Christ and applied vnto our soules by the hand of faith by the which Christ doth dwell in our harts and is made ours We beleeue that we are true members of that holy Catholike Church which is Christes mysticall body and whereof he is the head which is his spouse and he the bridegroome which is his flock and he the shepheard which is the heauenly Hierusalem the Mother of vs all finally which is the number of Gods elect and chosen people that shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heauen And we know that we haue perticular and visible Churches wherein Gods word is more truly preached the Sacraments seales of the word are more purely ministred and Gods name more faithfully inuocated and called vpon then in any or all the Romish Synagogues Indeede we haue no Idolatrous altars to offer either carnall or externall sacrifices vpon as though Christs sweete smelling sacrifice were not yet offered but we haue Mensam Domini the Lords Table whereupon we minister the Supper of Christ which is a holy Sacrament of Christs body and bloud giuen for vs a memoriall of his death and passion and a pledge of our redemption and saluation purchased thereby We haue that sweete smelling and sufficient sacrifice which Iesus Christ by his eternall spirit offered without fault vnto God to purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God As for the sacrifice of the masse as being iniurious to the said sacrifice of Iesus Christ which he once for all and for euer offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse we deny and defie We haue no thauen nor greased priests to offer the said false and forged sacrifice of the Masse but we haue priests pastours or ministers howsoeuer we terme them according to the ordinance of Christ to preach his holy Gospell and to administer his sacraments to his Church We haue and vse that religion which hath the testimonie of the law prophets and wherein the true worship and seruice of God according to his will reuealed in his holy word is contained your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and superstition we flee and forsake Finally we haue that Christ which came into this world to saue sinners and which is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world whom we acknowledge more soundly to be our onely high prophet to instruct vs in the will of his father whose onely voyce we must heare our onely high priest with the sacrifice of his body and bloud once offered to redeeme vs and reconcile vs vnto God our onely mediator and intercessorto sit for euer at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs and our onely high king to deliuer vs out of the hands of our enemies to giue lawes vnto our consciences and to rule vs with the scepter of his holy word then the Pope and all his adherents doe This our true confession whereunto God and our consciences be witnesses we oppose to your false and slaunderous obtrectation and accusation saying with Saint Paul We passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgement and with him also exhort you not to iudge before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darkenes and make the counsels of the harts manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God Further I doe exhort you that take vpon you so seuerely to censure and iudge others carefully to take heede to your selues that you haue not a false faith grounded not vpon Gods promises contained in his word but vpon mans deuises and traditions which as Epiphanius saith as worse then no faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that you be not voyde of true hope by teaching the doctrine of doubting whereof I shall speake hereafter and by fearing to be after death throwne into the firie torments of purgatorie and that you want not true charitie in iudging so falsely and maliciously and persecuting vs so cruelly as you vse to doe when time and power serueth you and that you haue no true repentance nor remorse of conscience for sinne in persisting so obstinately in damnable doctrine and abominable idolatrie and that by leaning to your owne righteousnes and the merites of other men which were sinners themselues you lose not that true iustification which is the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue which is onely able to stand and discharge vs before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ and is the onely strong staffe to leane vpon to leap ouer the ditch of damnation and beware I say that you leaning vpon the weake reede of your owne merites and others fall not into the middest thereof from which there is norising take heede you be not of the malignant Church which heareth not the voyce of Christ and wherein that man of sinne and sonne of perdition sitteth and raigneth and that you haue not such Idolatrous altars as Ieneboam had against which the man of God cried and vpon which the like iudgement of God fell as hath done vpon yours now And that you haue not a false forged sacrifice which appeaseth not but daily prouoketh Gods wrath against you and that you be not without priests to teach the law of God truely but haue swarmes of such priests as say not where is the Lord and know not God but prophesie in Baal which haue gone out of the way and haue caused many to fall by the law c. Beware that you be not without religion remembring the saying of Lactantius Quare non est dubium quin veligio nulla sit vbicunque simulachrum est that is wherefore there is no doubt but that there is no religion wheresoeuer an Image is Finally I say againe and againe beware that you forsake not the true Christ and worship Antichrist sitting in the westerne Babylon built vpon seuen hilles which in the dayes of Saint Iohn raigned ouer the Kings of the earth wherefore be not so rash in iudging so hardly and vncharitably of others but examine and iudge your selues that you be not iudged of the Lord. But I now come to your pithie probation of this your vncharitable and shameles assertion The reason you say is For if they haue then the world was without them for a thousand yeares as they themselues must needes confesse videl all the time their Church was eclipsed and for 1500. as we will proue by the testimonie of all records of antiquitie c. Whereunto I answere that if we take the world in that sense which the scripture sometimes doth for the multitude and societie of them whereof the Diuell is prince which hateth Christ and his true disciples which is set vpon wickednes for the which our Sauiour Christ refused to pray saying I pray not for the world and where
were indued with it for els he would not haue acknowledged the effectuall faith the diligent 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 a madnesse was it for him to pray for grace vnto them whom hee did beleeue to bee endued with Gods grace alreadie And where as Saint Iohn saith These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that yee may know that yee haue eternall life and that ye may beleeue in the name of the sonne of God By this mans deepe doctrine it might seeme madnesse for Saint Iohn to write vnto 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 begunne 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 doe not then are they Infidels and deny the article of the creede I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes which before he falsely obiected to vs. If they doe beleeue the forgiuenes of their sinnes why doe 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 this his doubting but as he himselfe here saith flat infidelitie And no meruaile though these men feele in their harts no assurance of faith for that they ground it not vpon the vnmoueable rocke of Gods promise but vpon the vnsure sand of their owne workes and satisfactions by the which indeede neither can their faith be assured nor their consciences 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 them For what man not being mad owinge a summe of money and paying it will desire the same to be forgiuen him Concerning your scoffing in the proofe of your Minor or second proposition we indeede beleeue that we 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 manifold 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 Protestants religion are deadly sinnes Ergo according to the Protestants 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 Stipendium peccatimors The Minor is euident for according to the Protestants religion and common exposition of this text of Scripture Factisumus vt