this place make declaration both of the true doctrine of saluation and of the way whereby wee are to walke vnto it By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Ephe. 1. 8. not of workes least any man shold boast himselfe For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Thus good workes and holy obedience of life which cannot be ioyned with carelesse security but do flow from the feare of God are not causes to merit and deserue saluation which Iesus Christ by his blood-shedding hath purchased for vs but are waies to walke vnto it without the which wee Hebr. 12 14. shall neuer see God as the Apostle saith The Pamphlet Articles concerning good life and piety The Protestants are bound in conscience neuer to aske God forgiuenes of their sinnes WHosoeuer is assured by faith that his sins are forgiuen him sinneth most grieuously in asking God pardon for them but all true Protestants are assured by faith that their sinnes are forgiuen them Ergo. All true Protestants sinne grieuously in asking pardon of God for them The Maior is euident for who but an Infidel or a mad man would demaund of God the creation of the world which he is assured by faith that God hath already created or Christs incarnation which is alreadie performed or the institution of Sacraments wich already is effected in like manner who but an infidel or mad man wil demaund pardon of his sins which he beleeueth alreadie by faith that God hath forgiuen for it is a signe that he doubteth of that which he is bound by faith to beleeue which doubting faith is Infidelitie Moreouer whatsoeuer we demand that we hope to obtain but no man hopeth to obtaine that he already possesseth as no man will demaund of God his owne soule or bodie because al-already he possesseth them The Minor is vndoubted because this is that liuely faith whereby the Protestants are iustified by this they apprehend Christ by this they apply his merits and passion vnto them and without this no man can attaine vnto saluation Herevpon I will infer that no Protestant can with a safe conscience say the Lords praier because he cannot pray as he ought without true faith and call God his father if he haue true faith he cannot without note of Infidelitie vtter this petition Forgiue vs our sinnes for that most assuredly he beleeueth and protesteth in the first ingresse of that prayer that he is the Son of God consequently beleeueth by faith that his sins are forgiuen him Answere TO the first proposition of this subtill syllogisme I answere that the assurance by faith which Gods elect haue of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes doth well stand with the asking of forgiuenesse of them For wee are to aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes because God doth command it and require it of vs. Moreouer it is our duetie to aske forgiuenesse of them for otherwise we cannot be assured by faith that they be forgiuen vs for by asking pardon of them wee do make confession of them and doe acknowledge our owne guiltines the which if we should refuse to doe we can haue no assurance of the remission of them For Salomon saith Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not Prou. 28. 13. prosper but he that confesseth them and forsaketh them shall haue mercie And S. Iohn saith If wee confesse our sinnes God Mark 9. 24. is faithful and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes Moreouer we aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes to confirme our faith and to increase the assurance we haue of the forgiuenes of them and that we may more and more haue the feeling of the forgiuenesse of them increased in our hearts For we doe not meane that any man hath any such firme assurance of faith but that the same is mixed with weaknes and many times shaken with temptations against the which wee must striue and pray and Mark 9. 24. Luk. 17. 5. say both with him in the Gospel Lord I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe with the Apostles Lord increase our faith Our faith is but as a graine of Mustard-seede which must grow and increase Saint Paul saith that by the Gospell the Rom. 1. 17. righteousnesse of God is reueeled from faith to faith Vpon which words Clâ—meÌ„t Alexandrinus writeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clemens Alex. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Apostle seemeth to declare a double faith but rather one faith which receiueth increase and perfection And therefore in praying for the forgiuenes of sinnes wee pray that our faith of the forgiuenes of them may be more and more confirmed and our assurance thereof increased in vs. Lastly seeing wee daily sinne both in doing that which God forbiddeth and omitting that which he commandeth why ought we not daily to aske forgiuenes of them and in praying for the remission of our sinnes wee desire all those things which be effects and fruits thereof as sanctification and eternall life c. And yet wee must pray in a true perswasion of faith of Gods mercy towards vs to the forgiuenes of our sinnes not onely past but also future and to come and so our praying for the forgiuenes of them is a crauing of the continuance of Gods mercy to the continuall pardoning of them which we continually commit Now whereas he saith the Maior is euident and none but an Infidell or mad man would demaund of GOD the creation of the world which hee is assured by faith that GOD hath already created c. I answere that none that is well in his wits would make such a foolish and absurd comparison as is between the asking of God the creation of the world the incarnation of Christ c. and the remission of our sinnes For those are neither commaunded nor at all to be asked and wil this man say that forgiuenes of sinnes is not at all of any to be prayed for Of those things we need not further to be confirmed but of the forgiuenes of our sinnes our faith had need to bee strengthened and the feeling thereof in our consciences to be increased Moreouer as we said before for as much as we daily sin offend God we ought daily to craue Gods mercy in pardoning our sinnes What likenes hath praier for the creation of the worlde or for the incarnation of Christ c. herewith And whereas this man thinketh it so absurd a thing to pray to God to forgiue vs our sinnes because we beleeue the forgiuenes of them I would aske of him whether S. Paul praying both in the beginning and in the end of his Epistles for Gods grace to the faithfull did not assuredly beleeue that they were euen then before those his prayers indued with Gods grace No doubt but hee did beleeue that they were indued
their doctrine of keeping no oth nor league with Infidels and Heretickes and of the Popes power in dispensing therewith And what a hinderance of stablishing peace among Christian Princes it is at this day any man of meane vnderstanding may easily consider Now for as much as this man maketh so much of thier deuotion and our dissolution and loosenes of life I will according to my promise before made shew what holinesse the Popes haue inspired and breathed into the Citty of Rome where they reside and into their owne court Bernard writeth of Rome in these words Quid tam notum seculis quam proteruia fastus Romanorum gens insueta pacitumultui Bernard lib. â— de considerat assueta Gens immitis intractabilis vsque adhuc subdi nescia nisi cum non valet resistere What is so well knowne vnto ages as the frowardnes and pride of the Romanes A people vnacquainted with peace accustomed to tumult and trouble A people cruell and vntractable which will not as yet be subiect but when it is not able to Idem â—odem lib. resist And of the Court of Rome thus Curia bonos facilius recipere magis quà m facere coâ—sueuit c. The Court rather receiueth good men then maketh them good But if wee haue proued that moe good men haue become naught in it then euillmen haue become good then such are to be sought as neither decaying in them is to be feared nor amending is to be wished as being already perfect Franciscus Petrarch who liued in Rome greatly coÌ„plaineth Anno 1370. of the abhominations of Rome the Popes Court. Quicquid vspiam perfidiae doli quicquid inclementiae superbiaeque Epist 19. quicquid impâ—dicitiae effrâ—nataeque libidinis audistiaâ—t legisti quâ—cquid denique impietatis morum pessimorum sparsim habet aut habuit orbis terrae totum istic cumulatim videas aceruatimque reperias c. i. Whatsoeuer treacherie and deceit whatsoeuer crueltie and pride whatsoeuer vncleannes and vnbridled lust thou hast heard or read finally whatsoeuer impiety the world now hath or hath had thou maist see it and finde it in full heape and measure there For I need not to speake of coueteousnesse and ambition of the which the one hath there set the throne of her kingdome from whence she might robbe and spoile the world and the other dwelleth no where but there I would the learned reader would read the rest of that 19. Epistle and the next Epistle following and see how hee painteth forth the abhominations of Rome the Popes Court which would bee too long and tedious for mee to write Frier Mantuan of whome I made mention before writeth thus of Rome Si quid Roma dabit nugas dabit accipit aurum Eclogâ— Verba dat Heu Romae nunc sola pecunia regnat Exilium virtus patitur i. If Rome giue any thing it giueth trifles it receiueth gold giueth words Alasse onely money doth raigne in Rome vertue is banished out of Rome Againe Viuere qui sanctè cupitis discedite Roma â—ib 1 Siluarâ— Omnia cum liceant non licet esse pium i. You that desire to liue godly depart ye from Rome whereas all things are lawfull there it is not lawfull to bee a godly man there Againe I pudor in villas si non patiuntur easdem â—â—b 2. fastorâ— Et villâ— vomicas vrbs est iam tota Lupanar i. Depart honestie into villages if they be not also infected with the like filthie impostumes The Cittie meaning Rome is wholy become a Stewes Many such other complaints he hath which I omit Palingenius another Italian Poet and Papist saith Atque râ—gant quidnam Romana ageretur in vrbe Marcel paling in Capâ—icorno Cuncti luxuriae atque gulae fâ—rtisque dolisque Certâ—tim incumbunt nosterque est sexus vterque i. They aske what is done in the Citie of Rome All are wholy giuen to riot to gluttony to theft to deceit and to Sodomitrie Andrew Boord Doctor of Phisicke and a popish Priest Andrew Boord in his Breuiary of health named Extrauag Cap. 2. writeth thus of Rome And shortly to conclude I did neuer see no vertue nor goodnesse in Rome but in Bishoppe Adrians daies which would haue reformed diuers enormitics and for his good will and pretence hee was poysoned within three quarters of a yeare after hee did come to Rome c. Againe And now to conclude whosoeuer â—bidem hath beene in Rome and hath seene theyr vsuage therâ— except grace doe worke aboue nature hee shall neuer bee good man after c. Catherina Senensis that holy woman whom Pius 2. canonized for a Saint because she was his Antoni part 3. titul 23. cap. 14. seâ— 13. fol. 224. b FoetoreÌ„ inâ—ernalium vitiorum country woman talking with Pope Gregory the 11. complained as Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence writeth that in the Court of Rome where should be a delicate paradise of vertues she found b a stinke of hellish vices And of the same Court Aeneas siluius himselfe a Pope writeth Aâ—neas Siluiuâ— epist 66. pag. 554. thus Nihil est absque argento Romana curia dedat Nam ipsae manus impositiones spiritus sanctâ— dona venduntur Nec peccatorum venia nisi nummitatis impenditur The Court of Rome graunteth nothing without money for euen imposition of hands and the gifts of the holy Ghost are sold Forgiuenes of sinnes is not graunted but to them that haue money Againe Quid est Romana curia â—dem epist 188. pag. 763. his qui summam tenent nisi â—urpissimum pelagus ventis vndique durissimis tempestatibus agitatum Auâ—ritiae ibi atque inuidiae procella vix qnenquam intactum praeterit What is the Court of Rome in them that be the chiefe but a most filthy sea on euery side tossed with windes strong tempests The storme of couetousnesse and enuie doth there scarsely leaue any one vntouched And because this man complaineth so much of our dissolution and loosenesse of life I will adde hereunto a few complaints of some Papists of the great and generall dissolution loosenes and prophanâ—nesse of life of former ages when Poperie most florished The same Aeneas Siluius who liued aboue eight score yeares past writeth thus Vsque adeo apud homines nostri Histor de Europa cap. 21. p. 763. CommeÌ„t in â—ictâ— facta Alphonsi seculi diuina humana perierunt So greatly both diuine and humane things bee perished with men of our age Againe Quid magis Barbarum quà m rapto viuere omnem aequitatem omnemque religionem proculcare quem Italicum morem esse videmus What is more babarous then to liue by robberie and to treade vnder feete all equitie and religion which wee see to bee the manner of Italy Againe Quod cum singulari moestitia referimus statuum omnium Epist 128 sexuum omnium religionem fidem
Rom. 11. 6. were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more Ephes 2. 8. grace or else were worke no more worke By grace â—e are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of 2 Timoth. 1. 9. God not of workes lest any man should glorie Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace c. Not by the Tit. 3. 5. works of righteousnes which vve had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. Although this which I haue said may seeme sufficient to answere this article yet I will say somthing to this syllogisme To the Maior or first proposition I answere that with men wages is giuen for workes but with God vvhose Isai 55. 8. thoughts are not as our thoughts nor waies as our waies it is other waies Man may do labour seruice to man which may merit and deserue by equitie and iustice wages and reward For that there may be a proportion betweene the seruice and reward and also a benefit and commoditie commeth to him to whom the seruice is done As in this example here alledged the Lord Deputie or some other may doe some such singular seruice in Ireland that if her Maiestie should bestow vpon him 1000. pound a yeere he might in some proportion deserue it and her Maiestie may receiue double benefit by it But can wee doe any workes that can either merit and deserue the kingdome of God or bring any benefit vnto God Dauid saith My Psal 16. 2 Rom. 8. 18. weldoing extendeth not to thee And as S. Paul saith that all the afflictions of this present life are not worthie of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs so may I say that all our imperfect and stained workes are not worthie of the kingdome of God which wee haue not deserued but Iesus Christ by his death and passion hath purchased for vs. Can a bond-seruant by any seruices looke to deserue an earthly kingdome and can we which are bond-seruants to God in respect both of creation and of redemption looke to deserue the kingdome of God Christ our Sauiour saith Doth he thanke that seruant because hee did that which Luk. 17. 9. was commanded vnto him I trow not So likewise ye when ye haue done all things which are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done that which was our dutie to doe If he that hath done all things which were commanded must confesse himselfe to be an vnprofitable seruant how much more must wee confesse our selues to be vnprofitable seruants who haue both omitted many things commanded and committed many great and grieuous sinnes prohibited So saith Hierome Sâ—inutilis est qui fecit omnia quid de illo dicendum Hieron ad Câ—esiphont aduers Pelagian est qui explere non potuit i. If hee be vnprofitable that hath done all vvhat is to be said of him that could not fulfill all Therefore wee are not to trust in our owne merits but in Gods mercie which importeth our miserie and not worthinesse But for the proofe of your Minor you alledge the saying of our Sauiour Christ Call the labourers and giue them Math. 20. 8. their wages I grant that God doth giue to them that labour in his vineyard a reward which is called wages because it followeth pietie and good workes as outward wages followeth labour But that this heauenly wages is not deserued by our workes as that other is by our labour it euidently appeareth by that parable where they that had wrought but one houre receiued as much as they did which had borne the burden and heate of the day Which sheweth that this reward came of grace and not of merit and so S. Ambrose doth expound it Non labori Ambros de vocat Gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. praemium soluens sed diuitias boâ—tatis suae in eos quos sine operibus eligit effundens vt etiam 〈◊〉 qui in multo labore sudarunâ— nec amplius quà m nouissimi acceperunt intelligant donum se gratiae non operum accepisse mercedem i. Not paying a reward vnto our labour but powring foorth the riches of his goodnesse vpon them vvhom he hath chosen without works that they also vvhich in great labour haue â—oysed and haue receiued no more then the last may know that they haue receiued a gift of grace and not a vvages of vvorkes To your other places Apocal. 20. 12. and 1. Cor. 3. 8. I say with S. Paul that God will reward euery man according to his workes but not for the merite and desert of their workes To them that continuing in vvell doing seeke Râ—â—t 2. 6. 7. glorie honour and immortalitie hee vvill giue euerlasting life and vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and vvrath tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill But you will say Why is not euerlasting life the wages of good works as euerlasting death is of euill works sins I answere that our euill workes be simply euill and being transgressions of Gods righteous law offend his infinite maiestie prouoke his infinite wrath and deserue infinite paine and punishment But our workes are not simply and perfectly good but be imperfect and are stained with the corruption of our sinfull nature as I haue before declared and therefore cannot satisfie Gods infinite iustice nor pacifie his infinite anger nor deserue his infinite glory but rather require Gods great mercie as hath beene shewed And therefore Saint Paul in the sixt to the Romanes hauing said that the vvages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. doth not say which had beene most meete to haue beene said if this pharisaicall doctrine were true the wages of good workes is eternall life but he saith the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord as also Oecumenius doth well obserue You confidently affirme that the Protestants who are enemies to merits shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of Heauen which is purchased by good workes and merits Where first I would aduise you to take heed that you be not brethren to those olde heretikes called Hieraclitae to whom Saint Augustine doth ascribe this as an heresie that they denied infants to appertaine to the kingdome of Heauen because they had no merits His words be these Hieraclitae ad regnum coelorum non pertinere paruulos dicunt August in catal Hâ—res Heres 47. quia non sunt eis vlla merita certaminis quo vitia superentur i. The Hieraclites say that infants belong not to the kingdome of Heauen because they haue no merits of strife vvhereby to ouercome vices How neere you iumpe with these olde Heretikes as you doe in many matters with many others let the Christian reader indifferently iudge Secondly I say that we are enemies neither to those
