loe doe we with delight fulfill them For as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 13. Charity is the fulnes of the lawe And He that doth loue his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe Which Christ himselfe teacheth when he affirmeth â—lath 22. That the whole lawe Prophets depend vpon these two commaundements of louing God and our neighbour Now both according vnto our opinion and the Protestants a man regenerate and in the state of grace hath in him the vertue of Charity we hold it to be the principall part of inherent justice they say that their justifying faith can neuer be seperated from it So that a righteous man being also indued with charity is able thereby to fulfill the whole lawe Let vs adjoyne vnto these Authorities of holy write the testimony of one auncient Father or two Serm. in ilâ—ud Attenâ—ie tibi De nat gra cap. 69. S. Basil affirmeth That it is impious and vngodly to say that the commaundements of the spirit be vnpossible S. Augustine defineth That we must beleeue firmely that God being iust good coulde not commaunde thinges that be impossible for vs to fulfill The reason may be that it is the part of a tyrant and no true lawemaker to commaund his subjectes to doe that vnder payne of death which he knowes them no way able to performe for those were not to be called lawes which are to direct men to that which is just but snares to catch the most diligent in and to binde them vp to most assured perdition Wherefore it was afterward decreed in an approued Councell of Aransican 2. Can. vlt. as an article of faith in these wordes This also we beleeue according to the Catholike faith that all men baptised by grace there receiued with the helpe and cooperation of Christ both can ought to keepe and fulfill those thinges which belong to saluation The principall whereof are after our Sauiours owne determination to keepe the commaundements Math. 19. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements This by the way concerning the possibility of fulfilling the lawe THAT GOOD WORKES BE NOT STAYNED WITH SINNE NOVV that just mens workes be not sinnes which I proue first by some workes of that patterne of patience Iob. Of whome it is written that notwithstanding all the Diuels power and craft in tempting of him He continued still a single harted and an vpright man departing from euill Cap. 2. and preseruing his innocency If he continued and innocent he sinned not Againe if in all these instigations to impatience he remayned patient these his workes were perfect For S. Iames saith Esteeme it my brethren Cap. 1. all ioy when you shall fall into diuers temptations knowing that the probation of your saith worketh patience And let patience haue a perfect worke that you may be perfect and entire fayling in nothing 2 King Dauid thus by the inspiration of the holy Ghost speaketh of himselfe Thou hast O Lord proued my hart thou hast visited me in the night Psal 16. thou hast tried me in fire and there was no iniquity founde in me It must needes then be graunted that some of his workes at least were free from all sinne and iniquity And that the most of them were such if you heare the holy Ghost testifying it I hope you will beleeue it reade then where it is of recorde That Dauid did that 3. Reg. 15. which was right in the sight of our Lord and not only in the sight of men and turned from nothing that he commaunded him all the dayes of his life except only the matter of Vrias the Hethite 3 The Apostle affirmeth 1 Cor. 3. That some men doe builde vpon the only foundation Christ Iesus golde siluer and pretious stones that is being choyce members of Christes Catholike Church doe many perfect good workes such as being tried in the fornace of Gods judgement will suffer no losse or detriment as he there saith expresly Wherefore they must needes be pure and free from all drosse of sinne otherwise hauing beene so proued in fire it would haue beene found out 4 Many workes of righteous men please God Rom. 12. 1. Pet. 2. Make your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable to God the same offering spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God And S. Paul calleth almes bestowed on him in prison Phil. 4. an acceptable sacrifice of sweete sauour and pleasing God But nothing infected with sinne al which he hateth deadly can please God and be acceptable in his sight God of his mercy through Christ doth pardon sinne or as the Protestants speake not impute it to the person but to say that a sinfull worke is of sweete sauour before him and a gratefull sacrifice to him were blasphemy wherefore we must needes confesse that such workes which so well pleased him were not defiled with any kinde of sinne Finally many workes in holy write be called good as Math. 5. 1. Tim. 6. Ephes 2. That they may see your good workes to be rich in good workes Wee are created in CHRIST IESVS to good workes but they could not trulie be called good workes if they were infected with sin For according to the judgement of all learned Diuines it can be no good worke that fayleth either in substance or circumstance that hath any one fault in it For Bonum ex integra causa malum exquolibet defectu Wherefore we must either say that the H. Ghost calleth euill good which were blasphemy or else acknowledge that there be many good workes free from all infection of sinne In lieu of the manifolde testimony of Antiquity which doth nothing more then recommend good workes and paint out the excellencie of them I will set downe one passage of S. August wherein this very controuersie is distinctly declared and determined thus he beginneth The iustice through which the iust man liueth by faith because it is giuen to man by the spiritte of grace is true iustice Li. 3. cont duas epist Felag c. 7. the which although it be worthely called in some men perfect according to the capacitie of this life yet it is but small in comparison of that greater which man made equall to Angelles shall receiue Which heauenly iustice he that had not as yet said himselfe to be perfect in regard of that iustice that was in him and also imperfect if it be compared to that which he wanted But certainely this lesser iustice or righteousnesse breedeth and bringeth forth merittes and that greater is the rewarde thereof Wherefore he that pursueth not this shall not obtayne that Hitherto S. Augustine Note first that he defineth the justice which we haue in this life to be true justice which is pure from all injustice and iniquity Then that it is also perfect not fayling in any dutie which we be bound to performe Lastly that it bringeth forth good workes such as merit life euerlasting True it is also that this justice
person of the good Father Luc. 15. Doe on him that is on his prodigall sonne returning whome his former garment His second proposition is also false as hath bin proued at large in a seueral question To that of S. Iames although it belong not to this matter I answere that he who offendeth in one is made guiltie of all that is he shall be as surely condemned as if he had broken all Epis 29. ad â—lieron See S. Augustine His 5. reason We are taught to pray on this manner Giue vs this day our dayly bread where we acknowledge euery morsell of bread to be the meere gift of God much more must we confesse heauen to be Answere M. PERKINS taketh great delight to argue out of the Lords prayer but he handleth the matter so handsomely that a man may thinke him to be so profouÌ„dly learned that he doth not yet vnderstand the Pater noster for who taketh our daylie foode to be so meerely the gift of God that we must not either make it ours with our peny or trauaile we must not looke to be fedde from heauen by miracle by the mere gift of God but according vnto S. Paules rule either labour for our liuing in some approued sort or not eate Yet because our trauailes are in vaine vnlesse God blesse them we pray to God daily to giue vs our nuriture either by sending or preseruing the fruits of the earth or by prospering our labours with good successe or if they be men who liue of almes by stirring vp the charitable to relieue them So we pray and much more earnestly that God will giue vs eternall life Yet by such meanes as it hath pleased God to ordayne one of which and the principall is by the exercise of good workes which God hath appointed vs to walke in to deserue it And it cannot but sauour of a Satannicall spirit to call it a Satannicall insolency as M. PERKINS doth to thinke that eternall life can be merited when S. Augustine and the best spirit of men since Christs time so thought and taught in most expresse tearmes But let vs heare his last argument which is as he speaketh the consent of the auncient Church and then beginneth with S. Bernard who liued 1000. yeares after Christ He in I knowe not what place the quotation is so doudtfull saith Those thinges which wee call merittes are the way to the Kingdome but not the cause of raigning I answere that merittes be not the whole cause but the promise of God through Christ and the grace of God freely bestowed on vs out of which our merittes proceede Which is Bernards owne doctrine Serm. 68 in Cantica Manuali c. 22. Secondly he citeth S. Augustine All my hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my meritte True in a good sence that is by the vertue of his death and passion my sinnes are pardoned and grace is bestowed on me to doe good workes and so to meritte 3. Basil Eternall life is reserued for them that haue striuen lawfully In Ps 114. not for the meritte of their doing but vpon the grace of the most bountifull God These wordes are vntruly translated for first he maketh with the Apostle eternall life to be the prize of that combate and then addeth that it is not giuen according vnto the debt and just rate of the workes but in a suller measure according vnto the bounty of so liberall a Lord Where hence is gathered that common and most true sentence That God punisheth men vnder their deserts but rewardeth them aboue their merittes 4. M. PERKINS turnes backe to Augustine vpon the Psal 120. Where he saith as M. PERKINS reporteth He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne giftes not thy merittes Answere S. Augustine was to wise to let any such foolish sentence passe his penne What congruity is in this He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne giftes not thy merittes It had beene better said He crowneth thee not c. But he mistooke belike this sentence of S. Augustines When God crowneth thee he crowneth his giftes not thy merittes Which is true being taken in that sence which he himselfe declareth To such a man so thinking that is De grat l b. arb c. 6. that he hath merittes of him selfe without the grace of God it may be most truly said God doth crowne his owne giftes not thy merittes If thy merittes be of thy selfe and not from him but if we acknowledge our merittes to proceede from grace working with vs then may we as truly say that eternall life is the crowne and reward of merittes Psal 142. His other place on the Psalme is not to this purpose but appertaynes to the first justification of a sinner as the first word quicken and reuiue mee sheweth playnelie nowe wee confesse that a sinner is called to repentance and reuiued not for any desert of his owne but of Gods meere mercy Hauing thus at length answered vnto all that M. PERKINS hath alleaged against merittes Let vs see what can be said for them following as neare as I can M. PERKINS order Obiections of Papists so he tearmeth our reasons First in sundry places of Scripture promise of reward is made vnto good workes Genes 4. Prouer 11. Eccles 18. Math. 5. If thou doe well shalt thou not receiue To him that doeth well there is a faithfull rewarde Feare not to be iustified vnto death because the rewarde of God remayneth for euer and. When you are reuiled and persecuted for my sake reioyce for great is your reward in heauen And a hundreth such like therefore such workes doe meritte heauen for a reward supposeth that there was a desart of it M. PERKINS answereth first that the reward is of meere mercy without any thing donne by men But this is most apparantly false for the Scripture expresseth the very workes whereof it is a reward Againe a reward in English supposeth some former pleasure which is rewarded otherwise it were to be called a gift and not a reward and much more the Latin and Greeke word Misos Merus which rather signifie a mans hier and wagis then a gift or rewarde Wherefore M. PERKINS skippes to a second shift that forsooth eternall life is an inheritance but not a reward Reply We knowe well that it is an inheritance because it is onely due vnto the adopted Sonnes of God but that hindreth not it to be a reward for that it is our heauenly fathers pleasure that all his Sonnes comming to the yeares of discretion shall by their good carriage either deserue it or else for their badde behauiour be disinherited M. PERKINS hauing so good reason to distrust his two former answeres flies to a third and graunteth that eternall life is a reward yet not of our workes but of Christs merits imputed vnto vs This is that Castle wherein he holdes himselfe safe from all Canon shotte but he is fouly abused for this
answere is the most extrauagant of all the rest as being furthest off from the true sence of the Scripture examine any one of the places and a babe may discouer the incongruity of it Namely Christ saith that great is their reward who are reuiled and persecuted for his sake Assigning the reward vnto their constant bearing and enduring of tribulation for Gods sake and not to his owne merittes imputed and if you desire a formall sentence fitting this purpose take this 1. Cor. 3 Euery man shall receiue his reward according vnto his owne proper labour And not according to Christs merittes imputed vnto him So a doer of the worke shall be blessed in his deede And not in the imputation of an others deede Iacob 1. In stead of our second reason blindly proposed by M. PERKINS I will confirme the first with such textes of Holy write as specifie playnelie our good workes to be the cause of eternall life Math. 25 Come vnto me yee blessed of my father possesse a Kingdome prepared for you And why so For when I was hungry yee gaue me meate And so forth the like is in the same Chapter of the seruants who imployed well their talentes for their Lord said vnto them Because you haue beene faithfull in fewe thinges I will place you ouer many And many such like where good workes donne by the parties themselues are expresly said to be the very cause why God rewardeth them with the Kingdome of heauen Therefore he must needes be holden for a very wrangler that doth seeke to peruert such euident speeches and would make the simple beleeue that the cause there formally specified is not to be taken for the cause but doth onely signifie an order of thinges But if any desire besides the euidence of the text to see howe the auncient Fathers take it Let him reade Saint Augustine Where he thus briefly handleth this text Come yee blessed of my Father In psal 49 receiue What shall we receiue A Kingdome For what cause Because I was hungry and you gaue me meate c. Of the reall imputation of Christs merittes there vvas no tydinges in those dayes And that iuditious Doctor found that good workes was the cause of receiuing the Kingdome of heauen Here by the way Master PERKINS redoubleth that common slaunder of theirs that we take away a part of Christs mediation For saith he if Christs merittes were sufficient what neede ours It hath beene often told them but they will neuer learne to vnderstand it I will yet once againe repeate it We hold our Sauiours merits to be of infinite value and to haue deserued of God all the graces and blessinges which hath or shall be bestowed vpon all men from the beginning of the world vnto the end of it yet his diuine will and order is that all men of discretion hauing freely receiued grace from him doe meritte that crowne of glory which is prepared for them not to supply the want of his merittes which are inestimable but being members of his misticall body he would haue vs also like vnto himselfe in this point of meriting and further desirous to trayne vs vp in all good works he best knewe that there could be no better spur to pricke our dull nature forward then to ordayne and propose such heauenly rewardes vnto all them that would diligently endeuour to deserue them The man seemes to be much ignorant in the matter of Christes mediation I will therefore helpe him a little It consisteth in reconciling man to God which he performed by paying the ransome of our sinnes in purchasing vs Gods fauour and in ordayning meanes how all mankinde might attayne to eternall life in the two first poynts we doe for the most part agree to witte that our sinnes are freely pardoned through Christes passion and that we are as freely justified and receiued first into Gods grace and fauour although we require other preparation then they doe yet we as fully deny any merit of ours to be cause of either as they doe Marry about the meanes of attayning to heauen we differ altogether for they say that God requires no justice in vs nor merit at all on our partes but only the disposition of faith to lay holde on Christes righteousnes and merittes but we say that Christes righteousnes and merit are incommunicable vnto any meere creature but that through his merittes God doth powre into euery true Christian a particular justice whereby he is sanctified and made able to doe good workes and to merit eternall life Which ability we receiuing of Gods free gift through Christes merits doth much more magnifie both Gods grace and Christes merittes for the greater that the gift is the greater is the glory of the giuer And to argue that to be a derogation vnto his mediation and merits whith he hath appoynted to be very instrument of applying the vertue of them to vs is indeede vnder colour of magnifying Christs merittes to vndermine and blowe out all the vertue of them But saies M. PERKINS what should we talke of our merittes who for one good worke we doe committe many bad which deface our merits if we had any True it is as it was once before said that euery mortall sinne blotteth out all former justice and merit but by repentance both are recouered againe but must we not speake of any good because we may happe to doe euill that is a faire perswasion and well worthy a wise man Let vs to our third Argument God hath by couenant and promise bound himselfe to reward our workes with life euerlasting Therefore good workes doe in justice deserue it for faithfull promise maketh due debt Math. 20. The couenant is plainely set downe where God in the person of an housholder agreeth with his workmen for a penny a day that is to giue them life euerlasting for trauayling in his seruice during their life time as all auncient interpretours expound it Whereupon Saint Paul inferreth Heb. 6. that God should be vnjust if he should forgette their workes who suffered persecution for him 2. Thes 1. And saith If it be just with God to render tribulation to them that persecute you and to such as are persecuted rest with vs Vpon the same ground S. Hierome saith Li. 2. cont Iouin c. 2. Great truly were the iniustice of God if he did only punish euill workes and would not as well receiue good workes To all these and much more such like M. PERKINS answereth that couenant for workes was in the olde Testament but in the newe the couenant is made with the workman not with the worke Reply All that I cited in this Argument is out of the newe Testament where expresse couenant is made for working and workes as you haue heard And as it was said in the olde lawe Math 19. Doe these thinges and thou shalt liue so is it said in the newe If thou wilt enter into life keepe the
