I say not onely not meritorious And the tree is knowen by the fruit The fruit then must be bad that must shew a bad tree And therefore this answere of M. Bellar. is as are the rest too foolish De gra Christi cap. 18. 19 Cont. I◠lianum Pelag. li. 4. cap. 3. But S. Augustine expoundeth it so if you wil trust M. Bellar. but examine the places by him alleadged and there is no such thing in them So smal a matter it is for M. Bellar. to abuse his readers at his pleasure by falsifying the fathers And now the latter of these places which he falsly hath alleadged for the confirmation of his vntrue assertion I truely apply to the confuting of this their vngodly doctrine vsing only the words of S. Augustine If a heathen man who liueth not by faith doeth cloath the naked deliuer the distressed cure the wounded bestow his riches vpon honest friendship will not by tormentes be brought to beare false witnes I demād of thee saith S. Augustine to Iulian the Pelagian whether he do these good works wel or euil For if they being good yet he doth them euill thou canst not deny but that he sinneth that doth any thing euill But because thou wilt not say that he sinneth in doing this thou wilt doubtles say that both he doth good things and he doth them well Now marke S. Augustines conclusion vpon these wordes If it bee so an euill tree may bring forth good fruits which thing the truth it selfe saith it cannot be Thus much out of S. Augustine not only to shew how falsely he is alleadged for proofe of M. Bellarm. senceles assertion but also to let it be seene how he iumpeth with vs in this doctrine that the Godlesse cannot doe the worke that shall be without sinne Therefore to conclude this question as Saint Augustine did to the Pelagians so doe I saie to our aduersaries Aug ibidem How can it bee that you should not seeme either to be mery or mad in these disputations who praise the fruite of barren trees Whose fruites are either none or if they be euill they are not to be praised Of Baptisme whether it doe extinguish and kil in vs originall sinne or not CHAP. 23 THE PROTESTANTS WEe confesse that in Baptisme is sealed vp and assured vnto vs the couenant that God made with vs for the forgiuenesse of our sins Whereby we are also taught that if we be Gods children we be ingrafted into Christ and planted in him to the mortification of the olde man Ephes 4.22 the whole body of sinne that hauing put on the new man 24 which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse wee may increase more and more in all spirituall graces striuing alwayes to attaine to that perfection which in this life wee cannot haue though we faine would obtaine the same THE PAPISTS BVt our aduersaries will haue sin in Baptisme Concil Trid. Sess 5. not pardoned onely but abolished also and taken away so as nothing that is
according to promise And out of the reuelation Apoc. 2.10 Be thou faithful vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life How can he proue merites out of it Is this a good argument I will giue thee therefore thou hast deserued it Two or three places more he there alleadgeth but out of that I haue said it is easie to answere them His fift sort of places are such as promise to good workes eternall life And out of them he reasoneth thus Promise of rewarde for a worke doeth make that he that doth the worke maie bee saide to merite his rewarde That the reward is due but yet not deserued I shewed before in the answere to his first argument and I need not heere to repeat it His sixt argument is taken from those places that speake of our worthines and are of two sortes 2. Thess 1.5 Luc. 20.35 For two of them namely that That yee maie be counted worthy of the kingdome of God and that also They shal be counted worthy to inioy that world and the resurrection of the dead doe answere themselues For that may be accounted worthy which of it selfe is not so in truth As in our workes is seene which are accounted of not as they proceed from vs but as they are presented before God in the name of Christ and their imperfection couered with his perfect obedience The other two places seeme more pertinent to his purpose but yet being rightlie vnderstood prooue nothing for him The first is in the booke of wisedome which booke although it is not Canonicall yet because the place alleadged seemeth like vnto the words that he alleadgeth out of the reuelation they may both receiue one answere Wisdom 3.5 Apocal. 3.4 God proueth them and findeth them worthy for himselfe The other place is They shall walke with me in white for they are worthy First that this worthines doth many times signifie an aptnes or fitnes it cannot be denied Who saith Salomon can iudge 2. Cron. 1.10 this thy great people worthily Where by worthely he meaneth not as they deserue for they were a stubborne and bad people many times but as is fit or meete to gouerne them And so the Apostle willeth vs to walke worthy of God worthy of our calling worthy of the gospell that is as becommeth Gods children them that are called and fit for the professours of the gospell And this fitnes is said to be in vs in respect of the new man that is begun within vs not in respect of perfection that we doe or can attaine vnto And yet if we should indeed be worthy we must be perfect which heere we cannot be And in this sence you see his argument hath no necessity Men are worthy of loue that is fit to loued therefore they haue deserued it for this fitnesse is not of themselues Secondly although we be called worthy in respect of our election in Christ or in respect of the fruits of the spirite which God commendeth in vs although they haue their wants that we might not be discouraged but go on forwards in the wayes of godlinesse yet this argument will not hold We are worthy of loue therefore our workes haue deserued this loue or made vs worthy For our worthinesse hangeth nothing vpon our works but that God wil vouch vs to be so esteemed But in respect of our works we must confesse with the prophet Dauid Psal 53.3 There is none that doth good no not one And therefore we must pleade euen the best of vs mercy and forgiuenesse not merite or worthinesse Super Cantic ser 61. My merit saith Saint Bernard is the Lordes mercy neither am I without merite so long as hee is not without mercie His seuenth argument is grounded vpon those places of scripture that say that God accepteth no persons But must he needes therefore respect the worthinesse of the worke If there be with him no difference betweene Iew and Gentile bond or free male or female must merites needes be established I haue often said that God respecteth vs and our workes but not for our goodnesse but for his mercy sake For this must needs be true that S. Paul teacheth vs according to the consent of the scripturs that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Rom. 3 2◠Therefore as saith S. August let mans merits be silent which were lost through Adam De praedest Sanct. ca. 1◠and let the grace of God through Iesus Christ raigne as indeede it doth raigne Now for the Fathers if I should answer to euery testimony alleadged out of them it would be too long especially considering how largely I haue already handled this question Onely thus much woulde I admonish the christian Reader that when he readeth them he should remember they be but men Dial. 3. Impatib And if Theodoret said truly of the doctrines of the church the decrees of the church are to be prooued and not to be pronounced in maner of a iudgement then how much more should we reiect whatsoeuer any men speake without a good warrant Then also as they were men so were many of them great Philosophers might somwhat perchance smel of that infection speake more of mans worthines than had bin expedient for christian religion Aduersus Hermog Orat. 21. In so much as not without great cause did Tertull. cal philosophers The patriarchs of heretikes And G. Nazian cōpareth the subtilties of philosophy which he saith came vnhappily into the church vnto the whips wherewith the Aegyptians did scourge the Israelits Ser. de Arian In which kind of reasoning the tongue fighteth the words are speares the speech is the sword there is no end of contention all the day long as the same father saith in an other place And no maruel for the Philosopher is gloriae animal De anima euen the creature of glory as Tertull writeth No doubt therfore but they might be somwhat caried away with her intising words especially to thinke wel of that thēselues do Thirdly as I haue said in the former chapter the absurdities of thē that did teach that God moued man wrought in or by him as a workeman might do in or by a stocke or stone they not hauing so much as will thereto made the fathers to speake more not only of mans freewil as before I taught but also of the reward of them that worke according to the same And that this did the rather moue the fathers to speake somwhat too largely vpon this matter vnlesse they be warely red it may be gathered euen by that place that M. Bella. out of Origen alleadgeth Lib. 2. in Rom. in ca. 2. first saith he let heretikes be excluded that say that the nature of soules is good or bad let thē heare that God wil reward them not according to their nature but according to their merits Now cōcerning the vnderstāding of these words Rom
