in his former life without which God is not wont to lay his hand so heauily vpon any o Job 4. 7. Remember I pray thee saith he who euer perished being an innocent or where were the vpright destroyed This hee amplifieth and prosecuteth vnto the end of that Chapter and then saith to the same effect againe Call now if any will answere thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne thereby willing him to aske and enquire whether there were any that could tell that euer any of the Saints any iust and vpright man had tasted of that misery that was now lying vpon him To the same purpose Bildad also afterwards saith p Cap. 8. 8. Enquire I pray thee of the former age and prepare thy selfe to search of their Fathers shall not they teach thee and tell thee and vtter the words of their heart c. Behold God will not cast away an vpright man This being manifestly the drift and purpose of these wordes and nothing appearing whereby to draw them to inuocation of Saints wee must thinke M. Bishop to be very destitute of proofe that would apply them to that end neither can they serue thereto because of all the Saints departed we must conceiue the same then that expresly we reade of some p Esa 63. 16. Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not The words are somewhat otherwise expounded by Gregory Bâ—shop of Rome but yet so as that for inuocation of Saints he findeth nothing in them He referreth the first part to God the other part to liuing Saints such as Dauid speaketh of q Psal 16. 3. My delight is vpon the Saints that are in the earth as if Eliphaz had told Iob that he neglected their company in his prosperity and therefore that now in his affliction they yeelded no helpe or comfort to him r Greg. Moral l. 5. cap 31. Ac si apertè dicat Quaâ— tumlibet afflictus clames Deum tibi respondentem non habes quia vox cum in tribulatione non inuenit quem mens in tranquillitate contempsit Vbi adhuc deridenâ—o subiungit Et ad aliquem Sanctorum conuertere acsi despiciens dicat Sanctos quoque inuenire in afflictione adiutores noÌ„ vales quos habere socios in â—ilaritaâ—e roluisti He saith Call if there be any to answere thee as if he plainly said Howsoeuer in thy affliction thou crie yet thou findest not God to answere thee because the prayer findeth not him in trouble whom the minde in tranquillity hath despised Where yet further in derision hee addeth saith he And turne thee to any of the Saints as if by way of despight he said Thou canst not finde the Saints thy helpers in affliction whom thou wouldest not haue for thy companions in thy mirth and welfare In a word we finde not in the words that Iob was counsailed to pray to Saints neither doe we finde it any where else that Iob followed any such counsell neither is there any example of any other of those Fathers that they did so and therefore neither in this can M. Bishop finde their religion in the Fathers The next matter is concerning Merit and Free-will for which he bringeth two texts which are already wrested from him being by himselfe Å¿ Of Free-will Sect. 10. 11. before alleaged and by me fully answered But yet obserue briesly how well they make for that for which he alleageth them If thou doe well saith God to Cain shalt thou not receiue His argument hence must be this He that doth well shall receiue therefore he meriteth that which he shall receiue It followeth not because that which he receiueth is of the bountifulnesse of the giuer not of the merit or desert of workes as through the whole question of merits I haue declared at large Such is his other argument from those wordes of Moses t Deut. 30. 19. I haue set before you life and death choose life that thou maiest liue by louing the Lord thy God c. For God thus setting life before vs doth not tell vs what we by right deserue but what it is his pleasure to giue to those that loue and obey him We choose life by louing the Lord our God and obeying him and cleauing vnto him but in all this wee doe but our duty and cannot presume to merit any thing thereby No better successe hath he for Free-will albeit in that manner as he propoundeth it we deny it not for wee grant that man hath by Gods grace free-will to doe good works we deny only that free-will which they hold as a power of nature and not the effect of the grace of God whereby man himselfe doth something for himselfe beside that which God doth We doe well who denyeth it but it is only of the grace of God that we doe well We choose life it is true but it is of the gift of God that we choose life u August de Praedest sanct cap. 10. Ipse sacit vt illi saciant quae praecepit Who maketh vs to doe those things saith St. Austin which he hath commanded to be done As for that which M. Bishop saith that power is giuen to the wicked to doe well if they will it is an absurd speech because they cannot will till God worke in them to will neither can they haue any power to doe well vntill they haue the will For the forbearing of outward hainous acts we deny not but that God hath left in man euen in the wicked some power of free-will else in vaine were all lawes and admonitions neither could there continue any society amongst men Be it that the wordes cited by M. Bishop doe yeeld so much to Cain but to the conuerting of the heart to the inward renewing of the soule to the embracing of the loue of righteousnesse to true repentance faith obedience the will of man hath nothing at all but what is wrought in it by the grace of God But of all these things I haue spoken so fully before that it is not fit here to stand vpon them any more For workes of supererogation he is faine to betake himselfe to the ceremoniall law of Moses thereby leauing vs to take it as of his owne confession that before that time which was the space of two thousand and almost fiue hundred yeares the Church of God knew no such and hereuppon to conclude that because they stood only in ceremonies which were not meerely for themselues to bee reckoned in the number of good workes therefore the ceremoniall law being abolished in Christ those workes of supererogation must therein haue an end But the workes of supererogation which they maintaine and whereof I spake are workes of the morall law the precepts and righteousnesse whereof hath concerned the whole Church from the beginning and before the written law and therefore which must needes haue beene found in the Church from the beginning if there were in them that righteousnesse
and firme assurance to which purpose the Apostles vsed these wordes to the Lord Encrease our faith And to this agreeth that which Oecumenius saith l Oecumen in Rom. 3. Hoc Dâ—◠〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 nâ—m 〈…〉 tate excedentis ex sola videlicet fide nos peccatis ianc mortuos viuisicarâ—aâ— sâ—scitare c. Verùm ad quid viuisicatur inquit qui credidit Ad perfectâ—ssimam fide immutabiâ—e habitus fortitudinem Nam ex side in fidem est viuificatio This is the property of the iustice of God exceeding the kindnesse of man euen by faith only to quicken and raise vs vp that are dead in sinnes And whereto is he quickened that hath beleeued To most perfict faith and vnchangeable strength of the habit thereof For our quickening is from faith to faith Here is then the iustice of God that is the iustification of man before God described by the Apostle that it beginneth with faith and goeth forward by faith and is more and more to be apprehended by increase and growth of faith It is begunne by faith only and because the proceeding and perfecting thereof is according to the beginning from faith to faith therefore it is consummate and perfect in faith only And this phrase of speech the holy Ghost seemeth to haue directed purposely against the errour of the Papists who though they acknowledge the beginning of iustification to be by faith yet determine the processe and perfection thereof to consist in workes so that our iustification with them is not according to the wordes of the Apostle from faith to faith but contrary to the doctrine of the Apostle from faith to workes m Bellarm. Recognit lib. de Iustificat Charitas verè absolutè formalis iustitia est c. fides propriè simplicitèr iustificat per modum dispositionis forâ— malitèr autem simplicitèr absolutè non iustiâ— ficat Charity saith Bellarmine is truly and absolutely formall righteousnesse faith properly and simply iustifieth in manner of a disposition but simply and absolutely it doth not iustifie formally And againe n IdeÌ„ Recog lib. de Grat. lib. Arbit QuaÌ„uis fides spes necessariò requirantur ad iustificationem tameÌ„ id quod verissimè proprijssimèque iustificat tanquam vnica formalis causa charitas est Although faith and hope be necessarily required to iustification yet charity is it which most truly and properly iustifieth as the only formall cause So then where the Apostle saith that o Rom. 3. 