AN APOLOGIE FOR THE RELIGION established in the Church of England BEING AN ANSWER TO T. W. HIS 12. Articles of the last edition In this impres sion recognized and much inlarged Also Answers to three other writings of three seuerall Papists By ED BVLKLEY Doctor of Diuinitie Prouerb 14. 15. The foolish will beleeue euery thing but the prudent will consider his wayes Lamenta 3. 40 Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Chrysost in Genes 〈◊〉 â— Quocirca diuinae Scripturae vestigia sequamur neque â—â—ramus eos qui temerâ— quiduis blaterant i. Let vs follow the steps of the holy Scripture and not endure or abide them that rashly babble euery-thing AT LONDON Printed by George Eld for Arthur Iohnson and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the white Horse ouer-against the great North doore of S. Paules Church 1608. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD Keeper of the great Seale of England Chamberlaine of the Countie Palatine of Chester and one of his Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell grace and peace be multiplied WHen I consider right Honourable the estate of England in these our dayes I cannot better compare it then with the estate of the kingdome of Iudah vnder K. Iosias expressed shortly yet effectually by Sophonie the Prophet who liued preached in that time For as then God gaue to that people that worthy godly King who zealously 2. King 25. rooted out Idolatrie and planted Gods true worship agreeable to his law so God in great mercy hath giuen vs our most gratious Queene Elizabeth by whose godly meanes Idolatrie hath beene abolished Gods true religion and seruice restored his holy word truly and sincerely preached and peace and tranquilitie among vs long maintained And as in those daies vnder King Iosias notwithstanding that godly and zealous reformation there was great wickednes among the people as the said Sophonias sheweth For there were then which worshipped Sopho. 1. 5. vpon the rouffes of their houses the host of heauen and which worshipped and sware by the true and onely God Iehoua and by Malchaâ— their Idoll and 6. such as were turned backe from after the true God and sought him not nor inquired after him and 8. that did weare strange apparell and others that filled their maisters houses with robbery and deceit 9. and such as were frozen in their dregges and said in 12. their hearts the Lord will neither doe good nor euill And Ierusalem was then a filthie and spoyling Chap. 3. 1. 2. citie which heard not Gods voyce receiued not instruction trusted not in the Lord and drew not neere vnto her God c. Euen so how these sinnes abound at this time in this land I thinke there are but few but doe see and none that truely feareth God but doth lament To omit other sinnes here mentioned as then there were which worshipped Iehoua the onely true God and Malcham their Idoll euen so there be now not a few which to please the Prince and State pretend outwardly to like of religion established and yet inwardly in their hearts fauour Idolatrie and wicked worshippings repugnant to the same And as then many were turned backe from after God and sought him not nor inquired after him euen so now there are many which be reuolted from Gods holy worship agreeable to his word and vtterly forsake the holy assemblies where Gods word is truly preached the Sacraments are according to Christs institution rightly ministred and Gods holy name faithfully called vpon These with Lots wife looke backe vnto Genes 19. Numb 14. Sodome and are with the Israelites in heart turned back into Egypt desiring rather to eate onions and garlike there then to feed vpon the heauenly Manna of Gods blessed word Of these thus turned backe from seeking after God they be most dangerous which being deceiued themselues endeuour by all meanes both by speaking and writing to seduce and deceiue others Such be the Seminarie Priests and Iesuites who although they be at this present time at leastwise in outward apparance at deadly fewd among themselues writing most bittely one against another yet they all agree in resisting Gods truth seducing the simple and in labouring most earnestly to set vp againe their Dagon of the Masse fallen downe before the Arke of Christs Gospell To this end they write lewd lying and slanderous Pamphlets wherein they traduce the truth and faithfull fauourers thereof deceiue the ignorant and confirme in error their ouer affectioned fauorers who without triall or examination ouer rashly receiue and ouer lightly beleeue whatsoeuer is broached by them Of these lying Libels there came one to my hands a yeere past and more pretended to be printed at Antwerpe 1600. wherein is boldly affirmed but faintly proued that we haue no faith nor religion that of vs both the learned and ignorant of the Greeke and Latine tongues be Infidels that wee know not what wee beleeue that we are bound in conscience both neuer to aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes and also to auoide all good workes that we make God the author of sinne and worse then the diuell These and such other shameles assertions and false slanders when I read it came into my heart that Master Thomas Wright with whose spirit I had beene acquainted was the venter of this ware In which opinion I was afterward confirmed for that both some of his fauourers could not denie it and in a written copie therof taken in a search in Shropshire and sent vnto me these two letters T. W. were set in the end of it This lewd Libell although in respect of the matter voide both of truth and learning deserued rather to be despised then earnestly answered yet because the author of it thinketh so highly of himself and so basely and contemptuously of vs giuing out in certaine written conferences which he hath dispersed abroad in this land and some faithfull men haue seene that wee be vnlearned and so giuen to wordly affaires that we bestow no time or but little in studie I although the meanest and vnmeetest of many was moued to wtite this answere thereby to confute these calumnies to cleere the truth to confirme the faithfull and if by Gods gracious blessing it might be to reclaime and reforme the ignorant and seduced Whereof I haue the lesse hope for that as they imitate those wicked Israelits which refused to hearkeÌ„ turned away their shoulder stopped their Zach. 7. 11. eares that they might not heare made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the law the words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by his Prophets So they doe fully follow the peruerse Pagans which most obstinately refused to read godly bookes written by Christians as that ancient eloquent Christian Lactantius in these eloquent words declareth Non est apud me dubium Constantine Imperator Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 1.
yet by the communication of his vertue and demonstration of his diuine workes in those seauen Churches doth so perfectly shew himselfe as though there were so many spirits euery one working in his peculiar Church Ambrose set out by Doctor Tunstall Bishop of Duresme writeth vpon these words thus Hic tota trinit as demonstratur Heere the whole Trinitie is shewed and a little after Per septem autem spiritus spiritus sanctus cò quòd sit septiformis intelligitur By the seauen spirits the holy Ghost is vnderstood because hee worketh seauen manner of wayes And hard it were or rather absurd to pray for grace and peace from Saints and that before Iesus Christ But vpon this I will not stand onely the reader may consider how barren this cause is which hath no plainer proofes and driueth this man to such priuate and false exposition of Gods word Now whereas you say that by prayer you glorifie the Saints in heauen I say that by prayer we doe glorifie God Call vpon mee in Psal 50. 15. the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me But that by prayer we should glorifie Saints I doe not finde in all the holy scriptures If this man can why doth hee not shew it I finde that God will not giue his glorie Isa 42. 8. Psal 115. 1 to any other and that the Saints with Dauid say Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie for thy louing mercy and thy truths sake And that the Angell Apoc. 19. 10 2◠8. would not bee worshiped or glorified but said vnto Iohn worship God As touching the Saints mediation when Iesus Christ shall cease to be our mediator and to sit at the right hand of GOD to make intercession for vs then wee wil seeke to your mediation of Saints In the meane time take you heede that in attributing that to the Saints which is proper and peculiar to the sonne of GOD yea which hee hath bought with his bloud you doe not deny the Lord which hath bought vs and that you doe not horribly dishonor those Saints and make Idols of them Furthermore you say that wee deny the communion of the Church militant and the soules in purgatorie c. Wherevnto I answer that when you shal plainely pithily proue this your fained fire of purgatorie which the Greeke Church alwaies hath denied then we will yeeld vnto you and graunt our selues to bee to blame in not helping these seely soules with dirges masses c. out of the paines of this forged fire You quote in your margent for proofe thereof 1. Cor. 3. v. 15. 15. v. 29. Alas poore purgatory that hath no better proofes The words of S. Paul in the first place be these If a mans worke burne he shall lose but he shall be saued himselfe neuerthelesse yet as it were by fire Here is mention of fire and therefore it must needs be the fire of purgatory for such is the great iudgement of these worthy writers that if they read in the scriptures or Fathers this word fire it is none other but the fire of purgatorie if sacrifice it is the sacrifice of the Masse if confessiō it can be nothing but auricular confession to the Priest if tradition it is vnwritten verities or vanities But touching these places of Saint Paul because the author of this Pamphlet doth not aledge them but barely quote them I will but briefely touch thē To the first I say that Saint Paul there speaketh not of all men but only of teachers and preachers which be builders of Gods house and Church which euen Bellarmine confesseth Tom 1. contr 6 de purgat lib. 1 cap. 4. Secondly he speaketh not of all their workes but only of their doctrine whereby they build the Church of God Thirdly hee speaketh not of the purging of workes or persons but of the probation of doctrines Fourthly the works are said to bee prooued and not the persons Lastly if this place should be vnderstood of purgatory then euery man should bee throwne into it for it is said the fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is but this is contrarie to the doctrine of the Papists who will not haue all men come into purgatorie These things plainely shew that this place cannot bee vnderstood of purgatorie Saint Augustine in many places doth vnderstand it of the afflictions and troubles sustained in this life and not of the paines of Purgatorie after this life Enchir. ad Laurentium cap. 68. de ciuit Dei lib. 21. cap. 26. de fide operibus cap. 16. in Psal 80. But S. Paul speaketh of triall of doctrine shewing that as the fire trieth mettals so the light of Gods truth trieth doctrines and as gold and siluer abide in the fire and hay and stubble be consumed so true sound and holie doctrines abide the light and trial of Gods word when either vntrue doctrines or vaine speculations perish and be comsumed So doth Saint Ambrose expound it Mala doctrina Ambros in 1. Cor. 3. in igne omnibus apparebit nunc enim quosdam fallit Euill doctrine shall appeare vnto all in the fire for now it deceiueth some Againe Mala enim adultera doctrina idcirco in ligno foeno stipula significata est vt ostenderetur ignis esse esca Euill and counterfeit doctrine is therefore signified by wood hay and stubble that it might be shewed Idem in Psal 118. in haec verba ignitum eloquiū tuum that it is but meate to bee consumed of fire And againe Ignis ergo hic Christi sermo est bonus ignis c. This fire is the word of Christ and it is a good fire which warmeth but burneth not but onely sinnes By this fire that gold of the Apostle laid vpon the good foundation is tried By this fire that siluer of manners or workes is proued By this fire those pretious stones are lightned but the hay stubble is consumed Therefore this fire clenseth the soule and consumeth error Hitherto Saint Ambrose whereby wee may see that neither Saint Augustine nor Saint Ambrose expound this place of Purgatory much lesse the Greeke Fathers who neuer acknowledged it Therfore to expound it of Purgatorie as the Papists do whether it bee not a priuate false exposition let the godly reader vprightly iudge The words of the other place here quoted are these Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for dead To picke Purgatorie pickpurse out of this place passeth my skill Here is mention made of baptisme for the dead but neither of Purgatorie nor of praier for the dead I am not ignorant that there bee sundrie expositions of this place yet I doe not remember that euer I read it expounded of Purgatorie or applied vnto it And therefore I will write no more at this present
which cannot bee moued but remaineth for euer Being iustified by faith wee haue Psal 125. 1. Rom. 5. 1. 2. peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom al so through faith we haue had this accesse vnto his grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receaued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom 8. 15. The same spirit beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Ibid. vers 33. Gods chosâ—â— it is Christ that iustifieth Who shall condemne c. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation vers 35. or anguish or persecutioÌ„ or famine or nakednes or perill or sword c. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Vers 38. Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. It is God which stablisheth vs with you 2. Cor. 1. 21. in Christ and hath anointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts In whome also ye haue trusted after that he heard the word of truth euen the Ephes 1. 13. Gospel of your saluation wherein also after ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance c. Let vs therefore goe with confidence or boldnes Heb. 4. 16. vnto the throne of grace that wee may receaue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede So God willing more abundantly Chap. 6. 17. to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsel bound himself by an oth that by two immutable things wherin it is impossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is set before vs which hope we haue as an ancre of the soul both sure and stedâ—ast and it entreth into that which is within the vaile c. Let vs draw neere with a true hart in assuraÌ„ce of faith our hearts being pure from an euil conscience and washed Chap. 10 22. in our bodies with pure water let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithful that promised Therfore by faith that by grace the promise might be sure to all the seed And he not weâ—ke in the faith considered not his owne Rom. 4. 16. Vers 19. body which was now dead being almost an hundred yeares old neither the deadnes of Saraâ—s wombe neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glory to God being fully assured that hee which had promised was able to doe it and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnes Herevnto I will adde to the confuting of this doctrine of doubting two or three sayings of the Fathers Chrysostome Chrisost ad Rom. Homi. 9. saith Spes humana subinde intercidit sperantem pudore afficit Nostra verò eiusmodi non est sed firma immobilis perdurat c. The hope that is had in man sundrie times falleth away and shameth him that hopeth but our hope is not such but abideth firme and vnmoueable August praefat in Psal 123. Augustine saith Gaudium ergo nostrum fratres nondum est in re sed iam in spe Spes autem nostra tam certa est quasi iam res perfecta sit i Our ioy O brethren is not as yet in possession but in hope And our hope is so certaine as though Bernard lib. 5. de considera the thing were already done Bernard saith Ergo vt dixi fides ambiguum non habet aut si habet fides non est sed opinio Faith hath no doubting or if it haue it is not faith but an opinion Againe Non est enim fides aestimatio sed certitudo Epist 190. Anton. hist part 2. Tit. 17. cap 1 Sec. 5. fol. 217. faith is not an opinion but a certainty And Antoninus out of the same Bernard alleageth these words Clamat Apostolus Scio cui credidi et certus sum Et tu mihi sub sibilas fides est â—stimatio Tu mihi ambiguum garris quo nihil est certius c. The Apostle crieth out saying I know whom I haue beleeued and am certaine and doest thou whisper to me that faith is an opinion Poest thou bable and tell me that that is doubtful then the which there is nothing more certaine c. Hereby the indifferent reader may see both how false this desperate doctrine of doubting is against the which Ambrosius Catherinus an Archbishop a great doer in the councel of Trent did earnestly writ also that the Papists by this principle of their doctrine teach infidelity And withal let him consider whether is a more true godly comfortable doctrine to beleeue by faith our saluatioÌ„ or to be vncertaine to doubt therof as they teach But now let vs see how S. Paul exhorteth vs as this man saith to doubt of our saluation He saith Cum timore â—remore salutem vestram operamini which is thus translated With feare and trembling worke your saluation This text was alleedged by hearesay and not by sight For this worthy writer who so highly thinketh of himselfe and so greatly disdaineth others quoteth in the margent 1. Cor. 2 whereas it is not in that chapter nor in all that Epistle but it is Philip. 2. 12. But the fault hereof will be laid vpon the Printer Yet that the Printer should so much erre and set 1. Cor. 2. for Phillip 2. it is not likely And that this error is not of the Printer but of this mans fine memorie it may hereby appeare yâ— it is not in the vulgar editioÌ„ which they both do and are bound to follow cum timore but cum metu Hereby the reader may see with what care these men alleage the Scriptures not looking vpon the words nor considering the simple sense and meaning but snatching at the words and wresting them contrary to the purpose and meaning of the Apostle Whose intent is not to teach Rom 3. 28. 4 2. 5. Gal. 2. 16. Ephe. 2. 8. 9. 2. Tim. 1 9. Tit. 3. 4. the Phillippians that they be saued by their workes which is contrary to his doctrine in many other places but to disswade them from carelesse security and to exhort them to walke in good workes and to run on the race of their life in the feare of God vntil they come to attaine that saluation which God hath promised and Iesus Christ for vs hath purchased Saint Paul to the Ephesians doth as it were to the explication of
