first brought Protestancy into England with Peter Martyr in King Edwards dayes who finally turned an (b) As witnesseth Zanchius in his booke de tribus Elohim and Conradus Slussenburg a Caluinist in Theol. Caluinist l. 1 fol. 9. Apostata Neuserus chiefe Pastour at Heydelberge who became a (c) So witnesseth Osiander the Protestant Cent. 16. part 2. p. 818. Turke and diuers others here for breuity omitted So certayne and vndoubted it is that the confessed doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestants Church hath caused diuers to forsake the Christian fayth and wholly to disclayme from our Sauiour ingulfing themselues into all those wickednesses and Impieties which Iudaisme or Turcisme at this day maintayne defend 20. The last doctrine heer to be alledged to omit that (d) Vsury is defended by Bucer in Script Anglican p. 789. 790. 791. By Geneua it selfe for M. Wotton in his second part of the Answere c. in his preface to his fellow Brethreâ— thus writeth Two Ministers at Geneua were deposed and banished for speaking against Vsury allowed in that state DefeÌ„ded also by Mathew Vâ—rell in his principall grounds of Religion englished printed 1595. pag. 148. 149. As also defended by many others mentioned by D. Pye in his epistle dedicat in his Answere written against a Treatise in defence of Vsury pa. 20. 22. Vsury is defended by our Aduersaries which resulteth necessarily out of some of the premises is that our Aduersaries howsoeuer they make shew to practise in some sort the contrary do take away all Prayer as is aboue intimated as a thing needles vnprofitable and superfluous This I proue seuerall wayes And first our Aduersaries teach that only fayth iustifyeth then if fayth only iustifyeth it iustifyeth without prayer or any other good workes Yea it iustifyeth according to Luther and others aboue cyted being accompanyed with the greatest sinnes seeing they teach as aboue is shewed that nothing looseth their fayth or hope of saluation but only infidelity or want of fayth Secondly they teach that there is no merit in any of our good workes therfore not any in Prayer for if our Prayers do nothing merit they nothing obtayne because impetration and obtaining doth import some desert at least de congruo if then our Prayers do neyther merit nor satisfy for the offence nor for the punishment due to the offence to what end then are Prayers to be powred out Thirdly to what purpose should we pray for example that we shall not sinne heerafter seeing God as Luther Caluin and the rest aboue specifyed do teach so forcibly impelleth vs to sinne as that it is not in our power to resist his ordinance and decree therein But who dare pray to resist what God hath infallibly appointed shal be Fourthly it is shewed aboue that according to our Aduersaries Principles and Theses Fayth consisteth in that a man firmely belieueth that his Sins are already forgiuen him that he is one of the Elect that he shall infallibly obtayne saluation Now this fayth preuenteth taketh away all Prayer for remission of Sinnes and mans saluation The reason is in that Fayth doth precede all this prayer according to that Quomodo inuocabunt in quem non crediderunt Rom. 10. Therefore it followeth that we are assured by faith of our saluation and eternall life and this before we pray for it Fifthly Prayer is euer for the obtayning of that of which who prayeth is though hopefull yet partly doubtfull and vncertayne of his obtaining of it For if he be certayne before his praier that he shal obtaine his request to what purpose theÌ„ are his Prayers made and to pray for that which we eyther already haue or are certayne that heerafter we shall haue is most ridiculous and absurd Now from this ground it riseth as in part aboue is intimated that we cannot nor ought not to pray for the remission of our Sinnes or for obtayning of eternall lyfe seeing our Fayth according to our Aduersaries former doctrines instructeth vs that we are aforehand assured of both And thus vpon this ground he no more foolishly prayeth for the remission of his Sinnes or for eternal life then a man should pray that the Sunne might shine to day seeing that already it hath shined or that it would shine to morrow of which he is assured that it will shine Thus according to the force of these reasons ineuitably rising out of our Aduersaries former doctrines no man ought to pray or so much as to recite by way of Praier our Lords Praier Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name c. Thus far now of these former twenty seuerall doctrines of our Aduersaries displayed in the precedent leaues all which we see breath nothing but Sensuality Enormities Sinnes in the wills of the belieuers of them Now here we are to conceaue that these former Positions as they are doctrines do consist in speculation and rest in the Vnderstanding yet because the Obiect of most of them is manners vertue vice and the like therefore the beliefe of them is the more dangerous for mans will For the better vnderstaÌ„ding whereof we are to conceaue that there is such a strayt entercourse betweene the Vnderstanding and the Will in mans soule that the will worketh not but as the Vnderstanding out of its owne receaued Principles doth dictate to the Will as true or false and so the Will puts in execution those said Principles in its operation in manners Yf the Theories and speculations be true then the Will by working accordingly worketh well and laudably Yf false then the Will worketh viciously and of this nature are the former aboue recited doctrines of our Aduersaries so as they being most false wicked as tending to extirpate all vertue and to plant impiety in mans soule they most forcibly beate vpon the Will neuer cease their battery till they haue forced the Will to exercise all its operations and actions touching manners conuersations of life according to the said false doctrines and therefore the Will of man is so much the more endangered by such impious and blasphemous Principles and doctrines but otherwise and in this respect with lesse or no danger it falleth out in those merely speculatiue doctrines though false which haue no necessary reference to the working of the Will according to them Such were the Heresyes of Origen who taught that the Diuels should in the end of the world be saued of Cyprian in defending Rebaptization and the lyke from which though erroneous the Will sucketh no poyson But to passe on further in the speculation of these former doctrinall Positions let vs by way of recapitulation see how potent and forcible they are for the patronage and defence of the most flagitious crimes and sinnes as also on the other syde for the preuenting of all good workes of Vertue and Piety though both these points haue in part beene aboue touched And as concerning the first
PVRITANISME THE MOTHER SINNE THE DAVGHTER OR A TREATISE wherein is demonstrated from Twenty seuerall Doctrines and Positions of Puritanisme That the Fayth and Religion of the Puritans doth forcibly induce its Professours to the perpetrating of SINNE and doth warrant the committing of the same WRITTEN By a Catholike Priest vpon occasion of certaine late most execrable Actions of some Puritans expressed in the page following HEERVNTO Is added as an Appendix A Funerall Discourse touching the late different Deathes of two most eminent Protestant Deuines to wit Doctour Price Deane of Hereford and Doctour Butts Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge By the same Authour Non est Arborbona quae facit fructus malos Luc. 6. Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XXXIII THE OCCASIONS lately occurring of writing this Treatise are these following IN the yeare 1632. there was discouered in London a Society of certaine Sodomites to the number of fourty or fifty all of them being earnest and hoat Puritans who had their common appointed Meeting-place for their abominable Impiety Of which number diuers of them and such as were of good temporall estates and meanes were apprehended and the rest instantly fled In this yeare 1633. there is one called Henoch A peuen being of age betweene thirty and fourty and borne in Clun in Shropshire a most fiery Puritan and one who pretendeth learning This man lately killed with an Axe his owne Brother being asleepe and instantly after his owne Mother because both of them being temperate Protestants did some few dayes before receaue the Communion kneeling This Henoch Apeuen being apprehended and sent to Shrows bury Goale and questioned of this his blouddy Act iustified and defended the same and produced for it certaine miscōstrued places texts of Scripture taken from the thirteenth and seauententh Chapters of Deuteronomy In this yeare also 1633. there is one Cade a Minister who was lately before for diuers yeares a stipendary Preacher at Hayton a parish Church in Lancashire This man being in Warington a Towne in the said shyre at a Vintners house called Gryses began to vse most earnest words to the said Vintner others That for his part he belieued that there was no Christ no Trinity no God besides other most blasphemous speaches not fit to be set downe The Vintner said to him Syr if you be of this Iudgment why then do you weekely preach of Christ of the Trinity of God The Minister replyed I do preach of them with the same intētion that you do draw wine that is to mantaine my self by this my trade of preaching The Vintner not brooking these his blasphemies accused him therof vpon his Oath before a Iustice of Peace his Name the Authour of this Treatise liuing far distant from that Country could not certainly learne This Iustice being a Puritan did set at liberty to the great dislike of diuers the said Minister vpon his Answere That what he spake was spoken only by way of dispute and arguing The which the Vintner most confidently denied auerring that he spake them by way of persuasion Interrogate Gentes quis audiuit talia horribilia Ierem. 18. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY To the Vnlearned but vvell-meaning Puritans TO You onely vvhose Vnderstādings throgh your Grand masters vvicked indoctrinating of you are corrupted but Wils good sincere do I dedicate this smal Worke. My Pen hath heere purposely descended so lovv not only in style but euen in Matter as to accommodate it selfe to such of you vvho are vnlearned as indeed most of you are The contēts of this vvorke is of that facility and easines as that it best may suite to such of you as be illiterate defectiue in the Elements mayn Principles of Learning For though the matter here handled be of such vveight as that it is able to conuince the iudgment of the most learned Aduersary yet touching the Methode vsed in the deliuery hereof it is facill seeing you shall not need here to spend the tyme in searching after the sense of produced places of Scripture or in reuoluing the Ecclesiasticall Histories of the Church or in pondering vveighing the places of the Ancient Fathers all vvhich do stand subiect to many difficulties But it vvill suffice if so you do but read the many Positions Tenets of Puritanisme the Fayth vvhich I presume your selues professe and the liues of the first teachers of them most ansvverable to the said Positions In all vvhich you shall fynd this from their ovvne expresse Testimonies That the very End or as it vvere the Terminus ad quem Puritanisme in Doctrine doth finally propend incline to is impurity in manners and dissolution in life And therefore the greater commiseration I haue that many of you I presume vvhose vvills and endeauours are vpright plaine are infected vvith the said impious doctrines The first inducement vvhich importuned my penne to vndergoe this labour is the late discouery in London of a company of Sodomiticall Persons vvherof some are apprehēded but diuers fled in number about fourty or more in state competent and some of very good meanes in Religion all Puritanes and in entercourse among themselues a thing vvonderfull to be reported so linked as that they made a peculiar Society or Body hauing a common designed place for their publike meetings So iust reason I haue to say a litle before (a) Ierem. 18. Interrogate Gentes quis audiuit talia horribilia Novv seeing these prodigious Monsters being so many staines to Nature for Sodomitae pessimi erāt peccatores coram Domino nimis (b) Genes 1◠are all Puritans in faith hould themselues far more illuminated in the Lord then the more moderate and learned Protestants of vvhich nūber of learned Protestants most do vvholy abandone disclaime from the others Puritanicall Doctrines And further seeing that they may make shovv to vvarrant this their Sodomiticall State frō their ovvne Principles admitting them for true Therfore I haue thought good at this present to set downe all such Theoricall Positions of Puritanisme vvhich do euen iustify Sin and confidently teach its Proselytes that the greatest Sin vvhatsoeuer cannot become preiudiciall to the saluation of any of the faythfull of vvhich number all the foresaid portentuous Wretches as being Puritans euen by their ovvne Principles and Doctrines are taught to be I vvould not haue the moderate and more learned Protestant to thinke that I do insimulate him in the ranke of the Puritans in generall seeing I vvell knovv that most of those temperate and sober Protestants do disavovv and reiect diuers Puritanicall Theses insisted vpon heereafter by me No It is only the Hypocriticall Puritan vvho can vaunt and brag of his Enthusiasmes Illuminations from the Lord vvho depresseth betramples all Vertue exercise of pious Workes vvho doth blāch exalt Vice against vvhom my Pen is at this time sharpned I vvell knovv that those vvho did first stampe most of the doctrins of Puritanisme as Luther Svvinglius Caluin
c. vvere not vulgarly called Puritans Because in those firster times of Protestancy the name of Puritan vvas scarce heard of But novv this denomination is peculiarly applied to such Protestants vvho belieuing certaine most damnable doctrines expressed in this Treatise first taught by the former eminent Protestants do differ by such their beliefe froÌ„ the more graue learned Protestant vvholy denying them Well My simple and vprightly-meaning Puritan for I presume diuers of You to be such vvhose Iudgement is vvronged by giuing assent to thy more learned but vvithall more vvicked Brethren I vvill remit thee to the perusuall of this ensuing discourse vvhich vvheÌ„ thou hast maturely vveighed found and all by the confessions of the Aduersaries themselues that the most flagitious Liues of the first teachers of Puritanisme vvere in practise most conformable to their ovvne exitiall doctrines therin their vvicked conuersations thus seruing as a Comment to paraphraze their vvicked Positions Then I hope thou vvilt cast off all thy Puritanicall doctrines hitherto imbraced by thee or at least vvilt haue iust reason to censure vvith greater indifferency both of the doctrines of the first Authours thereof and then thou maist cal into thy remembrance our Sauiours vvords vpon vvhich sentence be bold securely to anchour thy Iudgement (c) Math. 7. Do men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles And vvith this I cease Thine in Christ IESVS B. C. A Table of the twenty Puritanicall Doctrines alleaged in this Treatise which tend to Vice Sinne and Impiety in Fayth Life and Manners 1. THe Doctrine of the Priuate reuealing Spirit 2. The Doctrine That God is the Authour of Sinne. 3. That Good workes are not only not conducing but rather hurtfull to Saluation and therfore That Fayth only iustifieth 4. The Doctrine of Imputatiue Iustice 5. The Doctrine touching the lessening of Sinne in respect of Mans Saluation 6. The deniall of Freewill 7. The Doctrine of Reprobation 8. The Doctrine of Predestination 9. The deniall of Purgatory 10. The deniall of Auricular Confession 11. The deniall of the Necessity of Baptisme 12. The Doctrine of Diuorce of Maried Persons 13. The deniall of all Authority in Princes and Magistrates 14. The Doctrine of Parity of Ministers 15. The Doctrine of Extraordinary Vocation 16. The Doctrine touching Saluation of Heathens 17. The deniall of Miracles 18. The deniall of Holy dayes Ceremonies and Images 19. The Doctrine of the Inuisibility of the Protestant Church 20. The deniall of all Prayer by necessary Inferences drawne from diuers of the former Doctrines The names of those six Chiefe Protestants whose flagitious Liues being answerable to their wicked Doctrines are briefly discoursed of in this Treatise 1. Beza 2. Caluin 3. Ochinus who first planted Protestancy in England in K. Edward the sixt his reigne 4. Iacobus Andraeas 5. Swinglius 6. Luther PVRITANISME THE MOTHER SINNE THE DAVGHTER The I. Part. BEFORE we begin to vnfould the particular doctrines and Positions of