22. the righteousnesse of God is by the faith of Iesus Christ and that p Vers 30. God iustifieth by faith we must thinke that he speaketh vnproperly he speaketh not formally neither doth he name that wherein the iustification of man most truly consisteth Thus doe they take vpon them as the old Heretikes did to be q Iren. lib. 3. cap. 1. Audent dicere gloriantes emendatores se esse Apostolorum correctours of the Apostles to reforme their ouersights and to better their termes and phrases euen where they speake most vniformely and constantly to deliuer the doctrine of true faith But we will not hearken to them nor be led by them but rather take that which the Apostle teacheth vs that the iustification before God which is taught vs by the Gospell is from faith to faith that it beginneth in faith and continueth in faith and from the beginning to the end consisteth in faith only And hereto agreeth that which the Apostle saith elsewhere r Gal 2. 16. We who are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not iustified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen we haue beleeued in Christ that we might or may be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the law because by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified Where wee see the processe of iustification plainly described as we haue said from faith to faith the Apostle professing to haue beleeued in Christ not thenceforth to be iustified by workes as Popery teacheth but to be iustified by faith because being now beleeuers they knew that by the workes of the law no flesh should be iustified And this meaning is further confirmed by the proofe which the Apostle bringeth of the wordes whereof we speake Å¿ Habac. 2 4. as it is written saith he The iust shall liue by faith For although those wordes of the Prophet doe seeme to attribute iustification and life to faith yet no otherwise doe they inferre it to be from faith to faith but in that sort as I haue said Certaine it is that but by faith no man can attaine to be called a iust man and therefore in the very name of the iust is an implication of faith The Prophet then teacheth that a man being by faith become a iust man is not thenceforth to expect life by his iustice but to goe on from faith to faith the iust saith he shall liue not by his iustice but by his faith For this cause doth he expresse it not by the present The iust doth liue as the vulgar corruptly readeth but by the future tense The iust shall liue by faith as to note that the iustice of God that is the iustice for which God accepteth and iustifieth vs as it beganne so proceedeth euen to the attainement of euerlasting life not by workes but by faith only And of all this we haue a notable example in our father Abraham who is set before vs as the patterne and example of all the faithfull of whom after that t Gen. 12. 1. 2 c. Heb. 11. 8. by faith he had obeyed God to goe out of his owne Countrey and had wrought many workes of iustice and righteousnesse yet to shew this continuation of the righteousnesse of God from faith to faith it is said u Gen. 15. 6. Abraham beleeued the Lord and hee counted that to him for righteousnesse He was not first iustified by faith to be afterwards iustified by workes but still his faith was it for which he was reputed righteous in the sight of God By all this then we see a direct opposition betwixt the doctrine of the ancient Roman Church and the doctrine of the Papists The Papists say that the righteousnesse of God beginneth with faith but the perfection thereof is in workes and that it consisteth most properly and truly in the righteousnesse of works and that the iust man though he become iust by faith yet must afterwards with God be iustified and attaine to life by workes But the old Church of Rome was farre otherwise minded that iustification before God beginneth in faith and is determined in faith and that the iust man be he neuer so iust must liue not by his iustice but by his faith it being true of iust men as Hierome telleth vs which is said x Hieron adu Pelag. l 2. Pro
viâ—tus tempus locus operandi suppetit tantò quis operatur quaÌ„tò Deum nouerat tantuÌ„ se nosse Deum indicat quantum pro Deo bona operatur c. Vnusquisque qui in hoc vitae exercitio versatur tantum credit quantum sperat amat tantum operatur quantum credit amat sperat also Gregory Bishop of Rome We finde saith he that faith hope charity and good workes so long as here we liue are equall in vs. For looke how much we beleeue so much also we loue and how much we loue so much we presume of hope Of faith and workes also St. Iohn confisseth saying He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar For the knowledge of God appertaineth to faith the keeping of the Commandements to workes When therefore power and time and place of working serueth so much doth a man worke as he knoweth God and so much doth he shew himselfe to know God as he worketh good things for Gods sake To be short euery one saith he that is conuersant in this exercise of life beleeueth so much as he hopeth and loueth and looke how much he beleeueth hopeth loueth so much he worketh These wordes are plaine enough and yet the wordes of Sixtus the third if that bee his which they haue lately published vnder his name are somewhat more plaine p Sixt. 3. Epist de malis Doctor oper fidei c. Biblioth sanct Patrum tom 5. Intelligere noâ— norunt vbicunque fidei fructus non sit illâ—â— quoque nec ipsam fidem esse credendam Caeterùm quis prudens addubitet vbi fides sit illâ—â— esse â—â—morem vbi timor sit illic esse obedientiam vbi obedientia sit illiâ— esse iâ—stitiam sicut â— contâ—ario vbi iustitia non sit illic nec obedientiam nec timorem esse nec fidem Ita enim haec sibi inuicâ—m sociata atque connexa sunt vt diuisa penitus esse non possint Wheresoeuer is not the fruit of faith saith he it is not to be beleeued that there is faith What wise man doubteth but that where faith is there is also feare and where feare is there is obedience and where obedience is there is righteousnesse as on the contrary where righteousnesse is not there is neither obedience nor feare nor faith For so are these coupled and ioyned togither as that they cannot in any wise be diuided The collection from these testimonies is very manifest neither neede I to declare it but very plainly we see the ancient doctrine of the Church of Rome according with ours and condemning as we doe the Popish separation that now is made betwixt faith and workes Thus then M. Bishops first conclusion is fallen to the ground and as for the second it deserueth not to be stood vpon because it is no wonder that faith auailed them nought nor saued them from the wrath of God in whom it appeareth by that that hath beene said that there was no faith CHAP. IX That the iustification of man before God is the imputation of righteousnesse without workes ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE THe Apostle in expresse termes affirmeth imputation of righteousnesse without vvorkes c. to Paul teacheth that eternall life c. W. BISHOP WE hold with the Apostle that workes be not the cause of the first iustification whereof he there treateth nor to deserue