Peters faith so much magnified by the auncient Fathers and highlie rewarded by our Sauiour was it any other Then that our Sauiour was Christ Math. 16 the Sonne of the liuing God And briefly let S. Iohn that great secretarie of the Holy Ghost tell vs what faith is the finall end of the whole Gospell Ioh 20. These thinges saith he are written that you may beleeue that IESVS is CHRIST the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you may haue life in his name With the Euangelist the Apostle S. Paul accordeth very well saying Rom. 10. This is the word of faith which we preach for if thou cōfesse with thy mouth our Lord IESVS CHRIST and shalt beleeue in thy hart that God raised him from death thou shalt be saued And in an other place ◠Cor. 15. I make knowne vnto you the Gospell which I haue preached and by which you shall be saued vnlesse perhaps you haue beleeued in vayne What was that Gospell I haue deliuered vnto you that which I haue receiued that Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures was buried and rose againe the third day c. So by the verdite of S. Paul the beleefe of the articles of the creede is that justifying faith by which you must be saued And neither in S. Paul nor any other place of Holy Scriptures is it once taught that a particular faith whereby we applie Christs righteousnes to our selues assure our selues of our saluation is either a justifying or any Christian mans faith but the very naturall act of that ougly Monster presumption Which being layd as the very corner stone of the Protestants irreligion what morall and modest conuersation what humility and deuotion can they build vpon it The second difference in the manner of justification is about the formall act of faith which M. PERKINS handleth as it were by the way cuttedly I will be as shorte as he the matter not being great The Catholikes teach as you haue heard out of the Councell of Trent in the beginning of this question that many actes of faith feare hope and charity doe goe before our justification preparing our soule to receiue into it from God through Christ that great grace M. PERKINS Doctor like resolueth otherwise That faith is an instrument created by God in the hart of man at his conuersion whereby he apprehendeth and receiueth Christs righteousnes for his iustification This joylie description is set downe without any other probation then his owne authority that deliuered it and so let it passe as already sufficiently confuted And if there needed any other disproofe of it I might gather one more out of this owne explication of it where he saith that the couenant of grace is communicated vnto vs by the word of God and by the Sacraments For if faith created in our hartes be the only sufficient supernaturall instrument to apprehend that couenant of grace then there needes no Sacraments for that purpose and consequently I would fayne know by the way how litle infants that can not for want of judgement and discretion haue any such act of faith as to lay hold on Christ his justice are justified Must we without any warrant in Gods word contrary to all experience beleeue that they haue this act of faith before the come to any vnderstanding But to returne vnto the sound doctrine of our Catholike faith M. PER. findes two faults with it one that we teach faith to goe before justification whereas by the word of God saith he at the very instant when any man beleeueth first he is then both justified and sanctified What word of God so teacheth Marry this He that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the body and bloud of Christ and is already passed from death to life Io. 6.54 I answere that our Sauiour in that text speaketh not of beleeuing but of eating his body in the blessed Sacrament which who so receiueth worthely obtayneth thereby life euerlasting as Christ saith expressely in that place And so this proofe is vayne Now will I proue out of the holy Scriptures that faith goeth before justification first by that of S. Paul Whosoeuer calleth on the name of our Lord Rom. 10. shall be saued but how shall they call vpon him in whome they doe not beleeue how shall they beleeue without a preacher c. Where there is this order set downe to arriue vnto justification First to heare the preacher then to beleeue afterwardes to call vpon God for mercy and finally mercy is graunted giuen in justification so that prayer goeth betweene faith and justification This S. Augustine obserued when he said Faith is giuen first De prede◠sanct ca. 7 De spirit lit cap. 30 by which we obteyne the rest And againe By the lawe is knowledge of sinne by faith we obtayne grace and by grace our soule is cured If we list to see the practise of this recorded in holy write read the second of the actes and there you shall finde how that the people hauing heard S. Peters Sermon were stroken to the hartes and beleeued yet were they not straight way justified but asked of the Apostles what they must doe who willed them to doe penance and to be baptized in the name of IESVS in remission of their sinnes then loe they were justified so that penance and baptisme went betweene their faith and their justification In like manner Queene Candaces Eunuch hauing heard S. Philippe announcing vnto him Christ beleeued that IESVS CHRIST was the Sonne of God no talke in those dayes of applying vnto himselfe Christs righteousnes yet was he not justified before descending out of his chariot he was baptized Act. 8. And three dayes passed betweene S. Paules conuersion and his justification as doth euidently appeare by the historie of his conuersion Act. 9. The second fault he findeth with our faith is that we take it to be nothing else but an illumination of the minde stirring vp the will which being so moued and helped by grace causeth in the hart many good spirituall motions But this sayes M. PERKINS is as much to say that dead men only helped can prepare themselues to their resurrection Not so good Sir but that men spiritually dead being quickned by Gods spirit may haue many good motions for as our spirit giueth life vnto our bodies so the spirit of God by his grace animateth and giueth life vnto our soules But of this it hath beene once before spoken at large in the question of free will Pag. 84. THE THIRD DIFFERENCE CONCERNING FAITH IS this The Papists say that man is iustified by faith yet not by faith alone but also by other vertues as the feare of God hope loue c. The reasons which are brought to maintayne their opinion are of no moment well let vs heare some of them that the indifferent Reader may iudge whether they be of any moment or no. M. PERKINS first Reason
S. AVGVSTINE of set purpose confuted this error in sundrie places of his learned workes speciallie in his Treatise De virginitie in these chapters 13. 23. 24. 25. Where he accounteth him no Christian that doeth contradict CHRIST promising the kingdome of heauen to Eunuchs * Mat 19 And in the 25. Chapter more vehemently exclayming O impious blindnesse why doest thou cauill and seeke shifts why doest thou promise temporal commoditie onely to the chaste and contynent when God sayth * Esai 16. I will giue them an euerlasting name And if thou wouldest perhaps take this euerlasting for a thing of long continuance I adde inculcate and often repeale that it shall neuer haue end What wouldest thou more This eternall name whatsoeuer it be signifyeth a certaine peculiar and excellent glorie which shall not be common to many albeit they be placed in the same kingdome c. Which in the 29. Chapter he confirmeth out of that place of the Apocalips cited aboue in these wordes The rest of the faithfull shall see you and not enuie your estate but ioye in it and so be partaker of that in you which they haue not in themselues For the new song which is proper vnto you they cannot sing but shall heare it and bee delighted with your so excellent a blessednesse but you because you shal both sing and heare it shall more happilie reioyce and raigne more pleasantly Which may be also confirmed out of the Apostles in the same place where he assureth that the single life is better for the seruice of God saying that a woman vnmarried and a Virgin thinke of the things which belong vnto our Lord how she may please God and be holy both in body and spirite And our blessed Sauiour teacheth * Mat. 19 That some become Eunuches for the kingdome of heauen which to bee taken there properlie for the rewarde in heauen Saint AVGVSTINE with the rest of the Fathers teacheth * De virginit cap. 23. What could be spoken more truely or more perspicuouslie CHRIST sayth The trueth sayeth the Wisdome of God affirmeth them to geld themselues for the kingdome of heauen who doe of a godlie determination refrayne from marriage And contrarilie humane vanitie doth contende by impious temerity that they who do so do it to auoyde the necessarie troubles of Matrimonie and that in the kingdome of heauen they shall haue no more than other men Secondly al the Protestants doctrine for marriage and against Vowes is notably confuted by S. PAVL * Tim. 5 where he sayeth That there were then certaine Widdowes who when they waxed wanton against CHRIST would marrie hauing damnation sayeth hee because they made voyde and cast awaie their first faith which was as Saint AVGVSTINE * De sanct virg ca. 23. and the reste of the Fathers expounde it they had Vowed continencie but would not performe it Now these young Widdowes if the Protestants doctrine were true not hauing the gift of continencie did verie well to marrie and were in no sorte bounde to keepe their Vowes which was not in their power But the Apostle doeth not acquit them of their Vowe but teacheth that they were bounde to keepe it in that hee pronounceth damnation to them if they marrie Thirdlie the example of our heauenly Sauiour who would neuer marrie and of the blessed Virgin S. MARY who * Aug cap. 44. de uirg Bed 1. Luc Vowed perpetuall virginity And of the glorious