Puritanisme all being euen great and as it were in labour with Libertinisme in manners I hould it will not be reputed a superfluous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or By-matter but rather a point much conducing to our proiect in generall if I briefly touch vpon the necessiity of Holines of doctrine in the fayth of Christ For the better vnderstanding of which poynt we are to conceaue that Gods sacred Writ describeth two waies of a Christian man the one it termeth The straite way meaning of austerity and piety which leadeth (a) Math. 7. Luke 13. to life This is (b) Math. 22. the way of God (c) Esay 26. The way of Iustice (d) Hebr. 19. in which we ought to walke pleasing God So deseruedly did the Psalmist celebrate the doctrine of God touching manners in these wordes of prayse (e) Psalm 29. Lex Domini immaculata testimonium fidele praeceptum Domini illucidum To this way the Scripture opposeth the way called The broad way This is that (f) Math. 7. lata porta spaciosa quae ducit ad perditionem the broad and spatious gate which leadeth to destruction (g) â— Pet. 3. promising liberty and (h) Iude l. 4. transferring the grace of God into wantonnes Thus we see that the fayth and doctrine of Christ by which we are to regulate and gouerne our coÌ„uersation and manners ought to be in it owne nature most incontaminate pure and holy voyding the soule of man of vnlawfull concupiscence and desires That the Catholike Fayth of the Romane Church teacheth this strayte way of vertue and piety is most euident For it teacheth her children to make restitution for wrongs committed It teacheth Confession of sinnes most vngratefull to mans nature and tyeth the Confitent to sorrow for his sinnes and to performe his enioyned Pennance It teacheth the keeping of set Fasts and of prescript tymes of Prayer It teacheth the practising of all good workes It teacheth the perfection of Euangelicall Counsells to wit voluntary Chastity Pouerty and Obedience briefly it teacheth and instructeth her children in points most opposite and contrary to all those licentious Positions of Puritanisme insisted by me in this ensuing Treatise A course of life so peculiar to the members of the Catholike Church as that some of our Aduersaries thus fully coÌ„fesse hereof (i) Iacob Andraeaâ— in Concione 4. in c. â—â— Lucae A serious and Christian discipline is censured with vs as a new Papacy and a new Monachisme And Caluin himself acknowledgeth no lesse of our Professours of former tymes reprehending them for the same in these wordes (k) Calu l. 4. instit cap. 12. sect 8. Qua in parte excusari nullo modo potest c. In which course meaning a rigid course of life and pennance the immoderate austerity of the Ancients cannot be excused which did wholy differ from the Commandement of the Lord and was also otherwise in it selfe most dangerous Thus Caluin But now if on the contrary we cast our iudgments to the behoulding of the many Theses and Speculations of Puritanisme wherof I haue made choyce only of Twenty hereafter layd open in this short Treatise all which are euen fraught and loaden with liberty of doctrine and withall if we do obserue how no meaner men then the first broachers of them as willing to be most firme and true to their owne Principles haue incorporated the said doctrines in their owne most wicked lyues both which points are the Subiects of the two different Parts of this small Worke and both proued from the Aduersaries owne expresse wordes we shall rest euen amazed thereat such a conformity and precise correspondency did their lyues beare to their doctrines We obserue that Nature which is Gods subordinate Instrument or Lieutenant as I may call it gouerning vnder his diuine Maiesty the Vniuerse of the whole world is endued among many others with this one Priuiledge to wit that if no preueniency be made through the
indisposition of the secondary causes that the lyke in Nature euer produceth and begetteth the like Thus irreasonable Creatures do ingender irreasonable Creatures and men beget men and this oftentimes with such a great resemblance similitude in the particulars as that we may easily glasse the Fathers eye in the Childs face The like by allusion we may affirme of the Theoremes and Principles of fayth whose immediate subiect is Morality or Conuersation of life Yf the Thearemes do resent of vertue piety and deuotion the fruites which they beget in mans soule belieuing them are vertuousnes of life Practise of good workes Austerity in manners and the like But if the Theoremes be of such nature as that they send steame forth nothing els thē sensuality libertinisme and voluptuousnes then such as giue assent and beliefe to the said Theoremes do in their manners participate of the same prophane Qualities Touching the vertuous liues of Catholikes in particular proceeding from their doctrines teaching vertue I will not heere in the displaying therof laboriously insist since my mayne Proiect at this present is to spend these ensuing leaues in this later point to wit to demonstrate first that the Principles of Puritanisme do inuolue in themselues the warrāting of vice falshood and Impiety and the dishonouring of vertue And secondly that the first Inuentors or coyners of them sucking from their owne grounds elements of doctrine tanquam ex traduce the secret poyson lying in them haue beene men of most enormous and facinorous liues And now to beginne with the doctrines 1. First I will begin with their chiefe Principle of the Priuate Spirit which they describe very gloriously to be (1) D. VVhitak in controuers 1 q. 5. c. 3. 11. A persuasion of the truth from the Holy Ghost in the secret closet of the belieuers hart With this I begin in that it comprehendeth within it selfe as a greater number doth many lesser diuers other positions of liberty For first it begets an vnaccustomed pride and elation of mind in the belieuers of this doctrine seeing it teacheth that euery one that enioyeth this spirit as euery Puritane by his owne religion ought to belieue that he enioyeth it is to preferre in exposition of Scripture determining points of fayth Himselfe aboue all other mens authorities of Gods Church whosoeuer And therefore Luther as resting himselfe vpon this ground writeth (2) tom 2. contra Regem Angliae fol. 344. Gods word is aboue all c. I regard not if a thousand Austins a thousand Cyprians a thousand Churches stood against me And another as presuming to enioy this spirit thus condemneth all Generall Councels (3) Peter Martyr l. de votis p. 476. As long as we insist in Generall Councels so long we shall continue in the Papists errours And the same priuiledge of this spirit doth euery obscure particuler Minister by the help of his owne spirit challenge to himselfe Now what an insufferable pride is it for a fellow being but one a man lately appearing for most part but meanly learned to aduance his iudgment in matters of fayth and Religion aboue so many so ancient and so learned Doctours and Fathers of Christs Church as haue flourished The second kind of Sinne flowing from this Principle is Multiplicity of Heresyes Seeing all Heresyes fortify themselues for the tyme vnder the rampyer of this Priuate Spirit in interpreting the Scriptures And from hēce it is that Vincentius Lyrinensis complayneth of the Spiritualists of his dayes in these wordes (4) l. aduers haeres An Haeretici diuinis Scripturae c. Do Heretykes cyte the diuine testimonies of Scripture They do and that most vehemently but therefore they are so much the more to be taken heed of And hence also ryseth that Hydra of different Sects and Heresyes in these dayes as the Moderate Protestant the Puritane the Brownist the Anabaptist the Anti-trinitarians others all which Heresyes did first take their roote from each particuler mans priuate spirit interpreting the Scripture in a different sense and construction from the rest of his Brethren And hereupon it proceedeth that so many hundreds of bookes mentioned by Coccius and by (5) Coccius in thesauro tom 2. Hospiniam in his Historia Sacramentaria parte altera Hospinian the Protestant are written by the Professours of the foresaid Sects one against another and often by men of the same Religion euen against others of their owne Brethren The third current of this Reuealing Spirit runneth not only to interpreting of passages of Scriptures which meerely touch Speculation in matters