to laie open and amplifie our owne corrupt nature and to confesse the power and force of original sinne in vs are these Partly our owne woful experience whereby if we haue any true feeling of our fraile estate or knowe any thing of our vnwillingnes to that which is good and our ready inclination to that which is euil we must needes confesse that the lawe of our flesh Rom. 7.23 is alwaies rebellious to the law of the spirit which is in vs And that the wisedome of the flesh is such a froward enemy to God Rom. 8.7 as is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can bee Partlie also the manifold and manifest testimonies out of Gods word which doe plainlie proue that this originall sinne hath so corrupted our whole nature that it can bring forth nothing that is good or godly Gen. 6.5 Such is that All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are only euill alwaies And that also Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Whereby we must needes confesse and acknowledge it to be true that we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3.5 in those thinges that belong vnto true godlines And why Because that by one man sinne entred into the world Rom. 5.12.18 and by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation In this respect the Apostle calleth such as are not regenerate Enemies to God the children of wrath by nature vessels of dishonour and by such like names whereby hee sheweth plainely what we should iudge or how we should esteeme of the strength and force of originall sinne in them that are not regenerate Namely that no good at all can come from them in thought word or deed Which doctrine the Church of Rome will in no wise heare of But of that I must speake in another place But euen we that haue receiued the first fruites of the spirite and whom God hath deliuered from the condemnation of that common corruption we I saie do finde that if sinne raigne not ouer vs yet it dwelleth in vs. Whereby wee are many times forced Rom. 7 1â— To doe that euill thing that wee woulde not and to leaue vndoone That good that wee woulde doe Wee feele that there is 2â— A lawe in our members rebelling against the Lawe of our minde and leading vs captiue to the Lawe of sinne which is in our members Insomuch as wee are forced not onely to crie out with the Prophet Dauid Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faultes Cleanse mee from secret faultes but also continually to pray as Christ willeth vs Forgiue vs our trespasses Heb. 12.1 For sinne hangeth so fast on vs that euen When wee woulde doe good Rom. 7 2â— then euil is present with vs. And therefore well may our spirite striue that the flesh preuaile not and the new man waxe euery day stronger against the olde man yet so long as wee carry about with vs this body subiect to corruption Sathan will not leaue buffeting vs sinne will not cease to assault vs. But as a froward and cruell enemy euen then when it is almost quite subdued and at the last cast yet will it stirre euen then I say will it striue to hurt vs. And this our deadly enemy was bred and borne with vs wee carry him alwayes about vs. So long as wee liue wee cannot shake him off Which made the Apostle saint Paul so wearie of this wicked world that hee desired to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ Philip. 1.23 And no maruell For what can a spirituall minded man see heere that may make him desire to liue in this flesh In his minde there is such ignorance of heauenly things as that although he be continually taught yet hee needeth continually to pray O teach mee thy Statutes Psal 119.12 and to aske that the eyes of his vnderstanding may be lightened by the spirit of wisedome and reuelation Ep. 1.17 18 Philip. 1.9 by the knowledge of Christ more and more in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding For the perfection of knowledge that heere wee can attaine vnto Coloss 1.9 is euery day to learne and when wee know most concerning heauenly things yet our knowledge is vnperfect Yea that which wee knowe not is much more than that wee doe knowe Then if hee consider of his owne heart he shall finde the affections thereof so rebellious against the spirite so running headlong vnto worldly and wicked lustes that it will force him for to pray Psal 86.11 Knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy Name Psal 5.8 Leade mee in the waie of thy righteousnesse make thy way plaine before my face Yea hee will bee driuen to confesse that no man can come vnto Christ to serue him Ioh. 6.44 Vnlesse the Father drawe him So that euen in respect of those excellent thinges that man doeth seeme to haue he may truly say Rom. 7.18 I knowe that in mee that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing For his minde is darkned that it can not knowe his heart is clogged that it will not obey sincerely and readily as it ought Gods holie will Thus then it appeareth not onely that all that are borne of vncleane seede are conceiued and borne in originall sinne Rom. 7.24 Rom. 8.23 but also that the same doth make great trouble euen to the godly yea it maketh them to sigh for their deliuerance from this their body which by reason of sinne is so subiect to death Concupiscence is sâ— n And now for this concupiscence by meanes whereof wee are thus inticed vnto sinne and also hindered from sincere obedience the church of Rome will in no wise yeelde that it shall bee sinne in the regenerate vnlesse it also drawe consent of reason to yeelde vnto it for this they all teach And yet saint Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes often calleth it sin as M. Bellarmine himselfe confesseth De amiss gratiae lib. 5. cap. 10. yea and that in the regenerate But it is so called saith he vnproperly not because it is sinne but because it is the cause of sinne and commeth also of sinne But how doeth hee prooue that out of any thing that saint Paul hath said in those places First because saint Paul saith Let not sinne raigne in this your mortall bodie Rom 6.12 Out of which words Master Bellarmine reasoneth thus The Apostle saieth that this sinne is in the body not in the minde but sinne properly so called can not bee in the body therefore the Apostle calleth not concupiscence sinne because it is so properly I may aunswere with Saint Augustine that the flesh neuer lusteth without the soule De perfect iustitiae and also out of Saint Ambrose vpon this place that the bodie is here taken for the whole man bodie and soule Neither
2. I haue spokē in the answere vnto his secōd argument But heere it appeareth that such heretikes did then trouble the church Last of al not al the vehemēt speeches of the fathers are to be taken or vnderstoode as they sound but they must be warely red and wisely examined by the touchstone of Gods word And then it will appeare that the Fathers either may well bee taken or iustly refused And thus hauing I trust in the iudgement of the indifferent Reader sufficiently confirmed the trueth answered the Scriptures alleadged to the contrary and shewed some causes why the fathers should in this point be read with good aduise and iudgement it now onely remaineth that I lay open the absurditie of that shift wherein they trust much and which indeede is the chiefe strength of their cause For being pressed with the testimonies out of scriptures especially out of saint Paul which plainely testifie that we are iustified by faith Rom. 3.28 without the workes of the law first they deuised this answere that S. Paul speaketh of the ceremoniall laws that we are iustified without them but not without doing the works of the law morall or of the commaundements But this being so vntrue an answere that master Bellarmine himselfe is ashamed of it De iustificat lib. 1. cap. 19. and reasoneth against it Master Bellarmine bringeth another answere namely that the Apostle speaketh of the workes before faith So that he would haue the wordes of the Apostle thus to sound Wee are iustified by faith without the works of the law that were done before we beleeued And for the credit of this interpretation he would faine father it vpon S. Augustine and S. Ierome De gr lib. arb ca. 7. de praedest sinctor cap. 7. In praefat ps 31 Ier. ad Ctesiphontem contra Pelagianos but most vntruely as he that examineth those places shall easily see that S. Augustine and S. Ierome in those places doe not so expound those wordes of saint Paul neither giue vs anie rule so to expound them Neither yet doe Chrysostome Ambrose Theophilact or Primasius vpon those words either in the third to the Romans or second to the Galathians so expound it Rom. 4.4 Or yet S. Ierome vpon the Galathians And in the Epistle that he writeth against the Pelagians to Ctesiphon he denieth that those words may be vnderstood of the law ceremoniall but concerning this exposition which master Bellarmine bringeth there is no word As for the reason that Bellarmine hath out of S. Paul to prooue this his exposition let vs consider of it Vnto him that worketh saith S. Paul the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt Therefore saith M. Bellarmine he speaketh onely of those workes that are done by the power of free will without grace How little S. Paule dreamed of free will hath in the former chapter beene declared And that hee doeth not in these wordes expound what he meant before by the workes of the lawe the text it selfe prooueth For hauing said that Abraham beleeued God and that was counted to him for righteousnes therevpon the Apostle inferreth that if he had beene iustified by workes his iustification had bin of debt not of grace So that he doth not heere expound his former wordes but beginneth in this fourth chapter an other argument by the example of Abraham being already iustified and a holie man to prooue iustification by faith without workes euen by forgiuenesse of sinnes or couering them And as I haue shewed master Bellarmines interpretation to stand vppon no good ground but that the place aledged maketh against himselfe so that which we gather out of S. Paules words to be the most true meaning namely that workes neither before nor after our first iustification as they call it can merit the circumstances of the place do proue the whole course of his doctrine He instructeth the Rom. Galath in this doctrine who were already become christians already were iustified He doth not only shew that the works of the law do not iustifie but telleth vs that the nature of the law is to make vs to know sin Rom. 7.7 Rom. 4.15 to cause wrath euen after we be iustified And S. Paul himselfe teacheth so much in that he counted al that was in him to be but losse yea dung That he might win Christ Philip. 3.8 9 be found in him not hauing his own righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through Christ Marke heere how the Apostle saint Paul in these wordes which were written almost thirty yeeres after his conuersion still relieth vpon the righteousnesse that is by faith and he calleth it Gods righteousnesse and refuseth that which commeth by workes and that he calleth mans righteousnesse Now of this which is said I trust I may thus reason Saint Paul excludeth from iustification not only the works that are done before we beleeue but also the works which we afterwards doe therefore master Bellarmines interpretation is not true If then workes cannot iustifie as hitherto I haue taught wee may say with saint Augustine Wo bee euen to the commendable life of man Confess lib. 9. ca. 13. if thou Lord setting mercie aside examine it For Enarrat psal 109. as he saieth in an other place Whatsoeuer God hath promised hee hath promised to them that are vnworthie that it shuld not be promised as wages for good works but grace according to the name of it should be freely giuen Confess lib. 9. cap. 13. O therefore that all men that with Saint Augustine I may wish that godly wish would know themselues and they that reioyce Ad Ctesiphontem contra Pelagianos would reioyce in the Lord. For this onely perfection is left to men that they knowe themselues to be vnperfect as truly and godlily saint Hierome writeth Of iustification by Faith and what Faith is CHAP. 26 THE PROTESTANTS ANd this Iustification which by our workes we can not deserue yet by faith we do obtaine Not because our faith can of it selfe worke any such effect What faith is But it beeing a liuely and certain perswasion of our heart and conscience that God for Christ Iesus his sake forgiueth vs al our sinnes and in him accounteth vs holie and righteous doeth thus iustifie vs not as that that worketh our iustification but as that which apprehendeth and taketh holde of that righteousnes that Christ hath wrought for vs. And so by faith he being made ours is vnto vs wisdome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption And being thus iustified by faith Rom. 5.1 wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ THE PAPISTS BVT our aduersaries because they like not that Christ shoulde bee the onely salue for our sores neyther will they haue faith to bee the hande that applieth this soueraigne medicine
