haue bin done You papists haue submitted your selues to be the Popes and the King of Spaines subiects as Story alledged for himselfe at his arraignment and consequently by Popish Diuinity you may take vp armes against king Iames our most gracious Soueraigne and bee no Traytors in so doing For as you write with your pennes so doe you beleeue in your harts and practise in your liues Your late Treason of Gunne-powder to say nothing of all the rest makes it euident to the world God saue our Noble King Iames deliuer him from your bloudy hands for though you speake well of him with your tongue yet do yee wish in your harts to do him the greatest wrong S. R. THat Emperours haue acknowledged the Popes superiority Bell himselfe confesseth where hee saith that some Christian Kings and Emperours haue vpon a blinde zealâ—e humbled themselues to the Pope yea which is more haue yeelded vp their soueraigne rightes vnto him And shal not the Pope bee Superiour vnto them vvho haue humbled themselues and yeelded their Soueraigntie to him T. B. This is my reply First that one may yeeld vp some part of his Soueraignty to another and for all that remaine still continue that others Superior The case is cleere it needeth no proofe If the Iesuite will not yeeld to this he must perforce yeeld to that which will confound both him and the Pope viz that the pope is superior to the Emperor euen in Temporalibus The reason is euident because the Pope challengeth the Temporall soueraigne right of Italy and the free donation of the Emperor Secondly if euery one that humbleth himselfe to another becommeth by and by that others inferiour then doubtles the priest that is confessary to the Pope becommeth the popes superiour For to answere that the Pope doth not humble himselfe to his ghostly father is not onely absurd but flat against the Popes religion And yet our Iesuite disputeth thus Catholiques argue that Kinges and Emperors haue acknowledged Popes their superiors This Bell graunteth in confessing their humiliation to Popes which is neuer done but to superiors Alas alas I pittie the Iesuites folly For first in Popery euery king humbleth himselfe to a silly priest Ergo the priest is the kings superiour Againe euerie papist humbleth himselfe to Images dead bones and especially to the wood of the crosse yea sometimes to the bones of an Heretique as I haue proued in the Article of traditions Ergo Images dead bones wood c. are superiors to the Papists Thirdly the Papists are commanded to humble themselues to that which the Priest holdeth ouer his head at Masse which by their Doctrine if it lacke consecration as it may many waies fall out is but a bare piece of bread Ergo a piece of Bakers bread is their superior Fourthly Pope Siluester the second sometime a Monke a Frenchman borne Gilbertus by name humbled himselfe to the deuill yeelded homage to him so long as the deuill accomplished his desire This story is set downe at large in my Suruey of Poperie Now that the deuill of hell was and is his superior both to this Pope and to many others I admit your argument with all applause Fiftly kings do often humble themselues to their subiects Ergo their subiects are their superiors Sixtly the Emperor humbleth himselfe many times euen vnto those that owe duety to him Ergo his inferiors become his superiors Lastly Absalom when any man came neere vnto him and did him obeysance put forth his hand and tooke him and kissed him and on this manner did Absalom to al Israel that came to the King for Iudgement Ergo euerie man in Israel was Absaloms superiour But the contrarie is the truth and our Iesuite a most notorious lyar CHAP. 5. ¶ Conteyning the confutation of the seuenth Chapter of S. R. that masked Iesuite S. R. VIctoria saith that the glossers of the Lavve haue giuen this Dominion to the Pope they being poore in substance and learning Here insteede of proofes I find an vntruth For neyther doth Victoria in these wordes speake of many things but onely of Dominion meaning Temporall ouer the whole world neyther yet doeth hee call it absurd T. B. I answere first that I cited Victorias words truely after my wonted manner neuer adding or changing one word in my Author Secondly that I added these wordes and these Lordly Titles not in the Latine but in the English not simplie but with a parenthesis that the Reader might know I did it for explication sake which thing is vsuall not onely to our Iesuite but to all other writers Thirdly Victoria as I haue expresly shewed elsewhere speaketh of many Lordly titles ascribed to the Pope But our Iesuite granteth enough viz the dominion ouer the whole world and all power both Ecclesiasticall and temporall on earth For if the Pope haue all Kings can haue none Fourthly maister Gerson a man of high esteeme in the Popish church saith plainly as our Iesuite granteth and I affirme that all power both in heauen on earth which Christ himselfe had is giuen to the Pope What needes more This