to our maladies But they are content to confesse that it doeth iustifie yea Bellar. de iustif li. 1. ca. 15. Con. Trid. Sess 6. cap. 6. Orth. explica li. 6. and that faith doth somewhat merit our iustification because it doeth prepare and dispose the hart to iustification or as Andradradius saith because it goeth before to open as it were the doore to hope and charitie and is the beginning and foundation of iustification but that it iustifieth as the instrumentall cause that maketh vs to rest and settle our selues for our iustification onely vpon Christ without any regarde to the merit and woorke of Fayth they will not graunt A great cause of the difference betwene vs and the papists in this question is that we agree not in the signification of the worde what it is to be iustified This therefore is the question whether wee that are not only by nature sinners but also euen after our regeneration haue that Lawe in our members rebelling against the lawe of the minde Rom. 7.27 Bellar. de Amiss grat li. 5. ca. 13. which saint Paul calleth sinne and the papists themselues confesse to be euil damned and hated of God whether I say we being such sinners shal appeare righteous before God in hauing our sinnes pardoned couered and not imputed vnto vs and Christs righteousnesse accounted ours or in that goodnes or holines or those good workes which Gods grace worketh in vs. We say that Christ by faith is made ours Christ I say with all his holinesse and righteousnesses Ephe. 1.7 By whom we haue redemption through his bloud the forgiuenes of sinnes according to his rich grace And in this assurance we stand euen before Gods iudgment seat without feare and say with the apostle Who shall laie anie thing to the charge of gods chosen Rom. 8.33.34 It is God that iustifieth who shal condemne vs. It is Christ that is dead yea or rather is risen againe Who is also at the right hand of God and also maketh request for vs. And in this faith and assured perswasion we haue peace of conscience here and are in Christ and for his sake accounted righteous elsewhere euen before him that shall iudge the quicke and the dead They teach vs that after baptisme sinne is so killed within vs Popish iustification that we are able to doe such workes as doe merit iustification and eternall life That iustification is not by works but by imputation Gen. 22.18 And by this righteousnesse that is in vs we are made so iust and righteous that we are so iustified before God To confirme that which we teach we haue the promise made to Abraham That in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed In his seede I say not in our selues we must all be blessed And that Christ is this seede saint Paul to the Galathians doth affirme Gal. 3.16 Secondly the iustification of the people of the Iewes which they by their sacrifices obtained is a right pattern of our iustification For though the bloud of of the beasts could not make them holy yet the sacrifice being offered for them according to the law Hep. 9.9 did worke so much that they who before were accounted vncleane and might not appeare before the Lord nowe were accounted cleane and might serue before him Euen so we though wee bee not in our selues yet by this our sacrifice that hath offered him selfe a sweete smell vnto God the father wee are accounted cleane and without sinne Rom. 5.2 and haue by him accesse vnto that grace wherein we stand Thirdly this iustification is commended vnto vs by Dauid Psal 32.1.2 Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie And for this cause he stirreth vp his soule to praise the Lord Psal 103.3 because saith he He forgiueth al thine iniquities It is promised by Ieremie I will forgiue their iniquities Iere. 31.34 and remember their sinnes no more And the Prophet Hose teacheth the people to pray for it Hose 14.2 saying thus Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously Where this is also by the way to be marked that the prophet here biddeth vs come to God with such words as if he had said Your works are euill and cannot helpe they cannot merit Yet come with good words be suiters for grace Fourthly our sauiour Christ doth commend vnto vs this iustification which we haue by him apprehend by faith Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish Iohn 3.16 but haue euerlasting life Of whom the apostles also haue learned that we are iustified by faith that righteousnes is imputed vnto vs that we are accounted righteous Rom. 3.28 Rom. 4.3.11 Lastly we see how the apostle doth exclude works frō iustifying than which there can be no stronger argumēt against this inherent iustification which the papists contend for or for the imputation of righteousnes by faith in Christ Iesus which we according vnto the scriptures doe preach And therefore he doth not onely exclude works in generall from iustification Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.11 Rom. 4. Iustified by faith without the workes of the law But also those works that Abraham did after his first calling when now he was regenerate euen then I say attributing iustification to faith and not to his workes And likewise for his owne works long after he was regenerate Phil. 3.9 he reiecteth them that he might attaine vnto righteousnesse by faith So little did he trust vnto that inherent righteousnesse that he counted it but dung and so wholie did he depend on that righteousnes that we haue by faith in Christ Iesus But of this I haue spoken in the end of the former chapter And I trust this may serue the turne to shew how farre we are from that inherent righteousnes and keeping of the law which our popish Pharisees dreame of especially if we consider what great perfection the law requireth to be in our workes Master Bellar. his profe for inherent iustice De iustif li. 2. cap. 3. Rom. 5.19 and what want through our corruption there is in the same But master Bellarmine bringeth some arguments to proue this inherent righteousnesse The first is out of these words As by one mans disobediēce many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made iust Of this argument because I haue spoken at large towards the latter ende of the 23. chapter I leaue the reader to that place His second argumēt is this Al are iustified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24.25 throgh the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set to be a reconciliation In which place by grace master Bellarmine vnderstandeth that righteousnesse that God hath giuen or infused into vs for so he speaketh But saint Augustine in that place vnderstandeth
they may beleeue or receiue nothing but that is in the scripture Andrad Orthod explic lib. 2 And therfore they neither shame nor fear to charge the word written with insufficiencie Bellarm. li. 4 cap. 4 Gods word not sufficient For so doeth Bellarmine in flat terms And therfore he Melchior Canus the Censure of Collen the rest of them doe out of this principle gather an vnanswerable argument as they imagin for traditions because say they the Scripture spâ— aketh not of many things necessary to bee beleeued Are not these such workmen as the Apostle willeth vs to take heede of Phil. 3.2 Beware of euill workemen yes verily for they are deceitfull workemen 2. Cor. 11.13 if you marke them wel For wheras they shoulde trie their worke by the line and the square they contrariwise trie their rule by their worke And whereas they should reiect all doctrines that are not agreeable to the word of God they make that to bee GODS worde that will alowe of their doctrine so that traditions must needs be Gods word because they maintaine that which the Scripture aloweth not of The argument for traditions and against the sufficiencie of the Scriptures Many things there are necessary to be beleeued that are not expresly set downe in the Scriptures yea many things that are neither plainely neither obscurely in the Scriptures say all the Papists namely Canus in his second and third grounds Lib. 3. cap. 3 Therefore the Scriptures are not sufficient For answere the antecedent or first part of the argument is vntrue For whatsoeuer is to be beleeued is either plainly set downe or necessarily to be gathered out of the Scriptures otherwise our Sauiour Christ should not seeme to haue plainely dealt with the Iewes when hee biddeth them Search the Scriptures making no mention of any traditions and addeth his reason Iohn 5.39 They the scriptures beare witnesse of mee but this is manifest by the places before alleaged Contra lit Pâ—â— il lib. 3. cap. 6 Wherefore S. Augustine doth account him accursed yea he so pronounceth him that will teach any thing either of Christ or of his Church or anie thing else that appertaineth either to faith or to our life besides that which we haue receiued in the Scriptures of the lawe and the Gospel Marke how he saith the Scripture serueth vs for all turnes Therfore the Authour of the vnperfect work vpon Mathew euen in the beginning Hom. 1 compareth the Scripture to a Store-house of some rich man wherein one may find whatsoeuer he wanteth so saith he in this booke euery soule may finde that which is necessarie And Athanasius alluding to the place of S. Paule 2. Contra gentes Tim. 3.16 saith The holy scriptures giuen by inspiration are sufficient to teach vs all trueth It is therefore far better that we with Tertullian should adore the fulnes of the Scriptures Cont. Hermogenem Lib. 3. cap. â— than be partakers with those heretikes of whom Irene complaineth who when by the Scriptures they were conuinced