vs O Lord that which thou commaundest vs and then commaund vs what thou wilt And therefore they reason like doltish Asses which inferre vpon the exhortations to grace and godlines which be in the Scriptures that there is a power and ability in vs to performe those things whereunto God in his word exhorteth vs. Exhortations bee Gods instruments and meanes which he vseth to worke his heauenly graces in vs and they teach vs not what we can doe but what we should doe I would here end this matter but yâ— I must tell you that you write improperly and falsely in charging vs that we say al goodnes proceedeth so far from grace that it lieth not in mans power neither to haue it nor to refuse it but of necessity in must haue effect Improperly you write in putting hauing Gods grace in steed of obtayning getting it we say it is in man to haue it wheÌ„ God doth giue it without which gift it is not in mans power to get it But it is in man to resist it For the grace of God offereth saluatioÌ„ to al but it is resisted Tit. 2 11. reiected of maâ—y in that their hard and stony hearts wil not admit it The grace of God is offered to men when his word is preached and they be called to repentance but it is with many and namely you as Zacharie saith They refused Zachar. 7. 11 As the Papists doe now to hearken pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare Yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the Law and words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by the ministery of the former Prophets I know no man that denieth but such men doe resist the grace of God which yet is receiued of them that are written in the booke of life whose wils it reformeth and of euill wils maketh good wils willing and coueting those things which be acceptable in Gods sight Finally I thought good for the better satisfying of the reader in this matter to let him vnderstand that whereas Erasmus a man as all men must needs confesse of great learning was had in iealousie of the Papists as too much leaning to Luther and his doctrine hee was at the last prouoked and set on by them to write against him who chusing this matter of free will and writing in defence thereof yet afterward he retracted and reuoked his former opinion and writing and was not abashed to confesse the truth as appeareth by these his words Verum vt ingenuè â—rasm lib. 19. â—pist ad Ludoâ—â—cum Viâ—em dicam perdidimus liberum arbitrium illic mihi aliud dictabat animus aliud scribebat calamus But simply to speake my minde We haue lost our free will in that matter my minde did indite to me one thing and my hand did write another I come now to the second doctrine of ours which you vntruely charge and falsely slander to tend to loosenesse of life and carnall liberty that men bee iustified by faith alone which you scornefully call a solifidian portion and falsely say but doe not proue that it flatly ouerthroweth true repentance sorrow for sinnes mortification of passions and all other vertues which tend to that perfect reconciliation of the soule with God c. Where first I would exhort you if the same might any thing preuaile with you to take heed that by scorning in this manner at Gods Psalm 1. 1 Prou. 19. 29 truth you shew not your selfe to be one of them that sit in the seate of the scornefull Salomon saith that iudgements are prepared for the scornâ—rs stripes for the backe of fooles Secondly as this doctrine which you deride is true Godly and comfortable confirmed by the word of God ancient Fathers so doth it not exclude much lesse ouerthrow repentance or any other good worke but sheweth the true and right vse of them Saint Paul saith Wee conclude Rom. 5 28 that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law And in the fourth chapter hee reasoneth thus from Abraham the father of the faithfull If Abraham were iustified Rom. 4 2 by workes he hath wherin to reioyce or glory But Abraham hath not wherein to reioyce or glorie before God Ergo AbrahaÌ„ was not iustified by works And after saith To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth Galat. 