only in some Articles yet the whole stand infected therewith because the foundation of faith which is the soule thereof runs through the whole as one continued streame without intermission distinction or limitation by reason whereof if some Articles onely be charged with errour the foundation of faith cannot be free if that be infected the whole faith is subiect thereunto because every Article or Proposition becomes an Article of faith by the force and efficacy of that foundation I conceiue by this time that the Proposition of this Argument is sufficiently prooved and explained so as every man will beleeue and vnderstand it and accordingly I may content my selfe and saue all further labour yet because the Reader shall haue full and ample satisfaction I will proceed somewhat further All ours doe grant the Assumption namely that some Articles of the Romish faith be erronious and amongst the rest both our Opponents are lavish enough in words of that kinde calling that Church so farre as their faith is erronious Babell and hereticall so as in rigour I am not bound to answere further yet because our Opponent B. hath done it samely and falsely pag. 40.90.124 c. to the shame of his owne reading and the sorrow and shame of our whole Nation if I may speake in his partners language pag. 22. To mend the matter and for the Readers sake I will proceed and shew that some Articles of their faith be erronious by assigning the particulars which are so faulty that it may be knowne we doe them no wrong when we charge them in that manner besides this every lover of truth may the better be directed to sever truth from falshood for that purpose I frame this Argument All the succeeding Articles are erronious viz. 1 The saving truth taught by Christ and his Apostles is conteined also in vnwritten Traditions Councell Trent Sess 4. 2 Originall sinne is an vneleannesse within mans soule and is a sin which is the death of the soule Sess 5. Decret 2. 3. 3 Grace doth take away whatsoever hath the true and proper nature of sinne Sess 5. Decret 5. 4 Concupiscence in the regenerate is not truly and properly sinne Sess 5. Decret 5. 5 Hee that receiveth the inspiration of grace can actually reiect the same and actually dissent therefrom if he will Sess 6. Cap. 5. Can. 4. 6 The onely formall cause of Iustification is Iustice inherent Sess 6. Cap. 7. 7 Sinne is mortall and veniall Cap. 11. 14. 8 The iust in some actions doe not sinne venially Cap. 11. 9 By every mortall sin a man falleth away from the grace of Iustification which he had receiued cap. 14.15 10 Gods Commandements are not impossible to bee kept by him that is iustified Sess 6. Cap. 11. 11 The grace of iustification is bestowed vpon them also which are not preaestinate Sess 6. Can 17. 12 The whole temporall punishment is not alwayes remitted together with the fault Sess 6. Cap. 14. and Can. 30 Sess 14. Cap. 8. Can. 12. 13 The works which be done in God doe for the state of this life fully satisfie the Law Sess 6. Cap. 16. 14 The iust in some actions sinne not at all and in no action doe they deserue eternall punishment Sess 6. Cap. 11. 15 The good works of the iust are their merits Sess 6. Cap. 16. Can. 32. 16 The Iustified by their good works do truely merit the obtayning of eternall life it selfe Sess 6. Can. 32. 17 It is no sinne to worke in the intuition of the reward Sess 6. Cap. 11. Can. 31. 18 The Images of Christ the Virgine Mary and other Saints 1. Are to be had and kept cheifely in Churches 2. Due honour and worship is to be giuen vnto them 3. Are of Sacred vse and yeeld much fruit Sess 25 Decret de invocat 19 The honour which we yeeld vnto Images is referred vnto the thing which they represent whose likenes they beare Sess 25. 20 Worship and honour is due to be giuen to the bodyes of Saints departed 21 The Monuments and memories of the Saints departed are to be frequented and honoured Sess 25. 22 Feast dayes are to be kept in honour and celebration of the Saints and for visiting their Reliques 23 By visiting the Reliques of Saints we obtayne their help Sess 25. 24 Prayers are to be made for the faithfull departed 25 The Saints that raigne with Christ and enioy eternall felicity in heaven 1 are to be called vpon 2 they pray for vs even singular men 3 It is profitable for vs to fly to their prayers help and furtherance for benifites to be receiued from God Sess 25. 26 There is a Purgatorie Sess 25. 27 Some temporall punishment remayneth to be satisfied for in purgatory before the way to heauen can bee opened Sess 6. Can. 30 28 The power of granting Indulgences was committed by Christ to the Church and the vse of them is helpfull to Christian people Sess 25. Decret de Indul. 