much Chapter 9. Proouing That true Merite and condigne Merite is all one That the regenerate doe Good works and receiue reward aboue their desertes That Good workes doe follow Iustification but goe not before the same That the best Workes of the regenerate are stayned with sinne and in rigour of Iustice deserue eternall death That Good workes are so necessarie to attaine eternall life as the way and meanes by which God hath decreed to bring his chosen to it but not as the cause thereof as without them it can not be had That Good workes are the effectes of Predestination depending vpon it not it vpon them That Good workes in a godly sense may be called Meritorious that is they so please God that of mercie he rewardeth them That without the mercie and promise of God they doe not merite Heauen That Charitie is not the forme of Fayth That Fayth as a worker doth not iustifie but respectiuely as an instrument apprehending Christes merites and applying them vnto vs. That Good workes though they be neither the efficient nor the formall nor the finall cause of Iustification which euer goeth before them yet are they the materiall cause and cause sine qua non as the Schooles tearme it the cause or condition without which Iustification shall not haue effect That Good workes must be done for three respectes That Gods Promise doth not make Good workes to be condignely worthy of the reward That condigne merite of Workes was not an Article of Popish fayth for more then 1540. yeares after Christ. Chapter 10. Proouing That Transubstantiation is a Monster lately begotten in Germanie and borne in Rome Chapter 11. Proouing That popish Inuocation doth not onely make Saintes the mediatours of Intercession but also of Redemption That it maketh Saintes ioynt purchasers of saluation with Christes most sacred blood so it be not in the same degree That it was not hatched for more then 1160 yeares after Christ. Chapter 12. Of the popish Communion vnder one kind Chapter 13. Of popish priuate Masse Chapter 14. Of Pope Martins Dispensation Chapter 15 Of worshipping of Images Chapter 16. Of Church-seruice in the vulgar tongue Chapter 17. Of the peeces of popish Masse Chapter 18. Of the mysteries of the popish Masse Chapter 19. Of kissing the Popes feete Chapter 20. Of praying vpon Beedes Chapter 21. Of changing the Popes name Chapter 22. Of the Paschal Torch Chapter 23. Of the popish Pax and the mysterie thereof Chapter 24. Of the Popes Bulles Chapter 25. Of the popish Agnus-dei Chapter 26. Of Candelmas-day Chapter 27. Of the dolefull Oath which popish Byshops make to the Pope Chapter 28. Of the popish Lent-fast Chapter 29. Of the annulling of popish Wedlocke Chapter 30. Of the Popes falsely pretended Superioritie ouer and aboue a generall Councell Chapter 31. Proouing That the Fayth and Doctrine of the Church of England is the old Romane Religion The Iesuites Proeme B. C. INtending to note the principall vntruethes of Bels Pamphlet I haue thought good first to salute his Epistle and see what holsome stuffe hee presenteth in that to his Patrons T. B. I Answere First that If I should stand vpon euery falsehood slaunder and coozening tricke which the Iesuite hath published and handsomely paint him out in his best beseeming colours time would sooner fayle me then matter whereof to speake Howbeit as I meane for the most part to let passe his slaunders his rayling wordes his fooleries his absurdities his contradictions and his impertinent trifles so will I by Gods holy assistance confute all the partes and parcels of his foolish and ridiculous Pamphlet not omitting any thing of any moment in the same Secondly that our Iesuite hath passed ouer in deepe silence my principall and chiefest groundes argumentes authorities reasons as not able to say any thing against them which the iuditious and honest Reader will soone perceiue with all facilitie Thirdly that our Fryer doth but snatch at peeces heere there with the which he thought he might best deale at the least in some colourable shew of wordes But let vs hearken I pray you to that attentiuely which he saith he found in my dedicatorie Epistle B. C. The Minister falleth roundly to the matter presenting his Patrons with a tricke of his occupation in his very first entraunce his wordes be these The visible Church sayth Bell as writeth Egesippus remayned a Virgin free from all heresies and corruptions during the life of the Apostles that is to say about one hundred yeares after Christ to which time S. Iohn the Euangelist was liuing but after the death of the Apostles sayth hee errours by litle and litle crept into the Church as into a voyde and desart House This Collection which Bell hath made is powdred with lies and iugling trickes thicke and threefold Bell belyeth both Egesippus and also Eusebius whom be quoteth in the third Booke of his Historie in the two and thirtie Chapter as the relator of those wordes of Egesippus Read the place he that please no such thing shall there be found nor the name of Egesippus so much as once mentioned The Minister both abuseth his Patrons and others with a notorious vntrueth of his owne fathering that vpon Eusebius which is not there to be found Neither can this dealing of his proceed from other roote then meere malice as whose braines are employed about nothing more then the hammering of lyes cauils and corruptions against the Catholicke fayth T. B. I answere First that the Jesuites accusation which here he maketh against mee is too too grieuous and more then intollerable vnto godly eares For he chargeth mee first to haue powdred mine assertion with lyes and iugling trickes Then to haue done the same thicke and threefold Thirdly to haue belyed both Egesippus Eusebius Fourthly he impudently affirmeth that no such thing can possibly be found as I haue alleadged out of Eusebius Fiftly that my position is so false and so farre from the trueth that the name of Egesippus is not so much as once mentioned Sixtly that I haue of meere malice slaundered Egesippus and Eusebius being men of great learning Secondly that seeing the Diuell is the Father of Lyers the Jesuite may very well be thought to be his only Sonne But how shal this be prooued All that shal read his booke must needes thinke he sayth the trueth because he affirmeth it so impudently confidently I would say This text of Christes holy Ghospell may well be verified in the Jesuites their accursed Iesuited crew They loued the prayâ—e of men more then the glory of God The truth is neuer ashamed she will shew her selfe to the confusion of the newly hatched sect of Jesuites of the late start-vp Romish fayth and religion These are the expresse wordes of Eusebius as Ruffinus a very learned Father who liued aboue 1200. yeares agoe hath translated them Post haec idem scriptor
Gods meere fauour grace and good pleasure without all desertes of Man Seuenthly that our Vocation our Iustification and our Glorification are the effectes of Predestination I therefore conclude that Good workes are not the cause why Gods children possesse Heauen as their inheritaunce seeing it is the effect of Predestination yet that they are the ordinarie way and meanes by which God decreed in his eternall purpose to bring his Elect to Heauen For as he ordayned the end that is to say the Kingdome of Heauen or Eternall life so also ordayned he the way and meanes to attaine the same that is to say Vocation Iustification Fayth and Good workes Yea euen among Men whosoeuer intendeth the Ende intendeth also the Meanes The 6. Conclusion Good workes in a godly sense very vsuall frequent in the holy Fathers may truly be sayd to be meritorious that is to say they please God and are so acceptable in Gods sight that of mercie he rewardeth them farre aboue their desertes This Conclusion is sufficiently prooued by the reasons alleadged in the first Conclusion I will here onely annexe the testimonie of Bernard that famous and learned Popish Abbot In one place he hath these wordes Sic non est quod iam quaeras quibus meritis speremus bona praesertim cum audias apud Prophetam non propter vos sed propter me ego faciam dicit Dominus sufficit ad meritum scire quod non sufficiant merita So there is no cause that thou shouldest now aske by what merites we hope for Glorie especially since thou hearest the Prophet say I will doe it sayth the Lord not for your sake but for mine owne selfe It is enough to merite to know that our merites are not sufficient Againe in an other place the same Bernard hath these wordes Deest gratiae quicquid meritis deputas Noâ—â— meritum quod gratiam excludat Horreo quicquid de meo est vt sim meus nisi quod illud magis sorsitan meum est quod me meum facit Gratia reddit me mihi iustificatum gratis et sic liberatum a seruitute peccati It degenerateth from Grace whatsoeuer thou ascribest to Merit I will no Merite that excludeth Grace I abhorre whatsoeuer is of mine owne that I may be mine owne vnlesse perhappes that is more mine owne which maketh me mine owne Grace iustifieth me freely to my selfe and so deliuereth me from the bondage of sinne In an other place the same Bernard hath these wordes Iam vero de vita aeterna scimus quia non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam nec si vnus omnes sustineat Neque N. talia sunt hominum merita vt propter ea vita aeterna debeatur ex iure aut Deus iniuriam aliquam faceret nisi cam donaret Nam vt taceam quod merita omnia Dei dona sunt et ita homo magis propter ipsa Deo debitor est quam Deus homini quid sunt merita omnia ad tantam gloriaÌ„ denique quis melior est Propheta cui Dominus ipse tam insigne testimonium perhibet dicens Virum inueni secundum cor meum Veruntamen et ipse necesse habuit dicere Deo non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo Domine Now touching eternall life we know that the sufferinges of this time are not worthy of the glory to come no not if one endure all For the Merites of men are not such that for them eternall life is due by right or that God should do some iniurie if he gaue it not For to let passe that all Merites are the giftes of God and so man is rather debter to God for them then God to man What are all Merites to so great Glorie In fine who is better then the Prophet to whom our Lord giueth so worthy a testimonie saying J haue found a man according to my heart howbeit hee had need to say to God Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord. Thus writeth the deuote and religious Abbot Bernard who though he liued in the greatest mist of Poperie and so was carried away with some errours of his time yet did he teach most Christian doctrine almost in all his workes And because he was reputed a great Papist and of high esteeme in the Church of Rome his testimonie is euer most forcible against Papistes the Pope and Church of Rome Out of this his most learned and Christian Discourse I obserue many godly memorable Lessons First that our best workes doe merite nothing Secondly that our greatest and best merit is this viz. to know that our supposed merites are not sufficient Thirdly that how much soeuer be it more be it lesse We ascribe to Merites so much doe we derogate from Gods grace And consequently seeing we may not derogate from the Grace of God in any respect it followeth of necessitie that we cannot challenge any thing of Merite Fourthly that Grace doth iustifie vs freely and consequently that our Workes doe not iustifie at all Fiftly that though one man could suffer as much as all men doe yet could not that man condignely Merite heauen Sixtly that eternall life is not due to mans Merites Ex iure that is to say Condignely and of right Seuently that God should doe no man wrong if he gaue it not But doubtlesse if Good workes did merite Heauen God should doe wrong to many a man in not giuing it For to withhold and keepe a mans right from him is a notorious and knowen wrong Eightly that a Man is more indebted to God then God to Man And this reason my L. Abbot Bernard yeeldeth for the same viz. Because Heauen or Eternall life is the free gift of God The 7. Conclusion Good workes euen by Popish doctrine without the mercie and promise of God in his Sonne and our onely sauiour Christ Iesus doe not condignely merite Heauen This is soundly prooued by all the reasons of the third Conclusion But I will prooue it by other euident meanes S. Augustine hath these expresse wordes Vae eâ—iam laudabili vitae homiâ—â—m si remotu misericordia â—iscautias â—am Woe euen to the best liuers on earth if thou extend not thy Mercie to them For this cause doth the holy Prophet desire God Not to enter into iudgement with him And he addeth this reason Because 〈◊〉 mâ—n liuing can 〈◊〉 iustified in his sight Againe the same Prophet confesseth in an other place That if God deale extreamely in punishing what is done amisse none lyuing no not the best of all iâ— abâ—e to endure his iustice Abbot Bernard hath these expresse wordes Peccatum separans inter nos et Deum penitus auferri non poterit donec liberemur a corpore The sinne that separateth vs from God can not wholly be taken away while we remaine in this world He speaketh of Concupiscence euill desires Loe originall
God Wherefore he requireth Gods Promise to be added to mans Merite as Aquinas Durandus and Angles had done before him In one place he hath these expresse wordes At vt bono operi debeatur merces ex iustitia conuentio vel promissio necessaria est Non enim tenetur vnus alterius obsequium acceptare nisi conuentio interuenerit Deus autem non promisit mercedem vitae aeternae nisi per Christi gratiam regeneratis et adoptatis But that reward be due of iustice to good Workes a couenant or promise is necessarie For one is not bound to accept the seruice of another vnlesse there be a couenant But God promised not the reward of eternall life saue onely to the regenerate through the grace of God In an other place he hath these words Sed facilis est responsio Nam dicitur Deus reddere debita nulli debens quia nihil vlli debet absolutè sed solum ex promissione dono suo Pari ratione dicimus Deo reade quia promisisti non dicimus redde quia accepisti quoniam fundamentum primum debiti diuini non in opere nostro sed in eius promissione consistit But the answere is easie For God is said to pay debts though he be debtor to none because he oweth nothing to any absolutely but onely in respect of his promise and free gift In like manner wee say to God giue because thou hast promised We say not giue because thou hast receiued Because the chiefe foundation of Gods debt doth not consist in our worke but in his Promise freely made vnto vs. In an other place he hath these wordes Primum igitur opera iustorum remoto pacto vel promissione non esse meritoria vitae aeternae ex condigno siue ex iustitia ita vt non possit Deus sine iniustitia talē negare mercedem satis probatum est scriptura siquidem patres vbicunque dicunt Deum fidelem esse iustum in reddendo praemio semper aut ferè semper mentionem faciunt promissionis First it is prooued sufficiently that the workes of the iust Gods couenant and promise set apart are not meritorious of eternall life condignely and iustly so as God can not deny such reward without iniustice For the Scripture and the fathers whensoeuer they say God is faithfull and iust in rendring reward do euer or almost euer make mention of his promise Thus writeth Cardinal Bellarmine that famous Iesuited Fryer Out of whose doctrine I obserue many worthy Lessons to the confusion of the Pope and all his Popish vassals First that Gods promise is so necessarie to attaine reward that without it no reward can iustly be required Secondly that