1.2 q. 109. art 6. See what Saint Thomas of Aquine one of her principall pillers hath written of this point in his most learned Summe Where vpon these wordes of our Sauiour No man can come to me vnlesse my Father drawe him He concludeth it to be manifest Ioan. 6. that man cannot so much as prepare himselfe to receiue the light of grace but by the free and vndeserued helpe of God mouing him inwardly thereunto And this is all which M. PERKINS in his pretended dissent auerreth here and goeth about to proue in his fiue reasons following the which I wil omitte as being all for vs. And if any man desire to see more to that purpose let him reade the most learned workes of that famous Cardinall and right Reuerend Archbishoppe Bellarmine Nowe the very point controuersed concerning free will M. PERKINS hath quite omitted which consisteth in these two points expressed in the Councell First whether we doe freely assent vnto the said grace when it is offered vs that is whether it lie in our power to refuse it And secondly when we concurre and worke with it whether we could if we listed refuse to worke with it In both which points we hold the affirmatiue part and most sectaries of this time the negatiue Of which our Authour is silent only by the way in his fourth reason toucheth two textes out of Saint Paul which are commonly alleadged against free will The first I haue saith he laboured more abundantly then all they yet not I 1. Cor. 15 but the grace of God which is in me attributing the whole worke to grace To which I briefly answere that they doe corrupt the text to make it seeme more currant for them the greeke hath only He sun emoi which is with me not which is in me so that the word in true construction make much more for vs then against vs Saint Paul affirming the grace of God which was working with him to haue done these thinges And so Saint Augustine whome they pretend to follow most in this matter expoundeth it Yet not I but the grace of God with me that is not I alone Degra lib. arb ca 15. but the grace of God with me And by this neither the grace of God alone neither he alone but the grace of God with him thus Saint Augustine The like sentence is in the booke of wisdome Send that wisdome from thy Holy heauen that it may be with me Cap. 9. and labour with me The second text is It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to accomplish Phil. 2. v. 13. We graunt that it is God but not he alone without vs for in the next wordes before Saint Paul sayeth Worke your saluation with feare and trembling So that GOD worketh principally by stirring vs vp by his grace and also helping foreward our will to accomplish the worke but so sweetely and conformably to our nature that his working taketh not away but helpeth foreward our will to concurre with him Againe the whole may be attributed vnto God considering that the habits of grace infused be from him as sole efficient cause of them our actions indued also with grace being only dispositions and no efficient cause of those habits but this is an high point of schoole Diuinitie very true but not easely to be conceiued of the vnlearned One other objection may be collected out of Master PERKINS third reason against free will which is touched as he saith by the holy Ghost in these wordes When we were dead in sinnes Ad Ephes 2.2 If a man by sinne become like a dead man he can not concurre with GOD in his rising from sinne Answere Sure it is that he can not before God by his grace hath quickned and as it were reuiued him to which grace of God man giueth his free consent How can that be if he were then dead Marry you must remember what hath beene said before that albeit man in sinne be dead in the way of grace yet he liueth naturally and hath free will in naturall and ciuill actions which will of his being by grace fortified as it were lifted vp vnto a higher degree of perfection can then concurre worke with grace to faith all good workes necessarie to life euerlasting As for example a crab-tree stocke hath no ability of it selfe to bring forth apples therefore may be tearmed dead in that kinde of good fruit Yet let a siance of apples be grafted into it and it will beare apples euen so albeit our sower corrupt nature of it self be vnable to fructifie to life euerlasting yet hauing receiued into it the heauenly grafte of Gods grace it is inabled to produce the sweete fruit of good workes Cap. 1. to which alludeth S. Iames. Receiue the ingrafted word which can saue our soules againe what more dead then the earth and yet it being tilled and sowed doth bring forth and beare goodly corne now the word and grace of God is compared by our Sauiour himselfe vnto seede Math. 13. and our hartes vnto the earth that receiued it what meruaile then if we otherwise dead yet reuiued by this liuely seede doe yeelde plenty of pleasing fruit Hauing hitherto explicated the state of the question and solued such objections as may be gathered out of M. PERKINS against it before I come to his solution of our arguments I will set downe some principall places both out of the Scriptures and auncient Fathers in defence of our Doctrine because he proposeth but fewe for vs misapplieth them too Genes 4. First then God sayeth to Cain If thou doe well shalt thou not receiue a reward But if thou doe euill thy sinne will presently be at the gates but the appetit of it shall be vnder thee thou shalt beare dominion ouer it Here is playne mention made of the power which that euill disposed man Cain had not to sinne if he had listed which was no doubt by the assistance of Gods grace and on the other side that grace did not infallibly drawe him to good but left it to his free choise whether he would follow it or no. And because they who seeke out all manner of starting holes wrest these wordes of ruling and bearing sway as spoken of his brother Abel and not of sinne first to see their iniquity marke the text where is no mention of Abel neither in that verse nor in the next before but expresse mention is made of sinne in the next wordes before therefore those pronounes that are to be referred to the wordes next before must needes in true construction be referred to sinne and not to his brother Besides this playne construction of the text Saint Augustine followeth Lib. 15. de ciuit c 7. saying as it were to Cain Hold thy selfe content for the conuersion of it shall be to thee and thou shalt rule ouer it What saith he ouer his brother God forbidde that
ought to doe and consequently doth not so well but that nowe and then he sinneth at the least venially and that therefore the said holy Doctor had just cause to say Li. 9. confess c. 13. Woe be to the laudable life of a man if it be examined without mercy Al which notwithstanding just men may out of that charity which they haue in this life doe many good workes which are pure from all sinne as hath beene proued They alleadge yet another place out of S. Augustine That belongeth vnto the perfection of a iustman Lib. 3. conduas Epist Pelag. c. 7. to knowe in truth his imperfection and in humility to confesse is True that is as he teacheth else where First that the perfection of this life is imperfection being compared with the perfection of the life to come Againe that the most perfect in this life hath many imperfections both of witte and will and thereby many light faultes Now come we vnto S. Gregory our blessed Apostle out of whose sweet wordes ill vnderstood they seeme to haue sucked this their poison Lib. 9. morall cap. 1. He saith The holy man Iob because he did see all the merit of our vertue to be vice if it be straightly examined of the inward iudge doth rightly adde if I will contend with him I cannot answere him one for a thowsand I answere that by our vertue in that place is to be vnderstood that vertue which we haue of our owne strength without the aide of Gods grace which we acknowledge to be commonly infected with some vice that S. Gregory so tooke it appeares by the wordes both going before and following before he writeth thus A man not compared to God receiued iustice but compared vnto him he leeseth it For whosoeuer compareth himselfe vnto the author of all good leeseth that good which he had receiued for he that doth attribute the good vnto himselfe doth sight against God with his owne giftes And after thus To contend with God is not to giue to God the glory of his vertue but to take it to himselfe And so all the merit of this our vertue which commeth not of God but is attributed vnto our selfe as proceeding onely from our selues is the very vice of pride and cannot be prejudiciall vnto true good workes al which we acknowledge to proceede principally from the grace of God dwelling in vs. He saith further with S. Augustine that in this life we cannot attayne vnto perfect purity such as shall be in heauen read the beginning of his first and second booke of Morales and there you shall finde him commending Iob to the skyes as a good and holy man by his temptations not foyled but much aduanced in vertue Now before I depart from this large question of justification I will handle yet one other question which commonly ariseth about it it is WHETHER FAITH MAY BE WITHOVT CHARITY I PROVE that it may so be first out of these wordes of our Sauiour Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord Math. 7. haue we not prophecied in thy name haue we not cast out Diuels haue we not done many miracles to whome I will confesse that I neuer knewe you depart from me all yee that worke iniquitie That these men beleeued in Christ and perswaded themselues assuredly to be of the elect appeareth by their confident calling of him Lord Lord and the rest that followeth Yet Christ declareth manifestly that they wanted charity in saying that they were workers of iniquity Math. 22. 2. When the King went to see his guestes He found there a man not attired in his wedding garment and therefore commaunded him to be cast into vtter darknes This man had faith or else he had not beene admitted vnto that table which signifieth the Sacraments yet wanted charity which to be the wedding garment besides the euidence of the text is also proued where in expresse tearmes Apoc. 19. The garments of Christs Spouse is declared to be the righteousnes and good workes of the Saintes And that with great reason for as S. Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 13. Faith shall not remayne after this life With what instrument then trow you will the Protestants lay hold on Christs righteousnes That charity is that wedding garment S. Hierome vpon the same place doth witnesse saying That it is the fulfilling of our Lordes commaundements And S. Gregory doth in expresse wordes define it Hom. 38. in Euang. What saith he must we vnderstand by the wedding garment but charity So doe S. Hilary and Origen and S. Chrysostome vpon that place Can. 22. in Math. Tract 20. in Math. Math. 25. 3. The like argument is made of the foolish Virgins Who were part of the Kingdome of God and therefore had faith which is the gate entrance into the seruice of God Yea in the house of God they aspired vnto more then ordinary perfection Hauing professed Virginity yet either caried away with vayne glory as S. Gregory takes it Or not giuing themselues to the workes of mercy spirituall and corporall as S. Chrysostome expoundes it briefly not continuing in their former charity for faith once had cannot after the Protestants doctrine be lost were shut out of the Kingdome of heauen albeit they presumed strongly on the assurance of their saluation as is apparant By their confident demaunding to be let in for they said Lord Lord open vnto vs. Ioh. 12. 4. Many of the princes beleeued in Christ but did not confesse him for they loued more the glory of men then the glory of God What can be more euident then that these men had faith whē the H. ghost saith expresly that they beleeued in christ which is the onely act of faith And yet were destitute of charity which preferreth the glorie and seruice of God before al things in this world Cap. 2. 5. This place of S. Iames. What shall it profit my bretheren if any man say that he hath faith but hath not workes what shall his faith be able to saue Supposeth very playnlie that a man may haue faith without good workes that is without charity but that it shall auayle him nothing Caluin saith that the Apostle speakes of a shadowe of faith which is a bare knowledge of the articles of our creede but not of a justifying faith Without doubt he was litle acquainted with that kinde of faith by which Protestants be justified but he directly speakes of such a faith as Abraham was justified by saying That that faith did worke with his workes and was made perfect by the workes Was this but a shadowe of faith but they reply that this faith is likened vnto the faith of the Diuell and therefore cannot be a justifying faith that followeth not an excellent good thing may be like vnto a badde in some thinges as Diuels in nature are not only like that the very same as Angels be euen so a full Christian faith may be well likened
often is without the sacred society of charity CHAPTER 5. OF MERITTES MASTER PERKINS saith By meritte vnderstand any thing or worke whereby Gods fauour and life euerlasting is procured and that for the dignity and excellency of the worke or thing done or a good worke binding him that receiueth it to repay the like Obserue that three thinges are necessary to make a worke meritorious First that the worker be the adopted Sonne of God and in the state of grace Secondly that the worke proceede from grace and be referred to the honour of God The third is the promise of God through Christ to reward the worke And because our aduersaries either ignorantly or of malice doe slaunder this our Doctrine in saying vntruely that we trust not in Christs merittes nor neede not Gods mercy for our saluation but will purchase it by our owne workes I will here set downe what the Councell of Trent doth teach concerning merittes Sess 6. cap. vlt. Life euerlasting is to be proposed to them that worke well and hope well to the end both as grace of mercy promised to the Sonnes of God through CHRIST IESVS and as a reward by the promise of the same God to be faithfully rendred vnto their workes and merittes So that we hold eternall life to be both a grace aswell in respect of Gods free promise through Christ as also for that the first grace out of which they issue was freely bestowed vpon vs. And that also it is a reward in justice due partly by the promise of God and in part for the dignity of good workes Vnto the worker if he perseuer and hold on vnto the end of his life or by true repentance rise to the same estate againe In infantes baptised there is a kinde of meritte or rather dignity of the adopted Sonnes of God by his grace powred into their soules in baptisme whereby they are made heires of the Kingdome of heauen but all that arriue to the yeares of discretion must by the good vse of the same grace either meritte life or for want of such fruit of it fall into the miserable state of death OVR CONSENTS WITH this Catholike Doctrine M. PER. would be thought to agree in two points First That merits are necessary to saluation 2. That Christ is the roote fountayne of all meritte But soone after like vnto a shrewd cowe ouerthrowes with his heele the good milke he had giuen before Renouncing all merits in euery man sauing onely in the person of Christ whose prerogatiue saith he it is to be the person alone in whome God is well pleased Then he addeth that they good Protestants by Christs merittes really imputed to them doe merit life euerlasting Euen as by his righteousnes imputed vnto them they are justified and made righteous To which I answere that we most willingly confesse our blessed Sauiours merittes to be infinite of such diuine efficacy that he hath not onely merited at his Fathers handes Both pardon for all faultes and grace to doe all good workes but also that his true seruantes workes should be meritorious of life euerlasting as for the reall imputation of his meritte to vs wee esteeme as a fayned imagination composed of contrarieties For if it be really in vs why doe they call it imputed and if it be ours only by Gods imputation then is it not in vs really Further to say that he only is the person in whome God is well pleased is to giue the lye vnto many playne textes of holy Scriptures Abraham was called the friend of God therefore God was wel pleased in him Iac. 2. Moyses was his beloued Dauid was a man according vnto his owne hart Eccles 45. Act. 13. Ioh. 16. Rom. 1. God loued Christs Disciples because they loued him Briefly all the Christians at Rome were truly called of S. Paul the beloued of God And therefore although God be best pleased in our Sauiour and for his sake is pleased in all others yet is he not onely pleased in him but in all his faithfull seruantes Now to that which he saith that they haue no other meritte then Christs imputed to them as they haue no other righteousnes but by imputation I take it to be true and therefore they doe very ingenuously and justly renounce all kinde of merittes in their stayned and defiled workes But let them tremble at that which thereupon necessarily followeth It is that as they haue no righteousnes nor meritte of heauen but only by a supposed imputation so they must looke for no heauen but by imputation for God as a most vpright judge wil in the end repay euery man according to his worth wherfore not finding any reall worthines in Protestants but only in conceipte his reward shall be giuen them answerably in conceipte only which is euidently gathered out of S. Augustine where he saith Lib. 1. de morib Eccles cap. 25 That the reward cannot goe before the merite nor be giuen to a man before he be worthy of it for saith he what were more iniust then that and what is more iust then God Where he concludeth that we must not be so hardy as once to demaund much lesse so impudent as to assure our selues of that crowne before we haue deserued it Seing then that the Protestants by this their proctour renounce all such meritte and desart they must needes also renounce their part of heauen not presume so much as once to demaund according vnto S. Augustines sentence vntill they haue first renounced their erronious opinions But M. PERKINS will neuerthelesse proue and that by sundry reasons that their doctrine is the truth it selfe and ours falshood First by a sorry short sillogisme cōtayning more then one whole page It is taken out of the properties of a meritorious worke Which must be saith he four First That the worke be done of ourselues without the helpe of another Secondly That it be not otherwise due debt Thirdly That it be done to the benefit of an other Fourthly That the worke and reward be equall in proportion These proprieties he sets downe pithagorically without any proofe But inferreth thereon as though he had proued them inuincibly that Christs manhood seperated from the Godhead cannot meritte because whatsoeuer he doth he doeth it by grace receiued should be otherwise due He might in like manner as truly say that Christs manhood vnited to the Godhead could not merite neither for he receiued his Godhead from his father whatsoeuer he doth is therefore his Fathers by due debt And so the good man if he were let alone would disapoint vs wholy of all merites aswell the imputed of Christs as of all ours done by vertue of his grace Wherefore we must a little sift his foure forged proprieties of merit and touching the first I say that one may by the good vse of a thing receiued by free gift merit and deserue much euen at his handes that gaue it For example the