immundi omnes nos tanquam pannus menstruatae omnes iustitiae nostrae We are made all as vncleane and all our iustices are as stayned 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 Answere AS Hannibal said of Phormio that he had heard many doting fooles but he 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 disoute and reason as this man doth I neuer heard nor read For what man in his wits will reason thus that because the corruptions of men doe creepe into these workes of fasting praying and almes giuing therefore the workes themselues bee deadly sinnes Our doctrine is first that these workes and such other being done by vnfaithfull hypocrites and wicked men be turned into sinne as Dauid saith for they be so corrupted and defiled with their infidelitie and wickednes that they be but splendida peccata that is glittering sinnes before God as Saint Augustine tearmeth them For euen as most pure water flowing through a filthie sinke or priuie is made foule filthie and stinking euen so these workes prayer fasting c. which be good workes commaunded of God flowing from their faithles and wicked hearts and bodies be so defiled that they be but filthie sinnes in the sight of God Salomon saith the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable to him God saith by the Prophet Esay Bring no moe oblations in vaine incense is an abomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new moones nor Sabboths nor solemne dayes it is iniquitie nor solemne assemblies My soule hateth your new moones your appoynted feasts c. He that killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogges necke c. These sayings shew that euen the sacrifices commaunded in the law of God were wicked and abominable when they were offered of wicked and prophane persons voyde of true faith and repentance So it is in the prophet Haggai Thus saith the Lord of Hostes Aske now the priests concerning the law If one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt doe touch the bread or the pottage or the wine or ale or any meate shall it be holy And the priests answered and said no. Then said Haggai if a polluted person touch any of these things shall it be vncleane and the priests answered and said it shall be vncleane Then answered Haggai and said so is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lord and so are all the workes of their hands and that which they offer here is vncleane Agreeable to this is that which Saint Paul saith Vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them
AN APOLOGIE FOR RELIGION Or AN ANSWERE TO AN VNLEARNED and slanderous Pamphlet intituled Certaine Articles or forcible Reasons discouering the palpable absurdities and most notorious errors of the Protestants religion pretended to be printed at Antwerpe 1600. By EDVVARD BVLKLEY Doctor of Diuinitie Prouerb 14. 15. The foolish will beleeue euery thing but the prudent will consider his waies Lamenta 3. 40. Let vs search and trie our waies and turne againe vnto the Lord. Chrysost in Genes Hom. 5. Quocirca diuinae Scripturae vestigia sequamur neque seramus eos qui temerè quiduis blaterant i. Let vs follow the steps of the holy Scripture and not endure or abide them that rashly babble euery thing AT LONDON Printed by Felix Kingston for Arthur Iohnson and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Flower de-luce and Crowne 1602. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD Keeper of the great Seale of England Chamberlaine of the Countie Palatine of Chester and one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell grace and peace be multiplied WHen I consider Right Honourable the estate of England in these our daies I cannot better compare it then with the estate of the kingdome of Iudah vnder K. Iosias expressed shortly yet effectually by Sophonie the Prophet who liued and preached in that time For as then God gaue to that people that worthy and godly King who zealously rooted out Idolatrie and planted Gods true worship agreeable to his law so God in great mercy hath giuen vs our most gracious Queene Elizabeth by whose godly meanes Idolatrie hath been abolished Gods true religion and seruice restored his holy word truly and sincerely preached and peace and tranquilitie among vs long maintained And as in those daies vnder King Iosias notwithstanding that godly and zealous reformation there was great wickednes among the people as the said Sophonias sheweth For there were then which worshipped vpon the rouffes of their houses the host of heauen and which worshipped and sware by the true and onely God Iehoua and by Malcham their Idoll and such as were turned backe from after the true God and sought him not nor inquired after him and that did weare strange apparell and others that filled their masters houses with robberie and deceite and such as were frozen in their dregges and said in their hearts the Lord will neither doe good nor euill And Ierusalem was then a filthie and spoyling citie which heard not Gods voyce receiued not instruction trusted not in the Lord and drew not neere vnto her God c. Euen so how these sinnes abound at this time in this land I thinke there are but few but doe see and none that truly feareth God but doth lament To omit other sinnes here mentioned as then there were which worshipped Iehoua the onely true God and Malcham their Idoll euen so there be now not a few which to please the Prince and State pretend outwardly to like of religion established and yet inwardly in their hearts fauour Idolatrie and wicked worshippings repugnant to the same And as then many were turned backe from after God and sought him not nor inquired after him euen so now there are many which be reuolted from Gods holy worship agreeable to his word and vtterly forsake the holy assemblies where Gods word is truly preached the Sacraments are according to Christs institution rightly ministred and Gods holy name faithfully called vpon These with Lots wife looke backe vnto Sodome and are with the Israelites in heart turned backe into Egypt desiring rather to eate onions and garlike there then to feed vpon the heauenly Manna of Gods blessed word Of these thus turned backe from seeking after God they be most dangerous which being deceiued themselues endeuour by all meanes both by speaking and writing to seduce and deceiue others Such be the Seminarie Priests and Iesuites who although they be at this present time at leastwise in outward apparance at deadly fewd among themselues writing most bitterly one against another yet they all agree in resisting Gods truth seducing the simple and in labouring most earnestly to set vp againe their Dagon of the Masse fallen downe before the Arke of Christs Gospell To this end they write lewd lying and slaunderous Pamphlets wherein they traduce the truth and faithfull fauourers thereof deceiue the ignorant and confirme in error their ouer affectioned fauourers who without triall or examination ouer rashly receiue and ouer lightly beleeue whatsoeuer is broached by them Of these lying Libels there came one to my hands a yeere past and more pretended to be printed at Antwerpe 1600. wherein is boldly affirmed but faintly proued that we haue no faith nor religion that of vs both the learned and ignorant of the Greeke and Latine tongues be Infidels that wee know not what wee beleeue that we are bound in conscience both neuer to aske forgiuenes of our sinnes and also to auoide all good workes that wee make God the author of sinne and worse then the diuell These and such other shameles assertions and false slaunders when I read it came into my heart that Master Thomas Wright with whose spirit I had been acquainted was the venter of this ware In which opinion I was afterward confirmed for that both some of his fauourers could not denie it and in a written copie therof taken in a search in Shropshire and sent vnto me these two letters T.W. were set in the end of it This lewd Libell although in respect of the matter voide both of truth and learning deformed rather to be despised then earnestly answered yet because the author of it thinketh so highly of himself and so basely and contemptuously of vs giuing out in certaine written conferences which he hath dispersed abroad in this land and some faithfull men haue seene that wee be vnlearned and so giuen to worldly affaires that we bestow no time or but little in studie I although the meanest and vnmeetest of many was moued to write this answere thereby to confute these calumnies to cleere the truth to confirme the faithfull and if by Gods gracious blessing it might be to reclaime and reforme the ignorant and seduced Whereof I haue the lesse hope for that as they imitate those wicked Israelites which refused to hearken turned away their shoulder stopped their eares that they might not heare and made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the law and the words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by his Prophets So they doe fully follow the peruerse Pagans which most obstinately refused to reade godlie bookes written by Christians as that ancient eloquent Christian Lactantius in these eloquent words declareth Non est apud me dubium Constantine Imperator Maxime quin hoc opus nostrum quo singularis ille rerum conditor huius immensi operis rector asseritur si quis attigerit ex