no reward is due to any but onely to the regenerate Thirdly that the reward is not promised for any merit in mans worke but for Christs sake and merit Fourthly that man can require nothing of God absolutely but onely for his couenant and promise sake Fiftly that God is no mans debtour absolutely but onely by reason of his free gift and promise made to man Sixtly that the chiefe foundation of Gods debt consisteth in Gods free gift and promise made to man Seuenthly that the workes of the best liuers doe not merit eternall life iustly and condignely but onely by reason of Gods couenant and promise Eightly that both the Scripture and the Fathers do either euer or almost euer make mention of gods promise wheresoeuer they tell vs that God is faithfull and iust in rewarding mans workes Much more I could say out of Bellarmine but this is sufficient to euery indifferent Reader The 12. Conclusion Condigne merite of Workes was not an Article of popish faith for more then a thousand fiue hundred and fourtie yeares after Christ. And consequently it must needs bee a rotten ragge of the new Religion as which was hatched so long after the old Roman Catholique Apostolike religion The proofe of this Conclusion is at hand because the late popish Councell of Trent made it an Article of popish Faith accursing condemning to hell all such as deny or not beleeue the condigne merit of mans works The Iesuit S. R. in his pretensed answere to the Downfall of Poperie had no other shift in the world to saue the credite of their Councel and as it were to hide the nakednesse of that vnchristian and plaine diabolical course but to denie the councel to haue decreed cōdigne merite to be an Article of Popish faith For saith hee the Councell hath no word of condigne merit but onely of true merit And after he hath cited the words of the Councell he addeth these of his owne Here are good works defined to be true merite of Glory without determining whether they be condigne merite thereof or no. Thus saith our Iesuite shewing himselfe to be either too too malicious or else a very noddie For to merite truely and condignely is all one Otherwise our Iesuite must tell vs which is vnpossible to be done how one can merite a thing truely and for all that not worthily and condignely deserue the same Well we haue it freely granted because it can not be denied that the Councell of Trent defined true merite but not condigne merite of workes to bee an Article of popish faith And consequently the Iesuite must volens nolens confesse that the Councell defined condigne merit vnder the name of true merite For better confirmation whereof I will adde a testimonie that woundeth the Iesuite at the heart and is indeed incurable It is the Iesuites owne sword which he hath put into my hands to kil him as one wearie of his life because Poperie is prooued the new Religion These are his owne expresse words I neither adde nor take any word syllable or iote away as I desire to be saued Because as I thinke saith our Iesuit onely condigne merite is true merite O sweete Iesus O heauen O earth O all Saints in heauen and all creatures on earth be ye this day iudges betweene the Iesuites and mee The Iesuite denieth the Councell to define condigne merite but graunteth it to define true merite This done O wonderment of the world the same Iesuite within two leaues next following as a madde man bereeued of his wits and senses constantly affirmeth onely condigne merit to be true merit but doubtles if onely condigne merit marke well my words for Christs sake be true merite as the Iesuite truely writeth against himselfe his Pope and Councell and withall if the Councell defined true merit as the Iesuite likewise truely granteth and my selfe affirme it followeth of necessitie that the same Councell defined condigne merit equiualently and Poperie to be the new Religion The truth Gods name be blessed for it must needes in time preuaile now sir Fryer let vs heare your goodly sermon B. C. Bell denieth the Fathers to haue ascribed any Merite to Good workes proceeding from Grace for any dignitie or
worthinesse in the workes them-selues but onely from Gods Promise and Merites of his Sonne This I challenge for a manifest vntrueth when as plentifull testimonies want not to prooue that Workes proceeding of Grace are Meritorious not onely for his Promise or Acceptation but also for the dignitie of the Workes Yea the Scriptures are euident in this poynt T. B. I answere that I haue soundly confuted in the Conclusions afore-going much more then the Fryer doth heere or is euer able to obiect Neuerthelesse I am content to answere in particular to whatsoeuer seemeth to carrie any colour of trueth though none in very deed B. C. Call the Worke-men and pay them their hyre where Reward is giuen to the Workes Whereof it followeth that Workes deserued it T. B. I answere First that the Pope may be ashamed to haue no better defenders of his Poperie For if the trueth were in their side better reasons would be giuen in defence of the same Secondly that all Worke-men do not alwayes deserue their hyre For many as experience teacheth are such idle loyterers and worke so slowly that their Maisters giue them ouer not thinking them worth halfe their hyre Thirdly that they who came but at the eleuenth houre and in the end of the day receiued as much hyre as they that came at the ninth sixt or third houre which plainely argueth that the hyre was not giuen for the worthinesse or condignitie of the Worke. Fourthly that they who doe nothing but which otherwise they are bound to doe do not worthily deserue hyre for doing of the same Fiftly that Johannes Ferus a learned Popish Fryer in his Commentaries vpon this text yeeldeth the same sense and meaning these are his wordes Docet haec Parabola primò gratiam esse non debitum quicquid a Deo nobis datur Omnes N. iustitiae nostrae tanquam pannus menstruatae Imò nè ipsae passiones quidem huius temporis sunt condignae ad futuram gloriam Quodsi aliquando mercedem audis polliceri scias non ob aliud esse debitum quam ex promissione diuina Gratis promisit gratis reddit Si igitur Dei gratiam et fauorem conseruare cupis nullam meritorum tuoruÌ„ mentioneÌ„ fac This Parable teacheth vs that it is Grace not Debt whatsoeuer God giueth vs. For all our righteousnesse is as filthy Cloutes Yea the very afflictions which we endure in this life are vnworthy of eternall life If then thou heare Reward sometime promised know that it is no otherwise debt saue only for the Promise which God hath made Freely he promised and freely he payeth the same If therefore thou wilt keepe Gods fauour grace make no mention of thy Merites Thus discourseth this learned Fryer out of whose wordes I obserue these worthy Lessons First that our workes deserue nothing condignely at Gods handes Secondly that whensoeuer we heare Reward promised we must then know that it freely proceedes of Mercie not of any worthines in our Workes Thirdly that God both without our Desertes promiseth and without our Desertes performeth the same Fourthly that we can not continue in Gods fauour if we doe but make mention of our Merites But doubtlesse if the mention of our Merites barely made be of force to take away Gods fauour from vs much more is the relying vpon our Merites and the challenging of Merite for the same able and of force to produce the same effect Againe in an other place the same Ferus hath these expresse wordes Non attendebant quod per ProphetaÌ„ dicitur Ego deleo peccata tua propter me propter me inquit non propter merita tua Solus Christus remittit peccata et quidem gratis nihil ad hoc faciunt merita nostra Non quod intermittenda sunt opera sed soli Deo gloria danda iuxta illud si seceritis omnia quae praecepta sunt vobis dicite serui inutiles sumus They regarded not what the Prophet sayth I put away thy sinnes for mine owne sake Hee sayth for mine owne sake not for thy Merites One and sole Christ doth forgiue sinnes and that freely our Merites helpe nothing thereunto Yet Good workes may not be omitted but the glory must be giuen to God alone according to that saying If ye shall doe all that is commaunded you yet say Wee are vnprofitable seruantes B. C. Likewise our Sauiour sayth Come yee blessed of my Father possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and you gaue mee to eate Where our Sauiour signifieth that Heauen was giuen to Good workes for in more vsuall significant wordes it can not be spoken that Heauen is giuen as a Reward to the workes of mercie T. B. I answere first that the word For is not heere taken causaliter but consequatiuè to speake as the Schoole-doctors doe that is to say it doth not connotate the cause but the euent so as the sense is not that they did merite Heauen for giuing Meate to Christ but that by doing such charitable Workes which are the effectes of a true iustifying Fayth they shewed them selues to be the Children of God and the heyres of his Kingdome And this sense is clearely deduced out of the very text it selfe For seeing the kingdome of Heauen as Christ heere auoucheth was prepared for them before the foundation of the world and consequently before they were borne and so before they could doe any Good workes it followeth of necessitie that their Workes could not merit Heauen but onely intimate to the world that the inheritaunce of Heauen was due vnto them as to the children of God the heyres of the same For as the Apostle sayth If we be Sonnes then are we also Heyres Heyres of God and ioynt-Heyres with Christ. Yea as the same Apostle saith in an other place As he chose vs in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy immaculate in his sight through loue Againe in an other place thus teacheth vs our Sauiour himselfe Non vos me elegistis sed ego eâ—egi vos et positi vos vt â—atis et fructum afferatis You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you I haue put you that yee may goe and bring foorth fruit In another place the Apostle hath these wordes Whom he did predestinate them also he called whom he called them also he iustified whom he iustified them also he glorified Johannes Ferus that learned popish Fryer writeth in this manner Ego inquit elegi vos potest autem verbum hoc intelligi vel de electione ad Apostolatum vel de electione aeterna ad salutem Vtrobique N. gratia est non meritum vtrumque per Christum fit In ipso siquidem et per ipsum elâ—git nos Deus ante munâ—i constitutionem Sequitur Ego inquit qui Deus sum â—c propterea nullius inâ—igens ego qui
arbitrij excusatam se putat quando ignorantiae non voluntatis videtur esse quod peccat Secundum hanc excusationeÌ„ inexcusabiles dicet Scriptura diuina quoscunque sciences peccare conuincit Dei tamen iustum iudicium nec illis parcit qui non audierunt quicunque N. sine lege peccauerunt sine lege peribunt Et quamuis se ipsi excusare videantur non admittit hanc excusationem qui scit se fecisse hominem rectum eique obedientiae dedisse praeceptum nec nisi eius quo malè vsus est libero voluntatis arbitrio etiam quod transiret in posteros manasse peccatum Neque N. damnantur qui non peccauerunt quandoquidem illud ex vno in omnes pertransijt in quo anâ—e propria in singulis quibusque peccata omnes communiter peccauerunt Ac per hoc inexcusabilis est omnis peccator vel reatu originis vel additamento etiam propria voluntatis siue qui nouit siue qui ignorat siue qui iudicat siue qui non iudicat quia et ipsa ignorantia in eis qui intelligere noluerunt sine dubitatione peccatum est in eis autem qui non potuerunt poena peccati Ergo in vtrisque non est iusta excusatio sed iusta damnatio For the pride of man presuming of the force of Free Will doth thinke himselfe excused when that wherein he sinneth seemeth to proceed of ignorance rather then of Will According to this excuse holy Writ pronounceth all those inexcusable that sinne willingly Howbeit the iust iudgement of God spareth not those which neuer heard the truth For whosoeuer haue sinned without Law shall perish without Law And although they seeme to excuse themselues yet he admitteth not this excuse who knoweth that he made man right and commaunded him to be obedient as also that that sinne which infected all posterities came no otherwise but by his Free Will who vsed it amisse for they are not damned that sinned not seeing that sinne passed from one to all in which all commonly haue sinned before they had euery one seuerally any proper sinnes of their owne and hence commeth it that euery sinner is without excuse either through originall guilt or els by the act of his owne proper Will added thereunto Whether he hath knowen or is ignorant Whether it be he that iudgeth or hee that iudgeth not because in those that would not vnderstand ignorance is sinne without all peraduenture but in those that could not it is the punishment of sinne therefore in them both there is iust damnation but no iust excusation Againe the same S. Augustine in an other place hath these expresse wordes Qui vero suis meritis praemia tanquam debita expectant nec ipsa merita Dei gratiae tribuunt sed viribus propriae voluntatis sequitur nos inquit non spiritum huius mundi accepimus sed Spiritum qui ex Deo est vt sciamus quae a Deo donata sunt nobis ac per hoc et ipsum hominis meritum Donum est gratuitum nec a Patre luminum a quo descendit omne datum optimum boni aliquid accipere quisquam meretur nisi accipiendo quod non meretur They that expect rewards as due to their merites doe not ascribe their merites to the grace of God but to the strength of their owne will We saith the Apostle haue not receiued the spirit of this world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know what God hath giuen vs and so that the merite of man is the Free gift of God neither can any man receiue any good from the Father of Light from whom descendeth euery good gift by way of merit vnlesse hee first receiue that which he doth not merite Thus discourseth S. Augustine out of whose Wordes I obserue these memorable Doctrines First that whosoeuer expecteth reward as due to his merites doe greatly derogate from the grace of God Secondly that mans merite vnproperly so called is the Free gift of God Thirdly that no man can merite any reward at all vnlesse hee first receiue that freely of meere mercie which he can no way merit To which I adde for further explication sake that S. Augustine speaketh of merit vnproperly as Abbot Bernard and other Fathers doe in that sense and meaning which is plainely insinuated and clearely prooued in the sixt Conclusion in which sense my selfe willingly grant that euery good Worke is meritorious but withal I constantly affirme that the best good Worke of the most Holy man on earth neither is nor can bee properly and condignely meritorious of Eternall glory This is soundly and clearely prooued in the seuenth Conclusion of this present Chapter I prooue the same in like manner out of S. Augustines expresse Words afore going For first hee calleth it arrogant pride to challenge Eternall life as due to the merites of any man Secondly he flatly denyeth the best Liuer on earth to haue that iustice to which Eternall life is due Thirdly hee plainely auoucheth that they derogate more then a little from Gods grace who do but expect reward as due vnto their merits Fourthly that all the merite of man is Gods meere and Free gift Fiftly that when God rewardeth mans merits then doth he onely reward his owne free gifts and consequently that when S. Austen speaketh of mans merite he euer vnderstandeth merite vnproperly so called as also Abbot Bernard and other Fathers doe yea Gregorius Ariminensis Thomas Waldensis Paulus Burgensis Eckius Doâ—â—inicus Soto Thomas Aquinas Durandus and Iosephus Angles doe all with one vniforme assent speake of merit in the same sense and meaning with S. Austen and other holy Fathers Marke well the seuenth Conclusion with the rest and this trueth will soone appeare B. C. In this Paragraph hee citeth Iosephus Angles who saith That good Workes proceeding of grace without the promise of God are wholy vnworthy of Eternall life Thus he alleageth as though it were moâ—â—â—all doctrine to us whereas if himselfe were this day at Rome and cleare in all other things neuer would he be called in question about that point T. B. I answere First that if my selfe were this day at Rome as our Fryer seemeth heere to desire and wish it is very probable or rather most certaine sure that the Pope his Jesuites with their accursed Iesuited crew would deale with me as the Philistims did with Sampson if happily they would afford me so much fauour Secondly that our Iesuite giueth himselfe a mortall wound in that he approueth that Doctrine which Iosephus Angles hath published to the veiw of the world For whatsoeuer is wholy altogether vnworthy that doubtlesse can be no way worthy The case is cleare but let vs heare and seriously ponder Angles his owne wordes Eodem itiam modo considerantes omnes alij Doctores sancti naturalem solummodo bonorum operum valorem et illum a valore et iusta vlta â—â—erna â—stimatione
