bookes of holy Scripture put together do contayne all necessary instruction Now then the argument followeth but some of those bookes of holy Scripture haue bene lost therefore some poynts of necessarie doctrine contayned in them are not extant in the written worde and consequently to be learned by Tradition M. P. answereth First supposing some of the bookes to be lost that all needfull doctrine which was in them is in some of the others preserued But why did he not solue the Argument proposed were then those bookes supersluous Doth the Holie Ghost set men to pen needelesse discourses which this answere supposeth Therefore he giues a second more shamefull that none be perished which is most contrary vnto the plaine Scriptures * 1. Paral. vlt. 2. Paral 9. as S. IOHN CHRYSOSTOM prooueth * Hom. 9. in Mat. E◠Hom. 7. in priorem ad Corinth where he hath these expresse words That many of the Propheticall bookes are lost may be prooued out of the historie of Paralipomeneon which they translate Cronicles Now as for M. P. gesses that some of them are yet extant but otherwise called some were but little rolles of Paper some profane and of Philosophie I holde them not worth the discussing beeing not much pertinent and avowed one in word onely without either any reason or authoritie M. P. His fourth objection of the Jewish Cabala is a meere dreame of his owne our Argument is this MOSES who was the Pen-man of the Olde Law committed not all to writing but deliuered certaine poynts needefull to saluation by Tradition nor any Law-maker that euer was in any Countrey comprehended al in letters but established many things by customes therefore not likelie that our Christian law should be all written That MOSES did not pen all thus we prooue It was as necessarie for women to be deliuered from Originall sinne as men Circumcision the remedie for men could not possible be applyed to women as euery one who knoweth what circumcision is can tell neither is there any other remedie prouided in the written law to deliuer women from that sinne Therefore some other remedie for them was deliuered by Tradition Item if the Childe were likely to die before the eight daie there was remedie for them as the most learned doe hold yet no where written in the Law Also many Gentils during that state of the Old Testament were saued as IOB and many such like according to the opinion of all the auncient Fathers yet in the Law or any other part of the Old Testament it is not written what they had to beleeue or how they should liue wherefore many things needefull to saluation were then deliuered by Tradition To that reason of his that God in his prouidence should not permit such a losse of any parte of the Scripture I answere that God permitteth much euill Againe no great losse in that according to our opinion who hold that Tradition might preserue what was then lost Now insteede of M. P. his fift reason for vs of milke and stronge meate wishing him a Messe of Pappe for his childish proposing of it I will set downe some authorities out of the written word in proofe of Traditions Our Sauiour said being at the point of his passiō * Ioh. 16.12 that he had many things to say vnto his Apostles but they could not as then beare them * Act. 10. Our Sauiour after his resurrection appeared often vnto his Disciples speaking with them of the kingdome of God of which little is written in any of the Euangelists * 1. Cor. 11 I commende you brethren that you remember me in all things and keepe the Traditions euen as I haue deliuered them to you * 1 Tim. 6. O TIMOTHY keepe the dispositum that is true which I deliuered thee to keepe * 2. Tim. 1 Hold fast by the holy ghost the good things committed vnto thee to keepe which was as S. CHRISOSTOM and THEOPHILACT expounde the true doctrine of CHRIST the true sence of holy Scriptures the right administration of the Sacramentes and gouernment of the Church To which alludeth that auncient holy Martir S. IRENEVS * Lib. 3. c. 4 saying that the Apostles layd vp in the Catholike Church as in a rich treasurie all things that belong to the trueth S. IOHN who was the last of the Apostles left aliue said * Epi. 3.13 that hee had many other things to write not idle or superfluous but would not commit them to inke and pen but referred them to be deliuered by word of mouth And to specifie for example sake some two or three poynts of greatest importance where is it written that our Sauiour the Sonne of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the same substance with his father Where is it written that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne aswell as from the Father Where is it written that there is a Trinitie that is three persons reallie distincte in one and the very same substance And that there is in our Sauiour CHRIST IESVS no person of man but the substance of God man subsisting in the second person of the Trinitie Be not all and euerie of these principall articles of the Christian faith and most necessarie to be beleeued of the learned and yet not one of them in expresse tearmes written in any parte of the holie Bible Wherefore wee must either admit Traditions or leaue the highest mysteries of our Christian faith vnto the discretion and courtesie of euerie wrangler as shal be more declared in the argument following The sixt and last reason for Traditions Sundrie places of holy Scriptures be hard to be vnderstood others doubtfull whether they must be taken liberally or figuratiuely If then it be put to euery Christian to take his owne exposition euery seueral sect will coyne interpretations in fauour of their own opinions so shal the word of God ordayned only to teach vs the trueth be abused and made an Instrument to confirme all errors To auoide which inconuenience considerate men haue recourse vnto the Traditions and auncient Records of the Primitiue Church receiued from the Apostles and deliuered to the posteritie as the true copies of Gods word see the true Exposition and sense of it and thereby confute and reject all priuate and new glosses which agree not with those auncient and holy Comentaries So that for the vnderstanding of both difficult and doubtfull texts of Scripture Traditions are most necessarie M. P. His answere is that there is no such neede of them but in doubtfull places the Scripture it selfe is the best glosse If there be obserued first the analogie of faith which is the summe of religion gathered out of the cleerest places Secondly the circumstance of the place and the nature and signifycation of the wordes Thirdly the conference of place with place and concludeth that the Scripture is falsely tearmed the matter of strife it being not so of it selfe but by the
giuen any credit vnto the Apostles doctrine vnlesse by S. PETER and the other Apostles it had bene first examined and approoued * Tertal li. 4. in M rc Hierom. ep 89. que est 11. inter ep Augustinâ— August lib 28. cont faâ—st c. 4 Againe when there arose a most dangerous question of Abrogating MOSES Lawe Was it left to euerie Christian to decide by the written Worde Or would many of the faithful beleeue S. PAVL that worthie Apostle in the matter Not so but vp they went to Ierusalem to heare what the Pillers of the Church would saye Where by the decree of the Apostles in counsell the controuersie was ended Which S. PAVL afterward deliuered in his Preaching commanding all to obserue and keepe the decree and ordinance of the Apostles * Act. 16. And if it would not be tedious I could in like maner shew how in like sort euery hundreth yeere after errors and heresies rising by misconstruction of the written Word they were confuted and rejected not by the written Worde onely but by the sentence and declaration of the Apostles Schollers and successors See Cardinall BELLARMINE * Tom. 1 lib 3. cap 6 I will onely recorde two noble examples of this recourse vnto Antiquitie for the true sense of Gods word The first out of the Ecclesiasticall Historie * Lib. 11. cap. 9 whereof Saint GREGORY NAZIANZEN and Saint BASIL two principall lights of the Greeke Church this is recorded They were both noble men brought vp together at Athens And afterwarde for thirteene yeeres space laying aside all profaine bookes imployed their studie wholie in the holy Scriptures The sense and true meaning whereof they sought not out of their owne Iudgement and presumption as the Protestants both doe and teach others to doe but out of their Predecessors writings and authoritie namelie of such as were knowen to haue receiued the rule of vnderstanding from the Tradition of the Apostles These be the verie wordes The other example shall be the principall pillar of the Latine Church S. AVGVSTINE who not only exhorteth aduiseth vs to follow the decree of the auncient Church if we will not be deceiued with the obscuritie of doubtful questions * Lib. cont Crescon cap. 33. but plainely affirmeth That he would not beleeue the Gospel if the authoritie of the Church did not mooue him vnto it * Cont. ep fund c. 5. Which words are not to be vnderstood as Caluin would haue them that S. AVGVSTINE had not bene at first a Christian if by the authoritie of the Church hee had not bene thereunto perswaded but that when he was a learned and Iudicious Doctor and did write against Heretikes euen then he would not beleeue these bookes of the Gospell to haue bene penned by diuine inspiration and no others and this to be the true sense of them vnlesse the Catholike Church famous then for antiquitie generallity and consent did tell him which and what they were So farre was he off from trusting to his owne skill and judgement in this matter which notwithstanding was most excellent This matter is so large that it requireth a whole question but being penned vp within the compasse of one objection I will not dwell any longer in it but here fold-vp this whole question of Traditions in the authorities of the auncient Fathers out of whom because I haue in answering M. P. and else-where as occasion serued cited alreadie many sentences I will here be briefe S. IGNATIVS the Apostles Scholler doth exhort all Christians * Euseb lib 30.36 To sticke fast vnto the Traditions of the Apostles some of which he committed to writing POLICARPVS by the authoritie of the Apostles words which he had receiued from their owne mouthes confirmed the faith full in trueth and ouerthrew the Heretikes * Ibid. lib 5 cap. 20. S. IRENEVS who imprinted in his heart Apostolicall Traditions receiued from POLICARP sayeth * If there should be a controuersie about any meane question ought wee not to runne vnto the most auncient Churches in the which the Apostles had conuersed and from them take that which is cleere and perspicuous to define the present question For what if the Apostles had not written any thing at all must we not haue followed the order of Traditions which they deliuered to them to whom they deliuered the Churches ORIGEN teacheth that the Church receiued from the Apostles by Tradition to baptize Infants * Rom. 6 ATHANASIVS sayeth e Lib. de decret Nâ—caeni conâ— We haue prooued this sentence to haue bene deliuered from hand to hand by Fathers to Fathers but ye O new Iewes and sonnes of Caiphas what Auncestors can ye shew of your opinion S. BASIL hath these words * De Spâ— Sanct. c. 2 We haue the doctrine that is kept and preached in the Church partly written and part we haue receiued by Tradition of the Apostles in mysterie both which be of the same force to godlinesse and no man opposeth against these who hath at the least but meane experience of the Lawes of the Church See GREGORY NAZIANZ Orat. 1. in Iulian. Because I haue cited alreadie some of the Latine Auncient Doctors Insteede of the rest I will recorde out of them in a worde or two how olde rotten Heretikes vsed alwaies to reject vnwritten Traditions and flie wholy vnto the written worde See the whole booke of TERTVLLIANS prescriptions against Heretikes which principally handleth this verie poynt The same doth IRENEVS witnesse of the Valentinians and Marcionis * Lib. 3. c. 2 The Arrians common song vnto the Catholikes was I will not admit to be read any words that are not written in the Scriptures as witnesseth S. HILARY in his booke against CONSTANTIVS the Emperour against whom he alleadgeth the preaching of the Apostles and the authoritie of the auncient Bishops expressed in his liuely colours S. AVGVSTINE some thousand two hundreth yeeres agoe recordeth the very forme of arguing which the Protestants vse now-a-daies in the person of Maximinus an Arrian in his first booke against him in the beginning If thou shalt saith this Heretike bring any thing out of the Scriptures which is common to all wee must needes heere thee but these wordes which are without the Scriptures are in no sorte to bee receiued of vs when as the Lorde himselfe hath admonished vs and said in vaine doe they worship me teaching commandements and precepts of men How S. AVGVSTINE opposed against them vnwritten Traditions hath ben afore declared The like doth S. BERNARD affirme of certaine Heretikes of his time called * Hom. 62 Cantica Apostolici So that most truely it may be concluded that euen as we Catholikes haue learned of the Apostles and auncient Fathers our noble progenitors to stand fast and hold the Traditions which we haue receiued by worde of mouth aswell as that which is written Euen so the Protestants haue receiued as it were from hand to hand of their
so wicked a man should rule ouer so good Ouer what then but he shall rule ouer sinne See how manifestly that worthie Doctor hath preuented their cauill And if it were neede I might joyne with him that most skilfull Father in the Hebrue text S. Ierome In quest Hebraice who in the person of God expoundeth it thus Because thou hast free will I admonish and warne thee that thou suffer not sinne to ouercome thee but doe thou ouercome sinne The second is taken out of this text of Deut. Cap. 30.19 I call this day sayeth Moyses heauen and earth to witnes that I haue set before you life and death benediction malediction therefore choose life that thou maist liue and thy seede Which words were spoken in vayne if it had not beene in their power by the grace of God to haue made choise of life or if that grace would haue made them doe it infallibly without their consent Vnto these two places of the old Testament one vnder the law of Nature and the other vnder Moyses law let vs couple two more out of the newe Testament The first may be those kinde wordes of our Sauiour vnto the Iewes Math. 23. Ierusalem Ierusalem c. how often would I haue gathered together thy children as the hen doth her chickens vnder her winges thou wouldest not Which doe playnlie demonstrate that there was no want either of Gods help inwardly or of Christs perswasion outwardly for their conuersion and that the whole fault lay in their owne refusing and withstanding Gods grace as these wordes of Christ doe playnlie witnes and thou wouldest not The last testimony is in the Reuelat. where it is said in the person of God I stande at the dore and knocke Cap. 3. if any man shall heare my voyce and open the gates I will enter in to him and will suppe with him and he with me Marke well the wordes God by his grace knockes at the dore of our hartes he doth not breake it open or in any sort force it but attendeth that by our assenting to his call we open him the gates and then lo he with his heauenly giftes will enter in otherwise he leaues vs. What can be more euident in confirmation of the freedome of mans will in working with Gods grace To these expresse places taken out of Gods word let vs joyne the testimonie of those most auncient Fathers against whose workes the Protestants can take no exception The first shall be that excellent learned Martir Iustinus in his Apologie who vnto the Emperour Antonine speaketh thus Vnlesse man by free will could flie from foule dishonest deedes and follow those that be faire and good he were without fault as not being cause of such thinges as were done But we Christians teach that mainkinde by free choise and free will doth both doe well and sinne To him we will joyne that holy Bishoppe and valiant Martir Ireneus who of free will writeth thus not only in workes but in faith also Lib. 4. c. 72. our Lord reserued liberty and freedome of will vnto man saying be it done vnto thee according to thy faith I will adde to that worthy companie S. Cyprian who vpon those words of our Sauiour will you also depart discourseth thus Ioan. 6. Lib. 1. Ep. 3 Our Lord did not bitterly inueigh against them which forsooke him but rather vsed these gentle speeches to his Apostles will you also goe your way and why so Marry obseruing and keeping as this holy Father declareth that decree by which man left vnto his liberty and put vnto his free choise might deserue vnto himselfe either damnation or saluation These three most auncient and most skilfull in Christian Religion and so zealous of Christian truth that they spent their bloud in confirmation of it may suffice to certifie any indifferent reader what was the iudgement of the auncient and most pure Church concerning this article of free will specially when the learnedst of our Aduersaries confesse al Antiquity excepting only S. Augustine to haue beleeued taught free wil. Heare the wordes of one for all Mathias Illyricus in his large long lying historie hauing rehearsed touching free will the testimonies of Iustine Ireneus and others Cent. 2. c. 4. col 59. saith In like manner Clement Patriarch of Alexandria doth euery where teach free will that it may appeare say these Lutherans not only the Doctors of that age to haue beene in such darknes but also that it did much encrease in the ages following See the wilfull blindnes of heresie Illyricus confessing the best learned in the purest times of the Church to haue taught free will yet had rather beleeue them to haue beene blindly ledde by the Apostles and their best Schollers who were their Masters then to espy amend his owne error These principall pillers of Christs Church were in darknes belike as Protestants must needes say that proude Persian most wicked heretike Manes of whome the Manichees are named who first denyed free will beganne to broach the true light of the newe Gospell Here I would make an end of citing Authorities were it not that Caluin sayeth 2. Iust. ca. 2. q. 4. that albeit al other auncient writers be against him yet S. Augustine as he vaunteth is clearly for him in this point but the poore man is fouly deceiued aswell in this as in most other matters I will briefly proue and that out of those workes which S. Augustine wrote after the Pelagian heresie was a foote for in his others Caluin acknowledgeth him to haue taught free will Of our freedome in consenting to Gods grace he thus defineth De spirit lit 34. De gra Chri. 14. Ad simpli q. 2. Tract 72. in Ioan Ep 47. to consent to Gods calling or not to consent lyeth in a mans owne will Againe Who doth not see euery man to come or not to come by free will but this free will may be alone if he doe not come but it cannot be but holpen if he doe come In an other place that we will doe well God will haue it to be his and ours his in calling vs ours in following him Yea more To Christ working in him a man doth cooperate that is worketh with him both his owne iustification and life euerlasting will you here him speake yet more formally for vs. We haue dealt with your brethren and ours as much as we could that they would hold out and continue in the sound Catholike faith the which neither denieth free will to euill or good life nor doth attribute so much to it that it is worth any thing without grace So according to this most worthy Fathers iudgement the sound Catholike faith doth not deny free will as the old Manichees and our newe Gospellers doe nor esteeme it without grace able to doe any thing toward saluation as the Pelagians did And to conclude heare S. Augustines answere vnto them who say