Apostles as who S. IEROM witnesseth * Cle. Alex lib. 3. stom Lib. 1. cont Iouin In apol 2. ad Aut. Tertul. ap 2. cap. 9 were in parte Virgins and all after their following of Christ abstayned from the companie of their Wiues And of the beste Christians in the purest antiquitie who as IVSTINIVS one of the auncientest Greeke authors among Christians And TERTVLLIAN his peere among the Latines do testifie * did liue perpetuall Virgins Out of these examples wee frame this Argument Our Captaines and ring-leaders who knew well which was the beste way and whose examples wee are to followe as neere as wee can Vowing Virginitie wee must needes esteeme that state for more perfect speciallie when as the single man careth onely how to please God that to be holie in bodie and minde as the Apostle writes when as the married are choked with cares of this worlde And vnlesse a man had made a league with hell or were as blinde as a Beetle howe can hee euer perswade himselfe that to wallow in fleshlie pleasure and satisfying of the beastly appetites is as grateful to God as to conquere and subdue them by Fasting and Prayer Finally if S. PAVL giue counsell to the married to conteyne during the time of Prayer 1. Cor. 7 Priestes and religious that must alwaies be in a readinesse to minister the Sacraments and to thinke vpon such things as belong vnto our Lord are therefore vpon a great consideration bounde to perpetuall chastitie We will close vp this poynt with some sentences taken out of the auncient Fathers in prayse of Virginitie which M. P. in all this question vouchsafeth scarce once to name as though Virgins and Virginitie were no English wordes or not as playne as continencie S. CIPRIAN De habitu Virginum Intitleth Virgins to be the most noble and glorious parson of Christs flocke and addeth that they shall receiue of God the highest rewarde and greatest recompence S. CHRYSOSTOME * Lib. 3. cont vitup vit necess syteth Virginitie to be the top of perfection and the highest typ of vertue And ATHANASIVS De virginitate in the ende bursteth out into these words O virginitie a treasure that wasteth not a garland that wythereth not the Temple of God the Palace of the Holy Ghost a pretious stone whose price is vnknowen to the vulgar the joye of the Prophets the glorie of the Apostles the life of Angels the Crowne of Saints S. AMBROSE Lib. 1. de Virginibus paulo post init Virginitie is a principall vertue and not therefore commendable that it is found in Marters but because it maketh Marters Who can with humaine wit comprehend it which nature doeth not holde within her Lawes it hath fetched out of Heauen that it might imitate on Earth neither vnfitly hath it sought a manner of life in heauen which hath founde a spouse for her in heauen This surmounting the clouds the starres and Angels hath found the word of God in the bosome of his Father c. See who list to read more to this purpose the rest of the Fathers in their workes of Virginitie of which most of them haue written And S. IEROM who is behinde none of the rest in his bookes against Iouinian and Heluidius all which doe most diligently exhort to Vowe Virginitie doe teach how to keepe it and most vehemently inveigh against all them that doe breake it And if any bee so madde as to credite rather our fleshlie ministers than all that honorable and holy senate of
neuer be graunted But a word with you by the way Your righteous man must ouer-skippe that petition of the Pater noster forgiue vs our debts for he is well assured that his debts be already pardoned For at the very first instant that he had faith he had Christs righteousnes applyed to him and thereby assurance both of the pardon of sinnes and of life euerlasting Wherefore he can not without infidelity distrust of his former justification or pray for remission of his debts but following the famous example of that formall Pharise in liew of demaunding pardon may wel say Luc. 18. O God I giue thee thankes that I am not as the rest of men extortioners vniust aduouterers as also these Papists Fearing the remission of my sinnes or the certayntie of my saluation but am well assured thereof and of Christs owne righteousnes too and so forth But to goe on with M. PERKINS discourse Here we must note that the Church of Rome cutteth off one principall dutie of faith for in faith saith M. PERKINS are two thinges first knowledge reuealed in the word touching the meanes of saluation Secondly an applying of thinges knowne vnto our selues which some call affiance the first they acknowledge So then by M. PERKINS owne confession Catholikes haue true knowledge of the meanes of saluation then he and his fellowes erre miserable The second which is the substance and principall they denie Answere Catholikes teach men also to haue a firme hope and a great confidence of obtayning saluation through the mercy of God and merits of Christs Passion So they performe their dutie towardes God and their neighbour or else die with true repentance But for a man at his first conuersion to assure himselfe by faith of Christs righteousnes and life euerlasting without condition of doing those thinges he ought to doe that we Catholikes affirme to be not any gift of faith but the haynous crime of presumption which is a sinne against the Holy Ghost not pardonable See S. Tho 22. q. 21. â—rt 1. neither in this life nor in the world to come M. PERKINS third reason is drawne from the consent of the auncient Church of which for fashion sake to make some shewe he often speaketh but can seldome finde any one sentence in them that fits his purpose as you may see in this sentence of Saint Augustine cited by him Augustine saith De verbis Domini â—erm 7. I demaund nowe doest thou beleeue in Christ O sinner thou saiest I beleeue what beleeuest thou that all thy sinnes may freely be pardoned by him thou hast that which thou beleeuest See here is neither applying of Christs righteousnes vnto vs by faith nor so much as beleeuing our sinnes to be pardoned through him but that they may be pardoned by him So there is not one word for M. PERKINS But S. Bernard saith playnlie That we must beleeue that our sinnes are pardoned vs. But he addeth not by the imputed righteousnes of Christ Againe he addeth conditions on our party which M. PERK craftely concealeth For S. Bernard graunteth that we may beleeue our sins to be forgiuen if the truth of our conuersion meete with the mercy of God preuenting vs for in the same place he hath these wordes So therefore shall his mercy dwell in our earth that is the grace of God in our soules if mercy and truth meete together if iustice and peace embrace and kisse each other Which is as S. Bernard there expoundeth it if we stirred vp by the grace of God doe truly bewaile our sinnes and confesse them and afterward follow holines of life and peace All which M. PERKINS did wisely cut off because it dashed cleane the vayne glosse of the former wordes His last authority is out of S. Cyprian who exhorteth men passing out of this life not to doubt of God promises but to beleeue that we shall come to Christ with joyfull security Answere S. Cyprian encouradgeth good Christians dying to haue a full confidence in the promises of Christ and so doe all Catholikes and bidde them be secure too on that side that Christ will neuer faile of his word and promise but say that the cause of feare lyes on our owne infirmities And yet biddes them not to doubt as though they were as likely to be condemned as saued but animates them and puts them in the good way of hope by twenty kindes of reason M. PERKINS hauing thus confirmed his owne partie why doth he not after his manner confute those reasons which the Catholikes alleadge in fauour of their assertion Was it because they are not wont to produce any in this matter Nothing lesse It was then belike because he knew not how to answere them I will out of their stoare take that one principall one of the testimony of holy Scripture And by that alone sufficiently proue that the faith required to justification is that Catholike faith whereby we beleeue all that to be true which by God is reuealed and not any other particular beleeuing Christs righteousnes to be ours How can this be better knowne then if we see weigh and consider well what kinde of faith that was which all they had who are said in Scriptures to be iustified by their faith S. Paul saith of Noe That he was instituted heire of the iustice which is by faith Heb. 11.7 What faith had he That by Christs righteousnes he was assured of saluation No such matter but beleeued that God according to his word and justice would drowne the world and made an Arke to saue himselfe and his familie as God commaunded him Abraham the Father of beleeuers and the Paterne and example of justice by faith as the Apostle disputeth to the Romans Rom. ca. 4. What faith he was iustified by Let S. Paul declare who of him and his faith hath these wordes He contrary to hope beleeued in hope that he might be made the Father of manie Nations according to that which was said vnto him So shall thy seede be as the starres of heauen and the sands of the Sea and he was not weakned in faith neither did he consider his owne body now quite dead whereas hee was almost an hundred yeares old nor the dead Matrice of Sara in the promise of God he staggered not by distrust but was strengthned in faith giuing glorie to God most fully knowing that whatsoeuer he promised he was able also to doe therefore was it reputed to him to iustice Loe because he glorified God in beleeuing that old and barren persons might haue children if God said the word and that whatsoeuer God promised he was able to performe he was justified The Centurions faith was very pleasing vnto our Sauiour who said in commendation of it That he had not found so great faith in Israell What faith was that Marry that he could with a word cure his seruant absent Math. 8. Say the word onely quoth he my seruant shall be healed S.