maketh I graunt that Good workes with the Promise of God are Meritorious the Iesuite graunteth the same I graunt that Good workes without the Promise of God are altogeather and wholly vnworthy of eternall life Iosephus Angles graunteth the same yea the Jesuite himselfe graunteth the very same euen while he desireth to impugne the same I say that Good workes are onely one way Meritorious and no way else that is as they are ioyned to and with the Promise of God Josephus and the Jesuite say the very same with me I say that Good workes are not properly of them selues Meritorious seeing they be Meritorious onely for the Promise of God Iosephus sayth the same I say that Good workes of them selues doe not merite Heauen properly as whose Merite dependeth wholly of the Promise of God Iosephus freely grauÌ„teth the same I say that Good workes of them selues are vnworthy of eternall life as which are wholly vnworthy thereof without the free Promise of our mercifull God Josephus willingly sayth the very same Marke euer these words prorsus indigna wholly and altogeather vnworthy They cut the Jesuites throate the Popes throate and the throates of all Jesuites and Iesuited Papistes in the world For that can not haue any Merite properly of it selfe whose Merite dependeth onely solely and wholly of an other And consequently seeing Good workes haue no Merite at all saue onely of from through and for the Promise of God as both Iosephus and our Iesuite freely graunt it followeth of necessitie that they neither doe nor properly can condignely Merite eternall life B. C. The Minister mistaketh the matter the Monster hee speaketh of was borne at Trent in Germany and not at Rome in Italie as the beginning of his wordes doe testifie Besides it was not in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred and fourtie but one thousand fiue hundred fourtie and seauen as appeareth out of the sixt Session of that Councell T. B. I answere first that our Jesuite not able in trueth to defend Poperie from being the New religion fleeth to impertinent digressions ridiculous cauils and most sillie euasions as a franticke man that hath lost his wittes Secondly that the Monster which both my selfe and the Fryer speake of is the non-age of late hatched Poperie The Iesuite vseth two reasons in defence of Poperie but alasse the Popes cares will tingle when he heareth them His former supposed gallant reason is this viz. That the Monster was borne at Trent not at Rome I answeare that this reason pleaseth me well as which graunteth Poperie to be a Monster borne out of time Concerning the place I answere that I doe not mistake the maâ—ter as our Fryer dreameth For although the Monster was begotten at Trent in Germanie yet borne was it at Rome in Iâ—aly The reason hereof is euident because the decreeing of the matter at Trent was of no force or effect vntill the Pope had confirmed the same at Rome His latter and second reason is euery way as strong as his former I keeping my selfe within my boundes and speaking sparingly and fauourably of the newnesse of Poperie affirmed the Condigne merite of Workes not to haue been an Article of Popish fayth for the space of one thousand fiue hundred and fourtie yeares after Christ. Our Iesuite vnawares helpeth me against his will by adding seauen yeares more to the number B. C. Before he came vpon the Councell of Trent for accursing all such as did denie or not beleeue the Condigne merites of mans workes and inueighed against that doctrine as a Monster lately borne at Rome and yet now the same doctrine is against the Pope and the Iesuite S. R. and it euidently prooueth as much as he desireth And so that Doctrine which before was false and monstruous is now become sound and heauenly Was there euer such an other changeable Camelion that as it were with one breath denyeth and affirmeth one and the selfe-same thing Certainely the poore man hath more need of a cunning Surgion to put his braines in ioynt then of Incke and Paper to write such lunaticall Pamphlets T. B. I answere first that our Iesuite seemeth to haue lost both his braines his witte and his honestie and that in such sort as no Surgion is able to remedie the same Secondly that I can not reprooue the Councell of Trent vnlesse I also condemne the Pope the chiefe Author of the same as is already prooued Thirdly that whatsoeuer maketh against the Councell must perforce make also against the Jesuites and all others that approoue the same Fourthly that the doctrine which afore was false monstruous is still as false bad monstruous as euer it was if not rather more Fiftly that the change which the Jesuite speaketh of is in him selfe but not in Bell For Bell doth not affirme that Doctrine to be found heauenly which afore hee tearmed false and monstruous but hee only plainely sheweth that the Jesuite striuing against the trueth doth by the force of trueth vnawares confesse the trueth against himselfe And consequently that hee vnwittingly vnwillingly graunteth the trueth against himselfe which is as much as I desire I prooue it briefly and soundly because the Iesuite hauing in his second Conclusion affirmed Good workes done in Gods grace to be condignely Meritorious of eternall life by and by addeth in the third Conclusion this restriction viz. that the condigne Merite he speaketh of is not absolute but supposeth the condition of Gods Promise made to reward it Which doubtlesse is the flat Doctrine that I defend For if Gods Promise must be supposed there is no condigne Merite without the same Let the indifferent Reader be an indifferent Iudge betweene the Iesuite and mee I willingly admit his third Conclusion and so make an end of this Chapter For all that is heere sayd or possibly can be sayd in defence of Condigne merite of Workes is clearly and foundly refuted in the Conclusions of this present Chapter if due application be made thereof And consequently this Article of Popish fayth neuer knowne for the space of more then 1540. yeares after Christ must of necessitie and without all peradâ—enture be a rotten ragge of the New religion The Tenth Chapter of Transubstantiation in Popish Masse ALL that the Iesuite sayth in this Chapter is pithyly refuted both in the Downefall of Poperie and in the Jesuites Antepast And consequently I haue no need to stand here vpon the same The Fryer freely graunteth that Transubstantiation touching the name was not hatched till their Lateran Councell which was holden 1215. yeares after Christ. But he sayth withall that the poynt of Doctrine it selfe that is the changing of the substaunce of Bread into the Body of Christ by the words of Consecration was taught by the auncient Fathers and came from Christ himselfe his blessed Apostles My answere is this First that I haue very soundly and copiously refuted in my Suruey of Poperie whatsoeuer
Platina Carranza Sigeberius Nanclerus Marke well the answere Petr. Dam. Mar. Polonus The Buffaloes are Beastes as terrible as Lyons Many yet liuing know this to be most true The Iesuit Alphonsus was then the Maister of the English Colledge A thing neuer heard nor knowne before Iohn 4 v. 24. 1. Iohn 5. v. 14. Sap. 8.1 Ephes. 1. v. 4.11 Rom. 9. v. 11.15.16 c. Ephes. 6.12 Act. 9. v. 1.2.3 c. Act. 8. v. 1.3 See the Anatomie for this point and note it well Loe the Fryer confoundeth both himselfe and his Pope The Author with the Church of England defendeth euery iote of the old Romane Religion Three very Memorable pointes See the oath Infra Cap. 27. All must be as the Pope will See the Oath which Bishops make to the Pope infra Cap. 27. The Popes pretended prerogatiues must euer be defended Rhemistes in Act. 15. The Pope can not erre The Pope in the Church say the Iesuites S. R. pag. 281. marke this well When Papists speake of the Church they euer meane the pope The Iesuite cuts the Popes throate Marke well the answere See my Booke of Motiues Cap. 8. The Popish Church holdeth no poynts of fayth Marke well for Christes sake this poynt of doctrine The first Corollarie The second Corollarie All this is meere folly Praecedunt ista in B.C. page 86. Marke this confession The Pope as Pope by Popish graunt can not erre Vnderstand this poynt well for Christes sake See and note well my ChristiaÌ„ Dialogue Chap. 2. Pag 14. Argumentum ad hominem See and note well the 29. the 30. Chapters Christ neuer prayed that the Pope should not erre This DileÌ„ma is insoluble S.R. Pag 315. Pag. 417. Loe we must beleeue his doctrine that is an Heretike See and note my Reply to the 29. Chapt. S. R. in the name of the Pope proclaimeth the Popes fayth and doctrine Inferius Cap. 27. Ioh. 9 3â— 1. Ioh. 5. v. 14. Psal. 18. v. 41. Mich. 3.4 Zach. 7. v. 13. Poperie is the new religion Vixit Aquinas A.D. 1243. For the space of 1240. The Fryer dare not do it for his lugges Loe the Pope as Pope by Popish doctrine can not erre The Iesuite how he is beleeued Luke 22. vers 32. Alas alas Poperie is wounded vnto death S. R. pag. 417. Out vpon Poperie who is able to endure it S. R. pag. 417. The Iesuite is shameles and impudent Alphons lib 3. aduers. haereses prope finem This is wonderfull Bellarmine speaketh against his owne knowledge O childish vanitie A.D. 1538. Marke well for Christes sake if thou loue thine owne soule Alphons lib. 1. cap. 4. aduers haeres Marke well this poynt striketh dead The Iesuites are Gypsies Loe the Pope is wounded at the heart hee can no longer liue A note worthy the remembrance The Iesuite hath deserued the whetstone Iob. 1.8 1. Ioh. 3. v. 12. Gen. 6· v. 9. Luke 1.28 Luke 1.6 Heb. 11. Act. 10. v. 2. Mat. 10. v. 42. Heb. 11. v. 27. Rom. 8. v. 18. Io. de Comb. lib. 5. Theol. ver cap. 11. Rhem. Rom. 8. v. 17. in annotae Heb. 11.6 Mat. 7. v. 18. Rom. 14. v. 23. Mat. 7.17 Aug. de fide ex operib cap. 14. tom 4. Esa. 64.6 Bernard de verb. Esa. Serm. 5. p. 405. Phil. 3.12 1. Cor. 1.30 Bernard vbi super D. 2. Ioh. 3.9 Rom. 6.23 Iac. 3.2 Bernard de grat et lib. Arb. p. 1189 Aug. in Ps. 11â— con 2. in fine Bernar. de aduent Dom. Serm. â— To. 1. See my Suruay pag. 389. 2. Cor. 5. v. 19. Vulgaâ—a editio Marke this poynt well Note the Seuenth Conclusion Mat. 7.19 Ioh. 14. v. 23. Ephes. cap. 1. v. 4. et cap. 2. v. 10. Rom. â— v. 30. Esa. 59.2 Ephes. 2. .v. 3.5 Lyr. in Cap. 6 Matt. See the Conclusion and note it Loe Good workâ— are the way which lead vs to heauen Aquin. p. 1. q. 23. art 3. ad 2. Bellar. To. 3. col 627. et col 628. The foresight of workes no cause of predestination Bellarm. To. 3. Col. 628. Bellarm. To. 3. Col 626. et Col. 628. Workes are not the cause of saluation yet the way by which we must come vnto it I defend the old Romane religion God in his eternall purpose prepared both eternall glory for his elect and the way or meanes to attaine the same Bern. super Cant. Ser. 68. Loe the confession of our vnworthines is our best merite Bern in Canâ—â— ser. 67. Bern. ser. 1. in Annunâ— B.M.V. This testimonie is wonderfull Marke it well The Popish Abbot woundeth the Pope at the very heart Vixit Bernardus A.D. 1110. Marke this well Note this ex iure This reason can not be answeared See and note well the 11. Conclusion Aug. lib. 9. Confess cap. 13. Psal. 143. v. 2. Psal. 130. v. 3. Bern. de adu dom serm 6. tom 1. Bernard in annue B.V. serm 1. No Workes can merite Glory Durand in 2 sent dist 27. q 2. in medio Condigne merite is so farre aboue mans capacitie as no man possiblely can haue it Suruey part 3. cap. 9. Soro de nat et gr lib. 3. cap. 6. pag. 138. Popish satisfaction is impossible Arist. in 8. Ethic. cap. 7. Luke 17. v. 20. Iac 3 v. 2. Aquin. 1.2 q. 114. ar 1. in corp Loe man can not merite any thing condignely or properly There is no proper merite in man Marke vnderstand this poynt aright Angles in 2. sent pag. 103. Loe the Papistes graunt as much as we desire Philip. 3.9 Rom. 10.4 Tit. 3.5 1. Cor. 1.30 2. Cor. 5.19 Rom. 8. v. 1 2.3.4 Rom. 5. v. 14. Reu. 7. v. 14. Reu. 3. v. 4. All this is already proued Marke the Cardinals wordes wel vnderstand them soundly Bellar. de iustif tom 3. col 1296. ct col 1298. All the good deedes we can possibly doe are Gods owne and so we can merite nothing of God with them Marke well for Christes sake for Poperie bleedeth vnto death Aug. lib. 9. Confess cap. 13. Marke this well Secundò principaliter Angles in 2. sent pag. 107. The Byshoppe confuteth him selfe he needeth no aduersarie A very fond distinction inuented without rime or reason Tit. 1. v. 2. Heb. 6.10 2. Tim. 4.8 Iac. 1.12 Iac. 2.5 Psal. 130.3 Psal. 143.2 S. R. pag. 257. Note well the eleuenth Conclusion following 1. Cor. 13. v. 13. Heb. 11. v. 6. Aug. in Epist. IohaÌ„ tract 10. in initio Ioh 6. v. 29. Rom. 3 28. Rom. 5.1 Rom. 10. v. 3.4 Act. 13.39 Phil. 3 9. Fides sumitur dupliciter propriè et sinapliciter seu figuratè et re latiuè By Fayth Christes obedience merites are applyed to vs. By Fayth Christes obedience merites are applyed to vs. Ioh. 3. v. 17. Mar 16 v. 7. Hâ—b 11. v. 7 Bona opera sunt medium sine quo non salutis Supâ—rius concl 4. See the 5. Conclusion and note it Rom. 5.1 1. Cor. 1.3 2. Cor. 4.16 Gal. 6.15 Mat. 7.17 Ioh. 15.12 Ioh. 14. v. 1â—