is flat blasphemy against the sonne of God Fiftly our Iesuite denyeth in one page that which hee granteth in another concerning the Popes power The sound of the Bell maketh him forget himselfe Chapter 6. ¶ Containing the confutation of the 8. and 9. chapters of the Iesuite S. R. touching eight steps of the Popes ladder S. R. COnstantine saith Bell at his departure did as the popes Parasites tell vs giue large guifts to the Pope euen his whole power dominion and territories both in Rome Italy and all the West Behold a man hauing a Wolfe by the care which he dare neyther hold nor yet let go For if he graunt that Constantine gaue the Pope his whole power and dominion ouer Rome Italy and all the West he must needes grant that the Pope of right hath Imperiall power ouer all the west if he deny it he sheweth not how Constantines departure was a step for the Pope to climbe to higher authority T. B. If Robert Parsons that Trayterous Iesuite who dareth not tell his name but hydeth it vnder S. R. be a wolfe indeed as I suppose he is then doubtlesse I haue him by the eares legges nose and all and so fast bound with linkes and chaines of yron as the Pope and all his Iesuited Vassals are neuer able to deliuer him out of my handes For albeit Constantine that most Noble Emperor gaue not the Pope his whole power and Dominion ouer Rome Italy and all the West nor any part thereof yet doth it follow consequently that his departure from Rome to Constantinople was the first step to Popish falsly supposed Primacie The reason is euident because the Emperor being farre off at Constantinople in the East the false pretended donation froÌ„ Constantine was holden beleeued for a trueth The multitude in the western
for the present that the Apostle saith The best Liuers of all offend in many thinges And that the Prophet Dauid telleth vs That none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight Secondly to Saint Paule I answere as in the Downefall That the raging vnvoluntary motions of Concupiscence were sinne in him although he did not actually yeelde his consent vnto them And thereupon I inferred then and now againe That that sin which Saint Paule lamented in himselfe affirming himselfe to bee sold vnder sinne was truely and properly sinne indeede but not Actuall because hee gaue no consent vnto it Ergo hee must needes speake of Originall This point I deliuered so plainly in the Downfall of Popery as none but eitherfooles or malicious Readers can be ignorant thereof Of other Actuall sinnes I spake not S. R. Christ saith Bell being asked what good a man should doe to attaine eternall life aunswered If thou wilt haue eternall life by doing good workes then must they keepe Gods commandemēts but this is impossible saith Bell. Here is most shamefull abuse of Gods word and this sheweth Bell to haue a scared conscience For neither in the mans Question nor in Christes aunswere is there any word how a man should come to Heauen by this way or that way viz by beleeuing or by working or by both but only what was the meane in generall to come to Heauen which the man supposing to bee good asked what good he should doe to come thither Which Question of his is common either to Faith or Works or both foral include doing good And our Sauiour answered him If thou wilt enter not this way nor that way but absolutely Into life Keepe the Commaundements T. B. What a one is this Fryer Hee chargeth mee to haue a seared conscience which may more iustly bee imputed to himselfe I willingly acknowledge my selfe to be a great Sinner GOD forgiue mee yet may I stand at defiance with this Iesuite and withal the Iesuites in the World for any corrupt or falfe dealing either in the Scripture or in the Fathers Councels Histories Chronicles or other Writers whosoeuer they are alike to charge me withall Nay in this very point wherein he desperately accuseth me I am able to charge him too deeply and iustly retort that agianst himselfe which he would most falsly and vniustly impose vpon me He auoucheth most impudently that there is not any word neither in the mans question nor in Christs answere how a man should come to Heauen this way or that way Let vs therefore ponder the mans words seriously and then yeeld our censures according to the truth S. Matthew hath these wordes Good Maister what good thinge shall I doe that I may haue eternall life Saint Marke hath these wordes Good Maister what shall I doe that I may haue eternall life Saint Luke hath these words Good Maister by doing what shall I possesse eternall life Now I pray thee Gentle Reader whosoeuer thou art to be an indifferent Iudge betweene the Iesuite and me Thou seest euidently that the man demaunded of Christ what he should doe to possesse and inioy eternall life For he said plainely What shall I do by doing What shall I possesse eternall life Doth not he aske to go to Heauen this way or that way who asketh to goe thither by doing Goodworkes Yes doubtlesse it