be set to worke and if it doe not act that which it is set too then there wanted some thing requisite And consequently that was not the whole cause of that worke Now to the second proposition But their imagined faith can not apply to themselues Christs righteousnes without the presence of hope and charity For else he might be justified without any hope of heauen and without any loue towardes God and estimation of his honour which are thinges most absurd in themselues but yet very well fitting the Protestants justification which is nothing else but the playne vice of presumption as hath beene before declared Yet to auoid this inconuenience which is so great M. PE. graunteth that both hope and charity must needes be present at the justification but doe nothing in it but faith doth all as the head is present to the eie whē it seeth yet it is the eie alone that seeth Here is a worthy peece of Philosophy that the eie alone doth see whereas in truth it is but the instrument of seing the soule being the principall cause of sight as it is of all other actions of life sence and reason and it is not to purpose here where we require the presence of the whole cause not only of the instrumentall cause And to returne your similitude vpon your selfe as the eie cannot see without the head because it receiueth influence from it before it cā see so cannot faith justifie without charity because it necessarily receiueth spirit of life from it before it can doe any thing acceptable in Gods sight The fourth reason if faith alone doe justifie then faith alone will saue but it will not saue ergo M. PERKINS first denyeth the proposition and saith That it may iustifie and yet not saue because more is required to saluation then to iustification Which is false for put the case that an Innocent babe dye shortly after his baptisme wherein he was justified shall he not be saued for want of any thing I hope you will say yes euen so any man that is justified if he depart in that state no man makes doubt of his saluation therefore this first shift was very friuoulous Which M. PERKINS perceiuing flies to a second that for faith alone we shall also be saued that good workes shall not be regarded at the day of our judgement Then must those wordes of the holy Ghost so often repeted in the Scriptures be razed out of the text God at that time will render vnto euery man according to his workes But of this more amply in the question of merits 5. Reason There be many other vertues vnto which justification and saluation are ascribed in Gods word therefore faith alone sufficeth not The Antecedent is proued first of feare it is said He that is without feare Ecclesias 1. Rom. 8. Luc. 13. 1. Ioan. 3. cannot be iustified We are saued by hope Vnlesse you doe penance you shall all in like sort perish We are translated from death to life that is justified because we loue the brethren Againe of baptisme Vnlesse you be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost you cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen Lastly we must haue a resolute purpose to amend our euill liues Rom. 6. For we are buried together with Christ by baptisme into death that as Christ is risen from the dead c. So we may also walke in newes of life To all these and many such like places of Holy Scripture it pleased M. PERKINS to make answere in that one Rom. 8. You are saued by hope to wit that Paules meaning is only that we haue not as yet saluation in possession but must wayte patiently for it vntill the time of our full deliuerance this is all Now whether that patient expectation which is not hope but issueth out of hope of eternall saluation or hope it selfe be any cause of saluation he sayeth neither yea nor nay leaues you to thinke as it seemeth best vnto your selfe S. Paul then affirming it to be a cause of saluation it is best to beleeue him so neither to exclude hope or charity or any of the foresaid vertues from the worke of justification hauing so good warrant as the word of God for the confirmation of it To these authorities and reasons taken out of the holy Scriptures let vs joyne here some testimonies of the auncient Church reseruing the rest vnto that place wherein M. PER. citeth some for him The most auncient and most valiant Martir S. Ignatius of our justification writeth thus Epist ad Philip. The beginning of life is faith but the end of it is charity but both vnited and ioyned together doe make the man of God perfect Clement Patriarch of Alexandria saith Faith goeth before Libr. 2. strom but feare doth build and charity bringeth to perfection Saint Iohn Chrysostome Patriarch of Constantinople hath these wordes Least the faithfull should trust that by faith alone they might be saued Hom. 70. in Mat. he disputeth of the punishment of euill men and so doth he both exhort the Infidels to faith and the faithfull to liue well Lib. 3. hypognost S. Augustine cryeth out as it were to our Protestants and saith Heare O foolish Heretike and enemy to the true faith Good workes which that they may be donne are by grace prepared and not of the merits of free will we condemne not because by them or such like men of God haue beene iustified are iustified and shall be iustified De side oper c. 14. And Now let vs see that which is to be shaken out of the harts of the faithfull Least by euill security they lose their saluation if they shall thinke faith alone to be sufficient to obtayne it Now the doctrine which M. PERKINS teacheth is cleane contrary For saith he A sinner is iustified by faith alone that is nothing that man can doe by nature or grace concurreth thereto as any kind of cause but faith a lone Farther he saith That faith it selfe is no principall but rather an instrumentall cause whereby we apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnes for our iustification So that in fine we haue that faith so much by them magnified and called the only and whole cause of our justification is in the end become no true cause at all but a bare condition without which we cannot be justified If it be an instrumentall cause Conditio sine qua non let him then declare what is the principall cause whose instrument faith is and choose whether he had leifer to haue charity or the soule of man without any helpe of grace But to come to his reasons The first is taken out of these wordes As Moyses lift vp the serpent in the desart Ioh. 3. so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euerlasting True if he liue accordingly and as his faith teacheth
in outward things and as it is in vs also it doth consist chiefely in inward worshippe by faith hope charitie and religion in whose kingdome Vowes hold a honorable ranke but a great part of this worship among vs dependes of outward things for be not the two onely parts of Gods worship amonge Protestants as M. P. sayeth in this question Baptisme and our Lords Supper both which partly consist in outwardly both speaking and doing And is not faith which is the roote of all Christian Religion gotten by outwarde preaching and hearing But it would wearie a willing man to trayle after all M. P. his impertinent errors Let vs then at length come vnto the principall poynt in controuersie Catholikes saith he maintaine such Vowes to be made as are not agreeable to the rules afore-named The first is that of Continencie whereby a man promiseth to God to keepe chastity in a single life that is out of the state of Wedlocke This kinde of Vowe is flat against the word of God as he sayeth which he prooueth first out of S. PAVL If they can not containe then let them Marrie True if they haue not Vowed Chastitie before * 1. Cor. 7. as the common Christians of Corinth to whom S. PAVL there speaketh had not For such if they can not liue otherwise chastelie it is better they marrie then be burned that is defiled with incontinencie But to them who had Vowed chastitie before S. PAVL writeth in an other stile That if they but desire to marrie they incurre damnation * 1. Tim. 5 because they haue made frustrate and broken their former saith and promise made vnto God of their chastetie So that this first text is a Furlong wide at the least from the marke The second is much like * 1. Tim. 4. It is a doctrine of diuels to forbid to marrie truth if one should hold mariage in it selfe to be wicked therefore condemne it in all sorts of persons as Mountanus the Manichees did But we haue a more reuerende opinion of marriage than the Protestants themselues For we with the Apostle * Ephes 5. hold it to be a great Sacrament they that it is a morall contract onely Notwithstanding we maintaine that such persons who being of ripe yeeres haue aduisedly Vowed chastitie may not marrie not because marriage is not honorable but for that they haue solemnlie promised to God the contrarie which we also hold to be better than if he had married And so to vse S. AVGVSTINES words He forbiddeth to marrie who sayeth it to be euill but not he who before this good thing preferreth a better And a little after you see saith he that there is great difference betweene perswasion to Virginitie by preferring the greater good before the lesser and forbidding to marrie by accusing lying together for issue The first is the doctrine of the Apostles which we teach the latter only of deuils Lib 3. cont Faust Manich cap. 6. M. P. His third and last text is * Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honorable among all and the bed vndefiled The strength of this place lyeth a double corruption of the text For this verbe is is not in the text nor cannot be the course of the Apostles speech requiring a verbe of the Imperatiue Moode as both the sentences besore and after do conuince Againe if you will haue the Apostle saye that Marriage is honorable among all men wee must also needes take him to say that the bedde is also vndefiled among all which was not true Also that their conuersation was without couetousnesse c. For there is no reason why this word is should be ioyned with the one more than with the other And nothing but passion doth cause them to make the middle sentence an affirmatiue when they turne both the other into exhortations The second corruption is in these words among all when they should translate in all and the adjectiue being put without a substantiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must in true construction haue this worde things joyned with it and not men wherefore the text being sincerelie put into English it would carrie no colour of their error For the Apostles saying is Let Marriage be honorable in all things and the bed vndefiled Here is no willing of anie man to marrie but onely a commandement to them that be marryed to liue honestlie in marriage to keepe as he else where sayeth their vessels in sanctifycation and not in dishonour and then shall their marriage bee honorable in all things that is in all poynts appertaining to Matrimony So that now you see that M. P. is not able to bring any one place out of Scripture to disprooue the Vowe of chastitie the Scripture being so barren for him he shall belike recompence it with the abundant testimonie of antiquitie in fauour of his cause but oh vnhappie chance he hath cleane forgotten in this question the recorde of the auncient Church What was there not one Father who with some one broken fragment of a sentence or other would releeue you in this your combat against the Vowe of Chastitie I will helpe you to one but I feare me you will scarse thanke me for my paines It is such a one as is neither holy nor father but the auncient Christian Epicure IOVINIAN who as S. AVGVSTINE hath recorded * Heres 82 ad Quod vult and S. IEROM * Lib. 1. cont Ioui did hold that Virginitie of professed persons men and women was no better then the continencie of the married So that many professed Virgins beleeuing him did marrie yet himselfe did not marrie as Fryer Luther did not because hee thought chastitie should be rewarded in the life to come with a greater crowne of glorie but because it was fit for the present necessitie to auoyde the troubles of marriage see just the verie opinion of M. P. and our Protestants But this heresie saith S. AVGVSTINE in the same place was quickly suppressed and extinguished it was not able to deceiue any one of the Priestes And in an other place * Lib. 2. reâ—roct 22. thus he speaketh of IOVINIAN Holy Church most faithfully and valiantly resisted this monster So that no maruaile if that M. P. could finde small reliefe in antiquitie for this his assertion which the best of them esteemed no better than a monstrous sacrilegious heresie But M. P. hath an argument that shall neuerthelesse demonstrate the Vowe of perpetuall chastitie to be intollerable For sayth he this Vowe is not in the power of him that Voweth for continencie is the gifte of God who giueth it not vnto all but vnto whom he will when he will and as long as he will And if wee object that by prayer and fasting the gift of continencie may be obtained of God he aunswereth that it cannot because it is not necessarie to saluation We replie that it is necessarie for all them that haue Vowed chastitie And be it
Because it is to long for an Epistle I reserue it to the booke it selfe for the points it handleth and will here briefly note out of it some such old reproued errors that the Protestants doe reuiue receiue and avowe as the very sinnewes of their Gospell Martin Luther the ring-leader of the newe pretended reformation layeth for the ground-worke of his Religion That man is iustified by only faith and in this he is applauded and followed of all Protestants and yet as testifieth the most sound witnes of antiquity Au de side operibus ca. 14. S. Augustine that only faith is sufficient to Saluation was an error sprong vp in the Apostles dayes against which the Catholike Epistles of S. Peter and S. Iames and S. Iohn were principally directed And the authour of that error was that infamous Sorcerer Simon Magus Cap. 20. as the blessed Martir Ireneus hath recorded in his first booke against heresies Test Socr. ib. 1. hist cap. 17. S. Hier. pref lib. cont Pela S. Aug. de fide cont Manich. Epiph. her 64. PERKIN Pag. 29. Aug. retra lib. 2 c 22. here 82. PERKIN Pag. 163. An other principall piller of Fryer Luthers Religion consisteth in Deniall of free will wherein he jumpeth with the old rotten heretike Manes of whome the Manicheans were named One Proclus an erronyous Origenist taught that sinne was not taken away in Baptisme but only couered as is recorded by that holy man and auncient Father Epiphanius M. PERKINS in the name of Church of England affirmeth in like manner the originall sinne remayneth still and raigneth in the regenerate albeit it is not imputed vnto them Iouinian was accounted a Monster by S. Augustine for defending honest Marriage to be of equall vertue and meritte with chaste Virginity and saith further that this heresie was so sottish fleshly that it could not deceiue any one learned Priest but only some few simple carnall women Yet this our English champion blusheth not to affirme that marriage is not only equall but better also in diuers respects then Virginity The same olde reprobate heretike barked also against approued feasts and fasting dayes so doe most of our Ministers at this time Vigilantius was sharpely reproued by Saint Hierome in a booke written against him and hath beene euer since vnto this day esteemed a wicked hereticke for denying prayer to Saintes and honour to be donne vnto their Relikes And yet what pointe of Doctrine is more currant among the Protestants then this In like sorte one Aerius to the Arrian heresie added this of his owne That we must not pray for the soules of our friendes departed Aug. ad q. vult heres 53. as S. Augustine hath registred And doe not all Protestants embrace and earnestly defend the same A common custome it was of the Arrians and of other more auncient heretikes to reject all Traditions and to rely only vppon the written word Lib. 3. c. 20 Lib 1. con Maximinu as testifieth S. Ireneus and S. Augustine Doe not ours the same rejecting all Traditions as Mans Inuention Xenaias a Barbarous Persian indeed yet in shew a counterfeited Christian is noted for one of the first among Christians that inueyed against the Images of Saintes and the worship donne by true Christians vnto them Niceph li. 10. cap. 27. as both Nicephorus and Cedrenus in compendio doe recorde The reprobate Iewes indeede before him and after euen vntill this day the miscreant Turkes enemies of all Christianity doe dwell still in the same error And yet is not this most vehemently auerred by our Protestants and all Caluinists although they cannot denie but that aboue 900. yeares agoe in the second generall Councell holden at Nice they are by the consent of the best and most learned of the world for euer accursed that doe denie reuerence and worshippe to be giuen vnto the Images of Saintes I will omitte sundrie other heades of the Protestants Religion by all approued antiquity reproued and condemned that I passe not the boundes of an Epistle and seeme ouer tedious vnto your Majestie Especially considering that these are sufficient to conuince that those points wherein the Protestants affirme the present Church of Rome to haue so farre degenerate from the auncient are the very essentiall partes of faith then maintayned by the Romans And the contrary opinions nothing else but wicked heresies of old inuented and obstinately helde against the same Roman See euen as they are nowe in our time and of old also condemned by the same Church in her most flourishing and best estate Wherefore your most excellent Majestie being resolute in that singular good opinion that no Church ought farther to depart from the Church of Rome then shee is departed from her selfe in her flourishing estate must needes recall the Church of England from such extrauagant opinions to joyne with the Roman church in the aforesaid articles which shee in her best time helde for partes of pure faith And in all others also which they cannot directly proue in a lawfull disputation before your Majestie to haue beene altered by her particularly naming the point of Doctrine the author of the chaunge the time and place where when he liued who followed him who resisted him and such other like circumstances which all be easely shewed in euery such reuolte or innouation because the vigilant care of the Pastors of Christes flocke haue bin alwaies so great as no such thinges could be vnknowne let slippe or vnrecorded Thus much for my first reason collected from the vntruth of the Protestants religion The second shall be grounded vpon the vngodlines of it where I will let passe that high point of impiety that they make God who is goodnes it selfe the author of all wicked actions donne in the world And will besides say nothing of that their blasphemie against our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST that he ouercome with the paynes of his passion vpon the Crosse did doubt if not dispaire of his owne saluation being vnwilling to touch any other pointes then such as are afterwardes discussed in this booke The triumphant Citizens of heauen who enjoy the presence of God and happiest life that can be imagined are by Protestants disdaynefullie termed Deadmen and esteemed neither to haue credit with God to obtaine any thing nor any care or compassion on men among whom they once liued and conuersed so kindly And as for the poore soules departed who in Purgatory fire pay deare for their former delightes and pleasures they depriue them of all humane succour by teaching the world to beleeue that there is no such matter Concerning vs Christians yet liuing on earth there is no lesse impyetie in their opinions For they teach that the best Christian is no better in effect then a whited Sepulchre being inwardly full of all wickednes and mischiefe and onlie by an outwarde imputation of Christes righteousnes vnto them are accepted of God for just To thinke that there is
