crosse but they keepe the lists of the libertie that is giuen vs. Gâ—l de 〈◊〉 nâ—t in Christ advers Eutych Nest fol. 2â—â— Gelasius is direct against Transubstantiation Sacramenta quae suminus corporis sanguinis Christi divina res est propter quod per cadem divinae efficimur consortes naturae tamen esse non definit substantia vel panis vel vini The sacraments which we receiue of the bodie and blood of Christ are a diuine thing therefore by them we are made partakers of the diuine nature yet for all that ceaseth not the substance of bread and wine to be Gelasius writeth against Eutyches who affirmed that Christâ— humane nature was turned into his Godhead this opinion is thus refuted As the bread and wine after consecration are changed into the bodie and blood of Christ so is his humane nature turned into his diuine after ascension But the bread and wine are not changed in substance Ergo. Thus by your doctrine of Transubstantiation you make the auncient Churches argument worth nothing I will adioyne the testimonie of Cyril of Ierusalem because saith Bellarmine testimonium huius vel solum sufficere debet his testimonie alone ought to suffice Mista in his 4. Catechisme thus he speaketh Ne ergo consideres panem nudum vinum nudum corpus enim est sanguis Christi consider not bare bread and wine for it is the bodie and blood of Christ ergo it is still bread but not bare bread Againe in his 3. Catechisme he is as plaine Quemadmodum panis Eucharistiae post Spiritus sancti invocationem non amplius est communis panis sed est corpus Christi sic sanctum hoc vnguentum non amplius est vnguentum nudum atque commune postquam iam consecratum est sed est charisma Christi As the bread of the Eucharist after the inuocation of the holy Ghost is no more common bread but it is the bodie of Christ so is this holy oyntment no more bare oyntment nor common oyntment after it is consecrated but it is the gratious gift of Christ Here is no more Transubstantiation in the one then in the other Likewise in his first Catechisme he writeth after the same manner Quemadmodum enim panis vinum eucharistia antè sacram inuocationem adorandae trinitatis panis erat vinum merum sic cibi ciusmodi pompae Sathanae suapte natura puri sunt sed invocatione daemonum impuri efficiuntur euen as the bread and the wine of the Eucharist before the inuocation of the adored Trinitie was bare bread and wine so such meates Sathans pomps were pure of their owne nature but by inuocation of the deuills they are become impure Loe what is become of your Transubstantiation Augustine condemneth worshippers of pictures Novi multos esse sepulchrorum picturarum adoratores I know saith he there are many that adore sepulchres and pictures Bellarmine in his first answers to this place commeth in with his fortasses peraduenture in his last answer he confesseth that he wrote this booke when he was first conuerted Here then it is manifest that Augustine condemneth worshippers of pictures Lactantius in his 6. booke 3. chap. acknowledgeth but two waies duae sunt viae vna quae in coelem ferat altera qua ad inferes deprimat there are two waies one which goeth to heauen and the other which tendeth to hell The testimonie which Bellarmine alleadgeth out of him for purgatorie speaketh of a fire to purge the righteous after the last iudgement when Popish purgatorie shall haue an ende as Bellarmine prooueth in his 2. booke and 19. chap. Theophilact condemneth your halfe communion saying that tremendus hic calix cunctis pari conditione est traditus this fearefull cuppe is equally giuen to all The testimonies of fathers in this point are many and pregnant Paschasius thus expoundeth the words of Christ bibite ex hoc omnes id est tam ministri quà m reliqui credentes Drinke ye all of this as well ministers as others Bellarmine confesseth Lib. 2. de miss cap. 9. that nusquam expressè legimus à veteribus oblatum sacrificium sine communione alicuius vel aliquorum praeter ipsum sacerdotem we neuer read expressely that the sacrifice was offered of auncient men without the communion of some besides the priest Loe what friends the fathers are to your priuate Masse 28. cap. Walfridus Strabo writeth thus Fatendum est illam esse legitimam Missam cui intersunt sacerdos respondens offerens atque communicans sicut ipsa conceptio precum euidenti ratione demonstrat we must confesse that to be a lawfull Masse at which the priest the answerer and the communicant are present euen as the conceiuing of praiers doth prooue by euident reason Therefore your priuate Masse is vnlawfull Vealrichus Bishop of Augusta anno 978. wrote in the defence of the marriage of Ministers Bellarmine prooueth this epistle to be fained be it so yet did no Lutherane coyne it And whereas he will haue but one of this name it is false For Complicatio Chronologica confesseth there are two and that anibâ— were sancti both were holy I will not contend about this matter it sufficieth that some taught this doctrine But why doe I labour to shew that