of fayth but also to giue most sensuall explications of such Texts thereof as may best sort to liberty and sinne Thus but to instance in one in place of many the priuate Spirit hath cast such an exposition of these wordes (6) Matth. c. 5. qui dimiserit vxorem suam exceptâ fornicationis causâ facit eam maechari Qui dimissam duxerit adulterat Whosoeuer shall dimisse his wife except for cause of fornication maketh her to commit adultery and he that shall marry her that is dimissed committeth adultery As that it teacheth that in case of fornication on the wyues syde the husband may marry agayne and consequently if his future wyues should offend therein might haue a dozen twenty or more wyues liuing all at one instant Thus the Priuate Spirit for his better maintayning of his voluptuous doctrine of Polygamy referreth those wordes excepta fornicatione to be the cause of taking a second wife which are to be referred only to the cause of a mans dimitting or parting with his wife according to the exposition of (7) In exposit huius loci Ierome almost all others 2. In this next place I proceed to that doctrine of theirs which teacheth that God is the Authour of sinne seeing this blasphemy implicitly contayneth within it selfe as a greater circle doth the lesse diuers other strange Paradoxes taught by the Puritans And first we find Luther thus to teach (a) Luth. in assertion damnat per Leonem art 36. How can man prepare himselfe to good seeing it is not in his power to make his wayes euill for God worketh the wicked worke in the wicked Againe (b) Vbi supra Art 36. Nullius est in manu c. It is not in the power of any man to thinke euil or good but al things proceed frō absolute necessity Swinglius heerto accordeth saying (c) Tom. 2. de Prouident◠Dei fol. 166. sayth Mouet Deus latronem ad occidendum c. and there againe Deo impullore latro occidit and finally Latro coactus est ad peccandum God moueth the theefe to kil the theefe killeth God procuring him Yea the theefe is enforced to kill Melācthon thus affirmeth of the adultery of Dauid (d) In Rom. 8. The adultery of Dauid was the proper worke of God as was the conuersion of Paul Which sentence in Melancthon
(e) L. de vniuers Grat. p. â—09 Hemingius the Protestant reciteth vtterly condemneth Melancthon for such his iudgement therein Caluin sayth (f) Instit l. â— c. 18. sect 1. That God pronounceth Absaloms incestuous pollution of his fathers bed to be his owne worke And further Caluin layeth the foundation of this his doctrine in these wordes (g) Iustit l. 3 c. 23. sect 6. What thing soeuer God doth foresee the same he willeth and vpon this false ground concludeth that God causeth sinne in man because he fore-feeth it in him Beza conspireth in iudgement with the former Authors thus playnely teaching (h) In his display of Popish practises p. 202. God exciteth the wicked will of one theefe to kill another guideth his hand and weapon iustly enforcing the will of the theefe Finally to omit many others D. Willet thus iumpeth with the former saying (i) In Synops Papism pa. 563. God not only permitteth but leadeth into temptation with an actiue power and not permissiuely Now howsoeuer the fore-named Authours do seeke to auoyd in wordes the scandall necessarily attending on this their blasphemous doctrine yet they stand so iustly chargeable with teaching that God is the authour of sinne as that they are for their maintayning this their doctrine written against by diuers other most learned Protestants as by Osiander the Protestant whose wordes are these (k) Enchirid contra Caluinist c. 7. There openeth a gulfe of hell of Caluinian doctrine in which God is sayd to be the Authour of sin By Castalio thus inueighing against Caluin (l) Lib ad Calu. de praedest By this meanes not the diuell but the God of Caluin is the Father of lyes By Iacobus Andreas who thus playnly writeth (m) In epit tom Colloq Montisbelgar p. 47. Deus est author peccati secuÌ„dum Bezam finally by (n) In Ecclesiast Policy l. 5. p. 104. M. Hooker (o) In his defence of M. Hooker pag. 62. D. Couell and diuers others for breuity heer omitted so crasse and repugnant is this their doctrine to those wordes of holy writ Non Deus volens iniquitatem tu es as also to the sentence of S. Iames the Apostle (q) Cap. 1. let no man when he is tempted say he is tempted of God for God is not a tempter of Euills he temptteth no man but euery one is tempted of his owne concupiscence c. (p) Psalm 55. Now admitting this doctrine of God being the Authour of our sinne to be true how willingly is man drawne to Sinne by giuing assent therto Seeing by this doctrine he may disburden himselfe of all fault therein and transferre it vpon God as being the highest and most forcible cause or agent thereof so strong a sanctuary he hath for his Sinne. And which is more he may pretend that if it be the part of a dutifull Subiect officiously to performe what his Prince commandeth much more then doth that man deserue reward rather then punishment who with all sedulity and readines of mind and will stands prepared as an inferiour and seruiceable Instrument to put that in execution which God who is the supreme Lord of all commandeth willeth and euen forceth him to act or doe And yet more this doctrine euen potentially commandeth vs to sinne seeing the Scripture exhorteth vs in infinite places to doe good consequently to sinne for sinne if God be the Authour thereof is good for we reade (r) Genes 1. Cuncta quae fecerat Deus erant valde bona Lastly by this doctrine we ought not to repeate that passager in our Lords Prayer Forgiue vs our trespasses c. by reason we doe not offend in committing them since not we but God worketh them yea we should rather be blamed and rebuked for reciting of the sayd sentence because it would imply that we had some penitency and repentance of them but it is a thing displeasing to God for man to haue a dislike of that which God worketh in him or to be refractory or stubborne to his will and disposall since the same Lords Prayer teacheth vs that we ought in all things to say Fiat voluntas tua Seest thou not good Reader not only how potently this former blasphemous doctrine moueth man to commit any sinne whatsoeuer as laying the fault thereof vpon God but also how it freeth him from all future griefe or repentance therof as presuming himselfe to be but a naked Instrument necessarily concurring to the performaÌ„ce of Gods will and pleasure in him And thus farre of the working efficacy of this most impious doctrine of God being the Authour of sinne 3. In this next place we will descend to the doctrine touching Good workes first broached by Luther and others and now entertayned by the Puritans of these dayes where we shall find that in their depressing of them they are most luxuriant and plentiful and consequently that they beare a fauourable eye to vice and sensuality And first I will display their doctrines of good workes in generall that performed I will descend to good workes in particuler Now for the greater vnderualewing of them Luther thus endodoctrinateth his followers (r) In his sermons englished 1578. pag. 47. Workes take their goodnes of the Authour and (s) Ibid. pa. 276. no worke is disallowed vnles the authour thereof be disallowed Luther further thus teacheth (t) Luther vpon the Galath englished fol. 68. It is impiety to affirme that fayth except it be adorned with charity iustifyeth not Swinglius expressely sayth therby to deterre men from practising of good workes that quaecunque promissa operibus nostris facta sunt Hyperbolae sunt All promises made in the Scripture to our workes As if thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements c. are but amplifications of speach aboue the truth M. Fox recordeth Tindall the Protestant to say (u) Act. Mon. pag. 1336. That there is no one worke better then another as touching pleasing of God to make water to washe dishes to be a Sower or an Apostle all is one to please God These men yet proceed further for Illyricus the famous Lutherane thus writeth (x) Ilâ—yrie in praefat ad Rom. To affirme that good workes be in any respect necessary to saluation he meaning only but by way of accompanying fayth is a Papisticall errour he futher terming it The doctrine of the new Papists And Conradus Slussemburg the great ProtestaÌ„t writeth that (y) In Catalog Haeret l. â—3 in epist dedicatoriâ p. 22. Good workes are not necessary necessitate praesentiae by way of presence to mans iustification Yea Luther proceedeth yet further teaching marke good Reader and be amazed that (z) Luth. tom 1. propos 3. Fides nisi sit sine c. Fayth except it be without euen the least good workes doth not iustify nay it is not fayth Which saying (a) In his defence of M. Hooker printed 1603. pa. 42. D. Couell acknowledging it to