cannot be denyed For to go to Heauen by doing this or that to go to heauē this way or that way is al one in effect So likewise he that saith shal I go to Heauen by doing this or by doing that and he that saith shal I go to heauen this way or that way saith one the same thing in effect Truly therfore did I answer to the Obiection by my selfe propounded cut of the Gospell viz that our Sauiour Christ did not shew in that place how men may attaine eternal life but shewed plainly vnto the man who trusted much vnto his workes and good life that perfect obseruation of the Law is required of him that thinketh to bee iustified by the workes of the Law The man did not say how shall I go to Heauen Or how shall I attaine eternall life But thus by doing what shall I haue eternall life Christ therefore aunswered directly to his manner of demaunding If thou trust so much to thy works and thine owne doings that thou thinkes thou canst go to Heauen by doing then do I tell thee that thou must looke well vnto the matter and see thou keep the Commandements This answere is directly and cleerely deduced out of the very text it selfe S. R. Bell saith that Goodworkes are so necessary to attaine eternall life as the vsuall ordinary vndoubted meanes by which God decreed from eternity freely for his owne name sake to bring his elect to saluation and that without them none haue beene are or shall be saued if time be graunted to doe them How are they now become an impossible meane to come to Heauen How did the man enquire of an impossible way to heauen by Goodworkes What need this challenger any aduersary who thus ouerthroweth himselfe T. B. If our Iesuite had either eyes to see eares to heare or wit to vnderstand he could not but both see perceiue that he confoundeth himselfe in his owne dispute For albeit the best liuer vpon earth cannot for any merit of his best workes by any possible meanes attaine eternall life for it is the gifte of God not of workes yet hath GOD decreed to bring vs to heauen by good workes which he of his great mercy freely worketh in vs. For these are the Apostles expresse wordes as the Rhemists haue put them downe For by Grace you are saued by Faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God not of workes that no man glory for we are his worke created in Christ lesus in goodworks which God hath prepared that we should walke in them Thus writeth the Apostle euen as our Papists alledge his words Out of which holy discourse of the chosen vessell of our Lorde Iesus I obserue these golden lessons First that we are saued By grace Secondly that saluation followeth not onely our first iustification so called of the Papists which they confesse to be of Grace but their second falsly supposed iustification also which they wold haue to come of Works For as we see here our saluatiō which is after al maner of iustification if ther were as many as the Papists imagine is only of grace not of Workes You are saued saith Saint Paule marke wel the word Saued He saith not you are iustified by grace which goeth before saluation but you are saued by grace which followeth your iustification Thirdly that the Apostle saith Negatiuely We are not saued of Workes and consequently that he confoundeth our Papistes who say that their second iustification and their saluation come of their works But as their second falsly so named
iustification was neuer knowne to any of the holy Fathers nor to any ancient counsel so wil their saluation neuer bee knowne to Gods elect vnlesse they repent and reuoke this their damnable Doctrine Fourthly that God worketh our Good Workes in vs. Fiftly that God hath ordained Good Workes for this end that we walke in them This doctrine is confirmed by the same Apostle in another place where he hath these wordes Not by the Workes of Iustice which wee did but according to his Mercy hee hath saued vs. Loe the holy Apostle is still constant in his former position viz that We are not saued by the Workes of Iustice but of mercy grace For this cause saith S. Austen Woe vnto the best liuer vppon earth if God examin his life his mercy set apart For this cause saith S. Chrisostome si millies moriamur c. Though we die a thousand times and though we accomplish all vertues of the minde yet do wee nothing woorthy of those things which we receiue of God For this cause saith S. Theophilact Seruauit nos aeternum non ex operibus c. Hee hath saued vs eternally not of the workes which we haue done that is neither haue we done the works of Iustice neither are wee saued by them but his goodnes and his clemency hath wrought our saluation wholly Yea for this cause saith their highly renowned Abbot Bernardus Sic non est c. So there is no cause that thou shouldst now aske by what merits we hope for glory especially since thou hearest the Prophet say I will do it sayth the Lord not for your sake but for mine owne It is sufficient to merite to know that our merites are not sufficient Thus