of works lest any man should boast himselfe And therfore the apostle meaneth nothing lesse then that we shoulde purchase and merite heauen by our good workes I say secondly with deuout Bernard that the ready way to attaine saluation is to beleeue the contrarie doctrine These are his expresse wordes Necesse est primò omnium credere quòd remissionem peccatorum habere non possis nisi per indulgentiam Dei deinde quòd nihil prorsus habere queas operis boni nisi hoc dederit ipse postremò quòd aeternam vitam nullis potes operibus promereri nisi gratis detur illa First of all thou must beleeue of necessitie that thou canst not haue remission of thy sinnes vnlesse God will giue thee a pardon for the same Againe thou must beleeue that thou canst not haue any good works at all vnlesse thou receiue it at Gods hand Last of all thou must beleeue that thou canst not merite eternall life by any works vnlesse it be freely giuen of mercie I say thirdly that the apostle meaneth nothing else but that as god hath called vs and offered saluation to vs and withal giuen vs power to will and to do well so we ought by faith to embrace his gratious gifts and to shew our selues thankfull by the obedience of his holy lawes For to this ende hath God chosen vs called vs and iustified vs not that we should liue idly and dissolutely but that we should exercise our selues in faith and good works and in obedience be answerable to his holy vocation For this respect doth the same apostle say in another place For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them The eight obiection Redeeme thy sinnes with righteousnes saith the prophet and thine iniquities with mercie towards the poore Therefore with good workes we may satisfie for our sinnes and procure Gods fauour towards vs. The answere I say first with the apostle that no man is able to make satisfaction for his sinnes And I adde Bernards glosse vnto the same who writeth thus Iam verò de aeterna vita scimus quia non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam nec si vnus omnes sustineat Neque enim talia sunt hominum merita vt propter ea vita aeterna debeatur ex iure aut Deus iniuriam aliquam faceret nisi eam donaret Nam vt taceaÌ„ quòd merita omnia Dei dona sunt ita homo magis propter ipsa Deo debitor est quà m Deus homini quid sunt merita omnia ad tantam gloriam denique quis melior est prophetâ cui dominus ipse tam insigne testimonium perhibet dicens virum inueni secundum cor meum veruntamen ipse necesse habuit dicere deo non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo Domine Nowe touching eternall life wee knowe that the sufferings of this time are not worthy of y e glorie to come no not if one man abide al. For the merits of men are not such that for them eternal life is due by right or that god shuld do som iniury if he gaue it not For to let passe that all merits are the gifts of God and so man is rather debter to God for them then God to man what are al merits to so great glorie In fine who is better then the prophet to whom our Lorde giueth so worthie testimonie saying I haue found a man according to my heart for al that he had need to say to god Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord. In which words the papists are vtterly condemned by their owne approued doctour For first S. Bernard saith that nothing which man can doe or suffer in this life is worthy of the ioyes of heauen Secondly he saith that heauen is not due to anie man for his own deserts Thirdly he saith that god should doe no man wrong if hee should debarre him of heauen Fourthly he saith that man is more in debt to God then God to man and he yeeldeth this reason because it is the free gift of God what good soeuer be in man Fifitly hee alleageth holy scripture for the grounde of his assertion I say secondly that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie to breake or dissolue in which signification the prophet seemeth to vse it here although it also signifie to saue or deliuer as if the prophet had said O king thou hast liued wickedly and dealt cruelly with Gods people nowe therefore make an end of sinne and begin a new course of life change thy cruelty into clemencie and thy tyrannie into mercie and conpassion toward the poore Thus doth Theodoretus expound this text I say thirdly that albeit we cannot redeeme our sins in Gods sight or make satisfaction for the same in the court of his iustice as is proued exactly out of holy Bernard yet may wee redeeme them before men while we reconcile our selues to those whome we haue offended and make restitution where we haue done wrong And of this kind of redemption may the Prophet not vnfitly be vnderstoode The replie Not only S. Bernard in the words by you alleaged but the other fathers vsually and generally do acknowledge the merit of good works which you and your solifidians cannot abide The answere I say first that though the fathers doe often vse the worde Merit when they speake of good works yet do they neuer take it in your popish maner nor expect heauen for the worthinesse of their works Which I wish the reader to obserue diligeÌ„tly because the papists euer wrest the word Merite to the wrong sense This is cleare by the words of Bernard alreadie cited to which for better confirmatioÌ„ I adde these his words in another place Deest gratiae quicquid meritis deputas Nolo merituÌ„ quod gratiaÌ„ excludat horreâ— quicquid de meâ— est vt â—im meus nisi quòd illud magis forsitan meum est quod me meum facit Gratia reddit me mihi iustificatuÌ„ gratis sic liberatum à seruitute peccati It derogateth from grace whatsoeuer thou ascribest to merite I will no merite that excludeth grace I abhorre whatsoeuer is of mine owne that I may be mine owne vnlesse perchance that is more mine owne which maketh me mine owne Grace iustifieth me to my self freely and so deliuereth me from the bondage of sinne I say secondly that the fathers tearme workes meritorious not for the worthinèsse thereof but for Gods acceptation and promise sake That is to say they tearme good works meritorious because God hath promised to accept the works of the faithfull as worthie for the worthines of his sonne and for his merits to reward them with heauen as if they had merited the same For which respect either euer or almost euer they ioyne merite and grace together This veritie wil be
The cause without which the latter shall not haue effect For as vocation iustification regeneration and glorification are the effectes of predestination euen so by Gods holy ordinance being predestinate wee are called by the hearing of his word vnto â—aith which faith is the cause of our iustification by apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus after wee be iustified of our iustification proceedes regeneration as who hauing remission of our sinnes and being ingraffed in Christ by faith are indued with more aboundant grace of his holy spirite thorough which we are dayly more and more regenerate and made new creatures after we be regenerate out of our regeneration spring good workes aswel internall as externall as who being made good trees begin to bring forth good fruits and so continuing are brought at the length of Gods free mercie to the possession of eternall life For as y e apostle saith we are created vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee shoulde walke in them and continuing in them we shall at the dreadful day of doome heare this ioyfull sentence pronounced to our vnspeakable comfort Come yee blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I was thirsty and ye gaue me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in vnto you I was naked and ye clothed me I I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came to me And with this it is true yet y t the apostle saith Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and by renuing of the holy Ghost which hee shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our sauiour that wee being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life This is a true saying and these thinges I will thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might be carefull to shew forth good workes These things are good and profitable vnto men Thus saith S. Paule and therefore I thinke this a profitable conclusion By it rightly vnderstood many places of holy Scripture may easily be answered which seeme to ascribe iustification or glorification to good workes The 10. conclusion This popish assertion that workes doe iustifie and merite eternall life de condigno was for the space of a thousand and eightie yeares vnknowne to the church of God About which time Petrus Lombardus and his fellowes began their scholasticall theologie and disputed such matters doubtfully About the yeare of our Lord 1545. the late councell of Trent defined the same for an article of christian beliefe solemnely accursing al such as hold the contrary opinion This is the originall and antiquitie of this impudently defended heresie It is sufficiently confuted throughout the whole chapter CHAP. X. Of the popish idololatricall masse The 1. conclusion TO withhold from the vulgar and laycall sort of people the one part of the holy communion is a diabolical hereticall and sacrilegious fact I prooue it sundry waies First because it is flatly against the expresse scripture and Christes holy institution For Christ himselfe instituted and ministred the Sacrament in both kindes saying drinke yee all of it as Saint Mathew recordeth and they all dranke of it as witnesseth Saint Marke Saint Paule also taught all the Corinthians to communicate in both kindes protesting that hee deliuered the forme and maner of the holy communion