the fathers doe not teach all points of Poperie let their owne Index expurgatorius speake Quanquam librum istum vz. Bertrami non magni aestimemus momenti saith the Papist itaque non magnopere laboraturi sumus si vel nusquam sit vel intercidat attamen cum in alijs caâ—bolicis veteribus plurimos feramus errores extenuemus excusemus excogitato commento persaepè negemus commodamijs sensum affingamus dum opponuntur in disputationibus conflictionibus cum adversarijs non videmus cur non candem aequitatem diligentem recognitionem mereatur Bertrâ—â—s Although we make no great account of this booke namely Bertrams and therefore we would not greatly care if either it were extant or vtterly lost and seeing that in other ancient Catholike writers we beare very many errours and extenuate them excuse them and very oftentimes by deuising some preuie shift we denie them and doe faine some commodious sense vnto them when they are opposed against vs in disputations or in conflicts with the aduersaries we doe not see why Bertrame doth not deserue the same equitie and diligent recognition This their owne testimonie may suffice to prooue that the fathers are not theirs and that the Papists are void of all truth and honestie What Causaeus a French Protestant and Luther haue written touching Dyonisius I know not but this I am assured of that this Demus was not S. Pauls scholler Bellarmine in his 2. booke de confess cap. 7. writeth to this effect that his booke est dubius vel supposititius is either doubtfull or fained The same thing is not denied by the Catechisme of Colon. pag. 119.
epist 1. ad Cor. cap. 7. But let Erasmus speake concerning this matter Qui sit how commeth it to passe saith he that the decrees of this Pope fight with the decrees of that Pope That I say nothing of Formosus doe not the decrees of Iohn the 22. and Nicholas fight one against another what should I speake of Innocentius and Coelestinus Pelagius and Gregories decrees one contrarie to another By these examples appeareth the Doctors vanitie The fourth reason conuersion of countries In this fourth reason the framer of it according to his custome beginneth with an vntruth saying that all countries which euer beleeued in Christ were first conuerted to his faith by such as either were precisely sent or at least wise had their authoritie from the Pope The Apostles which receiued authoritie from Christ himselfe not from Peter conuerted many countries That the Apostles receiued authoritie from Christ himselfe the scriptures are plaine in the 20. of Iohn our Sauiour saith As the father hath sent me so send I you what can be more plaine Paul saith of himselfe that he was an Apostle neither of men nor by men but by Iesus Christ How many countries did Paul conuert Concerning this land I spake something before Read Theodoret his 4. booke and 3. chap. where he reckneth England amongst the Christian lands Chrysostome as the same writer testifieth comparavit viros aemulatores Apostolicorum laborum eosque ad Scythias misit prouided men followers of the Apostles labours and sent them to the Scythians The Indians were conuerted by Frumentinus whome Athanasius ordained Bishop as the same author testifieth in his 1. booke and 12. chap. The people of Iberia were conuerted per captivam mulierem by a woman that was a captiue Ruff. lib. 1. cap. 10. by all which cleare and pregnant proofes euery man may see the boldnes of the authors assertion But now I come to reduce his reason into a syllogisme They which take paines in conuersion of countries hold the true religion But the Papists take paines in conuersion of countries ergo I denie the proposition and say to the Papists as our blessed Sauiour spake to the Pharisies Math. 23. woe be to you Papists for ye compasse sea and land to make one of your profession and when he is made ye make him twofold more the child of hell Heretikes haue laboured to conuert or rather to peruert men Paul in the 2. Tim. 3.13 affirmeth that euill men shall waxe worse and worse deceiuing and beeing deceiued The Arrians peruerted many kingdomes Read Sigebert in his chap. de regno Gothorum as witnes Theodoret and others writers As touching the conuersion of the west Indians if things be true that are reported Sadeel con are pos in novo illo orbe amplius decies centena millia barbarorum aut fame aut gladio perierunt in the new found world aboue tenne hundred thousand haue perished either by famine or by sword If our Sauiour Christ had saide Goe kill all nations when he saide Goe teach all nations he had fitted the Papists humour What Gregorie spent in founding Seminaries to restore Catholike religion I know not but this I am sure of that Papists haue taken paines in contriuing of treasons here in England But to returne to the Indies The people there liued not onely without all manner of knowledge of God but also wilde and naked without any ciuill gouernement Iuel 42. pag. beeing in this miserable estate some worshipped the sunne some familiar deuills what