with it for els he would not haue acknowledged the effectuall faith the diligent 1. Thes 1. 3. loue and patient hope of the Thessalonians and that they were elected of God Which gifts of Gods spirit could not be in them without the grace of God Now by this mans diuinitie what madnesse was it for him to pray for grace vnto them whome hee did beleeue to bee indued with Gods grace alreadie And where as Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh 5 13. These things haue I writtē vnto you that beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that yee may know that yee haue eternall life and that yee may beleeue in the name of the sonne of God By this mans deepe doctrine it might seeme madnes for Saint Iohn to write to them that did beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that they should beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God But it seemed not so to S. Iohn who writeth to them that as they had blessedly begun to beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God so they might still continue grow and increase in the same faith Moreouer also I would aske of this man and his fellowes whether they praying do beleeue the forgiuenes of their sins if they do not then are they Infidels and deny the article of the creed I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes which before he falsely obiected to vs. If they do beleeue the forgiuenes of their sinnes why do they then by this mans doctrine pray for it If he say that he beleeueth that there is in generalitie a forgiuenes of sinnes but particularly he is not assured by faith of the forgiuenes of his owne sinnes then what doth his faith differ from the Diuels faith who beleeueth and trembleth as Saint Iames saith and what is Iame. 1◠this his doubting but as he himselfe here saith flat infidelitie And no maruaile though these men feele in their harts no assurance of faith for that they ground it not vppon the vnmoueable rocke of Gods promise but vpon the vnsure sand of their owne workes and satisfactions by the which indeed neither can their faith be assured nor their conscience quieted The which false doctrine while they beleeue I would know how they can aske forgiuenes of their sinnes For whosoeuer maketh satisfaction to God for them needeth not to aske forgiuenes of them But the Papists maintaine that they make full satisfaction to God for them as I haue before shewed therefore I may much more iustly say then he doth here that it is madnes to aske forgiuenes of the◠For what man not being mad owinge a summe of mony and paying it will desire the same to Rom. 3. 28. Ephes 3. 17. be forgiuen him concerning your scoffing in the proofe of your Minor or second proposition we indeed beleeue that wee are iustified by faith without the workes of the law and that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith and that by this hand of a true and vnfained faith in Iesus Christ we apply the plaister of his precious bloud shed for our sinnes to cure all the sorances and sores of our soules And take you heede that you trusting in your owne workes and merits in your Masses Agnus deis holy water pardons and manyfold other such paltries fall not into the ditch of damnation And this shall suffice for this article which is so absurd that it deserueth not so much The Pamphlet The Protestants are bound in conscience to auoyde all good workes 2. Article EVery man is bound vpon paine of eternall damnation to auoyde all deadly sinnes But fasting praying almes deedes and all good workes according to the a Luther in assaer artic 31. 32 36. Caluin lib. 3. institu cap. 12. Sect. 4. cap. 14. Sect. 4. 19. Melan. in Loc. tit de peccato Protestants religion are deadly sinnes Ergo according to the Protestantes religion all men are bound vpon paine of eternall damnation to auoyde fasting praying almes deedes and all good workes The Maior is manifest for the wages of deadly sinne is death b Rom. 6. 25. Stipendium peccati mors The Minor is euident for according to the Protestants religion and common exposition of this text of Scripture c Isa 64. 6. Facti sumus vt immūdi omnes nos tanquam pan nus menstruatae omnes iustitiae nostrae We are mane all as vncleane and all our iustices are as stained cloth That is to say the best workes we can doe are infected with deadly sinne and consequently deserue eternall damnation and therefore to be auoyded I am not ignorant that some wranglers with some shifting euasions goe about to answeare this Article forsooth that the staines and imperfections the sinnes and spots ought to be auoided but yet the good workes to be prosecuted A silly shift but put case it bee impossible to wring out the staines then is not this menstruous cloth to bee abhorred put case I could not giue almes but I must steale am I not bound in conscience to auoyd the giuing of almes Admit I could not see mine enemy but by experience long proued I should fall a quareling with him am I bound in conscience to auoide his company Say that I could not eate flesh but I should Scandalize the behoulders ought I not to say non manducabo carnes in aeternum I will not eate flesh for euer Graunt that I could not releeue the poore but that I should stayne this action with vaine glory should I not heare of him that cannot lie he hath receaued his reward consequently that there remayneth no recompensation therefore in heauen So I say in like manner if the corruption of nature if the poison of concupiscence so staine my best actions that whatsoeuer I doe or thinke I cannot possibly affect them without these infections and corruptions then certaienly I am bound in conscience to auoide these crimes and offences they which cannot possibly be performed without these vitious circumstances for bonum constat ex integra causa malum nascitur ex quolibet defectu a good thing consisteth of al integrity but an euill thing is caused by euery defect that a man be in health euery humour must keepe his temper that hee be sicke it sufficeth one onely to exceed and keepe not his iust proportion so that a worke bee good it must be effected with all due circumstances that it be ill one only will defile as wee comonly say one ill hearbe will spoile a whole potfull of pottage Answere AS Hannibal said of Phormio that hee had heard many doting fooles but he Cicer. lib. 2. de oratore neuer heard any that so much doted as did Phormio so may I say that I haue heard and read many foolish disputers but any that did so foolishly dispute and reason as this man doth I neuer heard nor read For what man in his witts will reason thus that because the corruptions of men do creepe into these
workes of fasting praying and almes giuing therfore the workes themselues be deadly sinnes Our doctrine is first that these workes and such other Psal 109. 7. being done by vnfaithfull hypocrites and wicked men be turned into sinne as Dauid saith for they be so corrupted and defiled with their infidelitie and wickednes that they be but splendida peccata glittering sinnes before God as Saint Augustine termeth them For euen as most pure water flowing through a filthie sinke or priuie is made foule filthy and stinking euen so these workes prayer fasting c. which bee good workes commanded of God flowing from their faithlesse and wicked hearts and bodies be so defiled that they be but filthy sinnes in in the sight of God Pro. 15. 8. Salomon saith the sarcifice of the wicked is abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable to Esa 1. 13. him God saith by the Prophet Esay Bring no moe oblations in vaine incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabboths nor solemne dayes it is iniquitie nor solemne assemblies My soule hateth your â—bid 66. 3. new Moones and your appointed feasts c. He that killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogges necke c. These sayings shew that euen the sacrifices commanded in the law of God were wicked abhominable wheÌ„ they were offered of wicked and prophane persons voyd of true faith and repentance So it is in the Prophet Haggai Thus saith the Lord of Hostes Aske now the Priestes concerning the law If one Hagg. 2. 12. beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt doe touch the bread or the pottage or the wine or ale or any meate shall it bee holy And the Priestes answered and sayd no. Then sayd Haggai if a polluted person touch any of these thinges shall it bee vncleane And the Priestes answered and sayd it shall bee vncleane Then answered Haggai and said so is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lord. and so are all the workes of their handes and that which they offer here is vncleane Agreeable to this is that which Tit. 1. 15. Saint Paul saith vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Christ our Math. 7. 16. 12. 33. Sauiour saith Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles and a corrupt tree bringeth forth euill fruit Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and without faith it is impossible Rom. 14. 23. Heb. 11 6. to please God Hereof we conclude that euen those workes which God hath commaunded and commended to vs in his word beeing done by the vngodly and reprobate be so corrupted by their infidelitie and wickednes that they bee not acceptable but rather abhominable before God So saith saint Augustine Sine qua fide quae videntur August lib. 3 ad Bonnifac cap. 5. Ambros de vo cat gentium lib. 1. cap. page 6. bona opera in peccata vertuntur without faith those workes which seeme to bee good are turned into sinne Saint Ambrose saith Sine cultu veri dei etiam quod virtus videtur esse peccatum est nec placere vllus deo sine deo potest without the worshippe of the true GOD euen that which seemeth to be virtue is sinne neither can any please God without God Anselme saith Omnis vita infidelium Anselme in Rom cap. 14. peccatum est nihil bonum sine summo bono i. The whole life of the vnfaithfull is sinne and there is nothing good without the chiefest good which is God By this the Christian reader may sufficiently see how false the doctrine of the Papists and namely of our fine and delicate Iesuites who teach as their proctor Andradius one of that coate blusheth not to auouch that all actions of those Explicat orthodox lib. 3. pag. 277. pag. 279. â—ulla culpa coâ—aminata pag. â—80 which bee vâ—yde of the true knowledge of GOD bee not sinne yea that they may doe workes defiled with no fault but worthy of great praise and that we are not to thinke that all the workes of them which be voyd of faith do so displease God that they bee crimes worthy eternall punishments Let the Godly reader compare these sayings of this Iebusite with those alleadged before out of the Scriptures and ancient Fathers and discerne which is more sound and agreeable not to the blind reason of man but to the wil of God reueiled in his word Secondly concerning the workes of the regenerate that belong to Gods election and mercy we say that although they bee done with imperfection and not so fully with their whole soule heart and minde as they should be but carry the touch of mans corruption and are not able to abide the strict and streight iudgement of God yet because they proceed from hearts purified by Act â—5 faith sanctified in some measure with Gods holy spirit they please God and the imperfections of them being pardoned in Iesus Christ they be accepted for pure and holy Math. 7. 16. 1â— 33. Pro. 15. 8. 1. Pet. 2. 5. Heb. 13. 16. Christ saith A good tree bringeth forth good fruite to the pure are all things pure The prayer of the righteous is acceptable to God The faitifull be an holy Priesthoode to offer vp spirituall sacrrfices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased This therfore is a falsely which this man with a brasen brow affirmeth that fasting praying and almes deedes according to our religion be deadly sinnes These workes be commanded of GOD who commaundeth no sinnes We say that the corruption of our nature which is but in part and imperfectly regenerate in this life doth creepe into them and therefore they be not so purely perfectly done of vs as God requireth whereby we acknowledge that euen the best workes we doe had neede of Gods mercy So Saint Augustine saith Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum siremota misericordia discutias eam Wo bee August confes lib. â— cap. 13. to the laudable life of man if thou O God examine it with out mercy Now what reasonable man will reason or imagine vs to reason thus that because we doe good workes not so purely and perfectly as Gods righteousnesse requireth and deserueth that therefore good workes as prayer almes deeds c. be deadly sinnes or are to be auoided of vs. But let vs come to examine the proofe of your Minor or second proposition You say that according to our religion and common exposition of this text of Scripture wee are maâ—e all as vncleane and all our iustices are like a stained Isaia 64. 6. cloth the best workes wee can
doe are infected with deadly sinne and deserue eternall damnation and therefore to be auoided We indeed expound this place not only of wicked hypocrites but also of the regenerate and faithfull and say that all our owne righteousnesse of works is so stained with the corruption of our sinfull nature that it is not able to stand before Gods iudgement seate nor abide his seuere triall and examination For when wee haue Luke 17. 10 done all thâ—se things which are commanded vs wee must say that we are vnprofitable seruants And if thou o Lord streightly Psal 130. 3. markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand and therefore we must pray and say Enter not into iudgement with thy Psal 143. 2 seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And Daniel 9. 