erre but as he is Pope his judgment is infallible If he be sitting in his Chaire in the Consistory if hee back the whole Church then he is like Apollo in tripode he can speak nothing but Gospel Marry if he be walking or riding or sitting at Table he will talk as madly as any of his Cardinals Now because I know not what the Popes were doing how their behaviour was when they did thus and thus determine whether they were sitting in their Chaires as Plato was wont when he did dictate or walking with the Peripateticks or which is most likely lying with the Epicures the Popes authority is not sufficient of it selfe to prove this or that to be the doctrine of the Romish Church Whither must I now goe to their Councils confirmed by the Pope Indeed these be the Church representative or branch of the unwritten word which is to be received with no lesse reverence and authority then the books of the Old and New Testament Well then I will go no higher then the Councell of Trent it was called by a Pope continued by a Pope confirmed by a Pope and shall I take this for an undoubted truth that whatsoever is there decreed is universally received amongst Papists Oh but the very Councell it selfe though it hath been sundry times attempted yet could it not be received into the Kingdome of France nor is as I suppose to this day Yea and in Italie and Spaine too both private Doctors yea and Popes too have crossed the determinations of that Conventicle I will instance in one particular the Councel of Trent commands that the old and vulgar edition shall be received for authenticall and that no man under any pretence whatsoever shall once dare or presume to reject it And yet Bellarmine a great Champion of that Synagogue holds that in foure cases it is lawfull to appeale from it to the Original Languages and Azorius Vega Sixtus Sinansis Canus Lindanus and divers others since that Councell do aver that in that edition there are many grosse errours and ridiculous Soloecismes not only by the negligence of Writers and Printers which the Lovanianists and Colonianists have noted in the Margent but by the negligence and ignorance of the Interpreter himselfe yea and Popes themselves contrary to the Precept and Decree of that Synod have revised and corrected the same For about 43. years after the first publication of this Decree Sixtus 5. did review and correct the whole Bible and publishing it in the last yeare of his Popedome did command that that of his should for evermore stand in force upon paine of the great Curse and yet within three years after this comes Clement 8. with a new Edition in many hundred of places different from that of Sixtus the diversities whereof being gathered together by a painful Antiquary into a Book which he intituleth Bellum Papale doe make a pretty volume and this latter must I trow upon no lesse penalty be received for authenticall These be they that boast of unity and make Consent a mark of the Church But let us grant that unto the Papists which they are never able to make good that Rome is at Peace with her selfe will it hence presently follow that that Church is this little Flock Theeves and Robbers are at peace amongst themselves and true men may goe to Law one with another The Scribes and Pharisees yea Herod and Pilate agreed in crucifying Christ The the Kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers took counsell together against the Lord and against his Christ Psal 2. 2. They have cast their heads together with one consent and are confederate against thee O God the Tabernacles of the Edomites and Ismaelites the Moabites and Hagarens Geball and Ammon and Amaleck the Philistims with them that dwell at Tyre Ashur is also joyned unto them Psalm 83. The Nobles and Princes and Dukes and Judges and all agreed in the dedication of the Image which Nebuchadnezzar bad set up they must either be at peace with God or their braggs are winde There is no true peace amongst men when they warr with God there is no truth in unity when there is no unity in truth Now how they agree with the Spirit of God speaking unto us in the holy Scriptures he that will heare them 〈◊〉 speak shall quickly discerne God forbids that any Image be made to any religious use or being made to be worshipped the Church of Rome commands both God commands that the Sacrament shall be ministred in both kinds the Church of Rome commands that the greatest part of Christians have it but under one kinde God teacheth us that howsoever before men we are justified by works yet before him we are justified by Faith without the works of the Law the Church of Rome teacheth that we are not justified before God by faith without the works of the Law God tells us that we must pray with the understanding the Church of Rome maintaineth praying in a strange tongue God saith that Marriage is honourable amongst all men the Church of Rome denies it God calls