it though inspired with Gods grace they doe prepare vs and make vs fit to receiue the gift of iustification neither doe the Protestants wholly exclude vvorkes from this iustification when they doe require true repentance which consisteth of many good workes as necessary thereto We hold that iustice is increased by good workes which we call the second iustification against which the Apostle speaketh not a word but doth confirme it when he saith in the same Epistle Not the hearers of Rom. 2. vers 13. the law are iust with God but the doers of the law shall bee iustified Marke how by doing of the law which is by doing good workes men are iustified with God and not only declared iust before men as the Protestants glose the matter Now touching imputation of See the place Rom. 4. vers 6. righteousnesse the Apostle speaketh not like a Protestant of the outward imputation of Christs iustice to vs but of inherent iustice to wit of faith which worketh by charity which are qualities powred into our hearts Rom. 6. by the holy Ghost so that there is only a bare sound of wordes for the Protestants the true substance of the Text making wholly for the Catholikes R. ABBOT CVrsed is the glosse they say that corrupteth the Text but more accursed is the glosse which to corrupt the text dissembleth and concealeth the wordes of it I set downe the imputation of righteousnesse without works all in a speciall letter as the wordes of the Apostle M. Bishop in that speciall letter setteth downe imputation of righteousnesse and no more but without workes he addeth in the common letter as if they were mine only and not the Apostles wordes knowing that his deuoted Reader who hee knew would not looke into the Text it selfe should hereby faile to see both the force of the words and the simplenesse of his answere And with the like fraud it is that in the margent of his answere he setteth downe see the place Rom. 4. vers 6. as to insinuate to his Reader that if he see the place he shall there see somewhat for his turne whereas hee knoweth that his Catacatholikes for whose sakes hee writeth to keepe his credit with them would hold it sacriledge for them to goe about to see the place for feare least the handling of the new Testament should make them turne Protestants neither durst hee set downe the wordes himselfe least they should euen by this text grow to suspicion of his dealing with them But I will doe that for him which he himselfe durst not doe the words of the Apostle being these a Rom. 4. 5. 6. To him that worketh not that is saith Photius b Phot. apud Oecumen in Rom. 4. Ei qui ab operibus siduciam non habet to him who hath no confidence by workes but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse euen as Dauid pronounceth the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne In which wordes wee see how the Apostle affirmeth accordingly as I said an imputation of righteousnesse without workes which he expresseth to be the reputing of faith for righteousnesse for that thereby we obtaine remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes To this M Bishop answereth that they hold with the Apostle that workes be not the cause of the first iustification nor doe deserue it though inspired
because he findeth nothing in himselfe or in his owne works to helpe himselfe doth therefore betake himselfe to Iesus Christ that through faith he may finde in him that iustification which is the imputation of righteousnesse without workes Thus is q Gal. 3. 24. the law our Schoole-master vnto Christ that we may be iustified by faith For r Rom. 3. 20. by the law is the knowledge of sinne Å¿ Rom. 4. 15. the law worketh wrath the law maketh it to appeare that t Rom. 3. 23. all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God This true repentance beleeueth and acknowledgeth and thereupon flyeth to the Sanctuarie which God hath prouided u Vers 24. Wee are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be an attonement or reconciliation through faith in his bloud As for the good workes which M. Bishop saith are contained in true repentance they are the fruits of repentance not the parts of it or rather the effects of that faith whereby repentance becommeth true repentance x August Epist 120. Ex hoc quippe incipiunt opera bona ex quo iustificamur non quia prâ—â—esserunt iustificamur hauing their beginning then when we are iustified not going before that we should be iustified thereby Now what they hold concerning the second iustification it skilleth not to vs we know they hold many things which they might very well let goe He telleth vs that the Apostle speaketh not a word against it and we tell him that it is a sufficient reason for vs to denie it because the Apostle treating purposely and at large of iustification saith not a word for it Albeit it is vntrue which he saith that the Apostle saith not a word against it because he defineth as I haue shewed the iustification of the iust and godly man to whom they referre their second iustification to be the imputation of righteousnesse without workes As for the wordes of the Apostle which he alleageth y Rom. 2. 13. Not the hearers of the law are iust with God but the doers of the law shall be iustified they are farre from the intendment of their second iustification The Apostle though he speake not of their first and second iustification yet speaketh of two kinds of iustification the one presumed of man the other taught and giuen of God the one pertaining to the Law the other to the Gospell the one by workes the other by faith The Iewes presumed of iustification by the workes of the law they greatly gloried in their name and in the law they attributed much to themselues aboue all other for hauing the vse and knowledge of it and thought the Gentiles in that behalfe much inferiour vnto them But the Apostle telleth them that z Vers 11. there is no respect of persons with God and therefore if they sinned no prerogatiues otherwise could acquit them from his wrath For as on the one side a Vers 12. as many as haue sinned without the law saith he shall perish also without the law so on the other side as many as haue sinned in the law shall be iudged by the law that is shall receiue that iudgement that is pronounced by the law For confirmation whereof he addeth the words which M. Bishop citeth b Vers 13. For the hearers of the law are not iust before God but the doers of the law shall be iustified thereby signifying that to haue the law or to bee formall and zealous in the hearing of it is not that that sufficeth to make a man righteous with God and if any man would bee iustified by the law he must be a doer of it but if he were a trespasser and sinned against the law hee could not bee iustified thereby For the voice of the law is c Gal. 3. 12. He that doth these things shall line therein and d Rom. 10. 5. Moses thus describeth the righteousnesse of the law e Leuit. 18. 5. that the man that doth these things shall liue therein Which doing to what measure and perfection it must extend is to be knowen by that sentence which the Apostle reciteth out of the law f Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them It is true then that the doers of the law shall be iustified who denyeth it but they only are doers of the law which continue to doe all things that are written in the law What is here then to M. Bishops second iustification when as this iustification by the law requireth the doing of all and of vs euen the best it is true that g Jam. 3. 2. in many things we offend all and that h Eccles 7. 22. there is not a man iust vpon the earth that doth good and sinneth not Yea how crosly doth he deale that whereas the Apostle vseth these wordes to conuince i Rom. 3. 9. the Iewes of sinne and to beate downe their pride in opinion of righteousnesse by the law he alleageth them to vphold himselfe in the same pride and to defend thereby iustification by the law Marke saith he how by doing of the law men are iustified with God It is true M. Bishop and be you a doer of the law and you shall be iustified thereby But take heede least whilest you take vpon you to be a doer of the law there be found sinne in you If there be sinne in you you are not a doer but a trespasser of the law and must feare the reward of sinne and k â—â—m 6. 