h Scotus apud Bellarm. de sacra Eucharist lib. 3. cap. 23. Dicit nullum extare loâ—um scripturae tam expressum vt sine Ecclesiâ— declaratione euidentèr câ—gat transubstantiationem admittere Atque id non est omninâ— improbabilâ— c. an ita sit meritâ— dâ—bitarâ— potest cum homines doctissâ—â—â— acutissâ—â—â— qualis inprâ—â—is Scotus fuit contrarium sâ—â—tiaâ—t there is no place of Scripture so expresse as that it euidently forceth to admit transubstantiation without their Churches declaration Yea Bellarmine himselfe saith that this is not improbable and that it may worthily be doubted whether there be any such because very learned and acute men such as Scotus specially was doe thinke the contrary Let him first goe and agree with Scotus and Bellarmine and those other so learned and acute men and then tell vs what he hath to say and we will answere him albeit of this matter I haue i Confuâ—aâ— of the aâ—swere to M. Perkinâ— his AduertisemeÌ„t sect 48. 59. already answered him so much as will suffice for the clearing thereof For his second instance he citeth the wordes of Christ thus whose sinnes yee shall forgiue on earth shall be fâ—rgiuen in heauen and maketh it here deliuered in expresse termes that Priests haue power to pardon sinnes True it is M. Bishop accordingly as you cite on earth but not in heauen in the Court of the Church but not in the Court of conscience for restitution to the outward society of faithfull men not immediately for reconcilement to God As for forgiuenesse of sinnes spiritually with God the Priest hath the ministery only not the power thereof by k 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19 the word of reconciliation not by any forme of absolution neither can he say any further I forgiue thee then he saith I baptise thee who baptiseth not by any inward effect to God which is only the worke of God but only by outward Sacrament to the Church of God Therefore for the Popish challenge of the power of absolution with God our Sauiour Christ saith nothing he speaketh only for that power of absolution which professeth only to take away the barre that standeth against reconcilement to God who in publike sinnes lying vnder publike censure admitteth of no penitency for forgiuenesse in heauen that is not testified and declared for obtayning forgiuenesse and pardon vpon earth It needeth not that I speake so much hereof hauing so largely handled this point l Answere to the Epistle to the King sect 28. and to the Preface of his second part sect 3. before Thirdly he alleageth the words Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it from whence he inferreth that Christ hath built his Church vpon St. Peter But it was of Petra the Rocke that Peter had that name giuen him to be called Peter and therefore it cannot be that Peter himselfe should be the Rocke m Gregor in Psal 5. Poenitent Ipse est Petra à qua Petrus nomen accepit super quaÌ„ sâ— ad â—icaturum Ecclesiam dâ—xit Christ himselfe is the Rocke as Gregory saith of which Peter tooke his name and vpon which he said he would build his Church Albeit we deny not but that the Church was in some sort built vpon Peter but vpon Peter as one of many not vpon Peter aloâ—e because of the City of God there are n Apoc. 21. 14. twelue fâ—undations wherein are the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles not only Peters name See hereof also that which hath beene o Chap. 1. §. 2. before said His fourth text is Call the workemen that had laboured in the vineyard and pay them their hire which hee bringeth to proue that good workes doe in iustice deserue eternall life But is this in expresse termes deliuered in those wordes Surely it seemeth to me a very long conclusion to be drawen out of so short a speech I haue handled this text p Of Merits sect 14. 17. before and haue shewed out of the very circumstance of the place that it is so farre from prouing that which he saith as that the contrary is very manifestly and infallibly euicted thereby The briefe is that if things had beene there measured by desert then greater worke should haue had greater wages whereas there all haue alike that it might be vnderstood of all as there I haue cited out of Prosper that q Prosp de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. Vt intelligant dâ—num se gratiâ— non operli accepisse mercâ—dem they receiued a gift of grace not a wages for their workes For his fift instance he bringeth the wordes of St. Iames Doe you see that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith only Hence he inferreth that we are iustified not by faith alone but also by workâ—s And who denyeth but that by workes also we are iustified and must necessarily so be Wee say with Saint Iames that wee are not iustified by faith only but also by workes as Abraham was but yet we say with St. Paul also that r Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 3 11. before God or in the sight of God we are iustified by faith and not by workes and Å¿ Rom. 4. 2. if Abraham were iustified by workes he denyeth him not so to be he had to reioyce but not with God For the further handling of this point also I referre the Reader to that that I haue said t Of Iustification sect 36. before Againe to proue that in extremity of sicknesse we must call for the Priest to anoile vs with holy oile he citeth St. Iames Is any man sicke among you let him bring in the Priests of the Church and let them pray ouer them anoiling them with oile in the name of our Lord. But if their Sacrament of Extreme vnction be here so expresly deliuered how is it that their owne Cardinall Caiâ—tanâ— could not see it who saith that u Caietan in Iac. cap. 5. Nec ex verbis nec ex effectu verba haec loqâ—untur de sacramentali vnctione extremâ— vnctionis sed magis de vnctione quam institâ—â—t Dominus in eâ—angelâ—â— exâ—rcendam in â—gâ—â—tâ—s neither by the wordes nor by the effect doth the Apostle here speake of their sacramentall vnction but rather of that which the Lord instituted in the Gospell to be vsed by his Disciples to them that were sicke He iustifieth that which we say that the annointing whereof St. Iames speaketh was no other but a ceremony annexed to x 1. Cor. 12. 9. the gift of healing of which we reade in the Gospell spoken of Christs disciples y Mar. 6. 13. They annointed many that were sick with oile and healed them which gift and power of healing being ceased in the Church the ceremony must be reputed idle and the vsing thereof in that manner and to that end as the Papists doe is no other but an imitation
to say that against Peter only the gates of hell shall not preuaile and that they shall preuaile against the other Apostles and not rather that in all euery of them it is verified which is said Vpon this rocke will I build my Church In a word he reasoneth thus that because that which is said I will giue to thee the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen is common to them all therefore all the rest both going before and following after as spoken to Peter is common to them all And this the Scripture confirmeth in that it saith that u Ephes 2. 20. the houshold of God are builded not vpon the foundation of Peter only but vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and not St. Peter only but x Apoc. 21. 14. the Lambs twelue Apostles haue their names written in the twelue foundations of the city of God Yea it is yet further to be obserued out of the Fathers that they make Peter in all this matter y August Epist 165. Petro totius Ecclesia figuram gerenti Dominus ait super hanc Petram c. to be are the figure as St. Austin saith of the whole Church z IdeÌ„ de verb. Dom. serm 13. Hoc nomen ei vt Petrus appellaretur à Domino impositum est hoc vt â—a figura significaret Ecclesiam Quia enim Christus Petra Petrus populus Christianus The Lord saith he gaue him that name to be called Peter that by that figure he might signifie the Church for because Christ is Petra the Rocke therefore Peter is the people of Christ And thus of that which Christ there saith a Mat. 16. 19. Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heauen Gregory Bishop of Rome deliuereth that b Greg. exposit in 1. Reg. l. 6 c. 3. Quod antiquis â—usquam dicitur mâ—dò vniuersali Ecclesiae dicitur Quodcunque ligaueris c. it is spoken to the vniuersall Church Therefore Origen applieth the name of Peter to euery man that ioyneth with Peter in the confession of the same faith c Orig. in Mat. c. 16. Quòd si nos quoque locuti quod dixit Petrus Tu es Christus c. tâ—nquam non accepta 〈◊〉 reuelatione à carne sanguine sed luce cordi nostrâ— illucescentâ— Ã Patre qui in câ—lis est efficimur Petrus nobis dicetur quod hunc sermonem sequitur Tu es Petrus c. If we say as Peter said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God as not receiuing reuelation hereof from flesh and blood but by light shining into our hearts from the Father which is in heauen we also are made Peter and it shall be said to vs which followeth that speech Thou art Peter c. And anone after he affirmeth againe that d Ibid. paulò post Dicta sunt vt doc et spiritus illius ad quemuis qui tâ—lis factus fuerit qualis â—rat ille Petrus siquidem nomâ—â— ducunt à Petra quicunque sunt imitatoâ—es Christi qui est petra spiritualis c. Christi membra cum sint ab â—â— nomen habeâ—t dicti Christiani à Petra Petri. the spirit of the Gospell speaketh those wordes to euery one that is such as that Peter was for they take their name saith he of Petra the Rocke whosoeuer are followers of Christ who is the spirituall Rocke being called of Christ Christians and of Petra the Rocke being called Peters Hereto St. Ambrose also alludeth when giuing the reason why Peter was so called e Ambros in Luc. lib. 6. cap. 