accused the Scriptures themselues as if something were amisse in them and that they are not of authoritie sufficient they are diuerse and the trueth can not in them be found of them that knowe not the traditions for they were deliuered not by writing but by word which are the very words of the church of Rome So that a man can not so aptly paint out our popish heretikes as if he take his patterne by those ancient heretikes For not one Ape is liker to an other than they are The Scripture a sure Rule CHAP. 3 THE PROTESTANTS The scripture a sure rule ANd seeing that God by his prophet Dauid hath testified Psal 19.8 that the Lawe of the Lorde is perfect and hath by the Prophet Esay sent vs to aske councel in doubtfull cases Esay 8.20 To the Lawe and to the Testimony Yea and our Sauiour Christ Luc. 16.17 when Diues mooueth Abraham to send some to his fiue brethren to teach them sendeth them to Moses and to the Prophets to learne of theÌ„ vers 29 and telleth the Saduces That they erre Math. 22.29 because they knowe not the Scriptures Lastly seeing the Apostle S. Paul incourageth Timothie to keepe well that he had learned because saith hee 2. Tim. 3.15 thou hast knowen the holy Scriptures of a childe which are able to make thee wise vnto saluation Wee therfore willingly confes constantly beleeue that we haue a most sure word of the prophets 2. Pet. 1.19 to the which we do wel if we do take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day star arise in our hearts And therefore wee doe account this Worde written to bee the most certaine and infallible rule of our faith or conuersation THE PAPISTS BVt the Papists who can get nothing but by the crooked measures of their traditions to bring them into credit with men do highly commend them sometime comparing them to Theseus his thread Screckius prefaâ— whereby he was directed out of the laborinth and vnto the Touch stone whereby all doctrine shoulde be tried Ibidem and make it as great a fault to breake traditions Andrad Orthod explic lib. 5 lib. 3 as if Christ with his owne mouth had spoken them yea somtime greater so make them at the least equall to the written word that is to the vndoubted word of GOD. And on the other side do altogether deface and disgrace the Scriptures calling them Inke-Diuines that sticke to them Eckius de scripturis and comparing them to a Leaden rule Eccl. Hierar so doeth Pighius or a nose of waxe Explic. dial 4 as the Censure of Collen doth most prophanely both the which blasphemous godlesse reproches against the Scriptures are defended by Andradius Li. 2. orthod Explication as catholike and sound sayings because hee thinketh as they doe that they may bee changed and drawen to any interpretation Bellar. lib. 4 de verbo non scripto cap. 4 5 And therfore they teach that the verie Scriptures without traditions are not altogether necessarie And all this is to perswade the simple that the Scriptures are not a certaine Iudge of faith or rule of life Argument The argument whereby they indeuour to seduce men and to drawe them to their opinion is this Whatsoeuer rule of faith or life may be changed and according to mens affections expounded is vncertaine and deceitful but the Scripture is such therefore it is an vncertaine rule Answere Which I answer thus First the maior or former proposition is not simply true but with these additioÌ„s whatsoeuer may aptly or without doing violence to the words be so drawen vnto sundry opinions is an vncertaine râ—â—â— And hereby will soone be gathered the falsenesse of the minor which affirmeth the scripture to be such For although out of one
to set downe the difference in doctrine betweene the church of Rome and vs concerning those Sacraments which we acknowledge to be instituted for Sacraments by God which is indeede my especiall purpose that in few wordes the Reader may take a view both of the one and the other I haue thought good very briefly to note vnto you two or three points wherein in the generall doctrine of the Sacraments we iustly dissent from them because they do dissent from the word of truth Wherein my purpose is not to enter into the darke and daungerous subtilties of the Schoolemen who herein agree not among themselues but onely to point vnto the plaine trueth and the falshoode contrary to the same VVhat a Sacrament is what is the effect of it or what it worketh how many Sacraments there are THE PROTESTANTS What a sacrament is A Sacrament is an externall signe instituted appointed of God to bee vsed in his Church by the receiuing whereof euerie faithfull man and woman is assured of eternall graces I knowe that this word Sacrament may be taken more largely and is sometimes especially by saint Augustine and after his time but this is the true definition of a Sacrament in that sence that we vse it for the two Sacraments vsed by vs in our churches And though we call it a signe yet wee say withall that it is a very effectual and as I may so call it a powerful signe A powerful signe to increase or strengthen faith to strengthen and increase our faith make vs take more sure hold of the promises the perfourmance whereof the Sacraments do as it were seale vp in our hearts neither doeth the sacrament worke this or hath this effect in respect of any vertue that is included in these visible signes but because God hath appointed them to be the seales of his promises as the Apostle witnesseth of circumcision Tertull. De Poeniten Rom. 4.11 of Baptisme For as the seale beeing set to the writing doth assure him to whom the writing is made of the perfourmance of such couenants as therein are contained and yet not because of the print in the waxe but because it is known to be his seale who hath made the couenants with him euen so the Sacraments do serue to confirme and increase faith in the faithfull not because there is any such power in those visible creatures which are the externall thing in the same but because we are assuredly perswaded that God hath appointed them to that end And as the Sacraments doe thus serue to strengthen and increase our faith Profession of our faith so thereby also doe we make profession of this our faith and in token that we haue this perswasion setled in our heart wee come to receiue such Sacraments as God hath appointed to testifie betweene him and vs of his graces towardes vs. And for this cause when the Eunuch desired to bee baptized Phillip answered Act. 8.36 37 If thou beleeue with all thy heart thou mayest Nay the Sacraments are but vnprofitable to them which without faith doe receiue the same Mar. 16.16 but hee that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued We therfore do not teach the Sacramentes to be but bare signes as some would make the simple to beleeue but that they are such signes as God hath made to worke effectually by the power of his Spirite in the hearts of the faythfull to assure them of Gods good graces Nowe of such Sacraments as in the beginning I haue defined wee haue but two How many Sacraments there be that is to say Baptisme wherein we are entred into Christs family and the Supper of the Lorde wherein we are nourished in the same For although the people of Israel had many representations of Gods fauour towardes them to assure the faithful of sanctification and iustification yet Circumcision was commaunded without exception Gen. 17.10 to all the males in whō also the women were consecrated to the Lord and the eating of the paschall Lamb belonged to al the congregation of the children of Israel Exod. 12.47 whereas their other ceremonies were for the most performed by the Priest And in like maner although wee may haue sundrie visible signes of inuisible grace yet such sacraments as the sacrament of Baptisme the Supper of the Lorde neither the scriptures nor the fathers for 400. yeares after Christ did acknowlege any other than those two For as for Saint Augustine he taketh the word Sacrament so largely that hee accounteth for Sacraments many thinges that are not by the Papists themselues accounted Sacraments THE PAPISTS BVT the Papistes doe define a Sacrament to bee Concil Trid. Catechis A thing subiect to the senses which by Gods institution hath power both to signifie and to woorke Holinesse and Righteousnesse So that by this it is easie to vnderstād what vertue and efficacie they will giue to the Sacraments Yea it is by Bellarmine plainely confessed that they teach a Sacrament to haue that strength of it selfe De Sacram. lib. 1. cap. 11 that it can sanctifie and iustifie And that wee may the better vnderstand what they meane hereby De Sacram. lib. 2. cap. ◠with one consent they teach and Bellarmine by name that the Sacraments doe woorke these things without either faith or any inward motion So that their meaning is that the very worke it selfe of receiuing the Sacrament euen by vertue of that sacramentall action Bellarm. de Sacram. lib. 2. cap. 2. doth giue to the receiuer grace How blasphemous this doctrine is may appeare first because they doe manifest wrong to the spirit of sanctification in ascribing vnto these visible and externall creatures whereof the Sacraments doe consist that which only gods spirit can worke in vs by putting into our hearts Ierem. 32 4◠the feare of God Ierem. 31.33 Ezec. 36.25 Rom. 15.9 and vniting his lawe in the same and purifying our hearts by faith And therefore is this spirit called Holy or the spirite of sanctification because it onely can make holy Secondly to giue vnto the Sacraments power by the vertue thereof to iustifie is iniurious vnto the bloud of Christ which precious ransome is able onely to take away sinnes and to make vs appeare iust and righteous before God Then also this doctrine is absurd as may be prooued in a word or two If it be true that the Papists teach then did not our Sauiour Christ teach vs the true vse of the Sacrament when he said Doe this in remembrance of me for hee shoulde rather haue said Doe this to sanctifie and saue your selues But to thinke that Christ taught vs not the true benefite of the Sacrament is too grosse wickednesse Therefore is it verie absurde to ascribe that vertue to the Sacrament or outward signe Secondly if the Sacrament doe giue grace as they say or if it do sanctifie or iustifie of it selfe then the infantes that die before