but perforce abhorre and detest Poperie as a New Religion by litle litle crept into the Church The Jesuites like Gypsies haue inuented a tricke of fast and loose assigning to their Pope a double person Priuate and Publique As a Priuate man they graunt he may both be deceiued himselfe and also deceiue others But that he can erre as a publique person or as Pope of Rome they vtterly deny For if they should once graunt this poynt which is a manifest and knowne truth Poperie would soone be turned vp-side downe Howbeit my saluation I gage for the tryall Fryer Alphonsus decideth the controuersie so plainely as all the Jesuites and Jesuited Papistes in the world are not in trueth able to withstand or gainesay the same Alphonsus sayth constantly and plainely without all And 's and Ifs that Pope Celestine erred not as a Priuate man but euen as Pope and publique person O sweete Iesus ô mercifull God! ô most louing Father how great is the malice and blasphemie of Iesuites and Jesuited Papistes against thine euerlasting Trueth and holy Name With what face can the Iesuiticall Cardinall Bellarmine tell vs that Pope Celestine erred onely as a Priuate man and not as Pope or Publique person When the Papistes like the Popes Decrees then they say hee defined as Pope and Publique person and that none may withstand his definitiue Sentence or once examine the same as is alreadie prooued to their euerlasting shame But when their Pope is conuinced to haue erred so grossely that they know not possibly how to defende him then they are not ashamed to say that hee erred but as a Priuate man Thirdly that the Pope erred in a poynt of great consequence euen in a matter of Popish Fayth viz. that Matrimonie was so dissolued by reason of Heresie that the faythfull man or woman might marrie againe the Hereticall partie lyuing Which thing sayth Alphonsus was manifest to euery one to be an Heresie and their late Councell of Trent hath defined it to be so Fourthly that this Decree and Definition of Pope Celestine was in those dayes enrolled in the Popes Decretals Fiftly that Alphonsus saw and read the same Sixtly that the sayd Decree can not this day be found amongst the Popes Decretall Epistles Where I note by the way and heartily wish the Reader to obserue the same that the decrees of our holy Fathers the Popes haue bin such so much against lately hatched Poperie as they are this day ashamed to bring the same to light But let this be our comfort herein that God hath at all times stirred vp some learned Papistes otherwise deuoted to the Pope who haue boldly vsed their Pennes and Wittes such is the force of trueth to discouer and lay open to the view of the world the deceit coozenage liegerdemayne and cunnicatching tricks of wicked Popes Jesuites all Iesuited Papistes so farre foorth I euer meane as is necessarie for the common good of his Church Now whether our Jesuite be a most notorious lyer or noe let the Reader iudge For if Alphonsus say that the Pope can not erre as Pope and Publique person I am content to be the lyer But if he constantly hold and defend the contrarie as the vndoubted trueth then iudge and censure our Fryer in this as in many other thinges for a shameles and impudent lyer best worthy of the Whetstone I wish he may haue it weare it about his necke as a testimonie of his condigne desertes The 9. Chapter Of the condigne so supposed merit of Good workes FOR the clearer manifestation and illustration of the trueth of this Controuersie I thinke it not amisse to proceed therein by way of Conclusions Which being soundly effected I purpose in God to answere and confute a thing very easie to be done the childish cauils ridiculous euasions and cunnicatching trickes which our Fryer vseth in pleading for the life of their New Religion The first Conclusion The Regenerate doe Good workes which are acceptable in Gods sight and receiue reward farre aboue their Condigne desertes This Conclusion is prooued by many textes of holy Writ Iob is enrolled among the Godly and those that feared God euen by the testimony of God himselfe Abel was slaine of his brother Cain because he feared God and did Good works The Scripture sayth that Noe was a iust man and perfect who therefore with his Familie found fauour in Gods sight in time of the generall Deluge The Angell of God saluting the blessed virgin Marie pronounced her holy aboue all Women Zacharias and Elizabeth his wife were both iust walked in all the Commaundements of God Abraham Moses Dauid Gedeon Sampson Samuel and many others did Workes acceptable in Gods sight Cornelius is highly commended in holy Writ for the Good workes he did Thus much for the former part And for the latter part the Scripture is likewise plentifull Christ himselfe promiseth to reward Good workes so liberally that he will not suffer so much as a Cuppe of cold Water giuen in his name to passe without reward For which cause Moses is said to haue had respect vnto reward And S. Paul teacheth vs that the passions of this life are not worthy of the glory to come In briefe the Popish Fryer Iohn de Combis a very learned Papist in his Theological Abridgement affirmeth it to be a maxime with God euer to reward vs aboue our well doinges and to punish vs lesse then our euill demerites These are his expresse wordes Et hoc pates quod Deus semper remunerat supra meritum sicut punit citra condignâ—m And this is euident because God euer rewardeth aboue our merites and punisheth vs lesse then we be worthy Where I may not passe ouer in silence the blasphemie of the Rhemistes against the effect of Christes Passion while they affirme Christ not to haue so fully satisfied for our sinnes but that wee are still bound to satisfie each man in particular for his owne sinnes For most true it is as I haue prooued in sundry places of this Discourse that Christ hath so sufficiently satisfied for all his Elect and so answered the iustice of God for punishment of their sinnes as they are freely discharged thereof Yet must they willingly suffer to be made conformable to Christ in Suffering as they looke to be like him in Glorie Their sufferings are indeed a condition required to their Glorification but neither a Cause thereof nor any Satisfaction for their sinnes The case is cleare the Scriptures doe euery where insinuate the same They are onely Conditio sine qua non of our Glorification and the necessarie and infallible effectes of our Predestination which they euer follow as Fruites doe the Tree for the afflictions of Gods children though they be a cause working eternall Glorie in the sense afore touched as they be the way by which God hath appoynted them to passe to Glorie yet neither are
and place be correspondent thereunto I prooue it first because Christ himselfe saith That euery Tree which bringeth not foorth Good fruite shal be cut downe and cast into the fire Secondly because Christ sayth in an other place That whosoeuer loue him will keepe his Commaundementes Thirdly because S. Paul telleth vs in one place That God chose vs in Christ before the world was made that we should be holy in his sight And in an other place That we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesu vnto good workes which he hath prepared that we may walke in them The 5. Conclusion Good workes are the effectes of Predestination depending vpon it not it vpon them S. Paul prooueth it in these plaine golden and pithy wordes Whom he hath Predestinate them hath he Called and whom he hath Called them hath he Iustified and whom he hath Iustified those hath he also Glorified By this golden Chaine we may euidently perceiue that Glorification Iustification Vocation and consequently Good workes are the effectes of Predestination especially if we ioyne this with the other Conclusions afore going For if it be true as it is most true else th'Apostle should be a lyer that we were elected to be Holy and to doe Good workes it is also true it can not be denyed that Holy life and Good workes are the effectes of our Election and Predestination in Christ Iesus For this cause sayth that famous Papist Nicholaus de Lyra in this manner Dicendum quod predestinatio diuina est preparatio gratiae in presenti et gloriae in futuro Et ideo cum sit aeterna sicut ab aeterno predestinauit aliquem ad beatitudinem ita praeordinauit modum quo daret sibi illam beatitudinem I answere sayth this great learned Popish Doctor that Gods Predestination is the preparation of Grace in this world and of Glory in the world to come And therefore seeing it is Eternall as he hath predestinated any one from eternitie to endlesse Blisse or Beatitude so hath he also fore-ordayned the meane by which he would bring him to the same For this cause sayth the Popish Angelicall Doctor Aquinas whose doctrine sundry Popes haue confirmed for Authenticall that Predestination includeth Gods will of bestowing both Grace and Glorie And this Doctor so famous and authenticall addeth these wordes Nam predestinatio est causa et eius quod expectatur in futura vita a predestinatis scz gloriae et eius quod percipitur in presenti scz gratiae For Predestination is the cause both of that which is expected in the life to come that is to say of Glorie and also of that which the predestinate receiue in this life that is to say of Grace For this cause saith our Jesuiticall Cardinall Bellarminus that Good workes follow Predestination as effectes follow their causes These are his expresse wordes Itaque sunt opera bona effectus Predestinationis Therefore Good workes are the effect of Predestination Againe in other place the same Jesuite hath these wordes Itaque illa propositio Deus ab aeterno predestinauit hominibus dare regnum per opera bona praeuisa potest et vera esse et falsa Nam si illud per opera praeuisa referatur ad verbum predestinauit falsa erit Significabit enim Deum predestinasse homines quia opera illorum bona praeuiderat si referatur ad verbum dare vera erit Quia significabit executionem futuram esse per opera bona siue quod est idem glorificationem effectum esse iustificationis et operum bonorum sicut ipsa iustificatio effectus est vocationis et vocatio praedestinationis Therefore that proposition God fore-ordayned from eternitie to giue to men the Kingdome of heauen by their fore-seene Workes may both be true and false For if those wordes by their workes fore-seene be referred to the word Predestinauâ—t hee predestinated or fore-ordayned the sense and meaning is false For it will signifie God to haue Predestinated Men because he fore-saw their Good workes but if the same wordes be referred to the worde Dare to giue and bestow the sense and meaning will be true For it will signifie that the execution must be done by Good works or which is all one that Glorification is the effect of Iustification and Good workes euen as Iustification is the effect of Vocation and Vocation the effect of Predestination Againe in an othor place hee hath these wordes Non ideo pendet praedestinatio ab operibus sed opera a praedestinatione Therefore Predestination doth not depend of Workes but Workes depend of Predestination Againe in an other place he sayth thus Alia ratio est pradestinationis alia executionis Constituit N. in praedestinatione regnum caelorum dare certis hominihus quos absque vlla operum praeuisione dilexit tamen simul constituit vt quo ad executionem via perueniendi ad regnum essent bona opera There is one reason of Predestination an other of Execution For in Predestination God decreed to giue the Kingdome of Heauen to certaine men whom he loued without any fore-sight of Workes howbeit he decreed withall that in respect of the execution Good workes should be the way to come vnto the same For this cause doe our Râ—emistes tell vs that our first Iustification is of Gods Grace and not of our deseruinges because none of all our actions that were before our Iustification could merit or iustly procure the Grace of iustification Thus discourse these famous and great learned Popish Writers to whose Doctrine I subscribe with all my heart For as I haue often sayd else where I highly reuerence the Old Romane religion and to the vttermost of my small talent skill I both haue done doe and will defende the same Yea and iustifie the Doctrine of the Church of England to be the Old Romane Catholike and Apostolike religion which S Peter and S. Paul deliuered to the auncient and first Church of Rome Out of the Doctrine heere deliuered by these famous Papistes Lyranus Aquinas and Bellarminus I gather many excellent Notes First that the Grace Fayth and Good workes which we haue in this world and the Glory which we expect in the world to come doe all wholly proceed from Gods Predestination euen without all desertes of Man Secondly that as God prepared the Kingdome of heauen for his Elect euen before they were borne or had done any Good workes so did he also prepare the way and meanes by which he would bring them to the same Thirdly that no Workes done or fore-seene to be done did mooue God to predestinate any man to the ioyes of Heauen Fourthly that Good workes are not the Cause but the Effect of Predestination Fiftly that Good workes are the way and meanes which God ordayned for the execution of Predestination and for the accomplishment of Glorification Sixtly that not onely Predestination but also Iustification proceedes of
Concupiscence which remayneth in vs till the houre of death excludeth vs from God and prepareth Hell for vs. The same Bernard in an other place hath these wordes Necesse est primò omnium credere quod remissionem peccatorum habere non possis nisi per indulgentiaÌ„ Dei. Deinde quod nihil prorsus habere que as operis boni nisi et hoc dederit ipse Postremò quod aternam vitam nullis pâ—tâ—s operibus promereri nisi gratis detur et illa First of all thou must beleeue of necessitie that thou canst not haue remission of thy sinnes vnlesse God will giue thee a pardon for the same Then thou must beleeue that thou canst not haue any Good worke at all vnlesse thou receiue it at Gods hand Last of all thou must beleeue that thou canst not merite eternall life by any Workes vnlesse it be freely giuen of Mercie The famous Papist and great learned Schoole doctor Durandus disputeth this difficultie so soundly and plainely as euery Child may with all facilitie perceiue the trueth thereof These are his expresse wordes Tale Meritum de condigno inuenitur inter homines sed non est hominis ad Deum Quod patet quia quod redditur potius ex liberalitate dantis quam ex debito operis non cadit sub merito de condigno strictè et propriè accepto Sequitur quod si quis dicat quod quamuis Deus non constituatur nobis debitor ex aliquo nostro opere constituitur tamen debitor ex sua promissione quam exprimit scriptura non valet propter duo Primum est quod promissio diuina in scripturis sanctis non sonat in aliquam obligationem sed insinuat meram dispositionem liberalitatis diuinae SecunduÌ„ est quod quod redditur non redditur ex debito operis sed ex promissione praecedente non quod redditur ex merito operis de condigno sed solum vel principaliter ex promissu Et ita non est illud debitum de quo loquimur Et sic patet quod meritum de condigno strictè et propriè sumptum viz. pro actione voluntaria propter quam operanti debetur merces ex iustitia sic quod si non reddatur ille ad quem pertinet reddere iniustè facit et est simpliciter et proprièiniustus non est hominis ad DeuÌ„ Et ideo propter tale meritum cum sit homini simpliciter impossibile non est necesse in nobis ponere gratiam vel charitatem habitualem Such condigne Merite is found among men but is not betweene God and man Which hereby is cleare because that which is rendered rather of the liberalitie of the giuer then of debt due to the worke falleth not vnder condigne Merite properly so called If any say that though God become not our debter by reason of our Worke yet is he made our debtour by reason of his Promise whereof the Scripture maketh mention that answere is of no force for two respectes First because Gods Promise in the holy Scriptures doth not sound to any Bond but insinuateth the meere disposition of Gods liberalitie Secondly because that which is giuen is not giuen for the debt arysing of the Worke but of promise that went before not that it is rendred for the condigne Merite of the worke but onely or principally for his Promise sake And so there is not that debt of which we speake And so it is cleare that condigne Merite properly so called viz. for a voluntary action for which reward is due of iustice to the worker so that if it be not rendred hee to whom it apperteyneth to giue it doth vniustly and is simply and properly vniust is not betweene God and man And therefore for such a Merite seeing it is