great likelihood of their saluation to whom the benefit of Christian parentage being giuen the rest that should follow is preuented by some such casualty as man hath no power himself to auoid So that the most this Fellow can impute vnto vs is that In some case of ineuitable and inunicable necessity little infants may bee charitably supposed saued by their parents faith And so that of Iohn 3. 5. for necessity of water will iustifiably bee answered If it bee possible to attaine it That of Tit. 3. 5. vrgeth no more but that the washing of Regeneration is the ordinary entrance into life As for Gen. 17. 14. to admit all paralleld in Circumcision and Baptisme all were not damned that died vncircumcised nor all cast away that die vnbaptized as this Fellow himself will or must grant but those that neglect contemn or omit the meanes which may bee had As for Mark 16. 16. the very words doo support this mitigation for though Christ saith Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued yet he doth not say Hee that is not baptized shall be damned but Hee that beleeueth not shall bee damned that being euery way of indispensable necessity this sometime tolerable the rather because we are plainly taught of God that The seed of faithfull parentage is holy from the birth which the children of Pagans are not these hauing an habituall interest and consecration to God in their parents which the other want But whatsoeuer in charitable constructions may be thought of extraordinary courses they are not for vs we must leaue them to God in whose most rigorous courses of constitutions and most sharp denunciations deep mercies are euer hidden who though he bee the God of iustice yet is hee the Father of mercies And yet ordinary waies are for vs and our children Ordinary way vnto life eternall there is none but by Baptisme of water and the holy Ghost Gag them Sir Goose that teach otherwise The Church of England is not guilty thereof XXXIIII That imposition of hands vpon the people called by Catholiques Confirmation is not necessary nor to be vsed NOT by Papists alone but by Protestants also is it called Bishopping or Confirmation not vsed onely by them but by Protestants likewise commended commanded to bee vsed Look in the Communion-book good Reader and wonder at the impudent face of this leud Impostor that dares giue the Lie vnto publick Records that dares tell the world It is midnight at mid-day for if there be then any Sun in heauen this imposition of hands by the Bishop alone called Confirmation is both maintained as necessary vsed and commanded as euery man knoweth in the Church of England Would any man but hee or some of his Camerades take vp the priuate fansie of euery Peddler and expose it to view for Protestants doctrine contrary to knowledge to conscience But so it is If it were not for such courses the poor needy Fellow would haue nothing to prate on vnto his Proselyte-gossips in Partridge-Alley The Lie is so loud the case so apparant for Bishopping or Confirmation I shall not need to say any thing but Blush for shame XXXV That the Bread of the Supper is but a figure of the body of Christ. IS but a signe or figure and no more Strange and yet our formal words are This is my body this is my bloud This is is more than this figureth or designeth A bare figure is but a phantasme He gaue substance and really subsisting essence who said This is my body this is my bloud And yet our Catechisme in the Communion-book authorized saith expresly The body and bloud of Christ taken and eaten in the Lords Supper not the figure or signe of his body and bloud which can neither bee taken nor yet eaten Poore Woodcock or Catholique Cockscomb that sendest a Protestant to seek a figure who is as reall and substantiall as any Papist Were the peace of the Church and vnity of faith which is more mystically insinuated in this Sacrament than else-where in the Materials therof both Bread and Wine so deare and precious as it ought to bee vnto such common Barretters of Christendome as Priests and Iesuites are for priuate ends this and many other Controuersies on foot might cease For it is confessed on either side that Sacraments which haue their Beeing from institution are signes of Gods loue and promise seales of his couenant and grace and instruments and conueiances of his mercy What they intimate signifie and represent they conueigh vnto the soule In the ordinary Catechisme alone allowed and I would no other were tolerated the question beeing asked What meanest thou by this word Sacrament the answer is I mean an outward and visible signe of an inward and spirituall grace giuen vnto vs ordained by Christ himself as a meanes whereby wee receiue the same and a pledge to assure vs thereof