Rom. 11. 6. were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more Ephes 2. 8. grace or else were worke no more worke By grace â—e are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of 2 Timoth. 1. 9. God not of workes lest any man should glorie Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace c. Not by the Tit. 3. 5. works of righteousnes which vve had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. Although this which I haue said may seeme sufficient to answere this article yet I will say somthing to this syllogisme To the Maior or first proposition I answere that with men wages is giuen for workes but with God vvhose Isai 55. 8. thoughts are not as our thoughts nor waies as our waies it is other waies Man may do labour seruice to man which may merit and deserue by equitie and iustice wages and reward For that there may be a proportion betweene the seruice and reward and also a benefit and commoditie commeth to him to whom the seruice is done As in this example here alledged the Lord Deputie or some other may doe some such singular seruice in Ireland that if her Maiestie should bestow vpon him 1000. pound a yeere he might in some proportion deserue it and her Maiestie may receiue double benefit by it But can wee doe any workes that can either merit and deserue the kingdome of God or bring any benefit vnto God Dauid saith My Psal 16. 2 Rom. 8. 18. weldoing extendeth not to thee And as S. Paul saith that all the afflictions of this present life are not worthie of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs so may I say that all our imperfect and stained workes are not worthie of the kingdome of God which wee haue not deserued but Iesus Christ by his death and passion hath purchased for vs. Can a bond-seruant by any seruices looke to deserue an earthly kingdome and can we which are bond-seruants to God in respect both of creation and of redemption looke to deserue the kingdome of God Christ our Sauiour saith Doth he thanke that seruant because hee did that which Luk. 17. 9. was commanded vnto him I trow not So likewise ye when ye haue done all things which are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done that which was our dutie to doe If he that hath done all things which were commanded must confesse himselfe to be an vnprofitable seruant how much more must wee confesse our selues to be vnprofitable seruants who haue both omitted many things commanded and committed many great and grieuous sinnes prohibited So saith Hierome Sâ—inutilis est qui fecit omnia quid de illo dicendum Hieron ad Câ—esiphont aduers Pelagian est qui explere non potuit i. If hee be vnprofitable that hath done all vvhat is to be said of him that could not fulfill all Therefore wee are not to trust in our owne merits but in Gods mercie which importeth our miserie and not worthinesse But for the proofe of your Minor you alledge the saying of our Sauiour Christ Call the labourers and giue them Math. 20. 8. their wages I grant that God doth giue to them that labour in his vineyard a reward which is called wages because it followeth pietie and good workes as outward wages followeth labour But that this heauenly wages is not deserued by our workes as that other is by our labour it euidently appeareth by that parable where they that had wrought but one houre receiued as much as they did which had borne the burden and heate of the day Which sheweth that this reward came of grace and not of merit and so S. Ambrose doth expound it Non labori Ambros de vocat Gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. praemium soluens sed diuitias boâ—tatis suae in eos quos sine operibus eligit effundens vt etiam 〈◊〉 qui in multo labore sudarunâ— nec amplius quà m nouissimi acceperunt intelligant donum se gratiae non operum accepisse mercedem i. Not paying a reward vnto our labour but powring foorth the riches of his goodnesse vpon them vvhom he hath chosen without works that they also vvhich in great labour haue â—oysed and haue receiued no more then the last may know that they haue receiued a gift of grace and not a vvages of vvorkes To your other places Apocal. 20. 12. and 1. Cor. 3. 8. I say with S. Paul that God will reward euery man according to his workes but not for the merite and desert of their workes To them that continuing in vvell doing seeke Râ—â—t 2. 6. 7. glorie honour and immortalitie hee vvill giue euerlasting life and vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and vvrath tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill But you will say Why is not euerlasting life the wages of good works as euerlasting death is of euill works sins I answere that our euill workes be simply euill and being transgressions of Gods righteous law offend his infinite maiestie prouoke his infinite wrath and deserue infinite paine and punishment But our workes are not simply and perfectly good but be imperfect and are stained with the corruption of our sinfull nature as I haue before declared and therefore cannot satisfie Gods infinite iustice nor pacifie his infinite anger nor deserue his infinite glory but rather require Gods great mercie as hath beene shewed And therefore Saint Paul in the sixt to the Romanes hauing said that the vvages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. doth not say which had beene most meete to haue beene said if this pharisaicall doctrine were true the wages of good workes is eternall life but he saith the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord as also Oecumenius doth well obserue You confidently affirme that the