simply impossible to man there is no need to put in vs grace or charitie habituall Thus disputeth M. Durand out of whose golden periods I gather many memorable Obseruations First that condigne Merite can not be betweene God and man Secondly that eternall life is the free gift of Gods liberalitie not proceeding of any debt or duetie due to the best Workes which we doe Thirdly that God rewardeth vs principally for his Promise sake and not for any thing wee either haue done or possibly can doe Fourthly that condigne Merite is so farre aboue mans capacitie and reach that no man can by any possibilitie haue it And consequently that late Popish condigne Merite of Workes is ridiculous absurd and impossible Gregorius Ariminensis Thomas Waldensis Paulus Burgensis Marsilius and Etkins fiue most zealous Papistes doe all with one assent affirme very constantly that mans Workes are not meritorious of eternall life how holy soeuer the man be All this is prooued at large in my Suruay of Poperie Dominicus Soto a zealous Monke and famous Popish writer telleth the Papistes roundly and peremptorily and teacheth them grauely that no pure man is able to make condigne satisfaction for his sinnes and so a fo tiori against his will and meaning that no man can by condigne Merite attaine eternall life These are his expresse wordes Perfectâ— satisfactio est â—lla cuius vâ—â—â—r es pratium totum emanat a debitore nulla vel prae â—â—niente vel interueniente gratia creditoris taliter vt sit redditio aequiuâ—lentis alias indebiâ—a voluntarâ—â— Perfect satisfaction is that whose value and price proceedeth wholly from the debtour without either preuenting or interuenting grace of the creditour so as the voluntarie reddition be of that which is equiualent and not otherwise due Thus writeth the Popes zealous and learned Fryer Sotâ— whose Doctrine I admit for the trueth and willingly subscribe thereunto Hee teachâ—th vs foure things First that the satisfaction must proceed wholly from the debtour Secondly that there must be no preuenting nor interuenting Grace of the creditour Thirdly that there must be equiualent restitution Fourthly that that equiualent reddition must be a worke which otherwise is not due These foure conditions which our Popish M. Soto the Dominican Fryer requireth in euery Satisfaction when any Papist can find in any one of their Merites or Satisfactions I will be his bondman neither shal the Popes holinesse be excepted But to come to this Bondage vpon this Couenant I am in no feare at all For the Ethnicke Philosopher Aristotle perceiued by the naturall discourse of right Reason that no man can euer make condigne Satisfaction to God and his naturall Parentes For which respect Christ himselfe teacheth vs to acknowledge our selues vnprofitable seruantes euen when wee haue done the best we can For which respect S. â—amos assureth vs that the best liuers offend in many thinges For which respect the Popish angelicall and chiefest Doctor Aquinas whose Doctrine two seuerall Popes haue confirmed for Authenticall telleth both the Pope and vs very constantly that God is not simply and truely sayd to be debtour to vs but to him selfe and his owne
Promise which he freely without all our desertes made vnto vs. These are his expresse wordes Manifestum est autem quod inter Deum et hominem est maxima inaequalitas in infinitum N. distant totum quod est hominis bonū est a Deo Vnde non potest hominis a Deo esse iustitia secundum absolutam aequalitatem sed secundum proportionem quandam in quantum scz vterque operatur secundum modum suum Modus autem et mensura humanae virtutis homini est a Deo et ideo meritum hominis apud Deum esse non potest nisi secundum praesuppositionē diuinae ordinationis ita scz vt id homo consequatur a Deo per suam operationem quasi mercedem ad quod Deus ei vertutem operandi destinauit It is manifest that betweene God and man there is exceeding great inequalitie for they differ infinitely All the good that man hath is of God Wherefore mans iustice receiued of God can not be according to perfect and absolute equalitie but after a certaine proportion to weet in as much as either worketh according to his condition Now man hath the measure and condition of his Vertue from God and therefore mans Merite can not be with God saue onely according to the supposall of Gods holy ordinaunce so to weet that man may attaine that at Gods hand by his working as reward to which God hath appoynted his power of working Thus disputeth the graund Papist Aquinas whose Discourse doth vtterly ouerthrow all Popish Merite as the late Popish Councel of Trent hath defined the same For first marke well my wordes Aquinas teacheth vs the trueth viz. that where there is no perfect equalitie there can be no Merite properly Secondly he graunteth that there is infinite inequalitie betweene God and man Thirdly he confesseth freely that mans iustice is not absolute but imperfect Fourthly he acknowledgeth as truely as constantly that man doth merite nothing in Gods sight saue onely by way of his free acceptation Marke well and forget not these wordes Nisi secundum praesupposuionem diuinae ordinationis Saue onely according to the supposall of Gods ordinaunce Fiftly he plainely auoucheth that eternall life is not hyre properly but as it were hyre Marke the wordes Quasi mercedem as hyre for they are emphaticall and wholly opposite to condigne Merite of mans Workes These argumentes doe plainely conuince and yet to gratifie our Iesuite whose fauour I greatly desire in Christ I will adde for a supplement a double testimonie of two very learned Fryers th' one is Josephus Angles a Popish Byshop and Franciscan Fryer th' other is Robertus Bellarminus a Jesuiticall Fryer and Romish Cardinall Angles hath these expresse wordes Eodem etiam modo considerantes omnes alij doctores sancti naturalem solūmodo bonorum operum valorem et illum a valore et iusta vitae aeternae astimatione longissime distare perpendentes prudenter dixerunt opera nostra non esse meritoria aut digna vitae aeternae Ex lege tamen siue conuentione siue promissione facta nobiscum opera bona hominis cum adiutorio gratiae Dei fiunt aeternae vitae digna et illi aequalia quae seclusa illa Dei promissione quae passim in sacris literis reperitur fuissent tanto premio prorsus indigna All other holy Doctors also considering after the same manner the naturall value onely of Good workes and perceiuing that it is exceeding farre distant from the value and iust estimation of eternall life sayd wisely that our workes are not Meritorious nor worthy of eternall life Yet for the Couenant and Promise made to vs the Good workes of man with the helpe of Gods grace are worthy of eternall life and equall to it which for all that the Promise of God which is frequent in the holy Scripture set apart were altogeather vnworthy of so great reward Thus discourseth our Popish Byshop our holy Fryer euen to the Pope himselfe after the humble kissing of his holy feete to vse his owne wordes Who though he bestirre himselfe more then a little to establish the condigne Merite of mans workes yet doth he in his owne kind of dispute vtterly confute and confound himselfe For first he freely graunteth that S. Chrysostome and all the rest of the holy Doctors with him affirme constantly and vniformely with one voyce and assent a testimonie almost incredible to proceede from the mouth of a Papist so neare and so deare to the Pope that Good workes neither are meritorious nor worthy of eternall life Secondly hee graunteth freely that the best Workes considered in their owne nature and kind are vnworthy of eternall life Thirdly hee graunteth willingly and telleth the Pope roundly but after the kissing of his holy feete that Good workes euen as they proceed of grace and assistaunce of the holy Ghost are altogeather vnworthy of eternall life if Gods Promise and free acceptation be set apart Which three poyntes doubtlesse are all that we desire to be graunted concerning the Doctrine of Good workes And consequently though the Papistes neuer cease to impeach accuse slaunder and condemne vs in this behalfe yet doe wee indeed defend nothing herein as is euident to the indifferent Reader but that very doctrine which their best Doctors in their printed Bookes haue taught vs yea in those selfe-same Bookes which are dedicated to the Pope himselfe The conceites which the Fryer Byshoppe alleadgeth to make good the late decreed condigne Merite of Works are very childish too too grosse and friuolous For first where he affirmeth the Fathers and Doctors to speake of Good workes only in respect of their naturall value as he tearmeth it I answere that that sillie Glosse Exposition is onely inuented by him and his fellowes so to salue their beggerly doctrine if it possibly could be For not only the holy Scripture euery where contradicteth it but the Doctors also teach the flat contrary For first Durandus saith plainely that Meritū de condigno is properly of the worthy to which that is simply due which is equall by vertue of the worke Yea he addeth that God giueth not eternall life of iustice but of meere liberalitie in that he freely accepteth our workes Secondly Aquinas affirmeth cōstantly that man can not possibly haue any Merite with God saue onely according to the supposall of his holy Ordinaunce He saith further that Eternall life is not properly a Reward but as it were a Reward Thirdly Abbot Bernard auoucheth Christianly that God may iustly deny eternall life to the best Workes of all and yet doe no iniurie to any man no not to the holyest liuer vpon earth Fourthly Fryer Bellarmine lately made Cardinall for his stout and learned defence of Poperie doth not onely quite ouerthrow the friuolous distinction of Fryer Angles but also vnawares turneth Poperie vpside downe For he approoueth the sentence and opinion of Durand and teacheth plainely That the best liuers can not
absolutely and condignely require any thing at Gods hand seeing all goodnesse proceedeth onely from God saue onely in respect of his Promise freely made to man without all desertes of man These are the expresse wordes of the Cardinal Quod vero attinet ad rem ipsam Durandi sententia si nihil aliud vellet nisi merita nostra non esse ex condigno siue ex iustitia absolutè sed tantuÌ„ ex hypothesi id est posita liberali Dei promissione non esset reprobanda Sequitur respondeo absolutè non posse hominem a Deo aliquid exigere cum omnia sint ipsius tamen posita eius voluntate et pacto quo non vult exigere a nobis opera nostra gratis sed mercedem reddere iuxta proportionem operum verè possumus ab eo mercedem exigere quomodo seruus non potest absolutè a Domino suo vllum premiuÌ„ postulare cum omnia qua seruus acquierit Domino suo acquirat tamen si Domino placeat donare illi opera sua et pro eijsdem tanquam sibi non debitis mercedem promittere iure mercedem pro suis operibus postulabit Touching the matter it selfe Durands opinion if he had no other meaning but that our Merites are not absolutely iust condigne but onely hypothetically in respect of Gods liberall Promise could not be reiected Sequitur I answere that man can not absolutely exact any thing of God seeing all thinges are Gods owne howbeit his Will and Couenant being made that he will not exact our workes of vs freely but will reward them according to their proportion we may truly require hyer of him like as a Bondman can not absolutely require any reward of his Lord seeing euery thing which the Bondman gayneth is gotten and gained to his Maister yet for all that if it shall please his Lord and Maister to bestow his workes on him and to promise reward for the same as if they were not due vnto him then may the Bondman iustly demaund reward for his workes Thus disputeth Frier Cardinall Bellarmine and consequently this is all that all Papistes say or possibly can say for the life of their Pope and Popish doctrine And yet it is euident to euery iudicious Reader that the Cardinall hath vnawares quite ouerthrowne Poperie and turned it vpside downe For out of his Doctrine these poyntes are deduced most manifestly First that Durandus his opinion hath put him to his best Trumpe Secondly that Durandus his opinion as is already prooued is this viz. That the Merite of Workes in the best liuer on earth can not truly and properly be called Meritum ex condigno Condigne Merite but onely in way of Gods free acceptation and in respect of his Promise freely made to man without all desertes Thirdly that the Cardinall plainely ouercome with the force of Durands reasons for the trueth will in time euer preuaile graunteth his opinion in this sense afore touched For hee sayth plainely If Durand admit Merite in respect of Gods Promise his opinion can not be reprooued Fourthly that our Iesuite Fryer Cardinall maketh good that Doctrine which my selfe doe heere defend as which is the selfe same that Durand holdes And consequently if Bellarmine and his fellowes with their Popish followers would stand constantly to their owne Doctrine which they publish in printed Bookes wee and they should soone agree and these great Controuersies would haue an end Fiftly that man can not exact any thing absolutely at Gods hands because all things are Gods owne Sixtly that in respect of Gods good pleasure and couenaunt freely made to man man may truly require reward at Gods hands Yea my selfe graunt that we may not onely truly but also iustly require reward at Gods handes in regard of his Promise freely made vnto vs. But withall I euer denie that any reward is due to our best Workes for any condigne Merite or Desert of or in our Workes Gods free Acceptation Mercie and Promise set apart For as S. Austen sayth grauely Vae etiam laudabils vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam Woe euen to the best liueâ— vpon earth if thou examine his life thy Mercie set apart Now heere I would admonish the gentle Reader by the way to distinguish these two wordes aright with mee viz. Iustly and Condignely For although the children of God may in respect of his mercifull Promise require euen of Iustice reward for their Good workes yet can they not any way Condignely require the same The disparitie consisteth in this viz. that albeit Gods Promise be enough to make the reward Iustly giuen yet it is not sufficient to make our Workes Condignely worthy of the same The reason is euident because Iustice heere spoken of is not absolute but respectiue connotating the free Promise of God but Condignitie is absolute connotating intrinsecally the perfection and worthines of the worke Secondly after Fryer Angles had disputed this question pro et contra both affirmatiuely and negatiuely in the end he plainely confesseth though vnawares the selfe-same Doctrine which I now contend to prooue He telleth vs forsooth that the price of euery thing may be equall to the value and worth of the same thing two wayes First sayth he of the Nature of the thing Secondly of the Pact Couenant and Promise of him that doth promise the same thing For sayth our Fryer Byshoppe if one Penny be the full value answearable to the worke yet if a greater reward be promised which far exceedeth the worth value of the worke wrought then that reward is also due by couenaunt and hereupon this great learned Fryâ—r Byshoppe concludeth rounly I had almost sayd learnedly that though our Good workes come farre short of eternall life if we respect the worthynesse thereof yet doe they condignely merite the ioyes of Heauen if we respect the free Promise of Christ Iesus And this condignitie of Workes our Fryer calleth aequalitie of Promise onely But heere our Byshoppe Fryeo by his fauour I speake it sheweth himselfe a very noddie For doubtlesse Promise albeit it doth truely inferre Iustice in respect of him that promiseth yet can it neuer inferre Equalitie betweene the worke and the reward For example sake If our Fryer should wish me to lend him my Cloake to defend him from a showre of raine and withall should promise to giue me an hundred poundes for the loane then doubtlesse were it true to say that after such loane an hundred poundes were of Iustice due vnto me yet withall it would be most true also that such loane of my Cloake were not the condigne Merite of that hundred poundes I willingly graunt that eternall life is due to the workes of Gods elect and that it is as well the crowne of Iustice as of Mercie But withall I constantly auouch that God bestoweth it on his Elect freely for his owne names sake not for any merite worthinesse or