9. Vt ipse sit Petrus quòd de petra habeat soliditatem coÌ„stantiâ— fidei firmitatem Enitere ergò vt tu petra sis itaque non extra te sed intra te petram require c. si petra fueris in Ecclesia eris quia Ecclesia supra petram est For that of Petra the Rocke he had soundnesse of constancy and stedfastnesse of faith hee vseth this exhortation Therefore endeauour that thou also maiest be a Rocke and not without thee but within thee require this rocke if thou bee a Rocke thou shalt be within the Church because the Church is vpon a Rocke To conclude Origen expounding by way of allegory that which is written as befalling vpon the death of Christ that the rocks were clouen in sunder maketh the rocks to be the Prophets whom he proueth rightly to be so called f Origen in Math. tract 35. Probamus scissas tum Petras esse Prophetas primùm ex eo quòd Christus dicitur Petra spiritualis rationis est omnes imitatores Christi dici similitèr Petras esse sicut lux mundidicuntur ex eo-quòd ipse Dominus â—orum est lux mundi deinde etiam ex eo quòd ipse Petrus à Domino Petra est appellatê° cum dicitur ei Tu es Peâ—rê° c. Maximè autem demonstratuâ— ex co quòd oâ—nes quibus non prâ—ualent portae inferorum qui opus nominis petrâ— babeâ—t in se id est Apostoli Propheta Petra sunt ipsi sunt â—um qui super eis adificantur c. First for that Christ is called the spirituall rocke and it standeth with reason that all that are followers of Christ should likewise be called Rocks as they are called the light of the world because Christ their Lord is the light of the world and secondly for that Peter is by Christ called a Rocke when it is said Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke c. For it is strongly proued thereby saith he that all against whom the gates of hell doe not preuaile who haue in them the worke or effect of the name of Rocke as namely the Apostles and Prophets are themselues Rocks and the foundations of them that are builded vpon them Thus doe the Fathers turne and wind those words of Christ they finde Christ himselfe to be the Rocke they finde Peter in some sort to be a Rocke albeit not Peter alone but the rest of the Apostles yea the Prophets also as well as he yea they finde euery faithfull Christian man to be a Rocke by constancy of faith and by drawing on others through his example of confession to the acknowledgment thereof but no where doe we finde that euer they tooke the Roman Church to be the Rocke How vnhonestly then doth M. Bishop abuse his Reader by setting downe in grosse that parenthesis according to the exposition of the ancient Fathers when as no such exposition is to bee found amongst the ancient Fathers Albeit it is also to bee noted how vnhandsomely this matter hangeth together and cannot be stained in any sort to serue his turne for seeing the Church was when as yet there was no Roman Church how senslesse a thing is it that the church should be said to be builded vpon the Roman Church Surely that against which the gates of hâ—ll shall not preuaile is the Church builded
plainly set downe in Scripture are found all those things which containe faith and conuersation of life Yea he saith further that a Idem de vtilit cred cap. 6. Planè ita modificata vt nemo inde baurire non possit quod sibi satis est si modò ad bauriendum deuotè ac piè vt vera religio poscit accedat the doctrine of the Scripture is so tempered as that there is no man but may draw from thence that that is sufficient for him if he come to draw with deuotion and piety as true religion requireth him to doe Hereto adde how he vseth the wordes of the Apostle where to he alludeth in the sentence by me cited in his disputing against the Donatists b Idem de vnit Eccl. c. 11. 12. Quisquis aliud Euangelizauerit anathemâ— sit Aliud autem euangelizat qui perijsse dicit de câ—tâ—ro mudo Ecclesiam in parte Donati in sola Asrica reâ—nansisse dicit Ergo anathema sit Aut legat miâ—i hoc in scripturis sanctis noÌ„ sit anathema Whosoeuer preacheth any other thing accursed be he but he preacheth another thing who saith that the Church is perished out of the whole world and is remaining only in the Donatists therefore accursed be he or else let him reade it to me in the holy Scriptures that he may not be accursed Now then if by St. Austins iudgement there be found in Scripture all things belonging to faith and manners and there be no godly man but may draw from thence that that is sufficient for him if he be to be holden accursed that preacheth that which he cannot reade to vs out of the holy Scriptures then it appeareth that M. Bishop dealeth falsly in expounding the wordes of Austin and that they serue very fully to that purpose and meaning whereto I alleaged them and whereto without any ambiguity at all they most plainly sound But because we haue here in hand to informe the Roman Catholike I will conclude this place with the censure of a Roman Bishop Gregory the first who calleth c Gregor in 1. Reg. l. 2. c. 3. Quid cor animam Dei â—â—si sacram eius scripturam accipinâ— the holy Scripture the heart and soule of God and telleth vs that d Idem Moral l. 16. c. 16. Per cam Deus loquitur omne quod vult by it God speaketh all his will or all that he requireth and that so as that e Ibid. l. 18. c. 14. Eos ad sacrae authoritatis paginas vocat vt si vere loqui desiderent inde sumere debeant quid loquantur Qui ad verae praedicationis verba se praeparat necesse â—st vt causarum origines à sacris paginis sumat vt omne quod loquitur ad diuinae authoritatis sundamentum reuocet atque in câ— aedificium locutionis suae â—irmet he that desireth to speake or preach iruly must take from thence that which he speaketh and set â—h the grounds of his matters out of the sacred bookes that he may bring all that he speaketh to the foundation of diuine authority and thereupon settle the building of his speech He saith againe that f IdeÌ„ in Cant. c. 5. Sancti viri se consilijs Scripturae ex toto addicunt vt videâ—icet nihil agant nisi quod ex responsâ— Scripturarum audiunt c. Quia de quibuscunque scrupuliâ— in Scripturis consilium quaeritur fine minâ—ratione de omnibus ad plenum inuenitur holy men doe wholly addict themselues to the counsels or directions of the Scripture namely so as to doe nothing but what they heare by answere of the Scriptures because of whatsoeuer doubts aduise is sought for in the Scriptures namely concerning matters of faith and godlinesse it is there fully found of all things without exception and g Idem in Ezech. hom 15. Vniuersa nostra munitio in saâ—ro â—lâ—quâ—o cominetur all our munition or armour to wit against our ghostly enemies yea h Ibid. hom 9. In hâ—â— volumine cuncta quâ—â—dificant omniâ— qu◠〈…〉 diunt scripta contiâ—entur all things that doe â—difie all things that doe instruct are contained therein In all which speeches if Gregory say truth then it must stand good which I haue set downe that all our faith and religion is contained in the Scriptures and neither may the preacher speake nor the hearer receiue any thing that hath not confirmation and proofe out of the booke of God W. BISHOP §. 7. MAster Abbot hauing in few lines runne ouer foure large questions to wit first That the Prophets and Patriarks beleeued no principall points of the Roman faith secondly that Christ deliuered nothing but what the Iewes before hand beleeued thirdly that the Apostles preached the same and no other to the Gentiles fourthly that whatsoeuer they preached they afterwards wrote he fiftly addâ—th that the Protestants receiue and beleeue all the written word Whence he will haue it to follow finally that the Protestants are very good Iewes and doe iumpe iust with them in all articles of faith and consequently are true Catholikes so that in M. Abbots reckoning before you can be a true Protestant Catholike you must first become a good honest Iew. Behold what a round this man is driuen to walke and how many brakes of thâ—rnes he is forced to breake through ere he can come to make any shew of proofe that the Protestants are Catholikes the matter is so improbable I haue already declared how false euery one of his former foure propositions be the fift is as vntrue and more if more may be then any of the other and he plaies the sophister in it egregiously to beggâ— that which is principally in question How proues he that Protestants receiue and beleeue all the written word hath he so little wit and iudgement as to thinke that we would freely grant him that for to omit that they receiue not but reiect diuers bookes of the old Testament because they were not in the Canon of the Iewes or doubted of by some in the primitiue Church by which reason they might refuse as many of the new doe they rightly vnderstand and beleeue truly all that is written in that blessed booke of Gods word nothing lesse Doe they giue credit to our Sauiour â—esus Christ himselfe telling them This is my Mat. 26. 27. 28. Body that shall be broken for you this is my Bloud that shall be shedde for you Whose sinnes ye shall Ioh. 20. v. 23. forgiue on earth shall be forgiuen in heauen Thou Math. 16. v. 18. art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church c. and the gaâ—es of hell shall not preuaile against it Call the worke-men that had laboured in Math. â—0 v. 8. his vine-yard and pay them their hire Doe you see Iacob 2. v. 24. that by workes a man is iustified and not by faith only Is any man sicke among you let