is there any that doeth restraine this word Bodie vnto that part of man that is a distinct part from the soule amongst all the auncient Writers that I haue seene And then Maister Bellarmines argument hath no force because Saint Paules wordes may haue this sence Let not sinne raigne either in your body or soule and that sinne may be in the soule sinne I say properly so called I trust Master Bellarmine will not deny But the words themselues do most plainely shew that he speaketh in this place of that part of man wherein sinne properly so called may be for he speaketh of that part of man wherin raigning sinne may be otherwise his exhortation were needlesse but raigning sinne is sinne properly so called as all doe confesse therefore sinne properly so called may be in this mortall body whereof heere the Apostle saint Paul speaketh And therefore Master Bellarmine triumpheth too hastily when as he concludeth that Saint Paul plainely signifieth hee calleth concupiscence sinne but not properly but vnproperly But I may more iustly conclude against Master Bellarmine The Apostle speaketh there of sinne properly so called And he speake h of concupiscence therefore concupiscence is sin properly so called The minor is confessed here by master Bellarmine in that he doth alleage it to proue his purpose of concupiscence The maior also is proued out of master Bellarmine For the principall thing that he doth alleadge to teach vs that Concupiscence is no sinne that it is not in that same part wherein sinne can bee but in the flesh onely where can be no sinne But if it bee founde once to bee in that part of man wherein sinne may bee hee will not then denie but is also sinne Therfore thus I reason the apostle speaketh there of that sinne that is in that part of the body De amiss grat l. 5. c. 13 wherein sinne is that is properly so called as before I haue proued therfore he speaketh of sinne properly so called The other place alledged by master Bellarmine to proue that saint Paule calleth not concupiscence sinne in the proper signification Rom. 7.18 is this There dwelleth not in me that is in my flesh anie good Therefore concupiscence is in the flesh How vnnecessarie a consequence this argument hath the verie children may perceiue And also this word flesh euerie one that is acquainted but with the principles of diuinitie knoweth to be spoken of whatsoeuer is not regenerate in man euen the verie mind of man But of this I haue spoken sufficiently in the answer to the former place Master Bellarmine also vseth some other reasons to proue that the apostles calleth concupiscence sinne vnproperly but they are not worth speaking of As this is one Sinne is manie times called vnproperly therefore here it is not called sinne properly A kinde of reasoning which maister Bellarmine immediately afterwardes reproueth in Luther and yet himselfe vseth it Another reason whereby I proue concupiscence to be sinne in the proper signification Rom. 7.23 De Amiss gratiae li. 5. cap. 6. is because It rebelleth against the lawe of the minde For master Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that to be vnderstoode of concupiscence As also by The law of the minde Ibid. cap. 10 he vnderstandeth The rule of a good action which must needes be the law of God Thus therefore I reason whatsoeuer affection or lust rebelleth against the law of the minde is in truth sinne but concupiscence is lust that rebelleth against the law of the minde therefore concupiscence is in truth sinne The maior may be proued out of saint Iohn 1. Iohn 3.4 who defineth sin to be a Breach of law or lawlesnesse But yet master Bellarmine wil not confesse that whatsoeuer rebelleth against the law is sinne properly and namely concupiscence De Amiss grat li. 5. cap 14. because it rebelleth onely as a thing stirring vp and causing to transgresse as I said of the diuell saith he I am glad that concupiscence which the papists will in no wise to be sinne of it selfe hath deserued no better of her owne friends and patrons then to be matched in the same yoke with the diuell who is a lyar and the father thereof Iohn 8.44 But maister Bellarmine cannot shift off this argument vnder this coulour Wee inquire what concupiscence is he telleth vs what it worketh wee would knowe the nature of it he telleth vs the effect of it There are therefore in concupiscence two things to be considered the one is what it bringeth foorth in vs of the which we say with saint Iames Iam. 1.15 When lust hath conceyued it bringeth forth sin The other what it is in it selfe or in it own nature To that we answere out of the apostle in many places that it is sin as before it hath bin shewed yea and in this very respect that it hath in it a repugnancy against the law of the minde and followeth not the direction of the law of God For euen as it is crooked that is not euen to the straite rule so is it sinne that is not agreeable to the most infallible rule of Gods law which I take to be master Bellarmines meaning expounding the nature of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saint Iohn vseth De Amiss grat li. 5. cap. 14 1. 1. Iohn 3.4 he saith It is a departing from the law If then concupiscence be examined euen before it bee consented vnto by Gods Lawe doe wee not finde that it is a motion disagreeing from Gods Lawe No man can denie it For looke vpon the lust that mooueth to vncleannesse to stealth to crueltie although the heart consent not yet in that verie lust is that that disagreeth from Gods Lawe So that this is not true that maister Bellarmine saith that concupiscence rebelleth against the lawe onelie as it stirreth vp or causeth to sinne seeing in it selfe it hath that nature that swarueth from the law S. August also proueth my maior in that definition that he giueth of sinne Cont. Faust li. 22. cap. 27. saying that Sinne is that which is said done or lusted against the eternall law And that that is a definition of sinne properly so called maister Bellarmine cannot denie Nowe for my minor proposition which is this That concupiscence rebelleth against the lawe of the minde maister Bellarmine himselfe confesseth it in plaine wordes De Amiss gratiae lib. 5 cap. 10. 14 but yet so as that he seemeth to mee to counterfeit Iuglers when they would play a tricke of leger-demaine For their greatest skill is Deceptio visus the deceiuing of our sight whereby they seeme to do that they doe not or with a little cleanly conueyance to beguile the simple For although he confesse that these lusts rebell against the lawe De Amiss gratiae li. 5. cap. 10. yet saith he they rebell against the law as it sheweth the ende not as it commaundeth the meanes But who can imagine that euer saint Paule
fight against Tirus Secondly the manner how and with what affection with a cruel and proud minde and not with such compassion and pittie as wee ought to haue in correcting of others Thirdly the ende is to be regarded as whether he did especially respect Gods glorie or rather as indeede he did to subdue them vnto his owne dominion Nowe therefore true it is that God rewardeth not sinne And yet hee manie times rewardeth and commendeth that action which himselfe turneth to his glorie and the executing of his good will which yet in him that doth it in respect of his euil affection and wrong ende that hee looked vnto in doing of it is sinne But the sinne it selfe he is so farre from rewarding that he vtterly condemneth it and him that delighteth therein Arg. 2 Master Bellarmines second argument is that Infidels doe or can doe good workes therefore not all their workes are sinne That they do or can doe good workes marke howe hee proueth If yee salute your brethren only what singular thing doe you Doth not also the Ethnickes likewise Bee yee therefore perfect c. Maath 5.47 Now Maister Bellarmine must reason thus The heathen can salute one another therefore they can doe a good worke As strong a reason as if I should say Matt. 26.49 Iudas saluted his Maister therefore he did a good worke Againe the Gentiles that haue not the lawe Rom. 2.14 doe by nature the things of the lawe Therefore they doe a good worke and so not al they doe is sinne These bald proofes doe shew that master Bellarmine hath but a barren matter in hande For by doing the lawe he meaneth not that which the Apostle calleth fulfilling of the law Rom. 23.8 for the Gentiles not regenerate cannot doe that But that they doe that which the lawe commaundeth after some sort but not in such manner as is commaunded And therefore hee saith they doe the worke of the law But that worke of the law because they doe it not with such a minde and to such an end as they ought therefore it is sinne in them And that the apostle himselfe in that place sheweth For his endeuour is to proue them to be vnexcuseable by reason of their sinne although they had not the law written deliuered to them because they had by nature the substance which he calleth the worke of the law written in their harts yea and framed very often their external actions according to the same and yet performed not that holy obedience that they should Now who wil grant such an argument The Gentiles do the external law therefore there is not sinne in al their actions For to make our actions voide of sinne it is not sufficient that we keepe the external law but they must bee good workes well done Serm. 5. in cap. 2. ad Rom. Neither doth Chrysostome when he saith the Gentiles without the lawe did all the thinges of the lawe meane all the circumstances of the law which maister Bellarmine falslie gathereth but onlie all those thinges that externally the lawe hath commanded as maie appeare by his owne wordes a little before who saith The greeke shall be set before thee appearing to be a doer of those things that are in the law Marke he saith not doing but appearing or seeming to do Because he doth that concerning the law that appeareth to the eie and is externall But with a sanctified affection or to a holy end he that is not sanctified cannot doe it Argument 3 As for the testimonies out of the fathers whereby he doth proue that the Gentiles the vnregenerate may haue excellent vertues out of the fathers it is nothing to this question For when we saie that the Infidels haue not in them any thing that is good our meaning is that there is in them no worke so perfect but that it hath sinne in it And that this is true saint Hierome who seemeth to speake for him most effectually doth manifestly proue In eccl ca. 7. Workes saith he because they are done by the body are neuer without fault Which if it be true in al workes then can it not be but true in the workes of them which themselues are most faulty such as are the Infidels Argum. 4 Lastly from reson master Bellarmine hath in that place two reasons The first is this If works done without faith or Gods speciall helpe be sinne they are sinne either because they are not done to the right end which is Gods glorie or because they proceed from a sinfull man or because those morall workes are not of proportion with the strength of nature or lastly because these workes that are good are too hard both in respect of the rebellion of the flesh and the tyranny of Sathan But in none of these respects they are sinne therefore they are not sinne Which his argument briefly thus I answer That his minor proposition is vtterly false and directly against that which the Apostle saint Paul writeth in the Epistle to the Romanes of the Gentiles shewing how God gaue them vp because when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1.21 Wherein the Apostle sheweth how wickedly the Gentiles abuse that their knowledge whereby they should be moued to glorifie God And in that he denieth that they can be accounted sinfull because they proceede from sinfull man What doth hee else but giue the lie to our Sauiour Christ himselfe who hath plainely saide Matth. 7.19 that an euil tree cannot bring forth good fruit And all the sophistrie that master Bellarmine hath can not salue this sore For it is impossible to gather grapes of thistles for that he speaketh of the proportion betweene the worke and the strength of nature it would be too long heere to examine Lastly whereas hee accounteth the tyranny of Sathan and subiection to their owne lustes not to be sufficient to make their worke sinfull let him see how hee can answer not S. Paul onely who saith that such are seruants to sin but also our sauiour Christ who telleth the Iewes Rom. 6.17 that vnlesse the Sonne made them free they could not be free Then I pray you what good works Ioh. 8.36 wholy void of sin can such worke as serue so bad a M. as is sin His second argument taken from reason is of the absurdity he imagineth to be in our doctrine Himself reasoning most absurdly thus If the Infidels in doing their good workes do sinne it is better for them not to do those workes than to do them but so to say is most absurde That to say it is better not to do those externall good workes than to doe them wee will with master Bellarmine willingly confesse But how doeth hee prooue his maior namely that it is better to leaue them vndone than to doe them Because in doing them saieth he they sinne in not doing them they sinne not De amiss grat li. 1. ca. 2 I
holpen and then we maie conuert our selues to iustifie our selues Andra. Orth. expl li. 4. and haue in our owne libertie some part of our saluation Yea this corrupt estate of man euen before his regeneration Andra. Orth. expli li. 4. they compare to a man who is so hindered by fetters that he cannot goe but coulde goe well enough if hee were not fettered Euen so man hauing these bondes loosed wherein he was tied hath as free a will to doe good as euer had Adam before he fell for as I haue saide it needeth but to be stirred vp holpen Andra. ibid. Yea they are not ashamed to affirme that partly free will and partly grace are the efficient cause of applying the minde to goodnes diuiding and parting that woorke which God only doth challenge to himselfe betweene God and man If then we wil beleeue them mans free will is not lost No he hath by nature strength to doe wel and freedome of will to please God were it not that the corruption of nature were as it were fetters to hinder him in his holy obedieÌ„ce S. Paul belike said not truely when he said we were dead in sin Eph. 2.5 We were but asleepe say they And what neede we be born againe Ioh. 3.3 as Christ teacheth vs we must be It is a needelesse matter say they It will serue the turne if our old euen our owne will bee but stirred vp and holpen So that that renuing whereunto the Apostle so much exhorteth vs is more then needeth Yea our willes being so stirred vp holpen if we giue credite to that they teach Concil Trid. Sess 6. cap. 6 Bellar. de gra li. arbit li. 3 cap. 3. Iohn 6.44 are frankely and freely mooued to good What shoulde wee then care for that drawing without which no man can câ— me to Christ And yet God saith he must take away our 〈◊〉 hearts he must giue vs a hâ—â—â— of flesh a soft heart that may receiue his graces â—â— e a new 〈◊〉 a new spirit for that old will not serue the turne Maister Bellarmines first argument whereby he will pâ—â—â— e that man hath free well is 〈◊〉 in effect We 〈◊〉 not of 〈◊〉 but of well so that we may choose whether we will 〈◊〉 or not therefore we haue free wâ— ll It is falâ—â— that he saith we 〈◊〉 not of necessity but of well For although that were 〈…〉 Adam in respect of his sinne that it was simply voluntary for I speake not of Gods eternall decree yet by reason of that corruption that we hâ—â—â— from him Rom. â— .23 and cleaneth vnto vs Wee are so led captâ—â— e vnto the law of â—â—â—â— e and haue in vs such a fountaine of 〈◊〉 that we may truely say wâ— th the apostle we are carnall and folde vnder sinne And thâ— s necessity of fâ—â—â— ing is in vs by reason of that frowardnes of our will Which although it be so reformed in the regenerate that they haue a will to doe well yet because the old man will dwell with vs euen so long as we carry this mortal body and the new man wâ— ll neuer be wholy put on vntill the old man be put off there will euer be in vs a repâ—â—â— ing against good reaâ—â—â—â— s to euil So that although it be true in some respect that we sinne of will because we are very reader willing thereto yet is our will drawen with the cordes or chaines of iust and concupiscence that it cannot but sinne And therefore Saint Paul doth very aptly call concupiscence A law in the members because of the necessity of obeying it And therefore on the contrary I may tâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Rom. â— 1â— The godly are led captiue vnto the law of 〈◊〉 therfore they câ—â— not chuâ—â— whether they will sinne or 〈◊〉 but because of 〈◊〉 corruption they 〈◊〉 sinne Hâ— s second argument is thâ—â— If there be oâ—â— free will 〈◊〉 made then 〈◊〉 â—â—â— eâ— no point for reward or punishment First for the punishment of the worked we do confesse â— oâ—â— that they haue free will to do euill and also iustly deâ—â—â—â— e the punishment that is lawe vpon theâ— Thus farre then 〈◊〉 agree And also for the other part which conceiâ— eth the godly 〈◊〉 as true that if you take away free will you take away the reward that the worke might merite or deserue But we pleade Gods promise not oâ—â— deseruing his mercy not our 〈◊〉 â— s shal be shewed by Gods grace hereafter For we know that as heere we haue 〈◊〉 good thing in vs but that wee haue receiued it of has 〈◊〉 grant so heereafter wee shall haue no glorie 1 Pet. â—â— but of heâ— onely â—â—â— cy Who hath kept vs by his power vnto saluation through faith And therefore although we â— e â—â—â— full and so can not deserue the reward that wee looke for yet God is faithfull who hâ—â— h proâ—â— sed and therefore it is a rightâ—â—â— s thing with him to giue vs rest with him Thus then may I reason The reward of our good workes is not giuen in any respect of our free will therefore if free will be taken away yet that reward is not taken away His third argument If it were not for fire will Arg 〈◊〉 all should be good or all should be bad yea and that all aâ—â— ke good or euill Which argument is answered by experience it selfe and therefore needeth no long confutation For themselues will confesse that iâ— the Infidels there is not free will but a seruile will And yet amongst there some were better some worse Yea some among them came so neare being good Iob. 3. 