This is more euen in your little vnderstanding than a bare figure a means and a pledge whereby c. Sir we acknowledge right willingly and professe that in the blessed Sacrament as you call it of the Altar the Body and Bloud of our Sauiour Christ is really participated communicated and by means of that reall participation life from him and in him conueied into our soules This wee beleeue and professe knowing that he is able to effect it who hath spoken it by that mighty working whereby hee is able to doo whatsoeuer he hath said We are not sollicitous for the manner how he worketh it not daring to pry into the secret Counsels of the most High We haue learned that Reuealed things are for vs secret things are for God Therfore we wonder why the world should be so much ammused at and distracted with those vnexplicable Labyrinths of Con-substantiation and Trans-substantiation which onely serue to set the world in diuision nothing to piety nor yet information As we therefore condemn that presumptuous definition of Trans-substantiation in the Laterane Councell so wee doo not like nor yeeld assent vnto that jejune and macilent conceit of Zwinglius and Oecolampadius whereby men account of this Sacrament but onely as of a bare shadow emptie void and destitute of Christ but ingenuously profess that by this Sacrament Christ giueth vs his very body and bloud and really and truely performs in vs his promise in feeding our soules vnto eternall life As for the manner how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This inexplicable that vnutterable it is faith onely that can giue the resolution Trans or con we skill not of Iohn 6. 51. The bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Therefore his flesh is bread the Bread of life Most true but not therefore his flesh by Trans-substantiation You finde not that in the Gospell or any where else Life begun in Baptisme by the Lauer of Regeneration is confirmed and sustained in the holy supper by his body and blood How I cannot explicate How
the Roman Church For Saint Gregory vpon the 6. of Ezechiel said If the vnderstanding of holy scripture were playne to all men it would come in time to bee of no reckoning Where hee giueth a reason of that obscurity that is in it Who yet vpon the 6. of Iob more atfull interpreteth his owne meaning thus Sacra scriptura cibus est in locis obscurioribus quia quasi exponendo frangitur et mandendo glutitur Potus vero est in locis apertioribus quià ita sorbetur sicut invenitur The holy Scripture is Meate in the more obscure places because in the expounding thereof it is broken as it were and in chewing swallowed Drinke it is in the more perspicuous places because it is as easily swallowed downe as it is found Thus the doctrine and beliefe of the Roman Church was sometime Scripture in some places is hard in some places easie Hath that Church now forsaken her former faith if not we differ not for we maintaine the easinesse of holy Scripture no otherwise then Saint Gregory the Pope did This Goose may fit the Gagge for his Ganders mouth the Gospell will soone enough be rid of it II. That in matters of faith wee must not relye vpon the iudgement of the Church and of her Pastors but onely vpon the written Word I Know no such tenent exclusiuely I know no such Assertion negatiuely the Church of England hath no such faith as this You set vp a Shawfoule for a marke and shoot your bolt at it your selfe alone In our 11. Article put on your spectacles and see if you can reade it we professe The Church hath authority in controuersies of Faith The written word of God is the Rule of Faith with vs. And hath beene so with all our Fathers of old Vnto the Law and vnto the Prophets was a direction of a perpetuall Morallity and is continued in that of our Sauiour Ioh. 5. Search the Scriptures for in them you hope to haue eternall life A rule absolute in it selfe a rule most sufficient vnto vs for that end entended To make the man of God perfect in euery good worke Sufficiunt sanctae et diuinitus inspiratae scripturae saith Athanasius ad omnem institutionem veritatis Truth is of two sorts amongst men manifest and confessed truth or more obscure and inuolued truth In his quae aperte posita sunt in scripturis inveniâ—ntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi spem scilicet charitatem Plainely deliuered in Scripture are all those poynts which belong vnto Faith and manners Hope and Charity to wit And accordingly I doe know no obscurity vpon these I know none of these controuerted inter partes the Articles of our Creede are confessed on both sides and held plaine enough The controuerted poynts are of a larger and an inferiour alloy of them a man may be ignorant without any danger of his soule at all A man may resolue or oppose this way or that way without perill of perishing for euer Now if a question be moued iuris controuersi in controuerted matters who shall decide and settle the doubt you say The Church and so say I nay so say we You say wee say the Scriptures but without the Church that is each priuate mans opinion and interpretation of the Scriptures euen against the Church No such thing Sir you mistake vs. We say the Church must doe it explaining declaring resoluing the Scriptures as the direction is from God himselfe to purpose Deut. 17. 