heauen The other points were touched before and shall be shortly againe But I would in the meane season be glad to heare where the written word teacheth vs that Kings and temporall Magistrates are ordained by Christ to be vnder him supreme Gouernours of Ecclesiasticall affaires because M. Abbot made choise of this head-article of theirs for an instance that the written word was plaine on their side he should therefore at least haue pointed at some one text or other in the new Testament where it is registred that Princes are supreme Gouernours of the Church Nay are temporall Magistrates any Ecclesiasticall persons at all or can one that is no member of the Ecclesiasticall body be head of all the rest of the Ecclesiasticall members or is the state Secular higher and more worthy then the Ecclesiasticall and therefore meete to rule ouer it though they be not of it to say so is to preferre the body before the soule nature before grace earth before heauen or is it meete and decent that the lesse worthy-member should haue the supreme command ouer the more honourable where the Christian world is turned topsie-turuy that may be thought meete and expedient but in other places that will not be admitted for currant which in it selfe is so disorderly and inconuenient without it had better warrant in the word of God then that new position of theirs hath R. ABBOT THe truth of mine assertions hath hitherto appeared by my defence of them but let them no further be taken for true then he is here found to be false that is the oppugner of them He saith that my conclusion conuinceth me euen by the verdict of my selfe to fall into the foule fault and errour of the Donatists To proue this he maketh me to speake in my answere in this sort Our faith because it is that which the Apostles committed to writing is the Apostolike faith and our Church by consanguinity and agreement of doctrine is proued to be an Apostolicall Church c. and is the only true Catholike Church c. Hauing set downe all these as my words he inferreth thus see you not how he is come at length to proue their Church to be Catholike by perfection of their doctrine which was as he himselfe in this very assertion noted a plaine Donatisticall tricks reproued by St. Austin c. But I pray thee gentle Reader to looke where thou canst finde those wordes by me set downe And is the only true Catholike Church Aske M. Bishop if thou meete with him where he found them and if he cannot tell thee aske him in sadnesse what spirit he thinketh it was wherewith he was led when he set them downe for my wordes Fie M. Bishop fie for shame doe you talke so against lying and will you in the meane time lye so wittingly and willingly so as that there is no meanes to salue it no colour to excuse it I did not say that ours is the only true Catholike Church I made no shew of prouing it by perfection of doctrine to be the Catholike Church I neuer wrote it I neuer thought it and therefore once againe I wish you to bethinke your selfe of your words whereof I remembred you before a Reproofe pag. 283. The diuels cause it is that needeth to be bolstered out and vnderpropped with lyes Surely it is beyond doating folly it is desperate fury that draweth men on to such courses To let that goe foule and shamefull as it is he telleth vs next that he liketh well of Tertullians obseruation that our faith ought to haue consanguinity and perfect agreement with the Apostles doctrine But he curtolleth Tertullians obseruation by this recitall of his because Tertullian doth not only say what our faith ought to haue but telleth vs that b Tertul. de Praescript Quae licet nullum ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis authoreÌ„ suum proferaÌ„t vt mâ—â—tò posteriores quae denique quotidiè instituiâ—tur tamen in eadem fide conspirantes non mâ—â—us Apostolicae depâ—tantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae those Churches which cannot bring any of the Apostles or Apostolike men for their authour as being much later euen the Churches which daylie are begunne yet according in the same faith are for this consanguinity or agreement of doctrine reputed Apostolike Churches no lesse then the rest Hence I concluded that our Church because it agreeth in faith and doctrine with the Apostles is therefore to be reckoned an Apostolike Church But that saith M. Bishop is not the question at this time And what then is the question Marry saith he whether our doctrine or the Protestants be truly called Catholike that is whether of them hath beene receiued and beleeued in all nations ouer the world But did not he see that the one of these directly followeth of the other for the faith of the Apostles is it that was spred ouer the whole world Our faith is the same with the faith of the Apostles because it is that which is recorded in the Scriptures of the Apostles Therefore our faith it is that was spred and beleeued through the world Abrahams faith was it that was spred ouer the whole world for Abraham is c Rom. 4. 12. 16 the father and patterne of all that beleeue both circumcised and vncircumcised Our faith is the same with Abrahams faith Therefore againe it is our faith that was generally receiued throughout the world At this M. Bishop biteth the lip it troubleth him that he knoweth not what to say to it He seeth this proofe to be most certaine and impregnable aboue all other and therefore he seeketh by all meanes to diuert and turne away his Reader from listening to it He telleth him that I doe not deale plainly and soundly that I goe about the bush that I fetch wide and wild windlesses from old father Abrahams daies But I answere him that I haue so gone about the bush as that I haue scratched him with it and my wide and wild windlesses haue so inclosed him as that he cannot finde which way to get out againe Well if my course like him not what would he haue me doe I should he saith haue demonstrated by good testimony of the Ecclesiasticall histories or ancient Fathers that the Protestants religion had flourished since the Apostles daies ouer all Europe Afrike and Asia I haue done already sufficient to demonstrate that I haue astonished him and choaked him with the euidence of Scriptures Stories Councels Fathers so as that hitherto he hath left all that he hath written to the question of religion without defence I shall make further demonstration thereof in this booke euen in the Roman Church What am I the nearer with him by that that I haue done What shall I be the nearer when I haue all done for he hath resolued himselfe to a wicked course and therefore though the light shine into his eyes yet he will sweare that he seeth it not He blameth me for concluding without
any premises that in the written word there is no mention made of the Pope of his Supremacy of his Pardons c. Wisedome what premises should I vse to proue the negatiue in this case It concerneth you to proue that there is mention made of them and to designe vs the places where for me it is enough to say that there is none See now what proofe he bringeth that there is Belike saith he there is no mention made of St. Peter nor ought said of his singular prerogatiues it hath not peraduenture that whatsoeuer he should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen Wisedome what is this for answere to me I say there is no mention made of the Pope and doe you tell me of St. Peter And if it were said to St. Peter d Mat. 16. 19. Whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shall be bound in heauen was it not also said to all the Apostles e Mat. 18. 18. Whatsoeuer yee binde on earth shall be bound in heauen What prerogatiue is here to St. Peter more then to all the rest of the Apostles or if there were any prerogatiue to St. Peter what is that to the Pope He would be glad to heare where the written word teacheth vs that Kings and temporall Magistrates are ordained by Christ to be vnder him supreme Gouernours of Ecclesiasticall affaires But he saith vntruly he would not be glad to heare it but how glad would he be if he could out of the written word say so much for the Pope as we can for the King We finde the Apostle St. Paul saying f Rom. 13. 1. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers and St. Peter expounding what is meant by those higher powers g 1. Pet. 2. 13. whether vnto the King as to the supereminent or chiefe or vnto Gouernours as sent by him thereby giuing absolutely to the King a superiority ouer euery soule and requiring euery soule h Chrysost ad Rom. hom 23. Etiam si Apostolus sis si Euangelista si Propheta siue quisquis tandem fueris euen the Prophet the Apostle the Euangelist as Chrysostome obserueth to be subiect to the King But he will say it is not here said in Ecclesiasticall affaires I answere him Neither is it said here only in temporall affaires The supremacy then being simply giuen will M. Bishop dare to set downe a limitation where God himselfe hath set none The office of a King is declared by those Apostles to be i Rom. 13. 3. 1. Pet. 2. 