condignitie of their Workes And the Fryers answere is childish and friuolous when he denieth the loane of the Cloake to haue such virtuall and proportionate equalitie to an Hundred poundes as mans Merites haue to Glory For first the Promise is equall and holdeth in both alike Secondly the Promise doth not adde any Worthines to the worke and consequently there is still as great inequalitie after the Promise as was before the same Thirdly there is infinite distance betweene God and Man the Worke and the Reward as their Angelicall Doctor hath well obserued But the distance and inequalitie betweene the Loane of the Cloake and the Hundred poundes is finite and limited in them both Thus much for this Conclusion If any desire a larger Discourse he may peruse my Suruey and the Downe-fall of Poperie where he shall find soundly answered what possibly can be obiected against the same Note well the eleuenth Conclusion following The 8. Conclusion The doctrine of the Popish Schoole-doctors in which they affirme Charitie to be the forme of Fayth is friuolous ridiculous false erroneous and absurd I prooue it first because in thinges distinguished intrinsecally one can not be the forme of another If our Fryer deny this he will prooue him selfe an Asse Si non actu at saltem in potentia For an Asse by this graunt may be his forme and so giue him the denomination of that worthy Beast Now that Fayth and Charitie are distinct Theologicall virtues S. Paul affirmeth it so plainely as no deniall can be made thereof Secondly because of thinges in perfect essence and nature the latter can not possiblely be the forme of the former and consequently seeing Fayth goeth before Charitie Charitie cannot possiblely be the forme thereof The antecedent is euident because whatsoeuer commeth to a thing after the essentiall constitution thereof is meerely extrinsecall accidentall to the same The consequent is likewise euident because we can neither please God nor yet come to God but by Fayth in him It is the flat and constant Doctrine of the chosen vessell of our Lord Iesus Thirdly because Charitie is the effect and worke of Fayth S. Augustine prooueth it in these golden wordes Oâ—us autem fidej iâ—sa dilectinest But Charitie it selfe is the worke of Fayth This testimonie striketh dead it plainely conuinceth it is vnanswerable The 9. Conclusion Fayth though it be a worke as the Papistes truly obiect yet doth it not iustifie as a worke or qualitie neither yet for any worthinesse or condignitie in the same Explico When we teach hold and defend according to the vniforme consent of the holy Fathers and constant doctrine of the Apostle That man is iustified by Fayth onely without Workes wee neither denie Fayth to be a worke nor yet affirme it to iustifie as a worke For Fayth being taken two wayes properly according to the nature of Fayth and respectiuely as it apprehendeth his obiect it is sayd to iustifie the latter way not the former not as it is an habite in vs but as it apprehendeth Christ without vs. Wee neither make Fayth a part nor yet a cause of our iustification either efficient or formall or finall albeit I willingly graunt hold defend and beleeue that it is the materiall cause that is as the Schooles tearme it Causa sine qua non the cause without which iustification shall not haue effect Which our sauiour Christ sheweth euidently when hee telleth vs That God so loued the World that hee gaue his onely Sonne that none beleeuing in him should perish but haue eternall life And in an other place That whosoeuer beleeue not shal be condemned To which the holy Apostle is consonant when he affirmeth it impossible to please God without Fayth I graunt yet further that when there be many graduall effectes of one and the same cause then the former may fitly be teaâ—med the Materiall cause of the latter and consequently although Good workes can not be any cause of Iustification which goeth before them yet may they be the Materiall cause and causa sine qua non of Saluation which followeth them For Good workes are in sort necessarie to Saluation as is already prooued in the fourth Conclusion For as Vocation Iustification Regeneration and Glorification are the effectes of Predestination euen so by Gods holy ordinaunce being Predestinate we are called by the hearing of his Word vnto Fayth which apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus is the cause of our Iustification After we be Iustified of our Iustification proceedes Regeneration as who hauing remission of our sinnes and being ingraffed in Christ by Fayth are indewed with more aboundant Grace of his holy spirite through which we are dayly more and more Regenerate and made new creatures in Christ. After we be Regenerate out of our Regeneration spring Good workes both internall and externall as who being made Good trees begin to bring foorth Good fruits and so continuing are brought at the length of Gods free Mercie to the perpetuall possession of Eternall life For the proofe of IustificatioÌ„ by Faith without Workes I referre the Reader to my Suruay which Booke if he once peruse and ponder it seriously he can not but be fully satisfied in this behalfe The 10. Conclusion Good workes though they neither be partes nor causes of Iustification nor merite eternall Glorie condignely as is alreadie prooued yet must wee doe them for these three respectes Gods Ours our Neighbours In respect of God for these three endes First because God hath so commaunded vs This is my Commaundement that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you Againe in these words If ye loue me keepe my coÌ„mandementes Againe thus Bring foorth fruites worthy of repentance Euery Tree that bringeth not foorth good fruite shal be cut downe cast into the fire Againe thus Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde Againe in these words Bee yee therefore perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect Againe thus He chose vs in Christ that we should be holy in his sight Againe thus Wee are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which he hath prepared for vs to walke in Secondly for the Glory of God Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Thirdly to shew our gratitude and thankfulnesse to God for which respect S Paul exhorteth the Râ—manes To offer vp their bodyes a liuely holy and acceptable Sacrifice vnto God Yea the Scriptures teach vs euery where to shew our thankefulnesse vnto God by our holy and godly liues In respect of our selues for sundry endes First to assure vs of our Election Saluation For thus is the Latine vulgar text extolled preferred before all other by the Popish Councell of Trent Quapropter
frâ—tres magis satagite vt per bona opera câ—râ—aÌ„ vestraÌ„ vocationem et electionem facâ—utis Againe thus Whom hee hath Predestinate those hath he Called and whom he hath Called those hath he Iustified and whom he hath iustified those hath he glorified Secondly to auoyde tormentes which are due to all euill workes For as th'Apostle teacheth vs Death is the stipend of sinne And our M. Christ telleth vs That euery euill Tree which bringeth not foorth good fruite shal be cut downe and cast into the Fire Yea that hee which had not on a Wedding garment was bound hand foote and so cast into vtter darkenesse Thirdly to attaine corporall and eternall reward So sayth holy Writ Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungry and yee gaue mee to eate I was thirsty and yee gaue mee to drinke For which respect Moses is sayd to haue had regard vnto reward And euen so is reward promised to him that giueth but a cuppe of cold Water in Gods name In respect of our Neighbours for diuers considerations First to put away scandall Woe to that man by whom scandall commeth you are the cause that Gods name is blasphemed among the Gentiles Secondly that we may profite our Neighbours by our good examples Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your Good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Now because our late Popes our newly hatched Jesuites and Jesuiteâ— Papistes are so full of Good workes at least in their owne corrupt perswasions that they are able with the same to merite Heauen and eternall Glorie I am content to imploy my Penne in speaking a litle thereof that the world may vnderstand the same for edification sake I will say nothing of the outragious behauiour of the Romish Papistes in time of Carnâ—uà le at Rome when and where for many dayes or rather weekes togeather men and women gadde vp and downe in the streetes and into houses some on Horse-backe some on foote transformed vnder Vizardes men into womans apparrell and women into mans apparrell and so to the great scandall of all good people that see or heare thereof worke wickednesse as the same goeth intollerable and odible to God and all good men Two kindes of notorious workes I will onely touch for the present the Stewes the Hospitall De sancto spiritu The Romanes forsooth are so mortified and so holy partly by the Pope for the time being who if he be truely named is not onely Holy but Holynesse it selfe in the abstract partly by the preachinges and other instructions of Jesuites and Iesuited Popelinges that the Pope forsooth must perforce permit them to haue common Brothel-houses or Stewes so to satisfie their beastly inordinate carnall lustes I meane not heere to dispute whether sinne in some cases may be tolerated or noe I haue written of that subiect else where at large But this I meane for the good of the Reader and edification-sake to make it euident to the world that the Romish Papistes who glorie in their meritorious workes are the worst liuers vpon earth The Stewes are not sufficient to bridle the outrage of the inordinate carnall lust of the Saints at Rome but they must further haue a second Toleration or Dispensation for an Hospitall of Charitie forsooth called for the surpassing vertue thereof by the name of the holy Ghost The end of this Hospitall is this to keepe Whores and Whore-maisters from villanous and most cruell Murders Euery night one of that holy Hospitall whatcheth diligently and turning about a Wheele made for the purpose receiueth new borne Bastardes into their câ—stodie The Wheele is so artificially contriued that they can not know or see who bringeth the said Infant-bastardes The Children are curteously receiued haue vsage and education as if they were legitimate The Hospitall is very rich and well able to maintaine all that are brought thither It findeth moe and more able friendes then any other Hospitall More Landes and Goods are giuen to it then to any other And no maruell seeing all that the Romish Saintes doe giue to it is giuen for the maintenaunce and education of their beloued Bastardes When these Bastards come to yeares of discretion either sooner or latter as it seemeth good to the Fathers then they come to visite the sayd Hospitall and to see their owne Bastardes and for a worke of Charitie they make choyse of those whom they loue and like the best Will not such Holy workes of mercie merite Heauen condignely by Popish Fayth and Diuinitie it is approoued with great solemnitie But how will some say doe the Fathers know their owne Bastardes I answere that it is a thing very easie to be done For the Fathers and Mothers or some by their procurement doe hang about the neckes of their Bastardes speciall Tokens or Iewels by which they may know them an other day Which Tokens the Gouernours of the Hospitall by the Lawes thereof which they are sworne to obey obserue and performe must carefully from time to time keepe and see that they neuer be taken from their Neckes during their aboade in the sayd Hospitall This Storie I haue for this end heere inserted that the world may know the meritorious workes of the Pope Iesuites and other Romish Papistes The censure whereof I leaue to the iudicious and honest Reader The 11. Conclusion As it is true by the constant Doctrine of best Learned Popish Writers that the best Workers are not condignely meritorious of Eternall life without the Promise of God made to reward them So it is in like maner true also that albeit by reason of Gods Promise the Reward be iustly both giuen and expected yet neither doth nor can the sayd Promise in reâ— veritate and true estimation of the Worke and the Reward make the worke condignely meritorious of the same Reward Eternall glorie I euer vnderstand This Conclusion consisteth of two partes the former whereof is copiously prooued in the seuenth Conclusion afore-going The latter I prooue by many meanes and inuincible reasons First because a Promise although it make the thing promised to be iustly a kind of debt and so of iustice both required and expected neither doth nor can change the nature of the Worke or attribute any condignitie or worthinesse to the same Secondly because the Promise is freely made and farre exceedeth the worthinesse of the Worke. So sayth the popish Fryer John de Combis in these very wordes Deus nes punit citra condignum remunerat vltra condignum God punisheth vs lesse then we be worthy and rewardeth vs farre aboue our desertes So sayth Abbot Bernard in these expresse wordes Aeternam vitam nullis potes operibus promereri nisi gratis detur et illa Thou must beleeue that thou canst not merite eternall life with any