that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Christ our Sauiour saith Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles and a corrupt tree bringeth forth euill fruite Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and without faith it is impossible to please God Here of we conclude that euen those workes which God hath commaunded and commended to vs in his word being done by the vngodly and reprobate be so corrupted by their infidelitie and wickednes that they bee not acceptable but rather abominable before God So saith Saint Augustine Sine qua fide quae videntur bona opera in peccata vertuntur that is Without faith those workes which seeme to be good are turned into sinne Saint Ambrose saith Sine cultu veri dei etiam quod virtus videtur esse peccatum est nec placere vllus deo sine deo potest that is Without the worship of the true God euen that which seemeth to be vertue is sinne neither can any please God without God Anselme saith Omnis vita infidelium peccatum est nihil bonum sine summo bono i. The whole life of the vnfaithfull is sinne and there is nothing good without the chiefest good which is God By this the Christian reader may sufficiently see how false the doctrine of the Papists and namely of our fine and delicate Iesuites is who teach as their proctor Andradius one of that coate blusheth not to auouch that all actions of those which bee voyde of the true knowledge of God bee not sinne yea that they may doe workes defiled with no fault but worthie of great praise and that we are not to thinke that all the workes of them which be voyd of faith do so displease God that they be crimes worthie eternall punishments Let the godly reader compare these sayings of this Iebusite with those alledged before out of the Scriptures and ancient Fathers and discerne which is more sound and agreeable not to the blinde reason of man but to the will of God reueiled in his word Secondly concerning the workes of there generate that belong to Gods election and mercie we say that although they be done with imperfection and not so fully with their whole soule hart and minde as they should be but carrie the touch of mans corruption and are not able to abide the strict streight iudgement of God yet because they proceede from harts purified by faith and sanctified in some measure with Gods holy spirit they please God and the imperfections of them being pardoned in Iesus Christ they bee accepted for pure and holy Christ saith A good tree bringeth forth good fruite to the pure are all things pure The prayer of the righteous is alwayes acceptable to God The faithfull be an holy priesthoode to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased This therefore is a falsely which this man with a brasen brow affirmeth that fasting praying and almes deedes according to our religion be deadly sinnes These workes be commaunded of God who commaundeth no sinnes We say that the corruption of our nature which is but in part and imperfectly regenerate in this life doth creepe into them and therefore they be not so purely perfectly done of vs as God requireth whereby we acknowledge that euen the best workes we doe had neede of Gods mercie So Saint Augustine saith Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam that is Wo be to the laudable life of man if thou O God examine it without mercie Now what reasonable man will reason or imagine vs to reason thus that because we doe good workes not so purely and perfectly as Gods righteousnesse requireth and deserueth that therefore good workes as prayer almes deedes c. be deadly sinnes or are to be auoyded of vs. But let vs come to examine the proofe of your Minor or second proposition You say that according to our religion and common exposition of this text of Scripture we are made all as vncleane and all our iustices are like a stained cloth the best workes we can doe are infected with deadly sinne and deserue eternall damnation and therefore to be auoided We indeed expound this place not only of wicked hypocrites but also of the regenerate and faithfull and say that all our owne righteousnesse of works is so stained with the corruption of our sinfull nature that it is not able to stand before Gods iudgement seate nor abide his seuere triall and examination For when wee haue done all those things which are commaunded vs we must say that we are vnprofitable seruants And if thou O Lord streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand and therfore we must pray and say Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shal none that liueth be iustified And with Daniel we say O Lord vnto vs appertaineth open shame to our Kings to our Princes to our Fathers because we haue sinned against thee yet compassion and forgiuenes is in the Lord our God Whereupon we acknowledge that our Iustice and righteousnesse consisteth not in the perfection of our vertues but in the forgiuenes of our sinnes Bernard thus expoundeth and applieth the place of Esay Nostra si qua est humilis iustitia recta for sitan sed non pura nisi forte meliores nos esse credimus quà m patres nostros qui non minus veraciter quà m humiliter aiebant omnes iustitiae nostrae tanquam pannus menstruatae mulieris Quomodo enim pura iustitia vbi adhuc non potest culpa deesse i. Our humble or base iustice if it be any is peraduenture right but not pure vnles we beleeue our selues to be better than our Fathers who no lesse truly then humbly said all our righteousnesse is as the cloth of a menstruous woman for how can righteousnesse be pure where sinne as yet wanteth not And againe Sed quid potest esse omnis iustitia nostra coram Deo Nonne iuxta Prophetam velut pannus menstruata reputabitur si districtè iudicetur iniusta inuenietur omnis iustitia nostra i. What can all our iustice be before God Shall it not according to the Prophet be reputed like the cloth of a menstruous woman and if it be streightly iudged all our iustice shall be found to be vniust How you expound this place I know not belike you satisfying Gods iustice so fully with your owne pure workes that he can aske no more of you as I alleaged before out of Bishop Fisher thinke that this place is not to be vnderstood of you and your iustice which is pure and perfit but of the iustice of Lutherans Caluinists and such other prophane persons Wherein take you heede that you shew not
malarum cogitationum ordinator est tamen malarum voluntatum de malo opere cuiuslibet mali non desinit ipse botum operari 1. Although God be not the author of euill cogitations yet is hee the orderer of euill wils and of the euill worke of euery euill man he ceaseth not to worke a good worke Therefore these wonderfull workes of God whose iudgements are vnsearchable and waies past finding out are not curiously to be discussed but reuerently to be adored For O man what art thou that pleadest against God In the probation of his minor he first vntruly according to his custome saith that wee deride Gods permission the which is false for we neither deride no deny Gods permission God said to Abimelech I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sinne against me Non permisi te vt tangeres eam therefore I haue not permitted thee to touch her Againe God permitted him not to hurt me But we say first that God permitteth not sinne inuitus against his will but of his will for els he were not omnipotent Secondly that he doth not onely permit sinnes but also by his infinite wisedome and almightie power draweth good out of them and directeth them to his glorie So S. Augustine saith Hoc quippe ipso quod contra Dei voluntatem fecerunt de ipsis facta est voluntas eius c. In that thing which they haue done