14. for the punishment of them that doe euill and for the praise of them that doe well and if well doing and euill doing doe extend as well to Ecclesiasticall as Temporall affaires what warrant hath M. Bishop to restraine the Kings power from gouerning in them both Are temporall Magistrates saith he any Ecclesiasticall persons at all Let the Emperour Constantine giue him answere hereof who told his Bishops thus k Euseb de vita Constant l. 4. c. 24. Vos inquit intra Ecclesiam ego extra Ecclesiam Episcopus à Deo constitutus sum You are Bishops within the Church but without the Church God hath appointed me to be a Bishop signifying thereby that the acting and administring of diuine offices Sacraments did belong to them but that otherwise the gouernement of the Church and the power of commanding all for the preseruation of religion and well ordering of Church affaires did belong to him Though temporall Magistrates then be no Ecclesiasticall persons in the former sense yet a King as a Christian is a member of the Church and as a King by Constantines iudgement is appointed of God to bee externally the Ruler and Gouernour thereof Wherefore to call the state of Kings as M. Bishop doth a secular state as hauing to meddle only with secular and temporall things is a secular and prophane interpretation of the office of Kings and a meere begging of the point in question And of that presumption he inferreth another when he saith Is it meete and decent that the lesse worthy member should haue the supreme command ouer the more honourable I will not here stand vpon his absurd crossing of himselfe who hauing euen now made the state Ecclesiasticall and Secular two distinct bodies doth make them here members both of one body To let that passe who will grant him that the King is the lesse worthy and the Priest the more honourable He will say that matters of the soule which are of highest nature are administred by Priests Be it so and matters of the soule which are of the highest nature are commanded by Kings and the commanding power as we suppose is alwaies more honourable then the administring office The very Heathens thought that the deuotions to their Gods which were acted by their Priests were of greatest respect and yet they were not so fond as to conclude hereof that the person of the Priest was more honourable then the King In the policy ordered by God himselfe we finde l 2. Kings 23. 4. the Priests commanded by the King but we doe not finde the King commanded by the Priest We finde the Prophet stiling himselfe m 1. Kings 1. 24. 26. 27. the Kings seruant and the King his Lord but we doe not finde the King giuing that honour to the Prophet We know that in the naturall body the heart ministreth life vnto the head and yet the supremacy of honour resteth in the head euen for the gouernement and direction of things belonging to that life which is administred by the heart Euen so albeit the ministring of those things which concerne the saluation and life both of Prince and people belong to the Priest yet that hindereth not but that the highest honour and dignity resteth in the Prince so farre as to command for the due vsage and execution of those things which concerne the saluation both of himselfe and of his people This is saith M. Bishop to preferre the body before the soule nature before grace earth before heauen Full wisely spoken as if a Christian King were nothing but body and nature and earth but a Priest no other but spirit and grace and heauen Yet we doubt not but that many Kings are more spirituall and gracefull and heauenly then many Priests and many Priests euen Popes themselues more sauouring of the body and nature and earth then many Kings and how doe we then by giuing the soueraignty to Kings preferre the body before the soule nature before grace earth before heauen Forsooth the matters of the soule and of grace and of heauen he will say are managed by Priests Be it so make comparison then of the things but make no comparison thereby of the persons Say he that preferreth the things that belong to the Kings affaires before those things that are ministred by the Priest preferreth the body before the soule c. but we say we may in outward state of gouernement giue the supreme honour
for no other but a madde and frantike dreame and yet perforce must vse it because hee knew no better shift therefore he thought good to colour it the best he could by curtolling the wordes alleaged naming only imputation of righteousnesse whereas the Apostle nameth imputation of righteousnesse without workes But let him take the wordes as the Apostle setteth them downe and then giue vs his answere and we shall apparantly see him to be a most impudent man making no conscience of that he saith but studying only to blinde the Reader from seeing that truth which he himselfe knoweth not how with any probable shew to contradict Yet he telleth vs for conclusion that there is only a bare sound of wordes for the Protestants the true substance of the text making wholly for the Papists So then the sound of the wordes by his confession is for vs but inasmuch as the wordes are very plaine and cleare how may we be informed that the true substance and meaning of them is wholly for the Papists when as they containe in shew a flat contradiction to the doctrine of the Papists Wee see here the vse of that caueat which the Rhemists haue giuen to their Reader aduertising him o Rhem. Testam ArgumeÌ„t of the Epistles in generall to assure himselfe that if any thing in Pauls Epistles sound to him contrary to the doctrine of their Catholike Church he faileth of the right sense By this meanes if Saint Paul say it is white yet we must not thinke that he meaneth it to be white if it please their Church to call it blacke And therefore though here he speake of imputation of righteousnesse without works and bring testimony of ancient Scripture for confirmation thereof yet he must not be taken to meane that there is any such or any other but the imputation of the righteousnesse of workes because there is no other approued by the Roman Church Well may we thinke the iudgement of God to be fearefull vpon them who are so blinde as to be led with such fopperies and grosse deceipts CHAP. X. That eternall life is meerely and wholly the gift of God and cannot be purchased by merit or desert ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE PAul teacheth that eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ c. to Hee telleth vs againe and againe c. W. BISHOP IN the same place you had a large solution of this obiection but he that hath made a couenant with hell will not looke vpon that which might helpe him to heauen We teach with the Apostle and with his faithfull interpreter Saint Augustine That eternall life is the gift of God both originally because we must receiue grace by the free gift of God before we can doe any thing that doth deserue the ioyes of heauen and also principally the whole vertue and value of our merits doe proceede of the dignity of Gods grace in vs which doth eleuate and giue such worth to our workes that they thereby deserue life euerlasting Notwithstanding if we take not hold on Gods grace when it is freely offered vs and doe not concurre with it to the effecting of good workes we shall neuer be saued and this our working with the grace of God deserues heauen both which are prouedly this sentence of the same Apostle God will render to euery man according to Rom. 2. vers 6. 7. 8. his workes to them truly that according to patience in good workes seeke glory and honour and incorruption life eternall to them that are of contention and that obey not the truth but giue credit to iniquity wrath and indignation where you may see in expresse termes eternall life to be rendered and repaid for good workes to such men as diligently seeke to doe them and to others who refuse to obey the truth and rather choose to beleeue lies and to liue wickedly eternall death and damnation R. ABBOT WHether M. Bishop or I may bee thought more likely to flatter himselfe in an opinion of hauing made a couenant with hell I leaue it to be esteemed by the whole processe of this worke and the God of heauen shall make it one day more fully to appeare Against his solution of the obiection here propounded he knoweth well that I a Of Merits sect 8. haue returned a replication which sheweth the same to be infirme and vaine and seeing he can fortifie it no further the bare repeating of it is no other but womanish and idle talking The Apostle telleth vs that b Rom. 6. 23. eternall life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free grace or gift of God through Iâ—su Christ our Lord. We teach saith M. Bishop that eternall life is the gift of God originally and principally Thus by his shifting termes of originally and principally he limiteth the Apostles wordes and deludeth a maine Theoreme and Canon of Christian faith leauing it to be vnderstood that though eternall life be originally and principally the gift of God yet totally and absolutely it is not so Which iâ— it be true it must necessarily follow that as the Apostle saith truly that eternall life is the gift of God because in part it iâ— so so a man may truly say against the Apostle that eternall life is not the free gift of God because in part and in some sort it is not so And if no man may dare in this wise to gainsay the Apostle then wee must acknowledge that which Origen saith that c Origen in Rom. 4. Stipendia inquit peccati mors Et non addidâ—â— similitèr vt dicâ— et stâ—pendia aâ—â—â— iustitiae vita aterna sed ait Gratia autem Deâ— vâ—â—a aetâ—rna vt stâ—pend â—m quod vtique debiâ—o mercedi similé est retributionem poenâ— esse docâ—â—â—t mortis vâ—tam verâ— aternam soli gratiae consignareâ— the Apostle hauing said that the stipend of sinne is death did not adde in the like sort that the stipend of righteousnesse is eternall life but eternall life is the grace of God that he might teach that the retribution of punishment and death is a stipend which is like to a debt or wages but might assigne life eternall to grace only And thus the Apostle himselfe teacheth vs to conceiue when he saith d Rom. 11. 6. If it be of grace then it is not of workes otherwise grace is no grace For e August coÌ„t Pelag. Celest lib. 2. c 24. Gratia Dei non eriâ— gratâ—â— vllâ— modo nisigratâ—ita fuerâ—t omni modo grace saith Austin shall not be grace in any respect except it be free in euery respect f Idem Epist 120. c. 19. Haec est gratia quae gratis datur non meritâ—s operantis sed miseratione donantis That is grace saith he which is freely giuen not for the merits of the worker but by the mercy of the giuer Thus Hierome saith g Hieron Epist ad Demâ—trâ—ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non opâ—ruâ— retributio sed donamis est