Protestants who are enemies to merits shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of Heauen which is purchased by good workes and merits Where first I would aduise you to take heed that you be not brethren to those olde heretikes called Hieraclitae to whom Saint Augustine doth ascribe this as an heresie that they denied infants to appertaine to the kingdome of Heauen because they had no merits His words be these Hieraclitae ad regnum coelorum non pertinere paruulos dicunt August in catal Hâ—res Heres 47. quia non sunt eis vlla merita certaminis quo vitia superentur i. The Hieraclites say that infants belong not to the kingdome of Heauen because they haue no merits of strife vvhereby to ouercome vices How neere you iumpe with these olde Heretikes as you doe in many matters with many others let the Christian reader indifferently iudge Secondly I say that we are enemies neither to those
which cannot bee moued but remaineth for euer Being iustified by faith wee haue Psal 125. 1. Rom. 5. 1. 2. peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom al so through faith we haue had this accesse vnto his grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receaued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom 8. 15. The same spirit beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Ibid. vers 33. Gods chosâ—â— it is Christ that iustifieth Who shall condemne c. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation vers 35. or anguish or persecutioÌ„ or famine or nakednes or perill or sword c. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Vers 38. Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. It is God which stablisheth vs with you 2. Cor. 1. 21. in Christ and hath anointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts In whome also ye haue trusted after that he heard the word of truth euen the Ephes 1. 13. Gospel of your saluation wherein also after ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance c. Let vs therefore goe with confidence or boldnes Heb. 4. 16. vnto the throne of grace that wee may receaue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede So God willing more abundantly Chap. 6. 17. to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsel bound himself by an oth that by two immutable things wherin it is impossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is set before vs which hope we haue as an ancre of the soul both sure and stedâ—ast and it entreth into that which is within the vaile c. Let vs draw neere with a true hart in assuraÌ„ce of faith our hearts being pure from an euil conscience and washed Chap. 10 22. in our bodies with pure water let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithful that promised Therfore by faith that by grace the promise might be sure to all the seed And he not weâ—ke in the faith considered not his owne Rom. 4. 16. Vers 19. body which was now dead being almost an hundred yeares old neither the deadnes of Saraâ—s wombe neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glory to God being fully assured that hee which had promised was able to doe it and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnes Herevnto I will adde to the confuting of this doctrine of doubting two or three sayings of the Fathers Chrysostome Chrisost ad Rom. Homi. 9. saith Spes humana subinde intercidit sperantem pudore afficit Nostra verò eiusmodi non est sed firma immobilis perdurat c. The hope that is had in man sundrie times falleth away and shameth him that hopeth but our hope is not such but abideth firme and vnmoueable August praefat in Psal 123. Augustine saith Gaudium ergo nostrum fratres nondum est in re sed iam in spe Spes autem nostra tam certa est quasi iam res perfecta sit i Our ioy O brethren is not as yet in possession but in hope And our hope is so certaine as though Bernard lib. 5. de considera the thing were already done Bernard saith Ergo vt dixi fides ambiguum non habet aut si habet fides non est sed opinio Faith hath no doubting or if it haue it is not faith but an opinion Againe Non est enim fides aestimatio sed certitudo Epist 190. Anton. hist part 2. Tit. 17. cap 1 Sec. 5. fol. 217. faith is not an opinion but a certainty And Antoninus out of the same Bernard alleageth these words Clamat Apostolus Scio cui credidi et certus sum Et tu mihi sub sibilas fides est â—stimatio Tu mihi ambiguum garris quo nihil est certius c. The Apostle crieth out saying I know whom I haue beleeued and am certaine and doest thou whisper to me that faith is an opinion Poest thou bable and tell me that that is doubtful then the which there is nothing more certaine c. Hereby the indifferent reader may see both how false this desperate doctrine of doubting is against the which Ambrosius Catherinus an Archbishop a great doer in the councel of Trent did earnestly writ also that the Papists by this principle of their doctrine teach infidelity And withal let him consider whether is a more true godly comfortable doctrine to beleeue by faith our saluatioÌ„ or to be vncertaine to doubt therof as they teach But now let vs see how S. Paul exhorteth vs as this man saith to doubt of our saluation He saith Cum timore â—remore salutem vestram operamini which is thus translated With feare and trembling worke your saluation This text was alleedged by hearesay and not by sight For this worthy writer who so highly thinketh of himselfe and so greatly disdaineth others quoteth in the margent 1. Cor. 2 whereas it is not in that chapter nor in all that Epistle but it is Philip. 2. 