against the will of God the will of God is done in them Therefore the workes of the Lord are great and are to be sought out of them that loue them So that by a wonderfull and vnspeakeable manner that is not done without his will which is done against his will because it could not be done vnlesse he did permit it nec vtique nolens sinit sed volens neither doth he permit it against his will but with his will Neither would he being good permit euill to be done vnlesse hee being omnipotent could also of euill doe good S. Hierome saith Dicā quicquam sine te fieri ô Domine Deus te nolente tantum posse impium Hoc sentire blasphemum est Quum itaque tu sis vniuersitatis rector Dominus tu necesse est facias quod sine te fieri non potest i. Shall I say that any thing is done without thee O Lord God and that the wicked can doe so much thou being vnwilling To thinke this is blasphemous Seeing therefore thou art the ruler and Lord of the world thou must needs doe that which cannot be done without thee Wee say indeede that Gods workes be energeticall and effectuall not onely in the faithfull but also in the wicked and reprobate whose hearts he hardeneth and eyes blindeth whom he giueth vp to a reprobate minde and to whom hee sendeth a strong delusion to beleeue lies These be Gods iust iudgements wherby he punisheth the wicked who yet are not impelled or coacted of God to these sinnes but willingly harden their owne hearts by the deceit of sinne shut their eyes that they may not see giue vp their members seruants to vncleannes and iniquitie and delight in delusions and in beleeuing lies as Papists now doe We doe not desperatly auerre but you doe falsely and impudently affirme that we teach that Pauls conuersion and Dauids adulterie were in like manner the workes of God This shamelesse saying you haue picked out of Campians reasons out of which you haue like a goodly Rapsodist gleaned a great part of this lying Libel but you cannot shew it in the writing of any Protestant This is calumniari non ratiocinare to slaunder and not rightly to reason But you know your friends and fauourers will beleeue you though it be neuer so false And you haue learned that lesson Audacter calumniare semper aliquid adhaeret We say that Pauls conuersion was a worke of Gods mercie agreeable to his will reuealed in his word Dauids sinne of adulterie was a work which he hateth and repugnant to his said will God wrought mightily in Paul by his holy spirit in conuerting his heart in drawing him out of darknes and in making him of a persecuter a preacher of his Gospell and a minister of his mercie God did not so work at that time in Dauid but left him to himselfe to be tempted drawne away and ouercome of his owne corrupt concupilcence yet wee say that God did draw good out of that sinne of Dauid in making him a patterne of true repentance and example of Gods mercie in forgiuing his sinnes and thereby teaching vs to walke warily and flee carnall securitie For if so excellent a man that was according to Gods heart did so fouly and fearefully fall what may fall vnto vs if we walke not circumspectly and pray not feruently to God to vphold vs with his hand and to guide vs with his holy spirit Touching Gods permission you write as though you neither did know what we teach nor regard what your selfe doe write Doe we teach that God elected some to glorie before the preuision of workes and reiected some from glorie before the preuision of sinnes You shall find this false assertion in our bookes when you finde the former shameles slaunder We do not teach that God elected any to glorie before he did foresee their workes For from euerlasting he to whom all things be present did foresee both the good workes of his elect and the wicked workes of the reprobate But this we say that the foundation and cause of Gods election and reprobation is not his prescience and foreseeing of the good workes of the one and the wicked workes of the other but his owne purpose will and pleasure and that good workes be not causes of Gods election but fruits and effects of it Saint Paul saith Before the Children were borne and when they had neither done good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth It was said to her The elder shall serue the younger At it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Againe As he hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Who hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will in whom also we are chosen when we were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Againe God hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was Where we may see that the foundation and cause of Gods election is his owne will pleasure and purpose and not the foreseeing of our workes Saint Augustine saith Quod si futuros
Church of England did hold himselfe to the matter and how vnlike he was to Doctor Harding in his long discourses and digressions who in his booke intituled A detection of lyes c. discoursed two hundred and sixe whole sides of paper onely in preambles and prefaces before he once stept into his matter as Maister Iewel truly told him let the vpright reader indifferently iudge The like I may say of that worthie man of famous memorie Doctor Whitakers who how briefely soundly and learnedly he hath answered Campion Saunders Duree Stapleton William Reynolds and Bellarmine any man that hath an incorrupt eye may see and discerne And if T. W. be the author of this pamphlet as I nothing doubt but he is he may remember that one which had conference with him did write a briefe epistle vnto him and did therein set downe short syllogismes concerning the controuersies of prayer to Saints and the sacrifice of the Masse and required to haue the like short syllogismes set downe of him for the defence of his assertions and could not receiue one but a long tedious discourse concerning prayer to Saints which was confuted and neuer defended But whether answers be briefe or long it maketh no matter so that they be learned sound and true to the effectuall confuting of the errour and satisfying of the reader Now as touching certaintie which you say but do not shew that our religon lacketh I answere and auonch that out Religion is farre more certaine consonant and agreeable to it selfe then the doctrine of the Church of Rome is the which if I do not effectually proue hereafter in place more conuenient I will not require any man to vse your owne words to accept or affect it But with what forehead can this man charge our doctrine with want of perspicuitie seeing he cannot be ignorant how obscure darke and intricate the popish religion and doctrine is as may appeere by their manisold both turious questions and intricate distinctions which be their chiefe shifts to elude the plaine truth And if any would see how darke the doctrine and writings of Papists are let him looke into the Schoolemen Tho Aquine Io. Scotus Alexander de Hales Gabriel Biel and many such other amongst whom he may finde as much certaintie vnitie and perspicuitie of doctrine as he may in holl But how we study for perspicuitie and seeke to make all matters plaine both in our preachings and in our writings auoyding all curious questions and intricate and needles distinctions we appeale to the consciences of all that reade and heare vs. As touching your method concerning errours in doctrine and inordinate affections in maners if you can prooue that our wits be inueigled with them and our liues stained with these more then we can prooue euen your holy Fathers the Popes forsooth Peters successors and Christes vicars haue been you shall winne the victorie You seeme to attribute too much to our very naturall faculties to the iudging and discerning of truth proposed not considering the corruption of our naturall faculties by sinne how both the minde is blinded and the will peruerted Our Sauiour Christ saith The light shineth in darknes and the darkenes comprehendeth it not Saint Paul saith that animalis homo the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discorned But of this I forbeare to speake any more and also will leaue the other wait words in your letter and do come vnto your articles of faith The Pamphlet The first article concerning knowledge and faith The Protestants haue no faith nor neligion THe Protestants haue no faith no hope no charitic no repentance no justification no Church no altar no sacrefice no Priest no Religion no Christ the reason is for if they haue then the world was without them for a