they can sinne actually because they are baptized must needs be saued although they bee not of that number which God hath chosen vnto himselfe before the foundations of the worlde were laide Which to affirme is nothing else but to tie our saluation Ephes 1. not to Gods grace in electing in Christ whome hee would but to such externall meanes as haue alwayes beene accounted but helpers to our faith as the Apostle teacheth by the example of Circumcision in Abraham Ro. 4.10 11. but no workers of saluation And to be short how agreeth this that they say that the Sacrament hath strength or force to worke Holinesse or Righteousnesse with that which they also say That infants when they are baptized De Sacram. Bapt. lib. 1. cap. 11. haue not any new motions or inclinations like vnto the actions of faith and loue If the Sacraments worke not in them such effectes who haue not anie actual sinne to let or hinder how shal we think they work in others that are stroÌ„gly assaulted with the lusts of sin Therefore let vs not ascribe such working vnto them but vnto Christ who is made vnto vs righteousnesse and holinesse 1. Cor. 1.30 As for the number of seuen Sacraments two of them wee acknowledge with the Fathers of the Primitiue church Baptisme and the Lordes Supper As for the other fiue either they haue no commaundement in the word or no visibl signes or to be short no warrant in the word or Primitiue church to bee such Sacraments as the other two are Although wee deny not but the things haue had and many of them yet haue their godly vse in Gods Church Of the Sacrament of Baptisme CHAP. 11. THE PROTESTANTS WE acknowlege Baptism to be as it were a Gods-peny and earnest of our entrance into Christes family Wherein wee are both fully assured that by the blood of Christ which is figured by that water our sinnes are so washed away that they shall not bee imputed vnto vs and also the promise of that spirite of regeneration whereby wee growe to be new men is sealed vp in our hearts so that therein the faithfull are ingraffed into Christ to be made partakers of al his treasures and namely that hee may bee vnto vs sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 And as therin our faith is thus norished so is it also a publike testification and witnessing of our profession so that wee doe not only beleeue with our heart vnto righteousnesse but also shew that wee are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for that cause wee weare that badge of our profession and cognisance of our religion THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of Rome lest we should constantly beleeuing the promises and vsing the Sacraments according to Christs institution take sure hold of Iesus christ and to acknowledge our saluation to bee by him onely in whome the word and Sacraments send vs to seeke it teacheth vs that the very Sacrament of it selfe hath such force and vertue as that it doth extinguish and quite abolish Andrad Orthod Explic. lib. 3. not onely the daunger and condemnation the rewarde due to sinne but also the verie corruption of the same And on the contrarie that the verie infants that die before they bee baptised Bellarmine de purgat lib. 2. cap. 6 haue their place of torment appointed vnto them where they must bee purged So that as they giue the power of killing sinne in vs vnto the Sacrament which onely belongeth vnto Christ Rom. 6. so in this latter point they doe in a manner make Christ scant able for to saue without the sacrament and teach sinne by other meanes than by Christ only to be purged De sacr baptism li. 1. ca. 4 Now the first reason whereby Bellarmine wil prooâ—â— that the Sacrament of it selfe hath such force of thâ—◠〈◊〉 doth worke in vs holinesse and abolish sinne and therefore that without it no man or woman can be saued is that place of saint Iohn Ioh 3.5 Vnlesse a man be borne againe of Water and of the Spirit he can not enter into the kingdome of God And for the better credite of his assertion he telleth vs De peccatorum merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 30. that saint Augustine in his first booke of the merites of sinnes and the forgiuenesse thereof the thirtieth chapter doth shew that these wordes are not a commandement but declare the means of saluation as though saint Augustine would make the Sacrament as necessary to saluation as meate for our life or physicke for recouery of health for these are the examples alledged afterwardes by Bellarmine But he belieth that learned father for hee hath not any such thing in that place although indeede hee handle that place of scripture largely there But first before I enter any further into the consideration of this point lest I should bee mistaken as though I accounted the Sacrament of no necessitie I affirme it to bee so necessarie that if it may bee had according vnto Christes institution and any man or woman shall wilfully refuse the same by this their contempt they doe wilfully cut off themselues from the body of Christ and so make themselues vncapable of such graces as God in Christ bestoweth vpon his But if otherwise any man woman or childe being desirous to enter into the felowship of the holy couenant and to be incorporated by that Sacrament into the presence of Christ shall die or depart out of this life before they can attaine thereto God forbid that we should thinke either so vncharitably of them as to iudge them vnworthy of Gods mercy or so hardly of God as that hee would alter his eternall councell for want of this external sacrament or so slenderly of the vertue of Christ his blood as that without this water it can not wash vs from sinne No doubt many died in the wildernesse before the Israelites came to the land of promise that had not the sacrameÌ„t of circumcision and also afterwards by all likelihoode in Babylon The thiefe vpon the crosse of whose saluation we make no doubt was not baptised Yea the order that God vseth in sauing vs doeth teach vs that without the Sacraments we may be saued Rom. 8.30 Ephes 1.4 because that election or predestination goeth before calling whether it be internall by the spirit or externall by the word and Sacraments Therefore wee must either imagine Gods election not to be certaine which is blasphemous or else that all that are elect are saued although they haue not oportunity to receiue that externall seale of Gods couenant Therefore I say that Baptisme is very necessary and in any wise to be vsed and receiued of them that may according to Christes institution haue the same But we detest that doctrine of the Papists that teacheth it to be so necessary that whosoeuer is not baptized can not be saued whereupon they permit lay men yea women to baptise whereas the
fight against Tirus Secondly the manner how and with what affection with a cruel and proud minde and not with such compassion and pittie as wee ought to haue in correcting of others Thirdly the ende is to be regarded as whether he did especially respect Gods glorie or rather as indeede he did to subdue them vnto his owne dominion Nowe therefore true it is that God rewardeth not sinne And yet hee manie times rewardeth and commendeth that action which himselfe turneth to his glorie and the executing of his good will which yet in him that doth it in respect of his euil affection and wrong ende that hee looked vnto in doing of it is sinne But the sinne it selfe he is so farre from rewarding that he vtterly condemneth it and him that delighteth therein Arg. 2 Master Bellarmines second argument is that Infidels doe or can doe good workes therefore not all their workes are sinne That they do or can doe good workes marke howe hee proueth If yee salute your brethren only what singular thing doe you Doth not also the Ethnickes likewise Bee yee therefore perfect c. Maath 5.47 Now Maister Bellarmine must reason thus The heathen can salute one another therefore they can doe a good worke As strong a reason as if I should say Matt. 26.49 Iudas saluted his Maister therefore he did a good worke Againe the Gentiles that haue not the lawe Rom. 2.14 doe by nature the things of the lawe Therefore they doe a good worke and so not al they doe is sinne These bald proofes doe shew that master Bellarmine hath but a barren matter in hande For by doing the lawe he meaneth not that which the Apostle calleth fulfilling of the law Rom. 23.8 for the Gentiles not regenerate cannot doe that But that they doe that which the lawe commaundeth after some sort but not in such manner as is commaunded And therefore hee saith they doe the worke