transgressing of one huspeled and handled as though they were some haynous rebbels and traytors Who be it spoken without disparagement to others are by them that liue neare them esteemed commonly the most orderly subjectes as true of their wordes as sound in their deedes of as greate charity and hospitality towardes their neighbours and compassion of the poore briefly of as moderate and ciuile carriage and behauiour as most men in their Country So that to begger and vndoe them as the execution of that lawe established must needes doe the poorer sorte of them would be litle lesse then vndoe and destroy all good order and Discipline in the common weale Before I make an end I beseech your Majestie that the old worthy saying of Cassian may diligently examined Cui bonum For whose commodity to what end and purpose must such numbers of most ciuill subjectes be so grieuously molested What is the cause why your peaceable and joyfull gouernment should be so mingled with such bitter stormes of persecution Is it to extinguish the Catholike faith It lyeth not in mans power to suppresse and destroy that which the Almighty supporteth and maintayneth Matth. 16. The gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Catholike Church And let but those graue wise counsailers who haue mannaged the state in our late Queenes dayes enforme your Majestie whether all those terrible persecutions that then were most vehemently pursued did any whitte at all diminish the number of recusantes or rather did not greatly multiply and encrease them from one at the first to an hundred and moe in continuance But it may be they entende by those penall lawes to enrich your Majestie and to fill your coffers Surely the receipts will fall out much to short to grow to any such reckoning And what delight to enrich your treasury and stuffe your coffers with regrets and out cries of the husband wife children widowes and poore infantes when as the best and most assured treasury of a King is by the prudent esteemed to consist in the loue and harty affection of his people Or are these penall lawes and forfaitures ordayned for rewardes vnto such dependents as for these or the like do follow you But the reuennues preferments offices belonging to your crowne of England are abundantly able to content and reward them that shall deserue well of the common weale without that so heauy agrieuance and hart bleeding of others your Majesties good subjectes And your Majesties high wisdome and long experience in gouernment can best remember you that such men are not so mindefull of benefits receiued as the daylie want and miserie will continually renue and reuiue the memorie of the oppressed And when they shall see no hope of remedie the state being nowe setled and a continuall posterity like to ensue of one nature and condition God knoweth what that forceable weapon of necessitie may constrayne and driue then vnto at length If then there be no greater reason of waight and moment why such dutifull and well deseruing Subjects should be so greeuously afflicted for their conscience Let others conceiue as they shall please I will neuer suffer my selfe to be perswaded that your Majestie will euer permitte it before I see it donne If it be further objected why should not your Majestie aswell punish Catholikes in your Kingdomes as Catholikes doe Protestants in some other Countries I answere that in all Countries where multitudes of both sortes are mixed as it is in England The Protestants are tollerated as in France Polonia Bohemia the Catholike states of Germanie and Cantounes according to that of the Gospell Suffer both the wheate and cockle to growe vntill haruest Math. 13. In Spaine and Italie where scarse any Protestants be the case is otherwise But what is that to England Where are very many Catholike Recusants and Catholikely affected in euery degree not only of the Temporalty but in the Clergie also hardly of the highest degrees of honour to be excepted therefore for their number and quality to be tollerated Lastly if there were no other cause but the innumerable benefittes which euery degree and order of men throughout England haue and doe daily receiue from our most Catholike Auncestors As the constituting of so many holsome lawes founding of so many honourable and rich rewardes of learning as Bishoprickes Cathedrall Churches Deaneries Arch-deaconries Residencies Prebendes and Benefices the erecting and building of so goodly Schooles Colledges and Hospitalles and endowing of them with so ample possessions which all proceeded out of the bowelles of the true wisedome pietie and vertue of their Catholike Religion Is not this much more then a sufficient motiue why their heires in faith should be most benignely and louingly dealt with and not for the profession of the same Religion so seuerely afflicted Let the Protestants in those countries where they are most molested appeare and shew that their predecessors in beliefe haue beene so beneficiall vnto the publike weale And I dare vndertake that for their Auncestors sake they shall finde much more fauour then wee sue for Wherefore they can haue no just cause to repine at your Majesties goodnes if vpon men of that Religion which hath beene so beneficiall vnto your whole Realme you take extraordinary compassion It lying then in your Majesties free choise and election whether you will enlarge and extend your Royall fauour vnto an infinite number of your most dutifull and affectionate Subjects who are the most vnwilling in the world to transgresse any one of your lawes were they not thereunto compelled by the lawe of God or else vtterly to beggar and to vndoe both them and theirs for their constant profession of the Auncient Roman faith My confidence in the sweet prouidence of the Almighty is that he will mercifullie incline your Royall heart to choose rather to pardon then to punish because the way of mercie consorteth better with your kinde and tender nature it is of better assurance to continue your peacible and prosperous Raigne it will purchase mercie at Gods hands according to his owne promise Blessed be the mercifull Math. 5. for they shall obtayne mercie I need not adde what a Consolation and Comfort it will be to many score thousands of your subjects and the greatest obligation that can be deuised to binde them to you and yours for euer Nowe what applause and congratulation from forraine Catholike countries would followe this your famous Fact Vndoubtedly all the glorious companie of Kinges and Queenes now in heauen of whom your are lineallie descended and among all the rest namelie your most sacred and deare Mother that endured so much for her constancy in the same Catholike faith cannot but take it most kindly if for God and their sakes you take into your Princelie protection their folowers in the Roman faith and defend them from oppression Thus most humbly crauing pardon of your Highnes if I haue in any thing exceeded the limittes of my bounden
doctrine of the Roman Church nor said in all her seruice We say Shew thyselfe to be a mother but it is not added by commaunding thy Sonne that is your glosse which is accursed because it corrupteth the text for it followeth in that place Sumat per te preces c. Present our prayers to him that vouchsafed to be borne of thee for vs. If any priuat person by meditation pearcing more profoundly into the mutuall loue and affection of such a Sonne towardes so worthie a Mother doe deeme her prayers as forcible in kindnes as if they were commaundements and in that sence call them commaundements according to the French phrase Vos priers me sont des commandements that may be donne without derogation to Christs supreame dignity and with high commendation of his tender affection vnto his reuerent best beloued mother Wherefore to conclude this Epistle if there be no waightier cause then this by you here produced why you your adherents doe not reconcile your selues vnto the Church of Rome you may shortly by Gods grace become new men For we are so farre off from making our Sauiour Christ a Pseudochrist or from drawing one jote of excellency from his soueraigne power merits or dignity that we in the very points by you put downe doe much more magnifie him then you do For in maintayning the authority by him imparted vnto his deputies our spirituall Magistrates and of their merits and satisfaction We first say that these his seruants prerogatiues be his free gifts of more grace bestowed on whome he pleaseth which is no small prayse of his great liberality And withall affirme that there is an infinite difference betweene his owne power merits and satisfaction and ours Wherein his soueraigne honour is preserued entire to himselfe without any comparison Now you make Christs authority so base his merits and satisfaction so meane that if he impart any degree of them vnto his seruants he looseth the honour of all from himselfe Whereupon it followeth inuincibly if you vnfeignedly seeke CHRIST IESVS his true honour and will esteeme of his diuine giftes worthelie you must hold out no longer but vnite your selfe in these necessary heades of Religion vnto the Catholike Church of Rome which so highly exalteth him both in his owne excellency and in his singuler giftes to his subjects AN ANSWERE TO THE PREFACE VPON your preface to the reader I will not stand because it toucheth no point of controuersie let it be declared in your next what you meane when you desire your reformed Catholike to hold the same necessarie heades of Religion with the Roman Church for if the Roman Church doth erre in the matter of faith and iustification in the number and vertue of the Sacraments in the bookes and interpretation of the word of God if she raze the foundation and make Christ a Pseudochrist and an Idoll to omitte twenty other errors in substantiall points of faith as in this your small discourse you would perswade there will remayne verie fewe necessarie heades of Religion for them to agree in And be you wel assured that you are so wide from winning Catholikes by this your worke to a better liking of your Religion that you haue taken the high way to lead them to a farre greater dislike of it by teaching that in so many materiall points it differeth so farre from theirs For al Catholikes hold for most assured that which the most auncient learned holy Doctor Athanasius in his creede deliuereth in the 2. verse Which Catholike faith vnlesse euerie man obserue wholy and inuiolably not omitting or shrinking from any one article of it without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly If S. Basil that reuerent blessed Father of the Church doth hold it the duty of euery good Christian rather to loose his life then to condescend to the alteration of any one sillable in matter of faith Theod. 4. his cap. 17. you may be sure that we Catholikes cannot but carry a very base cōceipt of your doctrine who goe about vnder the ouerworne threedbare cloake of reformation to deface and corrupt the purer and greater part of Christian Religion specially when they shall perceiue the most points of your pretended reformation to be nothing else but old rotten condemned heresies newe scoured vp and furbushed so in shew made more saleable vnto the vnskilfull as in this treatise shall be proued in euery Chapter THE THEAME OF M. PERKINS PROLOGVE And I heard an other voice from heauen say goe out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes and receiue not of her plagues Reuelat. 18.3 ANSWERE TO THE PROLOGVE Exordium Commune THE learned knowe it to be a fault to make that the entry vnto our discourse which may as properly fit him that pleadeth against vs but to vse that for our proeme which in true sence hath nothing for vs nay rather beareth stronglie for our aduersarie must needes argue great want of iudgement Such is the sentence aboue cited out of S. Iohn by M. PERKINS for it being trulie vnderstood is so farre off from terrifying anie one from the Catholike Roman Church as it doth vehemently exhort all to flie vnto it by forsaking their wicked company that are banded against it For by the purple Harlot in that place is signified as shall be proued presently the Roman Empire as then it was the slaue of Idols and with most bloudy slaughter persecuting Christs Saints Those of the Church of Rome being as nearest vnto it so most subject to that sacrilegious butcherie Wherefore that voice which S. Iohn heard say Goe out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes c. can haue none other meaning then that all they who desire to be Gods people must separate themselues in faith and manners from them who hate persecute the Roman Church as did then the Heathen Emperours now doe all Heretikes Vnlesse they will be partakers of their sinnes consequently of their plagues This shall yet appeare more plainly in the examination of this Chapter Where I will deale friendly with my aduersary aduantage him all that I can that all being giuē him which is any way probable it may appeare more euidently how litle he hath to any purpose out of this place of the Apocalipse whereof all Protestants vaunt and bragge so much both in their bookes pulpits Well then I will admitte that in the 17. 18. Chapters of the reuel by the whoore of Babilon is vnderstood the Roman state and regiment which in lawfull disputations they are not able to proue the most juditious Doctor S. Augustine and diuerse others of the auncient Fathers with the learned troupe of later Interpreters expounding it of the whole corps and society of the wicked And as for the 7. hilles on the which they lay their foundation they are not to be taken literally The Angell of God in the very text it selfe interpreting
the 7. heades of the beast to be aswell 7. Kings as 7. hilles But this notwithstanding to helpe you foreward I will graunt it you because some good writers haue so taken it And therefore omit as impertinēt that which you say in proofe of it What can you inferre hereupon Mary that the Roman Church is that whoore of Babilon fayre soft good Sir how proue you that thus The whoore of Babilon is a state of the Roman regiment ergo the Roman Church is the whoore of Babilon What forme of arguing call you me this By the like sophistication you may proue that Romulus Remus were the purple Harlot which to affirme were ridiculous or which is impious that the most Christian Emperours Constantine and Theodosius were the whoore of Babilon because these held also the state of the Roman Empire and regiment to make short the feeble force of this reason lyeth in this that they who hold the state and gouerne in the same Kingdome must needes be of like affection in Religion which if it were necessarie then did Queene Mary of blessed memorie and her sister Elizabeth carrie the same mindes towards the true Catholike faith because they sate in the same chaire of estate ruled in the same Kingdome See I pray you what a shamefull cauill this is to raise such outcryes vpon A simple Logician would blush to argue in the paruies so loosely yet they that take vpon them to controule the learnedst in the world often fall into such open fallacies Well then admitting the purple Harlot to signifie the Roman state we doe say that the state of Rome must be taken as it was then when these wordes were spoken of it that is Pagan Idolatrous and a hot persecutor of Christians Such it had beene a litle before vnder that bloudy Tyrant Nero and then was vnder Domitian which we confirme by the authority of them who expounde this passage of the Roman state The commentary on the Apocalips vnder Saint Ambrose name sayeth the great whoore sometime doth signifie Rome specially which at that time when the Apostle wrote this did persecute the Church of GOD but otherwise In c. 178. doth signifie the whole Citie of the Diuell And Saint Ierome who applieth the place to Rome affirmeth Libr. 2 cont Iouin that she had before his dayes blotted out that blasphemie written in her forehead because then the state was Christian which before had beene Heathen so that vnto the partie Pagan and not vnto the Church of God he ascribeth these works of the wicked Harlot which also the very text it selfe doth conuince Vers 6. for it hath That she was drunke with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus Now the Church of Rome hath not then by the confession of all men drawne any bloud of Christs Saints but in testimony of his truth had powred out abundance of her best bloud Wherefore it is most manifest that the harlot could not signifie the Church of Rome so pure and free from slaughter but the Roman Empire which was then ful gorged with that most innocent and holy bloud Againe that whoore is expounded Vers 18. To be a Citie which had kingdome ouer the Kings of the earth But the Church of Rome had then no kingdome ouer the earth or any temporall dominion at all but the Roman Emperours had such soueraigne commaundement ouer many Kings wherefore it must be vnderstood of them and not of the Church Now to take Kingdome not properly for temporall soueraignty but for spirituall Iurisdiction as some shifters doe is to flie without any warrant from the natiue signification of the word vnto the phantasticall and voluntary imagination And whereas M. PERKINS saith pag. 5. that Ecclesiasticall Rome in respect of state princely dominion and cruelty against the Saints is all one with the heathenish Empire he both seeketh to deceiue and is greatly deceiued he would deceiue in that he doth apply wordes spoken of Rome aboue 1500. yeares agoe vnto Rome as it is at this day and yet if that were graunted him he erreth foulie in euery one of his particles For first touching princely dominion the Roman Empire held then all Italy all France all Spayne all England a great part of Germany of Asia and also of Afrike hauing their Proconsulles and other principall Officers in all those Countries drawing an hundred thousand millions in mony and many other commodities out of them Wherefore in princely dominion and magnificall state it surmounted Ecclesiasticall Rome which hath not temporall dominion ouer the one halfe of that one kingdome of Italy more then an hundred degrees And as for persecution the Empire slewe and caused to be slayne more Saints of God in one yeare then the Church of Rome hath donne of reprobates and obstinate heretikes in 1600. yeares Hauing thus proued that the whoore of Babilon signifieth the heathen state of Rome and not the Ecclesiasticall let vs now heare vvhat you ay against it Marry that the distinction of the Empire of Rome and Church of Rome is foolish and coyned of late to serue our turne which to be farre otherwise I proue out of those very Authors who doe interpret that harlot to signifie Rome who are neither foolish nor of late dayes you haue heard it before out of S. Ambrose cōmentaries And farther we gather it out of S. Hierome in the Epistle which you cite for he hauing resembled Rome vnto Babilon for the multitude of the wicked which yet remayned in it pointeth out a more pure part saying There is in deede the holy Church there are the triumphant monuments of the Apostles and Martirs there is the true confession of Christ there is the faith praysed by the Apostle c. Be not there expressed two distinct parts of Rome Againe Tertullian who liued in the second hundreth yeare vnder those persecuting Emperours saith in one place that Babilon is a figure of Rome Lib. cont Iud. De prescript c. 16 in respect of her proude Empire and persecution of the Saints And in an other that Rome was most happie for her holy Church vnto which the Apostles with their bloud had poured forth their whole doctrine see a playne distinction betweene the Heathen Empire and the holy Church of Rome Which finally may be gathered out of the expresse word of God Where the Church in Babilon coelect 1. Pet. 5. is distinguished from the rest of that city which was Pagan You say but without any authour that Babilon there doth not signifie Rome but either a city in Egipt or Assyria But Eusebius lib. 2. his c. 14. S. Ierom de Eccles script vers Marcus with other Authors more worthy of credit doe expounde it of Rome And you your selues take Babilon for Rome where you thinke that any hold may be taken against it as in the 17. of the reuel but in S. Peters Epistle they wil none of it because it would proue too playnlie that S.