maruell then if they were easily ledde into any religion especially carrying such a shew of apparrell and other ceremonies But doe not the Protestants take paines in winning of soules vnto God Calvine not to speake of others read almost two hundred lectures euery yeare and preached aboue two hundred sermons Who conuerted England Scotland Ireland and other countries from Antichrist to Christ from the Masse to the Messias from Images to the seruice of the liuing God did not poore Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius and other Protestants the ministers of England labour in their owne charges preaching in season and out of season God is as well glorified in the conuersion of a soule here as in other countries But doe the Papists now labour in conuerting of soules in times past it was not so hodie proh dolor saith Aeneas Sylvius Lib. 1. de geâ—â— con Basil now alas he is a rare Prelate which doth not preferre temporall things before spirituall things Againe Nos ignavia nostra nimia vitae cupiditate Christianam religionem ex toto orbe in angulum redegimus we by our lasinesse and great desire of life haue drawne religion out of the world into a corner of the same Clemangis in his booke which he wrote of the corrupt state of the Church speaketh thus Multò aequanimiùs ferunt decem millium animarum iacturam quà m decem solidorum Pontifices suas traditiones divinis longè mandatis anteponunt they had rather loose ten thousand soules then tenne shillings the Popes preferre their traditions farre before Gods commandements Thus then I returne the argument They which esteeme money more then the soules of men are not the true Church But the Papists esteeme money more then the soules of men Ergo. Whether M. Calvin sent ministers or no into new found lands I know not neither am I priuie to the successe they had Ezekiel was sent to the Iewes that they might know that there had beene a Prophet amongst them the fault is not in the doctrine but in the men who resist the same I will not dispute whether a wicked man may be a meanes to winne soules as a good master bestoweth a good almes by the ministerie of an euill seruant so also the mercifull Lord may call one to repentance by the meanes of another though he be an vnpenitent person The Doctors rayling vpon Luther Calvin and Peter Martyr calling his wife fustilugges fitteth the spirit of a Papist If Peter Martyrs lawfull wife deserueth the name of fustilugges what name doe the popish priests concubines deserue In that our Ministers trauell not without their wiues 1. Cor. â— I answer with Paul Haue we not power to lead about a sister a wife Beza his epistles and pistols are but words to fill vp pages and to wast paper But haue not the Protestants for-gone any worldly wealth to spread abroad religion why are they then exiles and haue witnessed their religion with their blood In a word Poperie gaineth more by wealth and armes then by conscience and if it gaineth any soundly it is by some reliques of truth which remaineth with them The fifth reason largenes of dominion through multitude of beleeuers That the Church which the Messias was to plant must be dispersed throughout all nations and kingdomes as the holy Prophets most plainly foreshewed we acknowledge neither needed the Doctor to haue produced so many testimonies I may well say of the Doctor as did
then vpon that Popes authoritie Pope Sixtus saith â—ead M. Iames. before the Vatican edition their vulgar latin translation was schismatis occasio the occasion of heresie Now Pope Clements edition is approoued farre differing from Sixtus edition What certaintie then haue Papists who will take the scriptures now vpon this now vpon that Popes warrant But I reduce your argument into a syllogisme They which haue no certaine triall of truth are not the Church But the Protestants haue no certaine triall Ergo. I denie the assumption for we haue the scriptures which are the infallible rule of truth Our Sauiour Christ vanquished the deuill by the scriptures The Bereans tried the Apostles doctrine by the scriptures Lib. 2. denupt cap. â—â— and may not we so doe S. Augustine writeth thus Ista controuersia iudicem riquirit this controuersie requireth a iudge who shall be iudge he answereth Christ Iudicet Christus let Christ be iudge He doth name neither Pope nor Romish church For as he saith in another place Scriptura est eminentissima authoritatis 〈◊〉 Civit. l. 11. c. 3. the scriptures are of a most soueraigne and peerelesse authoritie Lib. 5. Optatus disputing whether the baptized are to be rebaptized is worthie to be heard Quarendi sunt saith he aliqui huius controuersiae indices si Christiani de viraque parte dari non possunt quia stuaijs veritas impeditur de foris quarendus est index si l'agaâ—â—â— non potest nosse Christiana secreta si Iudans inimiens est Christiani baptismatis ergo in terris haec de re nullum poterit reperiri iudicium de coelo quaerendus sed vt quid puâ—samus ad coelum cum habemus hîc in Euangelio