3â— that some Papists thought they might be saued And yet free will they could not haue because the Sonne hath not made them free Arg. 4 ca. 17 De corrept grat cap. 2 His fourth argument Take away free will and in vaine are exhortations rebukings praises dispraises commandements councils admonitions c. Which argument S. August answereth for vs They are that men may know what they should do And as he writeth of the Lawe that it is necessary to be giuen although it cannot be kept so wee may answere of these things that master Bellarmine speaketh of De perfect iustit contra Celest His wordes are these Why should not this perfection bee commaunded vnto men although no man in this life attaine vnto it For a man shall neuer runne well that knoweth not which way to runne And how shoulde that bee knowen if by no precepts it should be shewed Thus then I reason Saint Augustine saith that precepts must be giuen although they cannot be kept therefore although man haue not free will to perfourme that is commaunded yet commaundements are necessarie In Cantic serm 50. And Saint Bernard saith God doeth by that meanes humble vs. As for other vses of admonitions I will not now speake of them
affirme that it is a lesse sinne for one that hath made a vow to take to himselfe a harlot then to marrie we heare his impudencie let vs heare what reason hee hath for him If hee commit whoredome sayeth hee hauing vowed chastitie he is at his libertie when he will to reforme his life and to change it into a chast life What man can doe in such case as I haue sayde before But if they bee married can they not also abstaine from the vse of marriage vpon iust causes Hath not the Apostle giuen plaine order what shall bee done in that case Doeth the Apostle giue commaundement yea or counsell eyther 1 Cor. 7.5 that men and women shoulde vowe that they may bee the more free to serue God No but the contrarie rather For although hee Suppose that it is good for the present necessitie that a man should continue a single life 1 Cor. 7.26 whilest afflictions and great daungers did oppresse those first dayes of Christ his church and they had no safetie to themselues so that care for their wiues and children might withdrawe them from their holie obedience and patient profession 1. Cor. 7.2 yet notwithstanding hee woulde to auoyde fornication that euery man shoulde haue his wife and euerie woman her owne husbande marke euerie man euerie woman none excepted And againe But if they cannot abstaine let them marrie for it is better to marrie than to burne Doeth the Apostle open the doore vnto wantonnesse in permitting marriage to all excepting none Yea and that men should not be too rash in making their vowes in this case hee willeth that such as are married defraude not one another no not to giue themselues to fasting and prayer but onely for a time and so to come together againe least Sathan shoulde tempt them for their incontinencie And for single life it is commended by the Apostle no further then whilest a man standeth firme in his owne heart that he hath no neede but hath power ouer his owne will And it is worth the marking howe Smith here and also all the Papists almost in this poynt doe so directly oppose themselues vnto the Apostles doctrine as if they had sworne to giue him the lye in his throte For whereas hee sayeth of all of all I say and not of laie men onely It is better to marrie than to burne this doting doctour Smith sayth and so do his fellowes it is better for a priest not to burne onely but euen to commit whoredome than to marrie It is better to haue a hundred harlots sayeth another than only one lawfull wife Lawfull I say because that howsoeuer some filthy men condemne in some that holy institution yet Gods word doth not only suffer and also commend it but euen command it to all that cannot liue without it but that they must burne in lust And Ciprian doth plainelie permit it vnto them whom we call Nunnes saying that If they will not Epist li. 1. ep 11. or cannot continue in virginity it is better that they should marry than that by their wantonnes they should fall into the fire Which wordes because they are very flatte against the popish doctrine of vowes the papists doe striue to finde some plaister for that wound de Monach. li. 2. cap. 34. And amongst others Bellarmine liking nothing of that which Hosius and others haue saide before him of this place of Ciprian imagineth that he hath hit the naile vpon the head His answer is that yet whilst they are free and haue made no vow if they see they cannot continue Ciprian faith it is best for them to marry But that master Bellarmine hath as far missed the cushion as others before him haue done and that his answere is most vntrue I proue first by the question which was moued vnto Ciprian For Pomponius to whom he writeth did aske of Ciprian what hee should thinke of some women who had professed virginity and yet were founde in bed with men So that if he answere directly to Pomponius his question he sheweth what should be done with such as had already vowed and not of such as were to make the vow Secondly in the very words next before it doth most plainelie appeare that he maketh two sorts of such as haue made the vow the one sort he would haue to continue namely such as through faith haue yeelded themselues to Christ the other of them that will not or cannot Thirdly that which followeth that to excuse themselues they would offer to bee tried by women whether they were virgins for vnto that their excuse Ciprian maketh answere is so strong an argument as master Bellarmine and all his friends will neuer be able to answere to proue that those words of Ciprians are not ment neither can be vnderstood of such as stood in doubt whether they would vow or not as master Bellarmine affirmeth but of such as after their vow neither would nor could perseuere in their purpose For if that only had beene their doubt whether they could continue virgins that matter the women could not iudge of If whether they were virgins it is directly against master Bellarmines answere to this place It is not therefore to giue occasion of wantonnes to teach mariage to be lawfull for all men as without shame they affirme as by the holie Apostle and that learned father appeareth but they that condemne it doe let loose the raines vnto all vncleanenes as saith Saint Bernard Super cant serm 66. and they that forbid mariage vnto some sorts doe sow the bad seed of vngodly life and wanton lusts the fruit whereof hath defiled the whole worlde But what Is it forbidden by God himselfe They know not well how to answere to this question For the Master of Sentences for ought that I see hath said nothing of that matter And he is their very oracle who if he hold his peace they know not what to thinke of the matter But Iohn Maior Clichtouaeus and some others doe affirme that this single life is commanded by God himselfe But Thomas whom for the most part master Bellarmine is deuoted vnto and sundry others doe plainlie saie that God hath giuen no law concerning single life De clericiâ— li. 1. cap. 28. And that master Bellarmine doth not only allow but proueth it so to be with whom we are also willing to ioine For it is most true that there is not one such commandement in all the scripture neither yet is it necessarie that priestes should liue a single life or vnmaried both which things master Bellarmine hath in that place If God then haue not commanded it neither the thing is necessary let master Bellarmine bring what els he can to proue it he shall not much trouble vs about his vnnecessary precepts But the Apostle saith he hath commanded it A bishop must be continent De cler li. 1. cap. 19. Tit. 1.8 Although continent and chaste is in truth all one
thing yet master Bellarmine wil not thinke it sufficient that a bishop should be chaste because he knoweth that Saint Augustine and other of the fathers affirme that there is chastity in mariage but he will doubtles spie some greater vertue in continency then in chastity and therefore he will haue a bishop not chast only but also continent But if we must seeke for a difference betweene these two wordes I take this to be it that continencie is of shorter continuance that is to say but an abstinence for a time and chastitie is a vertue that indureth And the examples brought by master Bellarmine himselfe approue this difference But Chrisostome and Theophilact doe take continencie to be an abstinence not from lusts only but from al vice so that as Theophilact saith he must rule his tongue his handes and his eies Hierom vpon these wordes saith plainelie that the Apostle neuer speaketh of continencie or incontinencie but in respect of wanton lustes but yet he taketh continencie to be such a vertue as may be in maried folke And therefore the Apostle saith he hauing spoken of a bishop that hee may haue one wife least he should seeme to permit incontinencie to them addeth this and with Hierom agreeth Primasius So that they make continent and chaste all one 1. Cor. 7.3.4.5 For although married folke must performe the duties of mariage one to another yet so as they passe not the boundes of chastitie or continencie This reason then is not good Priests must by Saint Paules rule bee continent therefore they must haue no wiues But on the contrarie Saint Paul in that verie place where he requireth in a bishop continencie doth permit at the least that he shoulde be the husband of one wife therefore in mariage there may be continencie Tit. 1.6 As for that which hee alleadgeth out of Councels popes fathers and reason because they proue not that which hee hath vndertaken to proue Chap. 19. it is not worth an answere For the title of that Chapter is That single life by the Apostolicke law is verie well tyed to the holie orders And when hee hath snatched at one poore worde and findeth no greate helpe in it hee seeketh to prooue by Councels popes fathers and reason that single life hath beene commended of some commaunded of others But that the Apostles commaunded it hee prooueth not and that hee tooke in hande But on the contrarie the Canons that are called the Apostles haue this Canon Can. 6 Let not a bishop or Priest put awaie his wife vnder pretence of religion If hee doe it let him bee excommunicated if hee stande in it let him bee reiected But what saith master Bellarmine to this He answereth out of one Humbert a Cardinall that to put away his wife de cler li. ◠cap. 2◠is to haue no care of his wife But if we marke the fiftieth Canon of the Apostles wherein there is a prouiso that none shoulde abstaine from mariage because hee thinketh it to bee euill it will easilie appeare that the sixt Canon was made to ouerthwart the foolish opinion of them that condemned mariage as a thing more vncleane then that it should be fit for priestes or bishops And thus much to proue that mariage of priestes is not euill of it selfe or vnlawfull in respect of any commandement in Gods word Now that it is also lawfull I am perswaded by these reasons First because of the vncertainety of the contrarie doctrine for some say that sole life is commanded by God others denie it as you haue heard Againe there are and those papists too that say the lawe of abstaining from mariage Fab. Tract 4. in Luth. de mat clear for the clergie was first made by pope Siricius who liued almost four hundred yeares after Christ although Iohn Faber report that Calixtus forbad it somewhat before But Bellarmine and others thinke in no wise that it may be suffered that this their doctrine shoulde bee thought so farre shorte of the times of Christ and his Apostles Some holde it a necessarie lawe Bellarm. li. 1. de clericis cap. 18. others but conuenient And such diuersitie of doctrine in these and such like pointes is if not an inuincible yet a verie probable proofe that their doctrine hath no sure grounde in Gods word no great consent of antiquitie and that is the cause that there is no certaine doctrine of it amongest themselues and such is their agreement also concerning that other point whether matrimony be a sacrament or not Secondly the weakenes of their proofe doth euen proclaime vnto the world the weakenes of their cause For the most and best learned of them doe confesse that God hath not commanded it And the proofes that they bring out of the Apostle for it as it seemeth haue so little waight in them that Bellarmine is ashamed to alleadge them As for that small holde that he could get out of the Apostles words Tit. 1.8 That a bishop should be continent how little it can helpe his cause you haue heard before Seeing therfore that either they bring nothing worth hearing out of Gods word or apply vnto the clergy only that which the Apostle speaketh to all men and weomen indifferently such is all that they alleadge out of the 7. Chapter of S. Paules first epistle to the Corinthes we are the lesse bound to beleeue whatsoeuer they out of the fathers shall teach vs concerning this matter Who themselues doe charge vs to examine by the scriptures their writings and not to beleeue any thing that they shall teach vnlesse they teach such things as are agreeable vnto Gods word Yea since their arguments are so weake that euen Panormitane and other papists whom Iohn Faber in some respects spareth to name because they saw no necessary consequence in them although they liued in daies of greater darckenes than wee do God be praised for our light indeuoured to obtain that mariage might be lawful for the clergy as Faber reporteth yea and pope Pius the second Cont. Luth. Tract 4. was so little moued by those arguments that he had wont to say that there was great cause that priests should be forbiddē to marry Pla◠in the life of Pius 2. but greater that mariage should be permitted vnto them and the Ambassadours of catholicke princes were earnest suiters in the names of their princes to the councell of Trent that mariage might be free for the clergy Since these arguments I say were not able to persuade these men so deuoted to their doctrines as it is knowen they were how much more may we reiect this their lawe as hurtfull to Gods church and iniurious to our wise Law-maker and suspect it not to rest vpon good ground Thirdly the most blasphemous commendation that they giue vnto this estate of life and the efficacie and vertue that impudently and vntruely they do ascribe vnto the same maketh me thinke it is but a bird of their