that you finde no reliefe at all in Saint Bernard touching the mayne point that either the Pope or Church of Rome is Antichrist And all the world might meruaile if out of so sweete a Doctor and so obedient vnto the Pope anie such poison might be sucked Lib. 2. de Cons ad Fugea specially weighing well what he hath written vnto one of them to whome he speaketh thus Goe to let vs yet enquire more diligently who thou art and what person thou bearest in the Church of God during the time Who art thou A great Priest the highest Bishoppe thou art the Prince of Bishops the heire of the Apostles and in dignity Aaron in authority Moyses in Power Peter thou art he to whome the Keyes were deliuered to whom the sheepe were committed There are indeede also other Porters of Heauen and Pastors of flockes but thou art so much the more glorious as thou hast inherited a more excellent name aboue them they haue their flocks allotted to them to each man one but to thee all were committed as one flocke to one man thou art not only Pastor of the sheepe but of all other Pastors thou alone art the Pastor And much more to this purpose which being his cleare opinion of the Pope how absurd is it out of certayne blinde places broken sentences of his to gather that he thought the Pope of Rome to bee neither sheepe nor Pastor of Christs Church but verie Antichrist himselfe There is a grosse fault also in the Canon of Pope Nicolas as he citeth it that the Popes was to be created by the Cardinals Bishops of Rome As though there were some 30. or 40. Bishops of Rome at once but of the matter of election else where M. PERKINS hauing lightly skirmished with a broken sentence or two out of one Catholike Authour flyeth to a late heretike called Ioachim and quoteth Iewell for relator of it A worshipfull testimonie of one heretike and that vpon the report of an other he the most lying Authour of these dayes As for the late Poet Petrarke his wordes might easely be answered but because he quoteth no place I will not stand to answere it But to close vp this first combat a sentence is set downe out of the famous Martir Ireneus that Antichrist should be Lateinos a Roman Here be as many faults as words That learned auncient Doctor discoursing of Antichrist his proper name Cap. 13. out of these wordes of the reuel the number of the beast is 666. And obseruing the letters of the greeke Alphabet by which they doe number as we doe by ciphers sayeth that among others the word Lateinos doth contayne those letters which amount just to the number of 666. and consequently that Antichrists proper name perhaps might bee Lateinos but more likely it is to be Teitan as he sayeth there and lastly that it is most vncertayne what his name shall be See the place gentle reader learne to beware of such deceiptfull merchants as make no conscience to corrupt the best Authours and being often warned of it will neuer learne to amēd Ireneus leaueth it most doubtfull what shall be Antichrists name And among diuerse wordes esteemeth Lateinos to be the vnlikeliest And yet M. PERKINS reporteth him to say resolutely that his name shall be Lateinos and then to make vp the matter turneth Lateinos a proper name with S. Ireneus into Roman an appellatiue which noteth only his country Fie vpon that cause which cannot be vpholden and maintayned but by a number of such paltry shiftes Thus come we at length to the end of M. PERKINS proofs reproofs in his prologue where we finding litle fidelity in his allegations of the fathers badde construction and foule ouersight in the text of holy Scripture briefly great malice but slender force against the Church of Rome we are to returne the words of his theame to all good Christians Goe out of her my people Forsake the enemies of the Roman Church And as our Ancestors did the Pagan Emperours who drewe out her most pure bloud so let vs flie in matters of faith Religion from all heretikes that of late also spared not to shedde abundance of the same most Innocent bloud vnlesse to your greater condemnation you had leifer be partakers of her sinnes and receiue of her plagues And because I purpose God willing not only to confute what M. PERKINS bringeth against the Catholike doctrine but some what also in euerie Chapter to fortifie and confirme it I will here deliuer what some of the most auncient most learned most holy Fathers doe teach concerning ioyning with the Church and Pope of Rome from whose society Protestants labour tooth and nayle to withdawe vs. And because of this we must treat more amply in the question of supreamacie I will vse here their authority onely whome M. PERKINS citeth against vs. S. Bernard is cited already S. Ireneus Scholler of S. Policarpe he of S. Iohn the Euangelist of the Church of Rome writeth thus To this Church Lib. 3. c. 3. by reason of her more mighty principality it is necessarie that euery Church that is the faithfull on all sides to condescend and agree in and by which alwayes the tradition of the Apostles hath beene preserued of them that be round about her Saint Ierome writing to Damasus Pope of Rome sayeth I following none as chiefest but Christ doe in participation ioyne with thy blessednesse that is with the chayre of Peter I knowe the Church to be builded vpon that Rocke Whosoeuer doth eate the Paschall Lambe out of this house is a profane fellowe he that is not found within the Arke of Noe shall when the floudes arise perish And a litle after I knowe not Vitalis I refuse Meletius I take no notice of Paulinus he that gathereth not with thee scattereth that is he that is not with Christ is with Antichrist Marke and embrace this most learned Doctors Iudgement of joyning with the See of Rome in all doubtfull questions he would not trust to his owne wit skill which were singuler nor thought it safe to rely vpon his learned wise neighbours he durst not set vp his rest with his owne Bishoppe Paulinus who was a man of no meane marke but the Patriarke of Antioch but made his assured stay vpon the see of Rome as vpon an vnmoueable Rocke with which sayeth he if we doe not communicate in faith and Sacraments we are but profane men voyde of all Religion In a word we belong not to Christ but be of Antichrists trayne See how flat contrary this most holy auncient Father is to M. PERKINS M. PERKINS would make vs of Antichrists bande because we cleaue vnto the Bishoppe of Rome Whereas S. Hierome holdeth all to appertayne to Antichrist who be not fast lincked in matters of Religion with the Pope and See of Rome And so to conclude with this point euery true Catholike must say with S. Ambrose Lib.
is sinne because in it there is disobedience against the rule of the minde c. I answere that S. Augustine in more then twenty places of his workes teacheth expresly that concupiscence is no sinne if sinne be taken properly wherefore when he once calleth it sinne he taketh sinne largely as it comprehendeth not onely all sinne but also all motions and intisements to sinne in which sence concupiscence may be tearmed sinne but is so called very seldome of S. Augustine but more commonly an euill Lib. 6. cap. 5. as in the same worke is to be seene euidently where he saith That grace in Baptisme doth renewe a man perfectly so farreforth as it appertayneth to the deliuerance of him from all manner of sinne but not so as it freeth him from all euill so that concupiscence remayning after baptisme is no manner of sinne in S. Augustines iudgement but may be called euill because it prouoketh vs to euill to this place of S. Augustine I will joyne that other like Tract 41. in Iohan. which M. PER. quiteth in his 4. reason where he saith that sinnes dwelleth alwayes in our members The same answere serueth that sinne there is taken improperly as appeareth by that he seates it in our meÌ„bers for according vnto S. Augustine and all the learned the subject of sinne being properly taken is not in any part of the body but in the will and soule and in the same passage he signifieth plainly that in baptisme all sinnes and iniquity is taken away and that there is left in the regenerate onely an infirmity or weakenes M. PERK 4. reason is taken from the record of the auncient Church Charity in some is more Aug. Epis â—9 in some lesse in some none the highest degree of all which caÌ„not be increased is in none as long as a man liues vpon earth and as long as it may be increased that which is lesse then it should be is in fault by which fault it is that there is no iust man vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not c. For which also though we profit neuer so much it is necessary for vs to say forgiue vs our debtes though all our worst deedes and thoughts be already forgiuen in Baptisme Answere That here is neuer a word touching concupiscence or to proue originall sinne to remayne after baptisme which is in question but onely that the best men for want of perfect Charity doe often sinne venially which we graunt M. PER. hauing thus strongly as you see fortified his position with that one sentence of S. Augustine which hath also nothing for his purpose in steede of all antiquity confesseth ingenuously that S. Augustine in sundry places denieth concupiscence to be sin but expoundes him to meane that it is not sinne in that person but in it selfe which is already confuted for sinne that it is an accident and so properly inherent in his subject cannot be at all if it be not in some person and the sinne of the same person But if the protestant reader desire to be well assured of S. Augustines opinion in this point let him see what their Patriarke Iohn Caluin saith of it where thus he writeth Lib. 3. Instit cap. 3 num 10. Neither is it needefull to labour much in searching out what the old writers thought of this point when one Augustine may serue the turne who with great diligence hath faithfully collected togither all their sentences Let the readers therefore take out of him if they desire to haue anie certainty of the iudgement of antiquity Hitherto somewhat honestly What followeth Moreouer betweene him and vs this is this difference that he truly dares not call the disease of concupiscence a sinne but to expresse it is content to vse the word of infirmity then loe doth he say that it is made sinne when the acte of our consent doth ioyne with it But we hold that very thing to be sinne wherewith a man is in any sort tickled Obserue first good Reader that S. Augustines opinion with him carrieth the credit of all antiquity Which is the cause that I cite him more often against them Secondly that he is flatly on our side teaching concupiscence not to be sinne vnlesse we doe consent vnto it Lastly learne to mislike the blinde boldnes of such Masters who hauing so highly commended S. Augustines iudgement in this very matter and aduised all men to followe it Doth notwithstanding flie from it himselfe Presuming that some would bee so shalowe-witted as not to espie him or else content to relie more vpon his onely credit then vpon the authority of all the auncient Fathers For a tast of whose consent with S. Augustine in this question I will here put the sentences of some fewe that I neede not hereafter returne to rehearse them S. Chrisostome saith Passions be not sinnes of themselues Homil. 11. in epist ad Rom. but the vnbridled excesse of them doth make sinnes And that I may for example sake touch one of them concupiscence is not a sinne but when passing measure it breakes his boundes then loe it is adulterie not in regard of concupiscence but in respect of the excessiue and vnlawfull riot of it S. Bernard whome M. PERKINS often citeth against vs and these may sometimes be alleadged for vs hath these wordes Sinne is at the dore Serm. de sex tribul but if thou doe not open it it will not enter in lust tickleth at the hart but vnlesse thou willingly yeeld vnto it it shall doe thee no hurt withholde thy consent and it preuayleth not S. Aug. and S. Cirill haue beene cited already S. Hier. and S. Greg. shall be hereafter who with the confession of Caluin may serue sufficently to proue that approued antiquity is wholy for vs. And if any desire to know the founder of our aduersaries Doctrine in this point let him reade the 64. heresie recorded by that auncient holy Bishoppe Epiphanius where he registreth one Proclus an old rotten sectary to haue taught that sinnes are not taken away in Baptisme but are onely couered which is as much to say as sinne remayneth still in the person regenerate but is not imputed to him Which is just M. PERKINS and our Protestants position Now let vs come vnto the argumentes which the Church of Rome as M. PERKINS speakes alleageth to proue Concupiscence in the regenerate not to be sinne properly 1. Objection In Baptisme men receiue perfect and absolute remission of sinne Which being pardoned is taken quite away and therefore after Baptisme ceaseth to be sinne M. PERKINS answereth that it is abolished in regard of imputation that is is not imputed to the person but remaines in him still This answere is sufficiently I hope confuted in the Annotations vpon our consent in confirmation of our Argument I will adde some textes of holy Scripture Iohan. 13. First He that is washed needeth not but to wash his feete for he is wholy cleane Take