testamentum inquam quia hoc loco recte possunt terrena coelestibus comparari Some iudges for this controuersie are to be fought for if Christians they cannot be had on both sides because by part-taking the truth is hindred we must seek abroad for a iudge if he be a Pagan he knoweth not Christian secrets if a Iewe he is an enemie to Christian baptisme in earth there can be found no iudgement a iudge from heauen must be required But why doe we knocke at heauen when we haue in the Gospel a testament because in this place earthly things may be fitly coÌ„pared to heauenly things I maruell M. Doctor that your vanting vpon all the Fathers light not vpon this Father who is as you call them a plaine Calvinist But I returne your argument They which haue no certaine triall of the truth are not the Church But the Papist haue no certaine triall of the truth Ergo. The assumption is manifest because they relie vpon Popes that may erre Marellinus sacrificed to idols Liberius was an Arrian And more then this some Iudas might creepe into the office as your Rhemists confesse Some Popes they will not appeale to Councells as it it manifest by the Councell of Basil And M. Doctor in a word what certaintie haue you or can you haue if there happen to be a schisme amongst the Popes The 22. schisme continued 40. yeares as it is recorded in Fascic Temp. and vntill Martin the 5. it was not manifest who was Pope You blaspheme the Scriptures Turrian calleth them a Delphian sword made for want The Censure of Colen saith that it is veluti nasus caereus a nose of waxe O Antichristian Prelates the Lord rebuke you for these your blasphemies against his holy Bible What triall of truth you haue I hope I haue made plaine to your owne conscience M. Doctor In the ende of this chapter you call vs boat-swanes admitting no iudge and say we haue no meanes to rest vntill we end in Atheisme That this name of boat-swanes may returne vpon your head I pray you consider how M. Harding pleadeth for your Pope to be head of the church because the Prophet Hose prophesieth that the children of Israel and Iudah shall haue one head Out vpon you Antichristian heretikes that euer you should thus abuse the holy Bible touching Atheisme wheÌ„ce did Machiauell spring Caius constantly auoucheth Italie to be the very fouÌ„taine of Atheists I conclude this reason with the saying of Picus Mirandula Magna profecto insania est Euangelio non credere cuius veritatem sanguis martyrum clamat Apostolicae resonant voces prodigia probant ratio confirmat mundus testatur elemeÌ„ta loquuÌ„tur Daemones confitentur sed longe maior insania si de Euangelij veritate non dubitas viuere tamen quasi de eius falsitate non dubitares It is exceeding madnesse not to credit the Gospel the truth whereof the blood of Martyrs doth crie the Apostolicall words doe sound miracles do prooue reason doth confirme the world doeth witnesse the elements doe vtter the deuils confesse but it is farre greater folly if thou doubtest not of the trueth of the Gospell so to liue as if thou madest no question but it were false The twelfth reason the vse and custome of the Church De faece hauris you drawe of your dregges M. Doctor when you will beate vs downe with the bare club of custome Custome in ciuill affaires may preuaile much but in diuinity it is not worth a rush except it be ioyned with trueth Prudentius answereth Symmachus making this defence Suus cuique mos suus cuique ritus est Euery one hath his manner and rite Quid mihi tu ritus solitos Romane senator obiectas cum scita patrum populique frequenter in tabulis placiti sententia flexa nouarit Nunc etiam quoties solitis decedere prodest praeteritosque habitus cultu damnare recenti Why doest thou obiect vnto me Custome when a diuers opinion hath changed the decrees of Father and people now also how often doeth it auaile to depart from custome and by a newe manner to condemne the olde habits Morosa moris retentio res est aequè turbulenta ac nouitas A wayward retaining of a Custome is as turbulent a thing as noueltie Balsamon vpon Photius saith that aequitate exigente mutamus consuctudinem Tom. 6. when equitie requireth it we change custome And againe Vidi non scriptam consuetudinem fuisse infirmatam I haue seene an vnwritten custome to haue beene infringed But saith the Doctor the vse and custome of the church hath beene alwaies an infallible rule to direct and order things by First the Doctor beggeth that which is a question taking the Romish Church to be the true Church We denie it prooue it before you plead custome Secondly the Church in times past did giue the Eucharist vnto Infants was this an infallible rule M. Doctor to giue the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ vnto children if you denie that the Church did so you may be confounded with infinite testimonies of authors Augustine in his first booke de peccato mort cap. 20. is plaine vpon which place Erasmus hath made this marginall note Lib. 1. cap. 2. cont Iulian. Nunc