punire et damnare popoteram non simpliciter assumpsi sed elegi vos multis alijs neglectis ex massa corruptionis Sequitur docet igitur Christus hoc verbo quod ipse sit author nostrae salutis Deinde quod gratia est quicquid habemus siue sint dona illa iustificantia Fides Spes Charitas Spiritus sanctus c. Siue externa illa dona quae alio nomine dicuntur gratiae gratis datae I saith hee haue chosen you This Text may bee vnderstood either of Election to the Apostleship or of eternall Election to Saluation For in both there is grace but no merit and both are wrought by Christ for in him and through him did God chose vs euen before the world was made I saith he who am God and therefore stand in need of nothing I who can punish and condemne haue not simply taken you but reiecting many others haue chosen you out of the masse of corruption Christ therefore doth by these words teach vs that hee is the authour of our saluation Then that whatsoeuer we haue the same is grace whether they be those iustifying gifts faith hope charity the holy Spirit the like or other externall gifts which by another name are called graces freely giuen That which our Sauiour sayth of Marie Magdalene that many sinnes were forgiuen her because shee loued much doth serue well to illustrate that which is here obiected of the kingdome of heauen For Christes Argument is not drawne from the cause but from the effect as if Christ had sayd we may know by her great loue that great gifts are bestowed on her that many sinnes are forgiuen her for that not remission of her sinnes proceeded from her loue but her loue from the forgiuenesse of her sinnes the similitude of the debtors doth plainly insinuate the same vnto vs. Christ told Peter of two debters whereof the one owed fiue hundred pence the other fiftie and that when they had not wherewith to pay the creditour forgaue them both he therefore demaunded of Peter whether of the debtours loued the creditour more Peter answered that he to whom more was forgiuen Christ approoued Peters answere and concluded thereupon that seeing Marie Magdalene loued more he might know that shee had more forgiuen her Because saith Christ to whom little is forgiuen the same loueth little neither is it possible to draw any other meaning out of Christs wordes The reason is euident because Christ saith plainely that the debts were freely forgiuen the debters who were not able to pay the debts For otherwise Maries forgiuenesse could haue no coherence with the similitude of the debters Out of this discourse these points are euidently deduced First that wee are the sonnes of God not by nature for so wee are his enemies and the children of wrath but by grace and adoption in Iesus Christ. Secondly that God chose vs to be his children before wee were borne Thirdly that he chose vs not because wee were holy but that we might bee holy and immaculate in his sight Fourthly that he predestinated vs to be his children by adoption not for any good workes which we either had done or could doe but for his owne good pleasure to the glorie of his grace for as to doe any workes at all before we be borne is altogether impossible so to doe good workes when we are borne seeing we are conceiued in sinne borne in sinne and by nature the children of warth is impossible in like manner Fiftly that all our good Workes are the effects and fruites of our predestination For if it be true as it is most true els the Apostle were a lyer that we were elected to be holy and to doe good Workes it is also true it can neuer be denyed that holy life and good Workes are the effects of our Election and Predestination in Christ Iesus For this cause saith the Apostle that Predestination proceedes freely of Gods eternall purpose Iustification of Predestination and Glorification of Iustification For first he choseth vs in Christ then he iustifieth vs in Christ thirdly and lastly he glorifieth vs for his owne Names sake B. C. And beside in the same place Damnation is giuen to had Workes Get ye away from me ye cursed saith Christ into euerlasting fire which was prepared for the deuill and his angels For I was an hungry and you gaue mee not to eate Seeing then the Scripture declareth plainely that bad workes deserue damnation and hee the cause thereof as plainly doth it also signifie that good Workes merit heauen and be the cause thereof T. B. I answer that there is great disparitie between saluation damnation therefore that good works can not merit saluation though euil works be enough for damnation The reason hereof is euident both in Phylosophy and Diuinitie because as S. Dionysius Areopagita sayth and the popish angelicall doctour Aquinas approueth the same Bonum ex integra causa existet malum ex quolibet defectu Good is of an intire and whole cause but euill comes of euery defect Yea that more is required to good then to euill dayly experience teacheth vs for one may soone doe that hurt to his neighbour which can not without great cost and long time bee cured againe For euery childe can tell our Iesuite that one stroake is able to kill a man but twentie potions and twentie chirurgicall actions can not restore him to life againe So one leape is enough to cast one into the bottome of a pitte or deepe gulfe but twentie hops skippes or leapes will not bring him vp againe This Saint Austen well obserued when hee left in Writing to all posteritie That it is a greater thing to iustifie the Wicked man then to make Heauen and Earth Free-will of it selfe is able to doe euill in the highest degree but of it selfe it hath no power at all either to doe well or to will well For it is God that worketh in you saith the Apostle both the will the deed euen of his good pleasure Againe in an other place thus To will is present with me but I find no meanes to performe that which is good Againe in an other place thus No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Againe in an other place thus we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God All which and much more our sweete Sauiour compriseth in these few pethy and most golden wordes For without me yee can doe nothing Much more I could say to the same effect but I refraine for two respectes First because I haue regard to breuitie Secondly for that this matter is disputed at large and soundly prooued in the Conclusions afore-going especially in the first sixt and seuenth B. C. Wee find also in Scripture that men are sayd worthy of Reward That you may be counted worthy of
longissime distare perpendenteâ— prudentâ—r dixerunt opera nostra non esse meritoria aut digna vita aeterna Ex legetamen siue conuentione siue promissione facta nobiscum opera â—ona hominis 〈…〉 graâ—ia Deo siunt aeternae vita digna eâ— illi aequalia quae seclusa illa Deâ— promâ—ssione qua pâ—ssâ—m in saâ—â—is literis reperitur fuissent tanto praemâ—â— prorsus indigna All other holy Doctors also considering after the same manner the naturall value onely of good Workes and perceiuing that it is exceeding farre distant from the value and iust estimation of eternall life said wisely that our works are not meritorious nor worthy of eternall life yet for the couenant and promise made vnto vs the good works of man with the helpe of Gods grace are worthy of Eternall life and equall with it which for all that the promise of God which is very frequent in the Scripture set aside were altogether vnworthy of so great Reward Thus disputeth our popish Bishop our holy Fryer euen to the Pope himselfe sitting in his pontificall Chaire Who though hee bestirre himselfe more then a little to establish the condigne merite of mans Works yet doth he in his owne kind of dispute vtterly confute and confound himselfe For first he granteth that not onely Saint Chrisostome but all the rest of the holy Fathers with him affirme constantly vniformely with one voyce assent that good Works neither are meritorious properly nor worthy of Eternal life Secondly that the best Works considered in their owne nature and kinde are vnworthy of Eternall life Thirdly that good Workes proceeding of Grace and ioyned with the promise of God are worthy of Eternall life Fourthly and lastly that if Gods promise and free acceptation be set apart the best Workes of all are altogether vnworthy of Eternall glorie Which Doctrine doubtlesse I most willingly embrace And consequently though the Papists neuer cease to impeach accuse slaunder and condemne vs in this behalfe yeâ— doe we defend nothing herein as iâ— euident to the indifferent Reader but euen that which their owne best Doctours in their printed Bookes doe teach vs. Yea in those very Bookes which are dedicated to the Pope himselfe The conceits which Byshop Fryer Joseph hath coyned to make good his fondly imagined condigne merite of Workes are very childish and too too friuolous For first where he sayth the Fathers speake of Good workes onely in respect of their naturall value as he tearmeth it I answere that that silly Glosse is onely inuented by himselfe his complices so to saue the life of their rotten and beggerly Poperie if any way it might serue their turne For no such thing can be found in any of their Bookes S. Augustine as we haue euen now seene doth plainely condemne their foolish exposition Nay our Fryer Byshoppe vnawares confuteth himselfe of such force is the trueth while he very honestly graunteth That Good workes done in Grace are vtterly vnworthy of Heauen if Gods Promise be set apart Where I wish the Reader to obserue seriously with mee this word prorsus wholly vtterly and all togeather which is in deed his owne and most emphaticall against himselfe For doubtlesse whatsoeuer is wholly vnworthy the same can neuer be condignely worthy No man in his right wittes will euer deny this most manifest trueth But say on sir Fryer let vs heare some more of this pleasant melodie B. C. Bell hauing produced Iosephus to shew that Workes proceeding from Grace are not Meritorious of eternall life without the Promise of God but wholly vnworthy inferreth thus Then doubtlesse the best Workes of all can no way be Meritorious which is a false Conclusion gathered out of the premisses For it should haue bin thus Then doubtlesse the best Workes of all can no way be Meritorious without the Promise of God Why did he perfidiously curtall away these wordes and make Iosephus absolutely to conclude against the Merites of works when as in that very place hee teacheth the Merites of workes proceeding of Grace togeather with the Promise of God T. B. I answere first that our Iesuite poureth out lyes euery where in such large measure that I am very loth to be teadious to the Reader with the recitall thereof Pudeâ— N. me pigetque bonas horas nugis conterere O impudent Fryer doe I curtall Josephus his wordes It is thy propertie O shamelesse Jesuite it is not mine to cut or take away any one word or syllable from mine Author These are my expresse wordes in my Tryall so God mee helpe True it is thirdly that the religious Fryer and popish Byshop Iosephus Angles telleth the Pope roundly that it is the constant and vniforme fayth of all the holy Doctors that the best and holiest mans Workes vpon earth neither are nor possibly can be meritorious or worthy of eternall life if Gods holy and free Promise be set aside Without the which sayth Angles in the name of all the rest the best Workes of all are altogeather vnworthy of so great reward His expresse wordes are these prorsus indâ—gna wholly vnworthy Where I wish the Reader to obserue seriously with me this word prorsus which signifieth wholly for if our best Workes be wholly vnworthy of the Reward or Glory as Iosephus Angles in the name of all the holy Fathers and Doctors telleth the Pope both grauely and constantly then doubtlesse the best Workes of all are no way worthy saue onely by with and in respect of Gods Promise freely made vnto vs. Marke well gentle Reader for Christes sake and for the saluation of thine owne soule For either Poperie is hereby prooued the New religion or doubtlesse my wittes are not at home Josephus Angles affirmeth disstantly and the Popes Holinesse hath approoued the same that Good workes without the Promise of God are wholly vnworthy of eternall life Ergo say I and my life I gage for the tryall thereof Good workes without Gods Promise are no way worthy of the same For without all peraduenture that which is wholly and altogeather vnworthy without the Promise of God can no way be worthy but by and with the Promise of God The Fryer sayth not that Good workes are some way and in some sort vnworthy but prorsus wholly altogeather and in euery respect If they were any way worthy without Gods Promise then doubtlesse could they not be wholly and prorsus vnworthy without the same It is a thing vnpossible none but mad-men will affirme it Secondly that our Iesuites illation a falsely supposed correctiue of mine is fond childish and ridiculous Thus the Jesuite disputeth For saith he it should haue been thus Then doubtlesse the best Workes of all can no way be Meritorious without the Promise of God What a thing is this Hath our Iesuite lost his wit because Poperie is prooued the New religion So it seemeth doubtlesse For my illation is the very same in deed with that which the Iesuite
they neither any way can they be worthy condigne or truly Meritorious of eternall Glorie But as the troublesome way by which a man passeth to possesse the inheritaunce which his father hath freely giuen him may be sayd to worke and procure the actuall possession of the Inheritaunce not condignely or worthily to deserue the same euen so may our sufferinges be sayd to worke and procure our Glorification as a condition required at our handes or the way by which we must passe to it but neuer to be condigne worthy or meritorious of the same The reward is freely giuen by the Grace of our Adoption but that Grace maketh not our Workes meritorious and worthy of Heauen which they neither doe nor euer can deserue The 2. Conclusion Good Workes follow Iustification but they neither doe nor can goe before the same The latter part is euident because Without Fayth we can not please God Neither Can an euill tree as our maister Christ telleth vs bring foorth good fruite To which I adde with Christes Apostle that Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne The former part is clearely deduced out of these wordes of our Lord Iesus Euery good tree bringeth foorth good fruite S. Austin pithily prooueth both the partes in these sweete short and golden wordes Opera sequuntur iustificatum non precâ—dunt iustificandum Workes follow him that is alreadie iustified but they goe not before him that is to be iustified The 3. Conclusion The best Workes which the regenerate doe are vnperfect polluted with sinne and in rigour of Iustice Mercie set apart deserue eternall Death I prooue it first because the Prophet of God telleth vs that all our righteousnesse is as filthy cloutes spotted and stayned with sinne Vpon which wordes holy Bernard yeeldeth this most excellent and Christian CoÌ„mentarie Nostra enim siqua est humilis iustitia recta forsitan sed non pura nisi fortè meliores nos esse credimus quam patres nostrâ—s qui non minus veraciter quam humiliter aiâ—bant omnes iustitiae nostrae tanquaÌ„ pannus menstruatae mulieriâ— For our base Iustice if wee haue any is perchaunce right but not pure or perfect vnlesse perhappes we beleeue that we are holier then our Fathers were who sayd as truely as humbly All our Righteousnesse is as filthy Cloutes Thus writeth the Popish Abbot an excellent Learned man Out of whose wordes I obserue first that the best Workes we doe are impure and vnperfect Secondly that our forefathers were as holy and perfect as we are who for all that confessed not onely of humilitie but most truely that our best Workes are vnperfect and stayned with sinne Secondly because S. Paul denied himselfe to be perfect Not saith he as though I had already attayned to it either were already perfect But Christ is our Iustice our sanctification our redemption in him we are perfect and consuÌ„mate Thirdly because the same Bernard hath these golden wordes Quomodo enim pura iustitia vbi adhuc non potest culpa deesse recta quidem interim videri potest iustitia hominum si tamen peccato non consentiant vt non regnet in eorum mortali corpore For how can their Iustice be pure who can not be without sinne Yet may the Iustice of men be right if they consent not to sinne nor suffer it to raigne in their mortall bodyes In which respect S. Iohn sayth That the faythfull sinne not because they suffer not sinne to raigne in them Fourthly because The reward of sinne is death and yet doe the best lyuers offende in many thinges Fiftly because the same Bernarde saith in an other place thus Omne quod natum est ex Deo non peccat sed hoc dictum est de predestinatis ad vitam non quod omnino non peccent sed quod peccatum ipsis non imputetur All that is borne of God sinneth not but this is spoken of the Predestinate to life not because they sinne not at all but for that sinne is not