8. and as your Texts and Fathers doe pretend it and no otherwise And yet the Scripture may well be called iudge As the Law determineth Controuersies betwixt man and man In plaine cases iuris positiui no deciding Iudge or legall proceeding shall neede But such as are iuris ambigui controuersi must be determined by the Court by the Iudge according vnto Law So is it in Scripture according to the Protestants opinion In points of Faith they disclaime not the iudgement of the Church nor yet appeale to Scripture alone vnderstood by themselues without a iudge but referre it vnto the Church And they haue reason for it enough seeing Gods Word and the ancient practise of the Catholike Church that is both Law and Iudge are both for them In the name of the Church of England I will be tried thereby and maintaine it against all Papists liuing Take one for all Cyril of Hierusalem in his fourth Catechisme saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In any poynt concerning the diuine and holy mysteries of our Faith not any the least thing must be tendred without warrant of diuine Scripture And he addeth Belieue mee not that speake and deliuer these things vnto you vnlesse for proofe of them I doe bring plaine and euident demonstration out of diuine Writ Was this man a Protestant or a Papist Those Bibles he had then which we haue now and it seemeth that addressing his owne beliefe and doctrine accordingly varied not in iudgement any whit from vs who make Scripture the rule of our beliefe And in doubtfull poynts that require determination appeale vnto the Catholique Church for iudgement in that Rule This is not contrary to any deduction from much lesse to the expresse words of our owne Bible Matt. 23. 2. The Scribes Pharises sit in Moses Chaire all therfore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe Therefore c. Doe you finde eyther Faith or Iudgement Pastors or Church expresly named in this text Looke once more and looke back vpon your vndertaking Their refutation by expresse words of their owne bible For words expresse you faile vndertaking more than you can performe an ordinary tricke of Catholike Braggadochioes Let vs see if Consequents will hold the tewghing any better Those that answere the Church and her Pastors in your Thesis are the Scribes Pharises in your proofe who whole and some head and taile be Doctors and Pastors of the Church with you But of the Church of Rome it must be supposed for wee disclaime any Conformation at all with them And doe you suppose that our Sauiour approued them so well as that hee would haue had the Iewes in matters of Faith to relye vpon them and their decisions as Pastors of the Church in points of Faith If this were his meaning what meant he then to giue warning elsewhere Take heede of the leauen of the Pharises that is as the holy Ghost expoundeth it Of their doctrine If the question had bin put Art thou the Christ would he haue sent them vnto the Scribes or Pharises for resolution or aduised the people to belieue on them we finde it not practised the contrary we doe What then is this text in consequence vnto the poynt Surely hee meant no more but this and in that hee will declare himselfe a Protestant Whatsoeuer they bid you obserue out of Moses obserue that is so long as they teach but Scripture they must he heard if there they faile
shall not depart is Gods promise Mans promise reciprocall is I will not depart from them If I depart that is if man faile They may and shall depart God is then free Now this supposed what assurance is there for my words shall not depart c So your first Text is mistaken peraduenture in the meaning but without peraduenture in the allegation It is Esay 5â— 21. not as you tender it from your aduisers 49. 21. And lastly it is to be vnderstood of the Church of the Iewes in particular conuerted vnto Christ as it seemeth by Saint Paul Rom. 11. 26. and not of the Church of the Christians already conuerted and so you misapply as well as mistake But more ridiculously in your second Text Iohn 14. 