be Luthers termeth (b) In his defence of M. Hooker pag. 42. Harsh and iustly called in question by the Church of Rome Vpon this former doctrine these men further teach (c) Luth. serm de Moyse that the keeping of the ten Commandements doe not belong to vs Christians And the Deuines of Wittenberg as also Melancthon are also charged with this errour by (d) Hutterus in his explicat libri Concordiae printed 1608. art 5. c. 1 pag. 478. Hutterus publike Protestant Professour at WitteÌ„berg He calling the defendours of this position Anti-nomi that is Enemyes to the Law The same doctrine is to omit others taught by M. Fox thus saying (e) Act. Mon. 1335. The ten Commandements were giuen vs not to keepe them but to know our damnation and to call for mercy of God With whom agreeth herein D. Whitakers in these wordes (f) Contra Camp rai 8. Qui credunt ij non sunt sub lege sed sub gratia c. They which belieue are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace What is more to be said Christians are freed from the curse of the Law meaning from the punishment due for the breach of the Commaundements I will conclude this point with D. Willets wordes (g) Synops Pap. pag. 564. The law remayneth still impossible to be kept by vs through she weakenes of our flesh c. Thus by these mens doctrine we sinne not in breaking any of the Commaundements as in stealing committing adultery and the like for man sinneth only in breach of those precepts which are giuen him to obserue and keep To conclude this passage of good workes in generall Luthers iudgment of workes is this (h) Luth. in Assert Art 32â— All good workes God iudging them are mortall sinnes God resting propitious veniall and more pardonable Now if Luthers doctrine be here good then followeth it that who laboureth to performe a good worke is of the diuell my reason is this we read that (i) 1. Iohn 3. who committeth sinne is of the Diuell but who doth a good worke sinneth because by the former doctrine of Luther we are taught that euery good worke is sinne Thus according to Luthers doctrine he sinneth who prayeth who practiseth the workes of faith hope and Charity seeing all these in the iudgment of Luther are sinnes Agayne Gods word commandeth vs to flie sinne (k) Psal 36. Declina à malo Therefore we are commanded by God to flie the doing of any good worke because euery good worke in Luthers iudgment is sinne See how forcibly this doctrine of Luther by necessary sequels deductions withdraweth vs from the practising of vertue and exercise of Good Workes Now to come to good workes in particuler The three principall Good workes which necessarily and essentially concurre to the vowes of euery Religious order are to wit Chastity by the which a man voweth perpetuall continency from the pleasures of the flesh according to that (l) Math. â—9 Sunt Eunuchi qui seipsos castrauerunt propter regnum caelorum Pouerty by the which is voluntarily renounced the enioying in priuate of any temporall goods as riches honours c. only resting content with poore fare or diet and apparell (m) Math. 19. Si vis perfectus esse vade vende omnia quae habes da pauperibus habebis the saurum in caelo Obedience through which the will mind of one staÌ„ds in all lawfull things subiect to the will and disposall of his superiour Now marke how these three vertues are betrampled vpon by our Aduersaries with all indignity and scorne Touching Chastity D. Whitakers iudgment is That (o) Contra Camâ—rat 8. p. 15â— Virginity is not simply good but after a certaine manner But Luther proceedeth further saying (p) Tom. â— VVittenberg ad cap. 7.1 Cor. Yf we respect the nature of Matrimony and single life Matrimony is as gold and the spirituall state of single life as dung Concerning Voluntary Pouerty D. Willets censure is this (q) In his Synops pag. 245. He is an Enemy to the glory of God who changeth his rich estate wherein he may serue God for a poore Touching Obedience you may see how they stand disaffected towards it euen out of their owne not practising of it since they loath all Obedience with a most inexplicable dislike I will close this point with their doctrine of fasting to which vertue the Religious men of the Catholike Church are most deuoted M. Perkins iudgment is that (r) In his reformed Catholike pag. 220. fasting in it selfe is a thing indifferent as is eating and drinking And D. Willet accordeth thereto thus writing (s) In Synops pag. 241. Neither is God better worshipped by eating or not eating And more particulerly touching the deniall of set tymes of fasting appointed only for spiritual ends (1) D. Fulk against the Rhemish Testam in Math. 15. D. Fulke is not ashamed to obiect and insist in the authority of the old Heretike Montanus for the deniall therof And D. Whitakers blusheth not to call the Catholike Churches vse therein (2) D. VVhitak cont Duraeum l. 9. pa. 839. The doctrine of Diuells Thus far of the former points of Vowed Chastity voluntary Pouerty voluntary Obedience and fasting in the depressing whereof our Aduersaries do withall depresse our Catholike doctrine of Euangelicall Counsels which teacheth man to arriue to more high points of perfection in vertue then the vulgar and common sort of Christians are accustomed to exercise And vpon these grounds and doctrines they deny the lawfulnes of Monasteries and other Religious houses whitherunto men and women retire themselues for the better seruing of God in austerity of life abandoning the pleasures of the world so pernicious and exitiall to mans soule 4. In the next place we will touch a little vpon our Aduersaries doctrine of Imputatiue Iustice by which they teach that man hath no true and reall Iustice contracted of fayth hope and charity inherent in his soule but that his Iustice is meerely relatiue as being only an application of Christs Iustice vnto him By the which neuertheles Caluin teacheth that (t) L. 3. Instit c. 2. numb 28.42 a man is as secure of his saluation as if he did already enioy heauen And accordingly hereto our Aduersaries further teach that (u) Illyricus in varijs libris de Originali peccato Calui Insti l. 2. c. 3. Kempnit contra cens Col. the Image of God is wholly obliterated in man all his fayre impressions are so extinct as that the regenerate and Holy man is intrinsecally nothing els then meere Corruption or contagion Now these doctrines are forged by them therby to withdraw vs from seeking to be truly vertuous seeing by this their former doctrine man is not possibly capable therof but that therby we disburdening our selues of keeping the Commandements or exercising of vertuous actioÌ„s may only by fayth seeke to lay hands vpon the kingdome of
Heauen 5. But now to cast our eye vpon the other end of the ballance as we haue here aboue seene how our Aduersaries haue depressed beaten downe the worth of all vertue good workes so let vs a little consider how they labour to extenuate and lessen by their positions the atrocity of all Vice and Impiety that so they may seeme lesse worthy of reprehension and dislike for their imbracing of such courses And first Let vs take into our consideration that Position of theirs which teacheth that all sinnes (x) So teacheth Calu. in Antidot Conc. Trident And Wickliff apud VValdens de Sacram. c. 134. are equall if so God as Iudge do weigh and ponderate them Now doth not this doctrine much encourage that man who is resolued to commit but any one lesser sinne also to perpetrate the most sacinorous crime whatsoeuer seeing he is herby taught that the lesser sinne and the greatest are alike and of the same nature in Gods iust trutination weighing of them But to proceed further Touching the diuision of sinnes they teach that to the true Professours of the Ghospell the most flagitious sinne that is is only (y) Musculus in loc com de peccat sect 5. D. Fulk against the Rhemish Test in epist loan sect 5 Calu. Instit l. 3 c. 4. sect 28. Veniall thus they making the difference of sinnes not to proceed from their difference in their owne nature but from the diuersity of the parties committing them Now euery one of our Precisians is bound by the Principles of his owne Religion to belieue himselfe to be one of the faythfull Therfore let him sinne in neuer so grieuous a manner such sinne in him is but veniall and easily pardonable O Phrensy of Iudgment And hence it is that some of them do thus write (z) D. Wotton in his answer to the late Popish Articles pag. 92. 