largitas Where grace is there is not reward of workes but the largesse and bounty of the giuer h Leo Epist 84. Gratia nisâ— gratis dâ—tur non est gratia sed merces retribâ—tion meritorum Grace saith Leo except it be freely giuâ—n is no grace but a reward and recompense of merits leauing it consequent that if it be the reward and recompense of merits then it is not grace Thus they determine grace and merit to be things incompatible and of so perfect opposition eaâ—h to other as that the one cannot stand where place is yeelded to the other Sith then the Apostle teacheth that eternall life is a matter of grace and free gift we must conceiue that it is not to be hanged vpon mans merit or if in any respect it be to be ascribed to the merit of man it is not grace because it is not free in euery respect M. Bishops respects thereof of originally and principally are to be sent to the Pelagian schoole where they would be admitted as well as they are amongst the Papists but in the schoole of Christ they are exploded as derogatory to the grace of Christ and yeelding so much glory to man as is the manifest impeaching of the glory of God And yet so impudent is he that he would make St. Austin the author of his respects whom i Of Merits sect 8. before I haue shewed to be farre off from approuing any such Originally forsooth eternall life is the gift of God because we must receiue grace by the free gift of God befâ—re we can doe any thing that doth deserue the ioyes of heauen So then eternall life it selfe is not the free gift of God but only grace which enableth vs to worke by our free will and so to deserue eternall life And did St. Austin conceiue this to be the meaning of the Apostle Surely in the place before mentioned I haue shewed that St. Austin attributeth our good workes not originally only but fully and wholly to the gift and worke of God and thereby disclaimeth the merit of man because what shall man be said to merit by that that is wholly and only Gods Therefore he saith that God in rendering eternall life to good workes doth but giue k August de Grat. lib. Arbit cap. 8. Gratia est pro gratia grace for grace one grace after and for another M. Bishop would haue him say that God rendereth merit for grace but St. Austin will acknowledge no other but only grace for grace And the more to beate downe the pride of merit he saith l Ibid. cap. 7. Si Dei dona sunt bona merita tua non Deus coronat merita tua tâ—nquam merita tuâ— sed tanquam dona sua If thy good workes be the gifts of God then God crowneth not thy merits as thy merits but as his owne gifts Yea he plainly testifieth that therefore the Apostle saith m Ibid. cap. 9. Maluit diâ—â—re Gratia Dei vitâ— aeterna vt hinâ— intellâ—gâ—râ—mus non pro meritis nostris Deum nos ad vitam aeternam sed pro â—iseratione sua perducere Eternall life is the grace or gift of God that we should vnderstand that God bringeth vs to eternall life not for our merits but for his onâ—ne mercies sake alleaging to that purpose the wordes of the Psalme n Psal 103. 4. He crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnesse As touching his second limitation that eternall life is principally the gift of God because the whole vertue and value of our merits proceedeth of the dignity of Gods grace in vs which doth eleuate and giue such worth to our workes that they thereby deserue life euerlasting the nullity of it is plaine by that that hath beene said because if the whole value of the worke bee to bee assigned to the grace of God then can no merit bee reputed thereby to man for what should man merit by that in the worth whereof hee can chalenge nothing to be his I haue o Of Merits sect 3. before shewed that that whereby a man should be said to merit must be of himselfe If the value of the thing be of another let the merit be ascribed to him of whom it is but vainly doth he claime merit who hath no propriety of that whereby he should merit As concerning the value of good workes I shall haue occasion further to speake in the thirteenth chapter and therefore I forbeare to stand vpon it in this place Only I wish M. Bishop to consider that which St. Austin briefly saith that p August de Temp. ser 49. In comparatione resurrectionis illius stercus est tota viâ—a quam genimus paulò priùs Vnusquisque metiatur se quid est modò quid erit tunc inueniet in comparatione illiâ—s iustitiâ— ista damna esse stercora in comparison of the resurrection all the life that here we leade is but dung let euery man measure himselfe saith he what he is now and what he shall be then and he shall finde that in comparison of the righteousnesse that shall be then all now is but drosse and dung Now tell vs M. Bishop your opinion may we thinke drosse to be worth gold or the dung of this earth to deserue that righteousnesse and glory of heauen What madnesse is it to imagine such a value of desert in that worke which is but dung in comparison of that that it should deserue But at once to ouerthrow all that M. Bishop hath here answered I will set downe what Fulgentius hath deliuered concerning the place here in hand q Fulgent ad Monim lib. 1. Gratia autem etiam ipsa non iniustè dicitur quiâ—â—â—on solâ—â—â— donis sâ—is Deus doâ—â—a sua reddit sed quia tantum etiam â—bi gratia diuina retributionis exuberat vt incomparabilitèr atque inessabilitèr omne meritum quamuis bonâ— â—â— Dâ—o datâ— humanae voluntatis atque operationis excedat Therefore is eternall life saith he not without cause called grace not only for that God rendereth his owne gifts to his owne gifts but also for that the grace of Gods reward doth there so much abound as that incomparably and vnspeakably it exceedeth all the merit of the will and worke of man although it be good and giuen of God himselfe By which wordes he plainly giueth vs to vnderstand as on the one side that God in bringing vs to eternall life doth but proceede in giuing and consummate thereby the gift of saluation which from the beginning he freely intended to vs and by calling and iustifying and glorifying vs as by degrees acteth that which he intended so on the other side that in the intermediate gifts of God there is nothing to take away from the finall gift the name of grace because there is no comparison betwixt the one and the other that the one should be said in any sort to merit and deserue the other But here it is
worthy to be noted how M. Bishop trippeth and crosseth himselfe who hauing first told vs that the whole value of our merits whereby we deserue eternall life proceedeth of the dignity of Gods grace in vs presently altereth the case and saith that we must concurre with grace to the effecting of good works and this our working with the grace of God deserues heauen Surely if the whole value of our merits doe proceede of the dignity of Gods grace then the desert of heauen ariseth not of our working with grace or if the desert of heauen doe arise of our working with grace then it doth not wholly arise from the dignity of grace But hereby wee may see that all the wordes which they vse as touching grace are but hypocrisie and deceipt and that their true resolution is that the desert of heauen issueth out of the free will of man vsing grace as a toole or instrument for the doing of workes whereby to deserue the same Thus of gift they make no gift and turne all wholly into merit and by the free will of man doe vtterly ouerthrow the grace of God carrying notwithstanding in the meane time a conscience of shame of that they teach and colouring all with good workes as Pelagius the Heretike and his followers in the same case were wont to doe But M. Bishop will proue all that he saith by another sentence of the same Epistle to the Romans r Rom. 2. 6. God will render to euery man according to his workes c. where he saith we may see in expresse termes eternall life to be rendered and repaid for good works Where wee rather see his pertinacy in errour who rather chooseth to make the Apostle to contradict himselfe then to yeeld to the truth plainly deliuered by the Apostle But nothing can be deuised more fit for answere to him or more effectuall to stoppe his mouth then that which Gregory Bishop of Rome hath purposely set downe for satisfaction to those wordes f Gregor in Psalm Poeâ—itent 7. Quòd si illa Sanctorâ— soelicitas miserecordia est nö meritis acquiritur vbi erit quod scriptum est Et tu reddes vnicuique secundum opera sua si secundum opera redditur quomodo miserecordia a stimabitur sed aliud est secundum opera reddere aliud propter ipsa opera reddere In co enim quod secundum opera dicitur ipsa operum qualitas intelligitur vt cuiâ—s apparuerint bona opera eius sit retribut o gloriosa Illi namque beatae vitae in qua cum Deo de Deo viuitur nullus potâ—st aquari labor nulla opera comparari praesertim cùm Apostolus dicat Non sunt condignae passiones c. If the felicity of the Saints bee mercy saith he and be not obtained by merits how shall it stand which is written Thou shalt render vnto euery man according to his workes If it be rendered according to workes how shall it be esteemed mercy But it is one thing saith he to render according to workes and another thing to render for the works themselues For in that it is said according to workes the very quality of the workes is vnderstood so as that whose good works shall appeare his reward shall be glorious For to that blessed life wherein we shall liue with God and of God no labour can be equalled no workes can be compared for that the Apostle telleth vs The sufferings of this time are not comparable in worth to the glory to come that shall be reueiled on vs. Where we see how he setteth it downe as a thing without question to