2 16 the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Wee know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that wee might bee iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe because that by the workes of the lawe no flesh shall bee iustified This doctrine was neither scorned nor denied by the auncient Godly Fathers of some of whome I will set downe a few sayings Origene speaking of the theefe that was hanged with Origen in 3. ad Rom. Christ saith Pro hac sola fide ait ei Iesus Amen dico tibi Hodie mecum eris in paradiso For this his onely faith Iesus said vnto him Verely I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in paradise And of the woman that had the issue of bloud Ex nullo legis opere sed pro sola fide â—â— Ibidem ad eam Remittuntur tibi pecâ—ata For no worke of the law but for faith onely he said vnto her Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Hâ—larie saith Solafides iustificat Onely faith Hilar. in Math. Caâ— 8. Can 21. Ambrosâ—n Rom. 3. doth iustifie Ambrose saith iustificati sunt gratis quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt donâ— Dei They are iustified freely because working nothing nor rendring any recompence they are iustified by faith onely through the gift of â—od The like he writeth in Rom. 4. and 10. and vpon the 1. Cor. 1. Praefat. ad Galat. and vpon chap. 3. Saint Hierome saith Conuerteâ—tem Hier. in Rom. cap. 4. impium per solum fidem iustificat Deus non opera bona quae non habuit God doth by faith only iustifie the wicked man conuerting not by good workes which hee had not Many such other sayings I might alleage out of Hierome Augustinus in Psal 67. but I leaue them Saint Augustine saith Sine bonorum operum meritis per fidem iustificatur impius The wicked man is iustified by faith without the merites of good workes In Psal 88. Againe Quia sola fides in Christum mundat c. Because onely faith in Christe doth make cleane they that doe not beleeue in Christ bee voyd of cleanesse He hath also Eâ—chir ad Laurent cap. 117. often this fine saying Fides impetrat quod lex imperat Faith obtaineth that which the law commaundeth that is to say the law commandeth a righteousnesse of workes faith obtaineth
in the Councell of Constance Tom. 1 Serm. coram Alexan. Papa in die Ascensionis Nicol Clemang de corrupto Ecclesiae statu fol. 5. b. writeth thus Nam quem è Sacerdotum numerâ— mihi dabis non ignarum legis Christi Whom among the multitude of Priests canst thou shew mee which is not ignorant of Christs Law Nicolaus Clemangis a Doctor of Paris who liued in the same time that Gerson did complaineth in like manner of the grosse ignorance of the popish Clergie in these words Non tamen à studiis aut schola sed ab aratro etiam seruilibus artibus ad Parochias regendas caeteraque beneficia passim proficiscebantur qui paulo plus Latinae linguae quam Arabicae intelligerent c. i. Yet they commonly came to rule parishes and other benefices not from schooles and Vniuersities but from the plowe and seruile artes who did little more vnderstand the Latine then the Arabike tongue yea and such as could not read and which is shamefull to bee spoken could scarce discerne A. from B. And againe Nam quotus quisque Ibid. fol. 10. b. hodie est ad pontificale culmen euectus qui sacras vel perfunctoriè literas legerit audierit didicerit imo qui Sacrum codiceÌ„ nisi tegumento tenui vnquam attigerit cum tamen iureiurando illas in sua institutione se nosse confirment iâ— How many are there now aduanced to bee bishops which haue but lightly read the holy Scriptures heard or learned them yea who hath touched the holy Bible except it bee the couering of it Againe Ibid. fol. 13. De literis verò doctrina quid loqui attinet cum omnes ferè presbyteros sine aliquo captu aut rerum aut vocabulorum morosè syllabatimque vix legere videamus i. But what should I speake of learning for that wee see in a manner all Priests can hardly spell and read beeing without vnderstanding of the matter or words I might alleage the like complaints of Erasmus and others but to omit them if wee who with the Councell of Toledo condemne ignorance Dist 38. ex conc Tole Contra Manichaeos Haere 66 Hier. in Esaiam dist 38. si iuxta Prâ—â— 2. 4. as the mother of all errors and say with Epiphanius Nihil peius imperitia multos excaecauit ignorantia i. There is nothing worse than ignorance which hath blinded many and with S. Hierome to be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ and doe with Salomon exhort all men to seeke for knowledge as for siluer and for vnderstanding as for treasures if we I say be blind in what estate are they which hold ignorance the mother ef deuotion as Doctor Cole In the conference at Westminster in the beginning of her Maiesties raigne See the beginning of the Praeface of the new TestameÌ„t set out by them 1582. at Westminster said who to this day haue not published the whole Bible in the English tongue for the instructing and inlightning of Gods people although they writ eighteene yeares past that they had long before that time translated it and yet to this day they haue wanted meanes to publish it They haue had meanes since that time to print publish D. Stapletons great booke de Principiis doctrinalibus and many such others of the like sort but they can or will finde no meanes to publish the blessed Bible and booke of God for it serueth not so well for the defence of their doctrine and doings as the others doe But to conclude this matter I also doe both pray with the Prophet Dauid and say Open our eyes that we may see the wonders of thy law and Psal 119. 