the staff is in the corner The third place is Act. 2. 24. Whom God hath raised up loosing the sorrowes of hell that is loosing men one of their paines there sayeth he To which I answer 1. That he shamefullie perverteth the Text for it is in the originall Thanatu in our translation and their owne interlinear the sorrowes of death not hell So that altho he pretended in the Preface promised to refute our doctrine by the expresse text of our owne Bible yet heere he grosslie passeth therefra and for establishing of his purgatorie he purgeth out the word death putteth in hell in place therof which is a bold corrupting 2. The text speaketh onlie of Christs owne being loosed from the sorrowes of death and not of his loosing any other persons from the same and farre lesse from hell or any other place of purgatorie which thing was done by his resurrection Therfore sayeth Cardinall CajetaÌ„ on this place The sorrowes were the sorrowes of death saieth he by which is was impossible that hee could bee holden to wit Christ The fourth place is 1. Cor 15. 29. Otherwise what shall they do who are baptised for the dead That is afflict themselves do penance for them that are in purgatorie sayeth hee To which I answer 1. That this can not be said of voluntarie afflicting theÌ„selves as by praiers almes and fasting undertaken for the help of the dead sayeth their owne Estius on this place which if Paull had meant hee had not said who are baptised as if it were by others but who baptise themselves for the dead sayeth hee The exposition then which he sayeth is worthiest to be preferred before al others and which Epiphanius haeres 28. received from them who wer before him as approven is this sayeth Estius to wit That these ar said to be baptised for the dead who having no hope of longer life heere but as dead men did craue get baptisme reallie heerby declaring that they were baptised for the dead that is for this end that baptisme which witnesseth their faith in the trinitie might bee profitable to them at that time when they departed this life and were to enter into the condition of the dead As if the Apostle had said if there were no resurrection of the bodie at all what fruit can they reape who are baptised being about to die or counted for dead and who for this cause professe that they were baptised in respect of that future estate that is after this life and this meaning is most cleare pure and simple sayeth Estius and most â—itt to prove what the Apostle intendeth and which others also doth approve saith he Which exposition likewise the Iesuite also A-lapide approveth as most simple and plaine declaring also that it is Chrisostoms And so it proveth no purgatorie at all The fiâ—th place is Luke 19. 6. Make you friends of the mammon of unrighteousnes that when yee faile they may receiue you into everlasting habitations To which I answere That this place proveth nowise after death any fire of puâ—gatorie but rather the contrarie that when the godlie and charitable persons faile that is die they are received presentliâ— into the eternall habitations of heavenlie glorie Therfore saith Bellarmin lib. 1. de sanctis cap. 3. on 2. Cor. 5. 1. The Apostles reasoning heere is excellent sayeth he to wit if this mortall life perish we haue instantlie another far better in the heavens for God is no readâ—er to punish sayeth he lib. 1. de sanctis cap. 6. than to reward whence it followes that if the wicked after death presentlie go to hell that the godly in likemanner after death presentlie go to heaven and consequentlie to no fire of purgatorie The sixth place is Luke 23. 42. Lord remember me when thou commeth into thy kingdom which showeth sayeth he that soules may be helped after death Which indeed we grant by Christs receiving theÌ„ into his heavenlie kingdome as is heere by the Theef petitioned but no word is here of Christs helping out of a helâ—â—sh purgatorie Thus wee see by how weake arguments hee would prove his Purgatorie which B Fisher cont Luth art 18. granteth was knowne but of late onlie and after many ages believed And therefore little or no mention is of it in the ancient fathers sayeth hee and yet which Bellarmin sayeth is a doctrine of faith of such consequence That hee that believeth not purgatorie to â—e shall never come ther but shall be tormented in hels fire for ever sayeth he lib. 1. de purg cap. 15. and so he condemneth all the easterne or greeke churches to hel beside the Protestants which notwithstanding the B. of Bitonto in his oration before the Councell of Trent acknowledgeth to be the only mother Church of the Roman As for fathers whoÌ„ he citeth Ambrose in that place speaketh onlie of the fire of Gods judgement Jerome also speaketh nothing of a popish purgatory as for Gregory he saies That the fire wherof the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 3. 