write these holy fathers with the famous popish Abbot whose words are so plaine for the truth which I defend as euery childe may with facility discerne the same For I did not say as our Iesuite woulde deceitfully perswade his Reader that Good Works are an impossible mean to come to heauen No nor that the young man did enquire of an impossible way to heauen For I know and I haue constantly affirmed the same in the Downfall that Goodworkes are a meane and the way that leadeth to heauen But withall I said then and now againe that neither can the best liuer on earth keepe the Commandements so exactly as the law requireth neither can any man for any works he doth condignly merit eternal life And this is the point indeede which I defend against the Papists Whosoeuer shall with a single eye pervse the Downfall will find it to be so For it is one thing to say that Good Workes are a meane or the way to heauen another thing to say that a man can fulfill the Law and by his Workes condignely merite heauen The former I graunt willingly the latter I deny constantly neither is any Papist able to answere my reasons in that behalfe For example the Pope Boniface sicke at Rome of his meere good wil bequeathed by his Testament 7000. crownes of Gold to Robert Parsons the Iesuite lame of hands and legs at Paris his lamenesse not knowne to the Pope to be giuen to the said Parsons whē he cōmeth to Rome in his own person to demand the same Now the said Parsons hauing inteligence of the said Legacy prouideth a good Gelding a strong man-like fellow and so taketh his iourney towards Rome where he no sooner demaundeth the saide 7000. Crownes but he in friendly manner receiueth the same acording to the true meaning of the Popes will In this case the Gelding the tall fellow and the iourney it selfe were good necessary meanes to receiue and possesse the said Crownes Howbeit neither did they merite the said Crownes neyther were they the cause of bequeathing them Euen so in our case Eternall life as the Apostle saith is the free gift of God it is of grace not of Workes neuerthelesse Goodworkes as the same Apostle telleth vs are the way which God hath ordained for vs to walke in and the vsuall ordinary vndoubted meanes by which God intendeth to bring his elect to heauen This notwithstanding this must euer bee a constant and vndoubted position with all the children of God viz that none not the best liuer vpon earth is able exactly to keepe Gods commandements and by the merit of his works to enter into heauen S. R. Will not Christ say in his last sentence Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdom prouided for you from the constitution of the world I was hungry and ye gaue me meate As well as he will say Go you from me you cursed into euerlasting fire For I was hungry and ye gaue me not to eate T. B. I answere first that the word For is not heere taken Causaliter but Consequutiue to speake as the Schoole-doctors do that is to say It doth not Connotate the cause but the euent as was saide before of Mary Magdalen So that the sence is not for giuing meat to Christ when hee was hungry or drink to him being thirsty they did merit heauen but that by doing such charitable works which are the effects of a true iustifying faith they shewed thēselues to bee the children of God and the heyres of his kingdome And this sence is deduced out of the very text it selfe For seeing the kingdome of heauen as Christ heere auoucheth was prepared for them before the foundation and consequently before they were borne and so before they could doe any Good Workes it followeth of necessity that their workes could not merite heauen but only signifie to the world that the inheritance of heauen was due vnto them as to the children of God the heyres of the same For as the Apostle sayth If we be sonnes then are we also heyres heyres of God and ioynt-heires with Christ. Yea as the same Apostle saith in another place As he chose vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and immaculate in his sight through loue who hath predestiuated vs into the adoption of children by Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will To which I must needs adde that which the same Apostle saith yet in another place Whom he did predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified Out of this holy discourse of the Apostle of our Lord Iesus I obserue these golden lessons First that we are the sonnes of God not by nature for so we are his enemies and the children of wrath but by grace and adoption in Iesus Christ. Secondly that God chose vs to be his Children before we were borne Thirdly that he chose vs not because wee were holy but that we might be holy and immaculate in his sight Fourthly that he predestinated vs to bee his Children by adoption not for any Goodworkes