2. Timoth. 2. 7. Ephes 1. 18. with Saint Paule The Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things that the eyes of our vnderstanding being lightened wee may know what the hope is of Gods calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saints c. and also exhort this man and his fellowes to take heed they bee not of the number of them of whom our Sauiour Christ said If Iohn 9. 41. yee were blind yee should haue no sinne but now yee say we see therefore your sinne remaineth The Pamphlet The copie of a Letter written by a Catholike to a worshipfull Protestant Gentleman his speciall friend concerning certaine reasons why the Protestants Religion is false and absurd LOued and reloued friend I haue receiued your courteous letter wherein you greatly wonder that I wondred so much in our last discourse that any man in England endued with a good iudgemeÌ„t conioined with a religious conscience could either accept or affect the Protestants new coyned gospell You request me to set downe briefly such reasons as induced me therevnto the which suite I could not deny for both religion and affection vrged me to satisfie so iust a desire For I must confesse I loue you as a man and as an honest ciuill Gentleman most gladly I would haue occasion to loue you as a Catholike Gentleman for it is great pitty that such a multitude of detestable errors and heynous heresies should lodge in so rarely qualified a soule I haue penned them after an accustomed manner following the fashion of schooles in most of them after a syllogisticall method to the intent that if you should shew them vnto your Ministers which swarme about you they might not haue such free scope and liberty to range abroad with their idle discourses as they vse to take veiling their confused conceits with a multitude of affected phrases thereby more easily to deceiue the simple loath the learned Wherefore I beseech you if any such itching spirit shall attempt an answer to intreat him to performe it briefly orderly seriously This I request for that I perceiue that Protestants cannot answer with breuity because their religion lacketh both certainty and perspicuitie And extreame hard or impossible it is to reply without prolixitie where there is no truth nor verity And therefore I request you as you loue me to will them to consider well before they answer ill and not to reply with rashnes least they retract with deliberation to their vtter shame confusion And that you may perceiue how my wonder rather deserued approbation then admiration for that order is a fauorit of memory I thought good to reduce all my reasons into two heads wit and will knowledge affection faith and good life because the nature of heresie hath euer been such as did not only inueagle the wit with errors but also seduce the will with occasions of inordinate affections I say then that no excellent good wit linked with a religious conscience can accept nor affect the Protestants new coyned gospell for good wits and iudgments assisted with Gods grace may easily conceiue the truth yea by the force of their very naturall faculties they may iudge credibly of the truth once proposed without great difficulty
in Math cap. 3. can fullfill the law of GOD yea can doe superarrogant workes I should say workes of Supererogation aboue them that the law requireth Ergo the Papists bee proud Hypocrites and Phraisees The Pamphlet The most poynts wherein the Protestants dissent from the Catholikes tend to loosenes of life and carnall liberty 4. Article THis article may bee proued by a generall induction in all such matters as now the Protestants call in question First say that a man hath not free will to doe good but all goodnesse proceedeth so from grace that it lyeth not in his power neither to haue it nor resist it but of necessitie it must haue effect To what other end tendeth this senceles doctrine and fatall fancie but to make men negligent in disposing and preparing their soules to receiue Gods grace and rouse it vp and put it in execution after they haue it making man not much vnlike a sicke asse who neither can dispose nor prepare himselfe to seeke for his medicine but of necessitie must expect till his maister thrusteth it into his throate neither after hee hath drunke it