13. may be meant of the fire of affliction And as for any other fire he buildeth it on Math. 12. 32. which both by Mark 3. 29. and by the fathers that comment on that place as also by Romanists themselves as Carthusian and Arboreus maketh nowise for purgatory And as for Origen hee speaketh onlie of the fire of affliction yea their B. Fisher cont Luth. art 18. sayeth That ther is little or no mention of it in the ancient fathers at all 48 THat it is not lawfull to make or haue images VVHich is contrarie saith he to Exod. 25. 18. And thou shall make two Cherubims of beaten gold c. As also to the 1. King 6. 35. And he carâ—ed theron Cherubims and palme trees c. Whence he inferreth that these graven Angels were images of the highest order of Angels one excepted which S. Ierome witnesseth that the Iewes worshiped To whom I answere where Moses is commanded to make two Cherubims of gold and place them in the holiest where Solomon on the doors of the Oracle caused carve Cherubims in like-manner Both had a particular warrant from God to do so which Papists haue not for making their Images of the blessed Trinitie and of saints setting them up in publick places of divine worship to be adored And therefore worthie remarkable is that speech of Tertullian answering the ancient Idolaters who objected in likemanner for their defeâ—ce Moses his making and setting up of a brasen serpent to whoÌ„ TertulliaÌ„ l. 1. de idololatria replyeth saying One and the same God both by his generall Law forebad any image to be made â—aieth he as also by his extraordinarie and speciall command willed an image of a serpent to be made if then thou be obedient to the same God sayeth hee thou hast this-law of his Make thee no graven image but if thou respect the image of the serpent that was afterward made by Moses then do thou aâ—
the famous Councells and Fathers forenamed who opposed the same as not to adhere to their sense of that place of Mathew or to their judgement of papall supremacie were now a-dayes damnable and rank heresie 2. Next to come to that proud doctrine of merite against which is that cleare Text of scripture Rom. 6. 23. where it is said The wages of sinne is death but Life Eternall is the gift of GOD. Which by the unanimous judgement of the ancient fathers Church is acknowledged to be against merits therefore sayeth their owne Cassander consult art 6. with a full consent all the ancient Fathers deliver that our whole confidence and hope both of pardon and eternall life is to be placed in the onely mercie of GOD and merite of Christ As we see particularly in ORGEN l. 4. in Rom. cap. 4. Hilare in Math. can 20. Ambrose in psal 118. Octon 20. Et in exhortatione ad virgines Basil in psal 52. 114. Jerom lib. 17. in Isaiam cap. 64. Chrisostom in Coloss hom 2. Augustin in psal 36. con 2. psal 32 con 1. psal 83. circa fineÌ„ As also psal 109 â—irca iâ—itiuÌ„ Cyril also of Alexandria hom 4. paschas Gregorie the first in psal 7. poenit Fulgentius ad Moninum lib. 1. cap. 10. and Haymo in psal 132. 1. Bernard ser 1. in annunc Mariae and many more And yet the present Roman Church differeth so farre froÌ„ Scripture the streame of Antiquitie expounding the same in this point That the Councell of Trent in the decree of the sixt Session thereof can 32. hath accursed all those that hold not the doctrine of mans meriting of eternall life by his owne good works and the Rhemists declare on Heb. 6. 10. That they are so fully worthie of eternall life and are the cause of salvation that God should be unjust if he rendred not heaven for them 3. For perfectioÌ„ of scripture against doctrinall traditions that place Gal. 1. 8. Though wee or an Angell from heaven preach any other beside that which wee haue preached unto you let him be accursed by the constaÌ„t unanimous judgement of the Church all ancient Fathers that ever write on that place the same is expounded to be the scriptures of the old new Testament onely beside which no other thing ought to be taught under paine of a curse as Basil in his summe of his Moralls 72. expoundeth so likewise Augustin in his third book against Petilian cap. 6. saying If an Angell from heaven preach to you any thing besids that which is in the scriptures of the Law and Gospell which yee haue received let him be accursed sayth the Apostle so also Vincen. Lyrinen adv haeres c. 35. 