he chargeth vs with the same crime because we teach euery sinne to deserue eternall damnation which doctrine his owne men haue taught as I haue prooued These doctrines might haue serued to haue returned this vntruth vpon his head but let vs further see into their doctrine It is not lawfull for the faithfull to marrie with infidells for Paul saith 1. Cor. 6. be not yoked with infidells yet the Pope may dispence in this point Bellar. lib. 1. de Mat. cap. 23. who gaue the Pope leaue thus to play with Gods word Secondly God forbiddeth diuerse degrees of kindred yet the Pope despenseth with them if Gods word bee holy the Popes doctrine is prophane and sheweth him to be Antichrist sitting in the Temple as God Thirdly subdeacons may not marry yet the Pope dispensed with them Greg. lib. 1. Epist Cap. 42. Fourthly God commandeth the children to honour Parents but the papists teach that they may enter into the state of Monkes and Nunnes without the parents consent Bellar. lib. 2. de me 36 cap. Fiftly the Pope should honour the magistrate as beeing his father but the Emperour kisseth is toe Sixtly the Papistes allowe stewes and one calleth them a nenessarie euill God saith Deut. 23.27 There shall be not whore of the daughters of Israel Seauenthly the Papists teach that the Seriptures are not to be read of all men a doctrine tending to ignorance and prophane life Eightly the Papists say that the passions of Saints are ioyned to Christs passion to make vp the treasure of the Church a most blasphemous doctrine against Christs sufferings which are of infinit valour Bell. lib. de Indulg Ninthly the Papists teach that Saints may be called our redeemers after a certaine respect though not simply Bellarm. eodem lib. if there were nothing but this one thing in Poperie a man should euer detest the same Tenthly the Papists teach that it is better to commit fornication then to marrie after a vow as I prooued which is most filthie and odious doctrine 11. The Papists teach that in this life and after death the Pope may giue pardons which is a most dissolute doctrine as is the doctrine of purgatorie Giue good store of gold and siluer and thou shalt haue pardon alas what will not a man giue for the redemption of his soule 12. The Papists teach that some sinnes deserue not death of their own nature which maketh men to commit these smal sinnes whereas the greatnes of sinne terrifieth men from it Thus M. Doctor behold your holy doctrine and now I returne your speach if the Papists doctrine open the right way to heauen then is the way to heauen most pleasant and delightfull to flesh and blood and consequently most easie to be walked The 14. reason Negatiue Doctrine Although this reason with the rest following hath no substance but many vaine words yet I will examine it with the others that followe Pope Boniface robbed the Church and â—â—ed to Ierusalem Fas. Tmp. pag. 70. Albertus robbed the Church by Papall authority â—â—n 90â— Whether Tarltons father spoiled the Church as the Doctor reporteth I am ignorant but if you thus dispute M. Doctor Tarletons father solde the lead off the parish Church Ergo the religion in England is a false religion Tarleton himselfe I am sure had more wit then you you are beholding to his father for this fact for otherwise as it seemeth you had wanted matter to fill vp your chapter as for the destroying of Abbeis Monasteries Nunries Chauntries Altars you might admire the iust iudgment of God vpon such places which beeing abused to Idolatrie and to filthie lust whordome and Sodomie are changed to other vses your owne prelates also in king Henrie his daies committed Abbey lands to the Princes disposition And if you thinke it carnall libertie to possesse any such Church goods you may doe well to perswade a number of your fauorites to renounce the possession of their Abbey lands and to restore them to the Church If you refuse so to doe I will say no more you are libertines your selues by your own verdict Who first annexed parsonages to abbeyes but Papists and this thing hath not a little maimed Gods Church Who first exacted first fruits but the couetous Pope read M. Doctor Fasciculum rerum expetendarum what orations are there against them If your Abbeyes be spoiled blame your selues for Iulian the Cardinall writing to Eugenius saith iusto Dei Iudicio fiet quòd quia nolumus dimittere Concilium fieri perdemus temporalitatem nostram vtinaus non corpora animas By the iust iudgement of God it shall come to passe because we will not suffer a Councell that we shall leese our temporalities and I would to god we might not leese our bodies and soules Touching first fruits saith the Author of the oration against them that exorbitanter factum fuerat contra ius iustitiam in oppressionem praelaturarum ecclesiarumque manasteriorum beneficiorum etiam personarum quibus contigerat It was exorbitantly done against right and equitie to the oppression of Praelacies Churches Monasteries Benefices and also the persons to whome it happened If some Lutherane as