be confessed that eternall life is mercy only and is not to be purchased or gained by merits and that the Scripture in saying that God rendereth to euery man according to his workes doth not import that God in giuing reward vnto good workes doth any thing for the workes sake as if he regarded the merit or value thereof but respecteth only the quality of our workes as vsing the same for a marke only wherby he will take knowledge of them to whom he intendeth to shew mercy At these wordes of Gregory me thinks I see how M. Bishop biteth the lippe and chafeth in his minde to heare him thus distinguishing like a Protestant and seriously approuing that which he with scorne hath reiected being spoken by M. Perkins t Of Merits sect 17. O sharpe and ouer-fine wit saith he doth God render according to the workes and doth he not render for the workes What M. Bishop will you mocke Gregory in the same sort and twite him with a sharpe and ouer-fine wit He hath taught vs to distinguish thus he telleth vs that it is one thing to render for workes another thing to render according to workes which sith you admit not why doe you dâ—ale so impudently in chalenging to your selues a full and perfect agreement with the ancient Church of Rome I might further enlarge this matter out of Gregory by sundry speeches tending to the disabling of all humane works but that it followeth more properly to speake thereof in the thirteenth Chapter CHAP. XI That concupiscence or lust is sinne euen in the very habit and first motions of it ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE HE telleth vs againe and againe that concupiscence is sinne to lust is to sinne c. to S. Paul saith of the spirit of adoption c. W. BISHOP THe Apostle telleth vs againe and againe that our Sauiour Christ Iesus was made 2. Cor. 5. v. 21. sinne and yet no Christian is so simple as to take him to be properly sinne but the host or satisfaction for sinne so when the Rom. 8. vers 3. Apostle calleth concupiscence sinne wee vnderstand him with S. Augustine that it is not sinne properly yet so called not vnaptly both because it is the effect L. b. 1. cont duas Epist Pelag. cap. 10. Lib. 1. de Nupt Concupisc cap. 23. and remnant of originall sinne and doth also pricke vs forward to actuall sinne but if by helpe of the grace of God we represse it we are deliuered from the infection and guilt of it Which S. Paul in the very same Chapter declareth when he demandeth Who shall deliuer me Ibid. vers 25. from this body of death he answereth presently the grace of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. And againe that profound Doctor S. Augustine argueth very soundly out of the same sentence where concupiscence is called sinne but now not I worke it any more but the sinne that is in me that the Apostle could not meane sinne properly which cannot saith he be committed Lib. 6. cont Iulian. c. 23. without the consent of our minde but that had no consent of the minde to it because it was not the Apostle that did worke it Now how can that be the euill worke of a man if the man himselfe doe not worke it as the Apostle saith expresly not I doe
possit sed totum donum est ipsius Dei No man sheweth such conuersation of life as that he can be worthy of the Kingdome but this is wholly the gift of God His second proofe is out of those wordes x 2. Cor. 4. 17. This momentany and light affliction worketh vnto vs beyond measure an excellent and an eternall weight of glory But here we finde nothing of our being worthy of that glory which our affliction doth worke vnto vs and so farre is it from prouing our merit and worth as that Fulgentius vseth it directly to proue the contrary For hauing said that y Fulgent vt supra cap. 10. in eternall life the grace of Gods reward doth incomparably and vnspeakably exceede all the merit of the will and worke of man though being good and giuen of God as I haue before alleaged he bringeth for confirmation hereof both the wordes here capitally handled The sufferings of this time are not worthy of the glory to come and also these wordes which M. Bishop here further citeth This momentany and light affliction worketh vnto vs aboue measure an excellent and an eternall weight of glory And very plainly doth it follow hereof for how can the one bee deemed to bee worthy of the other when as there is no measure of proportion betwixt the one and the other And may we not then thinke M. Bishop well wrought to bring vs a text for proofe of a point the contrary whereof hath beene anciently deemed to be proued thereby His third proofe is out of those wordes of the same Apostle z 2. Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth is laid vp for me a crowne of iustice which God that iust Iudge will render vnto me at that day Hereof he collecteth thus If God as a iust Iudge render the ioyes of heauen as a crowne of iustice then were they before iustly deserued and the sufferings of them that deserued them were in iust proportion worthy of them But thou seest gentle Reader that the point that tyeth this sequele togither is his owne word only doe thou denie it and he hath no meanes to make it good Let him lay his ground where he will he shall finde nothing whence to build that which he concludeth If he alleage that it is called a crowne of iustice let him take his answere from St. Bernard a Bernard de Grat. lib. Arbit Est ergò quam Paulus expectat corona iustitiae sed iustitia Dei non suae Iustum est quippe vt reddat quod debet Debet autem quod pollicitus est Et haec est iustitia de qua praesumit Apostolus promissio Dei It is a crowne of iustice which Paul expecteth but of Gods iustice not his owne For it is iust that God pay that which he oweth and he oweth that which he hath promised And this is the iustice whereof the Apostle presumeth euen the promise of God And to this purpose Ambrose saith that b Ambros in Rom. 3. Iustitia Dei dicta est quae videtur esse miserecordia quia de promissione origiâ—em habet cùm promissum Dei redditur iustitia Dei dicitur Iustitia enim Dei est quia reddituÌ„ est quod promissum est it is called the iustice of God which seemeth to be mercy because it hath his originall from promise and when the promise of God is performed it is called the iustice of God for it is the iustice of God that that be performed which is promised The crowne of iustice then is that which God in iustice yeeldeth not because we haue deserued it but because he himselfe hath promised it and therfore M. Bishop here can haue no proofe to serue his turne Neither doth hee gaine any thing by it though wee vnderstand it to be the crowne of our iustice or wherewith our iustice is crowned c Greg. Mor. l 24. c. 5. Iustitia nostra dicitur noÌ„ quae ex nostro nostra est sed quae diuina largitate sit nostra it being called our iustice as Gregory saith not which is ours as of our owne but which by the gift of God becommeth ours because in crowning our iustice it is verified which the Scripture saith d Psal 103. 4. Hee crowneth thee in mercy and louing kindnesse Doth it follow which he concludeth that because God vouchsafeth to honour our seruice with reward therefore the seruice which we doe is in iust proportion worthy of the same reward Surely of them which receiue this crowne of iustice it is said e Psal 55. 7. Vulgat Latin Thou wilt saue them for nothing f Hieron adu Pelag. l. 2. Pro nihilo inquit saluos faciet illos haud dubium quin iustos qui noÌ„ proprio merito sed Dei saluatur clementia He meaneth vndoubtedly the iust saith Hierome who are not saued by their owne merit but by the mercy of God If the iust be saued by mercy then cannot the crowne of iustice argue any thing for worth by merit and desert And for this cause g Apoc. 4. 10. the foure and twenty elders representing the whole company of Gods elect doe cast downe their crownes before the throne of God saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power thereby disclaiming and renouncing all worthinesse in themselues that they may yeeld the acknowledgement thereof as due vnto God only Another argument M. Bishop seemeth to take of that that is said that God rendereth the crowne of iustice as if it could not be said that God doth render but only to the worth and merit of man But thereto I answere with the wordes of Basil h Basil in psal 114. Manet requies sempiterna illos qui in hac vita legitimècer tauerint noÌ„ tanquam debitum operibus reddituÌ„ sed ob munificentissimi Dei gratiam in quo sperauerunt exhibita See of Merits sect 13. There is eternall rest laid vp for all them that lawfully fight the fight of this life not to be rendered according to the merit of workes or by way of debt vnto works but by the grace of our bountifull God prepared for all them that trust in him St. Austin saith that i August in Psal 32. cap. 1. NoÌ„ dicimus Deo Domine Redde quod accepisâ—i sed Redde quod promisisti we doe not say vnto God O Lord render that which thou hast receiued but render that which thou hast promised God rendereth then for his promise sake he rendereth of grace and fauour and therefore fondly doth M. Bishop hereof goe about to frame an argument for merit and desert And as little helpe hath he by that he further vrgeth that God doth this as a iust Iudge for will he say that a iust Iudge is alwaies tyed to render according to desert A malefactour hath deserued to die but the law hath confirmed and published a pardon or else hath yeelded him this benefit that if he can reade