of the law But that worke of the law because they doe it not with such a minde and to such an end as they ought therefore it is sinne in them And that the apostle himselfe in that place sheweth For his endeuour is to proue them to be vnexcuseable by reason of their sinne although they had not the law written deliuered to them because they had by nature the substance which he calleth the worke of the law written in their harts yea and framed very often their external actions according to the same and yet performed not that holy obedience that they should Now who wil grant such an argument The Gentiles do the external law therefore there is not sinne in al their actions For to make our actions voide of sinne it is not sufficient that we keepe the external law but they must bee good workes well done Serm. 5. in cap. 2. ad Rom. Neither doth Chrysostome when he saith the Gentiles without the lawe did all the thinges of the lawe meane all the circumstances of the law which maister Bellarmine falslie gathereth but onlie all those thinges that externally the lawe hath commanded as maie appeare by his owne wordes a little before who saith The greeke shall be set before thee appearing to be a doer of those things that are in the law Marke he saith not doing but appearing or seeming to do Because he doth that concerning the law that appeareth to the eie and is externall But with a sanctified affection or to a holy end he that is not sanctified cannot doe it Argument 3 As for the testimonies out of the fathers whereby he doth proue that the Gentiles the vnregenerate may haue excellent vertues out of the fathers it is nothing to this question For when we saie that the Infidels haue not in them any thing that is good our meaning is that there is in them no worke so perfect but that it hath sinne in it And that this is true saint Hierome who seemeth to speake for him most effectually doth manifestly proue In eccl ca. 7. Workes saith he because they are done by the body are neuer without fault Which if it be true in al workes then can it not be but true in the workes of them which themselues are most faulty such as are the Infidels Argum. 4 Lastly from reson master Bellarmine hath in that place two reasons The first is this If works done without faith or Gods speciall helpe be sinne they are sinne either because they are not done to the right end which is Gods glorie or because they proceed from a sinfull man or because those morall workes are not of proportion with the strength of nature or lastly because these workes that are good are too hard both in respect of the rebellion of the flesh and the tyranny of Sathan But in none of these respects they are sinne therefore they are not sinne Which his argument briefly thus I answer That his minor proposition is vtterly false and directly against that which the Apostle saint Paul writeth in the Epistle to the Romanes of the Gentiles shewing how God gaue them vp because when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1.21 Wherein the Apostle sheweth how wickedly the Gentiles abuse that their knowledge whereby they should be moued to glorifie God And in that he denieth that they can be accounted sinfull because they proceede from sinfull man What doth hee else but giue the lie to our Sauiour Christ himselfe who hath plainely saide Matth. 7.19 that an euil tree cannot bring forth good fruit And all the sophistrie that master Bellarmine hath can not salue this sore For it is impossible to gather grapes of thistles for that he speaketh of the proportion betweene the worke and the strength of nature it would be too long heere to examine Lastly whereas hee accounteth the tyranny of Sathan and subiection to their owne lustes not to be sufficient to make their worke sinfull let him see how hee can answer not S. Paul onely who saith that such are seruants to sin but also our sauiour Christ who telleth the Iewes Rom. 6.17 that vnlesse the Sonne made them free they could not be free Then I pray you what good works Ioh. 8.36 wholy void of sin can such worke as serue so bad a M. as is sin His second argument taken from reason is of the absurdity he imagineth to be in our doctrine Himself reasoning most absurdly thus If the Infidels in doing their good workes do sinne it is better for them not to do those workes than to do them but so to say is most absurde That to say it is better not to do those externall good workes than to doe them wee will with master Bellarmine willingly confesse But how doeth hee prooue his maior namely that it is better to leaue them vndone than to doe them Because in doing them saieth he they sinne in not doing them they sinne not De amiss grat li. 1. ca. 2 I
time are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. And if all we can suffer here haue no comparison with that glorie what infinite goodnesse can wee imagin our works may haue And whereas the Scriptures in this matter of iustification do take all the glorie from our workes Rom. 3.26 27.28 and giue it vnto God they so part stakes betweene God and their good workes that their workes being holpē but in part that is but a little by grace doe woorthily deserue eternall life So it seemeth that they will not be much beholding to God for their saluation as the indifferent Reader may soone perceiue Who if they continue in this their blasphemie Aug. in Psal 31. praefat and bragge thus of their merites they shal without question fall from grace And if they will needs seek to establish their owne righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 they can not be partakers of Gods righteousnesse And if they will not haue it by faith without the workes of the lawe Rom. 3.28 they can neuer haue it Yet to say our owne workes cannot saue vs Act. Monum Fox lib. c. 1117. hath bin counted heresie Now that our aduersaries are in this point so stiffe vpon so small a ground it being so necessary a point of religion that without true knowledge thereof they cannot be saued I cannot but maruell For besides that which before I haue said of the imperfection of our works which is confessed by themselues for Andradius confesseth that the Iesuits of Colen say that it cannot be Orthod explic lib. 5. that we can loue God perfectly and sufficiently in this life besides that imperfection I say which is in any thing that we can do which cannot answere for that perfect righteousnes which God iustly may require of vs there are sundry other great reasons to induce vs to detest that doctrine as a thing most dāgerous for christians to giue eare vnto Luc. 17.9 Our sauiour Christ when he hath by the parable of the seruant taught vs that it is our duetie to do that which he commaundeth vs he addeth this So likewise yee 10. when you haue done all those things that are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruauntes wee haue done that was our dutie to doe If then it be our dutie to keepe Gods commaundements yea and that not once but that so long as wee liue In luc li. 8. wee must doe it as Saint Ambrose saieth In luc ca. 17. and if as Theophilact saith that wee are bounde to keepe all Gods commaundements I would faine learne of some of our aduersaries howe the doing of that thing which wee alwaies ought to doe can satisfie Gods wrath for neglect of such dueties as we haue not done and such sinnes as wee haue committed contrary to Gods lawe for if now I keepe the commaundement it is my duety nowe and alwayes to doe it Can this then bee any recompence to satisfy God for such times as I haue omitted my duetie It cannot be it hath no likelihoode of trueth Nay if he worke not saieth Theophilact hee is woorthy of many stripes Luc. 17. and if he worke let him content himselfe that he is not beaten Therefore let him not seeke for reward or honor for it Therfore seeing euery worke that wee do is a sacrifice that then must be offered a duty that then must be performed and that also very short I warrant you of that wee should performe if it were well sifted how can we say that such a worke can merite eternall life Or if that worke can but serue that duety that then is required what recompence shall wee make for all other our sinnes For it is a question amongst themselues whether Christ by his death did take away any sinnes but only originall sinne For Ambrose Catharinus an archbishop In his booke de Incruento sacrif and a great man at the Councell of Trent doeth plainely write that Christ died onely for originall sinne As for actuall sinnes they must be taken away by masses and such helps saith he Now if we had no other hope but such paltry popish deuises to take away our sinnes wherein we continually offend we were the most miserable of all creatures But to returne to the wordes of our sauiour Christ Out of them we may reason thus If our most perfect obedience be but duety it is not merit but it is but duety therefore no merit This whole argument is necessarily to be gathered out of the words themselues as you see the forenamed fathers doe testifie Which place also is very strong against their most blasphemous doctrine of their workes of supererrogation For if all wee can doe Against workes of Supererrogation Cap. 20. bee scarce our owne dutie then can it not serue for others to satisfie for their sinnes And yet is this doctrine defended by them as by Nichol Burne in his booke yea and by master Bellarmine who is so little ashamed thereof that as it were