12. But the fault hereof will be laid vpon the Printer Yet that the Printer should so much erre and set 1. Cor. 2. for Phillip 2. it is not likely And that this error is not of the Printer but of this mans fine memorie it may hereby appeare yâ— it is not in the vulgar editioÌ„ which they both do and are bound to follow cum timore but cum metu Hereby the reader may see with what care these men alleage the Scriptures not looking vpon the words nor considering the simple sense and meaning but snatching at the words and wresting them contrary to the purpose and meaning of the Apostle Whose intent is not to teach Rom 3. 28. 4 2. 5. Gal. 2. 16. Ephe. 2. 8. 9. 2. Tim. 1 9. Tit. 3. 4. the Phillippians that they be saued by their workes which is contrary to his doctrine in many other places but to disswade them from carelesse security and to exhort them to walke in good workes and to run on the race of their life in the feare of God vntil they come to attaine that saluation which God hath promised and Iesus Christ for vs hath purchased Saint Paul to the Ephesians doth as it were to the explication of
deliuering to the Corinthians the supper of our Sauiour Christ according to the institution which he had receiued of Christ deliuered not onely the bread but also the Cup to the whole Church of Corinth which I suppose you will not say were all Priests 1. Cor. 11. 25 26. 27. This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this Cup yee shew the Lords death till hee come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the Cup of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Paschasius expoundeth these words thus Bibite ex hoc omnes hoc est tam ministri quam reliqui credentes Drinke ye all of this that is to say both ministers and the rest that beleeue The glosse as it is alledged Cassan de vtraque specie by Cassander thus Bibite ex hoc omnes scilicet sine personarum acceptione Drinke yee all of this that is all without respect of persons So doth Chrysostom Omnibus vnum corpus Chrysost in 2 Cor. hom 18 Theoph in 1. Cor. 11. proponitur poculum vnum One body and one Cup is propounded to all So saith Theophilactus Tremendus calix pari cunctis conditione traditus est The fearefull Cup is in like sort deliuered vnto all Yea this absurd exposition of theirs is contrary to the practise of the Primitiue Church and to all antiquitie as might bee shewed and of some Papists is confessed But to proceede and to shew how they handle other places I will ioyne two places togither because they doe often alleage them together to prooue the Popes supremacie ouer the whole Church of God dispersed ouer the whole world The one Hosea 1. 11. Then shall the Children of Iudah and the Children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselues one head The other place is Iohn 10. 16. There shall be one fold and one shepheard These places bee alleaged Ioan. de Paris de potest regia Papali ca 3. by Pope Pius the second Epist 288. by Iohannes de Parisijs by D. Harding c. expounding the same not of D. Hard. confut Apolog. cap. 3. dâ—â—s 2. Christ but of the Pope to be this one head and one shephard The which what a priuat and false exposition it is I neede not greatly to shew it is so plaine and apparent The Hieron in Oseam cap. 1. first place of Hosea Saint Hierome expoundeth thus Haec omnia fient quia magnus est dies seminis Dei qui interpretatur Christus i. All these things shall come to passe because it is the great day of the seede of God which is expounded not the Pope but Christ so also doth Frier Lira Congregabuntur filij Iudae idest Apostoli c. There shall assemble Nicol Lira in Oscam cap. 1. together the Children of Iuda that is to say the Apostles and the Children of Israel that is to say the heathen conuerted together that is to say in one Church and shall appoynt vno them-selues one head that is to say one Christ So doth S. Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 8. cap. 28. Whose words for shortnes sake I omit The other place is so plaine that a Cobler by hearing or reading of it may perceiue that our Sauiour Christ spake it of himselfe and not of the Pope He saith I am the good shepheard and knowe Ioh the 10. 14. mine and am knowne of mine I lay downe my life for my sheepe Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one sheepefolde and one shepheard Therefore doth my father loue me because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe Who is so blind as seeth not these words to be spoken of our Sauiour Christ him-selfe and not of the Pope Yet that doughty or rather doltish Doctor Iohannes de Parisâ—â—s is not ashamed to say that it is not to bee vnderstoode of Christ but of some other Minister which should rule in his place His words be these Congregabuntur filii Iuda filii Vbi supra Israel vt ponant sibi caput vnum Ioan. 10. fiet vnum ouile vnâ—s pastor Quod quidem de Christo intelliginon potest sed de alio aliquo ministro qui praesit loco eius i. The Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel shal be gathered together and shall appoynt them-selues one head and Ioh. 10. There shall bee one fold and one shephard which cannot bee vnderstood of Christ but of some other minister that must rule in his place Behold the absurdity of this saying and exposition and let this cauiller who in his questions and challenge so disdainefully despiseth our learning consider what a blind ignorant and vnlcarned Doctor and writer this was that so absurdly expoundeth this place and contrarily to the plaine words denieth them to be vnderstood of our Sauiour Christ and blasphemously attributeth