29 The whole choise of meates serueth vnto the mortification of the flesh 30 The deuout celebration of feast dayes causeth the increase of piety Sess 25. Decret de delectu 31 The Sacrifice of the Mass prayers almes giuing are suffrages of the faithfull that are aliue for other faithfull that are dead Sess 25. Decret de Purga 32 The Sacraments of the new Testament are neither more nor fewer then seven to wit 1 Baptisme 2 Confirmation 3 The Lords Supper 4 Pennance 5 Extreame Vnction 6 Ordination 7 Matrimony And every one of these is truely and properly a Sacrament Sess 7 Can. 1. 33 The Sacraments of the New Testament contayne the things they signifi and beslow it vpon them which hindreth not Can 6. And vpon all as much as is requyred on Gods part Ca 7. And that by the worke wrought Can 8. Baptisme Confirmation and Ordination imprint in the soule a character that cannot be blotted out Can 9 34 After the Consecration of the bread and wine in the Lords Supper the Lord Iesus Christ true God and Man is contained truely really and substantially vnder the shewes of those sensible things Sess 13. de Sacra Eucha Cap 1. Can 1. 35 By the consecration of the bread and wine a conversion is made of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of Christs body and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood so as in that Sacrament the substance of bread and wine remaynes not together with the body and blood of Christ Which conversion is properly called transubstantiation Cap 4. Can 2. 36 In the Masse a true and proper Sacrifice is offered vnto God Propitiatory and profitable vnto others also besids such as receiue it and it ought to bee offred for the quick and dead for satisfaction of the punishment of sinnes and other necessities Sess 22. Can. 3. 37 The holy Eucharist is to be reserved in the Chancell and carried honorably to the sicke Sess 13. Cap. 6. To be
ranks with the old hereticks or not and whether this Opponent is not a faithfull advocate vnto her or not I frame my proofe thus If some Articles of the Romish faith in themselues be opposite to this sentence Saluation is by Christ then that Church denyes saluation by Christ by a consequence that is direct immediate not by circle and the interposing of others for such is the nature of opposites that both of them cannot befall the same subiect in the same respect part and time by reason whereof the affirmation or presence of the one is a denyall absence of the other as Aliaco doeth truely teach 1. sent q. 2. lit H. But some Articles of the Romish faith in themselues be opposite to this sentence Saluation is by Christ. Therefore the Romish Church denyes Salvation by Christ by a consequence that is direct immediate not circular by the interposing of others In the avowry of my Assumption I will proue three things 1. According to the Romish Church Inherent grace merits and satisfaction of mans worke is the next and formall reason of our title vnto and the possession of heaven 2. According to the Scriptures Iesus Christ is the next and formall reason of our title vnto and the possession of heaven 3. These two Articles are opposite in themselues When I haue manifested these three our Argument standeth firme of all foure as we say It is sound in all parts and crazed in nothing Touching the first The Councell of Trent hath decreed thus Christ is the Authour of our salvation Sess 6. Cap. 11. By Christ we haue grace Can. 2. He merits grace for vs. Cap. 7. 16. From him grace flowes vnto vs as the sap into the branches Cap. 16. In him that is he working with vs we merit and satisfie Sess 14. Cap. 8. de satisfact His grace makes our woorkes meritorious Sess 6. Cap. 16. Gods will makes them our merits Cap. 16. Can. 32. Thus farr Christ hath share according to them in our salvation we will see now what place they assigne vnto inherent grace with the merit and satisfaction of our workes Eternall life is propounded as the grace of sons and wages vnto workes Sess 6. Cap. 16. By grace received wee are made iust of vniust that we might be heires of eternall life according to hope Cap. 7. Inherent grace is a fountaine in him that hath it springing vnto eternall life Cap. 16. The iust doe carry their grace before Gods Tribunall and enioy heaven Cap. 7. The workes of the iustified wrought in God doe truely inherit the obtaining of eternall life in due time if they continue therein vnto the end Cap. 16. The iust ought to expect and hope for eternall retribution from God for their works done in God if they continue in his law to the end Can. 26. The iustified by their workes done in grace doe truly merit eternall life the increase of grace glory and eternall life it selfe if they die in grace Can. 32. Now I presume I haue made it very manifest that they attribute vnto Christ no other part in our salvation but the office of giving vs grace and therefore we are beholden to him for no more but the beginning and the possibility of salvation but vnto inherent grace and the merit of worke they assigne the next and formall reason of our salvation in hope while we liue here and in possession when we are gone from hence In this place we must inquire what office is assigned