for the mastery 2. Tim. 2. is not crowned vnlesse he striue lawfully It is also resembled vnto places of honour Math. 25. Ioh. 14. Mat. 13. 1. Ioh. 3. I will place thee ouer much And I goe to prouide you places Grace is also in many places of Scripture compared to seede For the seede of God tarrieth in him But a little seede cast into good ground and well manured bringeth forth abundance of corne Briefly then such equality as there is betweene the well deseruing subject and the office betweene him that striueth lawfully and the crowne betweene the seede and the corne is betweene the reward of heauen and the merit of a true seruant of God And thus much of M. PERKINS first Argument more indeede to explicate the nature and condition of merit then that his reason nakedly proposed did require it Exod 20. His second testimony is God will shewe mercy vpon thousandes in them that loue him and keepe his commaundements Hence he reasoneth thus Where reward is giuen vpon mercy there is no merit but reward is giuen vpon mercy as the text proueth ergo Answere That in that text is nothing touching the reward of heauen which is now in question God doth for his louing seruants sake shewe mercy vnto their children or friends either in temporall thinges or in calling them to repentance and such like but doth neuer for one mans sake bestowe the kingdome vpon another vnlesse the party himselfe be first made worthy of it That confirmation of his that Adam by his continuall and perfect obedience could not haue procured a further increase of Gods fauour is both besides the purpose and most false for as well he as euery good man sithence by good vse of Gods gifts might day by day encrease them And that no man thinke that in Paradise it should haue bin otherwise S. Augustine saith expresly That in the felicity of Paradise righteousnes preserued should haue ascended into better In Inchir cap. 25. And Adam finally and all his posterity if he had not fallen should haue bin from Paradise translated aliue into the Kingdome of heauen this by the way Nowe to the thirde Argument Rom. 6. Scripture condemneth merite of workes The wages of sinne is death True But we speake of good workes and not of badde which the Apostle calleth sinne where were the mans wittes but it followeth there That eternall life is the grace or gift of God This is to purpose but answered 1200. yeares past by that famous Father S. Augustine in diuers places of his most learned workes I will note one or two of them First thus here ariseth no small doubt De gra li. arb c. 8. which by Gods helpe I will now discusse For if eternall life be rendred vnto good workes as the holy Scripture doth most clearely teach note how then can it be called grace when grace is giuen freely and not repaide for vvorkes and so pursuing the pointes of difficulty at large in the end resolueth that eternall life is most trulie rendred vnto good workes as the due rewarde of them but because those good workes could not haue beene donne vnlesse God had before freely through Christ bestowed his grace vpon vs therefore the same eternall life is also truly called grace because the first roote of it was Gods free gift The very same answere doth he giue where he hath these wordes Epist 106. Eternall life is called grace not because it is not rendred vnto merittes but for that those merittes to which it is rendred were giuen in which place he crosseth M. PERKINS proportion most directly affirming that S. Paul might haue said truly eternall life is the pay or wages of good vvorkes but to holde vs in humility partly and partly to put a difference betweene our saluation and damnation choose rather to say that the gift of God was life eternall because of our damnation we are the whole and only cause but not of our saluation but principally the grace of God the only fountayne of merit and all good workes Now to those textes cited before about justification Ad Eph. 2. We are saued freely not of our selues or by the workes of righteousnesse which we haue donne Ad Tit. 3. I haue often answered that the Apostle speakes of workes donne by our owne forces without the helpe of Gods grace and therefore they cannot serue against workes donne in and by grace Now to that text which he hudleth vp together with the rest although it deserued a better place being one of their principall pillers in this controuersie It is The sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory to come Rom. 8. The strength of this objection lyeth in a false translation of these words Axia pros tein doxan equal to that glory or in the misconstruction of them For we graunt as it hath beene already declared that our afflictions and sufferinges be not of equall in length or greatnes with the glory of heauen for our afflictions be but for the short space of this life and they cannot be so great as will be the pleasure in heauen notwithstanding wee teach that this shorter and lesser labour imployed by a righteous man in the seruice of GOD doth meritte the other greater and of longer continuance and that by the said Apostles playne wordes for saith he 2. Cor. 4. That tribulation which in this present life is but for a moment and light doth worke aboue measure exceedingly an euerlasting weight of glory in vs. The reason is that just mens workes issue out of the fountayne of grace which giueth a heauenly value vnto his workes Againe it maketh him a quicke member of Christ and so receiuing influence from his head his workes are raised to an higher estimate it consecrateth him also a temple of the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. and so maketh him partaker of the heauenly nature as S. Peter speaketh Which addes a worth of heauen to his workes Neither is that glory in heauen which any pure creature attayneth vnto of infinite dignity as M. PERKINS fableth but hath his certayne boundes measure according vnto each mans merittes otherwise it would make a man equall to God in glory for there can be no greater then infinite as all learned men doe confesse M. PERKINS 4. reason Whosoeuer will meritte must fulfill the whole law for if we offend in one commandement we are guiltie of the whole lawe but no man can fulfill the whole lawe ergo Answere I denie the first proposition for one good worke done with his due circumstances doth bring forth merite as by all the properties of meritte may be proued at large and by his owne definition of meritte set downe in tne beginning Now if a man afterward fall into deadly sinne he leeseth his former meritte but recouering grace he riseth to his former meritte as the learned gather out of that saying of our Sauiour in the
dutie I beseech our blessed Sauiour to endue you both with the true knowledge of his diuine veritie and with the spirit of Fortitude to imbrace and defend it constantly or that at the least gratiouslie to tolerate and permitte it Your most Excellent Maiesties most obedient and loyall subiect and seruant W.B. THE PREFACE TO THE READER GENTLE READER I meane not here to entertayne thee with many wordes the principall cause that moued me to write was the honour and glory of God in defence of his sacred verity then the imploying of his talent bestowed vpon me as well to fortifie the weaker sort of Catholikes in their faith as to call backe and leade others who wander vp and downe like to lost sheepe after their owne fancies into the right way I tooke in hand particularly the confutation of this booke not onely for that I was thereunto requested by a friend of good intelligence and iudgement who thought it very expedient but also because perusing of it I found it penned more Schollerlike then the Protestants vse to doe ordinarily For first the pointes in controuersie are set downe distinctly and for the most part truely Afterward in confirmation of their opinion the chiefe arguments are produced from both Scriptures Fathers and reason Which are not vulgar but culled out of their Rabbins Luther Peter Martir Caluin Kemnitius and such like though he name them not Lastly he placeth some obiections made in fauour of the Catholike Doctrine and answereth to them aswell as he could And which I speake to his commendation doth performe all this very briefly and clearly So that to speake my opinion freely I haue not seene any booke of like quantity published by a Protestant to contayne either more matter or deliuered in better method And consequently more apt to deceiue the simple especially considering that he withall counterfeiteth to come as neare vnto the Roman Church as his tender conscience will permitte him whereas in deede he walketh as wide from it as any other noueller of this age Wherefore I esteemed my spare time best imployed about the discouering of it being as it were an abridgement of the principall controuersies of these times and doe endeuour after the same Scholasticall manner without all superfluity of wordes no lesse to maintayne and defend the Catholike party then to confute all such reasons as are by M. PERKINS alleadged for the contrarie Read this short treatise good Christian diligently for thou shalt finde in it the marrowe and pith of many large volumes contracted and drawne into a narrowe rowme And read it ouer as it becommeth a good Christian with a desire to finde out and to followe the truth because it concerneth thy eternall saluation and then iudge without partiality whether Religion hath better groundes in Gods word more euident testimonie from the purest antiquity and is more conformable vnto all Godlines good life and vpright dealing the infallible markes of the best Religion and speedely imbrace that Before I end this short preface I must intreate thy patience to beare with the faultes in Printing which are too too many but not so much to be blamed if it be courteously considered that it was Printed farre from the Authour with a Dutch composer and ouerseene by an vnskilfull Corrector the greatest of them shall be amended in the end of the booke Before the Printing of this part was finished I heard that M. PERKINS was dead I am sorry that it commeth forth to late to doe him anie good Yet his worke liuing to poison others a preseruatiue against it is neuer the lesse necessary MASTER PERKINS IN THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE It is a pollicie of the Diuell to thinke that our Religion and the Religion of the present Church of Rome are all one in substance or that they may be reunited BEFORE I am to deliuer my opinion concerning this poynt I had neede to be enformed what this Author meaneth by these wordes our Religion For there being great diuersities of pretended Religions currant in the world all contrary to the Church of Rome how can I certainlie knowe whether of them he professeth Wherefore good Sir may it please you to declare what Religion you vnderstand when you say our Religion Is it that which Martin Luther a licentious Fryer first preached in Germany or rather that which the martiall Minister Zwinglius contended with sword and shield to set vp in Zwitzerland or perhaps that which Iohn Caluin by sedition wrought into Geneua expelling the lawfull Magistrate thence and by the ayde of Beza a dissolute turne-coate spread into many corners of France Or if by your Religion you meane only to comprehend the Religion now practised in England yet are you farther to shewe whether you vnderstand that established by the State or the other more refined as it is thought by many and embraced by them who are called Puritans for of their leauen sauoureth that position of yours That the article of Christs descent into hell crept into the Creede by negligence and some other such like in this booke These principall diuisions of the newe Gospell to omitte sundry sub-diuisions being famous and receiued of diuerse in England according to each mans phantasie it is meete you expresse whether of them you speake of that it may be dulie considered how the Roman Religion and it agree and what vnion may be made betweene them Now if you meane the hotchpotch and confusion of all these newe Religions togither as by the opposition here vnto the Church of Rome and by the articles following may be gathered then I am cleare for you in this that there can be no more concord betweene these two Religions then there is betweene light and darknes faith and infidelity Christ and Beliall Notwithstanding I thinke that the reason by you produced to proue the impossibility of this vnion is of no value to wit that they of the Roman Church haue razed the foundation for though in wordes they honour Christ yet in deede they turne him into a Pseudochrist and an Idoll of their owne braine A very sufficient cause no doubt of eternal breach and diuision if it could be verified But how proue you that we Roman Catholikes who beleeue Iesus Christ to be perfect God perfect Man and the only Redeemer of Mankinde make him a false Christ and an Idoll or before you goe about to proue it tell me I pray you how this can well stand with your owne definition of a reformed Catholike in your preface There you affirme him to be a Catholike reformed to your liking that holdeth the same necessarie heades of Religion with the Roman Church Now can there be any more necessarie head of Religion then to haue a right faith in Christ can anie other foundation be layed besides IESVS Christ 1. Cor. 3. If then your reformed Catholike must agree with the Roman Church in necessarie heades of Religion as you hold he must either the Roman Church razeth not the
foundation maketh not Christ a Pseudochrist as you say here or else you teach your disciples very pernitiously to hold the same necessary heades of Religion with it But to leaue to you the reconciliation of these places let vs examine briefly how you confirme your paradox that the Church of Rome maketh Christ a false Christ which you goe about to proue by foure instances The first is because the seruant of his seruants may chaunge and adde to his commaundements hauing so great power that he may open and shut heauen to whome he will and binde the very conscience with his owne lawes and consequently be partaker of the spiritual kingdome of Christ Here are diuerse reasons hudled vp in one but all of litle moment for all these seuerall faculties which the Pope enioyeth being receiued by the free gift of Christ and to be employed in his seruice onlie and to his honour and glorie are so farre off from making Christ a Pseudochrist that they doe highly recommēd his most singuler bounty towardes his followers without any derogation to his owne diuine prerogatiues The particulars shal be more particularly answered in their places hereafter Now I say in a word that Christs Vicar cannot change any one of Gods cōmaundements nor adde any contrarie vnto them but may well enact establish some other conformable vnto them which doe bind in cōscience for that power is granted of God to euery soueraigne gouernour Rom. 13. as witnesseth S. Paul saying Let euery soule be subiect to higher powers And that as it is in the 5. verse following of necessity not only for wrath but also for conscience sake So that to attribute power vnto one that is vnder CHRIST to binde our consciences is not to make CHRIST a Pseudochrist but to glorifie him much acknowledging the power which it hath pleased him to giue vnto men In like manner what an absurde illation is that from the power to open and shut heauen gates which all both Catholikes and Protestants confesse to haue beene giuen to Saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles to inferre that CHRIST is made a Pseudochrist as who should say the master spoyled himselfe of his supreame authority by appoynting a stewarde ouer his housholde or a porter at this gates he must be both Master and Man to belike And thus much of the first instance Come we now to the second It is that we make Christ an Idoll for albeit we call him a Sauiour yet in vs in that he giues his grace to vs that by our merits we may be our owne sauiours c. I meruaile in whome he should be a sauiour if not in vs What is he the Sauiour of Angels or of anie other creatures I hope not but the mischief is that he giues grace to vs that there by we may merite and so become our owne Sauiours This is a phrase vnheard of among Catholiks that anie man is his owne Sauiour neither doth it folowe of that position that good works are meritorious but well that we applie vnto vs the saluation which is in CHRIST IESVS by good works as the Protestants auouch they doe by faith onlie In which sence the Apostle S. Paul sayeth to his deare Disciple Timothe Tim. 4. For this doing thow shalt saue both thy selfe and them that heare thee And this doth no more diminish the glorie of our Soueraigne Sauiours infinit merits then to say that we are saued by faith onlie good works no lesse depending if not more aduancing Christs merits then only faith as shall be prooued hereafter more at large in the question of merits Now that other good mens merits may steede them who want some of their owne may be deduced out of an hundred places of the Scriptures namely out of those where God sayeth that for the sake of one of his true seruants he will shewe mercie vnto thousands as is expressely said in the end of the first commandement In like manner I answere vnto your third instance that for Christ to haue taken away by his blessed Passion the eternall payne due vnto our sinnes to haue left a temporall to be satisfied by vs is not to make himselfe a false Christ but a most louing kinde and withall a most prudent Redeemer Wiping away that by himselfe which passed our forces and reseruing that to vs which by the helpe of his grace we wel may ought to doe not only because it were vnseemely that the parts of the body should be disproportionable to the head but also because it is reasonable as the Apostle holdeth Rom. 8. that we suffer here with Christ before wee raigne with him in his Kingdome In your last instance you say that we make Christ our mediator of intercession to GOD thinking out of your simplicity that therein we much magnifie him sing Osanna vnto him Whereas we hold it for no small disparagement vnto his diuine dignitie to make him our Intercessor that is to pray him to pray for vs who is of himselfe right able to helpe vs in all we can demaund being aswell God as Man And albeit one in thought singling out the humanity of Christ from his diuine nature and person might make it an intercessor for vs Yet that being but a Metaphisical cōceipt to separate the nature from the person since the Arrian heresie which held Christ to be inferior to his Father it hath not beene practised by Catholikes who alwayes pray our Sauiour Christ to haue mercy vpon vs neuer to pray for vs. And consequently make him no mediator of intercession but of redemption And to come to your grieuous complaint that withall his Mother must be Queene of heauen and by right of a mother commaund him there Who can sufficiently meruaile at their vnnaturall grosse pates who take it for a disgrace to the Sonne to aduaunce his owne good Mother or else who wel in his wits considering Christs bounty to strangers and his enemies will not be perswaded that on his best beloued mother he did bestowe his most speciall fauours For hauing taken flesh of her hauing suckt her breasts and receiued his nuriture and education of her in his tender yeares and being aswell followed of her as of any other Is it possible that he should not be as good to her as to others vnto whome he was not at all beholding Againe the verie place of a mother requiring preheminence before all seruants and subjects of what dignitie soeuer doth not the right rule of reason lead vs to thinke that Christ the fountayne of all wisdome replenished the B. Virgin Marie his deare Mother with such grace as should make her fit for that place it lying in his hands and free choise to doe it And therefore is she trulie tearmed of holy and learned Antiquity our Lady and Queene exalted aboue all quyers of Angels That which you impute vnto vs farther that she must in the right of a mother commaund her Sonne is no