that vnto the Pope which is onely proper and peculiar to Nic. Lirâ— in Ioha cap. 10. Iesus Christ Frier Lira was of better iudgement who writeth thus Fiet vnus pastor idest Christus i. There shall be one pastor that is to say Christ I will shew another place or two in like manner expounded for the proofe of the same matter In the booke of the ceremonies of the Church of Rome the which I wish were in English that our English Catholikes might see the goodly ceremonies and orders of the Church it is thus written Papa in nocte Lib. 1. Caerem titul 7. natiuitatis domini benedicet ensem quem postea donat â—â—cui principi in signum infini â— potentiae pontifici collatae iuxta illud data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terra Item dominabitur à mari vsque ad mare à flumine vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum i. The Pope in the night of the feast of Christs Natiuitie blesseth a sword for a signe of the infinit power giuen to him which hee afterward bestoweth vpon some Prince according to that saying All power is giuen to me both in heauen and in earth also He shall rule from the sea vnto theÌ„ sea and from the flood vnto the ends of the world Are not these sayings thinke you finely expounded of the Pope whereof the one our Sauiour Christ himsefe spake In Concil Lâ—teron sub Leâ— 1â— pag. 671. and the other the Prophet Dauid prohesied of Iesus Christ him-selfe And the former of these places Stephen the Archbishop of Patraca applied vnto Pope Leo the 10. in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope him-selfe who thankefully accepted it and suffered it to be published and printed and so to this day was neuer by any Papist disliked By these places any man may discerne and iudge whether this Romish prelate be not that
and a pure oblation to wit simple praier from a pure conscience S. Ierome expoundeth it thus Dicit orationes Hierom. in Maâ—ach cap. 1 sanctorum domino offerendas esse non in vna orbis prouincia Iudâ—ae sed in omni loco i. Hee saith that the praiers of the Saints shall be offered to God not in Iudea one onely prouince of the world but in euery place But I wil forbeare to write any more of the peruerse exposition of this place and will referre the reader to that most learned conference Cap. 8. pa. 454 146. 562 of that excellent ornament of this Church of England Master Doctor Reynoldes with Iohn Harte where he shal finde this place fully discussed and Cardinall Allens reasons which hee braggingly called validae planè bona strong and very good fully confuted Which booke I meruaile that neither this challenger nor any other of our Iesuites could as yet finde leasure to confute I might alledge many moe places most falsely expounded by these Romanistes bâ—t I will forbeare them and will shew you one place out of the 26. of Ieremie trimly applied by Bonauenture a Seraphicall Doctor a Bishop a Cardinall of Rome and a Saint De vanitut Scient cap. 64 Benauâ—nt part â— operum in exposi missae fol. 100. G. canonized by Pope Sixtus the fourth who did as holy an act in Saincting of him as hee did in building nobile admodum Lupana a noble stewes in Rome as Agrippa a Papist writeth Bonauentures words bee these Septimo eleuatur Corpus Christiad ostendendam bonitatem Christi Quae enim maior bonitas quà m quod Christus dignatur captiuus esse in altari vnde ipse dicit in persona Hieremiae prophetae Ecce ego in manibus vestris sum quod bonum rectum est in oculis vestris facite mihi Nota quod dum aliquis dux propter suos captiuus tenetur non dimittitur nisi det magnam pecuniam Sic nec nos Christum captiuum dimittere debemus nisi remissionem peccatorum nobis tribuat regnum coeleste abeâ— accipiamus Eleuat orgo sacerdos Corpus Christi in altari q. d. Ecâ—e quem totus mundus capere non potest captiuus noster est Ergo eum non dimittamus nisi quod petimus prius obtineamus that is Seuenthly the body of Christ is lifted vp to shew the goodnesse of Christ for what greater goodnesse is there then that Christ vouchsafeth to bee prisoner vpon the Aultar whereupon he saith in the person of Hieremiâ— the Prophet Behold I am in your hands that which is good and right in your eyes doe yee vnto me Note that when any captaine is kept prisoner for his people hee is held prisoner and not let goe vnlesse hee giue a great summe of money So also wee ought inot to let Christ our prisoner goe vnlesse he giue vnto vs forgiuenesse of sinnes and that wee receiue of him the kingdome of heauen Therefore the Priest doth lift vp the body of Christ vpon the Aultar as though hee should say behold hee whom the whole world is not able to containe is our prisoner therefore let vs not let him go vnlesse wee doe first obtaine of him that which wee require This place I thought good the more largely to lay downe that the reader may see what diuine doctrine these Romish Saints haue deliuered how finely they haue applied the scriptures By this doctrine Christ is prisoner in the Masse and hee must not be let goe vntill he haue paied his ransome And this is substantially proued out of Ieremie chap. 26. where Ieremie hauing preached the word of God and denounced his fearefull plagues against Iuda and Ierusalem the Priests and people tooke him and went about to kill him to whome Ieremie spake saying The Lord hath sent me to prophecy against this House â—erem 26. 