shall many be made righteous marke here a comparison betweene the first and second Adam hence I reason thus As by the disobedience of Adam men were made sinners so by the obedience of Christ are they made righteous but men are made sinners by imputation of Adams sinne vnto them and not only by propagation of naturall corruption ergo by imputation of Christs iustice we are made righteous Answere The comparison I allowe because it is the Apostles and deny that men are made sinners by imputation of Adams fault And say that euery one descended of Adam by naturall propagation hath his owne personall iniquity sticking in them which is commonly called Originall sin and an high point of Pelagianisme is it to deny it For albeit we did not taste of the forbidden fruit in proper person yet receiue we the nature of man polluted with that infection really and not by imputation And so the comparison serues not at all M. PERKINS turne but beareth very strongly against him it being thus framed As by Adams disobedience many were made sinners euen so by Christs obedience many shall be iustified This is his Maior Now to the Minor But by Adams disobedience they were made sinners by drawing from him euery one his owne proper inherent iniquity in like manner we are iustified by Christ not by imputation of his iustice but by our inherent iustice which is powred into our soules when we are in Baptisme borne a new in him See what penurie of poore arguments they haue that to make some shew of store are forced to propound such as make manifestly against them His fourth reason The Papists make Christs obedience their satisfaction but satisfaction is equall to iustice therefore they must make it aswell their iustice as satisfaction For the Maior he citeth Bellarmin I haue read the Chapter Lib. â— Iustiâ—â— finde no such wordes further I say there is a great difference betweene satisfaction for mortall sinnes and justification for satisfaction can not be done by vs for the guilt of mortall sinne is infinite being against an infinite Majestie and so no creature can make full satisfaction for it wherefore the infinite valour of Christs satisfaction is necessarily required who hauing taken away the guilt of eternall punishment due to sinnes leaueth vs his grace to satisfie for the temporall payne of it as shall be in his due place declared more at large Againe a man must needes haue his sinnes pardoned and grace giuen him before he can make any kinde of due satisfaction for he must be in the state of grace before he can satisfie wherfore he must needes flie to the benefit of Christs satisfaction There is nothing like in justification for first to make a man just in Gods sight requires no infinite perfection but such as a meere man is very well capable of as all must needes confesse of Adam in the state of Innocencie and of all the blessed Soules in heauen who be just in Gods sight Neither is it necessary to be infinite for to be worthy of the joyes of heauen which be not infinite as they are enjoyed of Men or Angels either who haue all thinges there in number weight and measure Briefly it is a most easie thing for one man to pay the debts of an other but one man can not bestowe his wisedome or justice on an other and not credible that God whose judgement is according to truth will repute a man for just who is full of iniquity no more then a simple man will take a Black-moore for white although he see him cloathed in a white sute of apparell M. PERKINS last reason is taken from the consent of the auncient Church And yet citeth sauing one two liues nothing out of any auncient writer nor out of any other but out of only S. Bernard who liued 1000. yeare after Christ so that he signifieth that there is litle releefe to be had in Antiquity Which Caluin declareth more playnlie for he commonly setting light by all other in this question rejecteth also S. Augustine saying Yea not the sentence of Augustine himselfe is to be receiued in this matter Li. 3. instit ca. 11. num 15. who attributeth our sanctification to grace wherewith we are regenerate in newnes of life by the spirit And Kennitius in the first parte of his examination of the Councell of Trent saith We contend not how the Fathers take iustification and a litle after I am not ignorant that they spake otherwise then we doe of it Therefore M. PERK had reason to content himselfe with some fewe broken sentences of later writers But was S. Bernard trowe you in this one point a Protestant Nothing lesse his wordes be these Epist 190. The iustice of another is assigned vnto man who wanted his owne man was indebted and man made payment c. But better let his owne reason there cited serue for exposition of his former wordes which is this For why may not iustice be from an other aswell as guiltines is from an other Now guiltines from Adam is not by imputation but euery one contractes his owne by taking flesh from him euen so justice is from Christ powred into euery man that is borne againe of water and the holy Ghost In the second place he saith That mans iustice is the mercifulnes of God that is by Gods free grace and mercy it is bestowed vpon vs. With S. Bernard in the third place we acknowledge that we haue no justice of our owne that is from our selues but from the goodnes of God through the merits of our blessed Sauiours passion read his first sermon vpon these wordes of the Prophet Isaie Ser. 1. super Isaiam Vidi Dominum c. There you shall see him speake playnlie of inherent justice and how it is a distinct thing from the justice of Christ An other broken peece of a sentence there is cited out of S. Augustine Christ made his iustice our iustice In psal 22. Tract 27. in Ioan. That is by his justice he hath merited justice for vs as he expoundeth himselfe What is this the iustice of God and the iustice of man The justice of God is here called that not whereby God is just but that which God giueth to man that man may be just through God Now let vs come to the reasons of Catholikes which M. PERKINS calling the objections proposeth for them to proue that the justice which God bestoweth vpon vs is inherent and not imputed OF INHERENT IVSTICE FIrst object As one man can not be made wise valiant or continent by the wisedome valure or continencie of an other so one man can not be made iust by the iustice of an other M. PERKINS answereth That one mans iustice cannot be made an others no more then life or health but Christs iustice may who by couenant of grace is made euery mans owne with all his giftes Reply This answere solueth not the difficultie any whit at all
neuer be graunted But a word with you by the way Your righteous man must ouer-skippe that petition of the Pater noster forgiue vs our debts for he is well assured that his debts be already pardoned For at the very first instant that he had faith he had Christs righteousnes applyed to him and thereby assurance both of the pardon of sinnes and of life euerlasting Wherefore he can not without infidelity distrust of his former justification or pray for remission of his debts but following the famous example of that formall Pharise in liew of demaunding pardon may wel say Luc. 18. O God I giue thee thankes that I am not as the rest of men extortioners vniust aduouterers as also these Papists Fearing the remission of my sinnes or the certayntie of my saluation but am well assured thereof and of Christs owne righteousnes too and so forth But to goe on with M. PERKINS discourse Here we must note that the Church of Rome cutteth off one principall dutie of faith for in faith saith M. PERKINS are two thinges first knowledge reuealed in the word touching the meanes of saluation Secondly an applying of thinges knowne vnto our selues which some call affiance the first they acknowledge So then by M. PERKINS owne confession Catholikes haue true knowledge of the meanes of saluation then he and his fellowes erre miserable The second which is the substance and principall they denie Answere Catholikes teach men also to haue a firme hope and a great confidence of obtayning saluation through the mercy of God and merits of Christs Passion So they performe their dutie towardes God and their neighbour or else die with true repentance But for a man at his first conuersion to assure himselfe by faith of Christs righteousnes and life euerlasting without condition of doing those thinges he ought to doe that we Catholikes affirme to be not any gift of faith but the haynous crime of presumption which is a sinne against the Holy Ghost not pardonable See S. Tho 22. q. 21. â—rt 1. neither in this life nor in the world to come M. PERKINS third reason is drawne from the consent of the auncient Church of which for fashion sake to make some shewe he often speaketh but can seldome finde any one sentence in them that fits his purpose as you may see in this sentence of Saint Augustine cited by him Augustine saith De verbis Domini â—erm 7. I demaund nowe doest thou beleeue in Christ O sinner thou saiest I beleeue what beleeuest thou that all thy sinnes may freely be pardoned by him thou hast that which thou beleeuest See here is neither applying of Christs righteousnes vnto vs by faith nor so much as beleeuing our sinnes to be pardoned through him but that they may be pardoned by him So there is not one word for M. PERKINS But S. Bernard saith playnlie That we must beleeue that our sinnes are pardoned vs. But he addeth not by the imputed righteousnes of Christ Againe he addeth conditions on our party which M. PERK craftely concealeth For S. Bernard graunteth that we may beleeue our sins to be forgiuen if the truth of our conuersion meete with the mercy of God preuenting vs for in the same place he hath these wordes So therefore shall his mercy dwell in our earth that is the grace of God in our soules if mercy and truth meete together if iustice and peace embrace and kisse each other Which is as S. Bernard there expoundeth it if we stirred vp by the grace of God doe truly bewaile our sinnes and confesse them and afterward follow holines of life and peace All which M. PERKINS did wisely cut off because it dashed cleane the vayne glosse of the former wordes His last authority is out of S. Cyprian who exhorteth men passing out of this life not to doubt of God promises but to beleeue that we shall come to Christ with joyfull security Answere S. Cyprian encouradgeth good Christians dying to haue a full confidence in the promises of Christ and so doe all Catholikes and bidde them be secure too on that side that Christ will neuer faile of his word and promise but say that the cause of feare lyes on our owne infirmities And yet biddes them not to doubt as though they were as likely to be condemned as saued but animates them and puts them in the good way of hope by twenty kindes of reason M. PERKINS hauing thus confirmed his owne partie why doth he not after his manner confute those reasons which the Catholikes alleadge in fauour of their assertion Was it because they are not wont to produce any in this matter Nothing lesse It was then belike because he knew not how to answere them I will out of their stoare take that one principall one of the testimony of holy Scripture And by that alone sufficiently proue that the faith required to justification is that Catholike faith whereby we beleeue all that to be true which by God is reuealed and not any other particular beleeuing Christs righteousnes to be ours How can this be better knowne then if we see weigh and consider well what kinde of faith that was which all they had who are said in Scriptures to be iustified by their faith S. Paul saith of Noe That he was instituted heire of the iustice which is by faith Heb. 11.7 What faith had he That by Christs righteousnes he was assured of saluation No such matter but beleeued that God according to his word and justice would drowne the world and made an Arke to saue himselfe and his familie as God commaunded him Abraham the Father of beleeuers and the Paterne and example of justice by faith as the Apostle disputeth to the Romans Rom. ca. 4. What faith he was iustified by Let S. Paul declare who of him and his faith hath these wordes He contrary to hope beleeued in hope that he might be made the Father of manie Nations according to that which was said vnto him So shall thy seede be as the starres of heauen and the sands of the Sea and he was not weakned in faith neither did he consider his owne body now quite dead whereas hee was almost an hundred yeares old nor the dead Matrice of Sara in the promise of God he staggered not by distrust but was strengthned in faith giuing glorie to God most fully knowing that whatsoeuer he promised he was able also to doe therefore was it reputed to him to iustice Loe because he glorified God in beleeuing that old and barren persons might haue children if God said the word and that whatsoeuer God promised he was able to performe he was justified The Centurions faith was very pleasing vnto our Sauiour who said in commendation of it That he had not found so great faith in Israell What faith was that Marry that he could with a word cure his seruant absent Math. 8. Say the word onely quoth he my seruant shall be healed S.