the prohibition of marriage a Doctrine of Devills the Church of Rome makes the prohibition of marriage equall to Canonicall Scripture God hath taken away all legall distinction of meats and tells us that every creature of God is good c. they the Church of Rome puts more religion in abstinence from meats then in the observation of Gods precepts Briefly whereas the summ of the whole Bible is comprehended in the Decalogue and Creed and both these included in the Lords prayer there is not a Commandement in the Decalogue scarce an Article in the Creed or petition in the Lords prayer against which if not directly yet indirectly and by consequence they doe not offend they ascribe an inward religious worship to Saints against the first Commandement they adore Images against the second they maintaine swearing by the creatures invocation of Saints they dispence with Oaths against the third with greater strictnesse they observe their owne holidayes and fasting dayes then the Lords day against the fourth they extoll the Pope above all Emperours and secular Princes they admit Children into religious Orders without consent of Parents against the fifth they teach and practise rebellions murthers and massacres of such as be opposite unto them in matters of Religion against the sixth they prohibite marriage and allow the Stews against the seventh they hold that in extreame necessity it is lawfull to take another mans goods against the eighth they maintaine equivocation and mentall reservation against the ninth they hold that concupiscence unto wich the will doth not yeeld consent is not properly a sin and so overthrow the tenth that concupiscence unto which the will yeelds her consent being forbidden in the former precepts Not to trouble you further the summ of all is this Such is the unity of the Romish Church as neither old Papists agree with new nor old
the Gospel of peace his ministers the Ambassadours of peace his natural Son the Author of peace his adopted sons the children of peace if then ye will be the sons of the most highest your endeavor must be this to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Consider what I say and the Lord give you wisdome and understanding in all things Finally to speake unto all and so to make an end of all seeing that we are all Tenants at will and must be thrust out of the doors of these earthly Tabernacles whensoever it shall please our great landlord to call us hence let us have our loines girt and our lampes continually burning that whensoever the Lord shal call us hence in the evening or in the morning at noon-day or at mid-night he may find us ready Happy is the man whom his Master when he comes shall find watching Let us every day sum up our accounts with God Ita aedificemus quasi semper victuri ita vivamus quasi cras morituri let us build as if we would ever live but let us live as if wee were ever ready to dye Then may every one of us in the integrity of heart and syncerity of conscience when the time of his departing is at hand say with the blessed Apostle If have fought a good fight and have finished my course I have kept the faith from hence forth is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which God the righteous Judge shall give me at that day Unto this God one eternall omnipotent and unchangeable Iehovah in essence three persons in manner of subsistence the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour and glory power might and majestie both now and forever more Amen Galathians 3. 10. As many as are of the workes of the Law are under the Cuurse for it is written cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to do them IN which words observe two things 1. A Doctrine 2. A Reason of the doctrine in the former part the reason in the latter I have spoken of the doctrine I purpose now to speake only of the reason for it is written c. wherein observe three things 1. It is to no purpose to begin a good course of life unlesse thou hold it out and continue till the end 2. It s not enough for a Christian to performe obedience to some of Gods precepts and to bear with himself wilfully in the breach of others Cursed is he that continueth not in all 3. That the rule of our obedience is no unwritten tradition but the written Word of God that are written in the booke of the Law But before I speak of these I gather from the connexion this conclusion That no man can in this life perfectly fulfill the Will of God it followeth thus because as it is written Cursed c. So it is written This doe and thou shalt live and the man that doth these things shall live in them So that the Apostle takes this for granted or else his argument is of no force this is evidently confirmed by many places of Scripture 1 Kings 8. 49. Eccles 7. 22. Psal 143. 2. Isa 64. 6. Acts. 15. 10. Acts. 13. 39. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. 