Gods spirit to deliuer to vs such trifling toyes thereby to comfort the afflicted conscience And thus I trust it appeareth that this their sacrament of anoyling is but a deuise of their owne braine hauing neither institution from Christ neither any commaundement from his apostles or example in the scriptures especiallie as it is now vsed in the church of Rome either for the matter whereof it must consist or the manner how it must bee done or the end vnto which they especially haue regard in that ceremony I had thought here to haue ended both this treatise of the sacraments and this chapter but before I go anie farther I would haue the christian reader to marke the euill dealing of the popish church who with their tongues and pennes proclaime as lowd as they can that our doctrine is not catholicke it is new is lately deuised And yet we appeale to the scriptures haue testimony for vs also the cōsent of the fathers of the purer times And on the cōtrary the church of Rome crieth stil they are the catholick church they haue the catholicke religion yea all that is with them is catholicke But if by the rules of catholicke which Vincentius Lyrinensis giueth Commonitorio adversus haereses with whose authority they seek often to stoppe our mouthes we examine their doctrines we shall finde them as farre from the catholicke religion as the priests and rulers amongst the Iews were from the truth For whereas he accounteth no doctrine catholicke but that which hath beene taught at all times in all places and by all men or at the least by the most and the best learned and godliest men wee might by this rule reiect manie of their doctrines which they deliuer to vs as catholicke and necessarie so that without beleeuing them there is no saluation For shortnesse sake let vs looke into this that last I handled They will haue it a catholicke doctrine to teach that anoyling is a true and proper Sacrament yea and the councell of Trent curseth them that saie the contrarie And yet maister Bellarmine who saith as much in effect as they all can saie in this point how catholickely doth hee proue it He with much adoe wresteth for it one place out of Saint Iames and hath not one mo in all the Scripture for him Then leapeth hee more then foure hundreth yeares after Christ and picketh out one pope Innocent who saith it is a kinde of Sacrament If he had proued it to be a Sacrament properly so called yet had he beene but one witnesse in foure hundred yeares Then about 1200. years after Christ he hath gotten another witnes and he is a pope also Innocent the third Then he telleth vs of the 69. canon of the councell of Nice which had in al but twenty canons Al aboue twenty were fetched out of Arabia but are neither mētioned in the Nicene councel set forth by thēselues Li. 1. cap. 6. neither yet of Ruffinus in his ecclesiastical history where he setteth downe the canōs of that councel who although he make 22. in nūber Yet is the matter no other than is set downe in the 1. booke of the coūcels in those 20. chapters Besides there are many other strong reasons pregnant presumptions to proue those 50. canons for they haue 70. to be falsly added to the councel therfore they deserue no credit He also alledgeth some particular councels which he commendeth for their antiquitie and yet the ancientest of them is about 800. yeares after Christ And about that time also are the most ancient fathers that seeme to say any thing for him Then if thou knowest the sunne to shine at noone day thou maist also know that this is not a catholicke doctrine neither can be so accompted It hath not beene taught at all times not in al places not by al or the most of the learned No it hath had scarce one sufficient witnes in 1200. yeares But for the substance of religion which we teach if we haue not a vniuersal consent of the scriptures and also the testimony of the fathers of the church in her most pure times we craue no credit we aske no hearing Therefore that which wee teach is the only catholicke faith because it hath the vniuersall consent of the purer times that which for the most part they teach is but new not warranted by the word not known or not taught amongst the godly fathers at the least for 400. or 500. yeares Which I thought good vpon this occasion thus offered to note vnto the christian reader that I might pull away from the faces of those counterfeites the visard of catholicke vniuersality antiquity and consent that their religion may appeare indeede as it is new not old particular not catholicke false not true because it is the deuise of man whose wisedom is folly whose words are lies and not the wil of God which is the infallible rule and of whose word not one title shall perish And thus I trust it appeareth that they who brag most of the name of catholicke church are the greatest enemies to true catholicke religion teaching that which is nothing lesse then catholicke Of originall sinne what it is And whether Concupiscence be sinne or not CHAP. 21 THE PROTESTANTS THat all mankind which is conceiued of vnclean seede is also infected with original sinne no man denieth but the question is what this original sinne is which we confes to bee in vs. Originall sinne We therefore say It is a generall corruption of our whole nature which corruption as an inheritance we receiue from Adam In our minde is ignorance where was light knowledge In our heart is vnaptnesse and vnreadinesse to any thing that is good in steade of an earnest forwardnes to serue God sincerely whereby it commeth to passe that by concupiscence and lust wee are inticed to sinne Which concupiscence because the Apostle to the Romanes doeth often call ◠in we also say it is sinne not only because it proceedeth from sin and also proceedeth from it but also because it is a thing in it selfe contrary to Gods Lawe THE PAPISTS BVT the Papistes although they can not deny but that wee all haue originall sinne yet woulde they haue the force therof as litle knowen as may bee And therefore some of them haue taught that it is nothing else but the imputation of Adams sinne vnto vs and not any corruption in our selues as Ambrose Catharinus Andrad Orthod expli l◠b. 3. de axiom 3. Cens Colon. dialog 2. Pighius two notable papists And others find fault that we do so amplify the corruption of the nature of man by original sin as though nothing that is good could come from it As for cōcupiscence they wil not grant that it is sin in the regenerat And yet the Apostle S. Paul being a man regenerate confesseth it to be sin in himselfe very often as may appeare Rom. 7. The reasons which moue vs thus
speaking of this point of Diuinitie which is most necessarie to bee vnderstoode of euerie one euen from the highest to the lowest would speake or write so subtilly or obscurely And who tolde him these lusts striue not against the lawe as it commaundeth the meanes that is to say as it commaundeth to resist and not to yeeld to them Doubtlesse that lust which rebelleth against this commaundement Thou shalt not lust will neuer yeeld when it is resisted for euerie thing naturally seeketh the preseruation of it selfe But the resisting of lust is the destruction of it therefore it will not yeeld to it And as reason teacheth this so saint Paule by experience found it to be true when hee saide Sinne tooke occasion by the commaundement Rom. 7.23 and wrought in mee all maner of concupiscence So that this concupiscence is by resisting made more stubburne and is so farre from yeelding that it fighteth more fiercely against the lawe And hereof is that combat and battell which the godly haue betweene the flesh and the spirite The wicked are not acquainted with it because they willingly yeelde to their lusts But the godly because they resist the same Doe see another lawe in their members rebelling against the lawe of their minde Rom. 7.23 Thus we see that this distinction whereby master Bellarmine striueth against trueth is neither according to the meaning of the Apostle nor hath any colour of trueth But here by the way I must note how grossely and how absurdly maister Bellarmine in the place next before alledged affirmeth that he is not a sinner that attaineth not to the ende of the commaundement His reason is because it lieth not in his power no more thā he is too blame that being commaunded to subdue the enemies can not do it But master Bellarmine should consider where is the cause of this want in vs and through whose fault it is that wee can not obey this commaundement thou shalt not lust If it bee in man as in trueth it is because hee fell from that estate of innocencie wherein hee was created then is there no reason but that sinne should bee imputed vnto vs for not performing that commaundement thou shalt not lust And by this also it appeareth that master Bellarmine his similitude is nothing like because that the subduing of the enemie was not in their power But not to lust wickedly was in mans power once which because through his owne fault hee lost the not fulfilling of that commaundement may iustly bee layde to his charge for sinne Thirdly I thus proue concupiscence to be sinne Not to loue the Lorde our God with all our heart Luke 10.27 with all our soule with all our strength and with all our thought is sinne But to lust is to faile in this loue August de perfect iustitiae cont celest For if the heart consent not yet at the least the thought by this concupiscence is hindered from this perfection of loue therefore concupiscence is sinne Againe De August gratiae li. 4. Cap. 2. Li. 2. Dist 3◠Originall sinne is sinne properly so called as maister Bellarmine confesseth But Concupiscence is originall sinne as the maister of Sentences affirmeth therefore concupiscence is sinne properly so called Againe whatsoeuer maketh vs hated of God is sinne Andrad Orthod Explic. lib. 3. But concupiscence maketh vs hated of God Bellar. de Amiss gratiae lib. 5. cap. 13 therefore concupiscence is sinne And thus much briefly to proue concupiscence not onely to be called but indeed to be sinne But what need I stand so much herevpon If the church of Rome ment that the light of the truth should shine vnto men she would neuer cast these mists before their eyes thus to contend about tearmes and wordes For themselues doe ascribe vnto concupiscence both the nature and the effects of sinne when they say it De Amiss gratiae li. 5. cap. 13 ◠is vice it is truly euill b Can 14. it is vnlawful condemned and hated of God that Andrad saith sin only can worke For all this M. Bellarmine affirmeth of concupiscence c Cap. 13. Orthod explic li. 3. and many such like things which whether they may be affirmed of any thing but sinne let maister Bellarmine and his fauourites well consider But I for my part doe thinke I may truely conclude and boldly affirme seeing the Apostle so often calleth it sinne without any expounding of himselfe to speake vnproperty seeing it rebelleth agaynst the lawe of the minde and maketh such a want in the loue of God that in this and such like respects concupiscence is sinne properly so called whatsoeuer the Councell of Trent decree to the contrarie Sess 5. can 5 Of the works of Infidels or such as are not regenerate CHAP. 22. THE PROTESTANTS WE thē being thus infected with the filth of original sin and by our concupiscence which can not whilest here we liue be rooted out of vs being intised to sin and hindred in al good what can come from them Ephe. 4.18 that haue their cogitations darkned throgh the ignorance that is in thē but that they walke after the lusts of the flesh Ephe. 2.1.3 in fulfilling the will of the flesh And so are in deed no better than dead in sinnes and trespasses 5 by their owne nature the children of wrath 4 So that from such no good can proceede in thought word or deed and in such no good can be vntil God of his abundant mercie 1. Pet. 1.3 haue begotten them again vnto a liuelie hope of immortall seede ◠23 by the worde of God hauing by his holy spirite renued the light of their mind and reformed the frowardnesse of their heart Vntill then I say what excellent vertues so euer they seeme to haue yet is there nothing in thē acceptable to God bicause they haue not that fountaine of regeneration frō whence onely can spring that which god accepteth for good Neither haue they faith without which nothing can please God Heb. 11.6 THE PAPISTS BVt the papists Andrad orthod explic li. 3. as they wil in no wise that concupiscence is of it selfe sinne no not in the vnregenerate but only in respect that it is destitute of originall righteousnesse so doe they seeke by all meanes to cloake and couer the corruption and sinfulnesse of our wretched nature Hereof commeth it that they shame not to teach that the workes of infidels and godlesse persons Andrad ibidem such as wee account Turkes or Iewes maie bee without spot of sinne and woorthie of notable prayse As though a filthie spring coulde sende foorth pleasant waters Iam. 3.11 Math. 7.18 or an euill tree could beare good fruit Iohn 15.4 or a branch that is not of the vine tree coulde haue a kindlie grape All which the scriptures denie Doe men gather grapes of thornes Mat. 7.16 or figs of thistles Luke 6.45 No doubtlesse For An euill man