a doctrine that must needes be graunted vnto him he endeuoureth thereby to prooue that we may keepe Gods lawe A man saieth he may doe more than God commaundeth De iustificat lib. 4. cap. 13 therefore much more may hee fulfill the law Now if you will knowe the mystery of this great abhomination it is this as they tel vs. Whereas some men say they haue beene so godly that they haue done mo good workes than they needed these are as it were the treasure of the church which the Pope may at his pleasure bestow And so he doth for the pardons and indulgences haue their vertue from these workes So that if there bee no such workes then the Pope like a false merchant hath deceiued the world for many yeeres as still he doeth For his pardons Agnus Dei his grana benedicta and such baggage haue no vertue but from their workes of supererrogation And here I can but wonder at the whorish forehead of the church of Rome in this thing Shee can in no wise abide the imputation of Christes righteousnesse for our iustification shee may not heare of it All Popish Writers write against it And yet their doctrine of merites especially of the workes of supererrogation what is it but the imputation of other mens merites as they think to satisfie for vs and for our iustification Shal Christes righteousnesse imputed to vs be absurd to teach and to teach the imputation of mans workes a sound doctrine We may see by this that in the church of Rome that doctrine is best that is most gainefull For the Pope can gaine but little worldly wealth by preaching the imputation of Christes righteousnesse vnto vs But by this doctrine of the workes of supererrogation hee gaineth much For because it is the treasure of the church whosoeuer will haue thereof must pay well for it to the church that is to the pope But howe doth master Bellarmine proue that we
by Grace De gratia Cristi cont pelag Celest cap. 31. Prim. vpon this place that which is set against workes And Primasius saith By his grace because hee paid for vs that which hee ought vs not that he might saue vs being freely redeemed Thus doth Augustine and Primasius take this word Grace for Gods loue to vs not for any vertue inherent in vs cleane contrarie to master Bellarmines minde And by these and some other places he would faine proue that the worde of iustifying may sometime signifie an inherent righteousnesse And what if we grant that to him yet thereof it followeth not that that inherent righteousnesse doth iustifie vs before God which master Bellarmine would faine proue As for that which he saith of Abel and Noah that they were accounted iust if hee will by that commendation that is giuen to them exempt them from all sin saint Augustine will be directly against him De peccat merit remiss lib. 2. cap. 12. 13. who speaking of Iobs righteousnesse sheweth that perfection was not in Iob neither that it can be any But in comparison of others he was iust And if perfection cannot be in any then shall no man by any inherent righteousnesse answere Gods iust iudgement Ber. epist 34. For Our greatest perfection is desire to bee more perfect and alwayes to confesse our imperfection Two or three argumentes mo hath maister Bellarmine in that place but because they are not woorth answering of purpose I omit them concluding with that golden saying of saint Ambrose Amb. epist 32 lib. 5. not the lawe but faith maketh a man iust because righteousnesse is not by the law but by faith That good workes are necessarie duties for all Christians to performe CHAP. 27. THE PROTESTANTS BVt although we denie that our good workes cā any thing merit our iustification Ephe. 1.4 yet we affirme that God hath chosen vs vnto himselfe before the foundations of the world were laid Ephe. 2.19 so wee are his workmāship created in christ Iesu vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them For the same spirite of God that worketh in vs faith and maketh it to take sure hold of Christ doth also make it as a fruitfull plant to bring foorth fruite in great abundance of holie obedience Neither can this faith if it bee a true faith be idle but it will worke by loue By loue I say towards God wherby we will bee readie to loue him carefull to serue him and willing to please him By loue also towardes our neighbour to the performance of al Christian duties in mercifulnesse and brotherly kindnesse For wee know that God hath giuen vnto vs his law that though we cānot be saued by it yet we should walke in the same law with our whole indeuour THE PAPISTS BVt our aduersaries teach vs not to do good workes for Gods sake Mat. 5.16 That men seing our good works may glorifie our father which is in heauen but for our owne sake namely to purchase heauen thereby and to satisfie for our sins So that this is the difference betwene vs and thē That good works should be done wee crie it as lowd as they But we differ somtime in the worke it selfe for wee say that is onely a good worke that is done according to Gods commandements Mat. ◠5.9 And ad Orthod expli lib. 5. They teach for doctrines the precepts of men yea that men may offende God more sometime in breaking the lawes of the church than Gods law Which how blaspemously it is written let the world iudge We also direct our workes to another end than they do We do good works to glorifie God and because hee hath commanded vs that we may so offer vnto him a sacrifice of obedience They worke that they may merit thereby and so do disgrace the merit of Iesus Christ And thus much I thought good to set down concerning this point to stop the mouthes to stay the pens of slaunderous papists who go about to discredit our true doctrine with the simple and ignorant as though wee spake against good works when as in truth we exhort earnestly all men to shew their faith by their workes and to walke worthy of their calling Only this we admonish all men out of Gods worde that they esteeme not as good workes the foolish fancies of mans deuice for wee must giue God leaue to teach vs what is good and what is euill for he is our law-maker then also that they refer vnto Gods glory the good works which they do and to no other end and that they do them in singlenes of heart to performe their dutifull obedience to God And these points being obserued we instantly exhort yea command all men Gal. 6.9.10 whilest they haue time to do good and neuer to be wearie of well doing Of praier to whom and how wee shoulde praie CHAP. 28. THE PROTESTANTS PRaier is a good worke commended and commanded of God and therfore to be vsed a most ready meane to supply our wants a most sure stay comfort in all our dangers and distresses and therefore not to be neglected For how can we either relieue our necessities better or in heauines comfort our selues more effectually than if wee conuerse and talke with God Greg. Nissen orat 1. in orat Dominicam 1. Thess 5.17 Which thing wee doe in praier And therefore the Apostle willeth vs to pray alwaies or continually euen without ceasing Because we alwaies stand in neede of comfort and helpe Yea Christ would haue vs alwaies to pray and not to wax faint Luc. 18.1 But wee must aske all good thinges of God only from whom only commeth euery good giuing Iam. 1.17 and euery perfect gift And that in the name of Christ Iesus and for his sake We must also pray in faith if we will be heard and with vnderstanding that we may pray in spirit THE PAPISTS OVR aduersaries also speake much of praier but their praiers haue many faultes For first they praie not to God only but also to the Saints and creatures expresly against Gods lawe Then also they number their praiers vpon their beades as if they woulde knowe howe much God is become indebted vnto them for their praiers Thirdly they pray in a tōgue vnknowen to them that doe pray many times namely in latine And fourthly out of these ariseth another fault in their praiers that the praiers that are directed to any other than to God and are also such as they that doe praie knowe not what they aske or what they pray for because they pray in latine therefore they praie not in faith and so their praiers are turned into sinne and prouoke God to anger First we must pray vnto God only in respect of Gods commandement Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me For thereby God doth challenge vnto himselfe not only that we should acknowledge him to be God but