to the satisfaction of good workes and for that we reade these Decrees in the Councell By the grace of Iustification received the fault is remitted and the guiltinesse of eternall punishment is blotted out yet sometimes remaineth a guiltinesse of temporall punishment to be satisfied for either in this world or in Purgatory in the world to come before the way to Gods Kingdome can be opened Sess 6. Can. 30. Wee are able to satisfie before God not onely by those punishments which we willingly vnder goe for the revenge of sinne or imposed by the priest according to the measure of our fault but also even by such temporall afflictions which God layeth vpon vs and we beare with patience Sess 14. cap. 9. de operibus c. Wee are able to satisfie God and doe so for our sinnes By Iesus Christ he working together with vs wee are able to doe all things from whom our good workes receiue force of whom they are offered to the Father and by whom they are accepted of the Father Sess 14. cap. 8. de satisfact cap. 9. de operibus As in the former so here they make the satisfaction of our works the key to open heaven gates and the recōpence for iniury done to God but Christ he shall haue no more part in the businesse but to make vs able to turne the key if he help vs we neede no more of him we do the rest our selues Wee no sooner turne the Key but in we goe If we make recompence we are discharged and consequently the satisfaction of our owne workes is the next and formall reason of our release from Purgatorie and the opening of heaven gates I haue done enough in proofe of the first and now come to the second For that I haue lesse labour because the Scriptures are full and plaine for it as followeth If the Sonne make you free you shall be free indeed Ioh 8.36 Hee that beletueth in the Sonne is passed from death vnto life Ioh 5.24 and 3.26 Wee shall be saued by his life Rom. 5. We are ioynt heyres with him Rom 8.17 Hee brings many children to glory Heb. 2.10 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 Christ was once offred to beare the sins of many and he shall appeare the second time without sinne vnto saluation Heb 9.28 Christs takes away the sins of the world Io. 1.29 Christ once in the end of the world appeared to put away sinne by the Sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 9.26 and is entred into heauen it selfe to appear in the presence of God for vs. ibidem v. 24. If any man doubt whether these places do make Christ the next formall reason of our saluation he may satisfie himselfe by the phrase which the holy Ghost vseth for hee makes an immediate connexion betweene Christ and heaven which he would not doe so often if some thing else came betweene Christ and heaven for to set forth a remote and mediate cause by a next immediate is an improper and borrowed speech which is an vndecent thing to be so often and more often then thus in the pen of the holy Ghost If then we dare not charge him so we must conceiue hee meant to make Christ the next and formall reason of our saluation I need not proue Christ and mans merits to be opposite next and formall reasons of our salvation for it is manifest by it selfe so as now our Assumption num 4. is sufficiently confirmed let
assistance Hither to I haue opened our cause the reason of our request it remaineth as some men vvould conceiue that I moue you also to the manner vvherein to proceed in the cause but I altogether decline that such assurance haue I of the abundant wisdome iudgement learning providence vvhich dvvelleth amongst you that in my selfe I blush to thinke of that deed Some perhaps would incourage mee to provoke you to redresse this evill by force of Argument but that pleaseth me as little because I know the trueth of God remaineth with you therewithall the loue of the trueth so as you cannot be negligent in this businesse seeing the loue of the trueth causeth such as haue it to doe nothing against the trueth but for it I am assured the voice of Christ when he comes to Iudge the world does perpetually sound in your eares even as if by liuely personall voice you heard him say Thou good Steward and faithfull thou hast beene faithfull in a little I will make thee Ruler over much enter into your Masters joy Shall I tell you no hindrance lyeth in your way that may discourage you from this worke No no that is altogether needlesse Wherefore J haue no more to say but in the words of God himselfe Goe on in this thy strength thou mighty man for God is with you And we for our parts doe liue in a ioyfull expectation of a good a happy issue because we know God is the authour of trueth and his eye lids preserue pure knowledge at whose arising all his enemies even the maintainers of errour shall be scattered And you most graue honourable Senatours are worthy watchfull provident instruments vnto his sacred Maiesty our dread Soveraigne in procuring the welfare of all the true members of this our English Church