2. It is confirmed by reason the first is drawn from the corruption of nature which is in the best Christians from which wee may thus argue he that consisteth of flesh as well as of Spirit cannoâ— fulfill the Law no not in his best actions but the best Christian that ever lived consisteth of flesh as wel as of Spirit therfore he cannot fulfill the law The minor hath been formerly proved The Major is plaine for as he is carnall he is sold under sinne The wisdome thereof is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Thus it is proved from the the death of Christ for if righteousnesse be by the workes of the Law then Christ dyed without a cause Gal. 3. 21. and if they which are of the law be heires then saith is made void and the promise is made of no effect Rom. 4. 14. for he came to fulfill the law Matth. 5. 17. which was impossible to be fulfilled of us in as much as it was weake because of the flesh Therefore God sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh Rom. 8. 3. But the Romish Sophisters answer that this maketh against the Pelagians which were of opinion that a man might by the strength of nature fulfill the law not against them which hold that this abilitie comes from grace and that the good workes of a Christian proceed from Christ as the juice in the branches proceedeth from the Vine To this I answer 1. That neither the Pelagians nor these against whom the Apostle disputeth did altogether exclude grace and therefore if it be strong against them it will be of force against the Papists too 2. Their answer is grounded upon a false supposition as that the works of a Christian doe proceed wholly from Christ for they they doe in part proceed from the flesh and therefore though as they are the workes of the holy Ghost who applieth unto the faithfull the force and efficacie of Christs resurrection they be perfect yet in respect of the flesh they be stained and polluted 3. Christ died for us not by any inherent but by his imputed righteousnesse which righteousness is applyed and appropriated unto us principally by the holy Ghost instrumentally by faith whereby wee are incorporate into Christ and so partakers of his righteousnesse wee might be justified I thinke Abraham was as holy a man as Ignatius the father of Jesuits or Dominicus and Franciscus the founders of Friers in whom saith Bellarmine their very adversaries can find nothing that deserveth reprehension praeter nimiam sanctitatem save their too much holiness and yet it was not his good workes but his faith for which he was counted righteous I know that this imputative righteousnesse is counted with them a putative and imaginarie righteousness but herein the injurie is not done unto us but unto him who saith to him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is imputed for righteousnesse Even as David declareth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne wee say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse now it is not written for him only that it was imputed unto him for righteousness but also for us to whom it shal be imputed for righteousnesse c. A third reason to prove that no man can fulfill the Law is because all have need to say forgive us our debts who more excellent amongst the old people saith Austin then the holy Priests and yet the Lord commanded them that
consider how they weary and wear and wast themselves while they thus rubb one upon another It was a prettie invention of the States of the low Countreys upon some feare of discord between them and England when they painted two earthen pots floating upon the Seas with this motto Si collidimur frangimur the like might they justly feare Si collidimur frangimur If we thus be knocked together we shall both be broken in peices If wee thus bite and devoure one another we shall be bitten and consumed one of another And last of all which is not the least of all oh that they would consider that the Politician at home and the Papist abroad looks upon them and howsoever they may seem in outward shew to incline to the one or the other party yet indeed they laugh in their sleeve and in their hearts say There there so would we have it Hoc Ithacus velit magno mercentur Atridae It is noted that when the Grecians strove amongst themselves Philip got them all into his hands and certainly there is not a fitten opportunity then this for the dissembling Atheist and the neutralizing Worldling and the statizing Polititian for the Foxes these little Foxes that dwell amongst us and have already destroyed our Vines and left us nothing upon them save a few small grapes to obtaine their much desired prey For these are like the Eele-catchers in the old Poet it 's best fishing for them in troubled and muddy waters Tacitus notes of the ancient inhabitants of this Land that by their continual factions and dissentions they made an easie way for the Roman conquest Britanni factionibus