that that these things merit or deserue Gods wrath to be turned away He cannot proue it We denie not but God looketh vpon these things but not for the merit of them but for his owne mercies And therefore master Bellarmine hath not yet prooued that fasting doth merit And this is the thing that hee should proue But on the contrarie A true vse of fasting in our fasting we acknowledge our selues to bee vnworthie of Gods creatures and that by our sinnes wee haue depriued our selues of the vse of his benefites and deserue not euen these his ordinarie graces which the verie beastes themselues maie freely enioy And in this heartie acknowledging of our owne vnworthinesse wee prostrate our selues before Gods mercie seate seeking for mercie not pleading but fearing and refusing our merit Now of this popish opinion of merit by fasting hath sprung vp another abuse in fasting Of popish fasting dayes That the papists haue dedicated these their fasting dayes not onely to the seruice of God for they supposed that they could by such meanes please him whereas it is all one to him whether wee come full or fasting so that wee come so as our hearts may bee most sitte to serue him but also to the honour of their Saints imagining thereby to deserue some fauour at their handes And for this cause did they deuise to fast vpon their Saintes Euens and at such other times as wee see the Popish Church vseth not so much to tame the flesh for that fasting we also affirme to be necessarie neither yet in any politike respect which belongeth not to our question but euen because they foolishly thinke that in so doing they worship God and the Saints and do a thing acceptable to him And to this ende is also appointed their lent fast their wednesdaie and fryday fast saterday fast embar fast the fasts of aduent and cogation weeke But that these cannot be accounted times of necessitie to be kept and obserued for fasting in respect of any religious obseruation of the same it cannot better be proued than by that diuersitie of opinions and iudgement which M. Bellarmine himselfe is forced to confesse to be in the ancient fathers De bonis operibus in part li. 2. As they shall vnderstand that reade of the book before alleadged the fifteeneth the seuenteenth eightteenth and nineteenth chapters As for their fastes vppon saintes eues they come after al the rest Seeing therefore there is herein such diuersitie it is plaine enough that neither any certainty of doctrine can heere be gathered neither can they cal it a catholicke religion that is like Iacobs coate of many colours farre from vnity of faith But with saint Hillary I maie say In ps 118. A It is most hard for a man by the doctours of this world to vnderstande the meaning of heauenly precepts And this I could wish that at al times we would striue by this and other good meanes to tame our rebellious flesh and that we also would prepare our selues vnto the holy exercises of our religion either by this or anie other way that maie further therein but that fasting it selfe doth make vs acceptable to God wee must not thinke And out of this their opinion of the merit of fasting ariseth another most absurd doctrine of binding the conscience to their lawes of fasting Their lawes of fasting bind not the conscience Li. 2. de bonis operibus in part ca. 7. Ierem. 5.6 as the church of Rome teacheth with one consent as M. Bellarmine confesseth And he wil proue it by the example of the Rechabites who vpon the commandement of Ionadab their father abstained from drinking of wine A weake proofe The Rechabites obeied the politicke lawe that their father Ionadab gaue them therefore the church may binde mens consciences with the law of fasting It is one thing to bind the conscience another thing to require external obedience The fast and holie daie which is commaunded to be continued in the storie of Hester is like vnto it Hester 9.31 for a day of remembraunce of Gods great benefit towardes them but not to binde the conscience Such also is the fast mentioned in Zachary of the fourth fifth seuenth and tenth monethes which although it might perchance vppon good and godlie consideration be taken vp and we debarre none but exhort all persons to humble themselues vnto the Lord yet how little their conscience is bound thereto it partly appeareth because God faith in the former Chapter that they did not fast vnto him and willeth them to harken vnto the ministerie of prophets and to execute true iudgement and shewe mercy and compassion euery man to his brother not to oppresse for these are in deede good workes that God regardeth in comparison of which hee little esteemeth those their fastes Partlie also because God wil turne their fasting into feasting into ioy and gladnes and prosperous high feastes as there he saith Act. 15.29 And lastly he bringeth that law that the apostles set downe of not eating the bloud and things strangled A law I saie made by the direction of Gods spirite as there is witnessed for a lawe whereof they can finde no such praise A law that was made according to the necessity of that time to auoide diuision and for the better vniting and gathering of the church of the Iewes and gentiles as M. Bellarmine confesseth and therefore such a law as lawfully might be made For in thinges indifferent the church maie take order for the quietnes or anie other waie for the benefit of the fame Whereby they would establish a law for euer to binde the conscience A law I say which themselues wil confesse we are not bound vnto but doe against that law that the apostles made But how could we breake that law if it bound the conscience Or if it doe not binde the conscience why doth M. Bellarmine bring it to proue that the church may tie or bind the consciences of the faithfull vnto their lawes of fasting Thus we see that not one of all the places alleadged by him out of the scripture doth prooue the necessity of these lawes of fasting which so straitly they command Therefore by the weakenes of their proofe we may see the falsenes of their doctrine Difference of meates Now I come vnto the last point of their doctrine which we mislike which is the difference of meats that they make Wherein if they doe not conspire with the Ebionites and sundry other hereticks that did condemne flesh as a thing vnpure yet it seemeth that they haue bin brought vp in the schoole of the heretickes called Apostolici Serm. 66. in Cantica of whom S. Bernard reporteth that they would eate no whit-meate milke and whatsoeuer came of it or whatsoeuer was ingendred But our aduersaries tel vs that the Ebionites Tatianites Maniches Priscillianists and such other heretickes doe vtterly condemne flesh as vncleane or vnlawful to be eaten at any time
of them O blasphemie intollerable if this their argument might bee allowed then the church of Rome which falsely challengeth to bee the church Caus 15. Quaest 6. ca. Autoritatem Dâ— st 34. c. sector dist 82. presbyt would soone prooue their abhominable Idolatries and heresies to be true religion And therefore doe they challenge this authoritie and striue for it And the Pope sometimes dispenseth against the Apostle as their Canonists doe note and sometimes a Councell dispenseth against the apostle and all this is to challenge vnto their church this prerogatiue that it may deale with Gods word as it will When Gregorie the thirteenth pope of that name confirmed the order of the fellowship of the blessed virgine Marie a new deuised order and come vp since the order of Iesuites in his Bull hee confirmeth and ratifieth all such priuileges as they haue or shall haue Notwithstanding anie Constitutions or Ordinances Apostolike or whatsoeuer may be against it Did you euer reade or heare any speake more like the beast mentioned in the Apocalips Apoc. 13.5 6 who had a mouth giuen vnto him that spake blasphemies But to be short I will against their argument oppose this Whatsoeuer scriptures are not giuen by inspiration of God spirit and by the godly receiued into the canon of the scripturs those are not the word of God though they haue the approbation of the latter churches but such are the Bookes which wee call Apocrypha which the councell of Trent would make of like authoritie with the canonicall Scriptures therefore those Bookes are not the vndoubted word of God And howe can any body imagine that that which once hath beene not canonicall can by continuaunce of time and confirmation of men become canonicall or that which God hath not vouched woorthy to bee his word in times past that nowe at the last he should acknowledge the same as though hee were nowe chaunged or had repented him of his former opinion Admit once this doctrine of theirs and farewell all certaintie in religion For men will wander from one thing to an other as wee see in the kingdome of darkenesse and Poperie where there is no ende of deuotions deuised and inuentions of men So that that which was good christianitie in the dayes of Christ and of his Apostles is nowe holden to be farre from the perfection of a godly life vnlesse wee doe helpe it with our will-worshippings and by the obeying the preceptes of the church Nay graunt them this and then that worde written that wee haue it shall speake nothing but Romish so that whatsoeuer is the meaning and true sense of the scriptures yet God must be taught to speake as the church of Rome will haue him De verbo dei lib. 4. cap. 11. To this ende tendeth that common axiome receiued of them all and vsed by Bellarmine The true sense of the Scripture hangeth of vnwritten traditions So that beleeue them and they will easily confute any aduersaries For first they alow for scripture what they will Secondly that which they must needes confesse to bee Scripture must bee expounded by their vnwritten Traditions That I say that is written by that which is vnwritten the certaine by the vncertaine Like to Procustes his bed which who so lay in it if he were too long he was cut shorter if he were too short he was stretched out longer So must all be made fit to their traditions Seeing therefore the Canonical Bookes haue so manifest a testimonie not onely of the godly but euen of the aduersaries themselues and the credite of the Apocrypha by so great authorities is suspect I will conclude with belâ— armines words That he is not well in his wit that not regardâ— ng â—â— e Scripture the surest and safest rule wâ— ll refeâ— re hâ— mself to the iudgement of the inward spirâ— t which is often deceitfull and alwayes