thousand yeeres as they themselves must needs confesse vid elicet all the time their Church was eclipsed and 1500. as we will proue by all records of antiquitie as Histories Councels monuments of ancient Fathers Whereby it plainely appeaneth that the synagogue of the Iewes was more constant in continuance and more ample for place then the Church of Christ For they haue had their sâ—nagogue visible in diâ—ers countries eâ—en since Christ's death and passion euen vntill his day which is the very path to lead man into Atheisme as though Christ were not as yet come into the world whose admirable promises are not accomplisheds whose assistance hath failed in preseruing his Church vnto the worlds end whose presence 〈◊〉 absent many hundred years before the finall consummation and consequently they open the gap to all Machiuillians who say that our Sauiour was one of the deceiuere of the world promising so much concerning his Church and performing so little Answere LOoking in this first article to haue found a syllogisme which this worthie writer vseth in some articles following but heere for want of a good medium as it may seeme to frame one by hath omitted I found a false assertion and a foolish probation The assertion that we haue no faith Haue we no faith The Deuils haue some faith Saint Iames saith The Deuils beleeue and tremble and haue we no faith we are much beholden vnto you for your charitable opinion of vs. You are by the doctrine of Saint Paule not to thinke so euill but to hope the best of them that professe Iesus Christ and his holy Gospell But to this your false and slaunderous assertion I will oppose a true affirmation and confession We beleeue all that God hath deliuered to vs by Moses the Prophets and Apostles in the old and new Testament yea we beleeue the contents of the Creeds of the Apostles Nicene and Athanasius and yet haue we no faith We hope to passe hereafter from death vnto life and to be partakers of that kingdome of glory which God hath promised and Iesus Christ hath purchased for all those that truly beleeue in him We trust that we haue charitie and loue both towards God and man although we confesse not in such full and perfect measure as we ought to haue we with Saint Iohn say He that loueth not his brother abideth in death We acknowledge repentance to be one of those chiefe heads wherein the summe of Christianitie is comprised Saint Marke setting forth the summe and substance of Christes doctrine comprehendeth it in these two Repent and beleeue the Gospell so did Saint Paule witnessing both to the Iewes and to the Grecians the repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ We beleeue to be iustified not by our owne works of righteousnes which we vnprofitable seruants and prodigall children haue done nor by the merits of any Saints in heauen or in earth but by the mercies of God purchased vnto vs by the blessed and bloudy merits of Iesus
the mother of vs all which is the holy Catholike Church that we beleeue Hereunto I will adde a few sayings of the Fathers to them which I haue before alleaged Saint Augustine saith Corpus huius capitis Ecclesia est non quae hoc loco est sed quae hoc loco per totum orbem terrarum nec illa quae hoc tempore sed ab ipso Abel vsque ad eos qui nascituri sunt vsque in finem credituri in Christū totus populus sanctorum ad vnam ciuitatem pertinentium quae ciuitas corpus est Christi cui caputest Christus that is The bodie of this head is the Church not which is in this place onely but that which is in this place and through the whole world neither that Church which is at this time but that of them which from Abel shall be borne vnto the end and shall beleeue in Christ euen the whole companie of Saints pertaining to one citie which citie is the bodie of Christ whereof Christ is the head And in another place Ille caput est nos membra sumus tota ecclesia quae vbique diffusa est corpus ipsius est cuius est ipse caput Non solum autem fideles qui modo sunt sed qui fuerunt ante nos qui post nos futuri sunt vsque in finem seculi omnes ad corpus eius pertinent cuius corporis ipse caput est qui ascendit in coelum He is the head wee are his members the whole Church which is dispersed euery where is his bodie whereof he is the head And not onely the faithfull which be now but also they which haue been before vs and which shall be after vs vnto the end of the world all pertaine to his bodie of which bodie hee which hath ascended into heauen is the head Againe Caelestis Hierusalem ciues sunt omnes sanctificati homines qui fuet unt qui sunt qui futuri sunt that is All sanctified men which haue been which are and which shall be citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Cyprian saith Ecclesia nunquam à Christo discedit ijsunt ecclesia qui in domo Dei permanent that is The Church neuer departeth from Christ and they be the Church which continue in the house of God Againe Adulterari non potest sponsa Christi incorrupta est pudica vnam domum nouit vnius cubiculi sanctitatem casto pudore custodit Haec nos Deo seruat haec filios regno quos generauit assignat that is The spouse cannot be defiled she is vncorrupt and chast she knoweth one house and keepeth with chast shamefastnes the holines of one chamber she keepeth vs to God she assigneth the children whom she hath borne vnto his kingdome Saint Hierome saith Ipsa ecclesia quae est Sanctorum omnium congregatio pro aeterna sibi in Domino stabilitate columna fundamentum dicitur veritatis The Church which is the congregation of all Saints by reason of her eternall stedfastnes in God is called the pillar and ground of truth Chrysostome saith Ecclesia est tabernaculū à Deo fixum non ab homine ab vno loco in aliū fugit sednon à pietate ad impietatē fugit that is The Church is the tabernacle which God hath pight and not man she flieth from one place to another but she neuer flieth from godlines to impietie and wickednes Ambrose Apostolus omnem ecclesiam dicens summatim totum comprebendit quod in coelo est interra that is The Apostle meaning all the Church briefly comprehendeth the whole which is both in heauen and in earth Bernard saith Electi Dei sunt ecclesia Dei The elect of God be the Church of God So saith Clemens Alexandrinus as I haue before alleaged Non nunc locum sed electorum congregationem appello ecclesiam I call not now the place the Church but the congregation of the elect Yea Frier Lyra saith Ex quo patet quod ecclesia non consistat in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis ecclesiasticae vel secularis quia multi principes summi pontifices alij inferiores inuenti sunt apostatasse à fide propter quod ecclesia consistit in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera confessio fides veritatis that is Whereby it appeareth that the Church consisteth not in men in respect of their ecclesiasticall or secular power or dignitie for many Princes and Popes and others of lower degree haue bin found to haue bin Apostates and to haue fallen away from the faith Wherefore the Church consisteth in those persons in whom is true knowledge and the confession of faith and truth This is that holy Catholike Church which we in the Creede confesse and beleeue euen the whole number of them whom God hath elected and chosen to eternall life whom God hath had in all ages and of all nations of which Church euery true and faithfull man and woman must beleeue himselfe to be a true and liuely member whereof he may be assured if he finde and feele that God hath lightened his minde with the knowledge of his truth hath wrought in his heart an vnfained faith to trust in his mercies and to beleeue that his sinnes be forgiuen him for Christs names sake and that God hath sanctified his soule and bodie to hate sinne and to haue a care and conscience to serue him in true holines and righteousnes all the daies of his life This being our confession and beliefe with what conscience and truth can this man say that the Church which the Protestants beleeue hath been interrupted all the ages betwixt the Apostles and Luther and in very deede was neuer seene before Luthers daies or that wee imagine the same to be comprehended within the narrow bounds of England I can say nomore but that a false witnes shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall not escape But now let vs see what this man and his fellowes hold beleeue and call the Catholike Church forsooth the companie of all them that receiue and professe the religion and doctrine of the Church of Rome and submit themselues to be ruled and gouerned by the Bishop and Pope of Rome They that doe not this be Heretikes Schismatikes out of Noahs Arke and out of the Catholike Church And hereupon it followeth that the Christians in Graecia Muscouia Armenia Aethiopia c. where Christianitie hath continued vnto this day and among whom no doubt but some haue been of Gods elect and chosen people yet be they no Catholikes nor of the Catholike Church nor in the state of salnation And why because they neither haue been nor be subiect to the Pope of Rome For so it is with many words solemnely defined and determined by that holy and vertuous Pope Boniface the 8. Subesse Romano pontifici omni humanae creaturae