23. the reward of sinne is death That made the Apostle say that l Gal. 3. 10. so many as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse m Cap. 5. 4. they being voided from Christ and fallen from grace whosoeuer are iustified by the law Therefore he desâ—red for himselfe that n 〈◊〉 3. 9. he might be found in Christ not hauing his owne righteousnesse which is of the law but the righteousnesse which is by the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God through faith euen that which he calleth in the place here questioned the imputation of righteousnesse without workes But touching imputation of righteousnesse M. Bishop saith that the Apostle speaketh not like a Protestant of the outward imputation of Christs iustice vnto vs but of inherent iustice Where it is much to be obserued to what good issue this exposition sorteth and how reasonably it standeth with the Apostles wordes For if the imputation of righteousnesse be as he saith the imputation of inherent righteousnesse then surely because inherent righteousnesse is the righteousnesse of workes it must needes follow that the Apostle by the imputation of righteousnesse without workes doth meane the imputation of the righteousnesse of workes without workes Which interpretation because hee saw it could bee taken
there is no shadow of likelyhood that one should tell the Pope such a tale to his face or that Erasmus being in most points a Catholike would report it But for the inducing of his Reader to this opinion see a trick of this honest man For if he had truly quoted the place as he found it by me set downe he thought his Reader would perhaps looke the place and so would finde it to be as I had said But to preuent this whereas I had noted in the margent Erasm de rat Concion lib. 3. hee setteth downe in steede thereof Erasmus de ratione that the Reader vvhen he should search for such a booke of Erasmus and finde no such written by him might thinke me to be as very a cozener as Doctor Bishop himselfe now is found to be Let me tell him once againe that Erasmus hath written a vvorke entituled Ecclesiastes or de ratione Concionandi in g Pag. 291. as it was printed at Basil by Frobenius 1535. the third booke whereof he hath left to future memory those vvorthy stories of Robertus Liciensis which I haue before reported For conclusion of this passage he termeth me a poore Robin simple and poore-blinde that can finde nothing in the Apostles writings for their Catholike cause telling vs that he hath shewed the contrary already and will further shew it in those very points which I my selfe haue made choise of But what he hath done already we haue seene it remaineth to examine the rest that follow that it may appeare whether the simple Protestants doe well or not in taking the Apostle St. Paul to be wholly for them W. BISHOP §. 2. TO beginne with the first there is plaine testimony that we are iustified before God by workes which I cited before VVith God the doers of the law shall be Rom. 2. vers 13. iustified There is much for free-will witnesse this Let not sinne therefore raigne in your mortall body Ibid. 6. vers 12. 13. that you obey the concupiscence thereof but neither doe you exhibite your members instruments of iniquity vnto sinne but exhibite your selues to God of dead men aliue and your members instruments of iustice to God for sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for you are not vnder the law but vnder grace See how the Apostle maketh it in the power and will of euery man indued with Gods grace either to doe well or to doe euill and that sinne hath no such dominion ouer them but that they may doe well if they will concurre with Gods grace Item that it is not grace which doth all but a man must worke with grace and exhibite the powers of his soule as instruments towards the producing of good workes which is flatly our doctrine of free-will And before we depart from this matter of iustification as M. Abbot doth very quickly you shall heare more of it out of the same Apostle he teacheth expresly that a man in the state of grace may fulfill the law in these wordes For that which was impossible to the law Ibid. cap. 8. v. 3. in that it was weakned by flesh God sending his Sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne euen of sinne damned sinne in the flesh that the iustification of the law might bee fulfilled in vs who walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit Which is seconded in the thirteenth Chapter where he concludeth loue to be the fulnesse of the law hauing Ibid. v. 9. 10. before said that he who loueth his neighbour fulfilleth the law And as for that certainty of saluation which many Protestants bragge of the Apostle doth wholly dispossesse them of it first in the place before cited where he willeth them that stand right in the true Rom. 11. ver 20. faith to beware that they fall not and assureth them that they shall fall as others had done before them if they did not diligently looke vnto it Elsewhere he aduiseth vs with feare and trembling to worke our Philip. 2. ver 12. saluation Marke how two points of the Protestant doctrine be wounded in one sentence and two of ours confirmed both that we must worke our saluation it comes not then by only faith and that with feare and trembling we are not then assured of it before hand by the certainty of faith which excludeth all feare and doubt of it Now that we ought to haue a firme hope of saluation S. Paul teacheth vs VVe haue accesse through faith Rom. 5. vers 2. into this his grace wherein we stand and glory in the hope of the Sonnes of God Also For by hope we Ibid. 8. vers 24. are saued Item we giue thanks to God c. for the Clooss 1. vers 5. hope that is laid vp for you in heauen With whom S. Peter consorteth Blessed be God and the Father of 1. Pet. 1. vers 3. our Lord Iesus Christ who according to his great mercy hath regenerated you into a liuely hope vnto an incorruptible crowne c. laid vp in heauen Not to prosecute all the particular points of iustification which haue euery one good ground in the Apostle S. Paul as in that question may be seene the very faith whereby Abraham was and we are iustified is no such kinde of faith as the Protestants claime to be iustified by that is by an apprehension and drawing of Christs righteousnesse to themselues but that faith whereby we beleeue all things to be true which God hath reuealed as S. Paul declareth in the fourth to the Romans where he reporteth Abraham Rom. 4. vers 19. to haue beene iustified by beleeuing that God according to his promise would giue him a Sonne and make him the Father of many nations so that finally there is not a word in S. Paul which in his owne meaning maketh for any one peece of the Protestants iustification but heapes of testimonies for euery branch of iustification as we beleeue it R. ABBOT H 〈…〉 M. Bishop beginneth to muster his abundance of 〈◊〉 like an armie of men whereof some want aâ—mes some legges some looke another way some turne quite about and fight against him He setteth downe a number of places but whether they hit or crosse or come short what careth he let the Reader looke to that He saith they proue this or that but how they proue it id populus curet scilicet he is too busie to trouble himselfe about it As for example There is plaine testimony saith he that we are iustified before God by workes namely a Rom. 2. 13. with God the doers of the law shall be iustified But it doth not follow that because the doers of the law shall be iustified with God therefore we are iustified before God by workes because it doth not appeare that we are doers of the law Let him put in for his minor proposition But we are doers of the law and then his absurdity appeareth because