studiis trahuntur nec aliud adversus validissimas gentesnobis utilius quam quod in communi non consulunt sed dum singuli pugnant universi vincuntur While the present Inhabitants of this Land tread in the foot-steps of those ancient Britannes behold Hell hath enlarged it selfe the Antichristian Synagogue of Rome hath hereout sucked no small advantage and the Romans do their worst to come and take away which God forbid both our place and our Nation True it is say they which thou hast said the Church is one Flock one Bodie one Spouse one Sheep-fold all the members thereof have one belief one heart one soule This very point doth manifestly demonstrate the Protestants to be not so much as members of the Catholique Church because they be at continuall jarrs and wars amongst themselves To whom I may return this Proverb Physitian heale thy selfe Or I may say as one said unto Philip when he began to reprove two forreiners for dissentions betweene themselves quoth one unto him look first to your owne house and make peace there and then reprove your neighbour Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione querentes Our dissentions we see we lament and bewaile yet are they neither in number so many springing all from one or two roots or in quality so flagitious being matters of question not of faith about the hemme and fringe not about the garment it selfe about the husk not about the kernell about ceremonies and circumstances not about the essentials and fundamentals of faith or that they exclude us not from the society of the faithfull unlesse Austin and Jerome and Ruffinus and Epiphanius and Chrysostome Cyrill and Theodoret Ireneus and Victor Paul and Barnabas be excluded together with us who although as was before said they consented in all the fundamentals of Religion yet in some points of circumstance and ceremonie they varied But what do al the builders of Babell speak the same language do all the Romans agree amongst themselves indeed as well as Dogs in a Kitchin or Cocks in a pit or as did the Midianites host and Cadmus his Souldiers they consent together as did Herod and Pilate both at odds amongst themselves yet both against Christ Or as Sampsons foxes their heads looke every one severall wayes marry their tayles are tyed together with fire-brands in them for annoying their enemies or as the Beasts which Cacus an old Italian Gyant who dwelt where the Pope now dwels was wont to steale from others which lest by their foot-steps they should be discovered he was wont to draw into his denne by their tayles their faces looking another way all the unitie that they can boast of is in the tayl whereby they are drawn to yeild and submit themselves and their works to the censure of the Romish Church their heads looking another way I will not now speak of their actual and morall dissentions neither of the many schismes and divisions which have been in the Romish Church when sometimes there were two sometimes three Popes at once and for the space of two yeares together none at all Neither will I mention the difference of their Religious orders whereof there are or have been at the least 100. in many things differing one from another their intellectuall and dogmaticall differences are such and so many as that if I should repeat them unto you I should both weary my selfe and much abuse your Christian attention Our learned Solomon in his Apologie for the oath of Allegiance hath gathered 11. gross contradictions out of Bellarmine Pappus hath observed 237. different opinions cited in Bellarmine Crastovius hath observed 205. contradictions amongst the Jesuites Willet hath cited 57. points wherein Bellarmine contradicteth himself 39. points wherein Popery crosseth it selfe 100. opposite constitutions in their Canon law and 70. contradictions between the old and the new Papists Bishop Ridely hath quoted 17. manifest contradictions out of Steph. Gardiner in one question viz. touching the Sacrament of the Altar as they call it And a worthy Prelate of our Land in his Catholique Apologie hath confirmed almost all those positions which we maintain against the Church of Rome by evident testimonies out of their owne Writers What shall I say more Let the Papists if they can name any maine controversie between them and us wherein they doe agree amonst themselves For my part I thinke it requires more paines and judgment to set down the doctrines and positions of the Church of Rome then demonstratively to confute and overthrow the same If I alledge Bellarmine Suarez or the greatest Jesuites Pighius Catharinus or who weare the name one or other peradventure will reply that it is but a particular opinion and not the doctrine of their Church Whither then shall I goe to the Pope himselfe then say I the Papists must condemne their Communion under one kind for so did Gelasius nay they concur with the Montanists for so did Zepherinus with the Arrians for so did Liberius with the Nestorians for so did Anastasius 2. with the Monothelites for so did Honorius with other Hereticks in other points for so other Popes have done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus see you Pythagarus determine Here I am put off with the words of their nice and quirling distinctions The Pope as a private Doctor may