euen as he had in spirite receiued it from the Lord. Secondly because the auncient fathers shew euidently that in their time it was the generall practise of the church to deliuer the holy communion to the lay people vnder both kindes Neither was the cup taken from the vulgar sort by any setled law vntill the late councell of Constance which was in the yere of our Lord God 1414. Origen hath these words Quis est iste populus qui in vsu habet sanguinem bibere haec erant quae in euangelio audientes ij qui ex Iudaeis dominum sequebantur scandalizati sunt dixerunt Quis potest manducare carnem sanguinem bibere sed populus Christianus populus fidelis audit haec amplectitur sequitur eum qui dicit nisi manducaueritis carnem meam biberitis sanguinem meum non habebitis vitam in vobis ipsis quia caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè potus est Who is that people that hath in custome to drinke bloud these were the thinges which the Iewes that followed Christ heard in the gospel and were scandalized and said Who can eate flesh and drinke bloud but the christian people the faithfull people heare these thinges and embrace them and follow him that sayth vnlesse ye shall eate my flesh drink my bloud ye shall haue no life in your selues because my fleshe is meate indeed and my bloud drinke indeed S. Hierome hath these words Sacerdotes quoque qui eucharistiae seruiunt sanguinem domini populis eius diuidunt impiè agunt in legem Christi The Priestes also that administer the eucharist and diuide the Lordes bloud to his people transgresse the law of Christ heynously Saint Cyprian with fourtie learned bishops in their ioynt Epistle to Cornelius write in this expresse maner Quo modo docemus aut prouocamus eos in confessione nominis sanguinem suum fundere si eis militaturis Christi sanguinem denegamus aut quo modo ad martyrij poculum idoâ—â—os facimus si non eis priùs ad bibendum in ecclesia poculum domini iure communicationis admittimus Howe doe we teache 〈◊〉 them to shed their bloud for the name of Christ if wee denie them the bloud of Christ when they go to warre or how doe we make them fit for the cuppe of martyrdome if wee doe not first admit them to drinke the Lordes cuppe in the Churche and that by the right of communion where I wishe the reader to note well that the lay people haue right to both kindes and consequently that the Romish church is become the whore of Babylon in that shee robbeth vs of our christian right which wee haue de iure diuino Saint Chrysostome hath these wordes Est vbi nihil differt sacerdos à subdito vt quando fruendum est honorandis mysteriis Similiter enim omnes vt illa percipiamus digni habemur Non sicut in veteri lege partem quidem sacerdos comedebat partem autem populus non licebat populo participem esse eorum quorum particeps erat sacerdos Sed nunc non sic verum omnibus vnum corpus proponitur poculum vnum There is a place where there is no difference betweene the priest the lay person as when we are to communicate in the holy mysteries for we are all in
to beleeue Therefore by due application the monasticall vow is a wicked and damnable thing I say seauenthly that euerie vowe must bee de meliori bono of a better good or of that which is a more holy thing so writeth their approued doctour and canonized saint Aquinas in his theological Summe and therfore because the popish perpetuall vowe of single life is not of such a better good it must needs be a wicked vnlawful act To prooue the saide popish vow is not of a better good the reader must diligently obserue these points first that it is one thing to speake of virginity in it selfe or as it is compared with wedlocke and another thing to speake of it as it is perpetually vowed in such such a person secondly that to leade a single life is indifferent to such persons as haue the gift of continencie but not to others thirdly that such intangle themselues in snares by Saint Paules doctrine as do not know their future continuance and for all that make a popish vow of single life for euer fourthly that it is a great sinne to do any thing which is not of faith for so saith the apostle Hereupon it followeth first that the vow of single life or virginitie is vnlawfull the reason is euident because it is not a better good I prooue it by the flat testimonie of Saint Gregorie Nazianzene a most eloquent and learned father who was S. Hieroms master and taught him the holy scriptures and for his wonderfull knowledge therein was rightly surnamed Theologus as recordeth Simeon Metaphrastes these are his expresse wordes Cum in duo haec genera vita nostra omnis diuisa sit nimirum in matrimonium caelibatū quorum alterum vt praestantius diuinius ita maioris quoque laboris periculi alterum humilius quidem abiectius caeterum minori periculo obnoxium vitatis vtriusque status incommodis quicquid in vtroque commodi erat delegerit in vnumque coegerit alterius nempe sublimitatem alterius securitatem fuerìtque citra supercilium pudica caelibatus commoda matrimonio temperans ac reipsa ostendens neutrum horum suapte natura tale esse vt nos prorsus vel Deo vel mundo astringat vel ab his penitus nos separet Sic quidem vt alterum natura omnino fugiendum sit alterum prorsus expetendum verum mentem esse quae nuptias virginitatem recte moderetur atque vtrumque horum instar materiae cuiuspiam ab artifice ratione componi ad virtutem elaborari Whereas our whole life is diuided into these two kindes to wit into matrimonie and single life whereof the one as it is more excellent and diuine so is it also of greater labour danger the other more base and vile but subiect to lesse danger Gorgonia eschewing the discommodities of either state hath chosen and gathered into one what commoditie soeuer was in both that is the sublimitie of the one and the securitie of the other She was chaste and nothing proud tempering the commodities of single life with marriage and shewing in very deede that neither of the twaine is such of it owne nature as can eyther ioyne vs wholy to God or to the worlde or withdraw vs wholy from God or from the world So verily as the one ought of it owne nature be auoided and the other to bee required but that it is the minde that doth rightly moderate both marriage and virginitie and that either of them must bee by reason composed of the artificer as certaine vnwrought stuffe so be made a vertue These are the words of this great clarke and holy father in which he hath learnedly described the natures and properties both of marriage virginitie which I haue alleaged at large because they are worthy of our consideration and doe exactly explaine this intricate and important matter Out of them therefore I note first that as virginitie is more excellent one way so is it more dangerous another way and so all things considered there is no preeminence in either of the twaine at least not in virginitie I note secondly that as matrimonie is more secure and free from perill so may it also include al the good that is in virginitie For as S. Gregorie saith Gorgonia being a married woman ioyned the sublimitie most excellent part of virginitie with the securitie of hir chast wedlocke I note thirdly that by S. Gregories discourse wedlock is to be preferred before virginitie For al the good parts of virginitie may be included in chast wedlocke not so the good parts of wedlocke in virginitie that is virginity is euer subiect to perill from which wedlocke abideth free I adde hereunto that the world may be cōtinued without virginity although wedlocke be necessarie for the same I note fourthly that virginitie of it owne nature can neither ioyne vs to God nor withdraw vs from God but is as marriage in that respect I note fiftly that neither wedlock nor yet virginity is a virtue of it selfe but a peece of vnwrought stuffe which then becommeth a vertue when it is perfectly laboured by the worker and consequently that virginitie hath no such perfection and merite as our papists doe ascribe vnto it Clemens Alexandrinus taught this doctrine long before Saint Gregorie It followeth secondly vppon the foure obseruations that if virginitie were a better good as it is considered in it selfe the contrarie whereof is proued yet woulde it not follow that it were a better good as it is vowed of him or hir that hath not y e gift the reason is euident because our sauiour hath appointed such persons to vse the soueraigne medicine of chast wedlocke and so single life is so farre from being a better good in such persons that it is no good at all but a flat damnable sin Besides this such persons expose themselues to great perill that is to commit fornication because they know not their own future state It followeth thirdly that such a vowe cannot be of a better good because it is not of faith I proue it because his act cannot be of faith who knoweth not whether his act please God or not yea he contemneth God presuming to do that which is offensiue in Gods sight If they answere that they know God will giue them the gift for asking I replie that so to say is great presumption For Christ himselfe saith that all cannot liue single but they onely to whom it is giuen and saint Paul after he had wished euerie man to be as himselfe added forthwith but euerie one hath his proper gift of God one after this manner and another after that Saint Ambrose saith sola est virginitas quae suaderi potest imperari non potest onely virginitie is a thing which may be counselled but commanded it cannot be I say eightly that a lawfull and godly vowe must bee of such things as are in our owne