12 and against this Citie all the things that yee haue heard therefore now amend your waies and your workes and heare the voice of the Lord your God that the Lord may repent him of the plague that he hath pronounced against you As for me behold I am in your hands doe with me as you thinke good and right But know yee for certaintâ—e that if yee put me to death yee shal bring innocent bloud vpon your selues vpon this Citie and vpon the inhabitants thereof For of a truth the Lord hath sent me vnto you to speake al these words in your eares Is not this place finely expounded and applied and doth it not substantially prooue that Christ is in the Priests hands at Masse when he holdeth him ouer his head belike goeth about to kill him as they did Hieremie Indeed by their doctrine they teare him with their teeth and deuour him Yea the Popes themselues in their Canon law by which they rule the Church do most falsely absurdly expound the scriptures as for example God made two great lights Genes 1. 16 the greater light to rule the day and the lesse light to rule the night By the Popes exposition the greater light is the Popes authority and the lesser is the Emperours dignitie and therevpon gathereth that as the sunne is fourtie seauen times greater then the Moone so the Popes powre is as much greater then the Emperours De maâ—orit cap. solit and the glosse there God saith to Ieremy Behold Ierem. 1. 10 this day haue I set thee ouer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to pluck vp and to route out and to destroie and throwe downe to build and to plant by the Popes exposition of these wordes all Kings and Monarches are the Popes vassals and that hee may aduance whome hee will and put downe whome hee list De maiorit ibidim Christ cured the withered hand of a man vpon the Sabboth Mat. 12. 13 daie By the Popes exposition heereof hee would prooue that hee is to bee tied by no lawe 25 Quest 2. Cap. ideo permittente Whereas it is sayd Behold here two swordes by the Popes exposition it is prooued Luk. 22. 38 that both swordes as well temporall as ecclesiasticall doe belong vnto him Where Saint Paul saith The spirituall 1. Cor. man iudgeth or discerneth all things by the Popes exposition all men and matters are to bee iudged by him but hee is to bee iudged by none De maiorit Cap. vnum solit Infinite such other places there are so falsely and absurdly expounded and applied that sundry Papists yea euen the Iesuites themselues be now ashamed of them Thus wee see how these Romish diuines and Saintes haue handled and expounded the word of God of whom that may be wel sayd and verified which Polidore Virgil a fauorer of the Romish religion writeth of the popish Lawiers and canonists Vide non secus isti iurisconsulti aliquoties Polido Virg de inuent rerum lib. 4. cap. 9. detorquent sacras scripturas quò volunt ac sutores sordidas solent dentibus extendere
with it for els he would not haue acknowledged the effectuall faith the diligent 1. Thes 1. 3. loue and patient hope of the Thessalonians and that they were elected of God Which gifts of Gods spirit could not be in them without the grace of God Now by this mans diuinitie what madnesse was it for him to pray for grace vnto them whome hee did beleeue to bee indued with Gods grace alreadie And where as Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh 5 13. These things haue I writtē vnto you that beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that yee may know that yee haue eternall life and that yee may beleeue in the name of the sonne of God By this mans deepe doctrine it might seeme madnes for Saint Iohn to write to them that did beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that they should beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God But it seemed not so to S. Iohn who writeth to them that as they had blessedly begun to beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God so they might still continue grow and increase in the same faith Moreouer also I would aske of this man and his fellowes whether they praying do beleeue the forgiuenes of their sins if they do not then are they Infidels and deny the article of the creed I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes which before he falsely obiected to vs. If they do beleeue the forgiuenes of their sinnes why do they then by this mans doctrine pray for it If he say that he beleeueth that there is in generalitie a forgiuenes of sinnes but particularly he is not assured by faith of the forgiuenes of his owne sinnes then what doth his faith differ from the Diuels faith who beleeueth and trembleth as Saint Iames saith and what is Iame. 1◠this his doubting but as he himselfe here saith flat infidelitie And no maruaile though these men feele in their harts no assurance of faith for that they ground it not vppon the vnmoueable rocke of Gods promise but vpon the vnsure sand of their owne workes and satisfactions by the which indeed neither can their faith be assured nor their conscience quieted The which false doctrine while they beleeue I would know how they can aske forgiuenes of their sinnes For whosoeuer maketh satisfaction to God for them needeth not to aske forgiuenes of them But the Papists maintaine that they make full satisfaction to God for them as I haue before shewed therefore I may much more iustly say then he doth here that it is madnes to aske forgiuenes of the◠For what man not being mad owinge a summe of mony and paying it will desire the same to Rom. 3. 28. Ephes 3. 