you call them had thus written you might haue discredited it but now you haue no cause so to doe No maruaile then if others followed the Popes example If these testimonies will not suffice call to minde the popes confession namely Adrians that Omne malum à Curia Romana processit All wickednesse proceeded from the Romane Court. Thus you haue gained little by this your preface to negatiue doctrine I might answer this reason onely with the like namely that the Papists standeth vpon meere negatiues as these I denie Christ to be the onely king Priest and Prophet of his Church I denie that onely God is to be called vpon I denie the Scriptures to containe sufficient doctrine vnto saluation I denie we are saued onely by Christ thus I might proceede and shew that your religion standeth vpon destructiues But I will giue you arguments for the opinions which we hold And to beginne with Baptisme with which you likewise beginne you hold it to be simply necessarie vnto saluation we denie it affirming that Gods grace is not tied to the Sacraments but that he may dispense it as it pleaseth him The theefe vpon the crosse was saued without baptisme ergo it is not simply necessarie Valentinian died without baptisme as Ambrose reporteth and yet he doubted not of his saluation And if it be necessarie simply vnto saluation it is by this place in the 3. of Iohn No man can enter into the kingdome of heauen except he be borne of water and of the spirit but this place doth not prooue a simple necessitie for Bellarmine teacheth that baptisme was not necessarie simply before the passion of Christ therefore this place prooueth it not We say therefore with Bernard Non carere baptisme seà contemnere capitale est epist 77. not the
want but the contempt of baptisme is damnable In the Church of Thessalie as Socrates writeth they did baptize onely at Easter ob quam causam saith he Lib. 5. cap 20. omnes paucis admodum exceptis absque baptismate moriebantur for which cause all excepting a fewe died without baptisme Would the Church of Thessalie haue done thus if it had thought baptisme simply necessarie vnto saluation If you obiect Augustines authoritie I answer first that he thought the Eucharist necessarie also as I prooued before and if he erred in one why might he not erre in the other secondly the same man saith tunc invisibiliter impletur cum misteriuÌ„ baptismi Lib. 4. cap. 2â— non contemptus religionis sed articulus necessitatis excludit then it is inuisibly fulfilled when the point of necessitie doth exclude baptisme and not contempt of religion S. Augustine therefore did vrge baptisme to be necessarie against the Pelagians who thought it superfluous and not against those that were preuented with ineuitable necessitie The contempt therefore is damnable and not the want of baptisme I might also oppose Vincentius iudgement to that of Augustine if he be of another minde but I let it alone Catharin the Papist assigneth neither heauen nor hell to infants but a third place and so sheweth himselfe a flat Pelagian as I might shew but I referre the reader to August serm 14. de ver Apost lib. 1. de poena mor. cap. 28. To be briefe it is admirable to consider the varietie of popish opinions about this point Bellar. lib. 6. de amiss grat cap. 1. Agree amongst your selues you that teach so seuerally concerning Infants before you come to charge the Protestants doctrine with bare negatiues Next to baptisme we must speake of inherent Iustice which we doe not denie to be in men for this inherent righteousnes is sanctification but we teach this inherent righteousnes to be imperfect and cleaue onely to the righteousnes of Christ whose righteousnes is the very thing that causeth a man to stand righteous before God and to be accepted to life euerlasting This doctrine I maruell you dare once barke against being so holy and so comfortable as it is I will giue you reasons of it In the 3. to the Rom. we are saide to be iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Iesus Christ whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood By grace here Bellarmine will haue inherent grace vnderstood because the fauour of God is sufficiently set forth by the word freely as though to fortifie and amplifie a matter one thing may not be vttered in diuers wordes which I might plentifully prooue Secondly saith he the word by cannot be applied to the fauour of God but to the formall cause or meritorious cause or instrumentall cause this is likewise false as I might shew by some examples but let this be graunted that by grace is not meant the fauour of God in this place Paul expoundeth himselfe saying through the redemption which is in Iesus Christ And to retort Bellarmine his reason if by the fauour of God we must vnderstand inherent righteousnes then the Apostle needed not to haue added through faith because faith is a part of inherent righteousnes Hence I thus conclude if we are iustified formally and meritoriously by the redemption which is in Iesus Christ then