the working of grace by Gods spirit and the willing of it in man goe togither Yet in regarde of order grace is first wrought and mans will must first of all be acted and moued by grace and then it also acteth willeth and moueth it selfe And this is the last point of consent betweene vs and the Roman Church touching free will neither may we proceede farther with them Hitherto M. PERKINS Now before I come to the supposed difference I gather first that he yeeldeth vnto the principall point in controuersie that is freedome of wil in ciuill and morall workes in the state of corruption and all good works in the state of grace for in his first conclusion distinguishing foure estates of man he affirmeth that in the third of man renued or as we speake justified there is libertie of grace that is grace enableth mans will to doe if it please such spirituall workes as God requireth at his handes Yet lest he be taken to yeeld in any thing Pag. 16. he doth in shewe of wordes contradict both these points in an other place For in setting downe the difference of our opinions he saith that mans will in his conuersion is not actiue but passiue which is flat opposite vnto that which himselfe said a litle before in his first conclusion that in the conuersion of a sinner mans will concurreth not passiuely but is co-worker with Gods grace The like contradiction may be obserued in the other part of libertie in morall actions for in his third conclusion he deliuereth playnlie man to haue a naturall freedome euen since the fall of Adam to doe or not to doe the acts of wisedome Iustice Temperance c. Pag. 19. and proues out of S. Paul that the Gentils so did Yet in his first reason he affirmeth as peremptorily out of the 8. of Genesis that the whole frame of mans hart is corrupted and all that he thinketh deuiseth or imagineth is wholy euill leauing him no naturall strength to performe any part of morall dutie See how vncertayne the steps be of men that walke in darknes or that would seeme to communicate with the workes of darknes For if I mistake him not he agreeth fully in this matter of free will with the Doctrine of the Catholike Church For he putting downe the point of difference Page 1 saith that it standeth in the cause of the freedome of mans will in spirituall matters allowing then freedome of will with vs in the state of grace whereof he there treateth for he seemeth to dissent from vs only in the cause of that freedome And as he differeth from Luther and Caluin with other sectaries in graunting this liberty of will so in the very cause also he accordeth with Catholikes as appeareth by his owne wordes For saieth he Papists say mans will concurreth with Gods grace by it selfe and by it owne naturall power we say that Mans will worketh with grace yet not of it selfe but by grace either he vnderstandeth not what Catholikes say or else accuseth them wrongfully For we say that Mans will then only concurreth with Gods grace when it is stirred and holpen first by Gods grace So that Mans wil by his owne naturall actions doth concurre in euery good worke otherwise it were no action of Man But we farther say that this action proceedeth principally of grace whereby the will was made able to produce such actions for of it selfe it was vtterly vnable to bring forth such spirituall fruite And this I take to be that which M. PERKINS doth meane by those his wordes that the will must bee first moued and acted by grace before it can acte or will Hee mistooke vs thinking that we required some outward helpe only to the will to joyne with it or rather that grace did but as it were vntie the chaynes of sinne wherein our will was fettered And then will could of it selfe turne to God Luc. 10. Not vnderstanding how Catholikes take that parable of the man wounded in the way betweene Ierusalem and Ierico who was not as the Papists only say but as the holy Ghost saieth lefte halfe and not starke dead Now the exposition of Catholikes is not that this wounded man which signifieth all Mankinde had halfe his spirituall strength left him but was robbed of al Supernaturall riches spoyled of all his originall Iustice and wounded in his naturall powers of both vnderstanding and will and therein lefte halfe dead not being able of his owne strength either to know all naturall truth or to performe all morall dutie Now touching supernaturall workes because he lost all power to performe them not being able so much as to prepare himselfe conueniently to them he in a good sence may be likened vnto a dead man not able to moue one singer that way of grace Luc. 15. and so in holy Scripture the Father said of his prodigall Son he was dead and is reuiued Yet as the same sonne liued a naturall life albeit in a deadly sinne so mans wil after the fal of Adam continued some what free in actions conformable to the nature of man though wounded also in them as not being able to acte many of them yet hauing still that naturall facultie of free will capable of grace also able being first both outwardly moued and fortified inwardly by the vertue of grace to effect and doe any worke appertayning to saluation which is asmuch as M. PERKINS affirmeth And this to be the verie Doctrine of the Church of Rome Cap. 1. is most manifestlie to be seene in the Councell of Trent where in the Session are first these wordes in effect concerning the vnablenesse of man to arise from sinne of himselfe Euerie man must acknowledge and confesse that by Adams fall we were made so vncleane sinnefull that neither the gentils by the force of nature nor the Iewes by the letter of Moyses lawe could arise out of that sinnefull state After it sheweth howe our deliuerance is wrought and howe freedome of will is recouered in speciall and wherein it consisteth saying The beginning of iustification in persons vsing reason is taken from the grace of God preuenting vs through IESVS CHRIST that is from his vocation whereby without any desert of ours we are called that we who were by our sinnes turned away from God may be prepared by his grace both raising vs vp and helping vs to returne to our owne Iustification freely yeelding our consent vnto the said grace and working with it So as God touching the hart of man by the light of the Holy Ghost neither doth man nothing at all receiuing that inspiration who might also refuse it neither yet can he without the grace of God by his free will moue himselfe to that which is iust in Gods sight And that you may be assured that this Doctrine of the Councell is no other then that which was taught three hundred yeares before in the very middest of darknes as heretikes deeme
that he when he commendeth grace denyeth free will Lib. 4. con Iul. c. 8. Much lesse would I say that which thou lyingly dost affirme me to say free will to be denied if grace be commended or grace to be denied if free will be commended Nowe in fewe wordes I will passe ouer the objections which he frameth in our names But misapplieth them First Obiection That man can doe good by nature as giue almes doe Iustice speake the truth c. And therefore will them without the helpe of grace This argument we vse to proue libertie of will in ciuill and morall matters euen in the corrupted state of man and it doth demonstrate it and M. PERKINS in his third cōclusion doth graunt it And his answere here is farre from the purpose for albeit saith he touching the substance of the worke it be good yet it faileth both in the beginning because it proceedes not from a pure hart and a faith vnfeigned and also in the end which is not the glory of God Answere It faileth neither in the one nor other for that almes may issue out of a true naturall compassion which is a sufficient good fountayne to make a worke morally good faith and grace to purge the hart are necessary only for good and meritorious workes Againe being done to relieue the poore mans necessity GOD his Creator and Master is thereby glorified And so albeit the man thought not of GOD in particuler yet GOD being the finall end of all good any good action of it selfe is directed towardes him when the man putteth no other contrary end thereunto 2. Obiection God hath commaunded all to beleeue and repent therefore they haue naturall free will by vertue whereof being helped by the spirit of God they can beleeue The force of the argument consisteth in this that GOD being a good Lord will not commaund any man to doe that which he is no way able to doe Ans M. PERKINS answereth in effect for his wordes be obscure that GOD commaundeth that which we be not able to performe but that which we should doe Then I hope he will admitte that he will enable vs by his grace to doe it or else how should we doe it God surely doth not bind vs by commaundement to any impossible thing he is no tyrant but telleth vs that his yoke is sweete and his burthen easie Mat. 11. And S. Iohn witnesseth that his commaundements are not heauy Ioh. 5. He was farre off from thinking that GOD would tie any man by lawe to doe that which he was altogether vnable to performe This in the end M. PERKINS himselfe approueth 3. Ob. If man haue no free wil to sin or not to sin then no man is to be punished for his sinnes because he sinneth by a necessitie not to be auoyded He answereth that the reason is not good for though man cannot but sinne yet is the fault in himselfe and therefore is to be punished Against which I say that this answere supposeth that which is false to wit that a man in sinne cannot choose but sinne For by the helpe of God who desireth all sinners conuersion 1. Pet. 3. and thereunto affordeth grace sufficient a sinner in a moment may call for grace and repent him and so choose whether he will sinne or no and consequently hath free wil to sin or not to sin And that example of a bankerupt is not to purpose for he cannot when he will satisfie his creditours who content not themselues with his repentance without repay of their money as God doth Nowe concerning the force of this argument heare Saint Augustines opinion De duab animab contr Manich. in these wordes Neither are wee here to search obscure books to learne that no man is worthy of disprayse or punishment which doeth not that which he cannot doe for saith he doe not shepheardes vpon the downes sing these thinges doe not poetes vpon the stages acte them Doe not the vnlearned in their assemblies and the learned in their libraries acknowledge them Doe not maisters in the scholes Prelats in the pulpits finally al mankind throughout the whole world confesse and teach this to wit that no man is to be punished because he did that which he could not choose but doe Should he not then according to S. Augustines censure be hissed out of all honest companie of men that denieth this so manifest a truth confessed by all Mankinde How grosse is this heresie that so hoodeth a man and hardneth him that be he learned yet he blusheth not to deny roundly that which is so euident in reason that euen naturall sence doth teach it vnto sheepheards God of his infinite mercie deliuer vs from this straunge light of the newe Gospell CHAPTER 2. OF ORIGINALL SINNE OVR CONSENTS M. PERKINS FIRST CONCLVSION Pag. 28. THEY say naturall corruption after Baptisme is abolissed and so say we but let vs see how farre forth it is abolissed In originall sinne are three thinges First the punishment which is the first and second death second guiltines which is the binding vp of the creature vnto punishment third the fault or the offending of God vnder which I comprehend our guiltines in Adams first offence as also the corruption of the hart which is a naturall inclination and pronesse to any thing that is euill or against the law of God For first we say that after Baptisme in the regenerate the punishment of Originall sinne is taken away Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation saith the Apostle to them that are in CHRIST IESVS For the second that is guiltines we further condescend and say that it is also taken away in them that are borne anewe For considering there is no condemnation to them there is nothing to binde them to punishment Yet this caueat must be remembred namely that the guiltines is remoued from the person regenerate but not from the sinne in the person But of this more hereafter Thirdly the guilt in Adams first offence is pardoned And touching the corruption of the hart I auouch two thinges First that the very power and strength whereby it raigneth in man is taken away in the regenerate Secondly that this corruption is abolished as also the fault of euerie actuall sinne past So farre forth as it is the fault and sinne of the man in whome it is In deede it remaines till death and it is sinne considered in it selfe so long as it remaines but it is not imputed to the person And in that respect is as though it were not it being pardoned Hitherto M. PER. Annotations vpon our Consent First we say not that the punishment of Originall sinne is in it or any part of it but rather a due correction and as it were an expulsion of it this is but a peccadilio but there lurketh a Serpent in that caueat that the guiltines of Originall sinne is remoued from the person regenerate but not from the sinne in the
the lawe which saith doe these thinges and thou shalt liue Gal. 5. but there is nothing that can satisfie that iustice of the lawe but the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ ergo This reason is not worth a rush for when he requireth that our justice must satisfie the justice of the lawe I demaund what lawe he meaneth If Moyses lawe Gal 5. Gal. 5. of which those wordes Doe this and thou shalt liue are spoken Then I answere with the Apostle That you are euacuated or abolished from Christ that are iustified in the lawe that is he is a Iewe and no Christian that would haue Christian Iustice answerable to Moyses lawe If M. PER. would only that men justified must be able to fulfil Christs lawe I then graunt that they so be by the helpe of Gods grace which wil neuer faile them before they faile of their duties But saith M. PER. That iustice of man is vnperfect and cannot satisfie the iustice which God requires in his lawe and proues it out of Esay who saith All our righteousnesse is as a menstruous Isay 64 or defiled cloath I answere that the holy Prophet speaketh those wordes in the person of the wicked and therefore are maddely applied vnto the righteous That he speaketh of the the wicked of that nation and of that time appeareth playnlie by the text it selfe For he saith before But loe thou hast beene angrie for we haue offended and haue beene euer in sinne and after There is no man that calleth vpon thy name and standeth vp to take hold by thee And although the wordes be generall and seemes to the vnskilfull to comprehend himselfe also yet that is but the manner of preachers and specially of such as become Intercessors for others who vse to speake in the persons of them for whome they sue for if he had reckoned himselfe in that number he had lyed when he said There is none that call vpon thy name when as he immediately calleth vpon him in most vehement sort for mercy all which the best learned among them marking Luâ—â— Caâ—â— thiâ—â— confesse that this sentence can not be alleadged against the vertue of good workes Hence gather how dexterously M. PERKINS handleth Holy Scripture That which the Prophet spake of some euill men of one place and at one time that he applyeth vnto all good men for all times and all places But he will amend it in the next where he proues out of Saint Paul 1. 〈◊〉 that a cleare conscience which is a great part of inherent justice can nothing helpe to our iustification I am priuie to nothing by my selfe and yet I am not iustified thereby Here is a very prety peece of cousinage What doth the Apostle say that he was not iustified by his cleare conscience nothing lesse but that albeit he sawe nothing in himselfe to hinder his iustification yet GOD who hath sharper ey-sight might espie some iniquitie in him and therefore durst not the Apostle affirme himselfe to be iustified as if he should say if there be no other fault in mee in GODS sight then I can finde by mine owne insight I am iustified because I am guiltie of nothing and so the place proueth rather the vncertayne knowledge of our iustification as I haue before shewed But M. PERKINS addeth that we must remember that we shall come to judgement where rigour of justice shall be shewed We knowe it well but when there is no condemnation to those that by Baptisme be purged from originall sinne as he confesseth himselfe Pâ—â— the Apostle to teach in our consents about originall sinne what then needeth any iustified man greatly feare the rigorous sentence of a just judge And Saint Paul saith himselfe in the person of the just That he had ranne a good race c. and therefore there was a crowne of iustice laid vp for him by that iust iudge and not only to him but all them that loue Christs comming And concerning both inherent iustice and the ability of it to fulfill the lawe And what lawe Sâ—â— dâ—â— heare this one sentence of S. Augustine He that beleeueth in him he hath not that iustice which is of the lawe albeit the lawe be good but he shall fulfill the lawe not by iustice which he hath of himselfe but which is giuen of God for charity is the fulfilling of the lawe and from him is this charity powred into our hartes not certaynlie by our selues but by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vs. Now to the second argument He which knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God â— Cor. 5. which is in him Hence M. PERKINS reasoneth thus As Christ was made sinne for vs so we are made the righteousnes of God in him but Christ was made sinne by imputation of our sinnes he being most holy Therefore a sinner is made righteous in that Christs righteousnes is imputed vnto him I deny both propositions the former because it hath a comparison in the manner of our justification with the sinne which Christ was made for vs for in the text of the Apostle there is no signification of a similitude that Christ was so made sinne as we are made just That is then M. PER. vayne glosse without any likelyhood in the text The other proposition is also false for Christ was not made sin by imputation for sinne in that place is taken figuratiuely and signifieth according to the exposition of auncient Fathers An hoste or Sacrifice for sinne Which Christ was truly made his body being sacrificed on the Crosse for the discharge of sinne and not by imputation How these wordes of the Apostle Iustice of God are to be vnderstood see Saint Augustine Tract 26. in Ioan. Item Epist 120. ad honorat cap. 30. Item in Psal 30. Conc. 1. De spirit lib. c. 9. One place I will cite for all The iustice of God saith he through the faith of CHRIST IESVS that is by faith wherewith we beleeue in Christ for as that faith is called Christs not by which Christ beleeues so that Iustice is called Gods not whereby God is iust both of them faith and iustice be ours but therefore they are tearmed Gods and Christs because through their liberality they are giuen to vs. Which interpretation may be confirmed out of that place of Saint Chrysostome which M. PERKINS citeth saying It is called Gods Iustice because it is not of workes but of his free gift So that it is not that which is in God himselfe but such as he bestoweth vpon vs. And that iustice of it selfe is pure and wanteth no vertue to worke that for which it is giuen to wit to make a man righteous S. Anselme a right vertuous and learned Catholike Arch-bishoppe of ours shall be answered when the place is quoted Rom. 5. M. PERKINS third reason As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one
be set to worke and if it doe not act that which it is set too then there wanted some thing requisite And consequently that was not the whole cause of that worke Now to the second proposition But their imagined faith can not apply to themselues Christs righteousnes without the presence of hope and charity For else he might be justified without any hope of heauen and without any loue towardes God and estimation of his honour which are thinges most absurd in themselues but yet very well fitting the Protestants justification which is nothing else but the playne vice of presumption as hath beene before declared Yet to auoid this inconuenience which is so great M. PE. graunteth that both hope and charity must needes be present at the justification but doe nothing in it but faith doth all as the head is present to the eie whē it seeth yet it is the eie alone that seeth Here is a worthy peece of Philosophy that the eie alone doth see whereas in truth it is but the instrument of seing the soule being the principall cause of sight as it is of all other actions of life sence and reason and it is not to purpose here where we require the presence of the whole cause not only of the instrumentall cause And to returne your similitude vpon your selfe as the eie cannot see without the head because it receiueth influence from it before it cā see so cannot faith justifie without charity because it necessarily receiueth spirit of life from it before it can doe any thing acceptable in Gods sight The fourth reason if faith alone doe justifie then faith alone will saue but it will not saue ergo M. PERKINS first denyeth the proposition and saith That it may iustifie and yet not saue because more is required to saluation then to iustification Which is false for put the case that an Innocent babe dye shortly after his baptisme wherein he was justified shall he not be saued for want of any thing I hope you will say yes euen so any man that is justified if he depart in that state no man makes doubt of his saluation therefore this first shift was very friuoulous Which M. PERKINS perceiuing flies to a second that for faith alone we shall also be saued that good workes shall not be regarded at the day of our judgement Then must those wordes of the holy Ghost so often repeted in the Scriptures be razed out of the text God at that time will render vnto euery man according to his workes But of this more amply in the question of merits 5. Reason There be many other vertues vnto which justification and saluation are ascribed in Gods word therefore faith alone sufficeth not The Antecedent is proued first of feare it is said He that is without feare Ecclesias 1. Rom. 8. Luc. 13. 