Bels custome to gaine-say himselfe if it may please his reuerence to put Iesuite for Bell the truth then will be on his side S. R. Gods Children as long as his seede abideth in them sin not nor offend deadly in any one point but abide both in the whole Law and in euery point therof Saint Iames speaketh of deadly sin and of offending deadly But there he Veniall sins which Bell denyeth not in the which iust men may offend and not breake Gods Law deadly T. B. I ansvvere first that euery sinne is mortall of it ovvne nature which I haue already proued Secondly that all sinnes are Veniall and pardonable which is all one to Gods children and faithful seruants not of their own nature but of Gods great mercy and fauour towardes them who for Christs merites and satisfaction in whom hee is euer well pleased pardoneth all their offences imputeth no sin vnto them This is the constant doctrine of S. Austen whose words are these Omnia ergo mandata facta deputantur quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur All the Commaundements are then reputed as done when what soeuer is not done is Of Mercy forgiuen The famous Popish Abbot Bernardus is consonant to S. Austen These are his wordes Omne quod natum est ex deo non peccat sed hoc dictum est de praedestinatis ad vitam non quod omnino non peccent sed quod peccatum ipsis non imputetur All that is born of God sinneth not But this is spoken of the predestinate to life not because they sinne not at al but for that sinne is not imputed to them Againe in another place he sayth thus Vtique quod factum est non potest non fieri ipso tamen non imputante erit quasi non fuerit Quod Propheta quoque considerans ait beatus vir cui non imputabit Dominus peccatum The sinne doubtles that is done cannot bee vndone yet because God doth not impute sinne vnto vs we shall be as if we had not sinned Which the Prophet considering saith Blessed is the man to whom God shall not impute sinne Out of these wordes this Corollary is clearly deduced viz that the regenerate are saide not to sinne not because they do no sinne indeed or haue no sin in themselues for that were against the flat Doctrine of S. Iames but because God of his meere mercy for the merits of Christ Iesus doth not impute their sinnes vnto them S. R. It is an vniust law which is impossible and to punnish the breakers were against right and equity As Bell himselfe would graunt if vppon paine of death he were bid to flye to heauen and executed if he did not T. B. I answere First that the Commaundements of God are not simply and absolutely impossible but accidentally Per accidens They are not impossible in themselues because Christ himselfe kept them neyther impossible to man as man because Adam might haue kept them Onely they are impossible to cortupt man which impossibility commeth Per accidens and not Ex natura rei Man hadde free will to haue doone Gods will to haue kept his Commaundementes and to haue liued without sinne perpetually thorough whose disobedience wee are solde vnder sinne and brought to that necessitie that we cannot possibly avoyd sinne Neuerthelesse wee are iustly punnished for our sins because the necessity and impossibility which was befallen vs was brought vppon vs thorough our owne default when that we were in the Loynes of Adam Secondly that our Iesuites argument of my flying to Heauen is both vnchristian and very childish Vnchristian because it doth equalize mans precepts with Gods childish because it was neuer in my power to slye to heauen as it was once in mans power to keepe Gods commandements Our Iesuite accuseth God of iniustice in condemning infants for Originall sinne S. R. After the fathers he bringeth two reasons The one out of the Lords prayer where we are taught to ask forgiuenes But saith he Where pardon must be demanded there the Law is not exactly obserued The other is out of our daily confessions where we acknowledge our faults and most great faults I Answere as the petition of forgiuing our sins dooth euidently conuince that wee do not so exactly keepe the Lawe as that we neuer swarue from it so the other petition of doing Gods will heer on Earth as it is in Heauen euidently conuinceth that wee can do it without deadly breaking it As for our confessions wee do not confesse that our daily offences are most great faults but daily confesse our most great falts whether done then or before T. B. I answere first that our Iesuite graunteth as much as I desire as euery childe may perceiue For his wordes are plaine that they do not keepe the law so exactly as they neuer swarue from it Hold thy selfe here good Fryer and we shall soone agree For if you swarue from the Law then doubtlesse ye doth not keepe it This is all that I require at your hands viz that ye wil confesse that ye swarue from the Law and keepe it not Secondly that the other petition proueth not that you Papists can keepe Gods commandements and liue without sin as the Saints do in heauen For euery meane Logician can tell you that the worde As doth Connotate a similitude but not an Identity viz. that as the Angels Saints do Gods will