10. Neither sayeth the Apostle if they teach any thing contrar or repugnant sayeth Chrisostome Theophylact. on that place but if they teach never so small a point beside that that is add never so little more then that let him bee accursed And yet so farre doth the present Roman Church disagree from the true meaning of this Text of scripture which is given thereon by the whole streame of antiquitie in this point that shee hath decreed contrar thereunto in the Councell of Trent for doctrinall unwritten traditions 1. decreto sess 4. 4. Against that idolatrous worshiping and prayer to Angels that Text Coloss 2. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntare humilitie and worshiping of Angels is expounded not onely by the ancient Fathers singly writing thereon as condemning all prayer to be made to them as we see in Chrisostom in Coloss 2. hom 9. and in Origen l. 7. 8. contra Celsum others but likewise by a whole Councell conveened together as Theodoret testifieth on Coloss 2. saying The Councell which conveened at Laodicea the cheif citie of Phrygia by a law did forbid prayer to Angels condemning the same as Idolatry wherby the communion both of Christ â—nd his Church was forsaken and therefore accursing the practisers thereof Can. 35. saying if any man be found to giue himself to this private idolatrie let him be accursed And yet the present RomaÌ„ Church doth so farr disagree froÌ„ this Apostolicall precept expounded by an unanimous coÌ„sent of ancient Fathers conveened in Councell that she will haue prayers put up to Angels and consequentlie shee is declared Idolatrous and accursed 5. I could instance many more places in points coÌ„troverted wherin they admitt not that sense which the streame of ancient Fathers giveth theron as Coloss 3. where it is said Let the word of Christ dwell in you richlie Which by the constant and unanimous exposition of Fathers is for peoples reading and knowledge of scripture as wee see in Chrisostome hom 9. â—n Coloss 10. in Iohan Augustin serm 55. de tempore Theodoret lib. 5. de Cur. graec affect and others which made their late Bishope Espenceus on Tit. 2. to say By the doctrine of the Apostle and conforme practise of of the primitive Church it is manifest that of old the reading of scripture was permitted to people and as venerable Beda showeth in his third book of the English ecclesiasticall historie cap. 5. but the forenamed shal suffice to show that in the points controverted they admitt not that to be the rule of faith which they pretend to be the rule but when it maketh against them they disdainfullie or impudentlie doth reject the same Lastly As for his Thrasonick brags wherein hee exceedeth all moderation and trueth I passe by theÌ„ as not worthy of any answere but that which in realitie and a solid way shall bee seene God willing in this ensueing reply to discover his frothy emptines fraud to any who is but indifferent judicious howsoever to others the blinded and imbrutished proselyts of such every thing that commeth from them is counted as of old the Oracles of Delphos were or as Diana was cryed up by the confused multitude Act. 19. 34. saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians AN ANSVVERE To the Touch-Stone of the Reformed Gospell 1. That there is not in the Church one and that an infallable rule for understanding the holy Scriptures and conserving of Vnitie in matters of saith THis assertion of our's as hee calleth it is contrary sayth hee to the expresse words of our own Bible which he nameth therafter To whom I answere 1. In generall that he beginneth with a grosse calâ—mny affirming that to be our assertion which is not for wee deny not to be in the Church an infallable rule of faith or for understanding the Scriptures and conserving unitie in the matters of faith as our Confession of faith showeth anno 1581. art 18. but affirmeth this rule of faith to bee the Scripture it self which is therfore called the Canon or rule of Scripture that the right understanding thereof in all matters of faith is to be had froÌ„ the scripture it self and that analogie of faith clearlie set downe therein or deryved
The second place of Canonicall scripture which he bringeth is Ier. 15. 1. Tho Moses and Samuel stood before mee yet my mind could not bee towards this people To which I answere 1. That the speech is hypotheticall or by supposition therfore nowise concluding as our Saviours like speech showeth Iohn 21. 23. 2. This cannot prove that Moses and Samuell did pray for the people Being then till Christs Resurrection in Limbus Patrum as Bellarmin sayeth lib. 1. de sanctis cap. 20 and so not injoying Gods sight or presence and therefore they neither praied for men nor wer prayed unto by men And 3. This their praier is meant for the people of God onlie in generall and not for any one in particular The third place is Revel 2. 