8. with Daniel we say O Lord vnto vs appertaineth open shame to our Kings to our Princes to our fathers because wee haue sinned against thee yet compassion and forgiuenes is in the Lord our God Whereupon we acknowledge that our Iustice and righteousnesse consisteth not in the perfection of our vertues but in the forgiuenes of our sinnes Bernard thus expoundeth and applieth the place of Esay Nostra si Bernard de verbis Esaia Serm. 5. qua est humilis iustitia recta forsitan sed non pura nisi forte meliores nos esse credimus quà m patres nostros qui non minus veraciter quà m humiliter aiebant omnes iustitiae nostrae tanquam pannus menstruâ—tae mulieris Quomodo enim pura iustitia vbi adhuc non potest culpa deesse i. Our humble or base iustice if it be any is peraduenture right but not pure vnlesse we beleeue our selues to be better than our Fathers who no lesse truly then humbly said all our righteousnesse is as the cloth of a menstruous woman for how can righteousnesse be pure where sinne as yet wanteh not And againe Sed quid potest esse omnis iustitia nostra coram Deo Nonne iuxta Prophetam velut pannus menstruatae reputabitur si distrâ—ctè iudicetur iâ—iusta inuenietur omnis iustitia nostra i. What can all our iustice be before God Shall it not according to the Prophet bee reputed like the cloth of a menstruous woman and if it be straightly iudged all our iustice shall be found to be vniust How you expound this place I know not belike you satisfying Gods iustice so fully with your owne pure workes that he can aske no more of you as I alleaged before out of Bishop Fisher thinke that this place is not to be vnderstood of you and your iustice which is pure and perfit but of the iustice of Lutherans Caiuinists and such other prophane persons Wherin take you heede that you shew not your selues to be of them whome Christ came not to call who saith I am not come to call the righteous that is to say them that be puffed vp with a vaine and false perswasion of their owne righteousnesse but sinners to repentance And that they whome you disdaine and despise as Publicanes and harlots goe not before you into the Kingdome of God Wee take vpon vs the person of the Publican in acknowledging our owne vilenes and vnworthines and in respect thereof are abashed to lift vp our eyes to heauen but flee in all our workes to Gods mercy and are content that you with the Pharisee glory of your owne workes merits and righteousnes Salamon saith There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthines Now briefly to answere your syllogisme I reason thus No good workes are to bee auoyded but fasting prayer and almes deedes being commanded of God and proceeding from faithfull harts are by our doctrine good works Ergo they are not to bee auoyded but diligently in the feare of God to be vsed of vs but the corruptions of our sinfull nature which creepe into them are to be auoided and resisted and we are to pray vnto God in mercy to pardone them And so we may be assured that as in mercy through Christ hee hath accepted of vs so hee will in like mercy accept our workes as pure and perfect in Christ-Iesus Now I will retort your reason vpon your own head in this sort Euery man is bound vpon paine of eternall damnation to auoide all sinne but fasting praying and almes deedes as they be vsed by Papists to make satisfaction to God for their sinnes and to merite and purchase heauen be sinnes Ergo fasting prayer and almes deedes done in such sort are to be auoided The Minor or second proposition I proue thus He that attributeth that to his workes which is proper and peculiar to Iesus Christ sinneth grieuously but to make satisfaction for our sinnes appertaineth onely to Iesus Christ Ergo hee that attributeth the same to his workes grieuously sinneth But I shall haue occasion here-after more largely to handle this matter therefore now I omit it and so I will also the quotations of Luther Caluine and Melanchthon set in the margent for that they deliuer no other doctrine but that which I haue before declared the which I nothing boubt but it is so sound that it will indure and abide this mans hammer Although I nothing doubt but that this my answer to this article doth seeme sufficient to men that be not of corrupt mind and iudgement and the same is nothing impeached by this addition yet I will for the further stopping of the mouth of this wrangler who therewith chargeth others but to much vseth him-selfe say some-what more to the said article and addition And to lay away shifting euasions and to go directly to the matter I desire the Christian reader to looke to the article and his proofe of the same The Article is that Protestants are bound in conscience to auoyd all good workes his proofe is because all good workes according to the Protestants religion are deadly sinnes The which I haue declared to bee false and to be no doctrine of ours for we teach that as the prophane wicked and vngodly in whome sinne raigneth and doe â— giue vp their members seruants to iniquity are with all their workes abhominable before God so the good workes of the faithfull and regenerate in whome sinne remayneth but raigneth not are in Christ acceptable to GOD and profitable to men But this acceptation and profit commeth not of the purenesse and perfection and merite of our owne workes but in that the spottes and imperfection of them are by Christes righteousnesse couered for his name sake pardoned and in him accepted for pure and perfect For euen as men looking through a glasse be it greene blew or any such other coullor the thing vnder it seemes to bee of the same coullor the glasse is euen so GOD our heauenly Father looking vppon his elect and faithfull people through his Sonne IESVS CHRIST in whome hee is well pleased doth accept and take them with
their workes for such as IESVS CHRIST is And therefore wee say that although our best workes are done in weakenesse and bee stayned with the sinne which dwelleth in vs yet as long as wee yeeld not to our corruptions but striue and pray for the mortification of them our workes doe please and glorifie GOD and bee testimonies to our consciences of our eternall election and waies to walke in vnto saluation and therefore are not to bee auoyded but dilligently in the feare of God to bee vsed But the Doctrine of this man and of the Church wherevnto hee adhaereth is that they can doe good workes so purely and perfectly void of staine and corruption that they may by them merite and deserue his eternall glory hereafter The which hee that holdeth is a proud Pharisiee and blinde hypocrite knowing effectually neither the corruption of his owne heart nor the perfect puritie and holynesse which GOD who is most pure and holy in his law requireth For whereas there is euen in them that bee regenerate both the new man and the old The spirite and the flesh Galat. 5. 17. and the flesh lusteth against the spirite and these be contrary one to the other that what thinges they would they Rom. 7. 14. doe not And seeing that they bee carnall sold vnder sinne so that they allow not what they doe For that which they would they doe not but that they hate they doe so that they doe it not but sinne that dwelleth Rom. 15. 27. 20. 22. 23. 24. in them And that although they consent to the law of GOD according to the inner man yet they see an other law in their members fighting against the law of their minde and leading them captiues to the law of sinne which is in their members so that they cry out and say O wretched men who shall deliuer vs from this body of death whether the regenerate and best men beeing in this estate wherein Saint Paul after mercy and grace receiued confesseth himselfe to haue beene can doe good workes purely and perfectly voyd of staine and corruption let any whome the God of this world hath not blinded iudge But to come to the cases which this man full wisely putteth to the first say that if hee who maketh the sinnes of those that truly turne to him though they Isai 1. were as redde as bloud as white as snow bee not able to wring out of this menstruous cloath the staines of it and to make it cleane in the bloud of his Sonne 1 Iohu 1. then is this menstruous cloath to bee abhorred And if you cannot giue almes but you must steale then is almes giuen to bee auoyded For wee must not doe Rom. 3. euill that good may come of it For they that say and doe so theire damnation is iust And if mallice so abound in your heart that you cannot see your enemy but you must fall a quarrelling with him then his company is to bee shunned And if you cannot eate flesh but you must scandalize and giue occasion of offending GOD to the beholder then you ought not to eate flesh And if you cannot releeue the poore but for vaine glory then haue you your reward and such reliefe is to bee spared Sed quorsum haec What of all this So saith he in like manner of the corruption of nature if the pâ—ison of concupisceÌ„ce so stâ—in my best actions that whatsoeuer I do or think I cannot possibly effećt them without these infections and corruptions then certainly I am bound in concsience to auoid these crimes and offences the which cannot possibly be performed without these vitious circumstances For answer here-vnto I desire the reader to obserue the manner of this mans reasoning that whereas by our doctrine euen good and faithfull men cannot doe good workes without some infection of sinne remayning in them this man intreateth of wicked men and of their workes vtterly defiled by sinne raigning ouer them For he that stealeth to giue almes and in whose heart mallice so aboundeth that he cannot see his enemie but he must quarrell with him c. is a wicked man and sinne raigneth in him And such men giuing their hearts to wickednesse as God will not heare their prayers so will hee not accept either them or any of their workes Moreouer whereas the question is whether good workes for corruptions and Psal 66. 18. infections in them are to be auoyded he concludeth that crimes and offences are to be auoyded To the which I say Amen And where 's he saith that a good thing consisteth of all Integritie but an euill worke is caused by euery defect and proueth the same by health and sickenesse and by a potfull of pottage which one ill hearbe will spotle I answer that as euill humors may be in mans body not ouermuch abounding and dominering in the same it may liue do good actions profitable to him-selfe and others So though euill humors of sinne bee in vs as long as they abound not and rule not ouer vs wee may liue vnto God and do workes acceptable to him in Iesus Christ by whose righteousnes they be perfumed and made sweete and sauory before his Maiestie And as in a potte of pottage one venemous and poysonable hearbe may spoile the whole so one great and poysonable sinne raigning in man may bring destruction and damnation to the whole man both in body and soule Yet as there may be euill hearbes in pottage which bring not death to the eaters thereof so their may bee imperfections and corruptions in mens workes and not be deadly to them that be in Iesus Christ For as there may be an Antidotum and counterpoyson against very perrillous poysons to expell them and preserue life so Iesus Christ who dwelleth in the heartes of Eâ—hes 3. his elect and chosen people by faith is a most sure and safe Antidotum and counterpoyson against not onely imperfections but also great and dangerous sinnes and offences to those that truly repent vnfainedly beleeue in him and by his spirite do indeauour to mortifie the euill afections of the flesh and more and more to grow in newnes and holynes of life As for that all Integritie wherein this man saith good thinges consist it is in this corrupt estate of ours sinne dwelling in vs rather to bee wished then attained For when wee haue done the best wee can wee must confesse our selues to bee improfitable seruants True Contr. Pelagi lib. 1. is this saying of Saint Hierom. Haec est hominis vera sapientia imperfectum se esse nosse atque vt ita loquar cunctorum in carne iustorum imperfecta perfectio est This is mans true wisdome to acknowledge himselfe to bee vnperfect and that I may so say the perfection of all that liue in flesh is imperfect And againe Haec hominibus sola perfectio Ad Ctesiphont aduers Pelagi Sâ— imperfectos se esse nouerint This is the
in Math cap. 3. can fullfill the law of GOD yea can doe superarrogant workes I should say workes of Supererogation aboue them that the law requireth Ergo the Papists bee proud Hypocrites and Phraisees The Pamphlet The most poynts wherein the Protestants dissent from the Catholikes tend to loosenes of life and carnall liberty 4. Article THis article may bee proued by a generall induction in all such matters as now the Protestants call in question First say that a man hath not free will to doe good but all goodnesse proceedeth so from grace that it lyeth not in his power neither to haue it nor resist it but of necessitie it must haue effect To what other end tendeth this senceles doctrine and fatall fancie but to make men negligent in disposing and preparing their soules to receiue Gods grace and rouse it vp and put it in execution after they haue it making man not much vnlike a sicke asse who neither can dispose nor prepare himselfe to seeke for his medicine but of necessitie must expect till his maister thrusteth it into his throate neither after hee hath drunke it can cause it cure his disease but carelesly letteth it worke as it will Secondly they defend that men be iustified by faith alone the which Solifidian position ouerthroweth flatly true repeâ—tance sorrow for sins mortification of passions al other virtues which tend to perfect reconciliation of the soule with God causing men onely to procure a certaine false fantastical apprehension of Christs death passioÌ„ the which faith although they erroniously auerre cannot be seuered from charity vertues good works yet both experience teacheth that it may for also few or none haue faith because few or none of them haue these works and the Scriptures plainely proue that all faith yea and the most noble faith which hath force to remoue Mountaines may be without charitie Thirdly they assure vs that faith once had can neuer be lost the which vain security openeth the gap to al libertine sensuâ—lity for if a man bee certain that he hath true faith if it bee impossible he should lose it if he be secured that by it alone he shal be saued why may he not wallow in al licentious pleasures in this life neuer doubt of glory in the other could euer Epicurus haue fouÌ„d a better ground to plant his Epicurisme could euer Heliogabalus haue better patronised his seÌ„suality could Bacchus or Venus euer haue forged better reasons to enlarge their dominion Fourthly they say a man cannot keep all the commaundements for what other cause I pray you but thereby to make men negligent in keeping of them to pretend an excuse of impossibilite whensoeuer they transgresse them Fiftly why deny they the Sacrament of penance but to make men careles how they liue and neuer regard the auoiding of sinnes as though they were neuer to render an account of theÌ„ to hinder that shame blushing which men conceiue in discouering their sins the which are most excellent meanes to deter them from sinning another time to shuffle vp restitution satisfaction of iniuries committed against our neighbours to draw men from remorse of conscience by burying their sins in eternal obliuion the sores whereof confession rubbeth causeth remembrance Sixtly why exclude they the true real body of Christ from the blessed Sacrament of the altar but for that they perceiue how by the presence thereof they were deterred from sinne and wickednes for they knew well that sinfull liâ—es consorted not with those sacred misteries and therefore they rather resolued to banish Christ from the Sacrament then sinnes from their soules Finally for what other cause haue they coined a new negatiue religion wholy standing vpon negation of sacraments ceremonies rites lawes customes other principal points of the catholike Church but for fasting to bring in feastâ—g for praying playing for deuotion â—issolutioÌ„ for religious fâ—are of God vain securitie for zeale and mortification a nuâ—ber of vaine verbal sermons and to conclude for a positiue working a flat deniall almost of all points of faith and religion Answere COncerning this article I will first answere these cauils which this cauiller obiecteth to the slaundering of our doctrine as tending to loosenesse of life and carnall libertie Secondly I will shew to what loosenesse and wickednesse of life the doctrine of the Church of Rome tendeth and what fruits or rather weeds of wickednes it hath brought forth euen in Popes their clergie and namely in Rome that holy Citie where that holy Father resideth and wherevpon he especially breatheth and blesseth He beginneth with free will wherein he neither setteth downe truly our doctrine nor the state of the controuersie which is a vsuall custome with his companions to peruert and alter the state of the question as Doctor Whitakers sheweth yâ— Bellarmine vseth to do I wil Epist dedica in contr 1. therefore lay downe our doctrine truly as we teach concerning this matter wee beleeue that although in worldly matters concerning this life man haue wit reason and vnderstanding to know and will for the choise of good and euill iust and vniust yet in spirituall matters pertayning to eternall life and the worship of God wee beleeue that mans reason is so darkened wil be so corrupted that he can neither truly know loue nor couet much lesse do performe those things which bee agreeable to Gods will and acceptable vnto his Maiestie vntill God in his elect and chosen people doe by his holy spirit regenerate them by lightning their blinde reason and forming their wicked wils This we proue by these places of Scripture here following The Lord saw that the wickednes Genes 6. 5. of man was so great vpon the earth al the imaginations of the thoughts of his hart were euil continually And that the Ibid. cap. 8. 21. Math. 16. 17. imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Flesh and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my Father which is in John 1. 5. Verse 1â— Iohn 3. 3. heauen That light shined iâ— the darkenes and the darkenes comprehended it not Which are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh but of God Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh 13 is flesh that which is borne of the spirit is spirit A man can 27 receiue nothing except it be giuen him from heauen No man Chap. 6. 44. 65 can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Therefore I said vnto you that no man can coâ—e vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my Father without mee ye can do nothing The wisdome of the flesh iâ— death The wisedome Cap. 15. 5. Rom. 8. 6. 1. Cer. â— 14 of the flesh is enmitie against God The natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes to him