41. To the faythfull the sinne is pardoned assoone as it is committed And D. Whitakers accordingly teacheth that (a) De Eccles contra Bellar. controu 2 q. 5. pag. 301. Si quis actum fidei habet ei peccata non nocent who exerciseth an act of fayth to wit that Christ died for him that man no sinnes can hurt And hence further it is that D. Fulke teacheth that (b) In the Tower disput with Edm. Camâ—ian the second dayes Conference Dauid when he committed adultery was and remained the child of God And againe M. Fox thus writeth (c) Act. Mon. pag. 1338. When we sinne we diminish not the glory of God all the danger of sinning being the euill example of our neighbour Another saith That (d) Vide Epitom Colloq Montisbelg p. 44. 48. He who doth once truly belieue cannot afterwards fall from the grace of God or lose his fayth by adultery or any other like sinne and accordingly Beza affirmeth that (e) Beza in respons ad Colloq Montisbel part alter p. 73. Dauid by his adultery and murther did not lose the Holy Ghost and fall from his fayth And if Dauid still continued in that happy state why may not other Adulterers and murtherers enioy the same priuiledge and warrant To conclude the last vp shot of them in this point is thus deliuered in Luthers wordes (f) Luth. in captiuit Babilon fol. 74. Ita diues est homo Christianus c. A Christian man is so rich as that he cannot lose his saluation quantiscunque peccatis by any sinnes how great soeuer except he will not belieue And for a close of all he further thus teacheth (g) Luth. in loc com clâ—ss 5 c. 17. p. 68. Vt nihil iustificat nisi fides ita nihil peccat nisi incredulitas As nothing iustifyeth but fayth so nothing sinneth but vnbeliefe and incredulity Thus far hereof Now to recapitulate a little If a man cannot loose his saluation but only by want of beliefe if a Murtherer and adulterer euen during the tyme of perpetrating these acts do not loose the Holy Ghost but remayneth the child of God if who once belieueth cannot after fall froÌ„ the grace of God if one act of fayth taketh away all Sin if sinne be pardoned to the faythfull assoone as it is committed if to the faythfull the most atrocious Sin is but veniall if the greatest Sin be but equall to the least To conclude if we are to belieue that not we but God himself is the authour of our sinne he forcing and compelling vs to theft murther c. and that the Adultery of Dauid was Gods proper worke I leaue to any indifferent iudgement whether considering how proue and propense Man is to Sinne of his owne corrupt nature these Theoremes and Principles of our Aduersaries do not mightly encourage men to commit Sinne and this with all impunity and want of feare of punishment But I will conclude these two former paragraphs of good workes and sins with some acknowledgements of the learned ProtestaÌ„ts touching these two former points and how preiudiciall this doctrine of a Iustifying fayth is to vertue and gratefull to sinners Iacobus Andreas that learned Protestant speaking in the person of these defendours of only fayth with repreheÌ„sion of them thus discourseth (h) Concione 4. in c. 21. Lucae We haue learned to be saued only by fayth we cannot satisfy by our Almes fasting prayer therfore permit vs that we may giue ouer these thinges seeing that we may be saued otherwise by the grace of God And further the same Protestant thus writeth (i) Andraeas vbi supra That all the world may know them to be no Papists nor to trust in good workes they take course to put none in practise Whereunto M. Stubs the Protestant thus accordeth (k) In his Motiues to good workes printed 15â—6 pag. â—2 The Protestant trusteth to be saued by a bare and naked fayth deceauing himselfe without good workes and therfore either careth not for them or at least setteth little by them Who further thus writeth There are I feare me mo good workes done daily by the Papists then by the Protestants he giuing his reason thereof in his former words so euident it is euen by the confessions of the learned Protestants themselues that the doctrine of only fayth of disualewing the worth of good workes and of lessening the grieuousnes of Sinne openeth a fludgate to all Impiety whatsoeuer and precludeth or shutteth vp the way for the exercise of Vertue and Piety 6. In this place I will treate of Free-will The which our Aduersaries deny to be in man The Protestants are so full and confessed in the deniall of free-will as it would be but superfluous to amasse together the many such their aknowledgments Therefore I will content my selfe with Luthers doctrine herein His wordes are these (l) Luth. in assertion Art 36. Th same doctrine is taught by Caluin Instit. l. 2. c. 3. sect 11. by M. Willet his Synops pag. 808. 810. by all other
Precisians Free-will is a fiction in things or a title without substance because it is in no mans power to thinke any thing euill or good but all things c. happen by absolute necessity And thereupon in hatred of freewill Luther did write a booke entituling it de seruo arbitrio in one place wherof he thus further teacheth The foreknowledge and omnipotency of God fighteth agaynst our freewill So forgetfull it seemes was Luther of those wordes of our Sauiour (m) Math. 23. How often would I haue gathered thy children togeather c. and thou wouldest not Now doth not the denyall of Free-will become a Sanctuary for all Sinnes whatsoeuer May not the thiefe say in his owne defence by force of this doctrine that it is not in his Freewill or choyce to forbeare stealing the Murtherer to forbeare Homicide Mans-slaughter the Fornicatour and adulterous man or woman to forbeare Adultery or Fornication the traytour to forbeare committing of treason against his Prince or common wealth are they not all secured and iustly exempt froÌ„ al punishmeÌ„ts for such their sins admitting as they are catechized by this their denyall of Freewill that it was not in their power to abstaine from the perpetrating of the forsaid sins Since punishmeÌ„t is due only to such transgressions which are in the power of the traÌ„sgressor to performe or not to performe 7. I wil next come to our Aduersaries doctrine of Reprobation and Predestination since they chiefly depend vpon the denyall of freewill Touching Reprobation they thus teach Caluin thus writeth of this point (n) Calu. Instit l. 3. c. 23. sect 6. CoÌ„silio nutuque c. God doth ordaine by his Counsell and decree that among men some be borne destined to certaine damnation from their Mothers wombe who by their destruction may glorify God and this without any respect had to their workes good or euill And Beza further in defence hereof maintayneth that (o) In respons ad act Colloq Montisbelg part alter pag. 215. 221. God did not suffer death for those men so ordained to destruction The same Beza further yet proceedeth herein thus saying (p) Beza vbi supr in praefat p. â—1 et p. 123. Many Infants of belieuing Parents being baptized are notwithstanding damned though the secret decree of God And heeâ—pon he most blasphemously thus concludeth (q) Bez. in his Treatise Englished and entituled the display of Popish practises pag. 17. 31. God createth some to destructioÌ„ createth to perdition predestinateth some to his hatred destructioÌ„ So litle Beza regardeth those words of holy writ (r) Ezech. 33. As I liue saith the Lord I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waies liue And againe (s) 2. Petrâ— 3. 1. Thessal 5. God is not willing that any perish but that all returne to pennance 8. Now touching the doctrine of the Certainty of mans saluation or Predestination thus our Aduersaries teach Luther affirmeth that (t) Tom. â— epist Latin fol. 334. ad Philipp no sinne can draw vs from Christ although we should commit fornication or kill a thousand tymes in one day And Iacobus Andraeas confirmeth the same in these wordes (u) In epitom Colloq Montisbelg pag. 48. 