indeed sin remaineth in them that are baptized Contrary to our owne experience whereby we finde that we haue need continually to say Forgiue vs our trespasses contrary to the manifest wordes of Saint Iohn who telleth vs 1. Ioh. 1.8 If we say we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and trueth is not in vs. And contrary to the confessions of Dauid Daniel Psal 32.1.2 Psa 130.3 psa 143.2 Dan. 9. and all the godly who acknowledge their owne miserie by reason of sinne and rest onely vpon Gods mercie Although I haue spoken before of Baptisme Chap. 11. yet must I here as occasion is offered teach that after baptisme sinne is not altogether killed no not in the faithfull So that as before in the last chapters I haue shewed the corruption of our nature to be such as that in our selues we finde nothing but occasion of death So nowe we may see what remedie God of his mercie hath prouided for the same namely that seeing we haue in this life continually the law of the flesh rebelling against the lawe of the spirit and leading vs captiues to the lawe of sinne Rom. 7.23 which is in our members we should haue our especiall comfort in that blessednes which the apostle saint Paul saieth is described by the prophet Dauid Rom. 4.6 euen the imputation of righteousnesse Psal 32.1.2 Because the prophet saieth Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne So that the imputation of righteousnesse which our aduersaries cannot well like of is taught vs by Paul and confirmed by Dauid Which imputation of righteousnesse wee stand in neede of because that euen the godly whilest here they liue do finde themselues to be farre from that perfection which they should haue and would wish For as saith saint Bernard although their be no doubt In trans 5. Malac. ser but that sin is crucified with Christ yet was it suffered though not to raigne yet to dwell in the apostle himselfe whilest he liued And therefore the same saint Bernard in another place truly saieth O only happie man in deed is he to whom the Lord imputeth not sin For in whom there is no sin Super cant serm 23. Rom. 3.23 there is none For all haue sinned and stand in need of the glorie of God And by and by after he saieth Not to sinne is only Gods righteousnesse but mans rightiousnesse is Gods mercie And in this respect he reckoneth Malachy in the sermon before alledged a happie man because by death he was freed from this peril of sinning Gen. 39.12 2 kin 2 13. Alluding to the cloke of Helia◠Putiphars wife Helias saith he hath left his cloke he needeth not to feare He cannot now be touched much lesse holden of the adultres meaning of fleshly or sinfull lusts S. Aug. also vpon the 32. Psal seemeth to be of that mind So that we must needs acknowledge the complaint which the apostle hath made to be iust and true Rom. 11 1◠that God hath shut vp al in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercie on all And therfore although in baptisme the forgiuenesse of sinne is sealed vp vnto vs yet that bitter roote is not vtterly pulled out but still euen the godlie sigh and grone because they sinne and transgresse Arg. 1 Bellar. de sacram bapt li. 1. cap. 13. But let vs see howe they proue that after baptisme there remaineth no sinne The scriptures say our sinnes are washed cleansed taken away blotted out therefore they are not onely not imputed but also vtterly abolished Wittingly and wilfully they indeuour to deceyue the ignorant and would make them beleeue that wee acknowledge no other benefite but onely that our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs. But wee as is before shewed are by baptisme assured not only of the forgiuenesse of sinnes but also of the sanctification of the spirite knowing that He that is dead in sinne Rom. 6.2 must not liue therein We say therefore that a man is not iustified onely but sanctified also What then must this sanctification be done at that instant as wee are baptised 2. Cor. 3.18 The church of Rome teacheth vs so But saint Paul sayth Wee all beholde as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face and are chaunged vnto the same Image from glorie to glorie Marke that hee sayth this change is not all at once 2 Cor. 4.16 serm in coena domini but that it increaseth from glorie to glorie Againe the inward man is renued dayly Which thing saint Bernard most notably confesseth In the fall of the first man wee are all fallen And that vpon a heape of stones and in the mire So that wee are not defiled onely but wounded also and sore bruised Wee may quickly be washed but we must haue much a do before we can be healed And afterwards confessing this washing to be in baptisme yet he complaineth that the beastly motions are not tamed neither that the itch of that sore may yet be abidden By the which motions itch he meaneth that verie thing which in his sermon at the death of Malac. before alledged he calleth sinne But nowe let vs examine the particular proofes of this argument Psal 50 Dauid sayth Blot out mine iniquitie wash me throughly Therefore all sinne is taken away in Baptisme Dauid had receyued the Sacrament of Circumcision long before hee prayed thus which was to them in stead of our Baptisme And now hauing sinned long after he maketh this prayer that God would either pardon his sinne or worke in him the subduing of the same or both But this proueth not that sinne is vtterly subdued in baptisme and that hee should proue Micah 7.18 Againe the Prophet Micah saieth that God taketh away iniquitie Wee graunt it that hee taketh away iniquitie by forgiuing vs our sinnes and also by killing sinne in vs by little and little and so subduing it in the meane time that it vtterly preuaile not against vs. But this proueth not that sinne is alreadie altogether vanquished Againe Iohn the Baptist saide Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the worlde Iohn 1.29 This also to our singular great comfort we cōfesse and acknowledge that he taketh away both the condemnation or cursse and also the guiltinesse or corruption of our sinne And therefore hee is truely sayde to take away the sinne of the worlde Master Bellarmine should prooue that this is perfectly done in baptisme so that no sinne after baptisme remaineth but this proueth no such matter No not one of all these places make any mention of baptisme Only they testifie that either sinne is or the godly would haue it abolished which we also confesse and desire But how or when it is taken away there is not any mention in the places alledged Let vs then come to the last proofe of this
for I trust this is sufficient for answere to the argument Which also is an answer vnto his fift argument which is this Arg. 5 ca. 18 In the scripturs many things are forbidden and commaunded and without free will that were in vaine which is all one with the fourth argument De gratia lib. Arbit c. 2 But because master Bellarmine doeth prooue this argument and that very strongly as himselfe saieth because saint Augustine vseth that very reason to prooue free will I must needes speake a word of that place Seeing therefore saint Augustine hath said in the place alleadged in the former argument that precepts are needefull though they can not bee kept And now he saith if there be not free will precepts are in vaine It seemeth that there were some amongest them to whome he writeth that thought that Gods grace did so worke in men that they shoulde doe nothing at all themselues for he complaineth of some Cap. 2. that when grace was defended though free will was denied Therefore hee teacheth them that although wee be made partakers of grace yet we are not without nay rather wee haue free wil. But what manner of free wil Haue we that free will that hath power and strength to doe good and abstaine from euil No In Enchirid. cap. 9. Saint Augustine confesseth that to bee lost Man not vsing well freewill lost both himselfe and that What then A will freed from that bondage vnto sinne wherein it was A will that nowe hath a loue and liking of that is good and not altogither delighting in euill as before it did And indeed in vaine are exhortations to them that are not so freed from euil that they haue at the least a plkasure in good things Well may exhortations and instructions be to their confusion but to their comforte they shall not bee This then is is the meaning of that place that God speaketh to vs in vaine in the scriptures if we be but as stockes and stones not hauing so much as a delight therein and hauing this willingnes God must also by his grace inable vs or els we cannot fulfill our will The sixt argument is like the rest Arg. 6. ca. 1◠It hath no necessarie consequence God maketh promise vnto vs vnder condition that we shal obey him therefore either we are able to obey or els it is saith Maister Bellarmine a mockery and not a promise Not so Maister Bellarmine For in such conditional promises it is not declared what we can doe but what we ought to doe and what in respect of the excellency of our creation may iustly be required of vs and what we must doe before we can be perfect And because Maister Bellarmine thinketh it so scornefull a thing that God shouln make promise vnder such condition cannot bee performed of vs I would he woulde consider with himselfe where is the cause why we cannot performe it Is it in good No for he requireth nothing of vs but that hee gaue vs abilite to doe if wee had kept vs in that estate Is it in our creation No we were made good Is it in the lawe But that is pure iust and holie Is it then in our selues Yea truely For in Adam wee are all sinners and by sinne robbed of that power to keep the law and performe such conditions as once before we had If then the impossibility of keeping the conditions is by our owne fault God may iustly require of vs that debt which hee knoweth wee were able to pay when first we became his debters We see then that it is neither a good argument to say God promiseth vpon condition therfore wee can perfourme the condition for the condition doeth but shew what we ought to doe or what marke we must aime at yea and what wee must doe in the end neither absurd that he should require that of vs now which once we could haue performed and might still haue done if wee had not our selues bin in fault But thus wee might reason truely God maketh vnto vs many and great promises if we obey him therefore we must striue to obey him striue I say by prayer by meditating in Gods lawe and by all godly exercises And God would haue vs indeede by such meanes to stirre vp our selues to attaine to the promises And because the promises belong but to the godly and not to the wicked we will easily confesse that there is in them a willingnesse to obey But yet not free will because it is hindred by tentations without and within themselues and by it owne weakenesse So that be they neuer so willing yet they can not obey but euen as they are led by Gods good grace In psa 109. enarratione It is no great matter saith Augustine that God made his Sonne to shew the way since hee hath made him the way it selfe that thou mightest goe by him ruling thee that goeth by himselfe For in deede wee can not walke alone in those wayes wee are as babes that cannot goe by themselues Arg. 7. 8. His seuenth argument as also the eight argument is in a manner the very same with the first ca. 20. 21. Deut. 30.14 and neede not be answered againe But yet I will touch that place of Deuteronomie whereupon he especially resteth for the strength of the seuenth argument and for interpretation whereof he inueieth against master Caluine Moses saith or God by Moses The word is neere thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart By which words master Bellarmine saieth Moses telleth vs that this woord is easie to keepe and therefore that we haue free will M. Bellarmine is but too bolde in a bad cause and too ready to speake more than hee can prooue That which he had said before This commaundement is not hid from thee Verse 11. neither farre off he prooueth in this place because it is in their mouth and heart so that they need not seeke far to get it The Chalde paraphrase can finde no free wil in these words Chris expounds these words of the cōmandement that it is easie to be had without trauell by sea or land Chrysost in Rom. ser 17. not once dreaming of the easines of performing or doing it but most plainly saith Theophilact Vpon the Romanes the tenth Gods commaundement O thou Iew is before thy eies neither shalt thou need that thou mayest find and inioy it either to clime vp in to heauen or go down into the deepe It is at hand and nearer vnto thee Beholde it is euen in thy mouth and in thy heart For God by his lawe hath shewed thee all things How impudently soeuer therefore master Bellarmine dare affirme that Moses speaketh there of the easinesse of keeping Gods lawe yet the circumstance of the text and the iudgement of the Writers alleadged especially of Theophilact is flat against him Rom. 10.8 And to that end doth the Apostle saint Paul apply it also to