neither can he know them because they are spiritually Cap 4. 7. discerned What hast thou that thou hast not receiued No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost By Cap 12. 3. Cap 15. 10. the grace of God I am that I am Not that we are sufficient of our selues to think any thing as of our selues but our sufficiâ—ncie â— Cor 3 5. Philip 2. 13. Hebr. 13. 21. is of God It is God that worketh in you both the wil the deed euen of his good will and pleasure The God of peace make you perfect in all good works to do his wil working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ our Lord. Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne Joh 8. 34. 36 If the Sonne shall make you free ye shall bee free indeede By these sayings let the Christian reader coÌ„sider of what value and force our wit and will is in heauenly matters vntil the one belightned the other reformed by Gods grace and spirit Herevnto I will adde a few places of the auncient Fathers Saint Augustine saith Quid bâ—ni operari potest perditus nisi quantum fuerit perditione liberatus Nunquid August Enchir ad Lani cap 30. libero voluntatis â—â—â—itrio hoc absit nam libero arbitrio male vtâ—ns homo se perdidit ipsum Sicut enim qui se occidit c. What good can hee that is lost doe but in as much as he is deliuered from perdition Can he bee restored by his free will God forbid For man vsing ill his â—ree will lost both himselfe and it also For as one killing himselfe doth kill himselfe whilest hee liueth but hauing killed himselfe doth not liue nor can raise and restore himselfe beeing dead so when a man sinned by his free will sinne hauing gotten victory his free wil was lost De Natura gratia cap. 53. Againe Quid tantum de naturae possibilitate praesumis vulnerata sauciata vexata perdita est vera confessione non falsa defensione opus habet Gratia ergo dei non qua instituatur sed qua restituatur quaeratur What dost thou presume so much of the power of nature it is wounded maymed vexed and lost it hath need of a true confession not of a false defence Therefore the grace of God not whereby the will is ordained but whereby it is restored is to bee sought Many such other sayings he hath in his workes against the Pelagans which I omit But this man saith that man may dispose and prepare his soule to receiue Gods grace and this he proueth not by Scripture but I will not say Assedly by the similitude of a sicke Asse that cannot dispose nor prepare him-selfe to seeke for his medicine By this diuinity men preuent Gods grace and it doth not preuent them men first seeke God and not God them For answere wherof I would aske this man whether it be not with all the of spring of Adam as it was with Aâ—am him-selfe after his fall Now whether did Gene. 3. Adam seeke God first or God him the Scripture saith that GOD called vpon Adam and that he was so farre from seeking God that he and his wife hid themselues from the presence of the Lord God So that if God in mercy had not sought them and called vpon them it seemeth that they had neuer sought nor called vpon God And euen so it is with all his posterity as our Sauiour sheweth by the lost sheepe whome the Shepheard seeketh and bringeth Luk. 15. 4. home the sheepe nothing disposing or preparing it selfe to seeke to the Shepheard or to returne to the fould So God saith I was found of them that sought me not Did Peter repent vntill Christ had looked on him and the Cocke had Isai 65. 1. crowed What disposition and preparation was in Paul to seeke the grace of Christ Therfore I may truely say that as Lazarus prepared himself being dead in graue to be raised vp by Iesus Christ so do men dead in sinne dispose and prepare themselues to receaue the medicine of Gods grace Ephes 2. 4. S. Paul saith God which is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace ye are saued To this doctrine the auncient Fathers beate witnes Saint Augustine saith Vt totum Deo detur qui hominis voluntatem August â—nchir ad Laurent cap. 32. bonam praeparat adiuuandam adiuuat praeparatam All is to be giuen to GOD who both prepareth the good will of man to bee helped and helpeth it being prepared Againe Nolentem praeuenit vt velit volentem subsequitur Idem ibidem ne frustra velit GOD preuenteth him that is not willing that hee may bee willing and hee followeth him that is willing that he may not will in vaine Now if this our doctrine concerning the will of man be the truth of God confirmed both by the word of God and by the testimonies of the most learned Fathers then without blasphemy it cannot bee said to tend vnto loosenes of life or carnall liberty it teacheth vs both true humility in acknowledging our own misery and wants and to attribute all to Gods grace and mercy and to attribute all to Gods grace and mercy and to arrogate nothing to our selues and doth it tend to carnall liberty and careles security Wee are both to exhort others and also to stirre vp our selues to feare and serue God in holines of life And yet we must acknowledg that God worketh those things in vs whereto he exhorteth vs. And therefore the same spirit that saith Turne vnto mee with all your hearts saith also Joel 2. Lament 3. Ezch. 28. 13. Ezech. 11. 19. Turne vs O Lord and we shall be turned He that saith Make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye dye O house of Israel saith also I will put a new spirit within their bowels and I will take the stony heart out of their bodies and wil giue theÌ„ an heart of flesh And againe create in me a cleane Psalm 51. 20. heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me The same Isai 1. 16. Psalm 51. 7. Ezech. 36. 25. spirit that saith Wash you cleane saith also Purge mee with Hyssope and I shall be cleane Wash me and I shall bee whiter then Snow And againe I will power cleane water vpon you and a new spirt will I put within you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your filthines and from all your Idols will I cleanse you The same spirit that saith Be ye holy for I am holy saith 1. Thess 5. 23. also the God of peace make you holy And so we must come August confe lib. 10. cap. 29. to that saying of Saint Augustine Da quod iubes iube quod vis Giue
vs O Lord that which thou commaundest vs and then commaund vs what thou wilt And therefore they reason like doltish Asses which inferre vpon the exhortations to grace and godlines which be in the Scriptures that there is a power and ability in vs to performe those things whereunto God in his word exhorteth vs. Exhortations bee Gods instruments and meanes which he vseth to worke his heauenly graces in vs and they teach vs not what we can doe but what we should doe I would here end this matter but yâ— I must tell you that you write improperly and falsely in charging vs that we say al goodnes proceedeth so far from grace that it lieth not in mans power neither to haue it nor to refuse it but of necessity in must haue effect Improperly you write in putting hauing Gods grace in steed of obtayning getting it we say it is in man to haue it wheÌ„ God doth giue it without which gift it is not in mans power to get it But it is in man to resist it For the grace of God offereth saluatioÌ„ to al but it is resisted Tit. 2 11. reiected of maâ—y in that their hard and stony hearts wil not admit it The grace of God is offered to men when his word is preached and they be called to repentance but it is with many and namely you as Zacharie saith They refused Zachar. 7. 11 As the Papists doe now to hearken pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare Yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the Law and words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by the ministery of the former Prophets I know no man that denieth but such men doe resist the grace of God which yet is receiued of them that are written in the booke of life whose wils it reformeth and of euill wils maketh good wils willing and coueting those things which be acceptable in Gods sight Finally I thought good for the better satisfying of the reader in this matter to let him vnderstand that whereas Erasmus a man as all men must needs confesse of great learning was had in iealousie of the Papists as too much leaning to Luther and his doctrine hee was at the last prouoked and set on by them to write against him who chusing this matter of free will and writing in defence thereof yet afterward he retracted and reuoked his former opinion and writing and was not abashed to confesse the truth as appeareth by these his words Verum vt ingenuè â—rasm lib. 19. â—pist ad Ludoâ—â—cum Viâ—em dicam perdidimus liberum arbitrium illic mihi aliud dictabat animus aliud scribebat calamus But simply to speake my minde We haue lost our free will in that matter my minde did indite to me one thing and my hand did write another I come now to the second doctrine of ours which you vntruely charge and falsely slander to tend to loosenesse of life and carnall liberty that men bee iustified by faith alone which you scornefully call a solifidian portion and falsely say but doe not proue that it flatly ouerthroweth true repentance sorrow for sinnes mortification of passions and all other vertues which tend to that perfect reconciliation of the soule with God c. Where first I would exhort you if the same might any thing preuaile with you to take heed that by scorning in this manner at Gods Psalm 1. 1 Prou. 19. 29 truth you shew not your selfe to be one of them that sit in the seate of the scornefull Salomon saith that iudgements are prepared for the scornâ—rs stripes for the backe of fooles Secondly as this doctrine which you deride is true Godly and comfortable confirmed by the word of God ancient Fathers so doth it not exclude much lesse ouerthrow repentance or any other good worke but sheweth the true and right vse of them Saint Paul saith Wee conclude Rom. 5 28 that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law And in the fourth chapter hee reasoneth thus from Abraham the father of the faithfull If Abraham were iustified Rom. 4 2 by workes he hath wherin to reioyce or glory But Abraham hath not wherein to reioyce or glorie before God Ergo AbrahaÌ„ was not iustified by works And after saith To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth Galat. 2 16 the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Wee know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that wee might bee iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe because that by the workes of the lawe no flesh shall bee iustified This doctrine was neither scorned nor denied by the auncient Godly Fathers of some of whome I will set downe a few sayings Origene speaking of the theefe that was hanged with Origen in 3. ad Rom. Christ saith Pro hac sola fide ait ei Iesus Amen dico tibi Hodie mecum eris in paradiso For this his onely faith Iesus said vnto him Verely I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in paradise And of the woman that had the issue of bloud Ex nullo legis opere sed pro sola fide â—â— Ibidem ad eam Remittuntur tibi pecâ—ata For no worke of the law but for faith onely he said vnto her Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Hâ—larie saith Solafides iustificat Onely faith Hilar. in Math. Caâ— 8. Can 21. Ambrosâ—n Rom. 3. doth iustifie Ambrose saith iustificati sunt gratis quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt donâ— Dei They are iustified freely because working nothing nor rendring any recompence they are iustified by faith onely through the gift of â—od The like he writeth in Rom. 4. and 10. and vpon the 1. Cor. 1. Praefat. ad Galat. and vpon chap. 3. Saint Hierome saith Conuerteâ—tem Hier. in Rom. cap. 4. impium per solum fidem iustificat Deus non opera bona quae non habuit God doth by faith only iustifie the wicked man conuerting not by good workes which hee had not Many such other sayings I might alleage out of Hierome Augustinus in Psal 67. but I leaue them Saint Augustine saith Sine bonorum operum meritis per fidem iustificatur impius The wicked man is iustified by faith without the merites of good workes In Psal 88. Againe Quia sola fides in Christum mundat c. Because onely faith in Christe doth make cleane they that doe not beleeue in Christ bee voyd of cleanesse He hath also Eâ—chir ad Laurent cap. 117. often this fine saying Fides impetrat quod lex imperat Faith obtaineth that which the law commaundeth that is to say the law commandeth a righteousnesse of workes faith obtaineth
the righteousnes of Christ which onely is able to hide and discharge all our vnrighteousnesse This doctrine which this disdainfull man so much disdaineth is acknowledged of the Greeke Fathers Basil saith This is perfect and sound glorying in God when a man doth not boast himselfe for his owne righteousnes Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. â—â—â— but knoweth himselfe to bee voyd of true righteousnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And is iustified by onely faith in Christ Chrysostome saith Nobis pro cunctis sola Chrysost in Math Hom. 12. Idem de prodâ—tione Iudae fides sufficiat Onely faith is sufficient to vs for all other thinges Againe Illud vnum asseueraueâ—im quód sola fides per se salvum fecerit This I may affirme that only faith by it selfe saueth Againe Rursus illi dicebant qui sola fide nititur execrabilis est hic contrà demonstrat qui sola Idem in Galat. cap. 3 fide nititur eum benedictum esse They said hee that leaneth onely to faith is accursed but Paul on the contrarie part sheweth that hee that leaneth to faith onely is blessed Many such other places out of the Latine and Greeke Fathers I might produce but I omit them I hope hee will not say that these Fathers which deliuered this doctrine of solifidian faith as he disdainfully termeth it did ouerthrow repentance mortification and all other vertues Nay this true faith which neither falsely nor fantistically but truly and effectually apprehendeth Christs death and passion and applieth the same as a most soueraigne salue to cure all the sores of our soules is that which giueth life to repentance mortification and all other verâ—â—es For as faith without workes is dead as S. Iames saith so workes Iames 2. 26 Cyril in exposit Symbol Nâ—â—â—n tom 1. Concil pag. 543 Chry in 1 ad Timot Hom. 5. without faith are dead as Cyril and Chrysostome say And we truly auerre that this true faith in Gods merifull promises by the which Christ doth dwel in our hearts cannot be seuered from charitie vertues and good workes as hee falsely affirmeth but faintly and foolishly prooueth that it may His first reason is taken from experience because few or none of vs haue faith for that few or none of vs haue these workes How many or few of vs haue faith and good workes you are no competent iudge for to determine And therefore wee appeale from your affectionate and erronious iudgement to the true and iust iudgement of God I doubt not but before I haue ended this article to proue that we be not so void of good workes and so ful of abhominable wickednesse as your Popes and spitefull spiritualty hath beene Your second proofe you will draw out of the Scripture that all faith yea and the most noble faith which hath 1. Cor. 13. force to remoue mountaines may be without charitie I answere that Saint Paul speaketh not there of the faith of Tit. â—â—1 Math. 7. Gods elect but of that which is a gift to worke miracles which may bee in wicked reprobates such as Iudas was and so doth Oecumenius the Greeke Scholiast expound it in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen in 1. Cor. 13 He speaketh not of the common and Catholike faith of the faithfull but of a certaine gift of faith â—or there was a certaine kinde of gift which by an equiuocation was called faith So that S. Paul as hee had before compared charity with the gift of tongues and with the gift of prophesying so here he compareth it with the gift of doing miracles And as those gifts may be in the wicked seuered from charity so also may this Some writers also in the former chapter where S. Paul saith To another is giuen â— Cor. 12. 9. faith by the same spirit do expound it of the particular faith of doing miracles As Theophilactus Non fides dâ—gmatum Theophilact in 1. Cor. 12 sed miraculorum quae montes transfert He speaketh not of faith of doctrine but of miracles which mooueth mountaines And therefore S. Paul meaneth that if the whole faith which is in doers of miracles were in him separated from charitie as it may bee hee were nothing But that faith by which Christ dwelleth in the hearts of his elect neither is nor can be separated from charitie but Gâ—lath 5. 6. worketh by it And therefore S. Paul in his gratulations in the beginning of his Epistles doth alwaies ioyne them togither as being such graces of Gods spirit which be neuer separated asunder Hearing of the faith which ye haue in Ephes 1. 15. Coloss 14. 1. Thess 1 3 2. Thess 1 3 Philem. 1 5. â—ebr 12 the Lord Iesus and loue towards all the Saints To conclude this point that this doctrine doth not tend to loosenes of life we teach that they which doe not follow peace and holinesse shall neuer see God and that good workes are the waies wherein wee must walke to the kingdome of God and eternall life to the which they that doe not walke in them shall neuer come For without the holy Citie shall bee dogs and enchaunters and whoremongers and murtherers Apocal. 22. 15 idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies And although good fruites make not the tree good yet they be necessarie effects of a good tree so euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be out downe and cast into the fire Mâ—th 3 10. The third doctrine of ours which you vntruely charge to tend to loosenes of life is That faith once had can neuer be lost the which vaine securitie you say openeth the gap to all libertine sensualitie and hereat you make great exclamations Here I will first cleere the doctrine and afterward answere your vaine cauillations and needlesse exclamations Faith is diuers waies taken in the holie Scriptures First it is taken for the doctrine of faith or the Gospell which we beleeue as By whom wee haue receâ—ued Rom. 1 5 grace and Apostleship to the obedience of faith aâ—ong al Gentiles that is that all nations might obey the Gospell Also to the Galathians This onely would I know oâ— you Receiued Galat. 3 2. ye the spirit by the workes of the law or by the hearing of fâ—â—th that is by hearing the Gospell preached So wee call the Christian faith and the Apostolicall faith In this sense faith being taken for the doctrine of the Gospell we confesse that many may know it make profession of it and historically beleeue it and yet afterwards may fall from it as Iudas and many in Asia did Secondly it is taken for 2. Tim. 1. 15. that promise which wee make in Baptisme whereby wee binde our selues to professe true religion to beleeue in God in whose name we be baptized Hereof S. Paul speaketh Refuse the yonger widowes for when they haue begun to waxe wanton against Christ they will â—arrie hauing â—amnation 1.