17. be forgiuen him concerning your scoffing in the proofe of your Minor or second proposition we indeed beleeue that wee are iustified by faith without the workes of the law and that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith and that by this hand of a true and vnfained faith in Iesus Christ we apply the plaister of his precious bloud shed for our sinnes to cure all the sorances and sores of our soules And take you heede that you trusting in your owne workes and merits in your Masses Agnus deis holy water pardons and manyfold other such paltries fall not into the ditch of damnation And this shall suffice for this article which is so absurd that it deserueth not so much The Pamphlet The Protestants are bound in conscience to auoyde all good workes 2. Article EVery man is bound vpon paine of eternall damnation to auoyde all deadly sinnes But fasting praying almes deedes and all good workes according to the a Luther in assaer artic 31. 32 36. Caluin lib. 3. institu cap. 12. Sect. 4. cap. 14. Sect. 4. 19. Melan. in Loc. tit de peccato Protestants religion are deadly sinnes Ergo according to the Protestantes religion all men are bound vpon paine of eternall damnation to auoyde fasting praying almes deedes and all good workes The Maior is manifest for the wages of deadly sinne is death b Rom. 6. 25. Stipendium peccati mors The Minor is euident for according to the Protestants religion and common exposition of this text of Scripture c Isa 64. 6. Facti sumus vt immūdi omnes nos tanquam pan nus menstruatae omnes iustitiae nostrae We are mane all as vncleane and all our iustices are as stained cloth That is to say the best workes we can doe are infected with deadly sinne and consequently deserue eternall damnation and therefore to be auoyded I am not ignorant that some wranglers with some shifting euasions goe about to answeare this Article forsooth that the staines and imperfections the sinnes and spots ought to be auoided but yet the good workes to be prosecuted A silly shift but put case it bee impossible to wring out the staines then is not this menstruous cloth to bee abhorred put case I could not giue almes but I must steale am I not bound in conscience to auoyd the giuing of almes Admit I could not see mine enemy but by experience long proued I should fall a quareling with him am I bound in conscience to auoide his company Say that I could not eate flesh but I should Scandalize the behoulders ought I not to say non manducabo carnes in aeternum I will not eate flesh for euer Graunt that I could not releeue the poore but that I should stayne this action with vaine glory should I not heare of him that cannot lie he hath receaued his reward consequently that there remayneth no recompensation therefore in heauen So I say in like manner if the corruption of nature if the poison of concupiscence so staine my best actions that whatsoeuer I doe or thinke I cannot possibly affect them without these infections and corruptions then certaienly I am bound in conscience to auoide these crimes and offences they which cannot possibly be performed without these vitious circumstances for bonum constat ex integra causa malum nascitur ex quolibet defectu a good thing consisteth of al integrity but an euill thing is caused by euery defect that a man be in health euery humour must keepe his temper that hee be sicke it sufficeth one onely to exceed and keepe not his iust proportion so that a worke bee good it must be effected with all due circumstances that it be ill one only will defile as wee comonly say one ill hearbe will spoile a whole potfull of pottage Answere AS Hannibal said of Phormio that hee had heard many doting fooles but he Cicer. lib. 2. de oratore neuer heard any that so much doted as did Phormio so may I say that I haue heard and read many foolish disputers but any that did so foolishly dispute and reason as this man doth I neuer heard nor read For what man in his witts will reason thus that because the corruptions of men do creepe into these
fearefull offences deserued eternall death yet he did not remaine in death and although God hated those sinnes yet hee neuer hated Dauid For whom God loueth he loueth to the end and the gifts and calling â—ohn 13 1. Rom. 11. 29. of God are without repentance If we loue a man and yet hate some sinne that he committeth might not God who is loue it selfe hate Dauids sinne and yet loue him and keepe some sparkes of his spirit and grace in him and so preserue as the externall life of the body so the internall life of the soule in him So that neither Dauid remained in death neither was his loue no not to Vrias altogether extinguished in him No doubt but he did loue him as his true and faithfull subiect and might loue him as the seruant of GOD yet in that temptation his owne selfe-loue and desire to couer his owne sin and shame did preuaile against his loue to Vrias and did draw him to do an act which was no fruit nor effect of loue and charitie and yet did not wholly quench loue in him The Maior of your latter Syllogisme which needeth no proofe you seeke to proue by a false assertion in barely saying according to your manner but not by any place of Scripture prouing that charitie is the life of the soule I say that faith is the life of the soule the which I proue by these two sayings of the Scripture The Prophet Habacuck saith The iust shall liue by his faith Saint Paul saith In that Hâ—bâ—c 1. 24. Rom â— 17. Gal 2. 