be set to worke and if it doe not act that which it is set too then there wanted some thing requisite And consequently that was not the whole cause of that worke Now to the second proposition But their imagined faith can not apply to themselues Christs righteousnes without the presence of hope and charity For else he might be justified without any hope of heauen and without any loue towardes God and estimation of his honour which are thinges most absurd in themselues but yet very well fitting the Protestants justification which is nothing else but the playne vice of presumption as hath beene before declared Yet to auoid this inconuenience which is so great M. PE. graunteth that both hope and charity must needes be present at the justification but doe nothing in it but faith doth all as the head is present to the eie whē it seeth yet it is the eie alone that seeth Here is a worthy peece of Philosophy that the eie alone doth see whereas in truth it is but the instrument of seing the soule being the principall cause of sight as it is of all other actions of life sence and reason and it is not to purpose here where we require the presence of the whole cause not only of the instrumentall cause And to returne your similitude vpon your selfe as the eie cannot see without the head because it receiueth influence from it before it cā see so cannot faith justifie without charity because it necessarily receiueth spirit of life from it before it can doe any thing acceptable in Gods sight The fourth reason if faith alone doe justifie then faith alone will saue but it will not saue ergo M. PERKINS first denyeth the proposition and saith That it may iustifie and yet not saue because more is required to saluation then to iustification Which is false for put the case that an Innocent babe dye shortly after his baptisme wherein he was justified shall he not be saued for want of any thing I hope you will say yes euen so any man that is justified if he depart in that state no man makes doubt of his saluation therefore this first shift was very friuoulous Which M. PERKINS perceiuing flies to a second that for faith alone we shall also be saued that good workes shall not be regarded at the day of our judgement Then must those wordes of the holy Ghost so often repeted in the Scriptures be razed out of the text God at that time will render vnto euery man according to his workes But of this more amply in the question of merits 5. Reason There be many other vertues vnto which justification and saluation are ascribed in Gods word therefore faith alone sufficeth not The Antecedent is proued first of feare it is said He that is without feare Ecclesias 1. Rom. 8. Luc. 13. 1. Ioan. 3. cannot be iustified We are saued by hope Vnlesse you doe penance you shall all in like sort perish We are translated from death to life that is justified because we loue the brethren Againe of baptisme Vnlesse you be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost you cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen Lastly we must haue a resolute purpose to amend our euill liues Rom. 6. For we are buried together with Christ by baptisme into death that as Christ is risen from the dead c. So we may also walke in newes of life To all these and many such like places of Holy Scripture it pleased M. PERKINS to make answere in that one Rom. 8. You are saued by hope to wit that Paules meaning is only that we haue not as yet saluation in possession but must wayte patiently for it vntill the time of our full deliuerance this is all Now whether that patient expectation which is not hope but issueth out of hope of eternall saluation or hope it selfe be any cause of saluation he sayeth neither yea nor nay leaues you to thinke as it seemeth best vnto your selfe S. Paul then affirming it to be a cause of saluation it is best to beleeue him so neither to exclude hope or charity or any of the foresaid vertues from the worke of justification hauing so good warrant as the word of God for the confirmation of it To these authorities and reasons taken out of the holy Scriptures let vs joyne here some testimonies of the auncient Church reseruing the rest vnto that place wherein M. PER. citeth some for him The most auncient and most valiant Martir S. Ignatius of our justification writeth thus Epist ad Philip. The beginning of life is faith but the end of it is charity but both vnited and ioyned together doe make the man of God perfect Clement Patriarch of Alexandria saith Faith goeth before Libr. 2. strom but feare doth build and charity bringeth to perfection Saint Iohn Chrysostome Patriarch of Constantinople hath these wordes Least the faithfull should trust that by faith alone they might be saued Hom. 70. in Mat. he disputeth of the punishment of euill men and so doth he both exhort the Infidels to faith and the faithfull to liue well Lib. 3. hypognost S. Augustine cryeth out as it were to our Protestants and saith Heare O foolish Heretike and enemy to the true faith Good workes which that they may be donne are by grace prepared and not of the merits of free will we condemne not because by them or such like men of God haue beene iustified are iustified and shall be iustified De side oper c. 14. And Now let vs see that which is to be shaken out of the harts of the faithfull Least by euill security they lose their saluation if they shall thinke faith alone to be sufficient to obtayne it Now the doctrine which M. PERKINS teacheth is cleane contrary For saith he A sinner is iustified by faith alone that is nothing that man can doe by nature or grace concurreth thereto as any kind of cause but faith a lone Farther he saith That faith it selfe is no principall but rather an instrumentall cause whereby we apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnes for our iustification So that in fine we haue that faith so much by them magnified and called the only and whole cause of our justification is in the end become no true cause at all but a bare condition without which we cannot be justified If it be an instrumentall cause Conditio sine qua non let him then declare what is the principall cause whose instrument faith is and choose whether he had leifer to haue charity or the soule of man without any helpe of grace But to come to his reasons The first is taken out of these wordes As Moyses lift vp the serpent in the desart Ioh. 3. so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euerlasting True if he liue accordingly and as his faith teacheth
ought to doe and consequently doth not so well but that nowe and then he sinneth at the least venially and that therefore the said holy Doctor had just cause to say Li. 9. confess c. 13. Woe be to the laudable life of a man if it be examined without mercy Al which notwithstanding just men may out of that charity which they haue in this life doe many good workes which are pure from all sinne as hath beene proued They alleadge yet another place out of S. Augustine That belongeth vnto the perfection of a iustman Lib. 3. conduas Epist Pelag. c. 7. to knowe in truth his imperfection and in humility to confesse is True that is as he teacheth else where First that the perfection of this life is imperfection being compared with the perfection of the life to come Againe that the most perfect in this life hath many imperfections both of witte and will and thereby many light faultes Now come we vnto S. Gregory our blessed Apostle out of whose sweet wordes ill vnderstood they seeme to haue sucked this their poison Lib. 9. morall cap. 1. He saith The holy man Iob because he did see all the merit of our vertue to be vice if it be straightly examined of the inward iudge doth rightly adde if I will contend with him I cannot answere him one for a thowsand I answere that by our vertue in that place is to be vnderstood that vertue which we haue of our owne strength without the aide of Gods grace which we acknowledge to be commonly infected with some vice that S. Gregory so tooke it appeares by the wordes both going before and following before he writeth thus A man not compared to God receiued iustice but compared vnto him he leeseth it For whosoeuer compareth himselfe vnto the author of all good leeseth that good which he had receiued for he that doth attribute the good vnto himselfe doth sight against God with his owne giftes And after thus To contend with God is not to giue to God the glory of his vertue but to take it to himselfe And so all the merit of this our vertue which commeth not of God but is attributed vnto our selfe as proceeding onely from our selues is the very vice of pride and cannot be prejudiciall vnto true good workes al which we acknowledge to proceede principally from the grace of God dwelling in vs. He saith further with S. Augustine that in this life we cannot attayne vnto perfect purity such as shall be in heauen read the beginning of his first and second booke of Morales and there you shall finde him commending Iob to the skyes as a good and holy man by his temptations not foyled but much aduanced in vertue Now before I depart from this large question of justification I will handle yet one other question which commonly ariseth about it it is WHETHER FAITH MAY BE WITHOVT CHARITY I PROVE that it may so be first out of these wordes of our Sauiour Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord Math. 7. haue we not prophecied in thy name haue we not cast out Diuels haue we not done many miracles to whome I will confesse that I neuer knewe you depart from me all yee that worke iniquitie That these men beleeued in Christ and perswaded themselues assuredly to be of the elect appeareth by their confident calling of him Lord Lord and the rest that followeth Yet Christ declareth manifestly that they wanted charity in saying that they were workers of iniquity Math. 22. 