Tim. 5 11. because they haue broken the first faith The which is to be vnderstood of the first profession of faith in Baptisme not of the latter vow of single life as the Papists falsely and foolishly expound it From this faith all they doe fall which turne either on the right hand to false doctrine or on the left hand to wicked life Many other waies faith is taken but this question is of that true liuely and iustifying faith which is the faith of Gods elect whereby Christ Tit. 1. Ephes 3. dwelleth in their hearts and they receiue nourishment and life from him This faith may be couered by temptations and falles as fire in the night with ashes but neuer vtterly extinguished For they in whome this true faith is are like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will Psal 1 3 bring forth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade And they that trâ—st in the Lord shall bee as mount Psal 125. â— Sion which cannot bee mooued but remaineth for euer They thâ—t by thâ—â— faith are built vpon the rocke Iesus Christ Math. 16. 18 hell gates shall neuer ouercome them Christ saith He that beleeueth iâ— the Sonne of God hath euerlasting life Hee that hearetâ— my word beleeueth in him that sent mâ— hath euerlasting Ioâ— 3. 36. chap â— 2â— life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed roÌ„ death to life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Chap. 6. 35. Ephes 1. 13 Saint Paul saith Wherein after ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance for the redemption of that libertie purchased vnto the praise of his glory These places sufficiently shew that that faith which is common to all Gods elect and proper only to the elect can neuer perish nor bee vtterly lost in them And this true comfortable doctrine bringeth no vaine securitie nor openeth the gap to any libertine sensualitie For they that by this faith haue tasted how sweete the Lord is cannot but loue and feare God and greatly delight in his commandements And that faith which swimmeth Psal 112 1 in meÌ„s lips but is not printed in their hearts nor shineth by Godlines and good workes in their liues is a dead faith and is no more that true faith whereby we liue vnto God then a dead man is a man To conclude this matter although we distinguish betweene iustification and sanctification yet wee acknowledge that they be inseparable and the one doth necessarily follow the other For whosoeuer are iustified by Gods grace and mercy through faith in Christ Iesus be also sanctified with Gods holy spirit to abhorre that which is euill and to cleaâ—e to that which is good to serue God in truâ— holinesse and righteousnes all the daies Rom. 12. 9. Luk 1 75 of their life And therefore we teach that they which without repentance persist in sinnne wallow in wickednesse and commit vngodlinesse with greedinesse haue no faith nor haue any assurance of the remission of their sinnes but may be assured that the wrath of God hangeth ouer them and â—f they doe not truely repent and bring forth fruites worthy amendement of life will fearefully fall vpon them So that you might haue spared your vaine and foolish exclamations concerning Epicures Heliogabalus Bacchus and Venus which are more honoured in Rome as hereafter I will shew then allowed of vs. For of whome did Mantuan the Italian Carmelite Frier an 100. yeares past De calamitat tempor lib. 2 write this but of your Popes and his fauourers Neglecto superum cultâ— spretoque tonantis im erio Baccho indulgent Venerique ministrant Neglecting the worship of God they serue Bacchus and Venus Concerning the fourth point of doctrine of keeping Gods commandements I haue spoken sufficiently before Onely now I say that our doctrine tendeth hereunto to shew vs our misery by transgressing of them that wee may thereby bee mooued to hunger for Gods mercie in Christ and although we cannot perfectly fulfill them for in many thingâ— we sinne all yet we ought according to the Iamet 3. 2 measure of Gods grace giuen to vs haue a care and conscience to walke in them and to frame our liues to the obedience of them Whereas fiftly you charge vs that wee deny the Sacrament of Penance thereby to make men careles how they liue I answer that although we deny your penance to be a Sacrament because it hath no outward visible signe and reiect your clancular confession your absurd absolution and your surperstitious or rather blasphemous satisfaction thereby to answere Gods iustice and discharge your sins yet we truly teach the doctrine of repentance as it is deliuered vnto vs in the word of God We teach men to come to the knowledge of their sins by the law of God which is the Rom 3. glasse to shew vs our spots the first step to repentance then to lament their sinnes whereby they haue offended their gracious God and mercifull father to confesse their sinnes with remorse of conscience both to God and men whom they haue offended and especially wee call vpon men for amendement of life in bringing forth fruits worthie of repentance without the which there is no repentance One part of which amendement is satisfaction to our brethren for iniuries committed and restitution of goods vnlawfully and vngoldly gotten As touching our iniuries against God wee plead not our owne satisfaction but craue Gods mercie in Christ Iesus who is our onely satisfaction and by whom only we seeke to haue remission of them Whereas you say that your confession rubbeth the sores of sinne and causeth remembrance of them I say that this more truely and effectually is wrought by the preaching of Gods word whereby sinne is more shewed and the wrath and iudgements of God against sinne are more threatned and thereby the conscience more pricked 2. Sam. 12. 7 and wounded then by your confession So Dauid was brought to repentance for his foule sinnes of adultery and murther by Nathans preaching and thundring Gods iudgements against him and not by his secret confessing So the people hauing heard Peter preach the worde of Act. 2. 37 De poeâ—itent dist 5. cap. in poeâ—itent iâ— gâ—ossa Concil tom 1 part 1. P. 155. Socrat. lib. â— cap. â—9 Sâ—zomen lib. 7 cap. 16 God were pricked in their hearts said vnto Peter the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe This is Gods holy ordinance the other a plant which God hath neuer planted but an inuention of man as euen your own Canonists against your Schoolemen doe confesse And what wickednes hath come of it the ecclesiasticall historie partly sheweth and God who seeth all secrets knoweth Your owne Aluarus Pelagius Bishop of Sylueus in Portugale in his booke de planctu ecclesiae writeth thus of your confession and confessioners Saepè cum parochâ—anis
turne it vnto good So when the Chaldeans and Sabeans tooke away Iobs Oxen and Camels and slew his Seruants they were vrged and impelled thereunto by the diuell yet Iob saith God hath giuen and God hath taken blessed be the name of God To this spoiling of Iobs goods God did Iob. 1. 21. not commaund perswade vrge or impell the Chaldeans and Sabeans yet the same was not done without his prouidence and ordinance who turned the same to his glory in prouing and purging Iob in the furnace of affliction in making him a paterne of patience to all posteritie and in teaching men thereby not to iudge of men by outward afflictions and aduersities whereunto both the faithfull and wicked be subiect So in the examples here set downe the diuell put into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ and impelled the Iewes to crucifie him yet hee Acts 2. 23 4. 28. was deliuered to them by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God to doe whatsoeuer the hand and counsell of God had determined before to be done Thus these thinges which were done against the will of God were not done as Saint Augustine saith beside or without the Enehir ad Lauâ— cap. 100. will of God that is they were done against the commandement and will of God reuealed in his word yet not without the eternall purpose counsell and decree of God And the same being most wickedly committed by man God turned directed them to the endlesse praise of his mercie and the eternall saluation of his elect So Saint Augustine saith Cum ergo pater tradiderit filium August epist 48. ad Vincent pag. 109. suum ipse Christus Corpus suum Iudas Dominum suum cur in hac traditione Deus est pius homo reus nisi in re vna quam fecerunt causa non vna est ob quam fecerunt Whereas both the Father gaue his sonne and Christ gaue his owne bodie and Iudas gaue or betrayed Christ why in this giuing is God holy and man guiltie but that in one thing which they did there was not one and the same cause wherefore they did it This is not to doe euill that good may come of it for all actions as they are of God are good and righteous For if a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite as our Sauiour Math. 7. 18. Christ saith how much lesse can God who is the author of all goodnes and euen goodnes it selfe bring forth euill actions Neither doth God directly or effectually intend the sins of men nor their damnation but his owne glory which shineth not onely in the manifestation of his mercy towards the faithfull and godly but also in the declaration of his iustice against the wicked and reprobate The similitude of intending the burning of a ship and consequently the death of them that be in it will not here hold For God as I haue said before doth intend neither the sinne nor perdition of man but his owne glorie and the execution of his iust iudgements Your owne Angelicall Doctor Thomas Aquinas to the like similitude of drowning a ship answereth thus Ad tertium dicendum Thom. Aquin. part 1. summae quaest 49. quòd subuersio nauis attribuitur nautae vt causae ex eo quòd non agit quod requiritur adsalutem nauis sed Deus non deficit ab agendo quod est necessarium ad salutem inde non est simile i. To the third we say that the drowning of a ship is attributed to the Mariner as the cause thereof because hee doth not that which is requisite for the safetie of the ship but God faileth not from doing that which is necessarie vnto saluation whereupon this is not like So in burning a ship malice in man is the cause thereof but there is no malice in God Ezech. 18. 32. neither doth he desire the death of him that dieth but the execution of his iustice Yet it is true which Augustine saith Deus operatur in cordibus hominum ad inclinandas voluntates August de graâ—ia lib. arbitr cap. 21. eorum quocunque vult siue ad bona pro sua misericordia siue ad mala pro ipsorum meritis iudicio vtique aliquando aperto aliquando occulto semper autem iusto i. God worketh in the hearts of men to incline their wils to whatsoeuer he will either to good things by his mercie or to euist for their deserts by his iudgement which sometime is open and sometime secret but alwaies iust And which Fulgentias saith Deus licèt auctor Fulgentius ad Monimum lib. 1. non sit malarum cogitationum ordinator est tamen malarum voluntatum de malo opere câ—iuslibet mali non desinit ipse bonum operari i. Although God be not the author of euill cogitations yet is hee the orderer of euill wils and of the euill worke of euery euill man he ceaseth not to worke a good worke Therefore these wonderfull works of God whose iudgements Rom. 11. 33. are vnsearchable waies past finding out are not curiously to be discussed but reuerently to be adored For O man what art thou that pleadest against God In the Rom. 9. 20. probation of his Minor he first vntruly according to his custome saith that wee deride Gods permission the which is false for wee neither deride nor deme Gods permission God said to Abimeleth I kept thee also that Genes 20. 6. thou shouldâ—st not sinne against me Non permisi te vt tangeres eam Therefore I haue not permitted thee to touch her Againe God permitted him not to hurt me But we say first that Ibid. cap. 31. 7. God permitteth not sinne inuitus against his will but of his will for else he were not omnipotent Secondly that he doth not onely permit sinnes but also by his infinite wisedome and almightie power draweth good out of them and directeth them to his glory So S. Augustine saith Hoc quippe ipso quod contra Dei voluntatem fecerunt August â—d Lament cap. 103. de ipsis facta est voluntas eius c. In that thing which they haue done against the will of God the will of God is done in them Therefore the works of the Lord are great and are to be Psal 111. 2. sought out of them that loue them So that by a wonderfull and vnspeakeable manner that is not done without his will which is done against his will because it could not be done vnlesse he did permit it nec vtique nolâ—ns siâ—it sed volens neither doth hee permit it against his will but with his will Neither would hee being good permit euill to be done vnlesse he being omnipotent could also of euill doe good S. Hierome saith Dicam quicquam Hieron in Habac cap 1. sine te fieri ô Domine Deus te nolente tantuâ—â— posse impium Hoâ— sentire blasphemum est Quum itaque â—â—sis
vniuersitatis rector Dominus tu necesse est facias quod sine te fieri non potest i. Shall I say that any thing is done without thee O Lord God and that the wicked can doâ— so much thou being vnwilling To thinke this is blasphemous Seeing therefore thou art the ruler and Lord of the vvorlde thou must needes doe that which cannot be done without thee Wee say indeede that Gods works be energeticall and effectuall not onely in the faithfull but also in the wicked and reprobate whose a Exod. 4. 21. Rom 9 18. hearts hee hardeneth b Ioh. 12 40. and eyes blindeth c Rom 1. 28. whom he giueth vp to a reprobate minde d 2. Thess 2. 11. and to whom hee sendeth a strong delusion to beleeue lies These be Gods iust iudgements whereby hee punisheth the wicked who yet are not impelled or coacted of God to these sinnes but willingly harden their owne hearts by the deceit of sinne shut their eyes that they may not see Rom. 6. â—9 giue vp their members seruants to vncleannesse and iniquitie and delight in delusions and in beleeuing lies as Papists now doe Wee doe not desperately auerre but you do falsly and impudently affirme that we teach that Pauls conuersion Dauids adulterie were in like manner the works of God This shamelesse saying you haue picked out of Campians reasons out of which you haue Ratione 8. like a goodly Rapsodist gleaned a great part of this lying Libel but you cannot shew it in the writing of any Protestant This is calumniari non ratiocinari to slander and not rightly to reason But you knowe your friends fauourers will beleeue you though it be neuer so false And you haue learned that lesson Audacter calumniare semper aliquid adhaeret We say that Pauls conuersion was a worke of Gods mercie agreeable to his will reuealed in his word Dauids sinne of adulterie was a worke which hee hateth and repugnant to his said will God wrought mightily in Paul by his holy spirit in conuerting his heart in drawing him out of darknesse and in making him of a persecuter a preacher of his Gospell and a minister of his mercie God did not so worke at that time in Dauid but left him to himselfe to be tempted drawne away and ouercome of his owne corrupt concupiscence yet wee say that God did draw good out of that sinne of Dauid in making him a paterne of true repentance and example of Gods mercie in forgiuing his sinnes thereby teaching vs to walke warily and flee carnall securitie For if so excellent a man that was according to Gods heart did so fouly and fearefully fall what may fall vnto vs if we walke not circumspectly and pray not feruently to God to vphold vs with his hand and to guide vs with his holy spirit Touching Gods preuision you write as though you neither did know what we teach nor regard what your selfe doe write Doe we teach that God elected some to glory before the preuision of workes and reiected some from glory before the preuision of sinnes You shal finde this false assertion in our bookes when you finde the former shamelesse slander We doe not teach that God elected any to glory before hee did foresee their workes For from euerlasting he to whom all things be present did foresee both the good workes of his elect and the wicked works of the reprobate But this we say that the foundation and cause of Gods election and reprobation is not his prescience and foreseeing of the good workes of the one and the wicked workes of the other but his owne purpose will and pleasure and that good workes be not causes of Gods election but fruits and effects of it Saint Paul saith Before the children were borne and when Rom. 9. 