in heauen and liue altogether without sinne acording to the condition of the perfect state so wee may do his will in some measure and proportion according to the imperfect state in which we liue And thus much the word as doth import vnto vs so often as as say the Lords Prayer Thirdly that your answere is so Aenigmaticall as my slēder capacity is not able to penetrate the depth therof You freely grant that you daily confesse your most great faultes but not that your daily offences are most great faults O the depth of Iesuiticall wit Qui potest capere capiat The great God Apollo must come downe from Heauen to vnfold this high mistery Well seeing it will bee no better let vs make the best of it we can Let vs holde fast that which is freely graunted vs viz that our Iesuites commit most great faults sometimes though not euery day Let vs likevvise hold this fast viz that our Iesuites confesse those most great faultes euery day which they commit sometimes but not euery day This done let vs out of these two assertions plainely and freely confessed inferre these two most Golden and memorable Corollaries First that seeing our Iesuites freely graunt that they commit sometimes most great faults though not dayly it followeth of necessity that sometimes they break gods holy commaundements though not daily and consequently that sometimes they sinne damnably though not euery day as also that they are so farre from louing Condigne Merites of Glory as they woorthily
Iustice. Thirdly seeing Good Workes cannot so merite heauen as ill workes merite hell Fourthly seeing the best merits are nothing else but the meere giftes of GOD I must needes conclude that Workes are not condignely meritorious of eternal life S. R. Bell citeth Theophilact because he sayth Saint Paule called eternall life Grace and not a Reward as though he had sayd It is not the reward of our labors But this is nothing against vs who willingly confesse erernall life to be grace and not to proceede of our owne labours done by our selues but done and wrought also by the grace of Christ. T. B. Our Iesuite is so pinched and nipped by my Authorities and reasons that he had rather say any thing then acknowledge the truth that I defend Here as we see hee is become a Semi-pelagian Heretique for he affirmeth eternall life to bee wrought and doone of our selues yet not wholly of our selues but partly also of the holy Ghost And after such a silly manner he is enforced to answer all the rest viz euer against himselfe S. R. True it is that Augles as a follower of Scotus seemeth to thinke that the condignity of Good Workes riseth not of any equality which is in them vnto glory but of Gods promise to reward them T. B. It is well that ye wil once seeme to graunt a truth The truth is this that both Iosephus Angles and your Cardinall Bellarmine do freely grant being ouercome with the force of trueth that Good workes can merite nothing but by reason of GODS promise freely made vnto men I haue prooued the Controuersie so euidently that our Iesuite doth nothing else but weary both himselfe and his Reader in writing most friuolously against the same I referre the Reader to The Downfall it selfe where hee shall find euery Argument and peece of reason soundly answered before our Iesuite had published the same And therefore for mee to vse any further reply therein were but Actum agere For doubtlesse whosoeuer shall duly all partiality set aside peruse The Downfall as it came from my penne and lay downe this Iesuites aunswere to it in euery place and compare them together he will I am fully perswaded freely confesse that no further reply is necessary in that behalfe The sixt Article of the destinction of mortall and veniall sinnes S. R. ALl his proofes may be reduced to this Syllogisme What is against Gods Law is mortal sin all sin is against Gods law Ergo all sinne is mortall Beholde Bell here absolutely concludeth all sinne to be mortal and after calleth our veniall sinnes cursed and deformed which argueth that he thinketh all sin to be indeed mortal notwithstanding Gods mercy The propositioÌ„ he supposeth the assumption he prooueth out of scripture fathers and schoolemen T. B. This controuersie consisteth wholy in this viz whether euery sin be of it own nature moâ—al or no. I hold the Affirmatiue our Iesuite the Negatiue And for all that hee freely granteth vnawares as you see that I haue prooued mine opinion and doctrin both out of the holy scripture and also out of the fathers and schoole-Doctors S. R. Christ saith Bell telleth vs that we must giue account for euery ydle word and S. Iohn saith that euery sinne is Anomia that is Transgression of the law Saint Ambrose also defineth sin in generall to be transgression of Gods law and S. Austen describeth it to be euery word deed or desire against Gods law Yea Bellarmine arffimeth euery sin to be against Gods law The Rhemists also confesse that euery sin is a swaruing from the Law Likewise