1. Ioan. 3. cannot be iustified We are saued by hope Vnlesse you doe penance you shall all in like sort perish We are translated from death to life that is justified because we loue the brethren Againe of baptisme Vnlesse you be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost you cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen Lastly we must haue a resolute purpose to amend our euill liues Rom. 6. For we are buried together with Christ by baptisme into death that as Christ is risen from the dead c. So we may also walke in newes of life To all these and many such like places of Holy Scripture it pleased M. PERKINS to make answere in that one Rom. 8. You are saued by hope to wit that Paules meaning is only that we haue not as yet saluation in possession but must wayte patiently for it vntill the time of our full deliuerance this is all Now whether that patient expectation which is not hope but issueth out of hope of eternall saluation or hope it selfe be any cause of saluation he sayeth neither yea nor nay leaues you to thinke as it seemeth best vnto your selfe S. Paul then affirming it to be a cause of saluation it is best to beleeue him so neither to exclude hope or charity or any of the foresaid vertues from the worke of justification hauing so good warrant as the word of God for the confirmation of it To these authorities and reasons taken out of the holy Scriptures let vs joyne here some testimonies of the auncient Church reseruing the rest vnto that place wherein M. PER. citeth some for him The most auncient and most valiant Martir S. Ignatius of our justification writeth thus Epist ad Philip. The beginning of life is faith but the end of it is charity but both vnited and ioyned together doe make the man of God perfect Clement Patriarch of Alexandria saith Faith goeth before Libr. 2. strom but feare doth build and charity bringeth to perfection Saint Iohn Chrysostome Patriarch of Constantinople hath these wordes Least the faithfull should trust that by faith alone they might be saued Hom. 70. in Mat. he disputeth of the punishment of euill men and so doth he both exhort the Infidels to faith and the faithfull to liue well Lib. 3. hypognost S. Augustine cryeth out as it were to our Protestants and saith Heare O foolish Heretike and enemy to the true faith Good workes which that they may be donne are by grace prepared and not of the merits of free will we condemne not because by them or such like men of God haue beene iustified are iustified and shall be iustified De side oper c. 14. And Now let vs see that which is to be shaken out of the harts of the faithfull Least by euill security they lose their saluation if they shall thinke faith alone to be sufficient to obtayne it Now the doctrine which M. PERKINS teacheth is cleane contrary For saith he A sinner is iustified by faith alone that is nothing that man can doe by nature or grace concurreth thereto as any kind of cause but faith a lone Farther he saith That faith it selfe is no principall but rather an instrumentall cause whereby we apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnes for our iustification So that in fine we haue that faith so much by them magnified and called the only and whole cause of our justification is in the end become no true cause at all but a bare condition without which we cannot be justified If it be an instrumentall cause Conditio sine qua non let him then declare what is the principall cause whose instrument faith is and choose whether he had leifer to haue charity or the soule of man without any helpe of grace But to come to his reasons The first is taken out of these wordes As Moyses lift vp the serpent in the desart Ioh. 3. so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euerlasting True if he liue accordingly and as his faith teacheth
him but what is this to justification by only faith Marry M. PERKINS drawes it in after this fashion As nothing was required of them who were strong by serpents but that they should looke vpon the brasen serpent So nothing is required of a sinner to deliuer him from sinne but that he cast his eye of faith vpon Christs righteousnes and apply that to himselfe in particular But this application of the similitude is only mans foolish inuention without any ground in the text Similttudes be not in all poynts alike neither must be streatched beyond the very poynt wherein the similitude lyeth which in this matter is that like as the Israelites in the Wildernes stoung with serpents were cured by looking vpon the brasen serpent so men infected with sin haue no other remedy then to embrace the faith of Christ Iesus All this we confesse but to say that nothing else is necessary that is quite besides the text and as easely rejected by vs as it is by him obtruded without any authority or probability His 2. reason is collected of exclusiue speeches as he speaketh vsed in Scriptures Gal 2.16 As we are iustified freely not of the lawe not by the lawe not of workes not of our selues not of the workes of the lawe but by faith all boasting excluded Luke 8.50 only beleeue These distinctions whereby works the law are excluded in the worke of justification include thus much that faith alone doth justifie It doth not so for these exclusiue speeches do not exclude feare hope and charity more then they exclude faith it selfe Which may be called a worke of the lawe aswell as any other vertue being as much required by the lawe as any other But S. Paules meaning in those places is to exclude all such workes as either Iewe or Gentile did or could bragge of as donne of themselues and so thought that by them they deserued to be made Christians For he truly saith that all were concluded in sinne and needed the grace of God which they were to receiue of his free mercy through the merits of Christ and not of any desart of their owne And that to obtayne this grace through Christ it was not needefull nay rather hurtfull to obserue the ceremonies of Moyses lawe as Circumcision the obseruation of any of their feastes or fastes nor any such like worke of the lawe which the Iewes reputed so necessary Againe that all morall workes of the Gentiles could not deserue this grace which workes not proceeding from charity were nothing worth in Gods sight And so all workes both of Iewe and Gentile are excluded from being any meritorious cause of justification and consequently all their boasting of their owne forces their first justification being freely bestowed vpon them Yet all this notwithstanding a certaine vertuous disposition is required in the Iewe and Gentile whereby his soule is prepared to receiue that great grace of justification that say we is faith feare hope loue and repentance that say the Protestants is faith only Wherefore say we as the excluding of workes and boasting exclude not faith no more doe they exclude the rest faith being as well our worke and a worke of the lawe as any of the rest and all the rest being of grace as well as faith and as farre from boasting of as faith it selfe Now that out of S Luke beleeue only is nothing to the purpose For he was bid beleeue the raysing of his daughter to life and not that Christs righteousnes was his and faith alone may be a sufficient disposition to obtayne a myracle but not to obtayne justification of which the question only is Consider now good Reader whether of our interpretations agree better with the circumstances of the text and the judgement of the auncient Fathers The texts see thou in the Testament Take for a taste of the Fathers judgement S. Augustines exposition of those places of S. Paul of one of the chiefest of which thus he speaketh Men not vnderstanding that which the Apostle saith We esteeme a man to be iustified without the lawe De gra lib. aâ—b c 7. thought him to say that faith sufficed a man althoug he liued euill and had no good workes which God forbid that the vessell of election should thinke And againe De predest sanct c 7. Therefore the Apostle saith that a man is iustified by faith and not of workes because saith is first giuen and by it the rest which are properly called workes and in which we liue justlie are by petition obtayned By which it is manifest that S. Paul excluding the workes of the lawe and the workes donne by our owne only forces doth not meane to exclude good workes which proceede from the helpe of Gods grace THAT FAITH ONLY DOTH NOT IVSTIFIE MASTER PERKINS third Argument Very reason may teach vs thus much that no gift in man is apt as a spirituall hand to receiue and apply Christ and his righteousnesse vnto a sinner sauing faith loue hope feare repentance haue their seuerall vses but none of them serue for this ende of apprehending but faith only Amswere Mans reason is but a blinde mistris in matters of faith and he that hath no better an instructor in such high misteries must needs know little But what if that also faile you in this poynt then euery man cannot but see how naked you are of all kinde of probability I say then that reason rather teacheth the contrary For in common sence no man apprehendeth and entreth into the possession of any thing by beleeuing that he hath it For if a man shoulde beleeue that he is rich of honour wise or vertuous Doth he thereby become presently such a one nothing lesse His faith and perswasion is no fitte instrument to apply and drawe these thinges to himselfe as all the worlde sees How then doth reason teach me that by beleeuing Christes righteousnesse to bee mine owne I lay hand on it and make it mine Againe Christs righteousnes according to their owne opinion is not receiued into vs at all but is ours only by Gods imputation what neede we then faith as a spirituall hand to receiue it If they say as M. PERKINS doth that faith is as it were a condition required in vs which when God seeth in vs he presently imputeth Christs righteousnesse to vs and maketh it ours Then will I be bolde to say that any other vertue is as proper as faith to haue Christ applyed vnto vs there being no other aptnesse requisite in the condition it selfe but only the will and ordinance of God then euery thing that it shal please him to appoynt is alike apt and so M. PERKINS had small reason to say that faith was the only apt instrument to apply to vs Christs righteousnesse Moreouer true diuine reason teacheth me that both hope and charity doe much more apply vnto Christians all Christes merits and make them doe then faith For what faith assureth me of in
generall that hope applyeth vnto me in particular by faith I beleeue CHRIST to be the Sauiour of all mankind by hope I trust to be made partaker of that saluation in him But charity doth yet giue me a greater confidence of saluation for by the rule of true charity as I dedicate and imploy my life labours and all that I haue to the seruice of God so all that God hath is made mine so farre forth as it can be made mine according vnto that sacred lawe of friendshippe Amicorum omnia sunt communia And therefore in true reason neither by faith nor any other vertue we take such holde on Christs merittes nor haue such interest in his inestimable treasures as by charity which S. Augustine vnderstoode well when he made it the modell and measure of justification saying That Charity beginning De nat gra c. vlt. was Iustice beginning Charity encreased was Iustice encreased great Charity was great Iustice and perfect Charity was perfect Iustice M. PERKINS fourth Reason is taken from the iudgement of the auncient Church They are blessed to whome without any labour or worke donne Ambros in Rom. 4. iniquities are remitted So no workes or repentance is required of them but only that they beleeue To these and such like wordes I answere First that it is very vncertaine whether these Commentaries be Saint Ambroses Secondly that that Author excludeth not repentance but only the workes of Moyses lawe which the Iewes helde to be necessary as circumcision and such like see the place and conferre with it that which he hath written in the same worke vpon the fourth to the Hebrewes where hee hath these wordes Faith is a great thing and without it it is not possible to be saued but faith alone doth not suffice but it is necessary that faith vvorke by charity and conuerse worthy of God M. PERKINS next authority is gathered out of S. Augustine De verb. Ap. ser 40. There is one propitiation for all sinners to beleeue in Christ True but where is it that we neede nothing else but to beleeue Hesichius saith Grace which is of mercy is apprehended by faith alone Leuit. li. 1. cap. 2. and not of workes that is we doe not meritte by our workes done before grace anything at GODS hand but of his mercy receiue both faith and iustification 4. Bernard hath Whosoeuer thirsteth after righteousnes let him beleeue in thee Sup. cant serm 22. that being iustified by faith alone he way haue peace with God Answere By faith alone he excludeth all other meanes that either Iewe or Gentile required but not charity Which his very wordes include for howe can wee abhorre sinne and thirst after justice without charity and in the same worke Serm. 24. He declareth playnely that he comprehendeth alwayes charity when hee speakes of a justifying faith saying A right faith doth not make a man righteous if it worke not by Charity And againe Neither workes without faith nor faith without workes is sufficient to make the soule righteous Gal. 3. 5. Chrysostome they said he who rested on faith alone was accursed but Paul sheweth that he is blessed who rested on faith alone Answere He speakes of the Iewes who held Christians accursed because resting on the faith in Christ would not obserue withall Moyses law the Apostle contrary wise denounceth them accursed Gal. 5. who would joyne the ceremonies of Moyses lawe with Christian religion and so faith alone there excludeth onely the old lawe not the workes of charity so he mangleth pittifully a sentence of S. Basils saying De humil Let man acknowledge himselfe to want true iustice and that he is iustified onely by faith in Christ If a man knowe him selfe iustified by faith in Christ howe can he acknowledge that hee wants true justice His wordes truly repeted are these Let man acknowledge that hee is vnworthie of true iustice and that his iustification comes not of his desert but of the meere mercy of GOD through Christ. So that by faith alone S. Basill treating of humility excludes all merite of our owne but no necessary good disposition as you may see in his Sermon de fide where he proues by manie textes of Holy Scripture that charity is as necessary as faith Rom. 3. M. PERKINS last testimony is out of Origen Who proues as M. PER. said that onely beleeuing without workes iustifieth by the example of the Theefe on the Crosse of whose good workes there is no mention Answere Origen excludeth no good disposition in vs to justification but saith that a man may be saued without doing outwardly any good workes If he want time and place as the Theefe did who presently vpon his conuersion was put to death which is good Catholike Doctrine but that you may perceiue how necessary the good dispositions before mentioned be to justification you shall finde if you consider well all circumstances not one of them to haue beene wanting in that good Theefes conuersion First that he stood in feare of Gods just judgement appeares by these his wordes to his fellowe Doest thou not feare God c. He had hope to be saued by Christ out of which he said O Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome By both which speeches is shewed also his faith both in God that he is the gouuernour and just judge of the world and in Christ that he was the Redeemer of mankinde His repentance and confession of his fault is laid downe in this And we truly suffer worthely His charity towardes God and his neighbour in reprehending his fellowes blasphemie in defending Christs innocency and in the middest of his greatest disgraces and raging enemies to confesse him to be King of the world to come out of all which we may gather also that he had a full purpose to amend his life and to haue taken such order for his recouery as it should please Christ his Sauiour to appoint So that the lacked not any one of those dispositions which the Catholike Church requires to justification Now that that great Doctor Origen meant not to exclude any of these good qualities out of the companies of faith is apparant by that which he hath written on the next Chapter where he saith Rom. 4. That faith cannot be imputed to iustice to such as beleeue in Christ vnlesse they doe withall put of the old man and a little before more playnlie saying I thinke that faith is the first beginning of saluation hope is proceeding in the building but the toppe and perfection of the whole worke is charity THE THIRD DIFFERENCE ABOVT IVSTIFICATION howe farre forth good workes are required thereto MASTER PERKINS saith Pag. 91. That after the doctrine of the Church of Rome there be two kindes of iustification the first when of a sinner one is made iust the which is of the meere mercy of God through Christ without any merit of man onely some certayne
good deuotions of the soule as the actes of Faith Feare Hope Charity Repentance goe before to prepare as it were the way and to make it more sit to receiue that high grace of iustification The second iustification is when a iust man by the exercise of vertues is made more iust as a Childe newe borne doth by nuriture growe day by day bigger of this increase of grace Catholikes hold good workes to be the meritorious cause M. PERKINS first graunteth that good workes doe please God and haue a temporall reward 2. That they are necessary to saluation not as the cause thereof but either as markes in away to direct vs towardes saluation or as fruites and signes of righteousnes to declare one to be just before men all which he shuffleth in rather to delude our arguments then for that they esteeme much of good workes which they hold to be no better then deadly sins The maine difference then betweene vs consisteth in this whether good workes be the true cause indeede of the increase of our righteousnes which we call the second justification or whether they be only fruits signes or markes of it M. PERKINS pretendes to proue that they are no cause of the increase of our justice and yet frames not one argument directly to that purpose but repeates those objections and proposeth them now at large which he made before against the first justification the which although impertinent to this place yet I will solue them first and then set downe our owne We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe 2 Rom. 3. Answere The Apostle there speaketh of the justification of a sinner for he saith before that he hath proued both Iewe and Greeke to be vnder sinne and that all haue sinned and neede the glory of God Wherefore this place appertaynes not vnto the second justification and excludes only either workes of the law as not necessary vnto the first justification of a sinner against the Iewes who thought and taught them to be necessary or else against the Gentils any worke of ours from being any meritorious cause of that first justification for we acknowledge very willingly as you haue heard often before that euery sinner is justified freely of the meere grace of God through the merit of Christ onely and without any merit of the sinner himselfe and yet is not a sinner being of yeares of discretion meerely passiue in that his justification as M. PERKINS very absurdly saith for in their owne opinion he must beleeue which is an action and in ours not onely beleeue but also Hope Loue Repente And this kinde of justification excludeth all boasting in our soules as wel as theirs For as they must graunt that they may not bragge of their faith although it be an act of theirs so necessarily required at their justification that without it they could not be justified euen so let them thinke of the rest of those good preparations which we hold to be necessary that we cannot truly boast of them as though they came of our selues but we confesse all these good inspirations as all other good to descend from the bounteous liberality of the father of lightes and for the yeelding of our consent to them we can no more vaunt then of consenting vnto faith all which is no more then if a man be mired in a lake and vnable of himselfe to get out would be content that an other of his goodnesse should helpe him out of it Yet obserue by the way that Saint Paul forbiddeth not all glorying or boasting Rom. 5. For he gloryeth in the hope of glory of the Sonne of GOD 2. Cor. 10. and in his tribulations Againe He defineth that we may glory in measure and that he might glory in his power And that he was constayned to glory in his visions and reuelations 2. Cor. 12. So that a good Christian may glory in our Lord and in his heauenly giftes so it be in measure and due season Acknowledging them from whence they come But to boast and say that eyther GOD needed vs or that our good partes were cause that GOD called vs first to his seruice is both false and vtterly vnlawefull Ephes 2. So that by grace yea are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe Is nothing against our Doctrine of justification but too too ignorantly or maliciously cited against it and note also with Saint Augustine that faith is there mentioned Lib. 83. q. 76. to exclude all merites of our workes which went before and might seeme to the simple to haue beene some cause why God bestowed his first grace vpon vs but no vertuous dispositions requisite for the better preparation to the same grace and therefore very fondly doth M. PERKINS inferre that in that sentence Saint Paul speaketh of workes of grace because in the text following hee mentioned good workes Whereas the Apostle putteth an euident distinction betweene those two kinde of workes signifying the first To be of ourselues The second To proceede from vs as Gods workemanshippe created in CHRIST IESVS and the first he calleth Workes simply the second Good workes prepared of God for vs to walke in after our first iustification What grosse ignorance then was it to take these two so distinct manner of workes for the same and to ground himselfe so boldly vpon it Now to his second reason If you be circumcised Gal. 9. you are bound to the whole lawe Hence thus he argueth If a man will be iustified by workes he is bound to fulfill the whole lawe according to the rigour of it That is Paules ground But no man can fulfill the lawe according vnto the rigour of it ergo No man can be iustified by workes He can apply the text prefixed vnto any part of the argument Erit mihi magnus Appollo Saint Paul only saith in these wordes That if you bee circumcised yea are bound to keepe the whole lawe of Moyses M. PERKINS That if a man will be iustified by workes he must fulfill the rigour of the lawe Which are as just as Germains lippes as they say But M. PERKINS sayes that it is Saint Paules ground but he is much deceiued for the Apostles ground is this That circumcision is as it were a profession of Iudaisme and therefore he that would be circumcided did make himselfe subject vnto the whole lawe of the Iewes Of the possibilities of fulfilling the lawe because M. PERKINS toucheth so often that string shall be treated in a distinct question as soone as I haue dispatched this M. PERKINS third Argument Election to saluation is of grace without workes wherefore the iustification of a sinner is of grace alone without workes because election is the cause of iustification Answere That election is of grace without workes done of our owne simple forces or without the workes of