vnder the obedience of the law bound to frame their liues according to the prescript rule thereof as other scripture maketh mention The replie How can any man frame his life after the prescription of the law if none liuing can keepe the law as you defend The answere I answere that if yee were well studied in your owne doctors and should marke well what they write yee coulde not be ignorant of this point Harken therefore what your owne Bernard saith and after you haue heard him remember well his words and neuer forget his holy instruction Thus writeth he in one place Cupiebat dissolui cum Christo esse sciens quòd peccatum separans inter nos deum penitùs auferri non poterit donec liberemur à corpore Sequitur itaque dico vobis genus illud peccati quod toties conturbat nos concupiscentias loquor desideria mala reprimi quidem debet potest per gratiam dei vt non regnet in nobis nec demus membra nostra arma iniquitatis peccato sic nulla damnatio esthis qui sunt in Christo Iesu sed non eiicitur nisi in morte quando sic discerpimur vt anima sepaietur à corpore The Apostle did couet to be dissolued and to be with Christ knowing that sinne which maketh a diuision betweene God and vs cannot wholy bee taken away while we remaine in this bodie I therefore say vnto you this kind of sin which so often troubleth vs I speake of concupiscence and euill desires ought may be repressed by the grace of God so as it raigne nâ—t in vs nor we giue our members to be weapons of iniquitie vnto sinne and so there is no damnation to those that are in Christ Iesus but it is not cast out saue only in death when wee are so torne that the soule is diuided from the body Thus he saith in another place Sit ergo in corde iustitia iustitia quae ex fide est Haec enim sola habet gloriam apud deum Sit etiam in ore confessio ad salutem securus iam suscipe eum qui in Bethlehem Iudae nascitur Iesum Christum filium Dei Let righteousnes therefore be in thine heart euen that iustice which is of faith for onely that righteousnesse or iustice hath glorie with God howsoeuer righteousnes be esteemed among men Haue also confession in thy mouth vnto saluation and then receiue him with security that is borne in Bethlehem of Iuda Iesus Christ the sonne of God Thus he saith in the third place Omne quod natum est ex Deo non peccat sed hoc dictum est de praedestinatis ad vitam non quòd omnino non peccent sed quòd peccatum ipsis non imputetur All that is borne of god sinneth not but this is spoken of the predestinate to life not because they sin not at al but for that sin is not imputed to them Thus doth he say in the fourth place Vtique quod factum est non potest non fieri ipso tamen non imputante erit quasi non fuerit Quod propheta quoque considerans ait Beatus vir cui non imputabit Dominus peccatum The sinne doubtlesse that is done can not be vndone yet for that God doth not impute sin vnto vs we shal be as if we had not sinned which the prophet considering saith Blessed is the man to whome God shall not impute sinne Out of these foure places conteining most comfortable and christian doctrine I note first that concupiscence remaineth in the regenerate euen vnto death I note secondly that it is properly sinne euen in the regenerate which being vttered by their owne deere Bernard giueth a deadly wound to the papists For he saith that that concupiscence which remaineth to death doth separate vs from God Which effect nothing but that which is properly sinne can possibly worke in man I note thirdly that although this concupiscence can not be taken awaie from the regenerate vntil death yet may it be so repressed by Gods spirite as it shall not raigne in them or haue dominion ouer them I note fourthly that it bringeth not damnation to the regenerate who striue against it and that because God doth not impute it to sinne I note fiftly that the regenerate are saide not to sinne not because they sinne not or haue no sinne indeede but because God of his meere mercie accepting their faith through the merits of Christ Iesus doth not impute sinne vnto them I note sixtly that no iustice but that which is of faith is or can be acceptable in Gods sight Ioyne these sayings of saint Bernard to the testimonie of saint Austen cited in the answer to the first obiection in the seuenth conclusion and that done a mightie article of popish doctrine will be vtterlie ouerthrowne The sixt obiection Wherefore saith S. Peter labour the more that by good works you may make sure your vocation and election Therefore good workes are a meane for vs to attaine to the effect of Gods predestination that is to life euerlasting as whose certainetie if the apostle say truelie is procured by mans freewil and good workes The answer I say first that God did elect and predestinate vs without regard of our works For as the apostle saith he chose vs in Christ before y e foundatioÌ„ of the world not bicause we were holy but that we should be holy I say secoÌ„dly that the words by good works are not in the originall Greek text but only in the popish latin vulgata editio For which like respects your late Tridentine council hath so magnified the same I say thirdly that good works are the proper effects of predestinatioÌ„ electioÌ„ and therfore are a sure testificaton therof in y e sight iudgement of man And if your translation be admitted wherin I wil not contend because y e sense is not much different yet can there no more be inferred vpon y e words vnlesse some wil say that the effect can go before the cause that which foloweth be the cause of that that went before But both their owne doctour Aquinas and their double glossa interlinialis and ordinaria doe giue the same exposition with mee to wit that the apostle willeth vs to make knowne our eleccion by doing of good works as which yeeld to man a morall certitude thereof The seauenth obiection Saint Paul willeth the Philippians to worke their saluation with feare and trembling but doubtlesse he that can worke his saluation may by his works merite heauen The answere I say first with the selfesame apostle in the next verse following that we are so far from meriting heauen by our works that it is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure Yea as he saith in another place we are saued by grace through faith that neither of our selues nor yet
manifest if wee ponder deepely what famous popish doctours haue written herein Bernard hath these expresse wordes Sic non est quod iam quaeras quibus meritis speremus bona praesertim cum audias apud prophetam non propter vos sed propter me ego faciam dicit dominus sufficit ad meritum scire quod non sufficiant merita So there is no cause that thou shouldest nowe aske by what merites we hope for glorie especially since thou hearest the prophet say I will doe it saieth the Lorde not for your sake but for mine owne It is sufficient to merite to know that our merites are not sufficient Thus saith deuout Bernard who though hee liued in the greatest mist of poperie and so was carried away with some errours of his time yet did hee teach most christian doctrine almost in all his workes and because hee was reputed a great papist with the papists his testimonie is euer most forcible against them and their proceedings Aquinas hath these expresse words Manifestum est autem quòd inter Deum hominem est maxima inaequalitas in infinitum enim distant totum quod est hominis bonum est à Deo Vnde non potest hominis à Deo esse iustitia secundum absolutam aequalitatem sed secundum proportionem quandam in quantum scilicet vterque operatur secundum modum suum Modus autem mensura humanae virtutis homini est à Deo ideo meritum hominis apud Deum esse non potest nisi secundum praesuppositionem diuinae ordinationis ita scilicet vt id homo consequatur à Deo per suam operationem quasi mercedem ad quod Deus ei virtutem operandi destinauit And it is manifest that betweene God man there is exceeding great inequalitie for they differ in infinit all the good that man hath is of God Wherefore mans iustice receiued of God cannot be according to absolute equalitie but after a certain proportion to wit in as much as either worketh according to his condition Now man hath the measure and condition of his vertue from God and therefore mans merite cannot be with God saue onely according to the supposal of Gods holy ordinance so to wit that man may attaine that at Gods hand by his working as reward to which God hath appointed his power of working Thus writeth the master papist Aquinas who vtterly ouerthroweth all popish merite as it is this day defended in the church of Rome For first marke well gentle Reader for this is a weightie point Aquinas telleth vs that where there is not perfert equalitie there can be no merite properlie Secondly hee graunteth that there is infinite inequalitie betweene God and man Thirdly hee confesseth that mans iustice is not absolute but imperfect Fourthly he granteth that maÌ„ doth merite nothing in Gods sight saue only by way of his free acceptation Fiftly he confesseth that eternall life is not properly hyre but as it were hyre by reason of the same acceptation Durandus their owne schooleman denieth euery mans works how iust or holie soeuer he be to be simply and properly meritorious but onely to merite in an vnproper and large kinde of speech Meritum inquit propriè de condigno est cui simpliciter debetur aequale virtute operis nullum autem opus nostrum aequale potest esse vitae aeternae neque illam largitur nobis Deus ex iustitia sed ex quadam liberalitate sane quia gratìs acceptat nostra opera Merite saith Durand is properly of the worthy to which that is simply due which is equall by the vertue of the worke but no worke of ours can be equall to eternall life neither doth God giue it vs of iustice but of meere liberalitie in that he freely accepteth our