it is manifest and our consciences force vs to confesse that we are not doers of the law For to be a doer of the law requireth the doing of all that the law commandeth to be done For b Iam. 2. 10. he that keepeth the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is guilty of all that is he is a transgressour of the law which commandeth all and because he is a transgressour of the law therefore cannot be called a doer of the law We therefore who are all transgressours of the law cannot be said to be doers of the law and because we are not doers of the law therefore cannot by the law be iustified before God And thus the Apostle telleth the Iewes that c Rom. 2. 13. not the hearers but the doers of the law shall be iustified but chargeth vpon them that they were d Vers 17. c. not doers of the law and groweth to this conclusion that e Chapt. 3. 9. all both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne and hence inferreth further f Vers 20. Therefore by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified in the sight of God Hath not M. Bishop now brought vs a goodly proofe that wee are iustified before God by workes when as the Apostle vseth those very wordes to enforce the contrary that we are not iustified by workes As handsomly doth he deale for the proofe of free-will There is much for free-will saith he witnesse this g Rom. 6. 12. 13. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that you obey the concupiscence thereof c. Hence he inferreth that it is in the power and will of euery man endued with Gods grace to doe well And who denieth but that it is so who maketh doubt but that the grace of God giueth vs a power and will to doe well The question only is whether there be in vs any such power of our selues which is not the effect of the grace of God Thereof we say with St. Austin h August de Peccat Merit Remiss l. 2. c. 18. LaboraÌ„t homines inuenire in nostra voluntate quid boni sit nostrum quod nobis non sit ex Deo quomodo inueniri possit ignorâ— Men labour to finde in our will what good is ours which is not in vs of God and how it may be found we doe not know Otherwise we deny not free-will for vve say that vve are i Rom. 6. 22. freed from sinne and that k Iohn 8. 36. the sonne of God doth make vs free We deny not the power and vvill to doe well for vve say that l Phil. 2. 13. God doth worke in vs both to will and to doe But because we say that God doth worke it in vs and God doth make vs free therefore vve deny Popish free-will vvhich is a faculty and power of nature vvhereby by an act of our owne vvhich is not of God wee apply our selues to the grace of God and adioyne our selues to vvorke vvith it He againe collecteth that sinne hath no such dominion ouer vs but that we may doe well if we will concurre with Gods grace True it is but still the issue is vvhence we haue this vvill or vvhose worke it is that we doe concurre vvith the grace of God We say as St. Austin saith m August in Psal 77. Gratia facit sibi cooperantem hominis spiritum in opere bonorum factorum It is the grace of God that maketh the spirit of man concurrent with it in the doing of good workes and vvith St. Bernard n Bernard de Grat. lib. Arbit Coadiutorem facit cùm facit volentem hoc est voluntati suae conseâ—ticuâ—em God maketh a man concurrent when he maketh him willing that is consenting to his will It is true then that man doth concurre vvith the grace of God but it is grace it selfe that vvorketh it in man to concurre vvith grace But to open himselfe further he saith that it is not grace which doth all but a man must worke with grace and exhibit the powers of his soule as instruments to the producing of good workes Where againe we admit the latter part of his wordes that we must worke with grace and exhibit the powers of our soules as instruments of good workes but we say againe that so to doe is the gift of God o Leo de ieiun ser 1. Vt in nobis formaÌ„ suae bonitatis inueniat dat vnde ipsi quoque quod operatur operamur Who saith Leo that he may finde the image of his goodnesse in vs giueth vs whence to worke or doâ— the same that he doth But in the first part of the words he bewraieth his hereticall meaning taken out of the schoole of Pelagius when he saith it is not grace that doth all For hereby he will haue it vnderstood that man hath somwhat of his owne which is not any worke of grace and that by this power which he hath naturally of himselfe he worketh with grace and exhibiteth the powers of his soule vnto good workes But Gregory Bishop of Rome was not of this minde who saith of the elect and faithfull p Gregor in Psal Poenit. 7. Qui nihil boni sibi sed totuÌ„ gratiae Dei tribuunt scientes se nihil habere quod non acceperunt hoc enim operatus est in eis qui vasa misericordiae â—ecit eos They attribute no good to themselues but all wholly to the grace of God knowing that they haue nothing which they haue not receiued for he hath wrought it in them who hath made them vessels of his mercy It is not grace that doth all saith M. Bishop â—â— the iust doe attribute all to grace saith Gregory See how well the doctrine of the new Church of Rome agreeth with the old What the old Church of Rome taught in this behalfe the same also we teach not that we haue a power of free-will in nature whereby we can follow whither grace doth leade but what Gregory saith of Paul the same is true in vs that q Gregor in Ezech. hom 9. Praeueniens gratia liberum in eo arbitrium fecerat in bono libero arbitrio eaÌ„dem gratiam est subsecutus in opere the preuenting grace of God maketh the will free in that that is good and then we by free-will doe in worke follow the same grace For r Idem Moral lib. 16. cap. 10. Superna pietas priùs agit in nobis aliquid sine nobis vt subsequente quoque nostro libero arbitrio bonum quod iam appetimus a gat nobiscum the heauenly grace saith he againe doth first of all without vs worke somewhat in vs which is that which St. Austin saith Å¿ Aug. de grat l. arbit c. 17. Vt velimus sine nobis operatur Without vs he worketh in vs to will and St. Bernard t Bernard de grat lib. arbit
him bring in Iacob 5. v. 14. the Priests of the Church and let them pray ouer them anoiling them with Oile in the name of our Lord c. Confesse therefore your sinnes one to Ibidem 16. another These and an hundred more plaine texts recorded in that fountaine of life wherein our Catholike Roman doctrine is deliuered in expresse tearmes to wit Thereall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament That Priests haue power to pardon sinnes That Christ built his Church vpon S. Peter That good workes doe in iustice deserue eternall life That we are iustified not by faith alone but also by good workes That in extremity of sicknesse wee must call for the Priest to anoile vs with holy Oile That we must confesse our sinnes not to God alone but also vnto men these and diuers such like heads of our Catholike faith formally set downe in holy Scripture the Protestants will not beleeue though they bee written in Gods word neuer so expresly but doe ransacke all the corners of their wits to deuise some â—dde shift or other how to flie from the euidence of them Whereupon I conclude that they doe not receiue all the written word though they professe neuer so much to allow of all the bookes of Canâ—nicall Scripture For the written word of God consisteth Lib. 2. de Trinitate ad Const not in the reading but in the vnderstanding as S. Hierome testifieth that is it doth not consist in the bare letter of it but in the letter and true sense and meaning ioyned togither the letter being as the body of Scripture and the right vnderstanding of it the soule spirit and life thereof he therefore that taketh not the written word in the true sense but swarueth from the sincere interpretation of it cannot be truly said to receiue the written word as a good Christian ought to doe Seeing then that the Protestants and all other sectaries doe not receiue the holy Scriptures according vnto the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition they may most iustly be denyed to receiue the sacred written word of God at all though they seeme neuer so much to approue all the Bookes Verses and Letters of it which is plainly proued by S. Hierome vpon the first Chapter to the Galathians R. ABBOT I Haue noted a §. â— before in this Chapter that St. Austin faith of the Prophets and faithfull of the people of the Iewes that though not in name yet in deede they were Christians as we are As they were Christians then with vs so are we now Iewes with them not according to M. Bishops vnderstanding of the name of Iewes to whom I may well say as Austin said to Iulian the Pelagian b August coÌ„â— Iulian. l. 4. c. 3. Cùm insana dicis rides phrenetico es similis When thou speakest madly and laughest thou art like to a frantike Bedlem but according to the Apostles construction thereof c Rom. 2. 