us out of darknesse into his marvellous light Aristotle notes of the Eagle whether truly or no I will not dispute that when her Birds are pen-feathered in a hot sun-shining day shee holds their eyes directly towards the beames of the Sun those that cannot endure that intensive light she casts out of her nest as degenerous such as directly eye the Sun she loves and feeds as her owne Hereby it will appeare whether we be Jovis aquila Gods birds or no if we look upward upon the Son of righteousnesse and have our eyes the eyes of our soules fixed on Heaven and heavenly things then are we of this Feather if downwards and have our cogitations Swine-like rooting in the earth and wallowing in the filthy puddle of worldly vanities then are we a degenerous of-spring not worthy to be called Sonnes of such a Father What an absurd and indecent thing were it if a Gally-slave or a Kitchin-boy should have that honour as to be made the adopted Son and Heire of some great Prince and he not considering his high advancement should continue in his former sordidnesse and basenesse of condition Much more undecent it is that a man when he is advanced from a child of wrath and a bondslave of the Devill to that transcendency of honour as to be made a Son of the King of Kings should continue as before in his blindnesse of heart crookednesse of will uncleannesse of affection and perversness of action Shall such a man as I flee said Nehemiah to Shemaiah and shall such a man as hath God for his Father debase himselfe like the Cat in the Fable who being turned into a Gentlewoman kept her old nature and leapt at a Mouse Or like the Popes Asse who adorned with golden Furniture as soon as he came to a Carriars Inne began to smell at a Pack-saddle Cyrus when of a Shepheards Son for so he was then supposed to be he was made a King in a Play began to shew himselfe like a King and Saul when he was annoynted by Samuel to be King had his heart changed He had another heart 1 Sam. 10. 9. Honours change manners if then we be advanced to this high dignity let us be ashamed of our natural basenesse let us have our hearts changed and walke worthy so high a calling not doing our owne will but his who when we were of no strength Rom. 5. nay when we were worse then nothing sent his own naturall Sonne to dye for us that we might be his Sonnes by grace of adoption I urge this point the rather because it is not onely a necessary duty which God requires at our hands but also the most certaine and infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods child and consequently a matter of the greatest moment in the World upon which depends the everlasting salvation or damnation of our soules If at these Assâ—ses a man shall in a case criminall be convict of Felony perhaps his Book may save him suppose not he at the worst but looses his life for it his soule if he repent is in no danger If in a civill controversie a Verdict shall go against him he looseth but the thing in question but he that hath not God for his Father and none have him but such as work righteousnesse and in holinesse of life endeavour to resemble him looseth all his title and claime to the Kingdome of Heaven and is for evermore in body and soule a Bond slave to the worst Master that ever man shall â—erve unlesse God in mercy shall effectually call him and ingraft him into the body of his onely Son by faith And it is lamentable to see so many Marthaes and so few Maries in the World so many that drowne themselves in worldly imployments and doubt where there is cause and use meanes to clear their doubts and neglect this Vnum necessarium as if it were a matter not worthy the regarding If a mans body be ill affected he will send to the Physician if he doubt of the weight of his Gold he will seek to the Ballance if of the goodnesse of the mettall he will try it by the Touchstone if the title of his Lands be questionable he will have the opinion of a Lawyer but whether he be a Son of God and consequently whether he shall be saved or no he never doubts but whatsoever he doe or thinkes or speaks hee takes it as granted The most wicked and hellish liver who serves no Master but the Devill will as I have â—ayd direct his prayers to God as to his Father others we have whoâ—e practice is farr better being kept from grosse sins by Gods restraining grace our careles and carnall Goâ—pellers our sleepy and drowâ—e Protestants who content themselves with the shadow and let fall the substance of Religion these if they be