Iosephus Angles and Durandus teach venial sins to be against the law To this argument Catholicks answer differeÌ„tly some by denial of the proposition others by denial of the assumption Some say that euery sin which is against the Law is not mortall but onely that which is perfectly against it Others say that veniall sinnes are not against the Law but besides the Law T. B. Heere is an answere aunswerelesse For first our Fryer graunteth that I haue prooued by the Scripture by Saint Ambrose by S. Austen by Bellarmine their famous Cardinall by the Rhemists their learned bretheren by Iosephus Angles their religious Fryer and reuerend Byshop and by Durandus their famous Schoole-Doctor that euery sin more and lesse is against the Law of God and consequently mortall of it owne nature Secondly our Fryer freely confesseth that this argument of mine doth so trouble the Papists that they cannot agree among themselues how to answere the same Some sayth he deny the proposition some deny the assumption other some say they cannot tell what and our Iesuite himselfe standes amazed whether it is better to yeeld to the truth or to face it out desperately and impudently with Legierdemain iugling falshood and deceitfull dealing S. R. Yet better it is to say that veniall sinnes are beside the Law then against the Lawe T. B. Our Iesuite being in perplexity like as Buridanus his Asse what to answere to my argument resolueth to take the best way as he supposeth for he thinketh as felons Traytors standing at the barre in their arraigment that it is the best to plead not guilty But I must tell him two things The one that to be beside the Law and against the Law is al one in effect For as our master Christ saith Hee that is not with him is against him and consequently if he do besides Christs commaundement hee doth against the same The other that Durandus and many Popish Schoole-Doctors confesse resolutely that euery sinne is against Gods law And Iosephus Angles affirmeth constantly that Dwrands opinion is now adaies the Doctrine of theyr Schooles Where I wish the Reader to note by the way the mutability of late start vp Romish Religion Read the Downefall where this point is set downe at large S. R. Therefore if Bell graunt indeede as he doth in words that by Gods mercy some sins are made veniall he must also confesse that by Gods mercy they are not against his charity and friendship T. B. I graunt that as all sinnes is mortall of their owne nature which I haue prooued copiously in The Downefall euen by the testimony of very famous Papists so are all sins veniall by Gods mercy for the merits of his sonne Iesus to the regenerate his elect children and consequently though all sins bee against Gods friendship who hateth and detesteth all sinne in their owne nature yet are all the sins of Gods elect reputed not onely as veniall but none at all in Christ Iesus they receiued into Gods fauour for Christs sake S. R. Bell prooueth out of Saint Ambrose that sin is defined the transgression of the law And out of S. Austen that it is diuine reason or the will of God commaunding the order of nature to be kept and forbidding it to bee broken But these Fathers define onely mortall sin T. B. Mark
wee eyther had done or could doe but for his owne good pleasure to the glory of his grace For as to doe any workes at all before we are borne is altogether impossible so to doe Goodworkes when we are borne seeing we are conceiued in sin born in sinne and by nature the Children of wrath is impossible in like manner Fiftly that all our Goodworkes are the effects and fruits of our predestination For if it be true as it is most true else the Apostle should be a lyer that wee were elected to be holy and to do Goodworkes it is also true it cannot be denyed that holy life and Goodworkes are the effectes and fruites of our election and predestination in in Christ Iesus For this cause saith the Apostle that predestination proceeds freely of Gods eternall purpose Iustification of predestination and glorification of iustification For first hee chooseth vs in Christ then he iustifieth vs in Christ. Thirdly and lastly he glorifieth vs for his owne names sake For this cause saith that famous Papist Nicholaus de Lyra in this manner Dicendum quod predestinatio diuina est preparatio gratiae in presenti gloriae in future ides cuÌ„sit aeterna sicut ab aeterno predestinauit alâ—queÌ„ ad beatitudineÌ„ ita preordinauiâ— moduÌ„ queÌ„ daret sibiillaÌ„ beatitudinem I answere saith this Popish Doctor that Gods predestination is the preparation of grace in this world and of glory in the World to come And therefore seeing it is eternall as hee hath predestinated any one from eternity to endlesse blisse or beatitude so hath he also fore-ordayned the meane by which hee would bring him to the same For this cause saith the Popish Angelicall Doctor Aquinas that predestination includeth Gods will of bestowing both Grace and Glory And hee addeth