20. I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Let this man shew two such plaine places of Scripture to proue charitie to be the life of the soule Properly Christ is the life of our soules Saint Paul in the place before alledged saith Christ liued in me And when Christ which is our life shall appeare And our Sauiour himselfe saith I am the way the Col â— 4. Ioh. â—4 6. truth and the life For when wee were dead in sinnes hee hath quickned vs and as he hath restored life vnto vs so he doth continually nourish and preserue life in vs. But this is attributed to faith because by it Christ dwelleth in vs and wee by it be put into the possession of Christ and of all the benefites of his passion Concerning the place of Ezechiel because you doe not vrge it I will not stand vpon it We doubt not but men may and doe fall from God and iust actions vnto wicked and vngodly deeds and may haue a temporall faith and fall away from the grace of God But this we say that true faith in Gods elect which are sealed with the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. and to whose spirit Gods spirit doth beare witnesse that they are the sonnes of God is neuer wholly lost in them and the same spirit worketh by charity which in them may be cooled but neuer cleane quenched But of the losing of faith and of the coniunction thereof with charitie I haue before intreated Now to returne this argument in some sort vpon you Whereas the Papists auerre that the Popes faith cannot faile I reason thus He that loseth his charitie may lose his faith the Pope may lose his charitie Ergo the Pope may lose his faith The first proposition I haue proued alreadie and haue shewed that true faith is not separated from charitie but worketh by it And most manifest it is by Saint Iames that the faith which is without charitie Iam. 2. 26. and good works is dead So that if the Pope be without charitie then he hath but a dead faith And a dead faith is as much faith as a dead man is a man That the Pope may be without charitie I thinke they will not denie and if they doe it may be prooued by many examples a Platina in Ioan. 13. Blond epito decad 2. lib. 2 pag. 200. Supplem chronicorum in Iohan. 12. Pope Iohn the twelfth or as Platina reckoneth the thirteenth tooke two of his Cardinals and cut off the nose of the one and the hand of the other as witnesse Platina Blondus and many others b Platina in Stephan 6. Supple chron in Stephan 6. Stephanus the sixt did take the body of Formosus his predecessor out of the graue after he was dead put him out of his pontificall habite and put on him a lay mans atâ—ire cut off the two fingers of his right hand wherewith he did consecrate and threw them into Tiber. c Platina in Serg. 3. Supplement chron in Serg. 3. Pope Sergius the third tooke vp againe the body of the same Forâ—osus did cut off his head as if hee had beene aliue and threw the body into Tiber as vnworthy of buriall d Platina in Bonisac 7. Suppl Chron. Boniface the seuenth tooke Iohn a Cardinall and put out his eyes e Pâ—atina in Vrban 6. Boâ—fintus Decad 3. libr. 1. pag. 354. Supplem Chron. fol. 221. Vrban the sixt of seuen of his Cardinals which he apprehended at Nuceria took fiue of them put them in sackes and cast them into the Sea f Platina in Inno. 7. Supplementum Chronico lib. 13. fol. 226. Innocentius the seuenth caused by Lewes his nephew certaine citizens of Rome which sought the restitution of their ancient liberties and the reformation of the common-wealth decayed by his euill gouernment to be throwne out of windowes and so killed Alexander the sixt caused both the right hand and tongue of Antonius Mancinellus to be cut out because he had written an eloquent oration against his wicked and filthy life Many such other prankes of Popes might be alledged which were no more fruites of charity then was Dauids procuring of Vrias death by the sword of the Ammonites But notwithstanding these and such other tragicall tyrannicall acts these Popes faith neuer failed For they neuer had any but a false and dead faith such a faith as the Diuell hath The Pamphlet The Protestants shall neuer haue life euerlasting because they will haue no merits for which euerlasting life is giuen 7. Article VVHatsoeuer is giuen ac wages is giuen for works But the kingdome of Heauen is giuen as wages Ergo the kingdome of Heauen is giuen for workes The Maior or first proposition may be declared after this manner for example her maiestie may bestow 1000. pounds by yeare vpon some suiter either gratis of meere liberalitie and so it is called a gift donum a grace or fauour or vpon condition if hee be haue himselfe manfully in the warres of Ireland and in this case the reuenue is called merces wages Remuneratio stipendium a reward or paiment and although her mâ—â—estie did shew him a grace and fauour to promise such a reward for performing such a worke the which hee was bound vpon his allegeance otherwise to performe yet once hauing promised
not beene for ought that I know before the raigne of our gratious Queene Elizabeth And this may sufficiently serue for to answere the three first questions which tend all to one end in the which not onely antiquitie but also verity is to be respected for as antiquitie ioyned with verity is effectuall so separated from the same it is of no force as Saint Cyprian saith Consuetudo sine veritate Ad Pom Coâ— Epist Stepha vetustas erroris est i. Custome without truth is but old error Now followeth in the said paper Wherefore is not the communion according to the institution of Christ recorded in the three Euangelists viz. Mathew Marke and Luke where it is written that Christ first washed the feete of all them that receiued and commanded them to doe the like then preached vnto them afterward tooke bread in his hand lifted vp his eies to heauen blessed it brake it c. and all this he did after supper but our minister now doth obserue none of these Answere IN this question is both follie and falshoode follie in asking wherefore the Communion is not administred