26. Hee that overcometh and keepeth my words to the end to him I will giue power over the nations and hee shall rule them with a rod of iron Therfore sayth he seing Christ imparteth his power to them upon the nations they may pray for them over whom they are sâ—t To which their owne Iesuite Ribera answereth thus Our Saviour alogether speaketh here of power sayeth he that the saints shall exercise in the day of jâ—dgement upon all nations that haue not obeyed Christ judgeing them with Christ and giving them over to the pâ—nishment of eternall death signified by ruling them with an iron rod as wee see cap. 19. 15. Thus we see that they are so farre froÌ„ praying for them being alive that they are to adjudge them to eternall punishment after death His last place is from the parable of the rich-glutton Luke 16. Praying to Abraham for his brethren and it were absurd sayeth he that the damned in hel should haue greater charitie than the saints in heaven To which I answere 1. That this is a parable as hath been proven and therefore not argumentative 2. The damned in hell haue no charitie or Christian vertue at all and therefore this Rich glutton did it not out of charitie to his brethreÌ„ but to eschewe the augmenting of his owne torment by their continuance in these sinnes wherein he had given them ill example or inducement when he was alive with them 3. To argue from the practise of a damned Wretch in hell which had so bad a successe as not to be heard to alike practise which Christians should use on earth is a bad inference and a worse directorie As for fathers hee citeth onelie Augustin Hilarie and Damascen but not their words of whom Augustin maketh nothing for him in that place neither Hilarie for what he speaketh is onelie of Angels grounded also upoÌ„ an Apocryphall book onlie Tobit And as for Damascen as I shew before as hee is not of so great antiquitie so also he is noted by Sixtus Senensis in his Bibliotheck lib. 6. Annot. 187. to bee hereticall speciallie concerning the procession of the Holie ghost 33 THat wee should not beseech God to grant our prayers for the saints merits nor do we receiue any benefit thereby VVHich he sayeth is contrarie to Exod. 32. 13. where it is said Remember Abraham Isaac and Israell thy servants To which I answere That this was to remember his owne free promise which hee made to them that he should bee their God the God of their seed after them as the very following words showeth saying To whom thou swearest by thy self and said I will multiplie your seed as the starrs of heaven as their owne Lyra upon that place showeth and the subsequent place which he citeth proveth 2. Chron. 6. 16. so that this was not to remember their merits which Iacob wee see utterlie disclaimeth Gen. 32. 10. but his own free promise and mercies The second place is 2. Chron. 6. 16. Now therefore O Lord God of Israell keepe with thy servant that which thou hast promised him Where we see againe clearly no mention of merite on Davids part which hee everie where also disclaimeth but only of the free promises of mercie made to David on Gods part as we said before The third place is Exod. 20. 5. I will showe mercie to thousands of them that loue me and keepe my CoÌ„mandements which place maketh clearlie against merit wher the Lord speaketh onlie of mercie which he will showe on the godlie and their ofspring as the Apostle speaketh 2. Tim. 1. 16. The Lord give mercie to the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me And wher mercie is onlie it excludeth merite 34 THat wee ought not expresly pray to them to pray or interceed to God for us VVHich he sayeth is contrarie to Luke 16. 24. Where the Rich-glutton in hell prayeth to Abraham to haue mercie on him To which I haue alreadie answered That it is parabolicall and therefore proveth not The second place is Iob 5. 1. Call now if there be any that will answere thee and to which of the saints will thou turne To which I answeâ—e That Cardinall Cajetan setteth this down as the meaning of the words That heerby Eliphaz would showe Iob that his innocencie which he so much maintained wold get none of the saints that would maintaine so bad a cause to pleade such innocencie as he did or who would approue his speeches The intention of Eliphaz being onlie to convince Iob that none wer ever so sharplie punished as he was except he had ben wicked or an hypocrit which was Eliphaz errour therfore he biddeth him showe any of the saints or godly before him that ever were so punished 2. Their owne Lyra also expoundeth this place thus That Eliphaz telles Iob That seing God answereth him not in his sad affliction to whom other can he haue his recourse For thou shalt not haue the saints sayeth he to be thy helpers so that this place rather maketh against prayer to saints nor for it As for the Fathers