workes Gregorius Ariminensis Marsilius Thomas Waldensis Paulus Burgensis and Io. Eckius all being zealous papists doe for al that denie mans workes to be meritorious of eternal life how holy soeuer the man be And gentle Reader that thou mayest fully knowe howe the papists haue of late yeeres bewitched the world and vnder pretence of holy zeale seduced simple soules call to minde that they vse to wrest the scriptures as I haue already proued out of their owne doctors and to come new no distinctions to make their false doctrine good Which for thy better satisfaction I will prooue concerning this present controuersie of the merite of works out of Iosephus Angles a grey frier and learned popish bishop who euen in that booke which he dedicated to the pope himselfe so mightie is the truth writeth in these expresse words Diuus Chrysostomus ait Etsi millies moriamur etsi omnes virtutes animae expleamus nihil dignum gerâ—mus ad ea quae ipsi à Deo percipimus Eodem etiam modo coÌ„siderantes omnes alij doctores sancti naturalem solummodo bonorum operum valorem illum à valore iusta vitae aeternae aestimatione longissime distare perpendentes prudenter dixerunt opera nostra non esse meritoria aut digna vita aterna Ex lege tamen siue conuentione siue promissione facta nobiscum opera bona hominis cum adiutorio gratiae Dei fiunt aeternae vitae digna illi aequalia quae seclusa illa dei promissione quae passim in sacris literis repetitur fuissent tanto praemio prorsus indigna Saint Chrysostome sayeth though wee dye a thousand times and accomplish all vertue of the minde yet doe wee nothing worthie of those things which wee receiue of God And all other holy doctors considering after the same manner the naturall valure only of good words and perceiuing that it is exceeding farre distant from the valure and iust estimation of eternall life sayd wisely that our works are not meritorious nor worthie of eternall life Yet for the couenant and promise made with vs the good works of man with the help of Gods grace are worthy of eternall life and equall with it which for all that that promise of God which is frequent in the scriptures set aside were altogether vnworthie of so great reward Thus sayth our Popish Bishoppe and holy Frier who though he bestirre himselfe more then a little to establish the condigne merite of works yet doth he in his owne kind of reasoning vtterly confute and confound himselfe For first he graunteth that not onely S. Chrysostome but all the rest of the holy Fathers with him affyrme good workes neyther to be meritorious nor worthy of eternall life Agayne he graunteth that workes considered in their naturall kinde are vnworthie of eternall life Thirdly he graunteth that good works euen as they proceede of grace and assistance of the holy Ghost are for all that vnworthy of eternall life if Gods promise and free acceptation be set apart Which three poynts doubtlesse are all that we desire to be graunted concerning the doctrine of good works And so though the Papists
neuer cease to impeach accuse slaunder and condemne vs in this behalfe yet do we defend nothing heerein but that which their owne best Doctors and printed bookes doe teach vs yea euen such bookes as are dedicate to the Popes holinesse himselfe The conceites which this Bishop alledgeth to make good his intended purpose are childish and too too friuolous For first where hee sayth that the Fathers speake of good workes onely in respect of their naturall valure as hee tearmeth it I aâ—nswere that that glosse and exposition is onely inuented by him and his fellowes to salue their beggerly doctrine if it wold be For besides y t no father saith so they repute al works before grace meere sin as I haue prooued out of Austen And our Bishop vnwittingly confuteth himselfe of such force is the trueth when he graunteth that good works done in grace are vnworthy of heauen if Gods promise be set apart For if they merite ex condigno as he auoucheth then doubtlesse promise couenant and mercie is altogither needlesse Secondly where the bishop fleeth to distributiue iustice so to establishe the merite of workes I answere that both the fathers and his fellowes are against him yea euen Aquinas himselfe For they vnderstand iustice commutatiue and require arithmetical equalitie And if Geometricall proportion were to be admitted yet should greater equalitie be required then can be found between our workes and eternall life The 9 obiection Ye brag that the merite of good workes cannot be found in all the Scripture But therein you belie both vs and the holy scripture For in the booke of Ecclesiasticus I finde these expresse wordes Omnis misericordia faciet locum vnicuique secundum meritum operum suorum All mercie shall make place to euerie one according to the merite of his workes Loe here is made expresse mention of the merite of his good workes The answere I say first that the booke of Ecclesiasticus is not canonicall Scripture as which was not found written in the holy tongue I say secondly that it is not for nothing that your late councel of Trent hath so magnified your Latine vulgata editio For such stuffe as this it doth affoord you in time of neede I say thirdly that in the originall and Greeke text your worde merite may long seeke for lodging before it finde any For these are the expresse wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Make place to all almes for euerie one shall find according to his workes The 10. obiection One Scripture saith that if we giue almes all things are pure vnto vs. Another scripture saith that charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes And it is frequent with the holy fathers that good workes deliuer vs from hell The answere I say first that S. Luke reprooueth y e extortions of the Pharisies exhorteth them to works of charitie As if he had said not vnwashed handes make you eate vncleanly but your wicked extortions Vse therefore charitie and giue almes to the poore and then your soules shalbe cleane though the platter be vnwashed This sense is gathered out of the verses aforegoing I say secondly that almesdeedes and other good works proceeding of faith do neither merite nor iustifie as is prooued but yet they are testimonies before men that wee be iustified by faith through the merites of Christ Iesus For which respect iustification is often ascribed vnto them as to the effects therof I say thirdly that the fathers in many places doe speake of temporal remission which often is graunted for almes deeds and the like The replie If good workes can neither iustifie nor merite then is it but a vaine thing to exercise our selues therein The answere I say first that thus to say and thinke is a probable signe of the reprobate who hath no feeling of Gods holy spirite but is become senselesse in all spirituall contemplation I say secondly that albeit good workes doe neither iustifie nor merite in proper kinde of speech yet be there many good and necessary causes why we should doe good workes First because God is glorified therein Therefore saith Christ let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Secondly because by good workes we shew our gratitude loue towards God Therfore saith Christ If ye loue me keep my coÌ„mandements Thirdly because it is the end for which we were created Therfore saith the apostle For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Fourthly because they are necessary effectes of our predestination and consequently yeeld and euident morall certitude both to our selues to our neighbours that we are y e childreÌ„ of God Therfore saith the apostle There is no coÌ„demnation to theÌ„ y t are in Christ Iesus which walk not after y e flesh but after the spirite as if hee had said Who soeuer are the childreÌ„ of God cannot but liue after Gods holy lawes Which is the selfe same doctrine that Christ himselfe taught vs saying If ye shall keepe my commaundementes yee shall abide in my loue as I haue kept my fathers commandement and abide in his loue And S. Iohn confirmeth the same in these wordes In this wee know that we loue the children of God when we loue God and keepe his commandementes For this is the loue of God that we keep his commandementes So then if we keep Gods commandementes it is an euident signe that we loue God and that by faith wee are of his free mercie made his children for the merites and righteousnesse of Christ Iesus See more hereof in the eleuenth preamble in my first booke of Motiues The 8 conclusion Although good workes doe neither merite grace in this life nor glorie in the life to come as which are imperfect polluted with sinne and in rigour of iustice worthy of condemnation as is alreadie prooued yet because God hath decreed in his eternal counsel to bring vs to heauen by them as by ordinary meanes and right fruites of a sound christian faith they may in a godly sense be termed The secundary instrumentall cause of eternall life but in no sense the cause of mans iustification Explico I say of mans iustification because the latter can neuer be the cause of the former and consequently good workes following our iustification as the immediate fruites thereof can by no meanes possible be the cause of the same In regard whereof S. Austen as in many other thinges so in this point saide very learnedly Quòd opera non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuÌ„tur iustificatum That workes doe not go before iustification but followe him that is iustified I say of eternall life because when there be many gradual effectes of one and the same cause then the former may fitly be termed the materiall cause of the latter that is as the schooles terme it Causa sine qua non