2. When the King went to see his guestes He found there a man not attired in his wedding garment and therefore commaunded him to be cast into vtter darknes This man had faith or else he had not beene admitted vnto that table which signifieth the Sacraments yet wanted charity which to be the wedding garment besides the euidence of the text is also proued where in expresse tearmes Apoc. 19. The garments of Christs Spouse is declared to be the righteousnes and good workes of the Saintes And that with great reason for as S. Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 13. Faith shall not remayne after this life With what instrument then trow you will the Protestants lay hold on Christs righteousnes That charity is that wedding garment S. Hierome vpon the same place doth witnesse saying That it is the fulfilling of our Lordes commaundements And S. Gregory doth in expresse wordes define it Hom. 38. in Euang. What saith he must we vnderstand by the wedding garment but charity So doe S. Hilary and Origen and S. Chrysostome vpon that place Can. 22. in Math. Tract 20. in Math. Math. 25. 3. The like argument is made of the foolish Virgins Who were part of the Kingdome of God and therefore had faith which is the gate entrance into the seruice of God Yea in the house of God they aspired vnto more then ordinary perfection Hauing professed Virginity yet either caried away with vayne glory as S. Gregory takes it Or not giuing themselues to the workes of mercy spirituall and corporall as S. Chrysostome expoundes it briefly not continuing in their former charity for faith once had cannot after the Protestants doctrine be lost were shut out of the Kingdome of heauen albeit they presumed strongly on the assurance of their saluation as is apparant By their confident demaunding to be let in for they said Lord Lord open vnto vs. Ioh. 12. 4. Many of the princes beleeued in Christ but did not confesse him for they loued more the glory of men then the glory of God What can be more euident then that these men had faith whē the H. ghost saith expresly that they beleeued in christ which is the onely act of faith And yet were destitute of charity which preferreth the glorie and seruice of God before al things in this world Cap. 2. 5. This place of S. Iames. What shall it profit my bretheren if any man say that he hath faith but hath not workes what shall his faith be able to saue Supposeth very playnlie that a man may haue faith without good workes that is without charity but that it shall auayle him nothing Caluin saith that the Apostle speakes of a shadowe of faith which is a bare knowledge of the articles of our creede but not of a justifying faith Without doubt he was litle acquainted with that kinde of faith by which Protestants be justified but he directly speakes of such a faith as Abraham was justified by saying That that faith did worke with his workes and was made perfect by the workes Was this but a shadowe of faith but they reply that this faith is likened vnto the faith of the Diuell and therefore cannot be a justifying faith that followeth not an excellent good thing may be like vnto a badde in some thinges as Diuels in nature are not only like that the very same as Angels be euen so a full Christian faith may be well likened
for the mastery 2. Tim. 2. is not crowned vnlesse he striue lawfully It is also resembled vnto places of honour Math. 25. Ioh. 14. Mat. 13. 1. Ioh. 3. I will place thee ouer much And I goe to prouide you places Grace is also in many places of Scripture compared to seede For the seede of God tarrieth in him But a little seede cast into good ground and well manured bringeth forth abundance of corne Briefly then such equality as there is betweene the well deseruing subject and the office betweene him that striueth lawfully and the crowne betweene the seede and the corne is betweene the reward of heauen and the merit of a true seruant of God And thus much of M. PERKINS first Argument more indeede to explicate the nature and condition of merit then that his reason nakedly proposed did require it Exod 20. His second testimony is God will shewe mercy vpon thousandes in them that loue him and keepe his commaundements Hence he reasoneth thus Where reward is giuen vpon mercy there is no merit but reward is giuen vpon mercy as the text proueth ergo Answere That in that text is nothing touching the reward of heauen which is now in question God doth for his louing seruants sake shewe mercy vnto their children or friends either in temporall thinges or in calling them to repentance and such like but doth neuer for one mans sake bestowe the kingdome vpon another vnlesse the party himselfe be first made worthy of it That confirmation of his that Adam by his continuall and perfect obedience could not haue procured a further increase of Gods fauour is both besides the purpose and most false for as well he as euery good man sithence by good vse of Gods gifts might day by day encrease them And that no man thinke that in Paradise it should haue bin otherwise S. Augustine saith expresly That in the felicity of Paradise righteousnes preserued should haue ascended into better In Inchir cap. 25. And Adam finally and all his posterity if he had not fallen should haue bin from Paradise translated aliue into the Kingdome of heauen this by the way Nowe to the thirde Argument Rom. 6. Scripture condemneth merite of workes The wages of sinne is death True But we speake of good workes and not of badde which the Apostle calleth sinne where were the mans wittes but it followeth there That eternall life is the grace or gift of God This is to purpose but answered 1200. yeares past by that famous Father S. Augustine in diuers places of his most learned workes I will note one or two of them First thus here ariseth no small doubt De gra li. arb c. 8. which by Gods helpe I will now discusse For if eternall life be rendred vnto good workes as the holy Scripture doth most clearely teach note how then can it be called grace when grace is giuen freely and not repaide for vvorkes and so pursuing the pointes of difficulty at large in the end resolueth that eternall life is most trulie rendred vnto good workes as the due rewarde of them but because those good workes could not haue beene donne vnlesse God had before freely through Christ bestowed his grace vpon vs therefore the same eternall life is also truly called grace because the first roote of it was Gods free gift The very same answere doth he giue where he hath these wordes Epist 106. Eternall life is called grace not because it is not rendred vnto merittes but for that those merittes to which it is rendred were giuen in which place he crosseth M. PERKINS proportion most directly affirming that S. Paul might haue said truly eternall life is the pay or wages of good vvorkes but to holde vs in humility partly and partly to put a difference betweene our saluation and damnation choose rather to say that the gift of God was life eternall because of our damnation we are the whole and only cause but not of our saluation but principally the grace of God the only fountayne of merit and all good workes Now to those textes cited before about justification Ad Eph. 2. We are saued freely not of our selues or by the workes of righteousnesse which we haue donne Ad Tit. 3. I haue often answered that the Apostle speakes of workes donne by our owne forces without the helpe of Gods grace and therefore they cannot serue against workes donne in and by grace Now to that text which he hudleth vp together with the rest although it deserued a better place being one of their principall pillers in this controuersie It is The sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory to come Rom. 8. The strength of this objection lyeth in a