11. they had neither done good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth It was said to her The elder shall serue the younger As it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Againe As he hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation Ephes 1. 4. of the world that we should be holie and without blame before him in loue Who hath predestinate vs to be adopted through 5. Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his 11. will in whom also we are chosen when we were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Againe God hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according 2. Timoth. 1. 9. to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the vvorld was Where we may see that the foundation and cause of Gods election is his owne will pleasure and purpose and not the foreseeing of our workes Saint Augustine saith Quod si futuros eorum August lib. de Praedestina gratia cap. 7. mores dicitur diuinum discreuisse iudicium profectò illud euacâ—abitur quod praemisit Apostolus dicens c. i. But if it be said that the iudgement of God did discerne the manners of Esau and Iacob vvhich afterward vvould be then surely that vvhich the Apostle saide before shall bee made frustrate and in vaine Not of vvorkes but by him that calleth it vvas saide The elder shall serue the younger For hee saith not by the vvorkes past but hauing said generally Not by vvorkes hee vvould thereby haue vnderstood vvorkes both past and to come vvorkes past vvhich vvere none to come vvhich as yet vvere not Iacob vvas predestinate a vessell vnto honour because not by vvorks but by him that calleth it vvas said The elder shall serue the younger Againe Nam quid est August lib. 1. de prâ—destin Sanctâ— cap. 17. quod ait Apostolus sicut elegit nos in ipso c. i. For what is that which the Apostle saith As hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the vvorld The vvhich if it be therefore said because God did foresee that they vvould afterward beleeue and not that he vvould make them to beleeue against this foreseeing the Sonne speaketh saying You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you A little after he saith Elegit ergo Deus fideles sed vt sint non quia iam erant i. God hath chosen the faithfull that they might be and not because they now vvere Againe Vt essemus sancti immaculati Non ergo quia futuri eramus sed vt essemus i. That vve might be Ibid. cap. 18. holy and vvithout blame therefore not because vve after should be but that vve might be Againe Quos elegit c. i. Whom August lib. 6. contra Iâ—lian cap. 8. he hath chosen before the foundation of the vvorld by the election of grace not of vvorkes either past or present or to come for
fearefull offences deserued eternall death yet he did not remaine in death and although God hated those sinnes yet hee neuer hated Dauid For whom God loueth he loueth to the end and the gifts and calling â—ohn 13 1. Rom. 11. 29. of God are without repentance If we loue a man and yet hate some sinne that he committeth might not God who is loue it selfe hate Dauids sinne and yet loue him and keepe some sparkes of his spirit and grace in him and so preserue as the externall life of the body so the internall life of the soule in him So that neither Dauid remained in death neither was his loue no not to Vrias altogether extinguished in him No doubt but he did loue him as his true and faithfull subiect and might loue him as the seruant of GOD yet in that temptation his owne selfe-loue and desire to couer his owne sin and shame did preuaile against his loue to Vrias and did draw him to do an act which was no fruit nor effect of loue and charitie and yet did not wholly quench loue in him The Maior of your latter Syllogisme which needeth no proofe you seeke to proue by a false assertion in barely saying according to your manner but not by any place of Scripture prouing that charitie is the life of the soule I say that faith is the life of the soule the which I proue by these two sayings of the Scripture The Prophet Habacuck saith The iust shall liue by his faith Saint Paul saith In that Hâ—bâ—c 1. 24. Rom â— 17. Gal 2. 20. I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Let this man shew two such plaine places of Scripture to proue charitie to be the life of the soule Properly Christ is the life of our soules Saint Paul in the place before alledged saith Christ liued in me And when Christ which is our life shall appeare And our Sauiour himselfe saith I am the way the Col â— 4. Ioh. â—4 6. truth and the life For when wee were dead in sinnes hee hath quickned vs and as he hath restored life vnto vs so he doth continually nourish and preserue life in vs. But this is attributed to faith because by it Christ dwelleth in vs and wee by it be put into the possession of Christ and of all the benefites of his passion Concerning the place of Ezechiel because you doe not vrge it I will not stand vpon it We doubt not but men may and doe fall from God and iust actions vnto wicked and vngodly deeds and may haue a temporall faith and fall away from the grace of God But this we say that true faith in Gods elect which are sealed with the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. and to whose spirit Gods spirit doth beare witnesse that they are the sonnes of God is neuer wholly lost in them and the same spirit worketh by charity which in them may be cooled but neuer cleane quenched But of the losing of faith and of the coniunction thereof with charitie I haue before intreated Now to returne this argument in some sort vpon you Whereas the Papists auerre that the Popes faith cannot faile I reason thus He that loseth his charitie may lose his faith the Pope may lose his charitie Ergo the Pope may lose his faith The first proposition I haue proued alreadie and haue shewed that true faith is not separated from charitie but worketh by it And most manifest it is by Saint Iames that the faith which is without charitie Iam. 2. 26. and good works is dead So that if the Pope be without charitie then he hath but a dead faith And a dead faith is as much faith as a dead man is a man That the Pope may be without charitie I thinke they will not denie and if they doe it may be prooued by many examples a Platina in Ioan. 13. Blond epito decad 2. lib. 2 pag. 200. Supplem chronicorum in Iohan. 12. Pope Iohn the twelfth or as Platina reckoneth the thirteenth tooke two of his Cardinals and cut off the nose of the one and the hand of the other as witnesse Platina Blondus and many others b Platina in Stephan 6. Supple chron in Stephan 6. Stephanus the sixt did take the body of Formosus his predecessor out of the graue after he was dead put him out of his pontificall habite and put on him a lay mans atâ—ire cut off the two fingers of his right hand wherewith he did consecrate and threw them into Tiber. c Platina in Serg. 3. Supplement chron in Serg. 3. Pope Sergius the third tooke vp againe the body of the same Forâ—osus did cut off his head as if hee had beene aliue and threw the body into Tiber as vnworthy of buriall d Platina in Bonisac 7. Suppl Chron. Boniface the seuenth tooke Iohn a Cardinall and put out his eyes e Pâ—atina in Vrban 6. Boâ—fintus Decad 3. libr. 1. pag. 354. Supplem Chron. fol. 221. Vrban the sixt of seuen of his Cardinals which he apprehended at Nuceria took fiue of them put them in sackes and cast them into the Sea f Platina in Inno. 7. Supplementum Chronico lib. 13. fol. 226. Innocentius the seuenth caused by Lewes his nephew certaine citizens of Rome which sought the restitution of their ancient liberties and the reformation of the common-wealth decayed by his euill gouernment to be throwne out of windowes and so killed Alexander the sixt caused both the right hand and tongue of Antonius Mancinellus to be cut out because he had written an eloquent oration against his wicked and filthy life Many such other prankes of Popes might be alledged which were no more fruites of charity then was Dauids procuring of Vrias death by the sword of the Ammonites But notwithstanding these and such other tragicall tyrannicall acts these Popes faith neuer failed For they neuer had any but a false and dead faith such a faith as the Diuell hath The Pamphlet The Protestants shall neuer haue life euerlasting because they will haue no merits for which euerlasting life is giuen 7. Article VVHatsoeuer is giuen ac wages is giuen for works But the kingdome of Heauen is giuen as wages Ergo the kingdome of Heauen is giuen for workes The Maior or first proposition may be declared after this manner for example her maiestie may bestow 1000. pounds by yeare vpon some suiter either gratis of meere liberalitie and so it is called a gift donum a grace or fauour or vpon condition if hee be haue himselfe manfully in the warres of Ireland and in this case the reuenue is called merces wages Remuneratio stipendium a reward or paiment and although her mâ—â—estie did shew him a grace and fauour to promise such a reward for performing such a worke the which hee was bound vpon his allegeance otherwise to performe yet once hauing promised
and the worke being performed her maiestie is bound vpon her fidelitie and iustice to pay that she promised In like manner God may giue vs the kingdome of Heauen without any respect or regard of workes as he giueth it to little children which are baptised and so it is a meere gift and a pure grace Or hee may giue it with some respect vnto our workes and so he giueth it to all them who hauing vse of discretion keepe his commaundements and for this cause it is called wages merces areward Ad Rom. 4. v 5. and thus the Maior must be vnderstoode to wit that whatsoeuer God giueth as wages is giuen for workes and such wages are called merits Wages then and merits haue a mutuall relation for what are wages but a reward of merits and what are merits but a desert of wages The Minor is most plaine and inculcated in Scriptures Voca operarios redde illis mercedem Call the workemen Matth. 208. and pay them their wages Ecce venio merces mea mecum est reddere vnicuique secundum opera sua Loe Apoc. 22. 12. I come and my wages with me to giue to euery one according to his works Vnusquisque propriam mercedem accipiet secundùm suum laborem Euery one shall receiue proper wages 1. Ad Cor. 3. 8. Matth. 5. 12. cap. 6. ver 1. â— ad Tim. 5. 18. according to his labour The like we haue in twentie other places of Scripture all which infallibly prooue that the kingdome of heauen is giuen as wages for merits and consequently that Protestants who are enemies to merits shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of heauen which is purchased by good workes and merits And for sâ—ch men vvee may vvell say that heauen was neuer made no more then learning for him that vvill neuer studie nor vertue for him vvho despiseth the exercise thereof Answere AS euerlasting life is not in your bestowing so wee want not merites to obtaine it to wit Gods mercies and Christs sufferings for vs with the which wee content our selues and nothing doubt but they be sufficient to discharge vs of damnation and to bring vs to saluation Of these merits sweetly saith Bernard Meum proinde meritum miseratio Domini c. My merit is Gods Bernard in Cantic serm 61. mercie I am not cleane voide of merit as long as hee is not voide of mercies And if the mercies of the Lord be much I am much in merits What though I be guiltie to my selfe of manie sinnes Surely vvhere sinne hath abounded grace also hath superabounded And if the mercies of the Lord be from euerlasting to euerlasting I will also from euerlasting sing the mercies of the Lord. Shall I sing my owne iustice O Lord I vvill remember thy iustice onely for that is mine also in that thou August in Psal 139. art of God made iustice to me So Augustine saith Meritis suis nihil tribuunt sancti totum non nisi misericordiae tuae tribuunt ô Deus i. The Saints attribute nothing to their owne merits they attribute all O God onely to thy mercie Hierome Hieron lib. 1. aduers Pelag. fâ— 120. saith Tunc ergo iusti sumus quando nos peccatores fatemur iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex Dei consistit misericordia i. Then are vvee iust vvhen vvee acknowledge our selues to be sinners and our iustice or righteousnesse consisteth not in our merits but in Gods mercie S. Basil saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. EteÌ„rnal rest or life is propounded Basil in Psalm 114 Homil. 16. pag. 224. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that striue lawfully in this life not rendred according to the merit or desert of vvorkes but according to the grace of the * magnificent God bestowed vpon them that trust in him But these counterfeit Catholicks not content therewith nor thinking the same sufficient will put vnto them the merits of Saints departed and of men liuing and their owne workes and satisfactions thereby fully to effect that which Gods mercies and Christs merits are not able perfectly to performe This their doctrine appeareth both by their prayers in their Masse-bookes and Porteises and also by the forme of a Monkes absolution in these words Meritum passionis Domini nostri Iâ—sâ—s Luther in 2. cap. ad Gaâ—at Tileman de Hesusius de 600. erroriâ—â—s Papista loc 9. de â—oenitent fol. 67. Christi beatae Mariae semper Virginis omnium sanctorum Meritum ordinis grauamen religionis c. i. The merit of the pasâ—ion of our Lord Iesus Christ and of blessed Mary alwaies a Virgine and of all Saints The merit of thy order the heauinesse of thy religion the humilitie of thy confession the contrition of thy heart the good vvorkes that thou hast done and shalt doe for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ be vnto thee for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes to the increase of merit and grace and to the reward of eternall life Thus these men by their doctrine make Iesus Christ not a full perfect and sufficient Sauiour and so infringe the saying of Saint Peter There is not saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen vvhereby we Act. 4. 12. must be saued What is this but to denie the Lord that hath bought vs as Peter also saith Whether this doctrine 2. Pet. 1. 1. be agreeable to the word of God let the Christian reader by these places discerne and iudge Christ came Math. 20. 28. Ioh. 1. 29. to giue his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome for many Hee is that lambe of God vvhich taketh away the sinne of the vvorld In him vvee Coloss 1. 14. 20. 22. 1. Pet. 1. 18. haue redemption through his blood that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes He hath made peace by the bloud of his crosse and hath reconciled vs in the bodie of his flesh through death We are not redeemed vvith corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the Fathers but vvith the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and vvithout spot Hee himselfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on Ibid. cap. 2. 24. the tree that vve being dead to sinne should liue in righteousnes by vvhose stripes vve are healed The bloud of Iesus Christ his 1. Ioâ— 1. 7. sonne clenseth vs from all sinne He hath loued vâ— and vvashed Apocal. 1. 5. vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God his father As these places attribute our iustification and saluation onely to Iesus Christ and his merits so others doe detract and take the same from our workes and deseruings To him that vvorketh not but beleeueth Rom. 4. 5. in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnes If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else