16. For haue you read or heard that euer any Protestant maintained That the holy Ghost can erre I suppose not I beleeue you are not so much past shame to say so and yet your conclusion is so The spirit of truth cannot erre For hauing recited the Text of the Gospell your illation is Therefore the spirit of truth hath aboade for euer and shall abide for euer with the Church and consequently cannot erre What Sir cannot erre To my vnderstanding The Spirit of Truth cannot erre can you vnderstand it otherwise But let your barbarismes goe by to the point I answer first you faile and that confessedly in your vndertakings It is but consequently the Church cannot erre therefore confessed not expresly Secondly I answer out of the Text it selfe This promise is for comfort not instruction The Comforter shall abide for euer for Christ there spake of affliction which should ensue Thirdly were it punctually for direction we might reioyne It was a temporary promise a personall priuiledge to the Apostles you thought wee would say so belike supposing wee had no other shift silly men like your selfe therefore you come in with by way of preuention But the Apostles themselues could not abide for euer poore foole that knowest not there is duplex aeternum frequent in Scripture Gods euer and mans euer That for euerlasting as God is This for the terme of his being so for euer is thus no more then while you are all the dayes of your life But we seeke no aduantage we will not take it we grant Gods Spirit eternally assistant to the Catholique Church then represented in the Apostles and therefore we admit that you belye vs in your Proposition The Church can erre to be vnderstood of the Catholique Church as is expressed The third Text in order Esay 35. 8. is so farre from expressing the not erring of the Church that it is a question though such a Nouice as you know it not whether it be to be taken of the Church at all Hierome in his Comments expoundeth it of Christ who saith of himselfe Iohn 14. I am the way the truth the life An high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holinesse the vncleane shall not passe ouer it but it shall be for those The way faring men though fooles shall not erre therein Who told you that this way was the Church why not the Scripture which is also a way and called a way as to my remembrance the Church is not Ibi erit semita via mundissima quae sancta vocabitur c. There shall be a path saith Hierome and a most cleane way which shall be called Holy and which saith of himselfe I am the way by which way the polluted cannot passe where also we reade it spoken in the Psalme Blessed are the vndefiled in the way And this way that is our God shall be vnto vs so direct so plaine so open and champion that no wandring shall be there Fooles and silly men may walke therein vnto whom in the Prouerbs wisdome speaketh thus If there be any little ones let them come vnto me and shee hath spoken vnto the Fooles Come you and eate of my bread Thus Hierome vpon the place Tertullian in 4. against Marcion is indifferent for Christ the head of the Church or Faith in Christ the life of the Church Your Worship Sir Gagger out of your authoritie cast it meerely vpon the Church Satis pro Imperio if you can out-beare it Howsoeuer it is not expresse as it should be Not to purpose if it were expresse our question is not whether fooles can erre but whether the Church can erre The Church hath often beene compared to a Ship and now at last by you made a Ship of Fooles Content so you be Pilot in that Ship Sir Foole. Once at length you rightly bid vs goe see more For the Text of Iohn 16. 13. is more expresse than all the former He shall leade you into all truth But what if this text concerne not truth vpon Earth but Truth in Heauen What becommeth then of your Not erring Augustine and Bede encline that way What if it be personall vnto the Apostles alone not to the Church or their successours Hee will shew you the things to come and I haue many things to say vnto you but you cannot beare them now these such like passages doe more than seeme to conclude it vnto them What if he meant but All things that were necessary and conuenient for them to know so Theophylact Euthymius and others In this sort the Church is eternally directed so the Church directed cannot erre Matth. 18. 17. It is commaunded by authoritie Tell the Church and heare the Church No good proofe the Church cannot erre For the Scribes and Pharises were to be heard and obeyed yet had no assurance of infallibility Kings and Princes are to be obeyed yet haue they fallen into great enormities Ephes 5. 27. the Church is said to be glorious without spot or wrinckle or blame which is to be vnderstood de toâ—o integrato of the parts in Heauen and earth Of the time to come rather than present Without blame yet not without wrinckle euen here for error may be where blame is none Esay 9. 