can doe more than wee neede Because that Christ bid one that said he had kept all the commandements Mat. 19.22 Sell all he had and giue it to the poore I will not presse master Bellarmine here with the iudgement of the fathers who finde this to be a commaundement and therfore not more than neede Confess li. 13. cap. 19. And saint Augustine seeth it to be a law against couetousnes But who so euer will consider of the place maie easilie see that our sauiour Christ did purpose by this commaundement to let him see his owne ignorance of his estate and that he knew not his owne wants Not meaning that it should be a commandement of that he was not by Gods lawe bound to performe but rather a rule whereby he might trie how far he was from keeping the second table of the commaundements and therfore that he might euen condemne himselfe to be much shorter of keeping the first table As for his proofe out of Chrysostome Hom. 8. de poenitentia Manie doe more than they are commanded it is true that Chrysostome saieth so but it is also true that he speaketh of such things as are not simply of themselues good works but indifferent of themselues But the vse or abuse of them doth make them good workes or euill His examples that hee bringeth are of virginitie that it is not commaunded but this master Bellarmine omitteth of purpose because it maketh agaynst their doctrine of vowes neither is it commaunded saieth hee that men should not possesse any thing Yea I knowe that the Scribes and Pharisees did many things that God neuer commaunded as also the Iewes in the time of Esay Esa 1.12 to whom it was sayde Who required these things at your handes And this is also an answere to that which out of Augustine he alledgeth What biddest thou De verbis Apost ser 18. That wee should not bee adultresses Commaundest thou that In louing thee we doe more than thou commaundest For hee also speaketh of keeping virginitie But master Bellarmines antecedent is thus to bee vnderstoode that wee doe mo good workes than God commaundeth or else his argument is to bee denied For we see by experience that the Papists doe an infinite number of things that God neuer commaunded For which as they haue no warrant of God so shall they haue no praise of him And they may doe a thousand such workes and bee neuer a whit nearer keeping Gods lawe but much further off rather For the more that men satisfie themselues with their owne works Mat. 15 23 the lesse care they haue to keepe Gods commaundements as our sauiour Christ teacheth vs. And maister Bellarmines antecedent beeing thus vnderstoode as I haue saide that wee may doe more good workes than God hath commaunded is false For in that it is not a good worke if it bee besides Gods worde And this is all that hee sayeth in that place for the woorkes of Supererrogation Thus we see this rich doctrine hath a poore proofe But if there were nothing to conuince the wickednesse of that doctrine but this one thing that they will seeme to mende that rule of perfection that God hath made and take vpon them to prescribe more perfect rules than God hath set downe it argueth in them too prophane sawcinesse But thus much by the way of this kind of worke For my purpose is not to make of it any seueral discourse because that if it bee prooued that wee cannot iustifie our selues by our workes De iustif lib. 5. ca. 5. it will followe that wee can much lesse helpe others Nowe master Bellarmine finding this weapon too sharpe this place to strong agaynst their merits would faine wrest it out of our hands And first he telleth vs that saint Ambrose willeth vs to knowe what wee are of our selues Wee must knowe the grace but not bee ignorant of our nature saieth saint Ambrose It is true he writeth so and that vpon iust occasion For the very beginning of that sentence is Peferre not thy self because thou art called a sonne and then followeth thou must confesse the grace and not forget thy nature As if he should say thinke no wrong that thou art called an vnprofitable seruant seeing thou art called a sonne Thou art a sonne by grace because God hath chosen thee but if a man looke on thy worke it is not woorth praysing But what is this to answere the argument Nothing at all Maister Bellarmine perchance thinketh that if he bring in the fathers as witnesses they will speake as hee woulde haue them Yet not Ambrose onely but also Augustine and Chrysostome Li. 8. in Luc. de verbis Apost ser de humilitate 18. in Oziam in the places by him cited and Theophilact vpon these wordes doe teach that Christ would not haue vs proude of our good workes that it is our dutie alwayes to worke and as Ambrose saieth We owe him our seruice therefore let vs not boast of our worke But as Theophilact sayth If anie thing bee giuen vs let vs be glad of it hee that giueth it oweth vs nothing But the seruant oweth to his master the keeping of all that he commandeth So all this still strengtheneth my argument that all that we can do it is but our duetie and therefore no merite And although in respect of our election we may iustly reioyce that wee are Gods deare children yet when we looke vpon our selues wee must needes confesse vs to bee vnprofitable and vnperfect Secondly the repugnancie betweene grace and merite set downe by saint Paul Merit and grace ouerthrowe one another Rom. 11.6 is a strong argument against iustification by workes If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace or if it bee of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Wherein we see how plainly the Apostle opposeth the one against the other that we cannot be said to bee iustistied by grace if we may attribute anie part of our iustification to workes Neither will their common answer serue that saint Paul speaketh of the first mercie that God sheweth vs as that we are called to be Christian men or women by grace without our workes but that hereby hee excludeth not the workes that afterwardes we do from merite For seeing our aduersaries must needs confesse that after our first calling yea and continually so long as we liue we must acknowledge that but by grace wee cannot bee saued this grace which themselues dare not but confesse taketh away merit so that if grace bee free and without workes in our first iustification it can neuer stand with workes in the rest of our life The mistrust of their workes For still must this bee true if it bee of grace it is not then of workes if of workes then not of grace Thirdly the great mistrust which I see themselues doe put in this their doctrine
of iustification by workes maketh me who see no cause to like of it the more to shunne it For maister Bellarmine no meane man for learning among them when hee hath taken much paines to deceyue other with this doctrine Bellar. a Lutheran iustif li. 5. cap. 7. yet himselfe dareth not trust it and therefore setteth downe a verie good rule which if Caluine or Luther had written it it must needes haue beene called hereticall Because saith he of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the daunger of vaine glorie the safest way is to put our whole confidence in Gods mercie and goodnesse Vnto which his good and true doctrine wee say Amen and yet I hope we shall not be called heretikes The safest way to saluation is that we seek let others passe what perillous places it shall please them These and such other considerations doe make me muse that euer men will forsake God Ierem. 2.13 the fountaine of liuing waters to digge them pits euen broken pits that can holde no waters that they will leaue the plaine and safe way and choose the way that hath greatest daunger wherein they deale not onely foolishly for themselues but wickedly also with them that they leade into these blinde wayes And I would haue all men to marke this well that that doctrine which vpon paine of saluation and damnation they teach men must beleeue is daungerous by their owne confession and the contrarie most safe A great argument to teach vs that they care not so much for the saluation of mens soules as to get of men profit and credite And therefore they are the lesse to be trusted or esteemed in other poynts in controuersie who deale so vnchristianly in the most necessarie article of our religion For you must vnderstande there are two wayes to eternal life or rather to speake with the Apostle two kindes of righteousnesse The one so hard to hit that no man or woman excepting onely Christ Iesus God and man could go it so full of snares and traps that none but hee could continue in it This is that righteousnesse of the Lawe Rom. 10.5 which Moses describeth thus The man that doeth these things shall liue thereby And this righteousnesse did our Sauiour Christ speake of to the expounder of the lawe that came to him to aske What shall I doe to inherite eternall life Luke 10.25 He sent him to the lawe For if wee will be saued by workes we must keepe the lawe But then must we knowe That whosoeuer keepeth the whole lawe Iam. 2.10 and yet fayleth in one poynt he is guiltie of all Nowe this vngone and vnbeaten way so hard for vs to hit so vnpossible to keepe the church of Rome teacheth vs that wee must keepe and yet neuer any of her dearest darlings could get to heauen that way But the righteousnesse that is by fayth knoweth that Christ discended into the deepe and died for our sinnes and ascended into heauen to iustifie vs and bring vs thither For if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lorde Iesus Rom. 10.9 and beleeue in thy heart that God raysed him vp from the dead thou shalt bee saued But this righteousnesse pleaseth not our aduersaries because all the glorie of working is giuen from themselues This way they thinke too base because it is not garnished with their workes and strewed with their merits And yet This is the way Esâ— ie 30.21 walke ye in it As for that middle way which themselues haue deuised which ioyneth Christes righteousnesse and theirs together as though hee onelie could not saue them it is no good way for it maketh to wander from the path of Gods worde and is daungerous by their owne confession Take heede therefore of it for it is the way that leadeth to death and damnation Of this way I may say as saint Augustine doth of them that seeke for worldly happinesse by good workes Aug. in psal 31 praefat M. Bellar. Argument for merits Math. 5.12 De. iustif 5 cap. 3. Although saith he thou stir thine armes in good works and thou seeme most skilfully to rule thy boat yet thou runnest vpon the rockes But nowe let vs see what arguments maister Bellarmine vseth to prooue this their doctrine of iustification by workes Great is your reward or wages or hire in heauen Eternall life saith he is the wages therefore doubtlesse workes are the merits Master Bellarmine reasoneth thus Eternall life is your wages therfore your works haue deserued it The weaknesse of this argument appeareth at the first but yet for the more cleare vnderstanding of this such other places a worde or two may be added That God giueth vs eternall life for wages wee will not denie if it be vnderstood aright Admit therefore that a man hireth two workmen to worke with him the one of them a sufficient workeman who doeth his worke The other can worke little or nothing yet he that hired him biddeth him worke also and doe his best and he shall haue his wages also Nowe the one of these who is the woorkeman his hire or wages is due to him for his worke hee hath deserued it the others wages is due also and hee may challenge it not because he hath â— aâ— ned it by his worke but hee that hired him hath made himselfe his debter by his promise We see then not euerie wages is deserued Wee are that euill workeman wee can doe nothing worthie of our wages yet God by promise is indebted vnto vs. Therefore although our rewarde or wages be great yet is it not deserued of our part Praefat. in Psal 31. Our wages is called grace saith saint August If it be grace it is freely giuen What is the meaning of this it is freely giuen It costes vs nothing Thou hast done no good and forgiuenesse of sins is giuen to thee It is then no good argument to say eternal life is our wages therefore we haue deserued it His second argument God shall reward euery man according to his worke Therefore the workes are meritorious The scriptures we confesse vse often so to speake but not to establish merit but to shake off security And to this end they tell vs that if the worke be good it shall haue the reward of a good worke if it be euill Rom. 2.6 it shall be punished And so doth Saint Paul vsing the selfe same words which are also alleadged by maister Bellarmine expound himselfe vers 7. To them which by continuance in well doing seeke glory and honour and immortality 8. eternal life But vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnes indignation and wrath Thus then we see that this according to the worke doth not signifie according to the merit of the worke but according to the quality of the worke And these kinde of speeches are very like to that that God said to Cain and perchance are grounded vpon it If thou
to our maladies But they are content to confesse that it doeth iustifie yea Bellar. de iustif li. 1. ca. 15. Con. Trid. Sess 6. cap. 6. Orth. explica li. 6. and that faith doth somewhat merit our iustification because it doeth prepare and dispose the hart to iustification or as Andradradius saith because it goeth before to open as it were the doore to hope and charitie and is the beginning and foundation of iustification but that it iustifieth as the instrumentall cause that maketh vs to rest and settle our selues for our iustification onely vpon Christ without any regarde to the merit and woorke of Fayth they will not graunt A great cause of the difference betwene vs and the papists in this question is that we agree not in the signification of the worde what it is to be iustified This therefore is the question whether wee that are not only by nature sinners but also euen after our regeneration haue that Lawe in our members rebelling against the lawe of the minde Rom. 7.27 Bellar. de Amiss grat li. 5. ca. 13. which saint Paul calleth sinne and the papists themselues confesse to be euil damned and hated of God whether I say we being such sinners shal appeare righteous before God in hauing our sinnes pardoned couered and not imputed vnto vs and Christs righteousnesse accounted ours or in that goodnes or holines or those good workes which Gods grace worketh in vs. We say that Christ by faith is made ours Christ I say with all his holinesse and righteousnesses Ephe. 1.7 By whom we haue redemption through his bloud the forgiuenes of sinnes according to his rich grace And in this assurance we stand euen before Gods iudgment seat without feare and say with the apostle Who shall laie anie thing to the charge of gods chosen Rom. 8.33.34 It is God that iustifieth who shal condemne vs. It is Christ that is dead yea or rather is risen againe Who is also at the right hand of God and also maketh request for vs. And in this faith and assured perswasion we haue peace of conscience here and are in Christ and for his sake accounted righteous elsewhere euen before him that shall iudge the quicke and the dead They teach vs that after baptisme sinne is so killed within vs Popish iustification that we are able to doe such workes as doe merit iustification and eternall life That iustification is not by works but by imputation Gen. 22.18 And by this righteousnesse that is in vs we are made so iust and righteous that we are so iustified before God To confirme that which we teach we haue the promise made to Abraham That in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed In his seede I say not in our selues we must all be blessed And that Christ is this seede saint Paul to the Galathians doth affirme Gal. 3.16 Secondly the iustification of the people of the Iewes which they by their sacrifices obtained is a right pattern of our iustification For though the bloud of of the beasts could not make them holy yet the sacrifice being offered for them according to the law Hep. 9.9 did worke so much that they who before were accounted vncleane and might not appeare before the Lord nowe were accounted cleane and might serue before him Euen so we though wee bee not in our selues yet by this our sacrifice that hath offered him selfe a sweete smell vnto God the father wee are accounted cleane and without sinne Rom. 5.2 and haue by him accesse vnto that grace wherein we stand Thirdly this iustification is commended vnto vs by Dauid Psal 32.1.2 Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie And for this cause he stirreth vp his soule to praise the Lord Psal 103.3 because saith he He forgiueth al thine iniquities It is promised by Ieremie I will forgiue their iniquities Iere. 31.34 and remember their sinnes no more And the Prophet Hose teacheth the people to pray for it Hose 14.2 saying thus Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously Where this is also by the way to be marked that the prophet here biddeth vs come to God with such words as if he had said Your works are euill and cannot helpe they cannot merit Yet come with good words be suiters for grace Fourthly our sauiour Christ doth commend vnto vs this iustification which we haue by him apprehend by faith Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish Iohn 3.16 but haue euerlasting life Of whom the apostles also haue learned that we are iustified by faith that righteousnes is imputed vnto vs that we are accounted righteous Rom. 3.28 Rom. 4.3.11 Lastly we see how the apostle doth exclude works frō iustifying than which there can be no stronger argumēt against this inherent iustification which the papists contend for or for the imputation of righteousnes by faith in Christ Iesus which we according vnto the scriptures doe preach And therefore he doth not onely exclude works in generall from iustification Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.11 Rom. 4. Iustified by faith without the workes of the law But also those works that Abraham did after his first calling when now he was regenerate euen then I say attributing iustification to faith and not to his workes And likewise for his owne works long after he was regenerate Phil. 3.9 he reiecteth them that he might attaine vnto righteousnesse by faith So little did he trust vnto that inherent righteousnesse that he counted it but dung and so wholie did he depend on that righteousnes that we haue by faith in Christ Iesus But of this I haue spoken in the end of the former chapter And I trust this may serue the turne to shew how farre we are from that inherent righteousnes and keeping of the law which our popish Pharisees dreame of especially if we consider what great perfection the law requireth to be in our workes Master Bellar. his profe for inherent iustice De iustif li. 2. cap. 3. Rom. 5.19 and what want through our corruption there is in the same But master Bellarmine bringeth some arguments to proue this inherent righteousnesse The first is out of these words As by one mans disobediēce many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made iust Of this argument because I haue spoken at large towards the latter ende of the 23. chapter I leaue the reader to that place His second argumēt is this Al are iustified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24.25 throgh the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set to be a reconciliation In which place by grace master Bellarmine vnderstandeth that righteousnesse that God hath giuen or infused into vs for so he speaketh But saint Augustine in that place vnderstandeth
by Grace De gratia Cristi cont pelag Celest cap. 31. Prim. vpon this place that which is set against workes And Primasius saith By his grace because hee paid for vs that which hee ought vs not that he might saue vs being freely redeemed Thus doth Augustine and Primasius take this word Grace for Gods loue to vs not for any vertue inherent in vs cleane contrarie to master Bellarmines minde And by these and some other places he would faine proue that the worde of iustifying may sometime signifie an inherent righteousnesse And what if we grant that to him yet thereof it followeth not that that inherent righteousnesse doth iustifie vs before God which master Bellarmine would faine proue As for that which he saith of Abel and Noah that they were accounted iust if hee will by that commendation that is giuen to them exempt them from all sin saint Augustine will be directly against him De peccat merit remiss lib. 2. cap. 12. 13. who speaking of Iobs righteousnesse sheweth that perfection was not in Iob neither that it can be any But in comparison of others he was iust And if perfection cannot be in any then shall no man by any inherent righteousnesse answere Gods iust iudgement Ber. epist 34. For Our greatest perfection is desire to bee more perfect and alwayes to confesse our imperfection Two or three argumentes mo hath maister Bellarmine in that place but because they are not woorth answering of purpose I omit them concluding with that golden saying of saint Ambrose Amb. epist 32 lib. 5. not the lawe but faith maketh a man iust because righteousnesse is not by the law but by faith That good workes are necessarie duties for all Christians to performe CHAP. 27. THE PROTESTANTS BVt although we denie that our good workes cā any thing merit our iustification Ephe. 1.4 yet we affirme that God hath chosen vs vnto himselfe before the foundations of the world were laid Ephe. 2.19 so wee are his workmāship created in christ Iesu vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them For the same spirite of God that worketh in vs faith and maketh it to take sure hold of Christ doth also make it as a fruitfull plant to bring foorth fruite in great abundance of holie obedience Neither can this faith if it bee a true faith be idle but it will worke by loue By loue I say towards God wherby we will bee readie to loue him carefull to serue him and willing to please him By loue also towardes our neighbour to the performance of al Christian duties in mercifulnesse and brotherly kindnesse For wee know that God hath giuen vnto vs his law that though we cānot be saued by it yet we should walke in the same law with our whole indeuour THE PAPISTS BVt our aduersaries teach vs not to do good workes for Gods sake Mat. 5.16 That men seing our good works may glorifie our father which is in heauen but for our owne sake namely to purchase heauen thereby and to satisfie for our sins So that this is the difference betwene vs and thē That good works should be done wee crie it as lowd as they But we differ somtime in the worke it selfe for wee say that is onely a good worke that is done according to Gods commandements Mat. ◠5.9 And ad Orthod expli lib. 5. They teach for doctrines the precepts of men yea that men may offende God more sometime in breaking the lawes of the church than Gods law Which how blaspemously it is written let the world iudge We also direct our workes to another end than they do We do good works to glorifie God and because hee hath commanded vs that we may so offer vnto him a sacrifice of obedience They worke that they may merit thereby and so do disgrace the merit of Iesus Christ And thus much I thought good to set down concerning this point to stop the mouthes to stay the pens of slaunderous papists who go about to discredit our true doctrine with the simple and ignorant as though wee spake against good works when as in truth we exhort earnestly all men to shew their faith by their workes and to walke worthy of their calling Only this we admonish all men out of Gods worde that they esteeme not as good workes the foolish fancies of mans deuice for wee must giue God leaue to teach vs what is good and what is euill for he is our law-maker then also that they refer vnto Gods glory the good works which they do and to no other end and that they do them in singlenes of heart to performe their dutifull obedience to God And these points being obserued we instantly exhort yea command all men Gal. 6.9.10 whilest they haue time to do good and neuer to be wearie of well doing Of praier to whom and how wee shoulde praie CHAP. 28. THE PROTESTANTS PRaier is a good worke commended and commanded of God and therfore to be vsed a most ready meane to supply our wants a most sure stay comfort in all our dangers and distresses and therefore not to be neglected For how can we either relieue our necessities better or in heauines comfort our selues more effectually than if wee conuerse and talke with God Greg. Nissen orat 1. in orat Dominicam 1. Thess 5.17 Which thing wee doe in praier And therefore the Apostle willeth vs to pray alwaies or continually euen without ceasing Because we alwaies stand in neede of comfort and helpe Yea Christ would haue vs alwaies to pray and not to wax faint Luc. 18.1 But wee must aske all good thinges of God only from whom only commeth euery good giuing Iam. 1.17 and euery perfect gift And that in the name of Christ Iesus and for his sake We must also pray in faith if we will be heard and with vnderstanding that we may pray in spirit THE PAPISTS OVR aduersaries also speake much of praier but their praiers haue many faultes For first they praie not to God only but also to the Saints and creatures expresly against Gods lawe Then also they number their praiers vpon their beades as if they woulde knowe howe much God is become indebted vnto them for their praiers Thirdly they pray in a tōgue vnknowen to them that doe pray many times namely in latine And fourthly out of these ariseth another fault in their praiers that the praiers that are directed to any other than to God and are also such as they that doe praie knowe not what they aske or what they pray for because they pray in latine therefore they praie not in faith and so their praiers are turned into sinne and prouoke God to anger First we must pray vnto God only in respect of Gods commandement Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me For thereby God doth challenge vnto himselfe not only that we should acknowledge him to be God but
defineth that old heresies must not bee confuted by such arguments but onely such as are newly sprung vp And yet the Papists whose religion is almost nothing but a sinke of such old and vnsauourie heresies crie still to be tried by their vniuersalitie and antiquitie and the iudgements of men flat contrarie to Vincentius his rules And this triall he will not haue to be vsed but in great questions of fayth but they make it a proofe for their most foolish toyes So that although they readily call him in because hee nameth Antiquitie vniuersalitie and consent vnto the which they woulde faine seeme to make claime yet they will I trust from hencefoorth rather stoppe his mouth than suffer him to speake because his witnesse is their ouerthrowe Let vs therefore keepe that faythfully which is once deliuered vnto vs which to chaunge is to marre it to put to it or take from it is to corrupt it Let vs holde I say that fayth which is alwayes olde and alwayes one knowing that whatsoeuer we holde besides it it is not newe onely but euen starke naught also An exhortation to Christian Magistrates for to defend this truth CHAP. 33. THus hitherto haue I stood in defence of christian truth against popish falsehood indeuouring according to my simple talent and slender skill not only to admonish you of the baggage drosse which they bring vnto vs in steed of fine gold what filthie water they would haue vs to drinke for pure wine but also in the ballance of truth to trie what stuffe it is wherewith they seeke to comend the same vnto vs. And although the due acknowledging of mine own manifold wants weaknesse did discourage me a long time to enter into these lists yet the redinesse that I see in manie to take hold of the shadow of truth neglecting in the meane time the bodie of the same and on the other side the simplicitie of others to discerne betweene light and darkenes good and euill to stay the first and to helpe the latter sort I haue thought good at one view to set before thine eyes gentle reader that truth that we teach that thou mayest know howe they haue slaundered it and that falshoode which they maintaine with some touch of their chiefe arguments that thine owne selfe although ignorant and vnlearned may haue some triall of their corrupt doctrines Nowe the especiall cause that moued me to take vpon mee this enterprise God is my witnesse is that dutie that I and such as I am doe owe to the defence of the trueth by worde or writing or any such meanes whereby wee are bound to occupie vntill our Lord and master come the talent that he hath committed vnto vs to his most gaine and glorie Neither can I satisfie my self that I haue throughly performed my dutie when I haue set downe what is truth and what is falsehoode vnlesse I indeuour also to stirre vp all Christian magistrates to the defence thereof to their vttermost power in singlenesse of heart whom for that cause God hath set in high roomes and to whom God hath committed that great charge and at whose hands hee shall call for a strait account for that dutie Psa 10.11.12 Be wise therefore now O kings be learned ye that are Iudges of the earth Serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling Kisse the sonne least he be angrie And if you will knowe how princes may nay howe princes must serue the Lord in feare Saint Augustine teacheth it Epist 50 In forbidding and punishing with religious seueritie those things which are done against Gods commandment So that this seruice of the Lord consisteth of two points First in making of good lawes for the maintenance of the truth and abolishing of idolatrie Secondly in punishing such as offend against the same with a religious seuerity This then is the first thing that is required in all godly Magistrates euen from the prince that sitteth vpon the throne vnto the meanest that beareth office in the common wealth but especially of thē that haue the soueraigne authoritie that they haue a watchfull eie and a continuall care to consider and finde out what things they are whereby either the glory of God is most hindred and his seruice prophaned or sin is within their common wealthes ◠r seuerall charges occasioned and maintained Which when they espie they must seeke by godly lawes and ordinances to prouide some speedie remedie for the same For when I affirme that princes magistrates must make decrees for the truth against idolatrie and superstition my meaning is not to enter into that question against the papists whether ciuill magistrates may meddle with matters of religion or not although euen the truth therof also by the way may appeare but because I speake to such as acknowledge and confesse this to be their dutie and haue giuen notable testimonie of their perswasion therein my desire and indeuour is to stir them vp that nether they will be vnmindful thereof but alwaies and earnestly thinke of it neither vnwilling thereto but readily and diligently performe it Esa 44.28 For this cause God calleth princes sometime sheepheards so was Cyrus to teach them that they ought to be as watchfull and painful for the good of their people as is the shepheard for the good of his flocke yea they must be watchemen ouer their people and take great heed that through their fault the people perish not for if they doe it will also turne to their owne destruction De pastoribus cap. 9. For as saint Augustine saieth Their negligence shall slay them Their negligence I say wherby they are slacke in performing their dutie They are also called heads ouer their people not onely because they should haue eies alwaies to prie and spie for the eies are in the head what danger may fall vpon the people and find meanes to auoid it but also because they should in all carefull and christian discretion guide and direct them that are vnder them And because it is true that saint Paul saith Rom. 13.4 He is the minister of God for the wealth of the people and that he beareth not the sworde for nought but for to take vengeance of them that doe euill It is most necessarie that he prouide such lawes as may tend to those endes and set downe such decrees as my bridle disobedient vngodly persons that they who faine would 1. Tim. 2.2 may the more quietly liue in honestie and godlines Such is that law or statute that Asa king of Iudah made when he sawe how readie his people were to fall to Idolatrie and superstition and had taken away the altars of the straunge gods and broken downe their images and high places 2. Chro. 14.3 4. He commaunded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their fathers and to do according to the law the cōmandement Wherin it seemeth vnto me that their case and ours is verie like therefore we cannot