are we not iustified by inherent iustice but we are iustified formally and meritoriously by the redemption that is in Christ ergo In the same chapter we are said to be iustified without workes some answer works ceremoniall are to be vnderstood this answer Bellarmine refuteth because the Apostle speaketh simply without the workes of the law What works doth Bellarmine vnderstand workes that goe before faith But by his owne reason we must vnderstand all works for the Apostle speaketh simply not restraining his speach to Moses his law or to workes going before faith Againe such workes are excluded as we may boast in but we may boast in the works which follow faith especially seeing they proceede partly of our selues and not onely of grace as the Papists teach Augustine is worthie to be heard speaking against Pelagius vpon the like place of scripture Non ait ex praeteritis operibus De praedest gra cap. 7. sed cum generaliter dixerit non ex operibus ibi praeterita intelligi voluit futura he saith not of workes which are past but seeing he speaketh generally of works he will haue both workes that are past and to come vnderstood So say I to the Papist the Apostle speaketh generally why shouldest thou then restraine his speach to works that are past I let passe the arguments taken out of the 4. chap. which are many and come to the place in the 2. of the Cor. the 5. chap. where Paul writeth that Christ was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him As Christ was made a sinner so are we made righteous but Christ was made a sinner by imputation ergo we are made righteous by imputation To this text semblably suteth Augustine Ipse ergo peccatum cap. 41. vt nos iustitia he was made sinne that we might be made iustice not our iustice but Gods iustice neither in vs but in him Againe 3. tract in Ioh. omnes qui per Christum iustificati iusti non in se sed in illo all that are instified in Christ are righteous in him not in themselues Lastly for breuitie sake I thus dispute That righteousnes which must answer Gods iustice must be pure and perfect but ours is impure ergo Augustine saith 19 lib. de civ c. 17. our righteousnesis such that it consisteth rather of remission of sinnes then of perfection of vertues ergo it is not perfect Optatus speaketh thus Onely Christ is perfect lib. 2. caeteri omnes semiperfecti sumus all other of vs are but halfe perfect The testimonies of Fathers are many in this case I conclude with Bernard 61 in Cant. The righteousnes of Christ is not a short cloake which cannot couer two Thus I haue giuen you a few reasons why we cleaue onely to the righteousnes of our blessed Sauiour Christ I desire you M. Doctor as you loue the saluation of your soule that you cleaue onely to it and leaue your stained righteousnes for your conscience tâ—lleth you that your inherent righteousnes is imperfect Quantaelibet fuisse virtutis antiquos praedices iustor non eos salvos fecit nisi fides mediatoris What vertues soeuer you preach that the auncient iust men had nothing saued them but faith in the Mediatour Lib. 1. cont Pelag cap. 21. saith Augustine Except therefore you be better then the righteous men Abraham Noe others onely faith in Christ must bring you to saluation Concerning workes of preparation if by them you vnderstand workes by which God bringeth vs to repentance
as hearing Gods word afflictions with other things we doe not denie them but if you vnderstand workes which deserue fauour of congruitie we reiect them as some of your owne men doe giue vs leaue to doe that which is done by your selues and indeede who can thinke that he to whome damnation is due should merit and deserue Gods grace this is madde diuinitie Augustine saith â—â— Psal Nihil boni fecisti datur tibi remissio peccatorum attenduntur opera tua inueniuntur omnia mala Thou hast done no good and remission of sinne is giuen thee thy workes are considered they are found all euill To be short saith the same father Miseretur Deus God of his great goodnesse hath mercie and he bardeneth without any iniquitie 〈…〉 that neither he which is deliuered might boast of his owne merits neither he which is condemned might complaine but of his owne deserts for onely grace discerneth those that are saued from those that are damned Nowe M. Doctor plead you merits and deserts I for my part will cleaue onely to grace From workes of preparation we are to descend to good workes and free will but of these I haue spoken before and therefore I will not repeat the matters handled but come to the keeping of Gods commandements which we denie can be done in that perfection as the lawe requireth for there is no man that sinneth not and to say as the Papists say is plaine Pelagianisme facilia dicis saith Hierom thou saiest Gods commandement are easie Ad Câ—â— and yet thou canst alleadge none that hath fulfilled them all Augustines testimonies are pregnant in this point wherefore to leaue it as also humane lawes and to speake of the seauen Sacraments The Papists