generall that hope applyeth vnto me in particular by faith I beleeue CHRIST to be the Sauiour of all mankind by hope I trust to be made partaker of that saluation in him But charity doth yet giue me a greater confidence of saluation for by the rule of true charity as I dedicate and imploy my life labours and all that I haue to the seruice of God so all that God hath is made mine so farre forth as it can be made mine according vnto that sacred lawe of friendshippe Amicorum omnia sunt communia And therefore in true reason neither by faith nor any other vertue we take such holde on Christs merittes nor haue such interest in his inestimable treasures as by charity which S. Augustine vnderstoode well when he made it the modell and measure of justification saying That Charity beginning De nat gra c. vlt. was Iustice beginning Charity encreased was Iustice encreased great Charity was great Iustice and perfect Charity was perfect Iustice M. PERKINS fourth Reason is taken from the iudgement of the auncient Church They are blessed to whome without any labour or worke donne Ambros in Rom. 4. iniquities are remitted So no workes or repentance is required of them but only that they beleeue To these and such like wordes I answere First that it is very vncertaine whether these Commentaries be Saint Ambroses Secondly that that Author excludeth not repentance but only the workes of Moyses lawe which the Iewes helde to be necessary as circumcision and such like see the place and conferre with it that which he hath written in the same worke vpon the fourth to the Hebrewes where hee hath these wordes Faith is a great thing and without it it is not possible to be saued but faith alone doth not suffice but it is necessary that faith vvorke by charity and conuerse worthy of God M. PERKINS next authority is gathered out of S. Augustine De verb. Ap. ser 40. There is one propitiation for all sinners to beleeue in Christ True but where is it that we neede nothing else but to beleeue Hesichius saith Grace which is of mercy is apprehended by faith alone Leuit. li. 1. cap. 2. and not of workes that is we doe not meritte by our workes done before grace anything at GODS hand but of his mercy receiue both faith and iustification 4. Bernard hath Whosoeuer thirsteth after righteousnes let him beleeue in thee Sup. cant serm 22. that being iustified by faith alone he way haue peace with God Answere By faith alone he excludeth all other meanes that either Iewe or Gentile required but not charity Which his very wordes include for howe can wee abhorre sinne and thirst after justice without charity and in the same worke Serm. 24. He declareth playnely that he comprehendeth alwayes charity when hee speakes of a justifying faith saying A right faith doth not make a man righteous if it worke not by Charity And againe Neither workes without faith nor faith without workes is sufficient to make the soule righteous Gal. 3. 5. Chrysostome they said he who rested on faith alone was accursed but Paul sheweth that he is blessed who rested on faith alone Answere He speakes of the Iewes who held Christians accursed because resting on the faith in Christ would not obserue withall Moyses law the Apostle contrary wise denounceth them accursed Gal. 5. who would joyne the ceremonies of Moyses lawe with Christian religion and so faith alone there excludeth onely the old lawe not the workes of charity so he mangleth pittifully a sentence of S. Basils saying De humil Let man acknowledge himselfe to want true iustice and that he is iustified onely by faith in Christ If a man knowe him selfe iustified by faith in Christ howe can he acknowledge that hee wants true justice His wordes truly repeted are these Let man acknowledge that hee is vnworthie of true iustice and that his iustification comes not of his desert but of the meere mercy of GOD through Christ. So that by faith alone S. Basill treating of humility excludes all merite of our owne but no necessary good disposition as you may see in his Sermon de fide where he proues by manie textes of Holy Scripture that charity is as necessary as faith Rom. 3. M. PERKINS last testimony is out of Origen Who proues as M. PER. said that onely beleeuing without workes iustifieth by the example of the Theefe on the Crosse of whose good workes there is no mention Answere Origen excludeth no good disposition in vs to justification but saith that a man may be saued without doing outwardly any good workes If he want time and place as the Theefe did who presently vpon his conuersion was put to death which is good Catholike Doctrine but that you may perceiue how necessary the good dispositions before mentioned be to justification you shall finde if you consider well all circumstances not one of them to haue beene wanting in that good Theefes conuersion First that he stood in feare of Gods just judgement appeares by these his wordes to his fellowe Doest thou not feare God c. He had hope to be saued by Christ out of which he said O Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome By both which speeches is shewed also his faith both in God that he is the gouuernour and just judge of the world and in Christ that he was the Redeemer of mankinde His repentance and confession of his fault is laid downe in this And we truly suffer worthely His charity towardes God and his neighbour in reprehending his fellowes blasphemie in defending Christs innocency and in the middest of his greatest disgraces and raging enemies to confesse him to be King of the world to come out of all which we may gather also that he had a full purpose to amend his life and to haue taken such order for his recouery as it should please Christ his Sauiour to appoint So that the lacked not any one of those dispositions which the Catholike Church requires to justification Now that that great Doctor Origen meant not to exclude any of these good qualities out of the companies of faith is apparant by that which he hath written on the next Chapter where he saith Rom. 4. That faith cannot be imputed to iustice to such as beleeue in Christ vnlesse they doe withall put of the old man and a little before more playnlie saying I thinke that faith is the first beginning of saluation hope is proceeding in the building but the toppe and perfection of the whole worke is charity THE THIRD DIFFERENCE ABOVT IVSTIFICATION howe farre forth good workes are required thereto MASTER PERKINS saith Pag. 91. That after the doctrine of the Church of Rome there be two kindes of iustification the first when of a sinner one is made iust the which is of the meere mercy of God through Christ without any merit of man onely some certayne
vnto a Diuels faith when it is naked and voyde of good workes in two points First in both there is a perfect knowledge of all thinges reuealed Secondly this knowledge shall not stead them any whit but only serue vnto their greater condemnation because that knowing the will of their master they did it not And in this respect S. Iames compareth them together Now there are many points wherein these faithes doe differ but this one is principall That Christians out of a goodly and deuoute affection doe willingly submitte their vnderstanding vnto the rules of faith beleeuing thinges aboue humane reason yea such as seeme sometimes contrary to it But the Diuell against his will beleeues all that God hath reuealed Because by his naturall capacity he knowes that God can teach nor testifie any vntruth Againe that faith may be without charity is proued out of these wordes of the same second Chapter Euer as the body without the spirit is dead so also faith without workes is dead Hence thus I argue albeit the body be dead without the soule yet is it a true naturall body in it selfe euen so faith is perfect in the kinde of faith although without charity it auayle not to life euerlasting Lastly in true reason it is manifest that faith may be without charity for they haue seuerall seates in the soule one being in the will and the other in the vnderstanding they haue distinct objectes faith respecting the truth of God and charity the goodnes of God Neither doth faith necessarily suppose charity as charity doth faith for we cannot loue him of whom we neuer heard Neither yet doth charity naturaly flow out of faith but by due consideration of the goodnes of God and of his benefits and loue towardes vs into which good deuout considerations few men doe enter in comparison of them who are led into the broad way of iniquity through their inordinate passiōs This according to the truth yet more different in the Protestants opinion for faith laies hold on Christs righteous receiues that in But charity can receiue nothing in Pag. 85. as M. P. witnesseth But giues it selfe forth in al duties of the first second table Now sir if they could not apply vnto themselues Christs righteousnes without fulfilling all duties of the first second table they should neuer apply it to them for they hold it impossible to fulfill all those duties so that this necessary lincking of charity with faith maketh their saluation not only very euill assured but altogither impossible for charity is the fulnes of the law which they hold impossible then if the assurance of their saluation Rom. 12. must needes be joyned with such an impossibility they may assure themselues that by that faith they can neuer come to saluation Let vs annex vnto these playne authorities of holy Scripture one euident testimony of Antiquity That most incorrupt judge S. Augustine saith flatly Lib. 15. de trin c. 17. Con crescen lib. 1. cap. 29. That faith may well he without Charity but it cannot profit vs without Charity And That one God is worshipped sometimes out of the Church but that vnskilfully yet is it he Also that one faith is had without charity and that also out of the Church neither therefore is not faith For there is one God one Faith one Baptisme one immaculate Catholike Church in which God is not serued only but in which only he is trulie serued neither in which alone faith is kept but in which only faith is kept with charity So that faith and that only true faith of which the Apostle speaketh Ephes 4. One God one faith may be and is in many without charity The Protestants bolde asseuerations that they cannot be parted are great but their proofes very slender and scarce worth the disproouing THAT FAITH MAY BE WITHOVT GOOD WORKES 1. Tim. 5. THE first He that hath not care of his owne hath denied his faith therefore faith includeth that good worke of prouiding for our owne Answ That faith there seemes to signifie not that faith whereby we beleeue all thinges reuealed or the Protestants the certainty of their saluation but for fidelity and faithfull performance of that which we haue promised in Baptisme which is to keepe all Gods commaundements one of the which is to prouide for our children and for them that wee haue charge of so that he who hath no such care ouer his owne charge hath denyed his faith that is violed his promise in Baptisme There is also another ordinary answere supposing faith to be taken there for the Christian beleefe to witte that one may deny his faith two wayes either in flatte denying any article of faith or by doing some thing that is contrary to the doctrine of our faith Now he that hath no care of his owne doth not deny any article of his faith but committeth a fact contrary to the doctrine of his faith so that not faith but the doctrine of faith or our promise in Baptisme includeth good workes Ioh. 6. 2 There are among you that beleeue not for he knewe who beleeued and who was to betray him Opposing treason to faith as if he had said faith conteyned in it selfe fidelity This Argument is farre fetched and little worth For albeit faith hath not fidelity and loue alwaies necessarily joyned with it yet falling from faith may well drawe after it hatred and treason yea ordinarely wickednes goeth before falling from faith and is the cause of it which was Iudas case whome our Sauiour there taxed for he blinded with couetuousnes did not beleeue Christs Doctrine of the blessed Sacrament and by incredulity opened the diuell a high way to his hart to negotiate treason in it 3. They object that Who saith he knowes God and doth not keepe his commaundements is a lyar 1. Ioh. 2. Answere He is then a lyar in graine who professing the only true knowledge of God yet blusheth not to say that it is impossible to keepe his commaundements but to the objection knowing God in that place is taken for louing of God as I knowe yee not that is I loue you not Math. 7. 25. Psal 1. Ioh. 14. Our Lord knowes the way of the just that is approues it loues it so he that knowes God kepes his commaundements as Christ himselfe testifieth If any loue me he will keepe my word And he that loueth me not will not keepe my wordes Lastly they say with S. Paul That the iust man liueth by faith But if faith giue life then it cannot be without charity Answere That faith in a just man is not without hope and charity by all which conjoyned he liueth and not by faith alone But faith is in a sinnefull and vnjust man without charity who holding fast his former beleefe doth in transgressing Gods commaundements breake the bandes of charity And so it remaynes most certayne that faith may be and too too
person of the good Father Luc. 15. Doe on him that is on his prodigall sonne returning whome his former garment His second proposition is also false as hath bin proued at large in a seueral question To that of S. Iames although it belong not to this matter I answere that he who offendeth in one is made guiltie of all that is he shall be as surely condemned as if he had broken all Epis 29. ad â—lieron See S. Augustine His 5. reason We are taught to pray on this manner Giue vs this day our dayly bread where we acknowledge euery morsell of bread to be the meere gift of God much more must we confesse heauen to be Answere M. PERKINS taketh great delight to argue out of the Lords prayer but he handleth the matter so handsomely that a man may thinke him to be so profouÌ„dly learned that he doth not yet vnderstand the Pater noster for who taketh our daylie foode to be so meerely the gift of God that we must not either make it ours with our peny or trauaile we must not looke to be fedde from heauen by miracle by the mere gift of God but according vnto S. Paules rule either labour for our liuing in some approued sort or not eate Yet because our trauailes are in vaine vnlesse God blesse them we pray to God daily to giue vs our nuriture either by sending or preseruing the fruits of the earth or by prospering our labours with good successe or if they be men who liue of almes by stirring vp the charitable to relieue them So we pray and much more earnestly that God will giue vs eternall life Yet by such meanes as it hath pleased God to ordayne one of which and the principall is by the exercise of good workes which God hath appointed vs to walke in to deserue it And it cannot but sauour of a Satannicall spirit to call it a Satannicall insolency as M. PERKINS doth to thinke that eternall life can be merited when S. Augustine and the best spirit of men since Christs time so thought and taught in most expresse tearmes But let vs heare his last argument which is as he speaketh the consent of the auncient Church and then beginneth with S. Bernard who liued 1000. yeares after Christ He in I knowe not what place the quotation is so doudtfull saith Those thinges which wee call merittes are the way to the Kingdome but not the cause of raigning I answere that merittes be not the whole cause but the promise of God through Christ and the grace of God freely bestowed on vs out of which our merittes proceede Which is Bernards owne doctrine Serm. 68 in Cantica Manuali c. 22. Secondly he citeth S. Augustine All my hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my meritte True in a good sence that is by the vertue of his death and passion my sinnes are pardoned and grace is bestowed on me to doe good workes and so to meritte 3. Basil Eternall life is reserued for them that haue striuen lawfully In Ps 114. not for the meritte of their doing but vpon the grace of the most bountifull God These wordes are vntruly translated for first he maketh with the Apostle eternall life to be the prize of that combate and then addeth that it is not giuen according vnto the debt and just rate of the workes but in a suller measure according vnto the bounty of so liberall a Lord Where hence is gathered that common and most true sentence That God punisheth men vnder their deserts but rewardeth them aboue their merittes 4. M. PERKINS turnes backe to Augustine vpon the Psal 120. Where he saith as M. PERKINS reporteth He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne giftes not thy merittes Answere S. Augustine was to wise to let any such foolish sentence passe his penne What congruity is in this He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne giftes not thy merittes It had beene better said He crowneth thee not c. But he mistooke belike this sentence of S. Augustines When God crowneth thee he crowneth his giftes not thy merittes Which is true being taken in that sence which he himselfe declareth To such a man so thinking that is De grat l b. arb c. 6. that he hath merittes of him selfe without the grace of God it may be most truly said God doth crowne his owne giftes not thy merittes If thy merittes be of thy selfe and not from him but if we acknowledge our merittes to proceede from grace working with vs then may we as truly say that eternall life is the crowne and reward of merittes Psal 142. His other place on the Psalme is not to this purpose but appertaynes to the first justification of a sinner as the first word quicken and reuiue mee sheweth playnelie nowe wee confesse that a sinner is called to repentance and reuiued not for any desert of his owne but of Gods meere mercy Hauing thus at length answered vnto all that M. PERKINS hath alleaged against merittes Let vs see what can be said for them following as neare as I can M. PERKINS order Obiections of Papists so he tearmeth our reasons First in sundry places of Scripture promise of reward is made vnto good workes Genes 4. Prouer 11. Eccles 18. Math. 5. If thou doe well shalt thou not receiue To him that doeth well there is a faithfull rewarde Feare not to be iustified vnto death because the rewarde of God remayneth for euer and. When you are reuiled and persecuted for my sake reioyce for great is your reward in heauen And a hundreth such like therefore such workes doe meritte heauen for a reward supposeth that there was a desart of it M. PERKINS answereth first that the reward is of meere mercy without any thing donne by men But this is most apparantly false for the Scripture expresseth the very workes whereof it is a reward Againe a reward in English supposeth some former pleasure which is rewarded otherwise it were to be called a gift and not a reward and much more the Latin and Greeke word Misos Merus which rather signifie a mans hier and wagis then a gift or rewarde Wherefore M. PERKINS skippes to a second shift that forsooth eternall life is an inheritance but not a reward Reply We knowe well that it is an inheritance because it is onely due vnto the adopted Sonnes of God but that hindreth not it to be a reward for that it is our heauenly fathers pleasure that all his Sonnes comming to the yeares of discretion shall by their good carriage either deserue it or else for their badde behauiour be disinherited M. PERKINS hauing so good reason to distrust his two former answeres flies to a third and graunteth that eternall life is a reward yet not of our workes but of Christs merits imputed vnto vs This is that Castle wherein he holdes himselfe safe from all Canon shotte but he is fouly abused for this