these words Nam praedestinatio ect causa eius quod expectatur in futura vita à praedestinatis selt gloriae eius quod percipitur in presenti selt gratiae For predestination is the cause both of that which is expected in the life to come that is to say of Glory and also of that which the predestinate receiue in this life that is to say of Grace For this cause saith our Iesuite Bellarmine that Goodworkes follow predestination as effects follow their causes These are his expresse wordes Itaque sunt opera bona effectus praedestinationis Therefore Goodworkes are the effect of predestination Againe in another place thus Itaque illa propositio deus ab aetet no praedestiaaut hominibus dare regnum per opera bona praeuisa potest vera esse falsa Nam si illud per opera praeuisa referaetur ad verbuÌ„ praedestinauit falsa erit significabit n. Deum praedestinasse homines operaillorum bona praeuiderat si referatur adverbum dare vera erit quia significabit executionem futuram esse per opera bona siue quod est idem glorificationem effectum esse iustificationis operum bonorum sicut ipsa iustificatio effectus est vocationis vocatio praedestinationis Againe in another place thus Non ideo pendet praedestinatio ab operibus sed opera à praedestinatione Therefore predestination doth not depend of workes but workes depend of predestination Againe in another place thus Alia ratio est praedestinationis alia exequutionis constituit n. in praedestinatione regnum caeloruuÌ„ dare certis hominibus quos absque vlla oper uÌ„praeuisione dilexit tamen simul constituit vt quo ad exequâ—â—tionem via perueniends ad regnuÌ„ essent opera bona There is one reason of predestination another of execution for in predestination God decreed to giue the Kingdome of Heauen to certaine men whom hee loued without any fore-sight of workes Howbeit hee decreed withall that in respect of the execution Goodworks should be the way to come to the Kingdome For this cause say our Rhemists that our first iustification is of Gods Grace and not of our deseruinges because none of all our actions that were before our iustification could merite or iustly procure the Grace of iustification Out of this discourse of the famous Popish Doctours I obserue these memorable Lessons for the great good of the Reader First that all the Grace Faith and Goodworkes which we haue in this world and the glory which we expect in the World to come doe wholy proceed from Gods predestination without all deserts of man Secondly that as God prepared the kingdome of heauen for his elect before they were borne or had done any Goodworkes so did he also prepare the way and means by which he intended to bring them thither Thirdly that no works either done or foreseene to be doone did mooue God to predestinate any man to the ioyes of heauen Fourthly that Goodworkes are not the cause but the effect of predestination Fiftly that Goodworkes are the way and meanes which God ordained for the execution of predestination and for the accomplishment of glorification Sixtly that not onely predestination but also iustification proceed of Gods meere fauour grace and good pleasure without all deserts of man Seuenthly that our vocation our iustification and our glorification are the effects of predestination I therefore conclude that Good workes are not the cause vvhy Gods Children possesse Heauen as their inheritance seeing it is the effect of Gods predestination yet that they are the ordinary way and meanes by which God decreed in his eternall purpose to bring his elect to Heauen For as hee ordained the end that is to say the kingdome of heauen or eternall life so also ordained he the way and meanes to attaine the same that is to say vocation iustification faith and Goodworkes Secondly that there is great disparity betweene saluation and damnation and therefore that Goodworkes cannot merite Saluation though euill workes bee enough for damnation The reason is euident both in Phylosophy and Diuinity because as Saint Dionysius Areopagita saith and the Popish Angelicall Doctor Aquinas approoueth the same Bonum ex integra causa existit malum ex quolibet defectu Good is of an intire and whole cause but euill comes of euery defect yea that more is required to good then to euill daily experience teacheth vs for one may soone do that hurt to his Neghbour which cannot without great cost and long time be cured againe This S. Austen well obserued when hee left in writing to be read of all posteritie that it is a greater thing to iustifie the wicked man then to make heauen and earth S. R. I proue the conclusion because Christ saith My yoke is sweete and my burthen light And Saint Iohn saith his commaundementes are not heauy Ergo they are possible Bell aunswereth that these words are not meant in respect of vs but of Christ whose keeping the Commaundements is imputed to vs. Which Saint Austen saith hee meant when he writ thus Then are all the Commandements reputed as done when whatsoeuer