Totilas about three yeeres after beganne to repaire and build vp the citie of Rome and gaue leaue to the citizens to returne into the citie in the yere of our Lord 551. The kings of the Romanes Romlus Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 38 244 Numa Pompilius Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 43 244 Tullus Hostilius Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 33 244 Ancus Martius Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 24 244 Tarquinius priscus Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 37 244 Seruius Tullius Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 44 244 Tarquinius Superbus Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 25 244 Kings first raigned ouer the Romanes 244. yeres After kings the common weale of the Romanes was gouerned by Consuls then by Tribunes and Dictators and againe by Consuls for the space almost of 464. yeeres euen vntil Iulius Cesar who was the first emperour of Rome and raigned 5. yeeres seuen moneths in the second yeere of the 183. Olympias and in the age of the world 3924. The first obseruation A Consul was a chiefe officer amongst the Romans wherof two were chosen yeerely to gouerne their citie A Tribune was an officer among the Romanes that had chiefe iurisdiction among the commons His office was to maintain the liberty of the poore people against such as sought to do them wrong A Dictator was a chiefe officer amongst the Romans who had a kings power hee was neuer chosen but in some great danger of the common-weale His authoritie indured but halfe a yeere which at the halfe yeeres end he was to yeeld vp vnder paine of treason The second obseruation Valerius fellow Consul with Brutus died in such pouerty as the Romans were inforced to disburse the common tresure for his funerall so writeth Eusebius What was the cause of his pouertie I doe not reade but this I say that many rich men are often oppressed with pouertie sodainely after the aboundance of their wealth and I adde further that no effect can be without the cause The explication Some men are verie rich in lands goods and possessions which they enioy either by their patrimonie or by dissent of blood which riche men are sodenlie afflicted with pouertie when oftentimes the cause is not knowne to any neighbour but as the prouerbe saith after great getters come great spenders and how is aboundance of riches so soone gone doubtles it falleth out commonly for a iust punishment of sinne Some rich men get their riches by vsurie some by deceitfull dealing some by extortion some by bribes and gifts for furthering euill causes some by niggardly and miserly locking vp in chests and coffers that which ought to haue beene bestowed for the reliefe of their poore neighbours All which because they are abhominable in Gods sight God punisheth the same diuersly sometime in the getters themselues though that chance but seldome and commonly in their successors so as it may be truely saide euill gotten goods seldome prosper to the third generation For some successors to those greedy vnconscionable getters spend their goods lasciuiously some by carding and gamning some by foolish bargaining some by prodigalitie some by flatterie some by credulitie and some by other meanes yet few or none were euer impouerished for bestowing their goods charitably vpon the poore for as Gods prophet wisely saith from his youth vp till his olde age hee neuer saw the righteous man forsaken nor his seede begging bread Psal. 37 25. but in these our dayes wee are so wedded to worldly riches that we will rather bestow twentie pounds vpon our owne inordinate pleasures then twentie pence vppon an honest poore needy neighbour and yet when rich men haue scraped together all the wealth they can sometime it so falleth out that some of them haue not at the houre of death to discharge the verie funerall euen as it befell to this honourable Consull of Rome It therefore behoueth al christian people that haue regard to their saluation first neuer to set their affections vpon worldly goods inordinately secondly to get their riches honestly and truely thirdly to dispense their riches liberally and chearefully to all their needy neighbours God is the giuer of all riches for as the Apostle saith Paul planted and Apollos watered but God gaue the encrease 1. Cor. 3 ver 6. he maketh some poore to try their patience and faith in him other some hee maketh rich to prooue their fidelity in disposing his treasures for the rich men are but stewards of their riches God is the chiefe owner and Lord thereof to whom they must one day make a reckoning and as Saint Hierom saith hee neuer knew man make an euill end that in his life time did the workes of charitie chearefully CHAP. V. Of the Emperours of Rome The names of the Caesars The raigne of the Caesars  1 Iulius Caesar was the first emperour of Rome of whome all emperours were afterwardes called Caesars Anno Mun. 3924 5 yeeres and 7 moneths 2 Octauius or Octauianus Caesar Augustê° was the second of whome all the rest were afterwards called Augusti hee died in the 76. yeere of his age and was buried in Campo Martio  56 yeeres 3 Tiberius Caesar Augustus was the third Caesar hee died in Campania in the village Lucullana in the 78. yeere of his age  23 yeeres 4 Caius Caesar surnamed Caligula was the fourth he was slaine by his protectors in his own pallace in the 25. yere of his age  4 yeeres and 10 moneths 5 Claudius Caesar was the fift who died in his pallace the 64. yeere of his age  13 yeres and 8 moneths 6 Nero was the sixt Caesar of the Romaines he flew him selfe in the 32. yeere of his age in him was ended all the familie of Augustus Anno Dom. 55 13 yeres and 7 moneths The names of the Caesars 7 Galba Otho Vitellius succeeded by murdering one another Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 1 yeere and 9 moneths 8 Vespasianus Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 9 yeres 11. mon. 22. daies 9 Titus eius filius Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 2 yeeres and 8 moneths 10 Domitianus Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 15 yeres and 5 moneths 11 Nerua Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 1 yeere and 5 moneths 12 Traianus Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 19 yeres and 6 moneths 13 Adrianus Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 21 yeres and 10 moneths 14 Antoninus Pius Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 23 yeres and 3
Againe in an other place Without me can ye doe nothing By which testimonies it is clear y t man before he be regenerate hath not power force efficacy or faculty to do good or once to coÌ„sent to any spiritual act The third conclusion The meritorious cause as wel of saluation as of iustification is Christ Iesus and none els This conclusion wilbe manifest if we seriously reuolue in our minds the wonderful mystery of mans redemption In which kind of holy meditation whosoeuer shal deuoutly exercise himselfe that man doubtlesse wil espie with facilitie these foure most excellent attributes of our most sweete redeemer to wit his iustice his mercie his wisedome his loue For first as the worthines of the person increaseth so doth also the offence against the saide person committed Wherupon it commeth that a reprochful word spoken against a meane priuate person is in respect a small offence when it is spoken against a magistrate it is greatâ—r when against our soueraigne the greatest of all and consequently when we offend God whose person is of infinite worthienes our offence must needes be infinite howsoeuer our late papists flatter themselues in their venials and so man vncapable of euerie infinite action cannot possibly yeeld any condigne compensation and yet god of his iustice cannot pardon sin without condigne compensatioÌ„ for the same Behold here Gods iustice Secondly in rigor of iustice the partie that offendeth is bound to make satisfaction for the fault neither is the partie offended bound to accept the satisfaction of any other and conseqently God was not bound to accept his sonnes satisfaction for our sinnes though it were most sufficient and of infinite dignitie In this Gods mercie shewed it selfe Thirdly on the one side pure God could not satisfie though he were of infinit dignitie because pure God is impassible on the other side pure man was not able because euerie his action was insufficient as of which no one amongst al could be infinite God therefore appointed his onely sonne to be incarnate to ioyne humanitie with diuinity in hypostatical vnion and so to make attonement for our sinnes For as man hee was passible and as God he was able to giue infinite dignitie to his passion Wherein we may beholde Gods diuine wisedome Fourthly God seeing man in the chaines and bondage and thraldome of the deuill through sin and hauing tender compassion of him in such his distresse sent his owne deare sonne to set him at libertie again and this he did of meere loue without all merits and deserts of man For as Christ himselfe saith God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting All saith the apostle haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Againe in another place As by the offence of one the fault came on al men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefit abounded towarde all men to the iustification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous This is the stone saith Saint Peter which the builders refused which is become the head of the corner neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued Wee haue an aduocate with the father saith Saint Iohn euen Iesus Christ the iust