vine-yard and so there was some desart on their part and the seruants were rewarded Mat. 25. because they imployed their talents well and in this very place S. Paul reckoneth vp his good seruices for which the just judge would render him a crowne of justice and therefore the justice is not only in respect of Gods promise And if you will not beleeue me prouing that I say out of the very text rather then M. PERKINS on his bare word let S. Augustine be arbitrator betweene vs who most deepely considereth of euery worde in this sentence Let vs heare saith he the Apostle speaking Li. 50. hom Hom. 4. when he approached neare vnto his passion I haue quoth he fought a good fight I haue accomplished my course I haue kept the faith concerning the rest there is laide vp for me a crowne of iustice which our Lord will render vnto me in that day a iust iudge And not only to meet but to them also that loue his comming He saith that our Lord a iust iudge will render vnto him a crowne he therefore doth owe it and as a iust iudge will pay it For the worke being regarded the rewarde cannot be denyed I haue fought a good fight is a worke I haue accomplished my course is a worke I haue kept the faith is a worke There is laide vp for me a crowne of iustice this is the rewarde So that you see most clearly by this most learned fathers judgement that the reward is due for the worke sake and not onely for the promise of God See him vpon that verse of the Psalme I will sing vnto thee O Lord Psal 100. mercy and iudgement Where he concludes that God in judgement will out of his justice crowne those good workes which he of mercy had giuen grace to doe And that the reader may vnderstand that not onely Saint Augustine doth so confidently teach this doctrine of merittes which M. PERKINS blushed not to tearme the inuention of Satan I will fold vp this question with some testimonies of the most auncient and best Authours Epist ad Roman S. Ignatius the Apostles auditour saith Giue me leaue to become the foode of beastes that I may by that meanes meritte and winne God Apolog. 2. â—ntemed Iustine a glorious Martir of the next age hath these wordes speaking in the name of all Christians We thinke that men who by workes haue shewed them selues worthy of the will and counsaile of God shall by their merittes liue and raigne with him free from all corruption and perturbation Lib. 4. con â—erel c 72. S. Ireneus saith We eesteme that crowne to be pretious which is gotten by combate and suffering for Gods sake Ora in iniâ—ium prou Li de Spir. â—ancto c. 24 S. Basil All we that walke the way of the Gospell as Marchants doe buy gette the possession of heauenly thinges by the workes of the commaundements A man is saued by workes of iustice Serm. de eleemos â—nsine S. Cyprian If the day of our returne shall finde vs vnloaden swift and running in the race of workes our Lord will not faile to reward our merittes He will giue for workes to those that winne in peace a white crowne and for Martirdome in persecution he will redouble vnto them a purple crowne Câ—n. 5. in Mâ—th S. Hilarie The Kingdome of heauen is the hier and reward of them that liue well and perfectly Lib. 1. de offic c. 15. S. Ambrose Is it not euident that there remayneth after this life either reward for merittes or punishment S. Hierome Now after baptisme it appertayneth to our trauails according vnto the diuersity of vertue to prepare for vs different rewardes Serm. 68. â—n Cant. S. Bernard Prouide that thou haue merittes for the want of them is a pernitious pouertie Briefly that this was the vniuersall Doctrine of all good Christians aboue a thousand yeare past is declared in the Councell of Aransicane Reward is debt vnto good workes Can 18. if they be done but grace which was not debt goeth before that they may be done These testimonies of the most auncient and best learned Christians may suffice to batter the brasen forehead of them that affirme the Doctrine of merittes to be a Satannicall inuention and to settle al them that haue care of their saluation in the most pure doctrine of the Catholike Church CHAPTER 6. OF SATISFACTION MASTER PERKINS Acknowledgeth first ciuill Satisfaction Pag. 117 that is a recompence for iniuries or damages any way donne to our neighbour such as the good Publican Zacheus practised who restored fourfold the thinges gotten by extorsion and deceite This is Luc. 19. wittily acknowledged by him but litle exercised among ProtestaÌ„ts for where the Sacrament of Confession is wanting there men vse very seldome to recompence so much as onefold for their extorsion bribes vsury and other crafty ouer-reaching of their neighbours But of this kinde of Satisfaction which we commonly call restitution we are not here to treate nor of that publicke penance Which for notorious crimes is done openly but of such priuate penance which is either enjoyned by the confessor or voluntarily vndertaken by the penitent or else sent by Gods visitation to purge vs from that temporall payne which for sinnes past and pardoned we are to endure either in this life or in purgatorie if we die before we haue fully satisfied here M. PERKINS in his third conclusion decreeth very solemnely That no man can be saued vnlesse he made a perfect satisfaction vnto the iustice of God for all his sinnes Yet in the explication of the difference betweene vs defineth as peremptorily that no man is to satisfie for any one of all his sinnes or for any temporall payne due to them Which be flat contradictory propositions and therefore the one of them must needes be false But such odde broken rubbish doth he commonly cast into the ground worke of his questions and thereupon raiseth the tottering building of his newe doctrine and lets not like a blinde man to make an out cry that in this matter the Papists erre in the very foundation and life of religion Which in his first argument he goes about to proue thus Imperfect satisfaction is no satisfaction at all But the Papists make Christs satisfaction imperfect in that they doe thereunto adde a supply of humane satisfaction ergo they make it no satisfaction at all Answere This is a substantiall argument to raise the cry vpon which hath both propositions false The first is childish for he that satisfieth for halfe his debts or for any part of them makes some satisfaction which satisfaction is vnperfect and yet cannot be called no satisfaction at all as euery child may see His second is as vntrue but mans satisfaction is not to supply the want of Christs satisfaction but to apply it to vs as Master PERKINS saith his faith doth to them and to fulfill
hath then neede of much confession bitter teares a sharpe combat of watching Idem Am. ad virg lap cap. 8. Orat. in sanct lum and vncessant and continued fasting if the offence were light and more tollerahle yet let the penance be equall vnto it S. Gregory Nazianzen saith It is as great an euill to pardon without some punishment as to punish without all pittie For as that doth loose the bridle to all licentiousnes so this doth straine it too much Idem de paup amor By compassion on the poore and faith sinnes are purged therefore let vs be cleansed by this compassion let vs scoure out the spottes and filth of our soules with this egregious herbe that makes it white some as woole others as snowe according to the proportion of euery mans compassion and almes De helia â—â—eiun S. Ambrose saith We haue many helpes whereby we may redeeme our sinnes hast thou mony Redeeme thy sinne not that our Lord is to be bought and solde but thou thyselfe art solde by thy sinnes redeeme thy selfe with thy workes redeeme thee with thy mony Epist 82. And How could we be saued vnlesse we washed away our sinnes by fasting S. Hierome maketh Paula a blessed Matron say My face is to be disfigured which against the commandement of God I painted my body is to be afflicted that hath taken so great pleasure my often laughter is to be recompenced with continuall weeping Ad Eusioch de obitu Paule my silkes and soft cloathing is to be chaunged into rough haire Reade another Epistle of his to the same Eustochium about the preseruing of her virginity and see what penance himselfe did being a most vertuous young man Epist 54. S. Augustine saith He that is trulie penitent lookes to nothing else then that he leaues not vnpunished the sinne which he committed For by that meanes not sparing our selues he whose high and iust iudgement no contemptuous person can escape doth spare vs. Li 50. hom Hom. 50. cap. 11. Cap. 15. And he sheweth how that a penitent sinner doth come to the Priest and receiue of him the measure of his satisfaction And saith directly against our Protestants position That it is not sufficient to amend our manners and to depart from the euill which we haue committed vnlesse we doe also satisfie God for those thinges which we had donne Lib. 6. in 1. Reg. S. Gregory saith That sinnes are not only to be confessed but to be blotted out with the austerity of penance I will close vp these testimonies with this sentence of our learned countriman venerable Bede In Psal 1. Delight saith he or desire to sinne when we doe satisfaction is lightly purged by almesdeedes and such like but consent is not rubbed out without great penance now custome of sinning is not taken away but by a iust and heauie satisfaction And if you please in fewe wordes to heare the Protestants workes of penance and satisfaction In steede of our fasting and other corporall correction they fall to eating and that of the best flesh they can get and take in the Lord all such bodely pleasure as the company of a woman will afforde In lieu of giuing almes vnto the poore they pill them by fines and vnreasonable rents and by vsury and crafty bargaines are not ashamed to cousen their nearest kinne Finally in place of prayer and washing away their owne sinnes by many bitter teares they sing meerely a Geneua Psalme and raile or heare a rayling at our imagined sinnes or pretended errours And so leaue and lay all payne and sorrowe vpon Christs shoulders thinking themselues belike to be borne to pleasure and pastime and to make merry in this worlde FIRST OF TRADITIONS M. PARK pag. 134. Traditions are doctrines deliuered from hand to hand either by worde of mouth or writing besides the written word of God OVR CONSENT WE Hold that the very word of God was deliuered by Tradition from ADAM to MOSES who was the first Pen-man of holy Scripture Item that the Historie of the New Testament as some for eight not eightie or as other thinke for twentie yeares went from hand to hand by Tradition till penned by the Apostles or being penned by others was approoued by them Hitherto we agree but not in this which he interlaceth that in the state of Nature euery man was instructed of God immediatly in both matters of faith and religion For that God then as euer since vsed the ministerie aswel of good fathers as godly masters as ENOCH NOE ABRAHAM and such like to teach their children and seruants the true worship of God true faith in him otherwise how should the word of God passe by Tradition froÌ„ ADAM to MOSES as M. P. affirmeth If no childe learned anie such thing of his Father but was taught immediatly from God but M. P. seemeth to regard little such pettie contradictions His 2. concl We hold that the Prophets our Sauiour Christ his Apostles spake did many things good true which were not written in the Scriptures but came to vs by Tradition but these were not necessary to be beleeued For one example he puts that the B. Virgin MARY liued dyed a Virgin but it is necessarie to saluation to beleeue this for HELVIDIVS is esteemed by S. AVGVSTINE an Heretike for denying it * De haeres ad Quod. li. 84. His 3. Concl. We hold that the Church of God hath power to prescribe Ordinances Traditions touching time place of Gods worship And touching order comelinesse to be vsed in the same mary with these foure caueats First that it prescribe nothing childish or absurd See what a reuerent opinion this man carryeth of the Church of God gouerned by his holy spirit that it neuerthelesse may prescribe things both childish absurde But I must pardon him because he speaketh of his owne Synagogue which is no part of the true Church Secondly that it be not imposed as anie part of Gods worship This is contrarie to the conclusion for order and comelinesse to be vsed in Gods worship which the Church can prescribe is some part of the worship Thirdly that it be seuered from superstition c. This is needelesse for if it be not absurd which was the first prouiso it is alreadie seuered from superstition The fourth touching multitude may passe these be but meere trifles That is of more importance that he tearmeth the decree registred in the xv of the Actes of the Apostles a Tradition whereas before he desined Traditions to be all doctrine deliuered besides the written worde Now the Actes of the Apostles is a parcell of the written word as all the world knowes That then which is of record there cannot be tearmed a Tradition THE DIFFERENCE CAtholikes teach that besides the written Worde there be certaine vnwritten Traditions which must be beleeued practised as both profitable and necessarie to saluation We hold that the Scriptures
so that God giueth it not vnto all yet doth he certainely giue it to some for otherwise they cannot keepe their Vowes but to the dishonour of God and to their owne damnation should breake them And wee onely teach that some such who haue Vowed chastitie could keepe it so that the argument is verie childish and too too weake to lead any wise man away from the holy and auncient Doctrine of the Church But to the further confirmation of this poynt let vs heare what the holy Fathers teach touching the possibilitie of this Vowe TERTVLLIAN neere the ende expounding these wordes * Lib. de monog Hee that can take let him take * Mat 19. Choose sayeth hee that which is good if thou saye thou canst not it is because thou wilt not for that thou mightest if thou wouldest he doth declare who hath left both to thy choyse ORIGEN vpon the same place * Mat 19. Hee that will take this worde that is set downe of chastitie let him praye for it beleeuing him that saide aske and it shall bee giuen you and hee shall receiue it which doeth plainelie confute Maist Perk. Who sayeth that although wee aske neuer so much wee can not obtayne this gift with ORIGEN agreeth Sainct IEROM vpon the same place who sayeth It is giuen vnto them vvho haue requested it who haue desired it and trauayled that they might receiue it The same Song chanteth GREGORIE NAZIANZ which is of three kindes of Eunuchs * Orat. 3 1. Saint CHRYSOSTOME sayeth it is possible to all them who make choyse of it and further addeth that our Sauiour CHRIST himselfe doeth prooue it there after this sorte Thinke with thy selfe if thou haddest bene by nature an Eunuch or by the malice of men made one what wouldest thou then haue done when thou shouldest both haue bene depriued of that pleasure and yet not haue had any recompence for thy paine Therefore thanke GOD because thou shalt haue a great rewarde and a glyttering Crowne if thou liue so as they must doe vvithout any revvarde yet sayeth hee thou mayest doe it more easelie safelie and pleasantlie both because thou art fortifyed with hope of recompence and also comforted with a vertuous conscience Wee will wrappe vp this poynte with Saint AVGVSTINE who directlie confuteth M. Perk. by many reasons and examples Lib. 2. De adulterinis coniug cap. 12. Et de bono viduit cap. 20. And vpon the Psalme an hundreth thirtie seauen he yeeldeth an other reason why God will more reallie assist them saying Hee that exhorteth thee to Vowe vvill helpe thee to fulfill it All which heauenly Doctrine because it is spirituallie judged as the Apostle speaketh the Carnall man cannot vnderstande And therefore M. P. being perswaded that few can liue chastly except they marrie avoucheth that this Vowe doeth bring foorth innumerable abhominations in the Worlde Not the hundreth parte so manie as the fleshlie Heretikes imagine and out of flying and lying tales reporte and bruite abroade Naie I dare affirme that let the authenticall Recordes of our Realme bee well perused and you shall finde more lewde filthie Lecherie to haue bene practised by Ministers and their Wiues this last age than was in a thousand yeare before by all the Catholike Priestes and Religious persons of the Land This may serue for a reproofe of al that M. P. objecteth against the Vowe of chastity afterward the man would somwhat reason the matter by shewing howe hee condemneth not chastitie yet sayeth that Marriage is better than it in two respects If IOVINIAN was reputed by the learnedst an holiest Fathers a Christian Epicure and a Monster because he durst make marriage equall with Virginitie What shall this man be who sayeth it is better His reasons are so childish that by the like you may prooue durt to be better then gold wherefore I will not stand vpon them He neuerthelesse afterwarde concludeth that one may purpose constantly with himselfe to leade a single life but so as he may change vpon occasion and this to be a councell of expedience but not of perfection Lastly that if any hauing the gifte of continencie doe Vowe and afterwarde Marrie the gift remayning they haue sinned which is flat against his owne second rule which prohibites vs to leese our libertie and to make any thing vnlawfull in conscience which Christian religion leaueth at libertie Now libertie supposeth M. P. his default who was accustomed to rehearse although many times vntowardly yet lightly alwaies some reasons for the Catholike partie which in this question he hath whollie omitted I wil briefely prooue by an argument or two that it is both lawful verie commendable for men and women of ripe yeeres and consideration hauing wel tryed their own aptnesse to Vow virginitie if by good inspirations they be thereunto inwardly called My first reason is this that which is more pleasant and grateful vnto God may verie well be Vowed to him but Virginitie is more acceptable to God than Marriage The first proposition is manifest and hath no other exception against it but that which before is confuted to wit if we be able to performe it The second is denyed by them which we prooue in expresse tearmes out of S. PAVL * 1. Cor. 7. He that ioyneth his Virgin doth well but he that ioyneth her not doth better and againe of Widdowes * Esa 56. They shall be more happie by S. PAVLS iudgement if they remaine vnmarried This may be confirmed out of ESAY Where God promiseth the Eunuch that holdeth greatly of the thing that pleaseth him that he will giue him in his houshold and within his walles a better heritage and name than if they had bene called sonnes and daughters I will saith God giue them an euerlasting name And also out of the booke of Wisdome * Cap. 3. Blessed is the Eunuch which hath wrought no vnrighteosnesse c. For vnto him shall be giuen the speciall gift of faith and the most acceptable portion in our Lords Temple for glorious is the fruit of God Which is also plainely taught in the Reuelations * Reuelat. 14. Where it is said that no man could sing that song but 14400 and the cause is set downe These be they which haue not bene defiled with women for they are Virgins To these latter places M. P. answereth pag. 241. that to the Eunuch is promised a greater rewarde but not because of his chastitie but because he keepeth the Lords Saboth and couenant But this is saide vnaduisedlie for to all others that keepe Gods commandements shall be giuen a heauenly reward but why shall they haue a better heritage and more acceptable portion than others but because of their speciall prerogatiue of chastitie M. P. then answereth otherwise here that the single life is better and more happie because it is freer from common cares of this life and yeeldeth vs more bodelie ease and libertie to serue God But 1200. yeares agoe