false translation of these words Axia pros tein doxan equal to that glory or in the misconstruction of them For we graunt as it hath beene already declared that our afflictions and sufferinges be not of equall in length or greatnes with the glory of heauen for our afflictions be but for the short space of this life and they cannot be so great as will be the pleasure in heauen notwithstanding wee teach that this shorter and lesser labour imployed by a righteous man in the seruice of GOD doth meritte the other greater and of longer continuance and that by the said Apostles playne wordes for saith he 2. Cor. 4. That tribulation which in this present life is but for a moment and light doth worke aboue measure exceedingly an euerlasting weight of glory in vs. The reason is that just mens workes issue out of the fountayne of grace which giueth a heauenly value vnto his workes Againe it maketh him a quicke member of Christ and so receiuing influence from his head his workes are raised to an higher estimate it consecrateth him also a temple of the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. and so maketh him partaker of the heauenly nature as S. Peter speaketh Which addes a worth of heauen to his workes Neither is that glory in heauen which any pure creature attayneth vnto of infinite dignity as M. PERKINS fableth but hath his certayne boundes measure according vnto each mans merittes otherwise it would make a man equall to God in glory for there can be no greater then infinite as all learned men doe confesse M. PERKINS 4. reason Whosoeuer will meritte must fulfill the whole law for if we offend in one commandement we are guiltie of the whole lawe but no man can fulfill the whole lawe ergo Answere I denie the first proposition for one good worke done with his due circumstances doth bring forth merite as by all the properties of meritte may be proued at large and by his owne definition of meritte set downe in tne beginning Now if a man afterward fall into deadly sinne he leeseth his former meritte but recouering grace he riseth to his former meritte as the learned gather out of that saying of our Sauiour in the
worlde there will remaine no compunction or satisfaction It is easie to answere without the helpe of any newe edition For it will he too late then to repent and so there is no place lest to compunction that is contrition of hart neither consequently to confession or satisfaction as if he had said before we goe out of this worlde there is place for both compunction and satisfaction and so that place is rather for vs. Trem. in Esa Now to Chrysostome who saith That God so blotteth out our sinnes that there remaynes no print of them which thing befalles not the body for when it is healed there remayneth a skarre but when God exempteth from punishment he giues thee iustice All this is most true and much against M. PERKINS doctrine of the infection of originall sinne but nothing touching satisfaction for we holde that the soule of a sinner when he commeth to be justified is washed whiter then snowe so that there is no stayne or print left in it of the filth of sinne It is also freed from all eternall punishment but not from some temporall Now gentle Reader prepare thy selfe to beholde a proper peece of cousonage Luke 22. Ambrose saith I reade of Peters teares but I reade not of his satisfaction The colour of the craft lyeth in the ambiguity of this worde Satisfaction which is not alwayes taken for the penance donne to satisfie for the former fault But is sometime vsed for the defence Act. 24.10 and excuse of the fact So speaketh S. Paul Bono animo pro me satisfaciam with good courage I will answere in defence of my selfe or giue you satisfaction 1. Pet. 3. in like manner Ready alwaies to satisfie euery one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you In this sence doth S. Ambrose vse the word as is most plainely to be seene to them that reade the place and conferre it with the very like of his Lib. 10. in Luc. I finde not saith he what Peter said but I finde that he wept I reade his teares but I reade not his satisfaction but that which cannot be defended may be washed away So that nothing is more manifest then that satisfaction in this and the like places is taken for defence and excuse of his fault which Peter vsed not but sought by teares and bitter weeping to satisfie in part for it for this bewayling of our sinnes is one speciall kinde of satisfaction as S. Ambrose testifieth saying That he who doth penance Libr. 2. de penit ca. 5. must with teares wash away his sinnes The other place cited out of S. Ambrose de bono mortis let vs adore Christ that he may say vnto vs feare not thy sinnes nor the waues of worldly sufferinges I haue remission of sinnes is rather for vs then against vs for if by adoring and seruing of God we may be put out of feare of our sinnes and the punishment of them then doth it followe that prayers and such like seruice of Christ doth acquit vs of sinne and satisfie for the paine due to them Hierome saith The sinne that is couered is not seene not being seene In psal 31. it is not imputed not being imputed it is not punished Answere To witte with hell fire which is the due punishment of such mortall sinne whereof he speaketh or sinne may be said to be couered when not only the fault is pardoned but all punishment also due vnto it is fully paide So doth S. Ambrose take that worde couered saying Libr. 2. de penit ca. 5. The Prophet calleth both them blessed as well him whose iniquities is forgiuen in Baptisme as him whose sinnes are couered with good workes For he that doth penance must not only wash away his sinnes with teares but also with better workes couer his former sins that they be not imputed vnto him Now we must backe againe vnto Chrysostome belike he had forgotten this when he cited the other or else this was reserued to strike it dead He saith Some men endure punishment in this life and in the life to come Hom. 44. sup Math. others in this life alone others alone in the life to come other neither in this nor in the life to come there alone as diuers here alone the incestuous Corinthian neither here nor there as the Apostles and Prophets as also Iob and the rest of this kinde for they endured no sufferings for punishment but that they might be knowne to bee conquerours of the fight Answere Such excellent holy personages sufferinges as are mentioned in the Scriptures were not for their sinnes for they committed but ordinary light offences for which their ordinary deuotions satisfied abundantly the great persecutions which they endured were first to manifest the vertue and power of God that made such fraile creatures so inuincible then to daunt the aduersaries of his truth and with all to animate and encourage his followers Finally that they like conquerours triumphing ouer all the torments of this life might enter into possession of a greater reward in the kingdome of heauen All this is good doctrine but nothing against satisfaction that their surpassing suffering were not for their owne sinnes and thus much in answere vnto M. PERKINS Arguments against satisfaction Now to the reasons which he produceth for it And albeit he like an euill master of the campe rang our Arguments out of order Li. 3. instit cap. 4. num 29. placing that in the fore-front of our side vvhich Caluin presseth out against vs yet will I admitte of it rather then breake his order Leui. 4.5.6 1. Moyses according to Gods commaundement prescribed seuerall sacrifices for the sinnes of seuerall persons and ordeyned that they should be of greater and lesser prices according vnto the diuersity of the sinnes Whence we argue thus These mens faultes vpon their true repentance joyned with faith and hope in CHRIST to come were pardoned Therefore their charges in buying of sacrifices to bee offered for them their paines and prayers in assisting during the time of the sacrifice being painefull vvorkes donne to appease GODS justice were vvorkes of satisfaction M. PERKINS answereth many thinges as men doe commonly when they cannot well tell what to say directly to the purpose First that those sacrifices were tipes of Christes suffering on the crosse what is this to the purpose Secondly that those sacrifices were satisfactions to the congregation and what needed that when they had offended God only and not the congregation as in many offences it happeneth Againe if satisfaction must be giuen to the congregation how much more reason is it that it be made to God Reade those Chapters and you shall finde that they were principally made to obtayne remission of God as these wordes also doe witnesse Leuit. 4. vers 20. And vpon that sacrifice the sinne shall be forgiuen them So that sacrifices were to satisfie God who thereupon forgaue the sinne and