Moyses lawe but not without prouision of good workes issuing out of faith and the helpe of Gods grace as shall be handled more largely in the question of merits OF THE SECOND IVSTIFICATION THE fourth argument A man iust be fully iustified before he can doe a good worke and therefore good workes can not goe before iustification True not before the first justification of a sinner But good Sir you hauing made in the beginning of this last Article a distinction betweene the first and second justification And hauing before discussed the first and the second now remayning and expecting you why did you not say one word of it the matter being ample and well worthy the handling albeit you will not willingly confesse any second justification as you say Yet had it beene your part at least to haue disproued such arguments as we bring to proue a second justification Yee acknowledge that there be degrees of sanctification But these degrees must be made downeward of euill worser and worst for if all our sanctification and best workes be like vnto defiled cloutes and no better then deadly sinnes as you hold and else where Pag. 76. let any wise man judge what degrees of goodnes can be lodged in it Againe how absurd is that position that there is but one justification whereby they take fast hold on Christs righteousnes which can neuer after be either loosed or increased Why then doe you with your brother Iouinian maintayne that all men are equally righteous If it so be Lib. 2. con Iouin Epist 81. Epist 57. Hom. 15. in Ezech. let him that desireth to see you well coursed read S. Hier. S. Amb. S. August S. Greg. At least we must needes vphold that a man is as just and righteous at his first conuersion as at his death how Godly a life soeuer he lead against which I will put downe these reasons following First that of the reuelations Let him that is iust be yet iustified or as your text hath it Cap. 22. He that is righteous let him be more righteous and that of feare not to be iustified euen vntill death Eccles 18. doe conuince that there are more justifications then one and that a man may increase in justification and righteousnes vntill death Which is confirmed where it is said That the path of a iust man proceedeth Prob. 4. as the light doth vntill it be perfect day Which is degrees more more And S. Paul teacheth the same where he saith to men that giue almes plentifully 2. Cor. 9. That God will multiply their seede and augment the increases of the fruits of their iustice Further S. Iames doth most effectually proue this increase of righteousnes and the second iustification in these wordes Abraham our father was he not iustified by workes offering Isaac his Sonne vpon the Aultar Cap. 2. That he speaketh of the second iustification is euident for Abraham was iustified before Isaac was borne as it is most manifest by the Scripture it selfe and by that heroicall act of not sparing his onely entirely beloued Sonne Genes 15. Rom. 4. his iustice was much augmented And the Apostle himselfe seemeth to haue forseene all our aduersaries cauillation and to haue so longe before preuented them First that common shift of theirs that this worke was a signe or the fruit onely of his faith and no companion of it in the matter of iustification is formally confuted for the holy Ghost speaking distinctly of both his faith and worke and joyning them both in this act of justification attributeth the better part of it vnto his worke thus Seest thou that faith did worke with his workes and by the workes the faith was consummate and made perfect Which he doth after fitly declare by a similitude comparing faith to the body and good workes to the soule which giue life and lustre to faith otherwise faith is of litle value estimation with God Which S. Paul also teacheth at large among other speeches including this That if he should haue all faith and wanted charity 1. Cor. 13 he were nothing And comparing faith charity together defineth expresly that charity is the greater vertue Which charity is the fountayne of all good workes And so by this preferring these workes of charity before faith he doth stop the other starting hole of the Protestants that Abraham forsooth was justified before God by onely faith but was declared just before men by his workes For if God esteeme more of charity then of our faith a man is more justified before God by charity then by faith Againe in the very place where this noble fact is recorded to shew how acceptable it was to God himselfe it is said in the person of God Gen. 22. Nowe I knowe that thou louest me and to conuince all obstinate cauilling is it not said that his faith did in this very fact cooperate with his workes and that the worke made his faith perfect which conjunction of both of them together doth demonstrate that he speaketh of his justification before God adding also That he was therefore called the friend of God Which could not haue beene if thereby he had beene only declared just before men thus doth S. Augustine reconcile the two places of the Apostles S. Paul S. Iames which seeme contrarie S. Paul saying that a man is iustified by faith without workes and S. Iames that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely That S. Paul speaketh of workes which goe before faith such as we of our owne forces without the helpe of grace are able to doe and such he saith not to deserue our first iustification But S. Iames disputeth of workes which followe faith and issue out of our soules nowe garnished with grace and such he holdeth vs to be iustified by that is made more and more iust See the place He saith directly L. 83. quest q. 76. Serm. 16. de verb. Apos that we are iustified and that this justice doth increase whiles it doth proceede and profit Nothing then is more certaine and cleare then that there our justification may daylie be augmented and it seemeth to me that this also bee graunted in their opinion For they holding faith to be the only instrument of justification cannot deny but that there are many degrees of faith it is so plainely taught in the worde O yee of little faith Math. 8. Luc. 19. And then a little after I haue not founde so great faith in Israell And O Lord increase our faith and many such like where many different degrees of faith are mentioned How then can the justification which dependes vpon that faith not be correspondent vnto that diuersity of faith but all one Pag. 54. Againe M. PERK deliuereth plainly That men at the first are not so well assured of their saluation as they are afterward If then in the certainty of their saluation which is the prime effect of their
although perfect in itselfe so farre as mans capacity in this life doth permitte yet being compared vnto the state of justice which is in heauen it may be called imperfect not that this is not sufficient to defend vs from all formall transgression of Gods lawe but because it keepeth not vs sometimes from veniall sinne and hath not such a high degree of perfection as that hath De spir lit vlt. cap. S. Augustine hath the like discourse where he saith directly that it appertaines to the lesser justice of this life not to sinne So that we haue out of this oracle of Antiquity that many workes of a just man are without sinne To these reasons taken partly out of the Scriptures and partly out of the record of Antiquity let vs joyne one or two drawne from the absurdity of our aduersaries doctrine which teacheth euery good woorke of the righteous man to be infected with mortall sin Which being graunted it would followe necessarily that no good worke in the world were to be donne vnder paine of damnation thus No mortall sinne is to be donne vnder paine of damnation Rom. 6. for the wages of sinne is death but all good works are stayned with mortall sinne ergo no good worke is to be donne vnder paine of damnation It followeth secondly that euery man is bounde to sinne deadly For all men are bounde to performe the duties of the first and second table but euery performance of any dutie is necessary linked with some mortall sinne therefore euery man is bounde to committe many mortall sinnes and consequently to be damned These are holy and comfortable conclusions yet inseparable companions if not sworne brethren of the Protestants doctrine Now let vs heare what Arguments they bring against this Catholike verity THAT GOOD WORKES BE FREE FROM SINNE FIRST they alleadge these words Enter not O Lord Psal 141. into iudgement with thy seruāt because no liuing creature shal be iustified in thy sight If none can be justified before God it seemes that none of their works are just in his sight Answere There are two common expositions of this place among the auncient Fathers both true but far from the Protestants purpose The former is S. Augustines S. Hieromes De perfect iustitie Epistol ad Otesiph S. Gregories in his Commentaries vpon that place who say that no creature ordinarily liueth without many veniall sinnes for the which in justice they may be punished sharply either in this life or else afterward in Purgatory Wherefore the best men doe very prouidently pray vnto God not to deale with them according vnto their deserts for if he should so doe they cannot be justified and cleared from many veniall faultes And therefore they must all craue pardon for these faultes or else endure Gods judgements for them before they can attayne vnto the reward of their good deedes The second exposition is more ordinary with all the best writers vpon the Psalmes as S. Hilary S. Hierome S. Arnobius S. Euthimius and others Li. ad Crosium c. 10. Lib. 9. moral cap. 1. Which is also S. Augustines S. Gregory All these say that mans justice in comparison of the justice of God will seeme to be no justice at all and so take these words No creature neither man nor Angell shall be iustified in thy sight that is if his justice appeare before thine and be compared to it For as the starres be bright in themselues shine also goodly in a cleare night yet in the presence of the glittering sun beames they appeare not at all euen so mans justice although considered by it selfe it be great and perfect in his kind yet set in the sight and presence of Gods justice it vanisheth away and is not to be seene This exposition is taken out of Iob where he saith Iob. 9. I know truly it is euen so that no man compared to God shall be iustified Take the wordes of the Psalme in whether sence you list that either we haue many veniall faultes for which we cannot be justified in Gods sight or else that in the sight of Gods most bright justice ours will not appeare at all it cannot bee thereof justly concluded that euery worke of the righteous man is stayned with sinne And consequently the place is not to purpose Esay 64. One other ordinarie hackney of theirs is that out of the Prophet All our righteousnes is as a menstruous or defiled cloath The which I haue already ridde to death in the beginning of the question of justification where it was alledged The answere is briefly that the Prophet praying for the sinnes of the people speaketh in the person of the sinnefull Such as the common sort of them were who had more sinnes then good workes and so their righteousnes was like vnto a spotted and stayned cloath Now this disproueth not but that their good workes although but fewe yet were free for all spottes of iniquity it onely proueth that with their fewe good they had a great number or euill which defiled their righteousnes and made it like a stayned cloath 3. There is not a man who doth not sinne And blessed is the man whose sinnes be not imputed to him And such like I answere that the best men sinne venially and are happy when those their sinnes be pardoned but all this is cleane besides this question where it is onely enquired whether the good workes that the just doe be free from sinne and not whether they at other times doe sinne at the least venially This is all which M. PERKIN'S here and there objecteth against this matter but because some others doe alleadge also some darke places out of the fathers I thinke it not amisse to solue them here together S. Cyprian saith That the beseiged minde of man can hardly resist all assaults of the enemie for when couetuousnes is ouerthrowen vp starts lechery and so forth Answere All this is true that the life of man is a perpetuall warefare yet man assisted with the grace of God may performe it most valiantly and neuer take any mortall wound of the enemies although through his owne frailty he may be sometimes foyled Dial. 1. cap. Pelag. S. Hierome affirmeth That then we are iust when we confesse our selues to be sinners Answere That all just men confesse themselues to sinne venially but neither of these places come neare the point in question that not one good deede of the just man is without some spot or stayne of sinne Epis 29. S. Augustine hath these wordes Most perfect charity which cannot be increased is to be found in no man in this life and as long as it may be increased that which is lesse then it ought to be is faulty of which fault it proceedeth that there is no man who doth good and doeth not sinne All this we graunt to be true that no man hath so perfect charity in this life but that sometimes he doth lesse then he
vnto a Diuels faith when it is naked and voyde of good workes in two points First in both there is a perfect knowledge of all thinges reuealed Secondly this knowledge shall not stead them any whit but only serue vnto their greater condemnation because that knowing the will of their master they did it not And in this respect S. Iames compareth them together Now there are many points wherein these faithes doe differ but this one is principall That Christians out of a goodly and deuoute affection doe willingly submitte their vnderstanding vnto the rules of faith beleeuing thinges aboue humane reason yea such as seeme sometimes contrary to it But the Diuell against his will beleeues all that God hath reuealed Because by his naturall capacity he knowes that God can teach nor testifie any vntruth Againe that faith may be without charity is proued out of these wordes of the same second Chapter Euer as the body without the spirit is dead so also faith without workes is dead Hence thus I argue albeit the body be dead without the soule yet is it a true naturall body in it selfe euen so faith is perfect in the kinde of faith although without charity it auayle not to life euerlasting Lastly in true reason it is manifest that faith may be without charity for they haue seuerall seates in the soule one being in the will and the other in the vnderstanding they haue distinct objectes faith respecting the truth of God and charity the goodnes of God Neither doth faith necessarily suppose charity as charity doth faith for we cannot loue him of whom we neuer heard Neither yet doth charity naturaly flow out of faith but by due consideration of the goodnes of God and of his benefits and loue towardes vs into which good deuout considerations few men doe enter in comparison of them who are led into the broad way of iniquity through their inordinate passiōs This according to the truth yet more different in the Protestants opinion for faith laies hold on Christs righteous receiues that in But charity can receiue nothing in Pag. 85. as M. P. witnesseth But giues it selfe forth in al duties of the first second table Now sir if they could not apply vnto themselues Christs righteousnes without fulfilling all duties of the first second table they should neuer apply it to them for they hold it impossible to fulfill all those duties so that this necessary lincking of charity with faith maketh their saluation not only very euill assured but altogither impossible for charity is the fulnes of the law which they hold impossible then if the assurance of their saluation Rom. 12. must needes be joyned with such an impossibility they may assure themselues that by that faith they can neuer come to saluation Let vs annex vnto these playne authorities of holy Scripture one euident testimony of Antiquity That most incorrupt judge S. Augustine saith flatly Lib. 15. de trin c. 17. Con crescen lib. 1. cap. 29. That faith may well he without Charity but it cannot profit vs without Charity And That one God is worshipped sometimes out of the Church but that vnskilfully yet is it he Also that one faith is had without charity and that also out of the Church neither therefore is not faith For there is one God one Faith one Baptisme one immaculate Catholike Church in which God is not serued only but in which only he is trulie serued neither in which alone faith is kept but in which only faith is kept with charity So that faith and that only true faith of which the Apostle speaketh Ephes 4. One God one faith may be and is in many without charity The Protestants bolde asseuerations that they cannot be parted are great but their proofes very slender and scarce worth the disproouing THAT FAITH MAY BE WITHOVT GOOD WORKES 1. Tim. 5. THE first He that hath not care of his owne hath denied his faith therefore faith includeth that good worke of prouiding for our owne Answ That faith there seemes to signifie not that faith whereby we beleeue all thinges reuealed or the Protestants the certainty of their saluation but for fidelity and faithfull performance of that which we haue promised in Baptisme which is to keepe all Gods commaundements one of the which is to prouide for our children and for them that wee haue charge of so that he who hath no such care ouer his owne charge hath denyed his faith that is violed his promise in Baptisme There is also another ordinary answere supposing faith to be taken there for the Christian beleefe to witte that one may deny his faith two wayes either in flatte denying any article of faith or by doing some thing that is contrary to the doctrine of our faith Now he that hath no care of his owne doth not deny any article of his faith but committeth a fact contrary to the doctrine of his faith so that not faith but the doctrine of faith or our promise in Baptisme includeth good workes Ioh. 6. 2 There are among you that beleeue not for he knewe who beleeued and who was to betray him Opposing treason to faith as if he had said faith conteyned in it selfe fidelity This Argument is farre fetched and little worth For albeit faith hath not fidelity and loue alwaies necessarily joyned with it yet falling from faith may well drawe after it hatred and treason yea ordinarely wickednes goeth before falling from faith and is the cause of it which was Iudas case whome our Sauiour there taxed for he blinded with couetuousnes did not beleeue Christs Doctrine of the blessed Sacrament and by incredulity opened the diuell a high way to his hart to negotiate treason in it 3. They object that Who saith he knowes God and doth not keepe his commaundements is a lyar 1. Ioh. 2. Answere He is then a lyar in graine who professing the only true knowledge of God yet blusheth not to say that it is impossible to keepe his commaundements but to the objection knowing God in that place is taken for louing of God as I knowe yee not that is I loue you not Math. 7. 25. Psal 1. Ioh. 14. Our Lord knowes the way of the just that is approues it loues it so he that knowes God kepes his commaundements as Christ himselfe testifieth If any loue me he will keepe my word And he that loueth me not will not keepe my wordes Lastly they say with S. Paul That the iust man liueth by faith But if faith giue life then it cannot be without charity Answere That faith in a just man is not without hope and charity by all which conjoyned he liueth and not by faith alone But faith is in a sinnefull and vnjust man without charity who holding fast his former beleefe doth in transgressing Gods commaundements breake the bandes of charity And so it remaynes most certayne that faith may be and too too