that haue neither holie Oyle nor sacrifice to make the Crosse vpon are in pittifull taking But heare also what some of the best Greeke Doctors doe saye of this same signe of the Crosse S. CIRILL * Catech. 4. agreeth fullie with TERTVLLIAN saying Make this signe of the Crosse both eating and drinking both sitting and and standing and walking and speaking in summe at all times S. BASIL * De Spu. san cap. 27 accounteth this making the signe of the Crosse among some of the principall Traditions of the Apostles ORIGEN Hom. 6. in cap. 15. Ex. yeeldeth one reason why we make this signe affirming that feare and trembling doeth fall vpon the euill spirites when they see the signe of the Crosse made with faith S. GREGORY NAZ Orat. 1. in Iulian. reporteth that the wicked Apostata Iulian being frighted with spirits made the signe of the Crosse which he had renounced and yet it deliuered him from them S. CHRYSOSTOME most largely discourseth of the glorious vse of the Crosse Orat quod Christus sit Deus See the place among an hundred other commendations of it he hath these wordes That the heades of Kings are not so decked with their Diademes as with the signe of the Crosse and concludeth that all men striue to passe other in taking to them this admirable Crosse and that no man was ashamed of it but esteemed them selues more beautified with that than with manie Iewels borders and chaynes garnished with Pearle and pretious stones Heu quantum mutamur ab ipsis Alasse what a pittifull change is this that that which was of the best Christians reputed deere and holie should now be accounted a poynt of superstition and plaine witchcraft By all which wee learne that the best Christians both vsed alwaies and highlie esteemed of holy Images euen from our Sauiours owne daies and God himselfe hath by diuine testimony of myracles recommended them vnto vs not onely for the ciuill and historicall vses of them but more to honor them whose pictures they were for no man in his right wits can denie but that it is and hath alwaies bene reputed as a great honour done to the deceased to erect him an Image to eternise the memorie of his noble acts as also that it is a great incouragement to all beholders of such Pourtraits to endeuour to imitate their glorious examples The very sight of the Image of POLEMON a most chaste and holy personage mooued an vnchaste woman to change her life as out of S. GREGORIE NAZ is related * Synod 7 act 4. Hauing so great testimonie for the auncient vse of Images and such manifolde commodities by the discreete and holy practize of them hee must needes be furiously transported with blinde zeale that makes warre against Crosses and burnes holy pictures as of late the Superintendent of Hereford did in the market place openly THE DIFFERENCE NOw to the poynts in controuersie which are three as M. P. deliuereth The first is in that the Church of Rome holdes it lawfull to make Images to resemble God though not in respect of his diuine nature yet in respect of some properties actions We contrarily saith M. P. hold t vnlawful to make Images any way to represēt the true God For the second commandement sayth plainelie * Exod. 20. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing in heauen c. The Papists say that the commandement is meant of the Images of false Gods but it must needes be vnderstood by the Image of the true Iehouah and it forbids to resemble God either in his nature or in his properties and workes for so sayeth the Roman Catechisme vpon the second Commandement ANSWERE This passeth all kinde of impudencie to quote the Roman Catechisme in defence of that opinion which it doth of set purpose disprooue It teacheth indeed that the verie nature and substance of God which is wholy spirituall cannot be expressed and figured by corporall lineaments and colours and alleadgeth the places produced by M. P. to prooue that vnlawfull yet by and by annexeth these words Let no man therefore thinke it to be against religion and the Law of God when any person of the most holy Trinitie is purtraited in such sort as they haue appeared either in the Old or New Testament c. But let the Pastor teach that not the nature of God but certaine properties and actions appertaining to God are represented in such Pictures If the man be not past grace he will suerly blush at such a foule error His textes of Scripture are taken out of the same place of the Catechisme and doe prooue onely that Gods proper nature cannot nor may not be resembled in any corporall shape or likenesse Then M. P. returnes to confute the aunswere made him that Idols are there onely prohibited and sayeth that wee then confounde the first and seconde commandement For in the first was forbidden all false Gods which man frames vnto himselfe by giuing his heart and the principall affections thereof vnto them Good and in the second admitting it to be the second is forbidden to drawe into any materiall likenesse that Idoll which the heart had before framed vnto it selfe and to giue it any bodelie worshippe which is distinction good enough to make two seuerall commandements Now the Roman Catechisme following CLEMENT of Alexandria Lib. 6. stromat And S. AVGVSTINE Quest 71. super exod and ep 119. cap. 11. and the Schoole-doctors in 3. sent distinct 37. doeth make two commandements of the Protestants last distinguishing desiring thy neighbours wife from coueting thy neighbours goodes as they doe Thou shalt not commit adulterie from thou shalt not steale and make but one of the firste two because the former doeth forbid inwarde and the second outwarde Idolatrie and the outwarde and inwarde actions about the said object are not so distinct as the desiring of so diuerse things as a mans wife for leacherie and his goods of couetousnesse And yet besides adde an other reason very probable that the rewarde and punishment belonging alike to all the Commandements cannot in good order be thrust into the middle of them but must be placed either with the first or last now comprehending the two former in one the rewarde is annexed conueniently to the first whereas if you make them two it is out of order and without any good reason put after the second This I say not to condemne the other deuision which many of the auncient writers follow but to shew how little reason M. P. had to trust to that answere of his that we should confounde the first and second which hee saw the verie Catechisme cited by himselfe doe make but one of both But M. P. goeth on and sayeth that our distinction betweene Image and Idoll that an Image representeth a thing that is but Idoll a thing supposed to be but is not is false and against the auncient writers who make it all
with this the exposition of Saint Gregory the great Lib. 9. Ep. 39. our Apostle He cannot saith he be called wholie cleane in whome anie part or parcell of sinnes remayneth But let no man resist the voice of truth who saith he that is washed in Baptisme is wholy cleane therefore there is not one dramme of the contagion of sinne left in him whom the cleanser himselfe doth professe to be wholy cleane The very same doth the most learned Doctor S. Ierome affirme Epist ad Oceanum Psal 50. saying How are we iustified and sanctified if anie sin be left remayning in vs Againe if holy king Dauid say Thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snowe how can the blackenes of hell still remayne in his soule briefly it cannot be but a notorious wronge vnto the pretious bloud of our Sauiour to hold that it is not as well able to purge and purifie vs from sinne as Adams transgression was of force to infect vs. Yea the Apostle teacheth vs directly that we recouer more by Christs grace Rom. 5. then we lost through Adams fault in these wordes But not as the offence so also the gift for if by the offence of one manie died so much more the grace of God and the gift in the grace of one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vpon many If then we through Christ receiue more abundance of grace then we lost by Adam there is no more sin left in the newlie baptised man then was in Adam in the state of innocencie albeit other defectes and infirmities doe remaine in vs for our greater humiliation and probation yet all filth of sinne is cleane scoured out of our soules by the pure grace of God powred abundantly into it in Baptisme and so our first Argument stands insoluble Now to the second 2. Object Euery sinne is voluntary and not committed without the consent of man but this concupiscence whereof we talke hath no consent of man but riseth against his will therefore is no sinne M. PERKINS answereth That such actions as are vsed of one man towardes an other must be voluntary but sinne towards God may be committed without our consent For euery want of conformity vnto the lawe euen in our body although against our will be sinnes in the Court of conscience Reply full litle knowes this man what belongeth to the Court of conscience there secret faultes in deede be examined but nothing is taken for sinne by any one learned in that faculty which is done without a mans free consent all of them holding with S. Augustine Lib. 3. de lib. arb cap 17. That sinne is so voluntarie an euill that it cannot be sinne which is not voluntary And to say with M. PERKINS that any want of conformity to reason in our body is sinne is so absurd that a man might that were true be damned from a dreame how well soeuer disposed he went to sleepe if he chaunce to dreame of vncleannes whereupon doth ensue any euill motion in his flesh This paradoxe of sinning without a mans consent is so contrary vnto both naturall and supernaturall reason that S. Augustine auerreth Li. de vera Relig. c. 14. Neither any of the smale number of the learned nor of the multitude of the vnlearned to hold that a man can sinne without his consent What vnlearned learned men then are start vp in our miserable age that make no bones to denie this and greater matters too The third reason for the Catholikes is this Where the forme of anie thing is taken away there the thing it selfe ceaseth but in baptisme the forme of originall sinne is taken away ergo M. PERKINS shifteth in assigning a wronge forme affirming vs to say that the forme of originall sinne is the guiltines of it which we hold to be neither the forme nor matter of it but as it were the proper passiō following it See S. Thomas 1. 2. q. art 3. who deliuereth for the forme of originall sinne the priuation of originall justice which justice made the will subject to God The deordination then of the will Mistres commaunder of all other points in man made by the priuation of originall justice is the forme of originall sinne and the deordination of all other parts of man which by a common name is called concupiscence as that learned Doctor noteth is but the materiall part of that sinne so that the will of the regenerate being by grace through Christ rectified and set againe in good order towardes the lawe of God the forme of originall sinne which consisted in deordination of it is taken quite away by baptisme and so consequently the sinne it selfe which cannot be without his proper forme as the argument doth conuince 4. Object Lastlie saieth M. PERKINS for our disgrace they alleadge that we in our Doctrine teach that originall sinne after baptisme is onely clipped or pared like the heare of a mans head whose rootes remayne in the flesh growing and encreasing after they be cut as before His answere is that they teach in the very first instant of the conuersion of a sinner sinne to receiue his deadly wound in the roote neuer after to be recouered Conferre this last answere with his former Doctrine good Reader and thou maist learne what credit is to be giuen to such Masters no more constant then the winter Here sinne is deadly wounded in the roote there it remayneth still with all the guiltines of it although not imputed there it still maketh the man to sinne intangleth him in the punishment of sinne and maketh him miserable All this he comprehended before in this first reason and yet blusheth not here to conclude that he holdeth it at the first Neither clipped nor pared but pulled vp by the rootes In deede they doe him a fauour who say that he holdeth sinne to be clipped and as it were razed for albeit haire razed grow out againe yet is there none for a season but this originall sinne of his is alwayes in his regenerate in vigour to corrupt al his workes and to make them deadly sinnes But let this suffice for this matter CHAPTER 3. OF THE CERTAYNTIE OF SALVATION OVR CONSENTS M. PERKINS FIRST CONCLVSION Pag. 37. WE hold and beleeue that a man in this life may be certayne of saluation and the same doth the Church of Rome teach M. P. 2. Conclu We hold that a man is to put certayne affiance in Gods mercy in Christ for the saluation of his soule and the same holdeth the aforesaid Romane Church M. P. 3. Conclu We hold that with assurance of saluation in our hartes is ioyned doubting and there is no man so assured of his saluation but he at sometime doubteth thereof especially in the time of temptation and in this the Papists agree with vs. Not so Sir M. P. 4. Conclu They goe further and say that a man may be certayne of the saluation of men and of the Church by Catholike faith
and so say we M. P. 5. Conclu They hold that a man by faith may be assured of his owne saluation through extraordinary reuelation In this sence onely the first conclusion is true M. P. 6. Conclu The sixt and second be all one that we may be assured of our saluation in regard of God that promiseth it though in regard of our selues and our owne indispotion we cannot THE DISSENT 1. WE hold that a man may be certayne of his saluation in his owne conscience euen in this life and that by an ordinarie and speciall saith They hold that a man is certayne of his saluation only by hope both hold a certayntie we by faith they by hope 2. We say our certayntie is infallible they that it is onely probable 3. Our confidence in Gods mercy in Christ commeth from certayne and ordinarie faith theirs from hope false Thus much of the difference now let vs come to the reasons too and fro Here M. PERKINS contrary to his custome giueth the first place to our reasons which he calleth objections and endeuoureth to supplant them and afterward planteth his owne About the order I will not contend seing he acknowledgeth in the beginning that he obserueth none but set downe thinges as they came into his head Otherwise he would haue handled Iustification before Saluation But following his method let vs come to the matter The first Argument for the Catholike partie is this 1. Objection Where is no word of God there is no faith for these two are Relatiues But there is no word of God saying Cornelius beleeue thou Peter beleeue thou that thou shalt be saued therefore there is no such ordinary faith for a man to beleeue his owne particular saluation M. PERKINS answere Although there be no word of God to assure vs of our particular saluation Yet is there an other thing as good which counteruailes the word of God to witte the Minister of God applying the generall promises of saluation vnto this and that man Which when he doth the man must beleeue the Minister as he would beleeue Christ himselfe and so assure himselfe by faith of his saluation Reply Good Sir seing euery man is a lyar and may both deceiue and be deceiued and the Minister telling may erre how doth either the Minister knowe that the man to whome he speaketh is of the number of the elect or the man be certayne that the Minister mistaketh not when he assureth him of his saluation To affirme as you doe that the Minister is to be beleeued aswell as if it were Christ him selfe is playne blasphemie Equalling a blinde and lying creature vnto the wisedome and truth of God If you could shewe out of Gods word that euery Minister hath such a commission from Christ then had you answered the argument directly which required but one warrant of Gods word but to say that the assurance of an ordinary Ministers word counteruailes Gods word I can not see what it wanteth of making a pelting Minister Gods mate On the other side to auerre that the Minister knowes who is predestinate as it must be graunted he doth if you will not haue him to lie when hee saith to Peter thou art one of the elect is to make him of GODS priuie Councell without anie warrant for it in Gods word Yea Saint Paul not obscurely signifying the contrarie in these wordes The sure foundation of God standeth hauing this seale Tim. 2.13 our Lord knoweth who be his And none else except he reueale it vnto them M. PERKINS then flieth from the assurance of the Minister and leaues him to speake at randon as the blind man casts his clubbe and attributeth all this assurance vnto the partie himselfe who hearing in Gods word Seeke yee my face in his hart answereth Lord I will seeke thy face And then hearing God say Thou art my people saith againe The Lord is my God And then loe without al doubt he hath assurance of his saluation Would yee not thinke that this were rather some seely old Womans dreame then a discourse of a learned Man How knowe you honest man that those wordes of God spoken by the Prophet 2000. yeares past to the people of Israell are directed to you Mine owne hart good Sir telles me so How dare you build vpon the perswasion of your owne hart any such assurance When as in holy writ it is recorded â—etem 17. Wicked is the hart of man who shall knowe it Are you ignorant how Saul before he was S. Paul being an Israelit to whome those wordes appertayned perswading himselfe to be verie assured of his faith was notwithstanding fouly deceiued and why may not you farre more vnskilfull then he be in like manner abused Moreouer suppose that this motion commeth of the holy Ghost and that he trulie sayeth The Lord is God how long knoweth he that he shall be able to say so truly When our Sauiour CHRIST IESVS assureth vs that many be called Math. 22. but fewe of them are chosen to life euerlasting How knoweth he then assuredly that he being once called is of the predestinate M. PERKINS sayeth that he who beleeueth knoweth that he beleeueth Be it so if he beleeue aright and medle no further then with those thinges which be comprehended within the boundes of faith But that the certayntie of saluation is to be beleeued is not to be begged but proued being the mayne question he sayeth further that he who trulie repeÌ„teth knoweth that he repenteth he knoweth in deede by many probable conjectures but not by certaintie of faith as witnesseth that holy person Job 9. If God come to me as he doth to all repentant sinners I shall not see him and if he depart away from me I shall not vnderstand it Which is sufficient to make him thankefull yea if he receiued no grace at all yet were he much beholding vnto God who offred him his grace and would haue freely bestowed it vpon him if it had not beene through his owne default And thus our first Argument stands in his full strength and vertue that no man can assure himselfe by faith of his saluation because there is no word of God that warranteth him so to doe The second is It is no article of the creede that a man must beleeue his owne saluation and therefore no man is bound thereunto M. PERKINS answereth That euerie article of the Creede contaynes this particular faith of our owne saluation namely three First saith he to beleeue in God is to beleeue that God is our God and to put our trust in him for our saluation Answere I admitte all this and adde more that M. PERKINS be no longer ignorant of the Catholike knowledge of the creede that we must also loue him with all our hart and strength thus we vnderstand it more fully then he Yet finde not out that thirteenth article Thou must beleeue thine owne particular saluation For albeit I beleeue and trust in God