make not onely 7. Sacraments but many moe For as they make orders one of the seauen so doe they make diuers Sacraments in orders as namely the order of Bishops one sacrament the order of Priesthood another and the order of Deaconship another as Bellarmine sheweth Hence it is plaine that they make about seauen sacraments yea they make inferior orders also a Sacrament and so they haue exceedingly multiplied the number of sacraments but we make but two and this number I prooued before out of Augustine besides the Sacraments did flowe out of Christs side but onely blood and water did issue out of Christs side ergo there are but two Water signifieth Baptisme and blood the Eucharist touching the proofe of this that the sacraments did flowe out of Christs fide read Bellarmine lib. 1. de Sacr. cap. 15. To proceede August in 8. tract in Iob. in a Sacrament there must be a word of institution and an outward element Accedat verbum ad clementum fiat Sacramentum Let the word come to the element and so it shall be a Sacrament But onely Baptisme and the supper of the Lord hath an outward element and the word of institution ergo I will not adioyne the testimonies of Fathers neither shewe that Durand denieth matrimonie to be a Sacrament after the Sacraments The Doctor nameth Priesthood of which I haue spoken as also of the single life of the Cleargie But concerning Priesthood I would know whether his Priests are after Aarons order or after Melchizedechs Aarons order is ceased Melchizedechs order is peculiar to Christ what Priesthood then would you haue M. Doctor And whereas you say that we denie pennance contritioÌ„ and the perpetuall virginitie of the Virgin Marie with trimming vp of Churches ceremonies and singing it is false for we teach godly sorrow to be necessarie vnto saluation and do not denie the perpetual virginitie of the virgin Marie neither do we condemne moderate trimming vp of churches ceremonies as for satisfaction and the reall presence I haue handled them before as also worshipping of Images and the visibilitie of the Church I will speake of praier vnto Saints which as yet I haue not spoken of If we must pray vnto Saints we must beleeue in them for to whomsoeuer we pray we must beleeue in him but we must not beleeue in Saints ergo If you answer that we may beleeue in Saints heare what the Fathers write Vemantius saith Vbi prepostio In ponitur To. 2. ibi diuinitas approbatur Whersoeuer the preposition in is there the Diuinitie is approoued To Vemantius agreeth Paschasius Tâ— 9. Credimus Ecclesiam quasi regenerationis matrem non in Ecclesiam credimus quasi salutis vxorem We beleeue the holy Church as the mother of regeneration but we beleeue not in the Church as the author of saluatioÌ„ Bellarm. prooueth the Deitie of Christ because we must beleeue in him to beleeue then in Saints is to make them Gods Nazianzene also prooueth the Deitie of the holy Ghost because we beleeue in the holy Ghost Furthermore to whomesoeuer we must pray we must call him Father but we must not call any Saint Father ergo The proposition is manifest out of the Lords praier which is a perfect patterne of praier Ep. 121. for as saith Augustine QuaÌ„libet alia verba dicamus nihil aliud dicimus quà m in ista oratione dominica positum est si rectè congruentur oramus Although we vtter other wordes yet we say no other thing then is contained in the Lords praier if we pray conueniently and aright Thirdly to whomsoeuer we must pray he must knowe the heart but onely God knoweth the heart ergo Theophylact vpon the 19. of Math. writeth that ex hoc quòd cogitationes resciuit ostendit se Deum Christus Christ by this thing did shewe himselfe God because he knew their thoughts Now M. Doctor iudge whether you haue not vttered a most wretched speech that a horse if he could speak might be as good a Protestant as the best of them all We come not in with bare negatiues but with sound arguments which if you can answere I reduce your argument into a syllogisme They which stand vpon bare negatiues are of a false religion But the Protestants stand vpon bare negatiues ergo The assumption as I haue shewed is vtterly false And M. Doctor I would knowe whether you owne men stand vpon bare negatiues or no. We teach many points as I haue prooued which the Papists hold themselues if we stand vpon hare destructiues then doe they also Charge not vs then M. Doctor with bare negatiues except you will disgrace your own men The 15. reason Diuinitie Salomon giueth counsaile that an other should coÌ„mend vs not we our selues yet this Doctor thirsteth so after praise that he commendeth the papists for learning and condemneth the protestants for Idiotes I doe not willingly diminish the papists learning virtus in hoste laudanda vertue is to be commended in our enemies yet now I am enforced to shew the Papists ignorance and to defend the protestants knowledge many Popes as I haue prooued haue beene so ignorant that they did not know their grammer Pope Benedictus saith Waltheramus