imputed to them Fiftly because S. Austen declareth this so plainely as none that ponder his words seriously can longer stand in doubt thereof these are his expresse wordes Ecce quemadmodum qui ambulant in vijs Domini non operantur peccatum et tamen non sunt sine peccato quia iam non ipsi operantur iniquitatem sed quod habitat in eis peccatum Behold how they that walke in the wayes of the Lord doe not sinne and yet are they not without sinne because now they themselues do not worke iniquitie but the sinne that dwelleth in them This Golden assertion of S Augustine Bernardus that learned religious Abbot coÌ„firmeth in these words Cupiâ—bat dissolui et cum Christo esse sciens quod peccatum separans inter nos et Deum penitus auferri non poterit donec liberemur a corpore Th'apostle desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ knowing that sinne which maketh a diuision betweene God and vs cannot wholly be taken away while we remaine in this body Out of these Testimonies of these great learned Doctors I obserue these memorable documentes First that the Children of God walke in his wayes Secondly that such their walking is vnperfect and polluted with sinne Thirdly that they are not without sinne Fourthly that this their sinne is not actuall and voluntarie but inuoluntarie and originall Fiftly that this originall sinne which still remayneth in the regenerate is such a sinne as maketh a separation betweene them and their God Sixtly because our Reconciliation with God doth not wholly purge vs from all sinne really but onely imputeth not the sinne remayning in vs vnto our charge or condemnation I will alledge the very wordes of the Latine vulgar edition to which all Papistes are tyed by their late councell of Trent Thus writeth the holy Apostle Quoniam quidem Deus erat in Christo mundum reconcilians sibi non reputans illis delicta ipsorum Because God was in Christ when he reconciled the world to him selfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them Thus discourseth S. Paul out of whose wordes I note two Lessons viz. the thing that was done and the manner of doing the same The thing done was the reconciling of the world vnto God The manner thereof was in not imputing their sinnes vnto them not in taking away their sinnes from them Sixtly this Conclusion is prooued at large both in the Chapter of Veniall sinnes in this present Triumph and in the Antepast in the Chapter of Originall Concupiscence See and note well the 7. Conclusion The 4. Conclusion Good Workes are so necessarie to attaine eternall life as the vsuall ordinarie and vndoubted way and meanes by which God in his great mercie and loue decreed from eternitie to bring his Elect to saluation as without the same none euer were are or shal be saued world without end when possibilitie time
Workes vnlesse it be freely giuen of mercie See the same Bernard more at large in the sixt Conclusion So faith S. Austen in these most golden words Nec misericordia impedit veritatem qua plectitur dignus nec veritas misericordiam qua liberatur indignus Qua igitur sua merita iactaturus est liberatus cui si digna suis meritis redderentur non esset nisi damnatus Neither doth Mercie hinder the Trueth with which he is punished that so deserueth neither doth Trueth hinder Mercie which deliuereth him that is vnworthy of it How therefore can he boast of his Merites which is deliuered who if he were dealt withall according to his Merites should of necessitie be damned Thirdly because our best so supposed Merites are the free Giftes of God of his meere Mercie bestowed on vs. So sayth th'Apostle What hast thou which thou hast not receiued and if thou haue receiued it why boastest thou of it as if thou haddest not receiued it Againe the same Apostle prooueth our holy Father Abraham to haue been iustified by Grace not of Works If Abraham sayth he be iustified by Workes hee hath Glorie but not with God For what sayth the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was reputed to him for righteousnesse But to him that worketh wages is not imputed according to Grace but according to debt Yet to him that worketh not but beleeueth on him which iustifieth the wicked his Fayth is reputed to him for righteousnesse according to the purpose of the Grace of God Againe in an other place the same Apostle hath these wordes By Grace you are saued through Fayth and that not of your selues for it is the Gift of God not of Workes least any man should boast Againe thus Not of the Workes of iustice which we haue done but according to his Mercie hath he saued vs. That is it that S. Austen sayth in these most excellent words Cum Deus coronat merita nostra nihil aliud coronat quam munera sua When God crowneth our Merites he crowneth no other thing then his owne giftes Againe in these wordes Cui debetur vita aeterna vera iustitia est si autem vera iustitia est exâ—e non est desursuâ—n est descendens a patre luminum vt haberes eam Eternall life is true iustice to him to whom it is due But if it be true Iustice it is not of thy selfe it is from aboue descending from the Father of light that thou might haue the same Fourthly because our Sauiour him selfe telleth vs That when we haue done all the Good deedes which possibly she can doe then haue we done nothing in deed saue onely that which we were of duetie bound to doe Vpon which wordes the religious and learned Fryer Ferus giueth this commentarie Quantacunque N. bona feceris semper tamen maâ—ora vel saltem plura committis mala vt verissimè dicere possis te se ruum inutilem Hoc sanctus ille Iob inter flagella Dei agnoscens deplorat si inquit iustum me dâ—xero os meum condemnabit me How good so euer workes thou shalt doe yet thou alwayes committest either greater or at least mo euils so as thou mayest truely say thou art an vnprofitable seruant This holy Job lamenteth in time of his afflictions If sayth he I say I am iust my mouth shall condemne mee Againe the same Fryer Ferus hath these expresse wordes Non planè interijt Adam ille vetus vnde fit vt cum gratia sua Christus ad bona opera extimulat ipse Adam hoc est peruersa natura adijcit vel aliquid propriae complacentiae vel proprij commodi etc. Quo fit vt opus ipsum nunquam sit perfectum quamuis ex misericordia Dei non imputâ—tur pijs Old Adam is not yet wholly extinct whence it commeth that as Christ by his Grace prouoketh to Good workes so old Adam that is corrupt Nature either addeth some part of proper complacence or priuate commoditie the like Wherevpon it commeth that the Worke is neuer perfect although of Gods Mercie it be not imputed to the godly The same Fryer Ferus in an other place hath these expresse wordes Ob id Christus toties passionem suam praedixit vt penitus cordibus discipulorum infigeret vnde et ipsorum et nostra falus pendeat nempe in solo merito Christi non in operibus nostris Nos N. etiamsi omnia et faceremus aut pateremur ne pro vno quidem illoque minimo peccato satisfaceremus E Christi igitur merito salus nostra pendet huc igitur nunquam non respicienduÌ„ For that end did Christ so often foretell his Passion that he might deepely ingraffe in the heartes of his Disciples from whence both theirs and our Saluation commeth to weete from and in the onely Merit of Christ not in our owne Workes For wee although we should do or suffer all thinges yet could we not satisfie for any one Sinne no not for the least of all Our Saluation therefore dependeth vpon the Merite of Christ to which we must euer haue an eye Againe in an other place the same learned Fryer hath these words Quod nostra opera minus habeÌ„t id supplent opera Christi Imò sola opera Christi merita nostra Omnes N. iustitiae nostrae pannus menstruatae etc. What our workes want that Christes works doe supply Yea onely Christes workes are our Merites For all our Workes of righteousnesse are filthy Cloutes Fiftly S. Augustine auoucheth most constantly That without Gods mercie the best liuer on earth shall perish euerlastingly These are that holy auncient and great learned Fathers wordes Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam Woe euen to the laudable life of man if without Mercie thou examine the same Sixtly because deuout Bernard sayth That the Sinne which maketh a diuision betweene God and vs can not be wholly taken away in this life Seuenthly because the graund Papist Aquinas whose Doctrine sundry Popes haue made Authenticall affirmeth resolutely That all the Good which man hath is of God and that therefore man can haue no Merite in Gods sight saue onely according to the presupposall of his holy Ordinaunce Eightly because the famous and learned Popish Schooleman Durandus auoucheth peremptorily That condigne Merite properly can not possibly be in any man Ninthly because the Popish Fryer and Byshoppe Angles euen in that his Booke which he dedicated to the Pope himselfe deliuereth this position for holsome and sound Doctrine viz. That mans Merites are altogeather vnworthy of eternall Glorie if Gods Promise be set apart Tenthly because Cardinall Bellarmine whose Doctrine to the Papistes is as Oraculum Apollonis telleth vs without stammering That man can not for his best Workes or Merites challenge any thing of God absolutely seeing all the goodnesse he hath commeth from
were the very words of God Wherein while they sought to stablish their owne Righteousnesse they fell from the Righteousnesse of God for to put Religion or Merite in keeping mens Traditions is flatly to abandon the worship of the liuing God Yea by reason of these Fastes their soules were verie often in a most dangerous and damnable state for they perswaded them-selues that they were aswell bound to keepe the Popes Lawes therein as if they had been the flat Lawes of God and consequently so often as they brake them which was no rare thing so often did they commit damnable sinne because their actes were not of fayth Secondly because Popish choyse of Meates taketh away Christian libertie maketh Christians slaues to mans Traditions for To the pure all things are pure by the libertie of Christes Ghospell I am perswaded sayth the Apostle that no meate is vncleane Yea he yeeldeth the reason thereof because the kingdome of God is neither Meat nor drinke Wherfore saith he we ought not to destroy the worke of God for meates sake He sayth againe in an other place That if he should please men he could not be the seruant of Christ. To please men is good and godly so long as their pleasure is measured with the holy Will of God whose Will ought to be the rule and squyre of all our thoughts wordes and workes But when men would spoyle vs of our Christian libertie then must we fight against their wicked pleasures So doth the same Apostle expound himselfe in these wordes The false Breathren saith he crept in priuily to spy out our libertie which we haue in Christ Jesus that they bring vs into bondage to whom we gaue no place by subiection for an houre that the trueth of the Ghospell might continue with you For which respect S. Paul circumcised Timothy but would in no case circumcise Titus although they both were Gricians This is a most notable Testimonie which ought to be to vs as a generall Rule and inuincible Bulwarke so often as the Pope and his Popelinges vrge vs to receiue thinges otherwise indifferent as necessarie and meritorious of eternall life And doubtlesse if thinges indifferent of their owne nature as the forbearance of Flesh in Lent must of necessitie be withstood when they are superstitiously obtruded and prophanely imposed vpon vs much more ought we to resist and with Christian courage fight against those Popish execrable Decrees Constitutions and Lawes which are flatly opposite to Christes holy Will reuealed in his sacred Word Which Article by the power of God shall yet be made more cleare and euident when I come to speake of S. Spiridion that most holy Byshoppe how he kept the fast of Lent I answere fiftly that the true Christian and perfect Fast is this viz. To absteine from sinne and carnall pleasures of this world So are we taught by the Popes owne Decrees which are in this poynt correspondent not onely to Gods holy word but also to the vniforme consent of the auncient Fathers Yea my Popish Lord Byshoppe Durandus affirmeth so much who therefore shall be the fore-man of the Iurie these are his owne wordes Vnde si ieiunas a cibis corporis oportet vt ieiunes a cibis daemonis et comedas cibos mentis qui autem sic ieiunat non nocebit ei ignis tribulationis nec ignis mundanus sicut nec tribus pueris nocuit ignis fornacis Babylonis Wherefore if thou Fast from meates of the Body thou must also Fast from the meate of the Deuill and eate the meate of the Minde for he that so Fasteth shall neither be hurt by the fire of Tribulation nor by the fire of this World as neither the fire of the hot burning Furnace of Babylon did hurt the three Godly Hebrewes Againe in an other place the same Durand hath these wordes Ostenditur quale ieiunium placet Deo scilicet Spirituale non Carnale Vnde Epistola agit de hoc clama ne cesses Esa. 58. et post Quare ieiunauimus et non aspexisti Et Dominus respondet Nunquid tale est ieiuniū quod elegi contorquere quasi circulum caput c. Quasi diceret non placet mihi tale ieiunium quod aliquis se cruciet tantum sed quod dissoluat faciculos impietatis id est ab omni peccato abstineat quod fit per charitatem There is declared what a Fast pleaseth God to weete a Spirituall not a Carnall fast Wherevpon the Epistle intreateth of this Cry and cease not Wherefore did we Fast and thou hast not regarded vs And our Lord answereth Is it such a Fast which I haue chosen that a man should afflict his Soule for a day and wryth his Head about c As if he should say I am not pleased with such a Fast that a man should so afflict himselfe but that he loose the bandes of wickednesse and impietie that is that he abstaine from all manner of sinne which is done through charitie Thus writeth Byshop Durand and an other learned Papist Iohannes Belethus by name a famous Doctor of Paris doth confirme his Doctrine in these wordes Vnde plenius profecto Augustinus super Iohannem ieiunium definit hoc modo Magnum et generale est ieiunium ab iniquitatibus et a carnalibus voluptatibus abstinere Hoc enim ieiunium omnibus numeris est perfestum et absolutum Cui non absimile est quod Paulus ait sobriè et piè et iustè viuamus in hoc seculo Nam quod vt sobriè viuamus inquit ad nos planè pertinet quod pie ad Dominum quod iustè ad proximum Hinc pietas est cultus Deo exhibitus cum quo velut ex aduerso pugnat impietas siue Idololatria Wherefore Austen vpon Iohn defineth Fasting more fully in this manner The great and generall Fast is this to absteine from Iniquitie and Carnall pleasures for this Fast is euery way perfect and absolute To which that is not vnlike which the Apostle sayth That we may liue godly soberly iustly in this world For in that he saith that we liue Soberly it perteyneth to our selues that we liue Godly to our Lord that we liue Iustly to our Neighbour Hence Pietie is that worship which we giue to God to which Impietie or Idolatrie is wholly opposite But that which I finde in the Popes owne Decrees is most excellent and farre surpasseth all the rest These words I finde in one place taken out of S. Hierome Non dico hebdomadas non dico ieiunia duplicata sed saltem singulos dies absque ciborū luxuria transigamus sint tibi quotidiana ieiunia et refectio satietatem fugiens Nihil enim prodest tibi biduo vel triduo transmisso vacuū portare ventrem si post pariter obstruatur I bid not to Fast weekes nor to double Fastes but at the least let vs keepe euery day without