can cause it cure his disease but carelesly letteth it worke as it will Secondly they defend that men be iustified by faith alone the which Solifidian position ouerthroweth flatly true repeâ—tance sorrow for sins mortification of passions al other virtues which tend to perfect reconciliation of the soule with God causing men onely to procure a certaine false fantastical apprehension of Christs death passioÌ„ the which faith although they erroniously auerre cannot be seuered from charity vertues good works yet both experience teacheth that it may for also few or none haue faith because few or none of them haue these works and the Scriptures plainely proue that all faith yea and the most noble faith which hath force to remoue Mountaines may be without charitie Thirdly they assure vs that faith once had can neuer be lost the which vain security openeth the gap to al libertine sensuâ—lity for if a man bee certain that he hath true faith if it bee impossible he should lose it if he be secured that by it alone he shal be saued why may he not wallow in al licentious pleasures in this life neuer doubt of glory in the other could euer Epicurus haue fouÌ„d a better ground to plant his Epicurisme could euer Heliogabalus haue better patronised his seÌ„suality could Bacchus or Venus euer haue forged better reasons to enlarge their dominion Fourthly they say a man cannot keep all the commaundements for what other cause I pray you but thereby to make men negligent in keeping of them to pretend an excuse of impossibilite whensoeuer they transgresse them Fiftly why deny they the Sacrament of penance but to make men careles how they liue and neuer regard the auoiding of sinnes as though they were neuer to render an account of theÌ„ to hinder that shame blushing which men conceiue in discouering their sins the which are most excellent meanes to deter them from sinning another time to shuffle vp restitution satisfaction of iniuries committed against our neighbours to draw men from remorse of conscience by burying their sins in eternal obliuion the sores whereof confession rubbeth causeth remembrance Sixtly why exclude they the true real body of Christ from the blessed Sacrament of the altar but for that they perceiue how by the presence thereof they were deterred from sinne and wickednes for they knew well that sinfull liâ—es consorted not with those sacred misteries and therefore they rather resolued to banish Christ from the Sacrament then sinnes from their soules Finally for what other cause haue they coined a new negatiue religion wholy standing vpon negation of sacraments ceremonies rites lawes customes other principal points of the catholike Church but for fasting to bring in feastâ—g for praying playing for deuotion â—issolutioÌ„ for religious fâ—are of God vain securitie for zeale and mortification a nuâ—ber of vaine verbal sermons and to conclude for a positiue working a flat deniall almost of all points of faith and religion Answere COncerning this article I will first answere these cauils which this cauiller obiecteth to the slaundering of our doctrine as tending to loosenesse of life and carnall libertie Secondly I will shew to what loosenesse and wickednesse of life the doctrine of the Church of Rome tendeth and what fruits or rather weeds of wickednes it hath brought forth euen in Popes their clergie and namely in Rome that holy Citie where that holy Father resideth and wherevpon he especially breatheth and blesseth He beginneth with free will wherein he neither setteth downe truly our doctrine nor the state of the controuersie which is a vsuall custome with his companions to peruert and alter the state of the question as Doctor Whitakers sheweth yâ— Bellarmine vseth to do I wil Epist dedica in contr 1. therefore lay downe our doctrine truly as we teach concerning this matter wee beleeue that although in worldly matters concerning this life man haue wit reason and vnderstanding to know and will for the choise of good and euill iust and vniust yet in spirituall matters pertayning to eternall life and the worship of God wee beleeue that mans reason is so darkened wil be so corrupted that he can neither truly know loue nor couet much lesse do performe those things which bee agreeable to Gods will and acceptable vnto his Maiestie vntill God in his elect and chosen people doe by his holy spirit regenerate them by lightning their blinde reason and forming their wicked wils This we proue by these places of Scripture here following The Lord saw that the wickednes Genes 6. 5. of man was so great vpon the earth al the imaginations of the thoughts of his hart were euil continually And that the Ibid. cap. 8. 