that haue neither holie Oyle nor sacrifice to make the Crosse vpon are in pittifull taking But heare also what some of the best Greeke Doctors doe saye of this same signe of the Crosse S. CIRILL * Catech. 4. agreeth fullie with TERTVLLIAN saying Make this signe of the Crosse both eating and drinking both sitting and and standing and walking and speaking in summe at all times S. BASIL * De Spu. san cap. 27 accounteth this making the signe of the Crosse among some of the principall Traditions of the Apostles ORIGEN Hom. 6. in cap. 15. Ex. yeeldeth one reason why we make this signe affirming that feare and trembling doeth fall vpon the euill spirites when they see the signe of the Crosse made with faith S. GREGORY NAZ Orat. 1. in Iulian. reporteth that the wicked Apostata Iulian being frighted with spirits made the signe of the Crosse which he had renounced and yet it deliuered him from them S. CHRYSOSTOME most largely discourseth of the glorious vse of the Crosse Orat quod Christus sit Deus See the place among an hundred other commendations of it he hath these wordes That the heades of Kings are not so decked with their Diademes as with the signe of the Crosse and concludeth that all men striue to passe other in taking to them this admirable Crosse and that no man was ashamed of it but esteemed them selues more beautified with that than with manie Iewels borders and chaynes garnished with Pearle and pretious stones Heu quantum mutamur ab ipsis Alasse what a pittifull change is this that that which was of the best Christians reputed deere and holie should now be accounted a poynt of superstition and plaine witchcraft By all which wee learne that the best Christians both vsed alwaies and highlie esteemed of holy Images euen from our Sauiours owne daies and God himselfe hath by diuine testimony of myracles recommended them vnto vs not onely for the ciuill and historicall vses of them but more to honor them whose pictures they were for no man in his right wits can denie but that it is and hath alwaies bene reputed as a great honour done to the deceased to erect him an Image to eternise the memorie of his noble acts as also that it is a great incouragement to all beholders of such Pourtraits to endeuour to imitate their glorious examples The very sight of the Image of POLEMON a most chaste and holy personage mooued an vnchaste woman to change her life as out of S. GREGORIE NAZ is related * Synod 7 act 4. Hauing so great testimonie for the auncient vse of Images and such manifolde commodities by the discreete and holy practize of them hee must needes be furiously transported with blinde zeale that makes warre against Crosses and burnes holy pictures as of late the Superintendent of Hereford did in the market place openly THE DIFFERENCE NOw to the poynts in controuersie which are three as M. P. deliuereth The first is in that the Church of Rome holdes it lawfull to make Images to resemble God though not in respect of his diuine nature yet in respect of some properties actions We contrarily saith M. P. hold t vnlawful to make Images any way to represēt the true God For the second commandement sayth plainelie * Exod. 20. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing in heauen c. The Papists say that the commandement is meant of the Images of false Gods but it must needes be vnderstood by the Image of the true Iehouah and it forbids to resemble God either in his nature or in his properties and workes for so sayeth the Roman Catechisme vpon the second Commandement ANSWERE This passeth all kinde of impudencie to quote the Roman Catechisme in defence of that opinion which it doth of set purpose disprooue It teacheth indeed that the verie nature and substance of God which is wholy spirituall cannot be expressed and figured by corporall lineaments and colours and alleadgeth the places produced by M. P. to prooue that vnlawfull yet by and by annexeth these words Let no man therefore thinke it to be against religion and the Law of God when any person of the most holy Trinitie is purtraited in such sort as they haue appeared either in the Old or New Testament c. But let the Pastor teach that not the nature of God but certaine properties and actions appertaining to God are represented in such Pictures If the man be not past grace he will suerly blush at such a foule error His textes of Scripture are taken out of the same place of the Catechisme and doe prooue onely that Gods proper nature cannot nor may not be resembled in any corporall shape or likenesse Then M. P. returnes to confute the aunswere made him that Idols are there onely prohibited and sayeth that wee then confounde the first and seconde commandement For in the first was forbidden all false Gods which man frames vnto himselfe by giuing his heart and the principall affections thereof vnto them Good and in the second admitting it to be the second is forbidden to drawe into any materiall likenesse that Idoll which the heart had before framed vnto it selfe and to giue it any bodelie worshippe which is distinction good enough to make two seuerall commandements Now the Roman Catechisme following CLEMENT of Alexandria Lib. 6. stromat And S. AVGVSTINE Quest 71. super exod and ep 119. cap. 11. and the Schoole-doctors in 3. sent distinct 37. doeth make two commandements of the Protestants last distinguishing desiring thy neighbours wife from coueting thy neighbours goodes as they doe Thou shalt not commit adulterie from thou shalt not steale and make but one of the firste two because the former doeth forbid inwarde and the second outwarde Idolatrie and the outwarde and inwarde actions about the said object are not so distinct as the desiring of so diuerse things as a mans wife for leacherie and his goods of couetousnesse And yet besides adde an other reason very probable that the rewarde and punishment belonging alike to all the Commandements cannot in good order be thrust into the middle of them but must be placed either with the first or last now comprehending the two former in one the rewarde is annexed conueniently to the first whereas if you make them two it is out of order and without any good reason put after the second This I say not to condemne the other deuision which many of the auncient writers follow but to shew how little reason M. P. had to trust to that answere of his that we should confounde the first and second which hee saw the verie Catechisme cited by himselfe doe make but one of both But M. P. goeth on and sayeth that our distinction betweene Image and Idoll that an Image representeth a thing that is but Idoll a thing supposed to be but is not is false and against the auncient writers who make it all
for Christs wisedome power and other gifts are not imputed vnto vs as it is euident Why thē is his justice more then the rest we confesse that in a good sence all Christs gifts are ours that is they were all employed to purchase our redemption we doe dayly offer them to God that he wil for his Sonnes sake more and more wash vs from our sinnes and bestow his graces more plentifull vpon vs thus are all Christs riches ours so long as we keepe our selues members of his misticall body but this is nothing to the point which the argument touched how one man may formally be made just by the justice of an other rather then wise by the wisdome of an other 2. Object If we be righteous or iust by the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto vs then is euery iust man as righteous as Christ himselfe hauing the same iustice his which is Christs but that is too too absurd ergo M. PERK answere Christs righteousnes is not applied vnto vs in the same measure as it is in Christ in him it is infinit but of it so much is applied to this or that man as will serue for his iustification And to helpe this answere foreward I will adde his marginall note euen as any starre partakes the whole light of the Sunne with the rest so farreforth as the light makes it to shine Reply That which is applied of Christs justice to this or that man is either infinite then the man is as just as Christ for there can be no greater then infinit in the same kinde Or it is not infinit but in a certayne measure as he seemeth to graunt and then it is no part of Christs infinit justice for all the partes of an infinit thing are infinit according vnto true Philosophy It remayneth then that a certayne limited portion of justice is deriued out of Christs infinit justice and powred into this or that man as in his owne example The light of euery starre is receiued from the Sunne beames Yet is not the light in the starre the same which is in the Sun for one accident cannot be in two subjects so far distant neither is it of like vertue to lighten the skyes as it is euident but is a farre dimmer light somewhat like vnto that of the Sunne from