Take heede I pray O yee Magistrates that that reproach may not iustly bee laide vppon vs that was spoken against the Iewes who were called Gods people before vs. Esa 1.23 Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeues euerie one loueth giftes and followeth after rewardes they iudge not the fatherlesee neither doeth the widdowes cause come before them For By swearing and lying and killing Hos 4.2 and stealing and whoring they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud But it is most certaine that sinne breaketh out in euery corner in great aboundance by sea by lande yea and if it bee not maintained by some yet is it too much spared and too little punished almost by al men that haue authority If such disorders may stil be permitted that is if offendours may stil goe vnpunished and they that beare with and wincke at such thinges maie stil beare authority can we looke for any other thing than that God shoulde saie vnto vs as hee saide in his wrath vnto his owne people whome hee loued as dearely as vs Arise depart out of this land this is not your rest Mich. 2.10 Because it is polluted it shall destroy you euen with a sore destruction For God in Leuiticus Leuit. 18.25 pronounceth that a lande is so defiled with sinne that it must vomit out her inhabitantes Haue we not then iust cause to feare God heauy wrath seeing that idolatry and superstition blasphemies murders whoredomes robbings and stealings doe so abounde in many places of this lande and yet so litle reformation yea so much forbearing of such had persons yea of such as are most notorious offendours so much speaking and writing for them so much pitying them vpon their tears so much repriuing them after their iudgement that they might haue time and meanes to procure their pardon as though wee feared nothing more than that the weedes should be weeded out least they shoulde hurt the herbes or the tares plucked vp that they choke not vp the corne This our wel liking of sinne this forbearing of so bad men is it that I more feare and will indeede sooner bring this land to desolation than al the cruell practises of professed enemies or faithles friends This I say if wee repent not shal make vs weake our enemies strong this shal more hastely bring vpon vs and against vs the Spaniard more strengthen his hand than al that he can deuise beare he neuer so cruel a hatred against vs. So that whosoeuer or whatsoeuer they be that wil not now when by their authority they may nay whē they ought to procure peace safety vnto the oppressed by punishing offendours shal one day if with speed they amend it not Luc. 19.42 Esa 48.22 see that al things that belong to their peace shal be hidden from their eies For there is no peace to the wicked If any man thinke that I note any particular persons herein they are deceiued I rather touch all For I see such horrible vices abounde almost in euery place and such disobedience against God and man and so little punishment especially of such as can procure the friendship of some great men although their offences be great that I say with the Prophet Wickednes saith to the wicked man euen in my hart that there is no feare of God before his eies So that almost the continuall breach of all good lawes by them that haue any delight to sinne doth proclaime it in the eares of men more shrill then the sounde of a trumpet that many of our Magistrates are farre shorte of that duty that they shoulde performe Which as we feele in these north partes to be the vndoing of many a poore man in particular yea almost the ruinating of the country so I heare the south parts are not in much better case But whosoeuer is boldest to sinne findeth many friendes to sue for his pardon Which if it be true let vs assure our selues that our generall contempt of religion and iustice and that after so many warnings and so plaine giuen by Gods messengers against this shal bring vpon vs and our land a general plague Neither let vs flatter our selues in our owne strength or our allyes or that our enemies are weake or otherwise occupied If we prouoke the Lord he shal neuer want whips to whip vs withal And thus much by way of digression vpon occasion of good Iehosaphats great care that hee had to examine and see that they beare office vnder him did deale zealously for the truth and iustly and truely with his people A godly care a good but a rare example Which point although Iehosaphats example gaue me good occasion to enter into yet the necessity of these times doth the rather force mee to handle the same Yea this is so necessarilie belonging to the matter that I am in hande withall that neither godlie lawes and decrees can easily bee deuised published neither being made can at all be executed vnlesse this be chiefly regarded But to returne to my matter againe When Ahaz the king of Iudah had polluted the land with idolatries of sundry sortes after him commeth Ezechiah his sonne 2. Chron. 29. who opened the doores of the temple that Ahaz had shut vp hee called for the Priestes and commaunded them to sanctifie themselues teaching them their duetie hee gathered the Princes together to the house of the Lorde hee commaunded the Priestes to offer and hee and the Princes commaunded the Leuites to praise the Lorde appointing how namely with the wordes of Dauid yea 2. Chro. 30. ◠hee also by Postes sent to all Iudah and Israel 2. Chron. 3◠that they shoulde come to keepe the Passeouer And Iosiah his diligence to serue the Lorde by commaunding to reforme such thinges as were amisse is notable in his storie In which example of Iosiah it is woorthie the marking howe hee gathered togither all the Elders of Iudah and Ierusalem and the people also and made them goe vp with him vnto the Lordes house And Ezechiah and hee as in the storie of Ezechiah is noted commanded them to come to celebrate the Passeouer And in Ezechiah his dayes it is to their eternall praise set downe that they had not one Recusant 2. Chro. 31. ◠but God gaue them one heart to doe the commanment of the king If Princes might then make lawes to bring their people to the church and constraine them to be partakers of their rites and seruice why may not princes now doe the like Nay if it were then the duetie of the Rulers amongst Gods people to be carefull to make such lawes howe can our Rulers excuse themselues if they be found slacke heerin For as before I haue shewed I seeke not by these examples to shewe what Princes may do but what they can not but doe vnlesse they will runne in danger of Gods displeasure But 2. Chr. 34 1◠to proceede in the storie of Iosiah when Hilkiah the
nor withdraweth other from the truâ— worship of God Yea there are who for religion being imprisoned haue inriched themselues and increased their reuenues We only seeke to reforme them not to torment them and to lay vpon them gentle chasticements to amende them not cruell punishments to destroy them But yet as I saide before of lawes that they would bee made for a restraint for all sorts of men and women so the punishment would be inflicted vpon all in like sort that offende in like maner And although I will not take vpon mee to define whether princes may beare with recusants or not because they are enemies to God namely such as despise wilfully Gods worde and contemne his Sacraments yet I may be bolde to affirme that the magistrates who will suffer vnpunished the breaking of the first table of the commaundements doe shewe therein no great zeale to their high Lord and master And here would I wish this one poynt to be considered vpon whether it be not verie conuenient and necessarie that wheras God by his law expresly hath set downe that Idolaters should be stoned to death Deut. 17.2 3 4 5 7. whether I say the papists whose seruice and ceremonies are almost nothing else but Idolatry and superstition should bee iudged according to that law concerning that point of their religion wherein they defend and practise the worshiping of Images and praying to those that are no Gods Heereby two commodities I doubt not would insue First that the papists should be knowen to be as they are Idolaters and worshippers of false gods which sinne if the people did know that they were subiect vnto they would neuer be so deceiued by them Secondly thereby many would be afraied to call vpon stockes and stones as now they doe For to defile the lande with their manifest idolatries why should not wee account it a sinne worthie of death seeing it is a breach of that commaundement which especially concerneth the honour of God Which how feruently and sincerely we should maintaine we may among manie other notable presidents learne of the children of Israel who with full consent Iosh 22 did gather themselues to fight agaynst the tribes of Ruben and Gad and the halfe tribe of Manasseh because they had thought that an altar which they built for a memoriall and witnesse that the tribes beyond Iordan worshipped the selfe same God and professed the same Religion that the other did they thought I say it had beene built to offer sacrifices vpon and so to dishonour God Which thing rather than they would suffer vnreuenged they would venture their liues So zealous they were and wee should be of Gods honour For euen to that ende were we created and that dutie we must as louing and obedient children zealously performe to our heauenly father Yea seeing they account vs as heretikes in whose doctrine neither they neither yet their fathers could euer or yet can proue by the worde of God the least suspition of heresie to the end that themselues may be knowen what they are that thus dare slaunder the professours of the trueth without iust cause Why should not they whose doctrine and doings beeing examined by Gods written worde doe plainly proue themselues to be idolaters why should not they I say be called idolaters as in trueth they are Well seeing it is before plainly proued that godly princes did make lawes to restraine and reforme the sinnes of the people yea and that in matters of Religion and haue as it were watched all oportunities to serue the Lord in such sort and this I take to be that seruing of the time Rom. 12.11 whereunto the Apostle exhorteth for so many do read it I trust it cannot be denied but that it belongeth vnto the dutie of Christian magistrates to doe the like And if they may make lawes may they not also punish the breakers of the same I haue before shewed that it is necessarie if we consider our estate that they should And that it is their part so to do it cannot be denied Rom. 13.4 For He is the minister of God to take vengeance of them that doe euill And what Nehemiah did herein is worthie to be remembred whose authoritie was not very great being but as it were a captain yet did he not onely make decrees as of other matters so also concerning the breach of the Sabboth day Nehe. 10.17 a sinne too common in England and too lightly accounted of but also did execute the same 20 21 yea and threatned to lay hands vpon them that were cause of it if they made that fault againe Yea did not Asa commaund them vpon paine of death to turne from their Idols and false gods â— Chr. 15.23 making this couenant nay taking this oath of all Iudah and Beniamin that Whosoeuer will not seeke the Lorde God of Israel shall bee slaine whether hee bee small or great man or woman Marke there is in this no respect of kinde or kinred yea he suffered not his owne grandmother to be regent neither thought her worthie to bee a gouernour Because shee had made an Idoll in a groue and hee brake downe her Idoll and stamped it and burnt it at the brooke of Kidron Christian princes and Magistrates should alwayes set such examples before their eies comparing that which they did and Gods spirit commendeth in them with that which they doe to prouoke themselues thereby in godly zeale to serue the Lord. Nowe therefore seeing I haue indeuoured as God hath inabled mee to stirre vp all christian magistrates more watchfully to regard and more speedily to redresse than of late especially hath beene done the state of religion growen I knowe not by what negligence almost into contempt amongst many I would wish that a chiefe care shoulde bee taken among many other to auoyde two verie daungerous conceytes which are as Scylla and Caribdis 1. Tim. 1.19 at one of the which it is an easie matter for all them to make shipwracke of fayth Rom. 1.18 that striue not to holde fast a good conscience but withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse The one is poperie the other is Atheisme Of papists and recusants I haue sayde alreadie somewhat They are too many and vpon euery small occasion of hope of their bloudie day verie bolde whereby we may consider what subiects they are They are dangerous snakes to carrie in our bosome If inquirie should be made how many haue beene presented that were neuer called before authoritie and howe many called that haue beene sent home againe as free as before they came to the magistrate and yet as bad also as euer they were I suppose they will be found manie And for them that are imprisoned it is manie times more for the gaine of their keepers than the reformation of themselues So that they are almost in no place more free to doe or say what they will than in their prisons whereby they corrupt many This