21. Math. 16. 17. imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Flesh and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my Father which is in John 1. 5. Verse 1â— Iohn 3. 3. heauen That light shined iâ— the darkenes and the darkenes comprehended it not Which are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh but of God Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh 13 is flesh that which is borne of the spirit is spirit A man can 27 receiue nothing except it be giuen him from heauen No man Chap. 6. 44. 65 can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Therefore I said vnto you that no man can coâ—e vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my Father without mee ye can do nothing The wisdome of the flesh iâ— death The wisedome Cap. 15. 5. Rom. 8. 6. 1. Cer. â— 14 of the flesh is enmitie against God The natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes to him
Rom. 11. 6. were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more Ephes 2. 8. grace or else were worke no more worke By grace â—e are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of 2 Timoth. 1. 9. God not of workes lest any man should glorie Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace c. Not by the Tit. 3. 5. works of righteousnes which vve had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. Although this which I haue said may seeme sufficient to answere this article yet I will say somthing to this syllogisme To the Maior or first proposition I answere that with men wages is giuen for workes but with God vvhose Isai 55. 8. thoughts are not as our thoughts nor waies as our waies it is other waies Man may do labour seruice to man which may merit and deserue by equitie and iustice wages and reward For that there may be a proportion betweene the seruice and reward and also a benefit and commoditie commeth to him to whom the seruice is done As in this example here alledged the Lord Deputie or some other may doe some such singular seruice in Ireland that if her Maiestie should bestow vpon him 1000. pound a yeere he might in some proportion deserue it and her Maiestie may receiue double benefit by it But can wee doe any workes that can either merit and deserue the kingdome of God or bring any benefit vnto God Dauid saith My Psal 16. 2 Rom. 8. 18. weldoing extendeth not to thee And as S. Paul saith that all the afflictions of this present life are not worthie of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs so may I say that all our imperfect and stained workes are not worthie of the kingdome of God which wee haue not deserued but Iesus Christ by his death and passion hath purchased for vs. Can a bond-seruant by any seruices looke to deserue an earthly kingdome and can we which are bond-seruants to God in respect both of creation and of redemption looke to deserue the kingdome of God Christ our Sauiour saith Doth he thanke that seruant because hee did that which Luk. 17. 9. was commanded vnto him I trow not So likewise ye when ye haue done all things which are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done that which was our dutie to doe If he that hath done all things which were commanded must confesse himselfe to be an vnprofitable seruant how much more must wee confesse our selues to be vnprofitable seruants who haue both omitted many things commanded and committed many great and grieuous sinnes prohibited So saith Hierome Sâ—inutilis est qui fecit omnia quid de illo dicendum Hieron ad Câ—esiphont aduers Pelagian est qui explere non potuit i. If hee be vnprofitable that hath done all vvhat is to be said of him that could not fulfill all Therefore wee are not to trust in our owne merits but in Gods mercie which importeth our miserie and not worthinesse But for the proofe of your Minor you alledge the saying of our Sauiour Christ Call the labourers and giue them Math. 20. 8. their wages I grant that God doth giue to them that labour in his vineyard a reward which is called wages because it followeth pietie and good workes as outward wages followeth labour But that this heauenly wages is not deserued by our workes as that other is by our labour it euidently appeareth by that parable where they that had wrought but one houre receiued as much as they did which had borne the burden and heate of the day Which sheweth that this reward came of grace and not of merit and so S. Ambrose doth expound it Non labori Ambros de vocat Gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. praemium soluens sed diuitias boâ—tatis suae in eos quos sine operibus eligit effundens vt etiam 〈◊〉 qui in multo labore sudarunâ— nec amplius quà m nouissimi acceperunt intelligant donum se gratiae non operum accepisse mercedem i. Not paying a reward vnto our labour but powring foorth the riches of his goodnesse vpon them vvhom he hath chosen without works that they also vvhich in great labour haue â—oysed and haue receiued no more then the last may know that they haue receiued a gift of grace and not a vvages of vvorkes To your other places Apocal. 