was neuer accursed of his Father but he bare in his body and soule the curse that was due to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the curse of God and to purchase to vs the blessing of God But these men who otherwayes are so full of curious distinctions doe herein erre because they doe not with Saint Augustine put a difference betweene that which appertained to Christs owne person and that which he suffered in the person and place of vs the which if this writer or rather slaunderer had done he might haue abstained from these his blasphemous collections of his owne and not our assertions As if Christ had despaired of his Saluation or God had hated him c. Whereunto I answere that Christ was farre from such despaire which properly is a sinne in the reprobate and not a punishment of Gods iustice And we hould that our Sauiour Christ suffered in our person and for vs those torments which are righteous punishments of Gods iustice against sinne and not such as properly bee sinnes in the deuils and in wicked and reprobate men as are despaire and hatred of God And therefore we confesse with our mouthes and beleeue with our harts that Christ was neuer hated of his Father but alwayes the deerely beloued Sonne of God in whom he was alwayes well pleased But he hated sinne the which as man had committed so in mans nature Gods iustice was to be satisfied The which for that corrupt and sinfull man was not able to performe the Sonne of God as I said became our surety tooke vpon him our nature and in the same hath suffered vpon the crosse the punishment of Gods anger due to our sinnes and thereby hath satisfied Gods iustice pacified his anger and purchased his loue and mercie to all those that truly beleeue in him And so Christ was tormented with anguish of minde not for his sinnes as you falsely gather but for our sinnes which hee bare in his bodie and soule vpon the crosse and God was not enemie to God but enemie to our sinnes which were imputed to Christ that his satisfaction and righteousnes might be imputed vnto vs. To conclude we beleeue that Christ suffered vpon the crosse those punishments of sinne which proceede from Gods iustice and be no sinnes which in some sense may be called the paines of hell because that as Christ by his Deitie ouercame them and it was impossible for him to be held and ouercome of them so the diuell and the reprobate shall eternally indure them And this is no desperate doctrine but a most comfortable doctrine to assure vs that in Christ Gods iustice is satisfied our sinnes are discharged hell is conquered and wee from it be deliuered So that we may with the Apostle say O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie The Pamphlet The Protestants haue no meane to determine controuersies and abolish heresies 5. Article AS the Protestants neither know what they beleeue nor why they beleeue so haue they no meanes in their Church to settle them in vnitie of beleefe nor to determine controuersies nor to abolish heresies as hath the Catholike Church for our Sauiour Christ by his diuine prouidence did foresee that heresies were to arise in his Church as his Apostle S. Paul doth warne vs the which as plagues were to infect his flocke and therefore he not onely forewarned vs of them but also gaue vs meanes how to preuent and extinguish them He willed vs to heare his Church if we would not be accounted as Etlmicks and Publicanes He ordained Pastors and Doctors lest we should be carried away with euery blast of vaine doctrine He promised to the Church the assistance of the holy Ghost in such sort as they which would not heare her would not heare him The Catholikes therefore beleeuing certainly that the Church cannot erre that the generall Councels cannot deliuer false doctrine that the Pastors and ancient Fathers with ioynt consent cannot teach vntruths when heresies spring vp presently with the voyce of the Church plucke them vp euen by the rootes and so euer hath practized and after this manner hath ouerthrowne al encounters false opinions and errors which the diuell by his ministers euer planted or established in the world and so they haue been freed from all braules and quarrels in matters of religion But the Protestants admitting the sole Scripture as vmpire and Iudge in matters of controuersies allowing no infallible interpreter thereof but remitting all to euery mans priuate spirit singular expositioÌ„ cannot possibly without error winde themselues out of the laborynth of so many controuersies wherewith they are now inâ—â—â—gled and intricated And the irreconciliable iarres betâ—ixt them and the Puritanes in essentiall points of faith giue sufficient testimonie that they will neuer haue an end or can haue an end holding those grounds of opinion which they obstinately defend And finally they haue no argument to prooue that they haue the true Church true religion true faith which all heretakes which euer were will not bring to condemne the Church as well as they For example they alleage Scriptures so did the Arrians they contemne Councels the Arrians did not regard them they challenge to themselues the true interpretation the same did all heretikes to this day And to conclude they call themselues the little flocke of Christ to whom God hath reuealed his truth and illuminated them from aboue all which the Donatists with as good reason and better arguments did arrogate vnto themselues The same I say of Pelagians Nestorians Eutychians with all the rabble of other damned heretikes And to conclude these articles of faith I say that if the principles of the Protestants religion be true S. Paul himselfe exhorteth vs to infidelitie which I proue thus Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth to infidelitie But S. Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluation which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion Ergo S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie The Maior is plaine for to doubt of matters in faith is manifest infidelitie because whosoeuer doubteth whether God hath reuealed that which indeede he hath reuealed being sufficiently proposed as reuealed vertually doubteth whether God saith truth or lieth The Minor is proued by the testimonie of S. Paul Cum timore tremore salutem vestram operamini With fears and trembling worke your saluation All feare whether it be filiall feare or seruile feare includeth doubt the one of sinne the other of punishment Answere AS it is false that wee neither know what wee beleeue nor why wee beleeue as hath been before sufficiently shewed so is it no lesse false which is here boldly affirmed but faintly proued That we haue no meanes in our Church to settle vs in vnitie of beleefe to determine controuersies and to abolish herefies We haue the word of God which wee acknowledge to be the onely touchstone