whence it came Euen so in our justification from the Sonne of justice CHRIST IESVS certayne beames of particular justice are conueyed into this or that mans soule whereby it is both lighned by faith and inflamed by charitie but there is exceeding difference betweene their two justices more then there is betweene the light of the sunne the light of a starre which S. August in expresse tearmes deliuereth saying How much differēce there is betweene the light that doth lighten Li. 12. conf cap. 15. that which is lightened that is the sun the starre light so much difference is there between the iustice that doth iustifie that iustice which is made by that iustification to wit betweene the justice of Christ and that which is in euery good Christian The third reason for the Catholike partie If men be made trulie and really just by Christs justice imputed vnto them in like manner Christ should be made really vnjust by the iniquity and sinnes of men imputed vnto him For there is no reason to the contrary but one may aswell be made vnjust by imputation as just especially considering that euill is made more easelie and more wayes then good M. PERKINS answere is that we may say Christ was a sinner trulie not because he had sinne in him but because our sinnes were laide on his shoulders That reason is naught for he is not trulie a sinner that paies the debt of sinne which an innocent and most just person may performe but he that either hath sinne trulie in him or is so by imputation stroken that the sins are made his owne really and he in all cases to be delt with all as if he sinned himselfe as they holde that one justified by imputation of Christs justice is really in Gods sight just and is both loued in this life and shall be rewarded in the next as if he were trulie just indeede But to auouch our Sauiour Christ to be so a sinner is to say that he was auerted from God the slaue of the Diuell and sonne of perdition which is playne blasphemy That sentence out of the Prophet Isay 53. He was counted with sinners is expounded by the Euangelists that he was so taken indeede but by a wicked Iudge and a reprobate people And therefore if you allowe of their sentence range your selfe with them as one of their number S. Chrysostome by him produced confirmeth the same saying that God permitted him to be condemned as a sinner not that he was one trulie Christ I knowe is called sinne by S. Paul but by a figure signifying that he was a sacrifice for sinne as hath beene before declared The same blessed Apostle when he speaketh properly Heb. 4 affirmeth in playne tearmes that Christ was tempted like vnto vs in all thinges excepting sinne 4 Obiect If a man be righteous only by imputation he may together be full of iniquity whereupon it must needes followe that God doth take for iust and good him that is both vniust and wicked but that is absurd when Gods iudgment is according to truth Here M. PERKINS yeeldeth That when God doth impute Christs iustice vnto any man he doth together sanctifie the partie giuing original sinne a deadly wounde Of orig sin pag. 31. And yet else where he said That originall sinne which remayned after iustification in the partie did beare such sway that it infected all the workes of the said partie and made him miserable c. But it is good hearing of amendment if he will abide in it Let vs goe on 5 Obiect or fift reason is inuented by M. PERKINS but may bee rightly framed thus Christ restored vs that iustice which we lost by Adams fall but by him we lost inhehent iustice ergo By him we are restored to inherent iustice The Maior is gathered out of S. Paul Rom. 5. who affirmeth that we receiue more by Christ Lib. 3. c. 20. li. 6. de gen 24. 26. 26. then we lost by Adam And is S. Ireneus and S. Augustines most expresse doctrine who say How are we said to be renewed if we receiue not againe which the first man lost c. Immortality of body we receiue not but we receiue iustice from the which he fell through sinne The sixt and last reason for Catholikes is The iustice of the faithfull is eternall dureth after this life and is crowned in heauen but Christs imputed iustice ceaseth in the end of this life ergo M. PERKINS answereth First that imputed righteousnes continueth with vs for euer and that in heauen we shall haue no other Secondly that perhaps in the end of this life inward
righteousnes shall be perfect and then without perhaps it shall be most perfect in heauen So that one part of this answere ouerthroweth the other Wherefore I need not stand vpon it but will proceede to fortifie our partie with some authorities taken both forth of the Holy scriptures and auncient Fathers The first place I take out of these wordes of S. Paul And these thinges certes were you 1. Cor. 6. Dronkers Couetous Fornicators c. But you are Washed you are Sanctified you are Iustified in the name of our LORD IESVS CHRIST and in the spirit of our Lord Here iustification by the best interpreters iudgement is defined S. Chrysos Ambro. Theophil in hunc locum Tit. 3. to consist in those actions of washing vs from our sinnes and of infusion of Gods Holy giftes by the holy Ghost in the name and the sake of CHRIST IESVS The like description of our iustification is in S. Paul Of his mercy he hath saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renuinge of the Holy Ghost whome he hath powred into vs abundantly through IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour that being iustified by his grace we may be heires in hope and not in certayntie of faith of life euerlasting Where the Apostle inferring that being iustified by his grace declareth that in the words before he had described the same iustification to consist in our new birth of Baptisme and the renewing of our soules by the infusion of his heauenly giftes which God of his mercy did bestowe vpon vs for his Sonne Christs sake Many other places I omitte for breuitie sake and will be content to cite fewe Fathers because the best learned of our aduersaries doe confesse that they be all against them as I haue shewed before First S. Augustine saith That this iustice of ours De peccat merit re miss cap. 15 Epist 85. Lib. 12. de Trinit cap 7. Lib. 6. de Trinit which they call righteousnes is the grace of Christ regenerating vs by the Holy Ghost And is a beautie of our inward man It is the renuing of the reasonable part of our soule And twenty other such like whereby he manifestly declareth our justice to be inherent and not the imputed justice of Christ Let him suffice for the Latin Fathers And S. Cyrill for the Greekes who of our iustification writeth thus The spirit is a heate who as soone as he hath powred charity into vs and hath with the fire of it inflamed our mindes we haue euen then obtayned iustice THE SECOND DIFFERENCE ABOVT THE MANner of Iustification WE all agree in generall that faith concurreth to our justification but differ in three poyntes 1. How faith is to be taken 2. How it worketh in our justification 3. Whether it alone doth justifie Concerning the first poynt Catholikes holde a justifying faith to be that Christian faith by which we beleeue the articles of our Creede and all other thinges reuealed by God The Protestants auerre it to be a particular faith whereby they apply to themselues the promises of righteousnesse and of life euerlasting by Christ This to be the true justifying faith M. PERKINS saith he hath proued already he shoulde haue donne well to haue noted the place for I knowe not where to seeke it but he will here adde a reason or twaine 1 Reason The faith whereby we liue is the faith whereby we are iustified but the faith whereby we liue is a particular faith whereby we apply Christ to our selues as Paul saieth Gal. 2.20 I liue that is spiritually by the faith of the sonne of God which faith he sheweth to be a particular faith in Christ in the wordes following Who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me particularly Answere The Maior I admitte and deny the Minor and say that the proofe is not to purpose For in the Minor he speaketh of faith wherby we apply Christs merits vnto our selues making them ours in the proof S. Paul saith only that Christ died for him in particular He makes no mention of his apprehending of Christs iustice and making of it his owne which are very distinct thinges All Catholikes beleeue with S. Paul that Christ died as for all men in generall so for euery man in particular yea and that his loue was so exceeding great towardes mankinde that he would willingly haue bestowed his life for the redemption of one only man But hereupon it doth not followe that euery man may lay handes vpon Christs righteousnes and apply it to himselfe or else Turkes Iewes Heretikes and euill Catholikes might make very bolde with him but must first doe those thinges which he