29. He is a Iew which is one within and d Phil. 3. 3. we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and reioyce in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh We must be Iewes by vnity of faith with them as they were Christians with vs because they with vs and wee with them make but one body and one Church whereof though there be diuers Sacraments yet there is but one faith from the beginning to the end receiued first by the Patriarches written afterwards by the Prophets written againe more clearly by the Apostles so that e Ephes 2. 20. vpon the foundation not foundations but one foundation because one euen one written doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets the houshold of God are built and our faith resteth wholly thereupon I haue walked no rounds I haue broken through no brakes of thornes but haue kept a direct and euen way and haue so strongly builded all this as that I scorne M. Bishops poore paper-shot as much too weake to throw it downe To him I know these things are rounds and mazes he knoweth not which way to get out of them they are brakes of thornes he lyeth fast tyed in them God giue him grace to yeeld to that which he seeth himselfe vnable to reproue He is very angry it seemeth as touching the last point that I should say that the Protestants receiue and beleeue all the written word He saith that therein I begge that which is principally in question and thinketh that I haue little wit or iudgement to thinke that they would freely grant me that But our vsage and debating of questions with them is sufficient to put that out of question We vse the Scriptures our selues we translate them for common vse we reade and expound them publikely in our Churches we exhort men to reade them priuately in their houses wee instruct them to receiue no doctrine but what they see there wee make the same written word the soueraigne Iudge of all our controuersies wee defend the authority and sufficiency thereof against the impeachments and disgraces which Papists haue cast vpon it What may we doe more to make M. Bishop beleeue that we receiue and beleeue the written word Surely if I tell him that the Sunne shineth at noone day he will not beleeue it if it seeme to him to sound any thing against the Pope But he will giue instance to proue that we doe not so first for that we reiect diuers bookes of the old Testament Wherein he saith vntruly for the bookes of the old Testament are the bookes of Moses and the Prophets the Psalmes f August coÌ„t Gaudent lib 2. cap. 23. Non habent Judaei sicut legem Prophetas Psalmos quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquam testibus suis To which saith Austin our Lord Iesus gaue testimony as his witnesses of which we reiect none the other bookes that are adioyned to these we doe not reiect but we reade them and commend them yea we say as much of them as M. Bishop vouchsafeth to say of Pauls Epistles and the rest that they contayne many most diuine and rare instructions but yet we giue them no authority for confirmation of matters of faith because Christ and his Apostles haue giuen no testimony or witnesse of them and the primitiue Church in that respect hath expresly disclaimed them as I haue shewed at large g Of Traditions sect 17. before and resteth hereafter in this booke to bee shewed againe Secondly he bringeth sundry texts of the new Testament to proue that we doe not rightly vnderstand and beleeue all that is written in Gods word wherein he saith their Catholike Roman doctrine is deliuered in expresse termes First to proue the reall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament he citeth the wordes This is my body which shall be giuen for you c. But if the Romish doctrine be here deliuered in expresse termes how is it that their owne Scotus saith that
h Scotus apud Bellarm. de sacra Eucharist lib. 3. cap. 23. Dicit nullum extare loâ—um scripturae tam expressum vt sine Ecclesiâ— declaratione euidentèr câ—gat transubstantiationem admittere Atque id non est omninâ— improbabilâ— c. an ita sit meritâ— dâ—bitarâ— potest cum homines doctissâ—â—â— acutissâ—â—â— qualis inprâ—â—is Scotus fuit contrarium sâ—â—tiaâ—t there is no place of Scripture so expresse as that it euidently forceth to admit transubstantiation without their Churches declaration Yea Bellarmine himselfe saith that this is not improbable and that it may worthily be doubted whether there be any such because very learned and acute men such as Scotus specially was doe thinke the contrary Let him first goe and agree with Scotus and Bellarmine and those other so learned and acute men and then tell vs what he hath to say and we will answere him albeit of this matter I haue i Confuâ—aâ— of the aâ—swere to M. Perkinâ— his AduertisemeÌ„t sect 48. 59. already answered him so much as will suffice for the clearing thereof For his second instance he citeth the wordes of Christ thus whose sinnes yee shall forgiue on earth shall be fâ—rgiuen in heauen and maketh it here deliuered in expresse termes that Priests haue power to pardon sinnes True it is M. Bishop accordingly as you cite on earth but not in heauen in the Court of the Church but not in the Court of conscience for restitution to the outward society of faithfull men not immediately for reconcilement to God As for forgiuenesse of sinnes spiritually with God the Priest hath the ministery only not the power thereof by k 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19 the word of reconciliation not by any forme of absolution neither can he say any further I forgiue thee then he saith I baptise thee who baptiseth not by any inward effect to God which is only the worke of God but only by outward Sacrament to the Church of God Therefore for the Popish challenge of the power of absolution with God our Sauiour Christ saith nothing he speaketh only for that power of absolution which professeth only to take away the barre that standeth against reconcilement to God who in publike sinnes lying vnder publike censure admitteth of no penitency for forgiuenesse in heauen that is not testified and declared for obtayning forgiuenesse and pardon vpon earth It needeth not that I speake so much hereof hauing so largely handled this point l Answere to the Epistle to the King sect 28. and to the Preface of his second part sect 3. before Thirdly he alleageth the words Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it from whence he inferreth that Christ hath built his Church vpon St. Peter But it was of Petra the Rocke that Peter had that name giuen him to be called Peter and therefore it cannot be that Peter himselfe should be the Rocke m Gregor in Psal 5. Poenitent Ipse est Petra à qua Petrus nomen accepit super quaÌ„ sâ— ad â—icaturum Ecclesiam dâ—xit Christ himselfe is the Rocke as Gregory saith of which Peter tooke his name and vpon which he said he would build his Church Albeit we deny not but that the Church was in some sort built vpon Peter but vpon Peter as one of many not vpon Peter aloâ—e because of the City of God there are n Apoc. 21. 14. twelue fâ—undations wherein are the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles not only Peters name See hereof also that which hath beene o Chap. 1. §. 