20. 12. and 1. Cor. 3. 8. I say with S. Paul that God will reward euery man according to his workes but not for the merite and desert of their workes To them that continuing in vvell doing seeke Râ—â—t 2. 6. 7. glorie honour and immortalitie hee vvill giue euerlasting life and vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and vvrath tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill But you will say Why is not euerlasting life the wages of good works as euerlasting death is of euill works sins I answere that our euill workes be simply euill and being transgressions of Gods righteous law offend his infinite maiestie prouoke his infinite wrath and deserue infinite paine and punishment But our workes are not simply and perfectly good but be imperfect and are stained with the corruption of our sinfull nature as I haue before declared and therefore cannot satisfie Gods infinite iustice nor pacifie his infinite anger nor deserue his infinite glory but rather require Gods great mercie as hath beene shewed And therefore Saint Paul in the sixt to the Romanes hauing said that the vvages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. doth not say which had beene most meete to haue beene said if this pharisaicall doctrine were true the wages of good workes is eternall life but he saith the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord as also Oecumenius doth well obserue You confidently affirme that the Protestants who are enemies to merits shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of Heauen which is purchased by good workes and merits Where first I would aduise you to take heed that you be not brethren to those olde heretikes called Hieraclitae to whom Saint Augustine doth ascribe this as an heresie that they denied infants to appertaine to the kingdome of Heauen because they had no merits His words be these Hieraclitae ad regnum coelorum non pertinere paruulos dicunt August in catal Hâ—res Heres 47. quia non sunt eis vlla merita certaminis quo vitia superentur i. The Hieraclites say that infants belong not to the kingdome of Heauen because they haue no merits of strife vvhereby to ouercome vices How neere you iumpe with these olde Heretikes as you doe in many matters with many others let the Christian reader indifferently iudge Secondly I say that we are enemies neither to those
12. 2. vp into the third heauen and into paradise and heard words which cannot be spoken did not fulfill the law and fully without transgression keepe Gods commandements who but a blind hipocrite and proud Pharisie will arrogate to himselfe the same Bernard saith well Aut te ergo si audes praefer â— Apostolo nempe ipsius ista vox est aut fatere â—ernard super Caâ—ti serm 58 cum illo te quoque vitiis non carere Either if thou darest preferre thy selfe before the the Apostle whose saying this is or els confesse with him that thou also art not void of vices I will adde hereunto a few testimonies out of the auncient Fathers to prooue that none in this life is assisted so fully with Gods grace that he perfectly fulfilleth the law and keepeth Gods commandements without any transgression Iustinus dialog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 98. or breach of them Iustinus Martyr saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And that none hath exactly done all things you your selues dare not deny but there be which haue kept the things commanded some more and some lesse then others S. Hierome saith Facilia dicis esse Dei Hieron ad Ciesiphontem aâ—uers Pelâ—gianos mandata tameÌ„ nullum proferre potes qui vniuersa complenerit Responde mihi facilia sunt an difficilia Si facilia profer quâ—s ea impleâ—erit Thou saiest Gods commandements be easie and yet thou canst not bring forth any that hath fulfilled all Answere me be they easie or hard If they be easie shew any that hath fulfilled them Againe Haec hominibus sola perfectio si imperfectos se esse nouerint This is the Idem ibid. onely perfection of men to acknowledge themselues to be imperfect Againe Tunc ergo iusti sumus quando nos esse Idem lib. 1. ad uers Pelagianos peccatores fatemur iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex Dei