Baptized and can say that in their Baptisme they were made children of God if they come once or twice in a week to hear Prayers or Sermons if at usual times they receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper if they give their assent to the Law and the Gospel that they are both true and with a generall faith believe all the Articles of the Creed and withal have a care to lead a civill life amongst men then they perswade themselves their case is good they are sound Christians children of God and sheep of that little flock to whom our heavenly Father will of his good pleasure give a Kingdome But alas a man may doe all these and more then these and be a sonne of the Devill He may do all these 1. He may be baptized so was Simon Magus 2. He may heare the word preâ—ched so did Pharaoh 3. He may receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper so did Judas 4. He may believe the Law and the Gospel and all the Articles of the Creed to be true so doth the Devil 5. He may lead an honest and civill life amongst men so Socrates and divers Pagans if ye look to the matter of good works have out-stripped many Christians in the practise of sundry morall duties He may do more then all this and be a reprobate and child of the Devill 1. He may be sorry for his sinnes and make satisfaction both these we see in Judas 2. He may confesse them even in particular and desire good men to pray for him both these we see in Pharaoh He may have a delight in the Word and love the Preacher both these did Herod He may for a time be zealous of Gods glory so was Jehu He may be humbled for his sinnes and declare his humiliation by fasting and weeping so did Ahab and the Ninivites Hee may have a certaine tast of faith which much resembleth a justifying faith so had Simon Magus Hee may in many things reforme his life so did Herod and Maxentius Hee may tremble at the threatnings of Gods judgment so did Falix and so doth the Devill Now then how can such drowsie
fulfilled the Commandements of God yet wantest thou one thing for that work which must merit must be Opus indebitum Now obedience to every branch of Gods law is a debt which we are owing to God by the law of creation and God may say to every one of us as Paul said to Philemon Thou owest to mee even thine owne selfe Doth a Master thank that servant which did that which he was commanded to do I trow not so likewise When yee have done all things which were commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have but done that which was our duty to do Inutilis servus vocatur saith Austin qui omnia fecit quia nihil fecit ultra id quod debuit And Theophylact upon that place The servant if he work not is worthy of many stripes and when he has wrought let him be contented with this that he hath escaped stripes 3. That work by which thou must merit must be thine own but thy good works if thou look to the first cause are not so Quid habes quod non accipisti 1 Cor. 4. It s God that worketh both the will and the deed Phil. 2. 13. Not I but the grace of God in me 1 Cor. 13. So then put case thou couldst fulfill the law and it were not a payment of debt yet is no merit due to thee but to him whose they are Dei dona sunt quaecunque bona sunt Every good and perfect gift comes from above even from the father of lights And Deus sua dona non nostra merita coronat 4. Admit it were in thy power to fulfill the law that it were no debt that thy works were wholly thine and God had no part in them this is not enough there must be some proportion between the work and the reward or no proper merit Now between thy best works and the Kingdome of heaven promised to Christs little flock there is not that proportion that is Inter stillam muriae mare Aegeum as Tullie speaks between the light of a candle and the light of the Sunne between the least grane of sand that lies on the Sea-shore and the highest heaven as shall presently appear 5. Last of all that thy work may merit at Gods hands some profit or honour must thereby accrue to him But my goodnesse saith David O Lord reacheth not unto thee but to the saints that are on the earth If thou be righteous saith Elihu what givest thou to God or what receiveth he at thine hand Job 35. Who hath given unto him first Rom. 11. 