vncertaine as in truth the Papists do For they will make you beleeue that because they are guided by the holy Ghost they cannot erre in their traditions This rule then of Gods written word in the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament being set downe as a rule most sure to trâ— e all doctrines with let vs now proceed to examine other matters in controuersy among vs when I shal first haue answered a common obiection wherein all the most ignorant sort especially of Papists doe maruellously trust and triumph and doe therewith deceiue others such as them selues are How shal I know the scriptures say they to be the scriptures but by the authoritie of the Church I will not answer although I might very well that absurdly they call that in question whereof there is no doubt among vs. For neither we nor they denie Gods word It is knowne of all it is receiued of vs all Therfore they put case of that there is not neither is likely to be amongs vs. But for their sakes that are ignorant I answer plainely and shortly out of Saint Augustine Coâ— feâ— li. 6. cap. 5. Thou Lord hast perswaded me that they are blame worthie not who haue beleeued thy bookes which thou hast so setled almost in all nations but they that haue not beleeued them And that I should not heare them if perchance any would say to me How knowest thou that those bookes the scripture are giuen to mankinde by the spirite of one very and most true God Yea Saint Augustine there confesseth that when he was but a nouice in religion yet was he perswaded that God would neuer haue made the whole world so to reuerence the Scriptures but that he meant to be beleeued in them and to be sought out by them We see then by saint Augustine that not onely that common account that the whole world not the Church onely maketh of the Scriptures should be sufficient to stop our mouths for asking that question but also that he flatly telleth vs that God would not haue vs to heare such faithles and fruitles obiections But I know they will by and by come vpon me with that place of Augustine Cont. epist 〈◊〉 c. 5. I would not beleeue the Gospel vnlesse the authoritie of the Church should moue me thereto Out of which they will perchance conclude as grosly as you heard Eckius hath done That the Scripture it selfe hath no credite but as the Church will bestow it vpon the same But Melchior Canus a learned Papist doth gather otherwise out of that place and doth in deed truely answere this common obiection for vs out of the said words of S. Augustine concluding thus Therefore it teacheth not Locor Theo lib. 1. cap. â— that beleeuing the Gospel is grounded vpon the authoritie of the Church but onely that there is no sure way whereby either Infidels or Nouices in faith may come to the holy Scriptures but the consent of the Catholike Church Yea he hath taught a little before in that Chapter that although to haue faith
certaine external meanes and helpes are required yet those moue vs nothing without the working of Gods holy spirit And he much misliketh of them that teach that our faith must rest vpon that point That we beleue that the church is true or cannot erre For therevpon he gathereth this absurditie that our faith should be grounded vpon the truth not of God but of man He also plainly affirmeth that if a man should aske how the faithfull do know that God hath reuealed that which they beleeue they cannot answere by the authoritie of the Church but it is by the inward light of Gods spirit that they know the same If now thou aske me how I know the Scriptures to be the Scriptures I answere out of Canus not by the authority of the Church but by the motion of Gods spirit and witnesse thereof If thou vrge that place of Augustine Canus telleth thee that they who are become Christians are not so brought to beleeue the Scriptures but onely Infidels and Nouices in religion So that this place serueth nothing to obiect against vs who professe Christianitie alreadie and beleeue the worde which the Manichies did not of whom and to whom Saint Augustine there writeth But we had neede out of that place to admonish you that in respect of that reuerence which with one consent al that professe Christianitie doe yeeld vnto the scriptures you would be ashamed so to depraue and despise them so to abuse and reiect them at your owne pleasure as you alwayes haue done You make vnlawfull that which God hath mad lawfull as for example It was lawfull in the Apostles time for euerie Priest Dion Carth. 1. Tim. 3. Bishop and Deacon to haue one wife but now by the appointment of the Pope they may not haue a wife sayth a friend of your owne a bird of your owne nest So that not the scripture or the will of God but the worde of the Pope must be the rule of our life so that whereas Augustine for the Church beleeued the scriptures you for your Churches sake controll the scriptures and disobey them And for the establishing of that vndue honour which they would bestow vpon the most happie mother of Christ the virgin Mary Marke the boldnesse of Durand a great piller in the Popish Church Rathon◠di◠li. 4. rub 6. who writeth thus Although it is said in the Scriptures that Christ rising did first appeare to Marie Magdalen yet it is more truly beleeued that first of all he appeared to his mother Is it not plaine how that to establish their foolish toyes he giueth the lie to that word that is onely true O grosse boldnesse Seeing therefore this worde hath not onely testimonie within vs which is the strongest witnesse but also with so great consent is knowne to be Gods worde be ashamed now to call it into question or to put it to the triall of the Church by which the Papists alwaies vnderstand the Romish Church whether it shal be allowed for currant or not For in deede this blasphemous sense which as I haue shewed euen their owne friends can in no wise like of is now the cōmon exposition of those words of S. Aug. I will not beleeue the scriptures vnlesse the Church of Rome do allow the Bookes for Canonicall and expound them as she shall thinke good And thus much to answer this their common obiection What the Catholike Church is that is mentioned in the Creede CHAP. 6 THE PROTESTANTS VVE say with the Apostle Saint Paul that the catholike church which is spoken of in the Creede s. Tim. 3. Is the house of God the pillar and ground of truth And with the fathers that it is the companie of all the faithfull of all times and of all places And with Saint Iohn The Bride of the Lambe Apoc. 21 9. and the bodie of Christ And therefore that the wicked and faithlesse are not of this Church nor can be counted of this companie THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of Rome to get a Catholike Church admit good and bad to be of their Church namely reprobates wicked Bellar. de Eccle. li. 3. cap. 2. and vngodly ones Neither do thinke that they neede any inward vertue to bee of their Church but onely that they professe religion and be vnder the Pope Well may they in some sort seeme to haue a Catholike Church because all is fish that comes into their net but holy apostolike it shal not be nor Catholike as in the Creed is meant Wherein this is worthie to be reproued in them that whereas they crie out in worde and writing The Catholike church of Rome and vnlesse you beleeue the Catholike Church you cannot be saued And for proofe hereof they alledge this article I beleeue the Catholike church yet when they should tell vs what this Catholike church is wherevnto we must so necessarily be subiect they onely paint vnto vs I know not what Romish Church The catholike church in the Creed and the Romish contrary which is no more like the true Catholike church than that church of Israel when it was started aside from the true worship of God was like to the true church of God that remained amongest the people of the Iewes as by these few reasons may appeare The catholike church is One One that is to say one companie and vnited and knit togither by one spirite and the selfe same graces but the reprobate and vngodly who fill vp a place in the Romish catholike church neither are one company with the Saints nor vnited to them by the same spirit and graces to be partakers of the communion of Saints Therefore that catholike and the Romish catholike Church are not all one Secondly that Church is Holy Holy and that not in part but perfectly euen without spot or wrinckle Ephe. 5.26.27 For in our Creed we doe not speake of the church that is but that shal be not that which we see with our eye but by faith not that which is perfected but hoped for which we shall not in deede behold with our eyes Reuel 21 vntill it come downe from heauen as saint Iohn speaketh of the heauenly Ierusalem Apoc. 11 which as witnesseth saint Ambrose doth represent the Church that shall bee after the ende of the world Apoc. 21 Of which minde is also saint Augustine But the Romish catholike church is of omnigatheroms as people goe to faires or markets of all sorts and qualities And although a man haue not one good thing in him not one crum of honestie hee is good enough to make vp a number in the Church of Rome but such a church is not holy and therefore not that that is mentioned in the Creede Thirdly that church is catholike Catholike that is as all the godly haue acknoledged it the mother of all Christians the companie of all the saints both in heauen and vpon earth But the Romish catholike church