and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Christ redeemed vs saith Saint Paul from the curse of the lawe while hee was made a curse for vs. Againe in another place In whome wee haue redemption through his bloud that is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Againe Who did by himselfe purge our sinnes and sitteth on the right hand of maiestie on high Againe For he hath made him to be sinne for vs that knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him These saith S. Iohn are they which came from great tribulatioÌ„ washed their stoales and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Again in another place The bloud of Iesus Christ doth purge vs from all sin I euen I am hee saith God by his Prophet that blotteth out thine infirmities not for thy deserts but for mine owne sake Againe in another place He was wounded for our iniquities hee was torne in peeces for our offences S. Austen shal conclude this point who writeth in this maner Dominus noster Iesus Christus mori venit peccare non venit communicando nobiscum sine culpa poenam culpam soluit poenam Our Lord came to die he came not to sin communicating paine with vs without sinne he loosed both sinne and the paine of sinne The fourth conclusion The mercie of God is the efficient cause of mans iustification and Gods glorie the finall cause of the same Of the former speaketh S. Paul when he saith Not by the works of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy ghost Againe in another place the same Apostle saith that al haue sinned are freely iustified by his grace Againe he saith Which beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead And S. Iohn saith that God of his meere mercy and loue gaue his only son for the redemption of the world Of the latter speaketh the apostle when he saith that God hath made vs accepted in his beloued to the praise of his glory Again in another place whether therfore ye eate or drink or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glory of God As if he had said ye must referre al your thoughts words and workes to Gods glorie because ye were created to that end The prophet also saith I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine own sake wil not remember thy sins Againe in an other place Surely I wil not giue my glory to any other But doubtlesse if God shoulde iustifie man for any other end then for his owne glory it would follow thereupon that his glorie were giuen to another Yet as Salomon saith God hath made al things for his own sake yea euen y e wicked for y e day of euil The formall cause of mans iustification is not mans owne inherent iustice but the iustice righteousnes of Christ Iesus This conclusion containeth the maine point of a mighty controuersie betweene the papists vs for which respect I wish the reader to marke attentiuely my discourse The late councel holden at Trent setteth downe the opinion of the papists in these words DemuÌ„ vnica formalis causa est iustitiâ— dei noÌ„ qua ipse iustus est sed qua nos
otherwise he should be contrarie to himselfe who affirmeth it to bee sinne in many places of his works as is alreadie prooued but hee onely laboureth to perswade the reader that it is neuer imputed to the faithfull that stoutly striue against it And that this is the true meaning of S. Austen I proue it by the iudgement of S. Ambrose concerning the selfe same matter Thus doth hee write Caro contra spiritum contra carnem spiritus concupiscit â—ec inuenitur in vllo hominum tanta concordia vt legi mentis lex quae membris est insita non repugnet Propter quod ex omnium sanctorum persona accipitur quod Ioannes apostolus ait si dixerimus quoniam peccatum non habemus nosipsos seducimus veritas in nobis non est cum tamen idem ipse dicat qui natus est ex Deo peccatum non facit qoniam semen ipsius in eo manet non potest peccare quoniaÌ„ ex Deo natus est Vtrumque ergo verum est quia nemo sine peccato est in eo quod nemo est fine lege peccati qui natus est ex Deo peccatum non facit quia per legem mentis id est per charitatem quae Dei semen est peccatum non facit Charitas enim operit multitudineÌ„ peccatoruÌ„ the flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit against the flesh neither is there found in any man such concord but that the lawe of concupiscence which is ingrafted in the members fighteth against the law of the mind And for that cause Saint Iohns words are taken as spoken in the person of all saints If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs when for al that the same apostle saith He that is borne of God sinneth not because his seed abideth in him and he cannot sinne because he is of God Therfore both are true because no man is without sinne for that no man is without the law of sinne that is concupiscence and he that is borne of God sinneth not bicause he sinneth not by the law of his mind that is by charitie which is Gods seede for charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes Out of these words I note first that concupiscence moueth rebellion against the spirit in the holyest man vpon earth I note secondly that this rebellion of concupiscence is sinne in euerie one because S. Iohn speaketh of sinne indeede whose words saint Ambrose applieth heere to concupiscence I note thirdly that hee speaketh of originall concupiscence because he speaketh of that concupiscence which is in the saints that is in those that are borne of God I note fourthly that the faithfull sinne not because charitie couereth their sins So then S. Austen meaneth as S. Ambrose doth that they are without sin to whom sinne is not imputed Yea Aquinas himselfe granteth which is to be admired that the inordinate motion of sensualitie euen which goeth before the deliberation of reason is sinne though in a lowe degree These are his expresse wordes Dicendum quòd illud quod homo facit sine deliberatione rationis non perfectè ipse facit quia nihil operatur ibi id quod est principale in homine vnde non est perfectè actus humanus per consequens non potestesse perfectè actus virtutis vel peccati sed aliquid imperfectum in genere horum Vnde talis motus sensualitatis rationem praeueniens est peccatum veniale quod est quiddam imperfectum in genere peccati I answere that that which man doth without the deliberation of reason he doth it not perfectly because that which is the chiefe in man worketh nothing there wherefore it is not perfectly mans act and consequently it cannot be perfectly the act of vertue or of sinne but some imperfect thing in this kinde Whereupon such a motion of sensuality preuenting reason is a venial sinne which is a certaine imperfect thing in the nature of sinne The fourth replie Concupiscence at the most is but a little venial sinne as S. Thomas Aquinas truely saith therefore it cannot bring a man to hell neither debarre him of heauen The answere I answere that euerie sin is mortall vndoubtedly as which is flatly against Gods holy commaundements For that the transgression of Gods commandements is a grieuous mortal sinne no man euer did or will denie Cursed is euery one saith the apostle that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them Againe in another place The reward or wage of sinne is death And S. Iames saith Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole lawe and yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of all Nowe that euerie sinne aswel great as small is against Gods holy lawe I prooue sundrie waies First because the Apostle saith that al our thoughts words and works ought to be referred to the glorie of God for most certaine it is that no sinne at al is referred to Gods glorie For no sin no not the least of al is referrible to god but is of it own nature repugnant to his glorie Secondly because wee must yeelde an account to God for euerie idle word as Christ himselfe telleth vs and yet as euerie child can perceiue God most merciful and most iust wil neuer lay that to our charge which is not against his holy law Thirdly because the apostle saith of sin generally that the punishment thereof is death Fourthly because sinne in generall is defined by the fathers to bee the transgression of Gods law which definition could not bee true if anie little sinne could stand with his commaundement Fiftly because famous popish writers as Ioannes Gerson Michael Baius Almayn and our owne Bishop of Rochester doe all freely graunt that euerie sinne is mortall of it owne nature and deserueth eternall death their words I haue alleaged in my booke of Motiues Sixtly because Durandus and Iosephus Angles to whom the Schooles of the papistes this day accord doe sharpely impugne Aquinas his doctrine in that he teacheth Venials not to be against Gods law The 7. conclusion Although good works do not iustifie yet are they pretious in Gods sight and neuer want their reward Christ himselfe prooueth this conclusion when he promiseth that not so much as a cup of colde water giuen in his name shall passe without reward And in another place hee saith That whosoeuer shall leaue house parents brethren wife or children for his sake shal receiue much more in this world and in the world to come life euerlasting And in another place Christ telleth vs that when the sonne of man commeth in his glory and al his holy angels with him then will he pronounce them blessed that haue done the works of charitie to their poore neighbours God saith S. Paul will reward euery man according to his workes The Lord rewarded me saith holy