44. He who once truly belieueth cannot afterwards fall from the grace of God by his adultery or any other lyke sinnes And heerupon as aboue it is set downe they teach that Dauid when he did commit murther was and remained the Child of God and consequently he was certaine of his saluation To which end of certainty of Saluation D. Whitakers thus writeth Fides (x) D. Whitak contra Camp rat 8. aut perpetua aut nulla est And hereupon they conclude that euen during mans committing of Sinne he is certaine of Saluation seeing it would otherwise follow which our Aduersaries will not admit that his former certainty was no certainty at all so crosse these men tread to the steps of the holy Scripture (y) Ezech. 18. If the iust man do turne away from his righteousnes c. in his sinne he shall dye And (z) Rom. 11. Yf we abyde in his goodnes otherwise we shal be cut of Well now to look backe vpon these two doctrines of our Aduersaries touching Reprobation and Predestination or Election marke how forcibly they incite a man to all turpitude in manners may not any man belieuing the same doctrines to be true thus dispute with himselfe Either I am already vnalterably and infallibly reprobated to Hell or predestinated to Heauen and this without any reference or foresight of my workes good or bad this the former alleaged Protestants teach me to belieue this I am to belieue Yf I be reprobated let me exercise neuer so many good workes and liue piously in the highest degree yet certaine it is I shal be damned Yf I be predestinated to Saluation and Heauen then cannot any sinnes committed by me though neuer so great and enormous seeing my predestination is without preuision of workes hinder my Saluation but certainely and assuredly I shall be saued Seeing then a bad life cannot hinder my saluation nor a good life preuent my Reprobation I will during the tyme I liue enioy all pleasures whatsoeuer though neuer so vnlawfull and prohibited in the Holy Scripture without any remorse of conscience Vpon these said grounds the belieuers of them may in this former manner discourse and I probably assure my selfe that many hundreds in England belieuing our Aduersaries doctrines therein do vpon such their beliefe ingulfe themselues in all wickednes and dissolution of life and manners Thus farre briefly of this point 9. I proceed to their deniall of Purgatory By the deniall therof men are taught that let them practise all wickednesse whatsoeuer either in murther adultery fornication Robbery extorsion or any otherwise yet if at the houre of his death a man haue but on act of fayth he is certaine to go immediatly to Heauen without suffering any temporall paynes for his former Sinnes or without making restiturion for the iniustice losses and wronges by him proffered to others Now this doctrine I say much encourageth men to Sinne and the rather seeing their finall Saluation resteth only but vpon a bare act of fayth and beliefe which they maintayne euer to be in the power of the faythfull to performe So little eare they giue to those wordes of Holy Scripture spoken of the state of the man cast in prison wherby is shadowed the soule in Purgatory (a) Math. 5. Non exibis inde donec reddas nouissimum quadrantem 10. The deniall of Auricular Confession of our sinnes in like sort much harteneth a man to sinne seeing by that doctrine he is taught that it is sufficient to confesse them in hart only to God whereas on the contrary to belieue that God hath appointed that there are certaine men allotted by him in his Church to heare all particular sinnes
I will exemplify it in the most facinorous crimes that may be as Sodomy Adultery Fornication Murther Theft and the like May not the Workers of such Impieties and particularly these Sodomits or Gomorreans of London thus apologize for themselues euen from the Principles of their owne Religion and this in their chiefe Maysters owne wordes First may they not thus reply We want Freewill in all our actions and therefore what we haue committed we could not but commit but punishment is not in any sort due to actions proceeding from an absolute Necessity or Stoicall fatum for we read (e) So Luther aboue in assert damnat per Leonem Act. â—6 It is not in our power to thinke euill or good but all things proceed from absolute necessity Secondly (f) Luth. aboue in sermone de Moyse the Ten Commandements appertayne not vnto Christians And therfore though what we haue committed be prohibited by the Commandements yet we Christians are not commanded to forbeare the violating of the said Commandements vnder any penalty or punishment Thirdly what is committed is no Sinne in vs for we know we are of the number of the faythfull therfore we are good for Luther teacheth vs (g) Luther in his sermons englished pag. 178. that a faythfull man worketh nothing but good workes neither can it be but good which he being good befâ—re shall do Agayne we belieue and therefore we cannot sinne for Luther hath taught vs that as nothing iustifyeth but only fayth so nothing sinneth but want of beliefe Fourthly Admit it be a Sinne yet it is no Sinne in vs but in God and therfore we are wholly excused therein as being but Gods bare Instruments therein for we are taught (h) Luther aboue tom 1. de prouidentia Dei pag. 166. That God moueth the these to kil the theefe is inforced to sinne And further that i The adultery of Dauid was the worke of God Now if these actions be of God (e) So Melancth aboue in Rom. 8. they are so farre from being Sinnes as that they are good (k) Genes 1. for all things which God made are good Fiftly admit it be a sinne in vs yet it is no greater then any other Sinne though it be tragically amplifyed by our Enemies for Caluin teacheth and we belieue That (l) Caluin supr in Antidot Concil Trident. All Sinnes are equall Sixthly if there be any Sinne in vs yet it is but a veniall sinne in vs and therefore easily pardonable for we are taught that (m) D. Wotton aboue in his Answere to the late Popish Articles pag. 92. 841. to the faythful of which number we assuredly are the sinne is pardoned assoone as it is committed Seauenthly admit our sinne be a mortall or grieuous Sinne in vs yet it is in no sort preiudiciall to vs for eyther euery one of vs is already without preuision of any workes euen from our mothers wombe reprobated to daÌ„nation or predestinated to saluation as (n) Caluin â—boue 〈◊〉 Instit l. 3. cap. 13. sect 6. Caluin assureth vs if reprobated then this our Sinne no way furthereth or causeth our damnation seeing that was decreed from all eternity without any respect of our liues and conuersation If predestinated then can neither this our Sinne nor any other how flagitious Sin soeuer hinder or preuent vs of our saluation Eightly admit it to be a Sinne in vs yet we are more to be pittied then rebuked seeing we are taught that the (o) Illyric aboue cited de Origin peccati Kemnitius aboue cited Image of God is wholly obliterated in vs all our fayre impressions are extinct and that euen the regenerate and holy man is nothing els but meere Corruption and contagion Now here then can any man expect to gather grapes of thornes or figges of thisteles Matth. 7. Lastly let our Sinne be what it wil be great or small yet no detriment touching our saluation can it bring to vs who are true belieuers for our perpetrating of it Seeing we are taught that a (p) Luth. vbi supr in captiuit Babil fol. 74. Christian man is so rith that he cannot lose his Saluation by any sinnes how great soeuer except he will not belieue And further it being in our power at any tyme to exercise an act fayth how can eyther this or that Sinne hurt vs seeing D. Whitakers assureth vs that (q) D. Whitak aboue in l. de Eccles contra Bellar. coÌ„trouers 2. q. 5. pag. 301. Siquis actum fidei habet ei peccata non nocent Sinnes cannot hurt him who produceth an Act of fayth So certaine it is as our owne brethren do teach that (r) See Acts and monuments printed anno 1563. pag. 488. We cannot be damned except Christ be damned with vs. And as for suffering any temporall paines for the expiating of sinne after our death before we come to Heauen it is but a iest to surmize any such thing since we wholly account the doctrine of Purgatory a meere forgery or fable Thus far now may the greatest sinners that are proceed in defence of their wickednes euen from the head Theoremes and Principles of their owne Religion O execrable Monsters did Christ thinke you incarnate himselfe and suffer death for the taking away of the