Father bestowes a farme vpon his Son freely Who may by often presenting his Father of the pleasing fruits growing on the same deserue his further fauour Yea he may by the commodities reaped out of that farme buy any thing that it shall please his father to set to sale as well as if he had neuer receiued the farme from his fathers gift Which is so common a case and so sensible that euery man of meane witte may easely reach vnto it euen so by good manuring the giftes which God freely bestoweth vpon vs we may both merit the increase of them and according to his owne order and promise purchase thereby the kingdome of heauen which is plainely proued by that parable Mat. 25. Of the talents giuen by a King to his seruants the which they imploying well and multiplying were therefore esteemed worthy of farre greater and withall to be made pertakers of their Lordes joyes M. PERKINS then was not a little ouerseene to put for the first propriety of merit that it must be donne by a man and of a man himselfe The second That a man must doe it of his owne free will and pleasure and not of due debt carrieth in shewe an opposition but in deede there is no contradiction in it for a man may and euery honest man doth of his owne free will and pleasure pay his due debt but let vs pardon the disorder of wordes his meaning being nothing else but that the payment of that which is otherwise due debt cannot be any meritorious worke to which S. Augustine doth answere in these wordes Serm. 3. de verb Apost O great goodnesse of God to whome when we did owe seruice by condition of our estate as bond-men doe to their Lord yet hath he promised againe and againe the rewarde of friendes In which there is couched a comparison which being laide in the light will much helpe to the vnderstanding of this matter He that hath a slaue or bond-man may lawfully exact of him all kinde of seruice without any wages Bread and a whippe saith a Philosopher serue for a slaue Now suppose the Master to be soueraigne gouernour of a state then if it please him to make his man free and withall a member of his common weale the same man by performing many good offices to the state may justly deserue of his prince as great rewarde and promotion as any other of his subjects and yet may his Lord and olde Master say trulie to him all this that thou hast donne or couldst doe is but due debt vnto me considering that thou wast my bond man so fareth it with vs in respect of God all that we can doe is due debt vnto him because he hath made vs and endowed vs with all that we either be or haue yet it hath pleased him as a most kinde Lord to set vs at liberty through Christ and to make vs Citizens of the Saints and as capable of his heauenly riches as the Angelles if wee will doe our endeuour to deserue them and whereas hee might haue exacted all that euer we could doe without any kinde of recompence yet hee of his inestimable goodnesse towardes vs doth neither binde vs to doe all we can doe and yet for doing that little which he commaundeth hath by promise bound himselfe to repay vs a large recompence by which wee may well vnderstand those wordes of our Sauiour Luke 17. When you haue donne all these thinges that are commaunded you say that you are vnprofitable seruantes we haue donne that we ought to doe True By our natiue condition we were bounde to performe not only all these thinges that be now commaunded but whatsoeuer else it should haue pleased God to commaund and this we must alwaies confesse to preserue true humility in vs yet God hath bettered our estate through Christ and so highly aduaunced vs that we not only be Citizens of the Saints but his sons and heires and thereby in case to deserue of him a heauenly crowne and this is S. Ambrose exposition vpon the place S. Chrysostome pondering these wordes let vs say taketh it for a holsome counsaile for vs to say that we be vnprofitable seruants least pride destroy our good workes and then God will say that we be good and faithfull seruants as it is recorded Mat. 25. vers 21. Againe we may truly say when we haue donne all thinges commaunded that we are vnprofitable seruants as venerable Bede our most learned countriman interpreteth Because of all that we doe In Luc. 17. no commodity riseth vnto God our Lord in himselfe who is such an infinite ocean of all goodnesses that he wanteth nothing Whereupon Dauid saith That thou art my God because thou standest in neede of no good that I can doe Psal 15. And thus we fall vpon the third property of M. PERKINS meritorious worke Which is That it be donne to the profit of another and say that albeit God in himselfe receiue no profit by our workes yet doth he in the administration of his holy common weale the Church wherein good mens seruices doe much pleasure him Andin this sence is it said of S. Paul That by cleansing our selues from wicked workes 2. Tim. 2. Math. 5. Ioh. 15. v. 8. we shall become vesselles sanctified and profitable vnto our Lord. Againe God is glorified by our good workes That seeing your good workes they may glorifie your father which is in heauen Finally God doth reioyce at the recouery of his lost children Luke 15. If then good men trauayling painefully in Gods Vine-yarde doe yeelde him outwardly both honour joy and commodity that may suffice to make their worke meritorious M. PERKINS fourth property is That the worke and rewarde be equall in proportion If he vnderstande Arithmeticall proportion that is that they be equall in quantity to witte the one to be as great or of as long continuance as the other then we deny this kinde of equality to bee requisite to meritte there is another sort of proportion called by the Philosopher S. Athic Geometricall and the equality of that is taken by a reasonable correspondence of the one vnto the other as when a good office is giuen vnto a Citizen of desart it may be that the honour and commodity of the office is farre greater then was the meritte of the man yet he being as well able to discharge it as another and hauing better deserued it is holden in true justice vvorthy of it In like manner in a game where masteries are tryed the prize is giuen vnto him that doeth best not because the value of the rewarde is just as much worth as that act of the man who winneth it but for that such actiuity is esteemed worthy of such a recompence Now the crowne of heauenly glory 1. Cor. 9. is likened by Saint Paul vnto a Garland in a game where he saith That we all runne but one carrieth away the prize And He that striueth
commaundements and life eternall is the hire and wages for labouring in Gods vine-yard and not of the imputed justice or merittes of Christ but looke about you and beholde the goodly marke which M. PERKINS sets vp Marke saith he that it is said God will render vnto euery man according to his workes not to the worke or for the worke O sharpe and ouer-fine witte doth he render according to the workes and doth he not render for the workes if the rate of the workes be the measure of the rewarde that for fewer or lesser workes there is a lesser reward and for many and worthier a greater surely in my simple vnderstanding he that giueth according vnto the workes giueth for the workes that other addle inuention that workes are there mentioned not because they are rewarded but because they are tokens that the doer is in CHRIST for whose obedience God promiseth the crowne of life is not worth the confuting it is so flat contrary to the text which ascribeth distinctly that reward vnto the workman for his workes and not for Christs obedience imputed vnto him M. PERKINS fourth objection for vs is proposed vnskilfully yet could he not answere it but by relying vpon that which is most vntrue that forsooth no one action of the best man is vvithout fault which hath beene already confuted and might be by instances of Abrahames oblation of his sonne S. Iohn Baptists preaching and reprehending of Herode 〈◊〉 Stephens martirdome with infinite such like in which M. PERKINS nor any else will be able to shewe in particular what fault there was Againe our Sauiour saith That if the eye bee simple the whole body is lightsome not hauing any part of darknesse in it Mat. 6. Luke 11. and very reason teacheth vs that a mans action for substance and all due circumstances may be perfect It was then a verie seelie shift to say that neuer any man did any one action with all his due circumstances But in steede of that fourth Argument I will put this If a greater rewarde be due vnto them that doe better workes then a reward is due vnto them that doe good workes which is euident in reason But a greater rewarde is prouided for them that doe better as S. Augustine grounded vpon Gods word proueth in sundry places namely vpon that For starre differeth from starre in glory Serm. 46. de verbis Dom. 1. Cor. 15. Serm. 95. Li. de virg cap. 44. so shall be the resurrection of the dead specifying that virginity shall shine after one sort chastity in wedlocke after another and holy widdowhood yet after another all saith he shall be there but they shine diuerslie And of the same worke affirmeth That martyrdome shall be higher rewarded then any other worke The like doth he vpon those words One ground shall yeelde thirty folde another threescore folde an other an hundred folde Comparing chastity in wedlocke to the thirtie in widdowes to the sixtie and in virgins to the hundred But most directly in his sixtie seauen treatise vpon Saint Iohns Gospell vpon this verse In my fathers house are many mansions where he saith that albeit some be holier juster and more valiant then others yet there shall be fit roomes for them all where euery one is to receiue his place according vnto his merit That penny spoken of by which saith he is signified eternall life shall be giuen to euery man equally Math. 20. because euery one shall liue for euer and not one longer then another but many mansions doe signifie the different dignities of merits in the same euerlasting life And S. Gregory in most expresse tearmes doth teach the same doctrine saying Li. 4. mor. cap. 42. Because in this life there is a difference of workes amongst vs there shall be in the other life without all doubt a distinction of dignities that as one here exceedeth another in meritte so there one surpasseth another in rewarde Finally S. Augustine De heres her 82. Li. 2 cont Iouin and S. Hierome condemne it as an heresie to holde that there is diuersity of merittes in this life and rewardes in the next Whereon followeth most manifestly that there be merittes and rewardes The first reason is taken out of those textes which teach that men are worthy of eternall life Apoc. 3. Sap. 3. 2. Thes 1. Luk. 20 35 They shall walke with me in whites because they be worthy God proued them and found them worthy of himselfe That you may be esteemed worthy of the Kingdome of God Now if men be worthy of eternall life it must needes be graunted that they haue deserued it M. PERK answereth that they were indeede worthy but not for their owne merittes but for Christes imputed vnto them This is his only refuge yet hath he not nor cannot shewe any one text in Scripture that speaketh so But to refell him turne only to the places and there you shall finde that this worthinesse rose of good workes as Christ saith I knowe thy workes Apoc. 3. and finde them not full yet there be some amongst you who haue not desiled their garments but haue their workes full they shall walke with me in whites 2. Thes 1. because they be worthy And By sustayning persecutions they were made worthy of that kingdome And in the wordes following the Apostle signifieth that it is as just for God to requite good workes vvith the joyes of heauen as he doth punnish wicked with the paines of hell The sixt reason M. PERKINS deliuereth thus 2. Tim. 4 Eternall life is tearmed a crowne and a crowne of righteousnesse to bee giuen by a just judge therefore in this life it must be justly deserued otherwise it were not well called a crowne of justice nor could be said to be rendred by a just judge M. PERKINS answereth that it is called a crowne by resemblance because it is giuen in the end of the life as the crowne is giuen in the end of the race Reply If that were all the cause and that there were no respect to be had to former desartes it might then as well be called a halter by resemblance because that also is giuen in the end of life and in their opinion more properly because all their workes are defiled like a menstruous cloath and a halter is the end of such wicked workes But as a halter is due to a theefe so is a crowne of glory the just reward of the righteous man Secondly he answereth that it is called a crowne of justice because God hath bound himselfe by his promise to giue it here then at length we haue by his owne confession that by Gods promise eternall life is due debt vnto the righteous but as hauing ouer-shot himselfe he addes not for any desart of theirs but only for the promise sake But as you haue heard before out of S. Matthew Mat. 20. that promise was made for working the time of our life in his
vine-yard and so there was some desart on their part and the seruants were rewarded Mat. 25. because they imployed their talents well and in this very place S. Paul reckoneth vp his good seruices for which the just judge would render him a crowne of justice and therefore the justice is not only in respect of Gods promise And if you will not beleeue me prouing that I say out of the very text rather then M. PERKINS on his bare word let S. Augustine be arbitrator betweene vs who most deepely considereth of euery worde in this sentence Let vs heare saith he the Apostle speaking Li. 50. hom Hom. 4. when he approached neare vnto his passion I haue quoth he fought a good fight I haue accomplished my course I haue kept the faith concerning the rest there is laide vp for me a crowne of iustice which our Lord will render vnto me in that day a iust iudge And not only to meet but to them also that loue his comming He saith that our Lord a iust iudge will render vnto him a crowne he therefore doth owe it and as a iust iudge will pay it For the worke being regarded the rewarde cannot be denyed I haue fought a good fight is a worke I haue accomplished my course is a worke I haue kept the faith is a worke There is laide vp for me a crowne of iustice this is the rewarde So that you see most clearly by this most learned fathers judgement that the reward is due for the worke sake and not onely for the promise of God See him vpon that verse of the Psalme I will sing vnto thee O Lord Psal 100. mercy and iudgement Where he concludes that God in judgement will out of his justice crowne those good workes which he of mercy had giuen grace to doe And that the reader may vnderstand that not onely Saint Augustine doth so confidently teach this doctrine of merittes which M. PERKINS blushed not to tearme the inuention of Satan I will fold vp this question with some testimonies of the most auncient and best Authours Epist ad Roman S. Ignatius the Apostles auditour saith Giue me leaue to become the foode of beastes that I may by that meanes meritte and winne God Apolog. 2. â—ntemed Iustine a glorious Martir of the next age hath these wordes speaking in the name of all Christians We thinke that men who by workes haue shewed them selues worthy of the will and counsaile of God shall by their merittes liue and raigne with him free from all corruption and perturbation Lib. 4. con â—erel c 72. S. Ireneus saith We eesteme that crowne to be pretious which is gotten by combate and suffering for Gods sake Ora in iniâ—ium prou Li de Spir. â—ancto c. 24 S. Basil All we that walke the way of the Gospell as Marchants doe buy gette the possession of heauenly thinges by the workes of the commaundements A man is saued by workes of iustice Serm. de eleemos â—nsine S. Cyprian If the day of our returne shall finde vs vnloaden swift and running in the race of workes our Lord will not faile to reward our merittes He will giue for workes to those that winne in peace a white crowne and for Martirdome in persecution he will redouble vnto them a purple crowne Câ—n. 5. in Mâ—th S. Hilarie The Kingdome of heauen is the hier and reward of them that liue well and perfectly Lib. 1. de offic c. 15. S. Ambrose Is it not euident that there remayneth after this life either reward for merittes or punishment S. Hierome Now after baptisme it appertayneth to our trauails according vnto the diuersity of vertue to prepare for vs different rewardes Serm. 68. â—n Cant. S. Bernard Prouide that thou haue merittes for the want of them is a pernitious pouertie Briefly that this was the vniuersall Doctrine of all good Christians aboue a thousand yeare past is declared in the Councell of Aransicane Reward is debt vnto good workes Can 18. if they be done but grace which was not debt goeth before that they may be done These testimonies of the most auncient and best learned Christians may suffice to batter the brasen forehead of them that affirme the Doctrine of merittes to be a Satannicall inuention and to settle al them that haue care of their saluation in the most pure doctrine of the Catholike Church CHAPTER 6. OF SATISFACTION MASTER PERKINS Acknowledgeth first ciuill Satisfaction Pag. 117 that is a recompence for iniuries or damages any way donne to our neighbour such as the good Publican Zacheus practised who restored fourfold the thinges gotten by extorsion and deceite This is Luc. 19. wittily acknowledged by him but litle exercised among ProtestaÌ„ts for where the Sacrament of Confession is wanting there men vse very seldome to recompence so much as onefold for their extorsion bribes vsury and other crafty ouer-reaching of their neighbours But of this kinde of Satisfaction which we commonly call restitution we are not here to treate nor of that publicke penance Which for notorious crimes is done openly but of such priuate penance which is either enjoyned by the confessor or voluntarily vndertaken by the penitent or else sent by Gods visitation to purge vs from that temporall payne which for sinnes past and pardoned we are to endure either in this life or in purgatorie if we die before we haue fully satisfied here M. PERKINS in his third conclusion decreeth very solemnely That no man can be saued vnlesse he made a perfect satisfaction vnto the iustice of God for all his sinnes Yet in the explication of the difference betweene vs defineth as peremptorily that no man is to satisfie for any one of all his sinnes or for any temporall payne due to them Which be flat contradictory propositions and therefore the one of them must needes be false But such odde broken rubbish doth he commonly cast into the ground worke of his questions and thereupon raiseth the tottering building of his newe doctrine and lets not like a blinde man to make an out cry that in this matter the Papists erre in the very foundation and life of religion Which in his first argument he goes about to proue thus Imperfect satisfaction is no satisfaction at all But the Papists make Christs satisfaction imperfect in that they doe thereunto adde a supply of humane satisfaction ergo they make it no satisfaction at all Answere This is a substantiall argument to raise the cry vpon which hath both propositions false The first is childish for he that satisfieth for halfe his debts or for any part of them makes some satisfaction which satisfaction is vnperfect and yet cannot be called no satisfaction at all as euery child may see His second is as vntrue but mans satisfaction is not to supply the want of Christs satisfaction but to apply it to vs as Master PERKINS saith his faith doth to them and to fulfill