Common-wealth among which members I rest To your Worthinesse an humble suppliant not the least devoted THOMAS SPENCER A PREFACE TO THE FOLLOWING DISCOVRSE answering vnto some points which concerne the matter in Common REader I am compelled to make a Preface to the following disputation by a double law The one is perpetuall custome vsed in this case from which I may not vary the other is the matter it selfe some things in our present Opponents are transcendent and belong vnto the whole matter in such an vniverse and common manner that I could not answere them in any one particular passage yet it behooved me to giue thee satisfaction in them Our present Opponents doe seeme to triumph as if the cause in question were cleerly theirs so as even we our selves at the first sight might seeme vnreasonable if we thought not so too They leade vs with huge mountaines of contumelious reproaches and in conclusion they esteem vs no better then to be Either laught out or despised So as they account Their depracation and defence a thing condiscended vnto in courtesie for themselues they haue another note Instructers they are and their Treatises are to giue Instruction If you will know the reason why they tell vs also In them There is a spirit and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them vnderstanding Wherefore they dare and doe provoke even Cato himselfe to come in and see and censure what they haue written and done If you desire to know why they challenge to themselues these high prerogatiues as belonging onely vnto them they will not let you bee ignorant Great men say they are not alwayes wise neither doe the aged vnderstand Iudgement therefore I said bearken to mee Which reason is vtterly naught vnlesse all are fooles but themselues Wise men doe vse both their eares and I hope thou wilt doe so too especially in a cause of this high nature and consequence If thou wilt doe so indeed I dare assure thee that thou shalt finde that they haue not vttered one true word to their profit or our hurt for the matter it selfe I must referre thee to the body of the disputation for things common thereunto I will in this Preface performe my promise and I will begin with the matter that concernes our selues We defend the faith of our Church subscribed vnto by all ours yea even by these our present Opponents and will they laugh vs out and aespise vs for that Is it their curtesie to deprecâ—te and defend themselues against her We propound the question in her termes and in a single simple or categoricall Proposition We explicate the termes of that question in the words wherein our Church hath done it before vs and whereto these our Opponents doe consent and agree We conclude that question in the same full syllogisme wherein our Church hath concluded it and not varied come short or exceeded any one of her words We further proue every part of that Argument that is or may be questioned by the expresse word of God or by a necessary application of the expresse word of God We defend that Argument of hers against all opposers and finally we reduce every Argument brought against her into true forme and shew what part we deny and giue the reason of such deniall and that in true forme of art and must we needs be laught out and despised for tâ—aâ— If they say wee must be laughed out and despised for any thing it must be for these for herin consisteth our greatest folly If they will haue vs laughed out for these then I leaue thee good Reader to be Iudge betweene vs if thou wilt say he is a foole that does thus Theirs be the day for this time because we now want fit opportunity to defend our selues against them All this while we haue concealed the maine matter which they bring against vs We write divirity without rethorick and that is in vs either madnes or impudency But whether will they laugh vs out or dispose vs for this wee know not their mind as yet Is our stile horrid and harsh Is it not quaint and neate enough for our Opponents pallet Can we not delight their eares with iiggs and tricks of wit Surely then we are content to be laughed out or despised by our Opponents for that 's their owne case the one confesseth his stile to be such and the stile of the other is so indeed Moreouer these Opponents and our selues may ioy so to be vsed because all the schoole-men that haue liued in the world ioyne with vs and goe hand in hand with vs the busines We deale against persons better then our selues and therefore we want maners and consequently we must be laughed out and despised for that But is this true Doe we oppose our selues to mens persons or qualities and condition Nothing lesse the question on foote is an Article of faith A point in Divinity wherein the divine authority rules the case the persons and conditions of man can beare no sway nor be admitted any roome or place but for this time let the persons of men come in and their qualities honours and conditions whatsoever Yet we