7. the Kingdome of Christ is to be established with iudgement and with iustice for euer and yet I know no such priuiledge annexed to iudgement or iustice of infallibility No more then Ezech. 37. 26. to a Couenant of peace an Euerlasting couenant to multiplying of them or placing Gods Sanctuary amongst them for euer Luk. 22. 32. and Matth. 23. 3. What correspondency haue they one with another not to speake of reference vnto the poynt In the former Peters faith was prayed for that it might not faile and yet Peter denied Christ Iesus If Peter were not the Church what maketh this Text amongst the rabbâ—e If Peter were the Church may erre as Peter fayled though not eternally one or other In the latter the Pharises must be heard And therefore will you say they erred not If they erred as doubtlesse they did then to what purpose are they pretended for not erring of the Church Much good may the
hearty satisfaction he was restored Satisfaction not to God but to the Church whom hee had scandalized by his fall Goe along with Saint Paul and the Primitiue times no man will euer say Blacke is your Eye We haue seene Mathew 18. 18. and 16. 19. once and againe to as little purpose then as now and now as then The name Pardons and the thing your Pardons are two things much differing euery way and yet in neither place auonched is the Name as by your vndertaking for Expresse it should be The thing as much differing as white and blacke Power to binde and loose we denye not wee maintaine and practice it in our Church We may differ in the Execution but Circumstances alter not Nature your proofes may vouch the Thing the right the vse the being but manner fashion execution onely doubted of and to be proued that you touch not See Fathers that list and like to loose their labour In Tertullian I am sure nothing either in the first Chapter of his Booke ad Martyres remembred by some other of your Gossips nor in his fifth which is supplyed out of your store His Booke ad Martyres is very â—â—ort Finde me Pardons and Indulgences there mentioned and I will purchase a Bull from Rome my selfe whatsoeuer it cost me deere enough without doubt That which you haue a minde vnto by direction of others is this as I guesse Quam paâ—em quidam in Ecclesia non habentes à Martyribus in carcere exorare consueuêre Which Peace some not enioying within the Church haue beene accustomed to intreat the Martyrs in Prison for it Peace there is Pardon after the African phrase of Tertullian and Saint Cyprian whom you make your second Father to be seene and whose testimony is almost idem numero with Tertullians The meaning of both as Pamelius no Protestant may enforme you was this Those that had fallen in time of persecution to auoide or eleuate the censure of the Church through their great suite and importunitie often procured letters deprecatory to the Bishop and Clergie whereto they were lyable from Consessors such as were emprisoned for the truth whom those Fathers call Martyrs that so at their intreaty and for their confessions famous in the Church the rigour of discipline might be suspended mitigated or determined and they without more adoe be restored vnto the Church Against this custome in breach of discipline Tertullian and especially Cyprian inueigh most bitterly So then take your choyce either these Fathers cannot be seene to affirme for your purpose or if so auoide it if you can your pardons at the first arising vp in the Church were but abuses and as such resisted exclaimed on condemned as irregular and as impious by the Fathers of those times Tertullian and especially Cyprian and so you haue spun a faire threed either way As for Pope Vrban the second make you merry with him much good may his plenary indulgence for the Holy-Land warre and voyage doe you Aske my fellow if I be a thiefe Vrban graunted such Indulgence I confesse So did Gregorie the seauenth his next Predecessor but one first take vpon him to depose Princes and dispose of their Kingdomes by Apostaticall authoritie No man heard of the one before Gregorie nor of the other before Vrban The eldest aboue 1000. yeares after Christ Vrban the eight that now Popeth it may proclaime a Croisado if hee will and iustifie his fact as well as any other but the true reason holdeth not now The World is growne wiser and men loue money too well to be so cheated of it as their fore fathers were to emptie their owne and fill the Popes Coffers by Croisado cousonages But what a Bayard is this to shew such blockish Ignorance being an vndertaker and that with some contumely against the whole Nation of Protestants Wee are told it was Anno Christi 160. as if there were any Holy warres in those times when as Vrban the first if hee