requires at their handes to be made pertakers of his inestimable merits as to repent them hartely of their sins to beleue and hope in him to be baptized and to haue a full purpose to obserue all his commaundements Which M. PER. also confesseth that all men haue not only promised Pag. 152. but also vowed in Baptisme Now because we are not assured that we shall performe all this therefore we may not so presumptuously apply vnto our selues Christs righteousnes life euerlasting although we beleeue that he died for euery one of vs in particular That which followeth M. PER. hath no colour of probability that S. Paul in this manner of beleefe that is in applying to himselfe Christs merits was an example vnto all that are saued 1. Tim. 1 16 Phil. 3.15 See the places good Reader and learne to beware the bolde vnskilfulnesse of sectaries For there is not a worde sounding that way but only how he hauing receiued mercy was made an example of patience M. PERKINS 2. Reason That which we must aske of God in prayer that we must beleeue shall be giuen vs but in prayer me must aske the merits of Christes righteousnesse to our selues ergo Answere Of the Maior much hath beene said before here I admitte it all due circumstances of prayer being obserued deny that we must pray that our Sauiour Christ Iesus merits may be made ours in particular for that were greatly to abase them but good Christians pray that through the infinite value of those his merits our sinnes may be forgiuen a justice proportionable vnto our capacity may be powred into our soules whereby we may leade a vertuous life and make a blessed end But it is goodly to beholde how M. PERKINS proueth that me must pray that Christs righteousnes may be made our particular justice because saith he We are taught in the Pater noster to pray in this manner forgiue vs our debts and to this we must say Amen which is as much to say as our petition is graunted I thinke the poore mans wits were gonne a pilgrimage when he wrote thus Good Sir cannot our sinnes or debts be forgiuen without we apply Christs righteousnes to vs in particular we say yes Doe not then so simply begge that which is in question nor take that for giuen which will
although perfect in itselfe so farre as mans capacity in this life doth permitte yet being compared vnto the state of justice which is in heauen it may be called imperfect not that this is not sufficient to defend vs from all formall transgression of Gods lawe but because it keepeth not vs sometimes from veniall sinne and hath not such a high degree of perfection as that hath De spir lit vlt. cap. S. Augustine hath the like discourse where he saith directly that it appertaines to the lesser justice of this life not to sinne So that we haue out of this oracle of Antiquity that many workes of a just man are without sinne To these reasons taken partly out of the Scriptures and partly out of the record of Antiquity let vs joyne one or two drawne from the absurdity of our aduersaries doctrine which teacheth euery good woorke of the righteous man to be infected with mortall sin Which being graunted it would followe necessarily that no good worke in the world were to be donne vnder paine of damnation thus No mortall sinne is to be donne vnder paine of damnation Rom. 6. for the wages of sinne is death but all good works are stayned with mortall sinne ergo no good worke is to be donne vnder paine of damnation It followeth secondly that euery man is bounde to sinne deadly For all men are bounde to performe the duties of the first and second table but euery performance of any dutie is necessary linked with some mortall sinne therefore euery man is bounde to committe many mortall sinnes and consequently to be damned These are holy and comfortable conclusions yet inseparable companions if not sworne brethren of the Protestants doctrine Now let vs heare what Arguments they bring against this Catholike verity THAT GOOD WORKES BE FREE FROM SINNE FIRST they alleadge these words Enter not O Lord Psal 141. into iudgement with thy seruāt because no liuing creature shal be iustified in thy sight If none can be justified before God it seemes that none of their works are just in his sight Answere There are two common expositions of this place among the auncient Fathers both true but far from the Protestants purpose The former is S. Augustines S. Hieromes De perfect iustitie Epistol ad Otesiph S. Gregories in his Commentaries vpon that place who say that no creature ordinarily liueth without many veniall sinnes for the which in justice they may be punished sharply either in this life or else afterward in Purgatory Wherefore the best men doe very prouidently pray vnto God not to deale with them according vnto their deserts for if he should so doe they cannot be justified and cleared from many veniall faultes And therefore they must all craue pardon for these faultes or else endure Gods judgements for them before they can attayne vnto the reward of their good deedes The second exposition is more ordinary with all the best writers vpon the Psalmes as S. Hilary S. Hierome S. Arnobius S. Euthimius and others Li. ad Crosium c. 10. Lib. 9. moral cap. 1. Which is also S. Augustines S. Gregory All these say that mans justice in comparison of the justice of God will seeme to be no justice at all and so take these words No creature neither man nor Angell shall be iustified in thy sight that is if his justice appeare before thine and be compared to it For as the starres be bright in themselues shine also goodly in a cleare night yet in the presence of the glittering sun beames they appeare not at all euen so mans justice although considered by it selfe it be great and perfect in his kind yet set in the sight and presence of Gods justice it vanisheth away and is not to be seene This exposition is taken out of Iob where he saith Iob. 9. I know truly it is euen so that no man compared to God shall be iustified Take the wordes of the Psalme in whether sence you list that either we haue many veniall faultes for which we cannot be justified in Gods sight or else that in the sight of Gods most bright justice ours will not appeare at all it cannot bee thereof justly concluded that euery worke of the righteous man is stayned with sinne And consequently the place is not to purpose Esay 64. One other ordinarie hackney of theirs is that out of the Prophet All our righteousnes is as a menstruous or defiled cloath The which I haue already ridde to death in the beginning of the question of justification where it was alledged The answere is briefly that the Prophet praying for the sinnes of the people speaketh in the person of the sinnefull Such as the common sort of them were who had more sinnes then good workes and so their righteousnes was like vnto a spotted and stayned cloath Now this disproueth not but that their good workes although but fewe yet were free for all spottes of iniquity it onely proueth that with their fewe good they had a great number or euill which defiled their righteousnes and made it like a stayned cloath 3. There is not a man who doth not sinne And blessed is the man whose sinnes be not imputed to him And such like I answere that the best men sinne venially and are happy when those their sinnes be pardoned but all this is cleane besides this question where it is onely enquired whether the good workes that the just doe be free from sinne and not whether they at other times doe sinne at the least venially This is all which M. PERKIN'S here and there objecteth against this matter but because some others doe alleadge also some darke places out of the fathers I thinke it not amisse to solue them here together S. Cyprian saith That the beseiged minde of man can hardly resist all assaults of the enemie for when couetuousnes is ouerthrowen vp starts lechery and so forth Answere All this is true that the life of man is a perpetuall warefare yet man assisted with the grace of God may performe it most valiantly and neuer take any mortall wound of the enemies although through his owne frailty he may be sometimes foyled Dial. 1. cap. Pelag. S. Hierome affirmeth That then we are iust when we confesse our selues to be sinners Answere That all just men confesse themselues to sinne venially but neither of these places come neare the point in question that not one good deede of the just man is without some spot or stayne of sinne Epis 29. S. Augustine hath these wordes Most perfect charity which cannot be increased is to be found in no man in this life and as long as it may be increased that which is lesse then it ought to be is faulty of which fault it proceedeth that there is no man who doth good and doeth not sinne All this we graunt to be true that no man hath so perfect charity in this life but that sometimes he doth lesse then he