according to the institution of Christ which doth agree therewith in all the substantiall points thereof wheras their masse vtterly differeth from the same And falsehood in saying that it is written in the three Euangelists Matthew Marke and Luke that Christ washed the feete of all those that receiued whereas indeede this is written in none of them but onely in Saint Iohn neither was that either done by our Sauiour Christ or recorded by Saint Iohn to binde vs alwaies to wash the feete of those that doe receiue the Sacrament but onely to teach vs to auoid ambition and pride which hath too much raigned in the papacie and to humble and submit our selues one to another in the feare of God 1. Cor. 11. Iustin Apol. 2. Wee read both in the scriptures and in the ancient Fathers of the ministration of Christs holy supper yet there is no mention of washing of feete before the same Neither was the same required or vsed in the time of Poperie And therefore this is foolishly required of vs now as a part of the institution of Christ which may appeare to bee no part thereof in that by the prouidence of God those three Euangelists heâ—e named who doe rehearse and describe the institution of our Sauiour Christs supper doe omit it and that Euangelist which doth not touch the institution doth record it Therefore the scope and purpose of our Sauiour Christ is as I haue said by this washing of his disciples feete to teach vs humility and not to binde vs of necessitie to wash the feete of them that shall receiue Moreouer this gentlewoman or Author saith that Christ preached tooke bread in his hand lifted vp his eies to heauen blessed it brake it c. and all this hee did after supper but our minister now obserueth none of all these things As touching preaching all good godly and learned ministers doe vse to preach the word of God before the ministration of the Sacrament both thereby to declare the death of Christ vntill he come that by it only wee be deliuered from eternall death and be made the children of Gods mercie and heires of his glorie and also to stirre vp the people reuerently and worthely to receiue that holy mysterie being as I saide before a pledge vnto vs of Christs body and bloud giuen for vs and of our saluation purchased thereby This preaching of Gods word wee thinke very requisite to bee ioyned with the Sacrament which is a seale thereof and therefore we bee as neare in following Christs steps in this point as it hath beene vtterly neglected by the Papists who haue beene so farre from preaching at the ministration of the Sacrament that they haue not made any declaration of Christs death and the fruit thereof in a knowne tongue to the peoples instruction and edification If the preaching of the word be in some particular Churches omitted it is for want of the sufficiency of allowance in some parishes not able to maintaine a learned and a preaching Minister and yet in those Churches there are by order appointed such lessons instructions an â— exhortations to bee read at the ministrie of that blessed Sacrament which setting out plainly the excellent power and effect of Christ his death may mooue the people present to a mâ—re reuerend regard of that holy seruice We take the bread into our hands both when wee receiue it our selues and deliuer it to others whereas in Poperie the people were not so holy as the Priest to touch it with their hands but had it thrust into their mouthes As touching lifting vp of eyes I read not in the three Euangelists heere named any mention made of our Sauiour Christs lifting vp of his eies at the time of the celebrating of his Supper with his Disciples and therefore you haue falsly foysted in this of your owne But yet if our Sauiour Christ did at his Supper lift vp his eyes to heauen wee are not thereby bound of necessity to follow the same True it is that euery action of our Sauiour Christ is for our instruction but false it were to say that euery action of our Sauiours is for our imâ—tation that is of necessity of vs to bee followed I write not these as though I thought it vnlawfull to lift vp our eies to heauen but this I acknowledge that as when wee doe behold and consider our owne manifold heynous and horrible sins whereby wee haue transgressed Gods lawes offended his Maiesty and deserued his wrath and eternall damnation wee may with the Publican bee ashamed to lift Luke 18. 13. vp our eies to heauen So on the other side when by a true faith in Gods promises wee behold his great loue and mercie towards vs in not sparing but giuing his owne deare Sonne for vs we haue good cause to lift vp our eyes hands and hearts vnto God which is in heauen giuing him most humble and heartie thankes for his said vnspeakeable mercies towards vs in Iesus Christ But whereas you say that Christ blessed it meaning the bread I say in plaine words that you bely the text for it is not there sayd that hee blessed the bread but that hee blessed that is to say gaue thankes to his heauenly father for his great mercy towards mankinde and for the great worke of our redemption and saluation which hee was then to accomplish That our Sauiour Christ by blessing did meane not a Magicall incantation of the consecrating and transubstantiating the bread and wine into his naturall body and blood as you falsly surmise but a thankesgiuing to his father it is most manifest by the texts for whereas in Saint Matthew and Saint Marke it is recorded Matth. 26. 26. 27. Mark 14. 22. 23. that when our Sauiour Christ tooke the bread he blessed immediatly followeth that when hee tooke the cup hee gaue thankes whereby