were then borne yet certainely was not Pope many yeares after till 224. aboue 60. yeares betweene As for Vrban the second hee sate in Anno 1088. A foule ouer sight in such an vndertaker for the gagging of all Protestants mouthes for euer But somewhat there was in it that the Cat wincked when both her eyes were out Some wiser more learned and skilfull than himselfe had obserued it seemeth that Vrban the second Founder of these pardons was the 160. Pope in order from Saint Peter and this poore Ignaro meaning well to the Cause to aduance the credite thereof by antique vse thought it had bin a thing so auncient as the yeare 160. at least best to vse a Catholique tricke of piae fraudis to let it goe so For honest good Catholiques must belieue what their Instructors say though they teach that the Snow is blacke so are they hood-wincked in implicite Faith And as for Heretiques no matter if they spie it or what they say poore mis-led Proselites either reade not their answeres good cause why or if they reade them will not belieue them though neuer so plaine and euident Therefore Quicquid in buccam these men may say and write any thing no matter what XIIII That the Actions and Passions of Saints doe serue for nothing vnto the Church MEntiris furcifer a leude lye in imputation of flat impiety They serue for nothing those worthies of Dauid those mightie men of Warre Holy Saint Stephen and his Arriere-ban of valiant Aduenturers in the cause of Christ Iesus that in life and death haue so glorified God and set vp that bloudy banner of our Redemption displayed on the battlements of Death and Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeede this was the power of that omnipotent God not to be vttered by the tongue of men which did so inable them vnto such performings saith Iustine himselfe one of that Societie They are our Crowne and our exceeding great reioycing We boast of them and of their noble acts wee commemorate their worths in our common seruice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Nazianzen I take it or Basil one of the two and wee take vp that saying whose soeuer it was In doing them honour we delight exceedingly We triumph in the bloud they haue shed for our Sauiour Their acts were recorded for imitation that considering their Precedents and worthy performings wee might be incouraged to follow their example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As springing Wels they supply vs continually saith Clemens Alexandrinus What doe they supply vs with all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with commonifaction to shew our selues religious louers of God though with shedding of our bloud To shew forth our Faith with losse of our liues Witnesses they are so is their name Martyres for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to witnesse Credendorum agendorum sustinendorum recipiendorum Of things to be belieued performed indured receiued saith Bonauenture And are these for nothing vnto the Church Did euer any Protestant say or thinke so
Booke against the Pelagians who pleaded then as our Romane Catholiques doe now hath these words God hath commanded things possible No man doubteth Possible in themselues absolutely though not to vs as the Case now standeth respectiuely Possible vnto vs when they were first commanded though not so possible since the commandement For God made man right and gaue him a Law Since that hee hath intangled himselfe many wayes Possible now in part though not in all to some men albeit not generally vnto all It plainly appeareth what Hierome meant for he addeth Sed quia homines possibilia non faciunt idcircò omnis mundus subditus est Deo indiget misericordiâ eius But because men doe not that which of it selfe is possible therefore all the World is subiected vnto God and standeth in neede of his mercy So that hee explaineth his owne meaning They were possible in themselues though not possible vnto man Secondly some things possible at some time to some men though not to all men at all times And so is that to be vnderstood which Bellarmine hath out of the same Hierome in Mat. 5. omitted by this Collector because not found in his good Founder C. W. B. Multi praecepta Dei imbecillitate suâ non Sanctorum viribus aestimantes putant esse impossibilia quae praecepta sunt to wit those Precepts explained vpon the Law Loue your enemies Doe good to those that hate you Et dicunt sufficere virtutibus non edisse inimicos Caeterum Diligere plus praecipi quam humana Natura patiatur Sciendum est ergo Christum non impossibilia praecipere sed perfecta Quae fecit Dauid in Saul Absolon Stephanus quoque Martyr pro inimicis lapidantibus deprecatus est Many men measuring the Commandements of God not by the