2. before said His fourth text is Call the workemen that had laboured in the vineyard and pay them their hire which hee bringeth to proue that good workes doe in iustice deserue eternall life But is this in expresse termes deliuered in those wordes Surely it seemeth to me a very long conclusion to be drawen out of so short a speech I haue handled this text p Of Merits sect 14. 17. before and haue shewed out of the very circumstance of the place that it is so farre from prouing that which he saith as that the contrary is very manifestly and infallibly euicted thereby The briefe is that if things had beene there measured by desert then greater worke should haue had greater wages whereas there all haue alike that it might be vnderstood of all as there I haue cited out of Prosper that q Prosp de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. Vt intelligant dâ—num se gratiâ— non operli accepisse mercâ—dem they receiued a gift of grace not a wages for their workes For his fift instance he bringeth the wordes of St. Iames Doe you see that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith only Hence he inferreth that we are iustified not by faith alone but also by workâ—s And who denyeth but that by workes also we are iustified and must necessarily so be Wee say with Saint Iames that wee are not iustified by faith only but also by workes as Abraham was but yet we say with St. Paul also that r Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 3 11. before God or in the sight of God we are iustified by faith and not by workes and Å¿ Rom. 4. 2. if Abraham were iustified by workes he denyeth him not so to be he had to reioyce but not with God For the further handling of this point also I referre the Reader to that that I haue said t Of Iustification sect 36. before Againe to proue that in extremity of sicknesse we must call for the Priest to anoile vs with holy oile he citeth St. Iames Is any man sicke among you let him bring in the Priests of the Church and let them pray ouer them anoiling them with oile in the name of our Lord. But if their Sacrament of Extreme vnction be here so expresly deliuered how is it that their owne Cardinall Caiâ—tanâ— could not see it who saith that u Caietan in Iac. cap. 5. Nec ex verbis nec ex effectu verba haec loqâ—untur de sacramentali vnctione extremâ— vnctionis sed magis de vnctione quam institâ—â—t Dominus in eâ—angelâ—â— exâ—rcendam in â—gâ—â—tâ—s neither by the wordes nor by the effect doth the Apostle here speake of their sacramentall vnction but rather of that which the Lord instituted in the Gospell to be vsed by his Disciples to them that were sicke He iustifieth that which we say that the annointing whereof St. Iames speaketh was no other but a ceremony annexed to x 1. Cor. 12. 9. the gift of healing of which we reade in the Gospell spoken of Christs disciples y Mar. 6. 13. They annointed many that were sick with oile and healed them which gift and power of healing being ceased in the Church the ceremony must be reputed idle and the vsing thereof in that manner and to that end as the Papists doe is no other but an imitation
with Gods grace they doe prepare vs and make vs fit to receiue the gift of iustification Where I wish it first to be noted how he maketh workes before the first iustification to be inspired with Gods grace whereas they hold the first iustification to be the first infusion of the grace of God Now they hold workes before the first iustification not to be properly meritorious and yet that workes proceeding from Gods grace are properly dâ—sertfull and meritorious so as that we are come to haue grace before grace and workes meritorious before they be meritorious and I know not what for what the painter list that must stand vpon the wall But to let this passe his answere to the place is otherwise idle and impertinent for though he c See of Iustification sect 21. tell vs which yet he telleth vs falsly and against himselfe that workes be not the cause of the first iustification nor doe deserue it yet he doth not tell vs that either the first or the second iustification is the imputation of righteousnesse without workes which is the thing by the Apostle spoken of For in the imputation of righteousnesse without workes what is it that is reputed for righteousnesse Faith saith the Apostle is reputed for righteousnesse Tell vs then M. Bishop is faith with you reputed for righteousnesse without workes Spit out man and tell vs whether in your first or second iustification you hold that a man for his faith is reputed righteous without workes This the Apostle teacheth and doe you teach the same No forsooth saith he I dare not say so though the Apostle taught the Romans so when they were nouices in the faith yet that now serueth not our turne Consider it well gentle Reader and thou shalt see that his answere is a meere mockery and giueth no satisfaction to the point And that it may appeare further so to be it is to be noted how the Apostle bringeth Dauid for a witnesse of that he saith who hauing beene long a faithfull and iustified man that M. Bishop may haue no shift by his pretense of the first iustification yet still out of his owne present occasioned experience and feeling pronounceth as the Apostle saith the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works He was in great distresse and affliction of bodily sicknesse and in that misery he lay vntill God had throughly humbled him and brought him to true and faithfull acknowledgement and confession of his sinne Vpon this confession and repentance God remitteth the sinne and mercifully releaseth him from the grieuous punishment that had lien vpon him and hereupon hee breaketh out into those wordes which the Apostle citeth e Psal 32. 1. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Now therefore to speake of a man in the state of grace as Dauid was this is his blisse euen the forgiuenesse of his sinnes which is through faith the imputation of righteousnesse without workes And for further confirmation hereof Dauid hauing so spoken of himselfe addeth in generall f Vers 6. For this shall euery holy man make his prayer vnto thee For this that is as Austin saith g August in Psal 31. Pro qua hac Pro ipsa vema peccatorum for the forgiuenesse of sinnes And if the forgiuenesse of sinnes be as the Apostle expoundeth it the imputation of righteousnesse without workes then thâ— prayer of euery holy man of euery one that is godly is this that not hauing workes whereby to be iustified he may by faith in Christ be reputed righteous and accepted in the sight of God Here we haue M. Bishop fast tyed neither is there any way for him to breake loose because by comparing the Prophets wordes and the Apostles application thereof we finde that the holy or godly man looketh for blisse by imputation of righteousnesse without workes Euen the holy man prayeth with Dauid a holy man h Psal 143. 