35. All these five things are requisite for the merit of works but not onely some but all of them are wanting to our best works and therefore we must with the Scriptures ascribe our whole salvation to the grace of God and acknowledge nothing inherent in us to be the prime cause of all his graces but his owne good will and pleasure I count the afflictions of this world not worthy the glory that shall be revealed Rom. 8. And in another place he tells us That wee deserve hell for our evill workes The wages of sinne is death but not heaven for our good deeds and sufferings but of Gods bounty and mercie Eternall life is the gift of God Rom. 6. Not by the works of righteousnesse which wee had done but according to his mercie he saved us Tit. 3. And ye are saved by grace through faith not of your selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2. And how doth he prove that Abraham was justified by faith and not by works because Ei qui operatur merces non imputatur secundū gratiam sed secundum debitum And if Abraham had been justified by works he had wherein to rejoyce but not with God Rom. 3. These are places of Scripture and let me build upon this occasion to produce an assertion which once I brought upon another point which some that I see here present were pleased to except against as savouring of blasphemy though the words excepted against were none of mine but of Justin Martyr who lived above 1400. years agoe and confidently brought by him in his discourse with Tryphon a Jew if any I will not say Pelagian or Arminian or Papist but if all the Fathers of the Primitive Church if all the ancient Councels if Moses and all the Prophets if Paul and all the Apostles if an Angel from heaven nay if God himself these are the words of Justin the Martyr should deliver any doctrine repugnant to that which is contained in this booke I would not believe him Agreeable unto these places of Scripture was the doctrine of the ancient Church Gratia evacuatur si non gratis donatur sed meritis redditur Aug. Epist 105. Non dei gratia erit ullo modo nisi gratuita fuerit omni modo And in a third place Non pro merito quidem accipimus vitam aeternam sed tantum pro gratia Tract 3. in Ioh. And thus have I confirmed my proposition by reason by Scriptures and by the testimonie of the Church and Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra ecclesiam nemo pacificus contra scripturas nemo Christianus senserit as a Father saith Unto all these might be added if it were needfull the confession of the learnedst of our Adversaries let our Enemies be Judges who cry down this blasphemous doctrine of Merit God saith one of them doth punish Citra condignum but rewards Vltra condignum and Scotus as Bellar confesseth holds that Bona opera ex gratia procedentia non sunt meritoria ex condigno sed tantum ratione pacti acceptationis divinae And of the same opinion saith he were other of the old Schoolmen and of the new Writers Andreas Vega. Ferus as in many other points between us the Pontificians so in this he is as sound a Catholique and as good a Protestant as Calvin himselfe or any that hath written on this subject in Math. cap. 20. vers 8. Gratis promisit gratis reddit si dei gratiam favorē conservare vis nulla meritorum tnorum mentionem facito And in Acts 15. Qui docet in operibus confidere is negat Christi meritum sufficere Both which places many others of the same Author their Index Expurgatorius hath wiped out using him the ancient fathers as Tereus dealt with Progne who cut out her tongue lest she shold tel the truth Yea and Bellarmine himselfe after he hath spent seventeen leaves in defence of merit of works and scrapt and catcht and drawn in by the shoulders whatsoever he could out of the Scriptures or ancine Fathers for colouring that Tenent at length brings this Orthodoxall conclusion with which I will conclude this point Very Orthodoxall indeed if two letters be transposed Propter incertitudinem propriae justitiae let it be Propter certitudinem propriae injustitiae propter periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia benignitate
yet is Esau left and the birth-right given to Jacob and that before they were borne when the children were yet unborn when they had neither done good nor evill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by works but by him that calleth it was said The elder shall serve the younger as it is written I have loved Jacob c. What will the enemies of Gods grace and good pleasure answer to this Forsooth God in Jacob demonstrates that he makes choise of those whom he foresees worthy of his grace in Esau that he rejects those whom he sees unworthy But why doth he say the children were unborne why adds he that they had neither done good nor evill why is it said that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by works What wilt thou say to that which followeth What then shall we say saith the Apostle Is there injustice with God God forbid As if he had said although God to those that are equall give things unequall although he deprives Esau of his Birth-right and gives it to Jacob yet God forbid that we should accuse him of injustice seeing his will is the rule of all justice which in the words following hee proves to be the prime cause of election and praeterition therefore saith he It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth c. Again He hath mercie on whom he will c. And O man who art thou that disputest with God Hath not the potter power of the clay c. All that the Potter can do