if thou wouldest be a iudge only and wouldest not be mercifull but wouldest marke all our iniquities and seeke after them who could endure it who could stand before thee and say I am innocent who should stand in thy iudgement Our only hope therefore is for that with thee there is mercy If then with the iust iudge there be no hope without mercy then surely it is not for merit that the iust Iudge rendereth vnto vs the crowne of iustice but according to the law of faith he crowneth his owne gifts in vs and vs in them euen for his owne mercies sake M. Bishops arguments therefore are all vanished into winde and the indifferent Reader may well perceiue that the Protestants cause is better strengthened by St. Paul then that it neede to stand in feare of such Popish deluding sophismes A blinde shift he hath vnder pretence of g 2. Pet. 3. 16. some things in St. Pauls Epistles hard to be vnderstood to colour his cauilling at those things which are professedly disputed and most plainly and clearely spoken In all his Epistles saith he being vnderstood as he meant them there is not one word or syllable that maketh for the Protestants But how I maruell should wee attaine to vnderstand them as he meant them May we learne it of M. Bishop or are we to goe to the Pope to know it of him Surely a mad meaning shall we haue of St. Pauls Epistles if we will yeeld to take them after their meaning What way hath M. Bishop or the Pope to vnderstand St. Pauls meaning that we should not vnderstand it as well as they or what reason can they giue vs why we should not by St. Pauls wordes vnderstand his meaning as well as by their words we vnderstand theirs Was St. Paul so hard of speech as that he wanted wordes to declare his meaning or was he so desirous to conceale his meaning as that he would speake one thing and meane another yea the contrary to that hee spake Would hee bee a Protestant in wordes when in meaning he intended to be a Papist They bewray hereby what they are be thou out of doubt gentle Reader that they are no welwillers to the Apostles meaning that teach so many things contrary to the Apostles wordes We see how perspicuously frequently constantly hee teacheth the same that wee teach where to giue a meaning different from that which he saith is no other but maliciously to peruert his meaning Neither doe we affirme any thing by his wordes wherein we haue not the certaine testimony of the ancient Church concurring with vs as M. Bishop in all these points seeth to his owne confusion when as in the meane time it is enough with him to cite texts but whether they make any thing for proofe of that for which he citeth them it skilleth not And this we shall see in that plenty of plaine texts which he saith he hath to produce for their vncatholike faith which when I shall haue examined it will easily appeare to the Reader whether his discourse or mine bee the more idle If the tast that hee will giue vs bee no better then that which vvee haue already tasted it will vtterly distast the Reader vnlesse hee bee such a one as hath lost his tast CHAP. XIIII That the Scriptures are loosely and impertinently alleaged by the Papists for proofe of their false doctrines as namely of Iustification before God of Free-will of the Merit of single life of Relikes and Images of the Masse and Transubstantiation and sundry other such like ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE PAul saith nothing for those points for the deniall whereof M. Bishop condemneth vs c. to Well M. Bishop let vs leaue Peter and Paul c. W. BISHOP §. 1. WE haue here a dainty dish of M. Abbots cookery a large rhetoricall conclusion deducted out of leane thinne and weake premises He assayed to make a shew out of the Apostle that there was not a little which would serue the Protestants turne and cited to that purpose certaine sentences out of him but so properly that some of them indeede seemed to sound for him though they had in truth a farre different sense others had neither sense nor sound nor sillable for him Neuerthelesse as though he had gotten a great conquest he singeth a triumph and striketh vp a braue victory that all in Peter and Paul is for the Protestant nothing for the Papist Afterward as it were correcting himselfe he addeth nothing but in shew at least serueth the Protestants turne which is one of the truest words he there deliuereth The Protestants indeede be iolly nimble witted fellowes that can make any thing serue at least for a shew of their cause and when all other things faile them Ad fabulas conuertuntur they turne their eares away 2. Tim. â— vers 4. from truth as the Apostle speaketh and fall to fables and one Robin good-fellow I woene for lacke of a better is brought vpon the stage to spit and cry out Fie vpon Peter fie vpon Paul that had not remembred to say one word for Popery but all for the Protestant Fie I say vpon such a cause that must be vnderpropt with such rotten baggage stuffe What shadow of likely-hood is there that one should tell the Pope such a tale to his face or that Erasmus who was in most points a Catholike should report it or could there be any poore Robin excepting M. Abbots himselfe so simple and poore-blinde that in all the writings of those blessed Apostles he could not finde one word that gaue any sound or shew for the Catholike cause You haue heard already that I haue to euery place picked by M. Abbot out of S. Paul in fauour of their religion opposed another out of the same Epistle that speaketh more plainly against them for vs I will here out of the abundance of testimonies which the same S. Paul whom the simple Protestants take to be wholly for them beareth to our doctrine set downe some store euen in defence of those very points which Master Abbot hath made speciall choise off to obiect against vs. R. ABBOT WE note well M. Bishop that no Cooke can fâ—t your diseased appetite but such a one as is brought vp in the Popes kitchin whilest you like better a Numb 11. 5. the fish and leekes and oinions and garlicke of Aegypt then Manna that came from heauen We see it commonly so as hath been before said that corrupt stomackes are best pleased with the most grosse and vnwholsome meates and as the horse-leach sucketh out of the body the most noisome and putrified bloud and the Spider in the garden or otherwhere gathereth that only which may be turned to venime and poison so you out of the body of the Church draw that only which is noisome and poisonfull and nothing pleaseth your humour but what serueth for the corrupting both of your selfe and other men This is the cause why my premises
there is no shadow of likelyhood that one should tell the Pope such a tale to his face or that Erasmus being in most points a Catholike would report it But for the inducing of his Reader to this opinion see a trick of this honest man For if he had truly quoted the place as he found it by me set downe he thought his Reader would perhaps looke the place and so would finde it to be as I had said But to preuent this whereas I had noted in the margent Erasm de rat Concion lib. 3. hee setteth downe in steede thereof Erasmus de ratione that the Reader vvhen he should search for such a booke of Erasmus and finde no such written by him might thinke me to be as very a cozener as Doctor Bishop himselfe now is found to be Let me tell him once againe that Erasmus hath written a vvorke entituled Ecclesiastes or de ratione Concionandi in g Pag. 291. as it was printed at Basil by Frobenius 1535. the third booke whereof he hath left to future memory those vvorthy stories of Robertus Liciensis which I haue before reported For conclusion of this passage he termeth me a poore Robin simple and poore-blinde that can finde nothing in the Apostles writings for their Catholike cause telling vs that he hath shewed the contrary already and will further shew it in those very points which I my selfe haue made choise of But what he hath done already we haue seene it remaineth to examine the rest that follow that it may appeare whether the simple Protestants doe well or not in taking the Apostle St. Paul to be wholly for them W. BISHOP §. 2. TO beginne with the first there is plaine testimony that we are iustified before God by workes which I cited before VVith God the doers of the law shall be Rom. 2. vers 13. iustified There is much for free-will witnesse this Let not sinne therefore raigne in your mortall body Ibid. 6. vers 12. 13. that you obey the concupiscence thereof but neither doe you exhibite your members instruments of iniquity vnto sinne but exhibite your selues to God of dead men aliue and your members instruments of iustice to God for sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for you are not vnder the law but vnder grace See how the Apostle maketh it in the power and will of euery man indued with Gods grace either to doe well or to doe euill and that sinne hath no such dominion ouer them but that they may doe well if they will concurre with Gods grace Item that it is not grace which doth all but a man must worke with grace and exhibite the powers of his soule as instruments towards the producing of good workes which is flatly our doctrine of free-will And before we depart from this matter of iustification as M. Abbot doth very quickly you shall heare more of it out of the same Apostle he teacheth expresly that a man in the state of grace may fulfill the law in these wordes For that which was impossible to the law Ibid. cap. 8. v. 3. in that it was weakned by flesh God sending his Sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne euen of sinne damned sinne in the flesh that the iustification of the law might bee fulfilled in vs who walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit Which is seconded in the thirteenth Chapter where he concludeth loue to be the fulnesse of the law hauing Ibid. v. 9. 