whom he citeth onlie as his use is but setteth not down their words they make nothing for him and hee citeth the works of some as that of Athanasius which is nowise extant And because this man would bear his reader and proselits in hand as most of them do deceatfullie That they pray onlie to saints to pray to God or interceed for them but that they seek not pardon or grace such like froÌ„ the saints themselves as Bellar. also professeth lib. 1. de Sanct. cap. 17. I will showe how deceatfullie they deale with simple soules and that their practise is quyte contrarie that they seeke these thinges from them whereof God onlie is the giver as Mercie pardon of sinnes grace and other good gifts And shal instance this onlie in these places of their own old printed books against which they cannot except which I haue beside me to show to any who desireth The first is that idolatrous invocation of the virgin Marie in the RomaÌ„ Missall the words wherof are these O felix puer pera nostra pians sceâ—era jure matris impera redemptori tua
faith for a man himself as wee may see Math. 7. 22. The second place is Iam. 2. 24. where it is said Yee see therfore how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only To which I answer That beside O Ecumenius Theodoret and Beda on this place their owne Aquinas showeth the true meaning thereof Who objecting to this place Rom. 3. 20. where it is said by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in his sight he reconcileth them thus I answere sayeth he that to justifie may be taken two wayes either for the execution or for the manifestation of our justification and this way indeed a man is justified by works that is he is declared and manifested to bee just or it is taken for the infused habit of righteousnes and this way no man is justified by works sayeth he Likewise sayeth Doctour Paes a Portugall Frier The meaning of these words That Abraham was justified by works may be this as Theodoret expoundeth that he was declared just which exposition I approve most sayeth he The third place is Iam. 2. 14. where the Apostle sayeth What doth it profit though a man say hee hath faith not works can that faith saue him I answere 1. That the Apostle sayeth not Though a man haue faith but Though he say hee hath faith showing therby that an alleadgance onlie of faith availeth not to salvation 2. Aâ— their Estius with us showeth it is said ther that a dead and fruitlesse faith onlie according to the Apostles words verse 17. and 18. availeth not to salvation nor can be called a justifying faith The fourth place is Gal. 5. 6. Neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith which worketh by loue which place is coincident with the former and doeth nowise militat against our doctrine of Iustification as the words of our coÌ„fession anno 1581. and 1647. c. 11. testifieth saying That faith receiving and relying onlie on Christ and his righteousnes is the onlie instrument of our Iustification â—et it is not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by loue And that this is also the doctrine of all other reformed Churches their own Cassander witnesseth consult art 4. As also Bellarmin lib. 1. de Iustif cap. 14. saying Iohn Calvin in his Antidote of the Councell cap. 11. Sess 6. sayeth That it is faith onlie that justifieth but yet not fayth which is alone as the heate of the sunne is that onlie which heateth the earth yet heate is not alone in the sunne but their is light also joyned with it the same also sayeth he doth Melancton Brentius Chemnitius teach with others And as for Fathers whom hee citeth or whose words he setteth downe such as Ambrose saying That faith alone sufficeth not Augustin that faith onlie saveth not without observing Gods Commandements they militat nowise against out doctrine as wee see confessed But I admire at the impudence or ignorance of this Pamphleter who in the next place ascribeth to us that we hold That good works are not necessarie to salvation whereas in the contrarie These are the words of our Confession of faith cap. 16. concerning their necessitie That they are the fruits and evidences of a true and livelie faith and by them Believers manifest their thankfulnes strengthneth their assurance edifieth their brethren adorneth the profession of the gospell stops the mouth of the adversaries and glorisieth God whose workmaÌ„ship they are created in Christ thereunto that having their fruit in holines they may haue the end life eternall being as Bernard speakes via Regni non causa regnandi 22. THat good works are not meritorious VVHich he sayeth is contrarie to Math. 16. 