Sinnes of the world and yet would institute and leaue behind him a Religion for all men vpon their soules saluation to follow which should patronize villany and Sinne in the highest degree But now let vs cast our eye vpon some other of the premises mentioned in the beginning and recall to mynd what is aboue deliuered by our Aduersaries touching the depressing and vilifying of vertue and godlines of life And heer now I demand that considering it is a most nauseous and vngratefull thing and naturally crosse to mans disposition to spend his tyme in laborious and painefull workes of vertue if so there be no rewards as pleasing Allectiues proposed to him for such his endeauours Heere I say I demand as aboue in part I did though I heer iterate it for the better imprinting of it in the memory of the Reader how such a man belieuing the former doctrines can with any alacrity practise good workes or be sollicitous to lead a regular and pious life when before hand he is persuaded by his owne doctrines viz. 1. That * Read the Authorities aboue set downe touching all theese seuerall branches of this Periode or Paragraphe Prayer is needles and vnprofitable 2. That a man labour he neuer so much in vertue cannot become truly vertuous but onely imputatiuely lust or vertuous 3. That the practise of Chastity Pouerty Obedience and fasting are not pleasing to God 4. That all good workes God iudging them are mortall sins 5. That we are not obliged to keepe the Ten Commandements 6. That Good workes are not only not necessary to fayth and saluation but hurtfull thereto 7. That one worke is not better then another and that to wash
dishes is as good as to be an Apostle 8. That these workes which we call good workes are not our workes seeing we want freewill to performe them but that God only vseth vs as dead Instruments or as the writer vseth the pen as an insensible Instrument wherby he writes in all such operations-To conclude 9. That all the Rewards in Holy Scripture proposed for the exercise of good workes are not truly and sincerely intended by God to be giuen to the practizers of the said good workes but are only amplifications of words aboue the reall and true measure of Gods meaning Thus we see how our Aduersaries doctrines by disualewing the dignity of good workes are no lesse potent in the belieuers thereof to induce them to forbeare the practise of vertue sanctity piety thē they are forcible through their lesning of the atrocity of Sinne to encourage men to the perpetration of all abominable and most detestable Sinnes crimes that can be imagined Now who shall deeply consider the different Natures of these two different doctrines of our Aduersaries I meane of blandishing Vice and dishonouring of Vertue will the lesse maruaile how Luther and other first broachers of their Religion could in so small a tyme inuade with these their most pestilent Heresyes so many Countries in Europe The reason hereof is in that their doctrines in respect of their multiplicity may well be compared to a Magazine or great Warehouse furnished with all diuersity of merchandise and wares sorting to ech mans state or condition of life to buy as of Silkes Cloath Wines Oyles c. So Luthers doctrine is so various so choyce and so select as that it was made fit and apt to meet with euery mans different humour appetite For example 1. Is he a Prince King or State that would aduance by any vniust meanes the greatnes of his Signiories Then is he by our Aduersaries taught that he may take into his hands all Bishoprickes Ecclesiasticall liuings and lands of Monasteries and other Religious houses as our (*) Gen. 10. Nemrod of this age I meane King Henry the eight and some other Protestant Princes following haue done For this King Henry made accordingly an vtter depredation and spoile of Monasteries impropriating their liuings to himselfe and his Parasytes 2. Is he a dissolute religious man and weary of performing the rigid austerity of his vndertaken life Then may he by these mēs doctrine breake out of his Cloyster and cast of his habit and inworld himselfe agayne in all temporalities 3. Is he a loose Priest and will not lead a chast and continent life He is heer catechized that he may lawfully mary 4. Is he marryed and yet eyther the Husband or the wyfe as being weary one of the other would seeke to be diuorced Then may he or she lawfully pretend diuers impediments as of impotency incontinency absence and others aboue mentioned for diuorce and presently mary agayne 5. Is he of the Laity of that height of pride and elation of mynd as that he cānot or will not brooke to liue in subiection or to acknowledge any soueraingty He is aboue indoctrinated that now among Christians there ought to be no Magistrates or Princes at all 6. Is he of the Protestant Clergy and yet scornes to be vnder his Diocesan or any other He is thereof disinthralled by the doctrine of the Parity of Ministers 7. Is he a Man Theathralis that affects to haue many followers for stamping preaching of strange and new doctrines and this without any controule He may then alledge the priuiledge of the reuealing Spirit and Extraordinary Vocation 8. Is he of a couetous and muddy disposition not caring by what iniust and base wayes he may increase his stocke and siluer Then he may be warranted to practise Vsury and so to breed vpon siluer 9. Is he of a fearefull conscience and resteth doubtfull of some temporall punishment to hang ouer his head for his former finnes though forgiuen him He may be freed from all such feare by the denyall of the doctrine of Purgatory and by belieuing that no tēporall punishment is reserued for man after the Sinne is once forgiuen 10. Is he willing to wallow in al turpitude of wickednes and enormous life whyles he breatheth in this world and this without all feare and change of colours He may by the doctrine of his iustifying fayth certainty of Predestination assure himselfe as is aboue sayd that he cannot be damned except Christ be damned with him 11. Finally is he so plunged in sinne by a continuall custome as that by reason of the infinitenes of his sinnes he may doubt himselfe to be of the number of the Reprobate Let him for feare he should forsake sinning remember that he is taught that a change from a vitious to a vertuous life cannot hinder Reprobation So crafty we see was the serpent for from him all the former Theoremes originally streamed so to poyson Luther and the first Gospellers with such choyce and variety of Heresyes as might seuerally suite to seuerall mens estates conditions dispositions And thus accordingly we may heere obserue that the foresaid doctrines of Luther and his Compartners speake to euery man in that Dialect or language in which he would haue them O had Sardanapalus the King who became a prey to all sensuality or Epicurus the Philosopher who theorically placed mans chiefest felicity good in voluptuousnes and pleasure liued in this our age how much by imbracing of many of these former Principles might they haue better warrāted their proceedings So true is that censure of Osiander the Protestant saying * This is reported by Sleydan englished l. 22. Anno 1550. fol. 3. 58. Luther and Melancthon haue compiled a Diuinity which sauoureth more of the flesh then of the spirit Now if by way of recrimination following this methode it be obiected by any as by diuers Puritanes it already hath beene obiected that the Papists teach that the Pope can aforehand giue pardon for the most atrocious Sinne as for murthering heerafter of Princes or by his Indulgences can pardon any Sinne before it be committed Which doctrines say they much open the way for the perpetration of many most great Sins seeing the workers of them are by thes doctrines assured that such their sinnes are forgiuen them before they be committed To this I answere that heer is wonderfull mistaking proceeding eyther from ignorance or malice for not any Catholike doth so teach or belieue Therfore to take away this foolish absurd stumbling blocke let the Puritan and all others know that the Catholike Religion teacheth that the Pope can no more giue liberty to a man hereafter for to sinne or can aforehand forgiue a sinne hereafter to be committed then he can create a new world For the Catholike doctrine is that the Obiect of the Sacrament of Penance is a Sinne already committed the guilt of which Sinne I meane the eternall punishment of