non sunt sine peccato quia iam non ipsi operantur iniquitatem sed quod habitat in eis peccatum Behold howe they that walke in the waies of the Lord doe not sinne and yet are they not without sinne because now not they work iniquitie but the sinne that dwelleth in them I say thirdly that it is one thing to be blessed in the worke another thing to be blessed for the worke And so when the regenerate become not vaine hearers of Gods worde but bring forth the worthie fruites thereof in holy life they shall doubtlesse be blessed in so doing yet not for the worthinesse of their workes but of Gods meere mercie for his promise sake Thus doth S. Iames expound himselfe in the same chapter when hee saith Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him The 4. obiection S. Luke saith that Zacharias and Elizabeth were iust before God not only before men and that they walked in all the commandements of the Lord without reproofe The answere I say first that if Zacharias and Elizabeth had kept y e law exactly in all pointes then Christ needed not to haue died for them or to haue risen again for their iustification For the perfite fulling of the law giueth life to the doer thereof I say secondly that they were of that number of whom S. Iohn saith if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. And of whom S. Paule saith There is none righteous no not one they haue all gone out of the way there is none that doth good no not one And of whom the Psalmâ—graphe saith for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And of whom S. Austen saith Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam Woe euen to the best liuers on earth if thou extend not thy mercie towards them I say thirdly that they were iust before God as were Dauid Peter Paul and others not for that they were perfitly iust and without sinne but because God reputed them so perfitly iust as if they had neuer sinned and of his great mercie thorough the merites of Christ Iesus did not impute the breach of his law vnto them according to this saying of the scripture Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sins are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne The fift obiection The regenerate liue without sinne and so may they iustly merite heauen For we reade that Noah was iust and perfite and vpright and walked with God Remember saith Dauid howe I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfite heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight Wee speake wisedome saith the apostle among them that are perfite and it is written of king Asa y t his heart was perfite all his daies In another place y e prophet saith that he hath not swarued from Gods lawe In another place hee requireth God to iudge him according to his righteousnesse The answere I say first that as the Prophet Dauid in one place required God to iudge him according to his righteousnesse so did he desire God in another place not to enter into iudgment with him because none liuing coulde be iustified in his â—â—ght So then his meaning is not to oppose his owne righteousnesse to the iust iugement of God at which hee euer trembled and neuer durst abide it as he saith in another place but only to shew his own innocent dealing in respect of the malicious and wicked practises of his enemies although the papistes to establish their pharisaical iustice would haue it to be vnderstood of Dauids own merites I say secondly that the perfitnesse which the scripture ascribeth to Gods children is not absolute but relatiue that is to say it is not perfite in respect of Gods law but by reason of imputation of Christes iustice vnto them who hath simply and perfitly answered the law or in respect of the weaker sort who want many degrees of their though imperfect iustice For S. Paule denied himselfe to be perfite Not as though I had alreadie attained to it saith he either were already perfit To which purpose holy Bernard writeth excelleÌ„tly in these words Nostra enim si qua est humilis iustitia recta forâ—itan sed non pura Nisi forte meliores nos esse credimus quam patres nostros qui non minus veraciter quam humiliter aiebant omnes iustitiae nostrae tanquam pannus menstruatae mulieris For our base iustice if we haue any is perchance right but not pure or perfitâ— vnlesse perhaps we beleeue that we are better then our fathers were who spake as truly as humbly All our righteousnesse is as filthy clouts But Christ as the apostle saith is our iustice in him we are perfect and consummate I say thirdly that the regenerate are said to liue perfectly and without sin in that they striue against sin and do not suffer sin to raigne in them thogh they cannot be without it And this hath the same Bernard wel obserued and vttered in this maner Quomodo enim pura iustitia vbi adhuc non potest culpa dâ—esse recta proinde interim videri potest iustitiae hominum si tamen peccato non consentiant vt non regnet in eorum mortali corpore For how can their iustice be pure who cannot be without sinne yet may the iustice of men be right if they consent not to sinne nor suffer it to reigne in their mortall bodies In which respect S. Iohn saith that the faithfull sin not because they suffer not sinne to raigne in them The replie If the regenerate cannot fulfill and keepe the lawe exactly then is it giuen in vain and without cause are we charged with the obedience thereof The answere I say first that Adam might haue kept the law perfitly and in him al his posteritie might haue done the same I say secondly that wee may yet keep the law in a certaine measure and therefore must we striue against sinne and studie to increase our sanctification from day to day I say thirdly that by the law we know our owne nakednesse sinnes and miserie and are thereby excited to seeke for remission of our sinnes and to be clad with the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus The replie The apostle saith in one place that the iust are not vnder the law but vnder grace And in another place hee saith y t there is no law for the iust man but where there is no law there can be no transgression and consequently no sinne at all The answere I answere that the iust are free from the coaction curse and condemnation of the law as the apostle witnesseth in another place but yet are they
For first the cup doth figuratiuely signifie the liquour in the cup. Again the cup is called the testament and yet it is but the figure or signe of the testament I say secondly that y e figure Metonymie is very frequent in the holy scripture aswell in the old as in the new testament In the old testament we haue these examples this is the passeouer That is this doth signifie the passeouer Againe this is my couenant that is to say this doth signifie my couenant or this is a signe of my couenant Againe the 7. good kine are 7. yeares and the seuen good eares are seuen yeares Againe the the seuen thinne and euill fauoured kine are seuen yeares Againe the seuen emptie eares blasted with the East-wind are seuen yeares of famine In all which places the figure Metonymia is vsed For neither the kine nor the eares were the seeuen yeares as euery childe knoweth but they did signifie the yeares to come they were a signe and figure thereof In the newe testament we haue these examples I am the vine Againe I am a doore Againe My father is an husbandman Againe The seed is the word of God Againe We that are manie are one bread Againe The rocke was Christ. Againe The lyon which is of the tribe of Iuda the root of Dauid hath obteined to open the booke In which places Christ neither was the vine nor the rocke nor the lyon neither was the seed the word of God neither was God the father an husbandman neither are the fathfull one bread but al these things are figuratiuely spoken by the vsuall custome of the holy Scripture I say thirdly that not only the ancient fathers but euen the papistes also haue acknowledged this figure their words and testimonies are alreadie cited I say fourthly that the verie wordes of institution are figuratiue which thing is so plaine as euerie child may perceiue the same For thus saith S. Luke This cup is the newe Testament in my bloud which is shed for you Where I am well assured euerie papist small and great will confesse with me that the cup by the figure metonymia is taken for the liquour in the cup. And so against their will they are enforced to acknowledge a figure euen there where they so obstinately denie a figure The fift obiection The Prophet Malachie hath such a plaine testimonie for the reall presence and sacrifice of the altar as it can neuer be aunswered till the worldes end These are the wordes In euery place incense shall be offered to my name and a pure offering These wordes of the Prophet being effectually applied will confound the respondent whatsoeuer hee shall answere For first the prophet speaketh of the oblatiō of the new testament as your selues cannot deny Secondly the prophet saith that this oblation must be in euery place and so it cannot be vnderstoode of Christs bodie offered vpon the crosse for that oblation was but in one place euen without the walles of Ierusalem Thirdly it cannot be vnderstood of the sacrifice of praise thanksgiuing bicause whatsoeuer proceedeth from vs is impure polluted Yea as an other prophet saith Al our righteousnes is as filthie clouts and so no oblation that is ours can be pure Therefore he speaketh of Christs body offered in the masse which is a pure oblation indeede The answere I answere to this insoluble so supposed argument that the prophet speaketh of the sacrifice of prayer and thankesgiuing And I prooue it by the flat testimonies of the holy Fathers Saint Irenaeus hath these wordes In omni loco incensum offertur nomini meo sacrificium purum Incensa autem Ioannes in Apocalypsi orationes esse ait sanctorum Incense is offered to my name in euery place and a pure sacrifice