27. where it is said That Christ at his second coÌ„ming shall reward every one according to his works To which I will answere onlie in the words of Pope Gregorie in psal 7. poenit verba fac auditam who sayeth thus If the felicitie of the saints be mercie and not acquired by merits where is that which is written who shall render to every one according to his works If it be rendred then according to works how shall it be esteemed mercie but it it one thing sayeth he according to ones works and another thing to render for the works themselves For in that it â—â— said according to his works the qualitie of the work is understood that whose works are seene to be good his reward shall be also glorious as whose works are evill his reward shall be contrarie but as to that eternal life which we haue of God with God no labour can be equalled sayeth he no works can be compared Therfore also sayes their late Ferus on Rom. 2. 6. All that this word according doeth import in relation to good works is that the doing of them is a requisite condition without any sort of meriting sayeth he The second place is Math. 5. 11. Rejoyce and bee glad for great is your reward in heaven As also Math. 10. 42. That a cup of cold water given to one of Christs shall not want it reward Whereunto I answere 1. That we deny not but that good works haue their reward abyding them for so sayth our ConfessioÌ„ of faith 1647. cap. 16. art 6. That the Lord looking on believers in his Son it pleased hiâ— to accept reward that which is sincere altho accompanyed with many weaknesses and imperfections But wee distinguish and say that there is a reward in mercie wherof Hosea speaketh 10. 12. saying Sowe in righteousnes and reape in mercie As also the Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 16. 17. And there is a reward of merite called wages Rom. 6. 23. Where the Apostle sayeth The wages of sinne is death but by way of opposition he sayeth Life eternall is the free gift of God upon which place therfore sayeth Cardinall Cajetan according to Augustins like words de gra lib. arb cap. 9. The gift of God is Eternall life that we may understand sayeth he that it is not for our merits but of the free gift of God that in end we attaine to eternall life So also speaketh Lombard That we may understand that God bringeth us to eternall life sayeth he for his owne mercie sake and not for our merits So also speaketh their Ferus on Iohn 3. and Math. 20 Gabriel Biel on the the Canon of the Masse lect 47. â—nd others yea Bellarmin himself lib. 5. de Iustif cap. 19. confesseth That this hath beene the common and constant judgement of Divines in the Roman Church as Thomas Bonaventure Scotus Durand aâ—d others that God rewardeth good works of his meer liberalitie aboue any condignitie Flat coÌ„trar to that blasphemous speech of the Rhemists on Heb. 6. 10. saying That our good works are so fullie worthie of eternall life which God of his justice oweth to the workers â—f the same that he should be
unjust if Hee rendred not heaven for them Lastlie Where he sayeth that the holie Fathers unanimouslie affirme the same but setteth downe none of their words Let their own Cassander witnesse the contrarie consult art 6. saying This doctrine is not to bee passed by which with a full consent all the ancient Fathers deliver That our whole confidence of remission of sinnes and hope of pardon and Eternall life is to be placed in the only mercie of God and merite of Christ which made Bellarmin also conclude lib. 5. de Iustif cap. 7. saying for the uncertantie of our own unrighteousnes and the danger of vaine glory it is safest to place our whole confidence in the onlie mercie and bountie of God 23 THat Faith once had cannot bee lost VVHich he sayeth is contrary to Luke 8. 13. Where the seed on the rock are thâ—se who when they heare receive the word with joy and for a whyle believe but in the time of temptation fall away To which I answere That by the believing of such no true saving faith is meaned But a temporarie assent onlie to that which is spoken as their own Carthusian late Stella showeth because their hearts say they are hard and rebellious and destitute of the moysture of grace The second place is 1. Tim. 18. where it it said That some having put away a good conscience concerning faith have made shipwrak Whereunto I answer That by faith is not understood true saving faith but the profession of the gospell onlie which oftimes in scripture receiveth this title as 1 Tim. 4. 1. and Act. 13. 8. where it is said That Elimas the Socerer sought to turne away the deputie from the faith which by way of exposition Heb. 10. 23. is called the Profession of the faith And thus also doth Lombard Aquinas and Estius expound who declareth it to be also the exposition of Auselmus The third place is 2. Tim. 2. 