c. If any shall say that it is necessarie for euery man to the obtaining of remission of sinnes to beleeue certainly and without doubt of their owne infirmitie and indisposition that their sins be forgiuen them be he accursed But more plainly and pregnantly doe the Doctors of Louaine lay downe this doctrine of doubting Fides qua quis firmiter credit certò statuit per Christum sibi remissa esse peccata seque possessurum vitam aeternam nullum habet in Scripturis testimonium imo eisdem aduersatur that is The faith whereby a man doth firmely beleeue and is certainly assured that his sinnes by Christ be forgiuen him and that he shall possesse eternall life hath no testimonie in the Scripture yea is contrarie vnto them Hereupon I conclude by this writers owne reason that the Papists in maintaining this doctrine of doubting teach infidelitie But whereas these Louainian Doctors say that this doctrine of the certaintie of forgiuenes of our sinnes by Christ and of our possession of eternall life is not testified in the Scriptures but contrarie to them how false this is I referre it to be tried by these places here following They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be moued but remaineth for euer Being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also through faith we haue had this accesse vnto his grace wherein wee stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The same spirit beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is Christ that iustifieth Who shall condemne c. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword c. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. It is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath annointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts In whom also ye haue trusted after that ye heard the word of truth euen the Gospell 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 vnto the throne of grace that wee may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede So God willing more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsell bound himself by an oth that by two immutable things wherein 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 soule both sure and stedfast 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 euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithfull that promised Therfore by faith that by grace the promise might be sure to all the seede And he not weake in the faith considered not his owne bodie which was now dead being almost an hundred yeeres old neither the deadnes of Saraes wombe neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glorie to God being fully assured that he which had promised was able to doe it and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnes Hereunto I will adde to the confuting of this doctrine of doubting two or three sayings of the Fathers Chrysostome saith Spes humana subinde intercidit sperantem pudore afficit Nostra verò eiusmodi non est sed firma immobilis perdurat c. that is 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 Augustine saith Gaudium ergo nostrum fratres nondum est inâ—e sed iam in spe Spes autem nostra tam certa est quasi iam res perfecta sit 1. Our ioy O brethreÌ„ is not as yet in possession but in hope And our hope is so certaine as though the thing were alreadie done Bernard saith Ergo aut 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 Hereby the indifferent reader may see both how false this desperate doctrine of doubting is against the which Ambrosus Catherinus an Archbishop a great doer in the Councell of Trent did earnestly write and also that the Papists by this principle of their doctrine teach infidelitie And withall let him consider whether is a more true godly and comfortable doctrine to beleeue by faith our saluation or to be vncertaine and 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 tremore salutem vestram operamini which is thus translated With feare and trembling worke your saluation This text was alleadged by hearesay and not by sight For this worthie 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 Philip. 2. it is not likely And that this error is not of the Printer but of this mans fine memorie it may hereby appeare y t 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 contrarie to the purpose and meaning of the Apostle Whose intent is not to teach the Philippians that they be saued by their workes which is contrarie to his doctrine in many other places but to disswade them from carelesse securitie and to exhort them to walke in good workes and to runne on the race of their life in the feare of God vntil they
Hereof S. Paul speaketh Refuse the younger widowes for when they haue begun to waxe wanton against Christ they will marrie hauing damnation because they haue broken the first faith The which is to be vnderstood of the first profession of faith in Baptisme and not of the latter vow of single life as the Papists falsely and foolishly expound it From this faith all they doe fall which turne either on the right hand to false doctrine or on the left hand to wicked life Many other waies faith is taken but this question is of that true liuely and iustifying faith which is the faith of Gods elect whereby Christ dwelleth in their hearts and they receiue nourishment and life from him This faith may be couered by temptations and falles as fire in the night with ashes but neuer vtterly extinguished For they in whom this true faith is are like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bring forth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade And they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot bee moued but remaineth for euer They that by this faith are built vpō the rocki Iesus Christ hell gates shall neuer ouercome them Christ saith He that beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath euerlasting life He that heareth my word beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Saint Paul saith Wherein after ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance for the redemption of that libertie purchased vnto the praise of his glorie These places sufficiently shew that that faith which is common to all Gods elect and proper onely to the elect can neuer perish nor be vtterly lost in them And this true comfortable doctrine bringeth no vaine securitie nor openeth the gap to any libertine sensualitie For they that by this faith haue tasted how sweete the Lord is cannot but loue and feare God and greatly delight in his commaundements And that faith which swimmeth in mens lips but is not printed in their hearts nor shineth by godlines and good workes in their liues is a dead faith and is no more that true faith whereby we liue vnto God then a dead man is a man To conclude this matter although we distinguish betweene iustification and sanctification yet we acknowledge that they be inseparable and the one doth necessarily follow the other For whosoeuer are iustified by Gods grace and mercie through faith in Christ Iesus be also sanctified with Gods holy spirit to abhorre that which is euill and to cleaue to that which is good and to serue God in true holines and righteousnes all the daies of their life And therefore we teach that they which without repentance persist in sinne wallow in wickednes and commit vngodlines with greedines haue no faith nor haue any assurance of the remission of their sins but may be assured that the wrath of God hangeth ouer them and if they doe not truly repent and bring foorth fruites worthie amendement of life will fearefully fall vpon them So that you might haue spared your vaine and foolish exclamations concerning Epicures Heliogabalus Bacchus and Venus which are more honoured in Rome as hereafter I will shew then allowed of vs. For of whom did Mantuan the Italian Carmelite Frier an 100. yeeres past write this but of your Popes and his fauourers Neglecto superum cultu spretoque tonantis imperio Baccho indulgent Venerique ministrant that is Neglecting the worship of God they serue Bacchus and Venus Concerning the fourth point of doctrine of keeping Gods commaundements I haue spoken sufficiently before Onely now I say that our doctrine tendeth hereunto to shew vs our miserie by transgressing of them that wee may thereby bee moued to hunger for Gods mercie in Christ and although we cannot perfectly fulfill them for in many things wee sinne all yet wee ought according to the measure of Gods grace giuen to vs haue a care and conscience to walke in them and to frame our liues to the obedience of them Whereas fiftly you charge vs that wee deny the Sacrament of Penance thereby to make men careles how they liue I answer that although we deny your penance to be a Sacrament because it hath no outward visible signe and reiect your clancular confession your absurd absolution and your superstitious or rather blasphemous satisfaction thereby to answere Gods iustice and discharge your sins yet we truly teach y e doctrine of repentance as it is deliuered vnto vs in the word of God We teach men to come to the knowledge of their sins by y e law of God which is the glasse to shew vs our spots and the first step to repentance then to lament their sinnes whereby they haue offended their gracious God and mercifull father to confesse their sinnes with remorse of conscience both to God and men whom they haue offended and especially wee call vpon men for amendement of life in bringing forth fruits