and Saint Iohn in the Reuelation saith that this incense is the prayers of the Saints Saint Theodoretus doeth expound this place after the same maner in his Commentaries vpon the same text Saint Hierome hath these wordes Sed thymiama hoc est sanctorum orationes Domino offerendas non in vna orbis prouincia Iudaeâ nec in vna Iudaeae vrbe Hierusalem sed in omni loco offerri oblationem But incense that is the prayers of saints must be offered to the Lord and that not in Iudea one onely prouince of the world neither in Ierusalem one onlie citie thereof but in euery place must an oblation be made Now where it is said that al our actions be impure and polluted I answere that that is true indeed when our actions be examined in rigour of iustice But not so when we are clad with the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus and haue washed our sins in his bloud for whose sake God doth not impute our pollutitions and filth vnto vs. Not so when God dealeth with vs according to mercie Not so when God accepteth our sinfull and imperfect acts as pure iust and innocent For our owne vnworthienesse the Prophet desired God not to enter into iudgement with his seruants but for Christs righteousnesse the Apostle pronounceth vs free from condemnation For though our sinnes be red as scarlet yet so soone as they be washed in the bloud of the immaculate Lambe they become by acceptation as white as snow This whole discourse Saint Augustine handleth finely in these golden wordes Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam Woe euen to the laudable life of men if thou examine it thy mercie set a part And in this sense the obiection taketh place Neuertheles god of his great mercie doth accept our works as iust and pure through faith in Christ Iesus our sweet redeemer for whose sake he doth not impute our sins to vs. So saith the Apostle not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee haue done but according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the new birth the renewing of the holy Ghost So saith S. Iohn These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their long robes haue made them white in the bloud of the lamb through the merits of which lambe our prayers and works are reputed pure Therefore saith Saint Paul I will therefore that the men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting The 6. obiection If the words of consecration be trophicall and figuratiue so as there is but a bare signe of Christs body and bloud then shall our sacraments of the newe Testament bee no better then the sacraments of the old The reason is euident because they did signifie Christs death and passion euen as ours do and yet is it cleare by the scriptures that we haue the verity wherof they had but the figure onely The answere I say first that our sacraments excell the olde sundry waies first because they are immutable and shall not bee altered till the worlds
say secondly that Gods ministers bind and loose sins by preaching his sacred word of which kind of binding and loosing Christ speaketh in Saint Matthew and in Saint Iohn For when the people of God beleeue in their hearts his word sincerely preached and in their conuersation shew the liuely fruits thereof then doubtlesse are their sinnes loosed on earth and then is that loosing also ratified in heauen then are the wordes of the Apostle verified who saith that the gospel of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth it then are Christs ministers as the Apostle saith become in them the sauour of life vnto life On the contrarie side when the people will not heare and beleeue Gods worde sincerely preached but contemne it and the ministers thereof then doubtlesse are their sinnes bound on earth and then is that binding also approued in heauen Then are the apostles words verified who saith that vengeance is readie against all disobedience Then are Christes ministers as y e apostle saith made vnto them the sauour of death vnto death What can be a more ioyfull loosing what can be a more terrible binding See the aunswere to the third obiection following and there marke S. Hieromes words I say thirdly that our people cōfesse their sins generally before the minister in the face of the whole congregation according to the holy scriptures Yea in the reformed churches abroad the people vse to confesse to the ministers such speciall sins as most greeue clog their consciences and for which they need graue aduise and godly councell Which christian libertie is graunted also in our churches of England For such as list may confesse their sinnes to the minister priuately and haue both his godly aduise and absolution if he deeme them penitent for their sinnes The replie Your confessions are nothing els but a meere mockery for ye confesse your selues generally to be sinners but ye name no sins at all Againe as in Germany they confesse some sinnes so do they leaue vnconfessed what pleaseth them And this is the scornful libertie which ye grant to your churches of England The answere I say first that we confesse our sinnes this day as the Israelites of olde confessed their sinnes before Ezra and the Leuites As the humble publican confessed his sins when he said O God be mercifull to me a sinner As the prophet Dauid confessed his sins when he said I know mine iniquities and my sin is euer before me Against thee against thee only haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maist be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest As the prodigal son confessed his sins when he said Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee am no more worthy to be called thy son And as your selues confesse your sins in the beginning of euery masse I say secondly that your selues graunt that Venials need no confession at al. And yet as I haue already proued the least sin of al deserueth eternall death For thus doth your own famous Canonist write Quibus consequens est posse quem si velit confesso vno peccato veniali alterum tacere Vpon which it followeth that one may if he list confesse one veniall sinne and conceale another Maior and other Schoole-doctors are of the same opinion I say thirdly that by the scriptures vpon which ye woulde gladly ground your confession we are no lesse bound to confesse one sin then another For your triuolous distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes can be found in no text of holy scripture And consequently since the scripture it selfe by your graunt freeth vs from confessing Venials it followeth directly that wee are bound to confesse none at all I say fourthly that your confession is ridiculous indeede as which vrgeth the penitent to confesse those sinnes to sinful men which God of his mercy hath forgiuen already I prooue it because your best approoued writers hold that contrition onely reconcileth sinners to God and taketh away both the fault and the paine But after that we are reconciled to God by only cōtrition and haue both our sinnes and the satisfaction remitted I weene it is a vain and a ridiculous thing to afflict our selues for popish absolution This that I say is witnessed by Martinus Nauarrus by your learned frier Ioan. Lud. Viualdus and diuers others I say fiftly that your confessions are neuer able to bring peace to any troubled conscience but to driue them headlong into desperation For first none liuing is able to make a true confession of all his sinnes which thing is so cleere by the Scriptures that your Cardinall Caietane cannot denie it Secondly thousandes are so turmoiled therewith that dayly they come to confesse the sinnes which they had forgotten condemning themselues of their former negligence Thirdly none of you all can prescribe howe much time or what diligence is inough y t ones confession may be perfit The consideratiō wherof bringeth many thousand souls to perplexitie For you beare thē in hand y t they must confesse all mortal sins and all specificall differences of the same And yet will I gage my life that ye haue ten thousand priestes in Europe yea perhaps in Italie that cannot perceiue the aforesaid differēce and much lesse can the lay people performe it See more hereof in my booke of Motiues The 2. obiection S. Iohn the baptist induced the people to the confession of their sinnes which doubtlesse was not to confesse themselues in generall to be sinners but to vtter euery man his sinnes So is it said in the actes of the apostles that many of them which beleeued came confessing and declaring their deeds And therfore saith S. Hierome that priestes binde and loose Auditâ peccatorum varietate hauing heard the varietie of sinnes The answere I say first that S. Iohn the baptist cannot meane of your sacramentall confession because it was not instituted before his decollatiō But you make smal accompt to wrest the holy scripture if by any meanes it could so serue your turne For as your graund doctor Pighius resembled it to a nose of waxe euen so in good sooth ye seeme to vse it The trueth is this S. Iohn exhorting the people to repentance and to amendment of their former liues euil spent found so good successe in his preaching that Hierusalem and all Iurie and all the countrey about Iordan were desirous to be baptized and in signe of their true repentance they publickly acknowledged their sinnes But that they this did in generall termes and not in popish maner I prooue it by two reasons First because popish auricular confession was not yet inuented but after Christes resurrection as all papistes graunt Againe because one man could not possibly heare seuerally the generall confessions of so manie multitudes speciallie in so short a time I say secondly that with