16. Concerning the overthrow of the faith some which receiveth the same answere with the former And which the very words of the preceeding verse cleareth calling this overthrow Their erring from the trueth As the forenamed Lombard Aquinas and Estius also showeth As for Fathers he sayth that they affirme the same frequently but citeth onlie Augustin in two bookes but telleth not what chapter wheras there are 24. in the one and 16. in the other 24. THat God by his will and inevitable decree hath ordained from all eternitie who shall bee damned and who saved VVHich he sayeth is contrary to 1. Tim. 2. 3. 4. Where it is said That our Saviour will haue all men to be saved To which I answere 1. That Augustin in his Enchiridion cap. 103. expoundeth this place thus That God will haue all to be saved that are saved and that none can be saved but such as he will And next that by all men hee meaneth all sorts of men And thus also doeth Aquinas and Lombard expound the words all men Aquinas also and Cajetan showeth that by our Saviours Will is not meant that which is called Voluntas beneplaciti or his secret Will whereby from all Eternitie he hath elected some to salvation and reprobated others but Voluntas signi or his revealed Will. wherby he offereth to all the meanes of salvation And their late Estius telleth us that by all men a part onlie by the whole is understood as Philip. 2. 21. where it is said All men seeke their owne not the things of Christ The second place 2. Pet. 3. 9. That God is not willing that any should perish is coincident with the former And as for the words of Ambrose That he will not referr to God the prevarication of Adam nor the treasone of Judas though he knew the same before it was committed They no wise make against us who in our Consession of Faith cap. 5. art 4. affirme That the sinfulnes of men or Angels proceedeth onlie from theÌ„selves and not from God Who being most Holie and Righteous neither is nor can be Authour or Approver of sin And as for other Fathers whom hee citeth onlie he doth this so looslie as none can know at what words hee aimeth for example he he citeth Augustin lib. 1. de civit Dei but no chapter whereas there are 36. in that book as also he citeth Ambrose lib. 2. de Cain Abel but telleth not in what chapter the words are which he alleadgeth whereas there are ten in that book And as for others none of them ar against us yea they are clearlie for us as also Cardinall Cajetan and Aquinas on Rom. 9 20. As likewise their late Estius on Rom. 9. 13. 20. 21. goeth as farre in this point of Election and reprobation with us as any Protestant writter whosoever and citeth Lombard Aquinas Hugo de S. victore Lyra Cajetan Prierias and others as of the same minde with him and us 25. THat everie one ought infalliblie assure himâ—elf of his salvation and believe that he is of the number of the predestinat VVHich he sayeth is contrary to 1. Cor. 9. 27. wher the Apostle sayth I keep my bodie under in subjection lest by any means when I haue preached to others I my self should be a Castaway To whom I answere 1. To the point of our doctrine that we say no further herin than their bishop Ambrosius Catharinus as Bellarmin testifieth lib. 3. de Iustif cap. 11. That a godly man may haue assurance of his Iustification and salvation without doubting by the certaintie of divine faith but yet as our Confession of Faith speaketh cap. 14. That saving faith is different in degrees weake or strong and may be often and many wayes assailed and also weakned to wit by doubting but in end it gets the victory growes up in many to the full assurance thorow Christ yea sayeth their owne Cassander consult art 4. That there is none of the Schoolmen who doth not teach and diligentlie urge sayeth he that confidence assuraÌ„ce of the grace and mercie of God and glorie to come should be opposed to doubting and distrust Therefore though the godliest may haue their owne doubtings yet they should strive against the same and use all the means ordained by God to gather assurance and make their election sure by well doing not to cherish doubting as a dutie the doctrine wherof is as contrarie to the nature of faith as light is to darknes as wee may see Rom. 4. 20. Next to answer to the place forecited 1. Cor. 9. 27. 1. The word rendred Castaway or as the Rhemists translate Reprobat is not in opposition to Elect but is as much as reproved as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth 2. This place proveth not that the Apostle doubted of his salvation wherof by papists owne confession he was sure as Rom. 8. 38. 2. Tim. 1. 12. 4. 8. and gal 5. 20. showeth But in his person hee showeth the sutablenes of the practise of mortification with his doctrine thereof