consistit misâ—ricordia Then wee bee iust when wee confesse our selues to be sinners and our iustice consisteth not in our owne merits but in Gods mercy Saint Augustine saith Ipsa iustitia nostra tanta est in hac vita August de ciuiâ— dei lib. 19 c. 27 vt potius peccatorum remissione constet quam perfectione virtutum Our iustice is so great in this life that it consisteth rather in the remission of our sinnes then in the perfection of vour vertues And againe Omnia mardata Lib 1. Retract cap. 19. facta deputantur quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur All the commandements are then reputed to bee done when whatsoeuer is not done is pardoned Againe Gratia Dei Ad Bonis lib. 3 cap. 7. tribuit in hac vita studium praecepta seruandi eadem si quid etiam in illis prâ—ceptis minus seruatur ignosâ—it The grace of God doth giue in this life a desire to keepe his commandements and the same grace if any thing in them be not obserued forgiueth it The like I might alleage out of many other places of his workes As De natura gratia cap. 36. Contra Iulianum lib. 4. cap. 3. De liberâ— Arbitrâ—o cap. 16. and such others but for shortnes sake I omit them Chrysostome saith Neque enim alios liâ—et in lege Chrysost ad Rom. Ham 17 iâ—st ficarâ— nâ—si eum qui curcta adâ—mpleuerit Id verò â—emini dum possibâ—le factum est None can be iustified by the law but hee that hath fulfilled all And that hath beene as yet Bernard super Caâ—tica sâ—r 50 possible to no man Bernard saith Quomodo ergo iubenda fuit quae implenda nullo modo erat c. How was the law to bee commanded which can by no meanes bee fulfilled De affâ—ctuali or if thou rather thinke that the commandement was giuen for the ruling of our affections I will not herevpon striue so that thou also doe yeelde vnto me that in this life it neither can or euer could bee fulfilled of any man For who dare arrogate that to himselfe which Paul himselfe confesseth that he had not comprehended Neither was the commander ignorant that the weight of the commandement exceeded mans strength but hee iudged it to be profitable that thereby they might be put in mind of their owne insufficiencie and so might know that they ought according to their power labour to the end of righteousnes Therefore by commanding things impossible hee made men not transgressors but humble that euery mouth might be stopped and all the world made subiect vnto God because that by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified before him for wee receiuing the commandement and feeling our owne want will crie vnto heauen and God will haue mercy vpon vs. Againe Quantumlibet in hoc corpore manens profeceris erras vitia siputas Idâ—m ibidom serm 58. emortua non magis suppressa velis nolis intra fines tuos habitat Iebusaeus subiâ—gari potest sed non exterminari sciâ— inq it quod non habitat in me bonum How much soeuer thou doest profit whilest thou abidest in this bodie thou art deceiued if thou thinke vices to bee dead in thee and not rather suppressed whether thou wilt or no the Iebusite will dwell within thy coasts he may be subdued but not vtterly banished I know saith Paul that no goodnesse dwelleth iâ— me This was Bernards iudgement concerning our keeping of Gods commandements and fulfilling of the law Ferus also a late Frier but yet a man of better iudgement in many matters then many others were or be hereof writeth thus Per Christuâ— implenda erat omnis iustitia per quem solum lex poterat impleri nam maledicta erat natura humana legemque implere non potuit iuxta illud In cap. 19. Matth neque nos neque patres oâ—us hoc portare potuimus All righteousnes was to be fulfilled by Christ by whom onely the law could be fullfilled For mans nature was accursed and could not fulfill the law according to that saying neither we nor our Fathers were able to beare this burden Againe the same Ferus saith Si nemo potest gloriari sâ—á pecca o immunem nec quisquam gloriari potest se legem seruassâ— cum peccatum nihil aliud sit quà m transgressio legis If no man can glory that he is free from sinne neither can any man glory that hee hath fulfilled the law seeing that sinne is nothing else but the transgression of the law Hence-from it followeth that zealous Protestants want neither a liuely faith in Gods mercies nor true obedience to Gods commaundements although they vnfainedly confesse their manifold imperfections and sinnes by which they be farre from perfectly fulfilling the law of God and now pro coronide I will requite you with another Syllogisme They that thinke they can fulfill the law of God be proud Hypocrits and Pharisees but the Papists thinke that they Ferus