true merits of Gods mercies and Christs sufferings before mentioned nor to mans good workes but to the merit of them and vaine confidence put in them Wee say with Saint Augustine Aâ—gust praefat in Psal 31. Si vis alienus esse à gratiae iacta merita tua i. If thou vvilt he voyde of grace boast thine owne merits Thirdly we beleeue that the kingdome of Heauen commeth to vs by inheritance and not by the purchase of our workes and merits Christ saith Come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance Math. 25. 34. of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the vvorld Saint Paul saith If vve be children vve are also Rom. 8. 17. heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ Thus the kingdome of Heauen is ours in that wee be coheires with Christ By whose bloudy and blessed merits it is purchased to vs and not by the workes and deserts of vs vnprofitable seruants and prodigall children who haue alwayes neede to pray and say Enter not into Psal 1 â—3 2. iudgement vvith thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man that liueth be iustified and â—f thou O Lord straightly markest iniquitie Psal 130. 3. O Lord vvho shall be able to stand To conclude you that so seuerely censure vs looke to your selues take heed you be not like that proud Pharisee who gloried of his works and disdained the sinfull Luk. 18. Apoc 3. 17. Publican and that you be not like the Angell of the Church of Laodicea who said that he vvas rich increased Athenâ—us lib. 12. vvith goods and had need of nothing and did not know that hee was wretched miserable poore blind and naked And that you be not like that mad man of Athens called Thraselaus who comming in his madnes to the hauen named Pyreum did vainely imagine that all the ships riches there were his owne but being cured and brought to good vnderstanding hee saw his pouertie and perceiued that hee scarce had a penny in his purse Euen so if you were throughly cured of this phrensie of Poperie you would acknowledge your owne miserie and hunger for Gods mercie confesse your owne pouerty that Christ may inrich you your owne nakednes that he may with the robe of his righteousnesse couer you your owne guiltinesse that he may acquite and iustifie you and finally humble your selfe that he may exalt you For it is hee that filleth Luke 1. 53. the hungrie with good things and sendeth the rich emptie away I would you would ioyne with your owne Cardinall Poole in this point who misliking of Osorius booke de iustitia dedicated to him for attributing too much to mans iustice and righteousnesse did adde this worthie saying and worthie by all meanes to be receiued That wee can neuer attribute too much to the mercie and righteousnes of God nor too much take from the righteousnesse of man This is written not onely by Doctor Hoddon in his booke against Osorius but also by Pruilus his Secretarie in his life as that excellent Antiquarie and learned man my good friend Master Camden did tell mee To conclude be not like the froward Iewes who hauing a zeale towards God but not according to knowledge being Rom. 10. 2. 3. ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to establish their owne righteousnesse haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God For Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse vnto euery one that beleeueth but obey the counsell and calling of God Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and yee that Isai 55. 1. haue no siluer come buy and eate Come I say buy vvine and milke vvithout siluer and vvithout money Wherefore doe yee As buyers of Popes Pardons Masses c. doe lay out siluer and not for bread and your labour vvithout being satisfied Hearken diligently vnto me and eate that vvhich is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse Encline your eares and come vnto mee heare and your soule shall liue and I vvill make an euerlasting couenaâ—t vvith you euen the sure mercies of Dauid The which sweet and hid Manna of Gods mercies they that refuse to eate but had rather feede on the draffe of their owne muddie merits shall neuer inherit heauen but shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone Apocal. 20. 10. vvhere the beast and false Prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for euermore Basil in Moral Sum. 72. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It behooueth the hearers and readers being instructed in the Scriptures to prooue the things which be spoken and written by their teachers and to receiue those thinges that be consonant to the Scriptures and to reiect those things that differ from them and vtterly to auoyde those that doe continue in such Doctrines IOB 6. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue and cause me to vnderstand wherein I haue erred ISAIA 41. 21. Stand to your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Iacob An answere to certaine Popish questions and friuolous cauillations giuen forth vnderhand to seduce the simple and to slander the truth now first printed TO THE READER GOod Reader I am to certifie thee of the occâ—sion of the first writing and now publishing of this my answere to these â—opâ—sh questions and calumntations In the yeare 1592. a good vertuous gentlewoman called Mâ—stris lane Brograue â—et liuing and dwelling in Wapnam in Northampton shire being in her natiue Country with her friends some not so well â—ffected to the truth as others praâ—sed be God are â—id giue to her these questions intending thereby as it seemeth to peruert her and to conuert her from the trueth of God vnto their false Doctrine Idolatry The which she presently deliuered vnto me and desired mee to write an answere vnto them This her godly request I thought my selfe bound in conscience for to satisfie and thereupon I did forthwith in short time write this answere the which she did send to her deceaued friends for their better instruction and information Afterwards by wards which a Popish Priest in conference with me did vtter I did gather that the same was sent to Wish â—he there to be hammered and examined But what they did wiâ—h it I doe not know I neuer heard that either they or any other â—uer made any reply vnto it I haue beene moued by some and namely by M. Christopher Goodman to whom I did send a copie of it because it did concerne him to publish it in print The which although it was allowed to the Presse many yeares past by one in great place and authoritie now yet I haue vntill this time suppressed it howbeit now I haue yeelded to publish it partly because the matter both obiected and answered is suteable to the former articles and my answeres and partly because the Printer who had intelligence
liued very liberall to the poore and fleeing the company of women in so much as after his death he was honored for his great holinesse The same and more doth the continuer of Beda his story write of him in these words Porro liâ—et Berengarius primum c. Although Berengarius did discredit the first heate of his youth by De gestis Anglerum continuat lib. 3. cap. 27. defending some heresies yet in his riper age hee so repented that without retraction he was of some men countted for a Saint beeing approued by innumerable good workes and especially by humility and almes deedes He was a Lord of great possessions by dispersing them and not a seruant of them by hiding and adoring them Hee was so sparing of womans beauty that hee would suffer none to come in his sight least hee should tast the same with his eye which he did not couet in his heart He despised not the poore nor flattered the rich Hee liued agreeable to nature hauing food apparrell as the Apostle saith being content with the same where-vpon Hildebartus the Bishop of Mayne an excellent Poet doth commend him c. Whose verses as the said author thought meete to insert into his history so I haue thought good to alleadge them here both because they be most worthy to read and doe plainely shew what an excellent and holy man he was QVem mâ—do miratur semper mirabitur orbis Ille Berrengarius non obiturus obit Quem sacra fidei fastigia summa tenentem Iam quinta dies abstulit ausa nefas Illa dies damnosa dies et perfida mundo Qua dolor et rerum summa ruina fuit Qua status ecclesia qua spes et gloria clers Qua cultor iuris iure ruente ruit Quicquid Philosophi quicquid cecinere Poetae Ingenio cescit eloquioque suo Sanctior et maior sapientia maius adorta Impleuit sacrum pectus et ora deo Pectus eam voluit vox protulit actio promisit Singula factori sic studuere suo Vir sacer et sapiens cui nomen erescit in horas Quo minor est quisquis maximus est hominum Cui fensus peperit paros seruauit honores Cui pauper potior diuite iusque lucro Cui nec desidiam nec luxum res dedit ampla Nec tumidum fecit multus et a tus honor Qui nec ad argentum nec ad aurum lumina flexit Sed doluit quoties cui daret hoc aberat Qui non cessauit in opum fulcire ruinas Donec inops dando pauper et ipse fuit Cuius cura sequi naturam legibus vti Et mentem vitijs or a negare dolis Virtutes opibus rarum praeponere falso Nil vacuum sensu dicere nec facere Laedere nec quemquam cunct is prodesse fauorem Et populare lucrum pellere mente manu Cui vestis textura rudis cui non fuit vnquam Ante sitim potus nec cibus ante famen Quem pudor Hospitium statuit sibi quamque libido Incestos superat tam superauit eam Quem natura parens cum mundo contulit inquit Degenerant alij nascitur iste mihi Quoque vagabatur et pene reliquerat orbem Inclusit sacro pectore iustitiam Vir sacer a puero qui quantum praeminet orbi Fama tam famae praminet ipse suae Fama minor meritis cum totum peruolet orbem Cum semper crescat non erit aequa tamen Vir pius atque grauis vir fic in vtroque modestus Vt liuor neutro rodere posset eum Liuor eum deflet quem carpserat ante nec tam carpsit et odit eum qua modo laudat amat Quam prius ex vita tam nunc ex morte gemiscit et quaeritur celeres huius abisse dies Vir vere sapiens et parte beatus ab omni Qui caelos anima corpore ditat humum Post obitum viuam secum socum requiescam Nec fiat melior sors mea sorte sua Verses of Hildebert Bishop of Mons vpon Berengarius tran slated English THe wonder of the Timesthat was of late And shall continue euerlasting date That Berengarius who gaue place to none For holy Faiths profession now is gone A wofull day vnto the world wherein Creat losse and sorrow threatens to beginne Whereby the Church the Cleargy and the Law The hopes of their successe to ruine draw All parts of wisdomes-loue and Poets vaine Within his wit and tongue he did retaine But greater and more holy wisdome brought Those gifts to more deuine-inspired thought Which working in his heart his mouth did preach And by example of his life did teach So all things did concur vnto his praise To giue him name that should suruiue his daies A wise and holie man who did regard Poore more then ritch and right aboue reward Whose plenty neither sloath nor riot bred Nor honour to proud humour him mis-led Who in delight of Lucre did not liue But all his grife was he did want to giue Who from the needy neuer shut his doore Vntill by giuing he himselfe was poore Who sought to follow Nature yeeld to law His minde from vice his words from guile to draw To truth and vertue he gaue chiefe defence He neuer sayd nor did things voide of sence He hurt no man but sought to pleasure all No popular respects could him enthral Plaine were his cloathes nor meate did hee desire Nor drinck till thirst and hungar did require Him honest shame did chuse her cheifest ghest While lust which conquers others he supprest And nature at his birth in ioy said she Let others goe this man is borne to me And Iustice whom the world did cleane forsake He to the Harbour of his heart did take Bred holy from a child who now doth more Excell himselfe in fame then all before All fame too little for his great desarts To equall by report his worthy parts A Godly sober man so wise and graue That enuies-selfe could not his praise depraue Nay Enuy which at him in life did raile Now after death doth loue him and bewaile A man most happy and most perfect-wise Whose soule now raignes in th' euerlasting skies O let my soule partake his blessed rest No better place of safety I request OF these verses both Antoninus in the place aboue cited Tritem de scriptor Eccle. in Heâ— lebertâ— fol. 68. and Tritemius the Abbat do make mention of the number of them 52. as these are by the which I haue alleaged the christian reader not moued with malice as it seemeth S. R. is but led by Godly reason may iudge whether I had not good cause to call Berengarius an excellent man The like I may say of Doctor Reynoldes of blessed memory whom I called an excellent Ornament pag. 144. which S. R. in like manner in his malice misliketh But the Godly I doubt not will acknowledge that his great learning and vpright and innocent
life did well deserue that commendation Moreouer where S. R. pag. 208. saith that Caluin Whitaker Perkins and I do say all good workes are sinne this is as true as is that lving sclaunder of Duraeus the Iesuite who shameth not to say that wee affirme all workes to bee nothing Duraeus contr VVhitakerum fol. 13. 14. els but inquinamenta et sordes et veram iniquitatem apud deum pollutions filthe very iniquity before God The which is most false for wee teach and beleeue that the workes of the faithfull and regenerate bee good and acceptable vnto God for although they bee so infected and stained with sinne which is in vs and hangeth on vs that they cannot of themselues abide Gods strict and seuere examination but had need of mercy yet in that they proceed from faithfull hearts and sanctified in some measure with Gods spirit and are couered with the robe of Christes righteousnesse they are accepted of God as pure and perfect as I haue in my answere to the second article concerning good life and piety before declared the which I desire the Christian reader to reade and examine and not ouer lightly to beleeue this Lying-sclanderer who thought it the wisest way not to set downe our sayings but to quote the places which he is well assured his affectionate fauorers will neuer examine nor reade what wee shall write in our defence so strongly haue they charmed them and by a strong delusion bewitched them And this shall suffice for answere to S. R. in that which concerneth me The rest Maister Bell hath answered but I know not whether it be printed IOB 6. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue and cause me to vnderstand wherein I haue erred ISAIA 41. 21. Stand to your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Iacob Faults escaped in the Printing p. is for page l. for line and r. for read P. 16. l. 10 r. reuealed p. 23. l 25. r. vp to the Church p. 32. l. 14. r. appoint vnto p. 45 l. 2. r. or the Remish p. 48. The addition in the first line beginning with these words VVhereas yousay c. is misplaced and should haue been inserted in the second line aboue after these words to discredit I must intreate thee gentle reader to pardon this ouer-sight p. 54. l. 5. r. mediation ibid. l. 13. r. eternall predestination p. 56. l. 7. r. to be God p. 56. l. 16. r absurdum p. 57. l. 33. r. repelleth p. 58. l. 18. for new r. true p. 59 l. 29. r. punished for and in the end of the next line put out for p. 61 l. 6 for mysticall r ministeriall ibid. l. 24. put out of p. 72. l. 12 for of r. for p. 73. l. 14. r. Deum p. 84. l. 23. r. affirme p. 84 l. 11. r. to be the lauer p. 87. l 7. r. of sinne p. 88. l. 16. r. of it selfe p. 96 l. 1 r. Crosse and l. 8. r that God doeth p. 105 l. 11. r. such as is p. 106. in the 19. 20. lines these words first second are misplaced p. 100. 25 r. in that ouer obstinately they did p. 1â— â—â—8 for that r. they â— 18. l. 7 r. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 159. 19 for he r. ye p. 120 l. 26. for poest r. doest p. 127. l. 1. r. we are made ibid l. 25 for affect r. effect p. 129 l. 6. for ale r. oyle ibid. the last line r. Iesuites is who p. 133 l. 18 for boubt r. doubt p. 135 l. 17 r. I say ibid. l. 24 for giuen r. giuing p. 139 l. 6 r. keeping p. 141 l. 29 r. our vertues p. 144 l. 3 r. first they say ibid l 24 r or else few or none p 149 l 8 blot out these words and so attribute all to Gods grace and mercy for they be twise p. 152 l 12 r solam p 153. l 18 r merciful p 154 l 1. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 159 l 6 r this sacred p 169 l 9 r tend vvhich some ibid. l 26 r tot indulgentiae p 175 l 30 r munnatis p 233 l 20 r his owne bloud p 240 l 31 r Region p 246 l 36 r superstition p 247 l 38 r for Q question p 248 l 3 put out first ibid l 20 put out Beside ibid l 38 r for that in Tertullians time the Bishop of Rome fauoured his haeresies as both Tertullian and Beatuâ— Rhenanus a papist do affirme p 254. l 28 r they do p 255 l 36 r for error author p 256 l 8 r Henry ibid l 13 r these p 259 l. 10 r parcite ibi dem l 25 r said p 262 I 16 r. combasâ—â— p. 263 l 36 r. race p 264 l 10 r fuit p 266 l 14 r Sacrae ibid l 15 Jani ibid l 24 r promsit ibid l 28 r censuâ— ibid. r partos p 267. l 3 r. verum ibid l 13 r quaeque ibid l 21 r aâ—teâ— ibid l 22 r. quam ibid l 30 for Mons r Mayne