with the clay is to bring an accidentall forme into it the clay he cannot make but God is Author not only of the accidents but of substances too and therefore hath greater power over his creatures then the Potter over his clay Well then if you ask why God conferres a Kingdome upon his Flock of Sheep and not on Goats why he loves Jacob and hates Esau why he pardons Peter and not Judas we all deserving death being plunged over head and eares in the water of corruption thou hast the answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It s our fathers pleasure he will have it so And why will he have it so I answer with Austin Tu homoes expectas responsum a me qui sum homo itaque ambo audiamus dicentem O homo c. Melior est fidelis ignorantia quam temeraria scientia Occulta Jehovae c. Revealed things belong to us and our Children but secret things to God None hath ever pryed into his Ark lived Oculos amittunt qui eos acrius in solem figunt sic nos omne amittemus mentis lumen si eam intendamus in hoc lumen Gods will is the supream cause to aske further is to seeke a cause of that which hath none Now then Compescat se humana temeritas id quod non est non quaerat ne id quod est non inveniat Now humane Scrupulosity must be silent and not search for that that is not least it finde not that that is Let us leave Pelagins and his Bratt Arminius a little and speak closely to the Papist concerning merit of works First Nothing can properly merit the Kingdome of Heaven but that which is absolutely perfect both in respect of parts and degrees if you look for Heaven by merit of works you must with the Sun in the Zodiack keep a precise course under the Ecliptick Line of Gods Law and not divert an haires breadth to the right hand or to the left if thou faile but in the least Iota heare thy doome Cursed is he that continueth not c. He that offendeth in one is guilty of all Jam. 2. Let the Papist with his Forefathers the proud Pharisees boast that he hath been so good a proficient in Gods Schoole tha◠hee hath fulfilled all Gods precepts from his youth an easie matter so to do he can go further and become a transcendent and with the Icarian wings of Supererogatory works soar above the predicaments of the Law and merit the Kingdome of Heaven not for himselfe onely but for others too But for thee beloved Christian if thou be wise confesse with the faithfull in the Prophet Isa 64. That all thy righteousnesse is as filthy clouts with Peter That the Law is a yoake which neither thou nor thy Fathers were ever able to beare Acts 10. With Paul That it is impossible in as much as it is made weak because of the flesh Rom. 8. Say with John If we have no sin c. 1 John 1. And with an ancient Father Multum in hac vita ille profecit qui quam longe sit a perfectione justitiae proficiendo cognovit It s an easie matter I confesse for an idle Fryar who with the Spider spins his Web out of his owne bowels and spends his whole time in making of Sophismes against the truth as Chrysippus did in making of Fallacies and measures God by himself as Praxiteles painted Venus like his owne Wise to say somewhat for salvation by works but he that will look upward to Heaven and consider the Almighty as he is described in his word at whose brightnesse the Starrs of Heaven are darkned by whose power the earth is shaken at whose anger the mountaines are melted at the presence of whose purity all things seem impure who maketh not the wicked innocent who is a burning and a consuming fire let him sit on the bench of judgment and sift and boult our works in the Sieve of his justice let him try them who looks not on the outward appearance of man but enters into his heart and searcheth every corner thereof and like a curious Critick spells every syllable of our thoughts long before they be conceived and who can abide his judgment Who then dare to boast of his owne righteousnesse or challenge the Kingdome of Heaven by his good deeds Behold saith Job he found no stedfastnesse in his Saints and layd folly upon his Angels how much more on them which dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust Job 4. 18. And againe Behold he found no stedfastnesse in his Saints and the Heavens are impure in his sight How much more is man abominable and filthy which drinketh iniquity like water Job 15. 15 16. Hither hither let us lift up our eyes and all boasting of our owne righteousnesse will vanish away as the morning dew at the heat of the Sun it will make us say with Austin God brings us to eternall life not for our owne merits but for his mercy With Bernard Meritum nostrum miseratio Domini VVith Job We are not able to answer him one for a thousand And with David Enter not into Judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Secondly But Dato non concesso suppose that which shall never be granted that thou couldst say truly with Saul and the Pharisee I have