worlde there will remaine no compunction or satisfaction It is easie to answere without the helpe of any newe edition For it will he too late then to repent and so there is no place lest to compunction that is contrition of hart neither consequently to confession or satisfaction as if he had said before we goe out of this worlde there is place for both compunction and satisfaction and so that place is rather for vs. Trem. in Esa Now to Chrysostome who saith That God so blotteth out our sinnes that there remaynes no print of them which thing befalles not the body for when it is healed there remayneth a skarre but when God exempteth from punishment he giues thee iustice All this is most true and much against M. PERKINS doctrine of the infection of originall sinne but nothing touching satisfaction for we holde that the soule of a sinner when he commeth to be justified is washed whiter then snowe so that there is no stayne or print left in it of the filth of sinne It is also freed from all eternall punishment but not from some temporall Now gentle Reader prepare thy selfe to beholde a proper peece of cousonage Luke 22. Ambrose saith I reade of Peters teares but I reade not of his satisfaction The colour of the craft lyeth in the ambiguity of this worde Satisfaction which is not alwayes taken for the penance donne to satisfie for the former fault But is sometime vsed for the defence Act. 24.10 and excuse of the fact So speaketh S. Paul Bono animo pro me satisfaciam with good courage I will answere in defence of my selfe or giue you satisfaction 1. Pet. 3. in like manner Ready alwaies to satisfie euery one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you In this sence doth S. Ambrose vse the word as is most plainely to be seene to them that reade the place and conferre it with the very like of his Lib. 10. in Luc. I finde not saith he what Peter said but I finde that he wept I reade his teares but I reade not his satisfaction but that which cannot be defended may be washed away So that nothing is more manifest then that satisfaction in this and the like places is taken for defence and excuse of his fault which Peter vsed not but sought by teares and bitter weeping to satisfie in part for it for this bewayling of our sinnes is one speciall kinde of satisfaction as S. Ambrose testifieth saying That he who doth penance Libr. 2. de penit ca. 5. must with teares wash away his sinnes The other place cited out of S. Ambrose de bono mortis let vs adore Christ that he may say vnto vs feare not thy sinnes nor the waues of worldly sufferinges I haue remission of sinnes is rather for vs then against vs for if by adoring and seruing of God we may be put out of feare of our sinnes and the punishment of them then doth it followe that prayers and such like seruice of Christ doth acquit vs of sinne and satisfie for the paine due to them Hierome saith The sinne that is couered is not seene not being seene In psal 31. it is not imputed not being imputed it is not punished Answere To witte with hell fire which is the due punishment of such mortall sinne whereof he speaketh or sinne may be said to be couered when not only the fault is pardoned but all punishment also due vnto it is fully paide So doth S. Ambrose take that worde couered saying Libr. 2. de penit ca. 5. The Prophet calleth both them blessed as well him whose iniquities is forgiuen in Baptisme as him whose sinnes are couered with good workes For he that doth penance must not only wash away his sinnes with teares but also with better workes couer his former sins that they be not imputed vnto him Now we must backe againe vnto Chrysostome belike he had forgotten this when he cited the other or else this was reserued to strike it dead He saith Some men endure punishment in this life and in the life to come Hom. 44. sup Math. others in this life alone others alone in the life to come other neither in this nor in the life to come there alone as diuers here alone the incestuous Corinthian neither here nor there as the Apostles and Prophets as also Iob and the rest of this kinde for they endured no sufferings for punishment but that they might be knowne to bee conquerours of the fight Answere Such excellent holy personages sufferinges as are mentioned in the Scriptures were not for their sinnes for they committed but ordinary light offences for which their ordinary deuotions satisfied abundantly the great persecutions which they endured were first to manifest the vertue and power of God that made such fraile creatures so inuincible then to daunt the aduersaries of his truth and with all to animate and encourage his followers Finally that they like conquerours triumphing ouer all the torments of this life might enter into possession of a greater reward in the kingdome of heauen All this is good doctrine but nothing against satisfaction that their surpassing suffering were not for their owne sinnes and thus much in answere vnto M. PERKINS Arguments against satisfaction Now to the reasons which he produceth for it And albeit he like an euill master of the campe rang our Arguments out of order Li. 3. instit cap. 4. num 29. placing that in the fore-front of our side vvhich Caluin presseth out against vs yet will I admitte of it rather then breake his order Leui. 4.5.6 1. Moyses according to Gods commaundement prescribed seuerall sacrifices for the sinnes of seuerall persons and ordeyned that they should be of greater and lesser prices according vnto the diuersity of the sinnes Whence we argue thus These mens faultes vpon their true repentance joyned with faith and hope in CHRIST to come were pardoned Therefore their charges in buying of sacrifices to bee offered for them their paines and prayers in assisting during the time of the sacrifice being painefull vvorkes donne to appease GODS justice were vvorkes of satisfaction M. PERKINS answereth many thinges as men doe commonly when they cannot well tell what to say directly to the purpose First that those sacrifices were tipes of Christes suffering on the crosse what is this to the purpose Secondly that those sacrifices were satisfactions to the congregation and what needed that when they had offended God only and not the congregation as in many offences it happeneth Againe if satisfaction must be giuen to the congregation how much more reason is it that it be made to God Reade those Chapters and you shall finde that they were principally made to obtayne remission of God as these wordes also doe witnesse Leuit. 4. vers 20. And vpon that sacrifice the sinne shall be forgiuen them So that sacrifices were to satisfie God who thereupon forgaue the sinne and
the fault the party is satisfied in justice and when he that hath offended doth abide such punishment as the grieuousnes of his offence did require there is both due correction of the offendour and due satisfaction vnto the party offended M. PERKINS finally flieth vnto his old shift of imputatiue satisfaction that forsooth our sufferinges doe not satisfie but the party punished by faith layeth hold on the satisfaction of the Messias and testifie the same by their humiliation and repentance Reply As we first graunt that all satisfaction hath his vertue from the grace of God dwelling in vs which is giuen vs for Christs sake so to say that Christs satisfaction taketh away all other satisfaction is just to begge the principall point in question and therefore an old triuants tricke to giue that a finall answere which was set in the beginning to be debated looke vpon the forenamed example of the Niniuites of whome it is not certayne that they had any expresse knowledge of the Messias and therefore were farre enough off from laying hold on his satisfaction But most certayne and euident it is in the text that God vpon the contemplation of their workes of penance tooke compassion on them and was satisfied as by turning away the threatned subuertion is most manifest Our fift reason Daniell giueth this counsaile to Nabuchodonosor Daniell 4. Redeeme thy sinnes with almes and thy offences with mercy on the poore If by such good deedes our sinnes may be redeemed as Holy write doth testifie then it followeth that such workes yeelde a sufficient satisfaction for them for redemption signifieth a full contentment of the party offended as well as satisfaction M. PERKINS answereth The skilfull in the Caldey teach that the word importeth rather a breaking off then redeeming Reply To Authours in the aire without any pressing of the propriety of the word no answere can be giuen but let vs admitte that it be broken off â—iâ— sinne not being couetuousnes but pride and lacke of acknowledging all Kingdomes to depend vpon God as the text it selfe doth specifie To breake off this sinne by almes and compassion of the poore is nothing els but by such workes of charity in some sort to satisfie Gods justice there to moue him to take compassion of him And that by almes deedes we are cleansed from our sinnes our Sauiour himselfe doth teach saying Luc. 11. Giue almes and behold all thinges are cleane vnto you Our sixt Bring forth the worthy fruits of penance Math. 3. Luc 3. That is doe such workes as become them who are penitent Which as Saint Chrysostome expoundeth are He that hath stolen away another mans goodes Hom. 10. in Math. let him nowe giue of his owne he that hath committed fornication let him abstayne from the lawfull company of his owne wife and so forth Recompensing the workes of sinne with the contrary workes of vertue Hom. 10 in Euang. In Psal 4. The same exposition giueth Saint Gregory and to omitte all others venerable Bede interpreteth them thus Mortifie your sinnes by doeing the worthy fruits of penance to witte by afflicting your selues so much for euery offence as worthy penance doth require which will be a sacrifice of iustice that is a most iust sacrifice To this M. PERKINS answereth that this text is absurd for the word repent signifieth onely chaunge your mindes from sinne to God and testifie it by good workes Reply His answere is most absurd for we argue out of these wordes Worthy fruits of penance And he answereth to the word going before repent which we vse not against them and for his glose or testifying our repentance is sufficiently confuted by the Fathers before alleadged And S. Iohn expresly maketh them the meanes to escape the wrath of God saying that the Axe was set to the roote of the Tree and vnlesse by worthy fruits of penance they appeased God they should be cut vp and cast into hell fire and seemeth to confute the laying hold on Christs satisfaction by faith saying it will not helpe you to say that yee are the Sonnes of Abraham who was Father of all true beleeuers as much as if he had said trust not to your faith hand off yee generation of vipers For notwithstanding yee be the Sonnes of the faithfull vnlesse ye amend your liues and for the euill workes which yee haue donne heretofore make recompence and satisfie the justice of God with good yee shall be cast into hell fire 2 Cor. 7.10 The 7. objection with M. PERKINS Paul setteth downe sundry fruits of repentance whereof one is reuenge whereby repentant persons punish themselues to satisfie Gods iustice for the temporall punishment of their sinnes M. PERKINS answereth A repentant sinner must take vengeance of himselfe and that is to vse all meanes to subdue the corruption of nature and to bridle carnall affections which kinde of actions are restraynements properly but no punishments directed against the sinne but not against the person Reply I neuer saw any writer so contradict himselfe and so dull that he doth not vnderstand his owne wordes If this subdueing of our corrupt nature be restraynements onely from sinne hereafter and not also punishments of sinne past how then doth the repentant sinner take vengeance of him selfe which you affirme that he must doe Reuenge as euery simple body knoweth is the requitall of euill past We graunt that all satisfaction is directed against sinne and not against the person but for the great good of the man albeit that for a season it may afflict both his body and minde too as Saint Paules former Epistle did the Corinthians but this sorrowe being according vnto God doth much benefit the person as the Apostle declareth For besides this reuenge taken on himselfe to appease Gods wrath it breedeth as it is in the text following in our corrupt nature that loueth not such chastisement A feare to returne to sinne least it be againe punished for where there is no feare of paynes and much pleasure thither our corruption will runne headlong It sturreth vp also in vs Indignation against sinne and all the wicked instruments of it A defence and clearing of our selues with the honester sort And an emulation and desire to flie as farre from sinne as other our equals and consequently A loue of vertue and honest life which freeth vs from that sorrowe and all other troublesome passions all which are playnelie gathered out of the same text of Saint Paul Lastly sayeth M. PERKINS They make three workes of satisfaction Prayer Fasting and Almesdeedes For the first it is meere foolishnesse to thinke that a man by prayer can satisfie for his sinnes it is all one as if you had said that a begger by asking an almes can deserue the almes or a debtor by requesting his creditor to pardon his debt should thereby pay his debt That Prayer doth appease Gods justice and obtayne pardon God him selfe is witnes saying Call vpon mee in the
Tradition vnwritten This place of S. IOHN M. P. patcheth vp with an other of S. PAVL * Gal. 1. ◠If we or an Angell from heauen preache vnto you any thing besides that which wee haue preached let him be accursed And to this effect he blames them that taught but a diuers doctrine to that which he had taught * 1. Tim. 1.3 ANSWERE Now wee must looke vnto this Gentle-mans singers There were three corruptions in the text of S. IOHN here is one but it is a soule one In steed of Preaching vnto them an other Gospell he puts preach vnto them any other thing when there is great difference betweene an other Gospell any other thing The Gospel comprehendeth the principal poynts of faith the whole worke of Gods building in vs which S. PAVL like a wise Architect * 1. Cor. 3 12. had layd in the Galathians others his fellow-work-men might build vpon it gold siluer and pretious stones with great merit to themselues and thankes from S. PAVL Mary if any should digge vp that blessed and onely foundation and would laye a new one him S. PAVL holdeth for accursed So that that falcification of the text is intollerable and yet when all is done nothing can be wringed out of it to prooue the written word to comprehend all doctrine needefull to saluation for S. PAVL speaketh there onely of his Gospell that is of his preaching vnto the Galathians and not one worde of any written Gospel No more doth he in that place to TIMOTHY And so it is nothing to purpose The fourth Testimonie * 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct to righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto euery good worke In these words are contayned saith M. P. two arguments to prooue the sufficiencie of Scripture The first that which is profitable to these foure vses to teach al necessarie truth is not in the text to confute errors to correct faults in maners to instruct all men in all dutie is M. P. his addition to the text that is sufficient to saluation But the Scriptures serue for all these vses c. ANSWERE This text of holy Scripture is so farre from yeelding our aduersaries two Arguments that it affoordeth not so much as any probable colour of halfe one good argument In searching out the true sence of holy Scriptures wee must obserue diligently the nature proper signifycation of the words as M. P. also noteth out of S. AVGVSTINE in his sixt objection of this question which if the Protestants did here performe they would make no such account of this text for S. PAVL saith only that all Scripture is profitable not sufficient to teach to reproue c. How are they then carried away with their owne partiall affections that cannot discerne betweene profitable and sufficient Good Timber is profitable to the buylding of an house but it is not sufficient without stones morter a Carpenter Seede serues well yea is also necessarie to bring forth corne but will it suffice of it selfe without manuring of the ground and seasonable weather And to fit our purpose more properlie good lawes are verie profitable yea most expedient for the good gouernment of the common-wealth But are they sufficient without good customes good gouernours and judges to see the same Laws customs rightly vnderstood and duely executed Euen so the holy Scripturs S. PAVL affirmeth are very profitable as contayning very good necessary matter both to teach reproue correct but he saith not they are sufficient or that they do containe all doctrine needfull for these foure ends And therefore to argue out of S. PAVL that they are sufficient for all those purposes when he saieth onely that they are profitable to them is plainely not to know or not to care what a man saith And to presse such an impertinent cauil so often and so vehemently as the Protestants do is nothing els but to bewray vnto the indifferent reader either their extreame ignorance or most audacious impudencie that thinke they can face out any matter be it neuer so impertinent The same answere I make vnto M. P. his second argument out of the same place that the holy Scriptures bee profitable to make the man of God absolute but not sufficient I say more-ouer that M. P. doth falsely English these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the whole Scriptures when it signifyeth all Scripture that is euerie booke of Scripture and is there put to verifie that the Old Testament only serues to instruct to saluation For in the words next before S. PAVL sheweth how that TIMOTHY from his infancie had bene trayned vp in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures which saith he can instruct thee to saluation And annexeth as the confirmation thereof the Text cited All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach c. Now in TIMOTHYS infancie no parte of the New Testament was written and therefore all Scripture which is here put to prooue that Scripture which TIMOTHY in his Infancie knew cannot but by vnreasonable wresting signifie more than all the bookes of the Olde Testament So that there are three soule faultes in this the Protestants Achilles The first in falsification of the text that it might seeme to bee spoken of the whole which is spoken of euerie part The second in applying that which is spoken of the Olde Testament vnto both the Olde and New The third in making that to be all-sufficient which S. PAVL affirmeth onely to be profitable And this is all they can saye out of the Scripture to prooue that the written worde containes all doctrine needefull to saluation Where-upon I make this invincible argument against them out of this their owne position Nothing is necessarie to be beleeued but that which is written in holy Scripture But in no place of Scripture is it written that the written worde containes all doctrine needefull to saluation as hath bene prooued Therefore it is not necessarie to saluation to beleeue the written worde to containe all doctrine needefull to saluation And by the same principle I might reject all testimonie of Antiquitie as needelesse if the Scriptures be so al-sufficient as they hold Yet let vs here what testimonie M. P. brings out of antiquitie in fauour of his cause TERTVLLIAN * De resur carnis saith Take from Heretikes the opinions which they defend with the Heathens that they may desende their questions by Scripture alone and they cannot stand ANSWERE Here Scripture alone is opposed as euerie one may see vnto the writings of Heathen Authors and not to the Traditions of the Apostles and therefore maketh nothing against them Againe saieth M. P. out of the same Author We neede no curiositie after IESVS CHRIST nor inquisition after the Gospel when we beleeue it we desire to beleeue nothing besides it for