worthie of repentance without the which there is no repentance One part of which amendement is satisfaction to our brethren for iniuries committed and restitution of goods vnlawfully and vngodly gotten As touching our iniuries against God we plead not our owne satisfaction but craue Gods mercie in Christ Iesus who is our only satisfaction and by whom only we seeke to haue remission of them Whereas you say that your confession rubbeth the sores of sinne and causeth remembrance of them I say that this more truly and effectually is wrought by the preaching of Gods word whereby sinne is more shewed and the wrath and iudgements of God against sinne are more threatned and thereby the conscience more pricked and wounded then by your confession So Dauid was brought to repentance for his foule sinnes of adulterie and murther by Nathans preaching and thundring Gods iudgements against him and not by his secret confessing So the people hauing heard Peter preach the word of God were pricked in their hearts and said vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe This is Gods holy ordinance the other a plant which God hath neuer planted but an inuention of man as euen your own Canonists against your Schoolemen do confesse And what wickednes hath come of it the ecclesiasticall historie partly sheweth and God who seeth al secrets knoweth To your sixt accusation I answer that we exclude and banish our Sauiour Christ neither from the Sacrament of his supper nor from the hearts of the faithfull but acknowledge that as by faith he dwelleth in the one so by the same he is receiued of the godly in the other Your false and grosse doctrine of Transsubstantiation which the Greeke Church neuer beleeued and the Latine Church lately defined as
who was Deane of the Church of Mentz in Germanie in y e time of Charles the 4. about Anno 1370 in these words Recessit lex à sacerdotibus c. 1. The law is departed from Priests iustice from Princes counsell from the Elders faithfulnes from the people loue from parents reuerence from subiects charitie from Prelates religion from Monkes honestie from young man distipline from Clâ—rkes learning from teachers studie from schollers eqeitie from Iudges concord from Citizens feare from seruants fellowship from Countrimen truth from Marchants vertue from Noblemen chastitie from Virgins humilitie from widowes loue from the married and patience from the poore O times O maners most troublesome and miserable times reprobate and wicked maners both of the Clergie and of the people Here by this man others who so much accure our manners these times may see what hath bin the estate of the Church manners both of the Priests people heretofore when Poperie most florished therby may discerne with whom dissolution loosenes of life do most raigne The Pamphlet The Protestants make God the author of sinne the onely cause of sinne that man sinneth not that God is worse then the Diuell 5. Article WHosoeuer defendeth that God commaundeth perswadeth vrgeth impelleth to sinne maketh God the cause of sinne But all Protestants say that God commaundeth perswadeth vrgeth impelleth to sinne Ergo. The Protestants make God the cause and author of sinne The Maior I proue for if God perswade or impell men to sinne as for example Iudas to sell Christ Saint Peter to deny Christ the Iewes to crucifie Christ questionles he intended the sacriledge of Iudas the negation of Peter the murder of the Iewes and this much more effectually then Iudas Peter or the Iewes For who can resist his impulsion or who can frustrate his intention Voluntati eius quis resistet Who is able to oppose himselfe against his will yet what man is he that in conscience were not bound to conforme his will vnto the will of God who is the author of all good wills and the first rule and square of all regular wils Iudas Peter and the Iewes if they bad followed the motions of God who could haue blamed them for following him who could not erre in impelling nor sinne in perswading them But some will say that God moued them for a good end videlicet the redemption of man and they intended an ill end to wit Lucre reuenge or some other sinister effect Yet this shift will not salue the sore for euill may not be done that good may follow Non sunt facienda mala vt inde veniant bona For otherwise a man might steale to giue almes be drunke for a meriment commit aduontrie to beget children Moreouer why might not Iudas Peter or the Iewes intend that good end which God intended and yet haue sould denied and crucified Christ conforming their intentions to his they being instruments and he the first moouer Againe it cannot be said but that God indirectly and most effectually intended their sinnes for he that intendeth any effect wherewith another effect is necessarily conioyned consequently intendeth it as for example He that intendeth to burne a ship in the midst of the sea intendeth consequently the death of all the men which be in her In like manner if God intended that Iudas should sell Christ vnto which action sinne was necessarily adioyned consequently God intended the sinne as well as the selling The Minor is to too euident For the Protestants deride Gods permission they say that all his actions are energeticall or effectuall they desperately auer that Paules conuersion and Dauids aduoutrie were in like manner the workes of God And as he elected some to glorie before the preuision of workes so he reiected some from glorie before the preuision of sins Here hence I infer that according to the Protestants principles God is most properly the author of sinne because he impelleth most effectually thereunto Next that he is the only author of sinne for that he inforceth men vpon necessitie to sinne and they as instruments follow the motion of their first cause Againe that man sinneth not for where there is necessitie of sinning there is no sinne for sinne is free or no sinne besides how can man sinne in conforming his will with Gods will Finally God is worse then the diuell for that the wickednes of the diuell principally consisteth in moouing perswading and inducing of men to sinne the which by the Protestants confession God performeth more effectually then the diuell because the motions of God are more forcible and lesse resistable then the illusions or suggestions of the diuell Many sinnes moreouer are acted without the temptations of the diuell some of ignorance some of passion but none without the motions of God so that God is worse then the diuell both in causing a greater multitude of sinnes then the diuell and in the forcible manner of causing sinnes which the diuell cannot attaine vnto The which doctrine is as good a ground for Atheisme as euer hell could deuise for were it not much more reasonable to say there were no God at all then to beleeue there were such a God as commaundeth perswadeth vrgeth impelleth men to sinne and yet for the same sinnes will torment them with the inexplicable paines of hell Answere THis man sheweth himselfe to be like to the vnrighteous iudge who neither feared God nor reuerenced man or rather like him that is a slaunderer of Gods Saints and a lyar and the father of lies For the Minor or assumption of this syllogisme that all Protestants say that God commaundeth perswadeth vrgeth and impelleth men to sinne is as true as that is that Catholikes in England be wrapped in beares skinnes and cast vnto dogges to be deuoured which was published in Rome by a printed booke and set out in tables confirmed with Pope Gregorie the 13. priuiledge The which as all men know to be a false malitious slaunder to discredit our gracious Queenes mercifull and good gouernment so is this also to defame the teachers of Gods truth For if this man or any of his partners can proue that either all Protestants or any learned Protestant doth say that God commaundeth perswadeth vrgeth and impelleth to sinne then will I yeeld vnto him not onely in this but in all other matters of religion If this cannot be shewed as most certainly it cannot what a shameles man is this to vtter such a grosse and palpable lye as euen a blind man may as it were feele it with his fingers and in what miserable estate be those simple ignorant soules which credit such lying spirits But this is the iust iudgement of God against them that receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued to send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lies As touching the matter we beleeue with our hearts and confesse with our mouthes that