2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight no man liuing shall be found iust and therefore prayeth againe as Dauid by the exposition of the Apostle hath taught the holy man to pray that faith may be counted to him for righteousnesse that the Lord will impute to him righteousnesse without workes Of this imputation of righteousnesse without workes St. Austin saith i August Retract l. 1. c. 19. Omnia mandata facta deputantur quando quicquid non sit ignoscitur All the commandements of God are reputed as done when that is pardoned which is not done And againe k IdeÌ„ in Psal 118. Conc. 3. In via sideâ— pro non peccantibus habentur quâ—bus peccata non imputantur In the way of faith they are reckoned for no sinners and therefore are reputed iust who haue not their sinnes imputed vnto them Thus Bernard saith that l Bernard in Cant. serm 22. Iustitia in absolutione peccatorum Christ is made vnto vs righteousnesse in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and that m Ibid. ser 23. Hominis iustitâ—â— indulgentâ—a Dei. Gods pardon is mans righteousnesse To the like purpose it is that Ambrose saith n Ambros in Psal 118. ser 7. Potest pâ—â—â—atâ—r hoâ— ipso iustus esse qâ—â—a accusator est â—â—i A sinner may euen hereby be iust for that he is the accuser of himselfe And so saith Gregory Bishop of Rome o Gregor in Ezech. hom 7. Iustus aduocatus noster iustâ—s nos dâ—fendet â—â— iudicio quia 〈◊〉 ipsos cognosâ—â—mus accusamus iniustes Non ergò in sâ—etibus non in actibus nostris sed in aduocati nostri allegatione considamus Our iust Aduocate will in iudgement defend vs for iust because we know and accuse our selues to be vniust and therefore let vs not put confidence in our teares or in our workes but in our Aduocates allegation or intercession for vs. If as touching workes we know and confesse our selues to be vniust and yet notwithstanding be defended in iudgement to be iust what can our iustice be but the imputation of iustice without workes Against this M. Bishop alleageth that we doe not wholly exclude workes from iustification because we require true repentance which containeth many good workes as necessary thereto But of this he hath receiued answere p Of Iustification sect 25. before that repentance doth only make the subiect capable of iustification but is it selfe no part or cause thereof that it is as the feeling and paine of a wound or sore which causeth to seeke the medicine for cure and ease but it selfe healeth not that it is as hunger and thirst which feede not the body but prouoke the seeking of the meate whereby it is fed The penitent man touched in conscience with the guilt of sinne and seeing thereby the misery that lyeth vpon him by Gods anger and indignation denounced against the same
Creatio in libertatem voluntatis facta est sine nobis the creating of vs to freedome of will is wrought without vs that our freewill following he may â—oe with vs that good whereto we are now become willing And againe in the same place u Gregor Moral vt supra Diuina nos bonitas innocentes faciat praeucnit eandem gratiam nostrum liberum arbitrium sequitur The goodnesse of God prâ—â—tenteth vs to make vs innocent and our free-will followeth the same grace Thus x August de Grat. lib. Arbit cap. 5. Vt coÌ„uerteretur gratia Dei eraâ— sola our conuersion as St. Austin saith of the Apostle Paul is the grace of God only but when by conuersion he hath reformed our will and wrought in vs the loue of righteousnesse vve by this worke of grace in vs doe thenceforth apply our selues to worke with grace and the worke that we doe is Gods worke and it is our worke but no otherwise ours but that by the gift of God it is wrought in vs and so becommeth ours Therefore vve doe not say that the grace of God so doth all as that we doe nothing but whatsoeuer we doe the grate of God it is that worketh in vs to doe it y August coÌ„t a Epist Pelag. lib. 1. c. 6. Nos quidem ambulamus verum est nos obseruamus nos facimus sed ille facit vt ambulemus obseruemus faciamus We walke saith Austin it is true we obserue we doe but he maketh vs to walke to obserue to doâ— Euen so we suffer not sinne to reigne in our mortall bodies as the Apostle teacheth vs but it is â—â— that maketh vs not to suffer it to reigne We giue the poâ—ers of our soules as instruments to the producing of good workes as M. Bishop speaketh but it is he that maketh vs to giue them to be so who z August de Praedest sanct cap. 11. Promittit facturum se vt faciaÌ„t quae iubet vt fiant promiseth to cause vs to doe those things which he commandeth to be done Therefore â—ee pâ—each to the people of God as Leo Bishop of Rome did a Leo in Epiphan serm 5. Cooperatores simus gratiâ— Dei operaÌ„tis in nobis non enim dormientibus proueâ—it regnum coelorum nec otio deâ—â—d aâ—â— torpentibus beatâ—tudo â—ternâ—tatis ingeritur Let vs be ioynt-workers with the grace of God that worketh in vs for the Kingdome of heauen befalleth not to sleepers neither is the blisse of eternity thrust vpon idle and slothfull persons But yet withall we say with Gregory that b Gregor Moral lib. 29. c. 13. Quòd verba praedicationis dâ—i ab auribus ad corda desâ—eÌ„ lunt solo diuino munere agitur c. Per internam gratiam solus omnipotens Deus praedicantium verbis ad corda aud 〈…〉 um inutsibilitèr aditum prâ—stat it is by the only gift of God that the words of the preacher doe descend from the care to the heart that it is only the almighty God who by inward grace inuisibly giueth passage for the wordes of the preacher to the hearts of them that heare Yea with Leo himselfe we say that c Leo de Quadrag serm 101 Quod deitatis habâ—tacuâ—um licet inchoari perfici sine suo authore non possit habet tamen ab 〈…〉 sicante donatum vt etiam labore proprio quaerat augmentum the habitation and temple of God which is euery faithfull man which can neither be begunne nor finished without the authour of it hath it giuen of God by it owne labour to seeke it owne furtherance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It vvoâ—kein then with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it selfe to God but it hath it giuen to â—â— of God 〈◊〉 to worke with God By it owne labour it seeketh it owne encrease but it is the gift of God vvhereby it laboureth for this increase In a vvord vve say with Fulgentiâ—â— d Fulgent â—d 〈…〉 brâ—ter prohibemtam in nostra side quà m in nostro opere â—tanquam nostrum nobâ—t aeliquid vendcare We in no sort sâ—ffer nay we by who 〈◊〉 doctrine fâ—rbidden 〈◊〉 in our suit or in our workes to chalenge to our selues any thing for our owne Nothing is ours but in 〈◊〉 sort as Gregory faith e Gregor Moral l. 24. cap. 5. Iustitia nostra dicieâ—r non quae ex nostro nostra est sed quae diuinâ—â—argitate fit nostrâ— It is called our righteousnes which â—â— not ours as of our owne but which by the gift of God is made ours or as Hierome saith f Hieron Epist ad Demeâ—riad Velle nolle nostrumest ipsamque quod nostrum est sine miseratione Dei nostrum non est To will and to nill is ours but that which is ours without the mercy of God is none of ours This was the doctrine of the old Church of Rome concerning free-will this we approue and teach and because we approue this therefore we detest the doctrine that is now taught in the Church of Rome which is quite contrary to this But here M. Bishop being come away from iustification and fallen to a new matter yet bethought himselfe vpon a sodaine that he had some what further to say of it and therefore leapeth backe againe He was departed from it to free-will and yet before we depart from iâ— faith he you shall heare more of â—â— out of the same Apostle And vvhar shall we heare He teacheth expresly saith he that it man in the state of grace may fulfill the law The vvordes which he citeth for this purpose are these g Rom. 8. 3. that that was impossible for the law in that it was weakened by the flesh God sending his some in the similitude of sinnefull flâ—sh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the iustification of the law might be fulfilled in vt which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Concerning which place I haue giuen full answere and satisfaction h Of Iustification sect 38. 43. before to which Preferre the Reader all 〈…〉 it shall not be amisse here also to say somwhat of it And first it is worth the while to obsâ—rue with vvhat discretion he bringeth this place to proue in â—s here an ability to fulfill the law vvhen as the place ministreth to vs a certaine and infallible argument to proue the contrary For the Apostle here affirmeth an impossibility in the law to iustifie and saue vs not by any defect of it selfe but by reason of the weakenesse of the flesh So long then as this weakenesse of the flesh continueth so long must the same impossibility continue also But this weakenesse of the flesh continueth so long as we liue here So long therefore as we liue here there shall be an impossibility of being iustified by the law For i Rom. 8. 7. the flesh is not subiect vnto the law of God nor can be k Rom. 7. 23. it