10. before said that he who loueth his neighbour fulfilleth the law And as for that certainty of saluation which many Protestants bragge of the Apostle doth wholly dispossesse them of it first in the place before cited where he willeth them that stand right in the true Rom. 11. ver 20. faith to beware that they fall not and assureth them that they shall fall as others had done before them if they did not diligently looke vnto it Elsewhere he aduiseth vs with feare and trembling to worke our Philip. 2. ver 12. saluation Marke how two points of the Protestant doctrine be wounded in one sentence and two of ours confirmed both that we must worke our saluation it comes not then by only faith and that with feare and trembling we are not then assured of it before hand by the certainty of faith which excludeth all feare and doubt of it Now that we ought to haue a firme hope of saluation S. Paul teacheth vs VVe haue accesse through faith Rom. 5. vers 2. into this his grace wherein we stand and glory in the hope of the Sonnes of God Also For by hope we Ibid. 8. vers 24. are saued Item we giue thanks to God c. for the Clooss 1. vers 5. hope that is laid vp for you in heauen With whom S. Peter consorteth Blessed be God and the Father of 1. Pet. 1. vers 3. our Lord Iesus Christ who according to his great mercy hath regenerated you into a liuely hope vnto an incorruptible crowne c. laid vp in heauen Not to prosecute all the particular points of iustification which haue euery one good ground in the Apostle S. Paul as in that question may be seene the very faith whereby Abraham was and we are iustified is no such kinde of faith as the Protestants claime to be iustified by that is by an apprehension and drawing of Christs righteousnesse to themselues but that faith whereby we beleeue all things to be true which God hath reuealed as S. Paul declareth in the fourth to the Romans where he reporteth Abraham Rom. 4. vers 19. to haue beene iustified by beleeuing that God according to his promise would giue him a Sonne and make him the Father of many nations so that finally there is not a word in S. Paul which in his owne meaning maketh for any one peece of the Protestants iustification but heapes of testimonies for euery branch of iustification as we beleeue it R. ABBOT H 〈…〉 M. Bishop beginneth to muster his abundance of 〈◊〉 like an armie of men whereof some want aâ—mes some legges some looke another way some turne quite about and fight against him He setteth downe a number of places but whether they hit or crosse or come short what careth he let the Reader looke to that He saith they proue this or that but how they proue it id populus curet scilicet he is too busie to trouble himselfe about it As for example There is plaine testimony saith he that we are iustified before God by workes namely a Rom. 2. 13. with God the doers of the law shall be iustified But it doth not follow that because the doers of the law shall be iustified with God therefore we are iustified before God by workes because it doth not appeare that we are doers of the law Let him put in for his minor proposition But we are doers of the law and then his absurdity appeareth because
of the Valentinian Heretikes and Heracleonites as I haue z Answere to the Preface of the second part sect 20. before shewed St. Iames doth not say Is any man in extremity of sicknesse past hope of life and now departing out of the world as M. Bishop in part speaketh and as they wholly vse that new deuised Sacrament but he saith absolutely Is any man sicke Againe St. Iames maketh the effect of that annointing to be bodily health saying that the Lord shall raise him vp or giue him ease which is the sauing or preseruing of which he speaketh namely from the perill and danger of sicknesse as a Bellarm. de Extr. vnct c. 8. Incipit à sanitate corporali cum ait Oratio fidei saluabit infir 〈…〉 Bellarmine himselfe expoundeth it whereas the effect of Sacraments is no corporall benefit but only inward and spirituall grace For albeit the water of Baptisme haue an effect to cleanse the body and bread and wine in the Lords Supper to nourish and feede the same yet these are no Sacramentall but only naturall effects belonging to these creatures without any Sacrament whereas the proper effect of that whereof St. Iames speaketh is bodily recouery and therefore by b OEcumen in Iac. 5. Hoc etiam Domino adhuc inter homines conuersante Apostoli sacrebant vngentes aegrotos olâ—o sanantes OEcumenius is made all one with that which the Apostles did as I haue alleaged whereof health is noted to haue ensued His last text is to proue that we must confesse our sinnes not to God only but also to men because the same St. Iames saith Confesse your sinnes one to another And who denyeth this who gainsayeth it when as our Sauiour Christ so plainly instructeth him that hath c Luke 17. 4. sinned against his brother to returne to him and say It repenteth me that so there may be reconciliation and peace betwixt them We make no question of confessing repentantly and charitably one to another but we question the necessity of confessing auricularly to the Priest by particular enumeration of all our sinnes and so farre is the text which M. Bishop citeth from deliuering expresly this as that his Masters of Rhemes doe plainly tell him that d Rhem. Testam Annotat. Iam. 1. 16. it is not certaine that St. Iames speaketh here of sacrament all confession who notwithstanding would haue bin glad if they could haue had any ground wherupon to affirme that he did so Now what did he then meane thus to heape together such a number of places as wherein their Roman doctrine is deliuered in expresse termes when as there is not one of them that doth iustifie their Roman doctrine and his owne fellowes doe confesse so much of sundry of them What neede we to ransacke all the corners of our wits to deuise odde shifts to auoide the â—uidence as he calleth it of such places which without any shifts at all are so easily and plainly cleared as these are Yet according to his wonted and wise manner he concludeth that the Protestants doe not receiue all the written word who notwithstanding receiue all these places reade them cite them expound them acquaint the people vsually with them which they by no meanes dare to doe Yea but the Scriptures are not in reading but in vnderstanding and we doe not take them in the right sense Silly fellow what hindereth but that we should be thought able to vnderstand the Scriptures as well as he Forsooth we receiue not the Scriptures he saith according to the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition But be thou Iudge gentle Reader whether in this whole worke to goe no further I haue not brought the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition more frequently and firmely then he hath done He talketh of the Doctors for shew to blinde simple men but the true cause of their griefe is that wee receiue not the Romish exposition nor bee content to submit the whole Scriptures to the Popes will But because we finde no such rule amongst the most ancient and best learned Doctors that the Popes mouth should be any oracle of Scripture-sense we leaue his babling of the exposition of Scripture as partiall and idle and doe wish him to learne more wit then to take Scriptures in such sort as they that are at Rome are faine to doe W. BISHOP §. 8. NOw to draw towards the end of this clause not only neuer a one of M. Abbots assertions whereby hee went about to proue themselues and their Church to bee Catholike is true as hath beene shewed before but ouer and besides his very conclusion conuinceth himselfe euen by the verdict of himselfe to fall into the foule fault and errour of the Donatists Our faith saith he because it is that which the Apostles committed to writing is the Apostolike faith and our Church by consanguinity and agreement of doctrine is proued to bee an Apostolicall Church c. and is the only true Catholike Church c. see you not how he is come at length to proue their Church to be Catholike Ex perfectione Page 16. lin 5. doctrinae By perfectnesse of their doctrine which was as he himselfe in this very assertion noted a plaine Donatâ—sticall tricke reproued by S. Augustine whom in that point he then approued What doating folly is this in the same short discourse so to forget himselfe as to take that for a sound proofe which he himselfe had before confuted as hereticall We like well of Tertullians obseruation That our faith ought to haue consanguinity and perfect agreement with the Apostles doctrine but that is not the question at this time but whether our doctrine or the Protestant be truly called Catholike that is whether of them hath beene receiued and beleeued in all nations ouer the world that is to be proued in this place M. Abbot if he had meant to deale plainly and soundly should not haue gone so about the bush and haue fetched such wide and wilde windlesses from old father Abrahams dayes but should haue demonstrated by good testimony of the Ecclesiasticall Histories or of ancient Fathers who were in the pure times of the Church the most Godly and approued Pastors thereof that the Protestants religion had flourished since the Apostles dayes ouer all Europe Afrike and Asia or at least had beene visibly extant in some one Country or other naming some certaine Churches in particular which had held in all points their faith and religion which he seeing impossible for any man to doe fell into that extrauagant and rouing discourse which you haue heard concluding without any premises sauing his owne bare word that in the written word There is no mention made of the Pope or his Supremacy nor of his Pardons c. Belike there is no mention made of S Peter nor ought said of his singular prerogatiues It hath not peraduenture That whatsoeuer hee should loose on earth should bee loosed in