performings of Saints but their owne weaknesse account things impossible by God commanded and account it enough for a vertuous man not to hate his enemies As for that To loue them it is a Precept beyond humane possibility But wee must know Christ commanded not impossible but perfect things Such as Dauid did in Saul and towards Absolon And that blessed Martyr Stephen prayed for them that stoned him So it is not obscure what the Fathers meant by that It is possible to keepe the Lâ—w. In it selfe not impossible At some times not impossible In part not impossible they neuer came to this presumption Any man at any time All the Law Therefore Iustine Martyr against Tryphon saith vpon that Text Cursed is euery one that doth not obserue all the Precepts of the Law to doe them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your selues dare not say it and what the Iewes durst not say you dare sweare that any man hath perfectly kept them all But there are that haue obserued some more some lesse in those things that were commanded I grant with Hierome Lib. 2. c. Pelagian That many men haue liued iust and righteous But I doe not grant that euer any man was without sinne Sine omni autem peccato fuisse omnino non assentior If any man imagine hee hath obtained that perfection Aut superbus aut stultus est He is no letter then a proud foole All that I can challenge in the height of my perfection is but onely that of Saint Augustine Meritum meum misericordia Domini The mercies of the most high are my merits Therefore wee professe with earnest deprecation Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O Lord For in thy sight shall no flesh be iustified And If thou shalt be seuere to marke what is done amisse who O Lord shall endure it Iob neuer aduanced his perfection to the fulfilling of all that God commanded though 27. 6. he vseth those words in your Translation Non reprehendit me Cor meum My heart hath not reproued me all my dayes For his meaning is As long as I liue I will maintaine my Innocency that I haue not dissembled in my heart This I will stand to euerlastingly and not betray my owne Cause Otherwise as Saint Gregory hath obserued here Se peâ—cesse superius accusat He hath formerly accused himselfe of sinne Nor doth God excuse him from all breach of the Commandement who giueth him that Testimony 1. 22. Ioh did not sinne For it is limited In all this and yet not sinne in that sort as to Charge God with iniustice Sciendum est We are to know saith Gregory that there are some kinde of sinnes which the righteous men canauoid and there are sinnes which the most righteous cannot auoid If sins then needs against some Commandement For no Sinne but is a Transgression of the Law If against the Law then the Law is not kept in doing them and if the most Righteous cannot but doe them surely the most Righteous cannot keepe the Law This was once the Doctrine of the Romane Church For Gregory hath it that was Bishop of Rome in his Morals Lib. 27. and 7 Chapter vpon Iob. Hath that Church then left her ancient Faith XVII That onely Faith iustifieth and that good workes are not absolutely necessary to Saluation COntrouersies are sometime multiplied vnnecessarily by these Romance Catholiques to iangle the more and sometime hudled vp by confounding many to deceiue the more as in this present Question of Faith iustifying a great Controuersie And workes concurring as maine a diuersity vnto Saluation Though distinction of parts be fit to teach and giueth life and lustre vnto discourse yet seeing it hath pleased this fellow to confound these two we must goe on with him in his wild-goose race vp and downe To iustifie is a word of Christian learning onely yet taken and deriued from externall Courts and iudiciary proceedings in Cases of Accusation and Defence In which regard it hath a three-fold extent vpon a three-fold seuerall act First to make iust and righteous Secondly to make more iust and righteous Thirdly to declare and pronounce iust and righteous Not exactly obserued in humane Courts I grant For no Iudge can make a man what he is not he can finde him what he is and make him appeare so more and more by euidence and at last declare him and pronounce him so by publike sentence of absolution But for those three seuerall acts in the iustification of a Sinner the Scripture plainely it cannot be denied doth distinguish them thus Rom. 4. 5. He that belieueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly Augustine vpon the 30. Psalme expoundeth it thus Who is it that iustifieth the Wicked Hee that of a wicked man maketh a righteous So Rom. 3. 20. 24. and 1 Cor. 6. 11. For there is a two-fold state of man in this world The one Originall as he is conceiued and borne in sinne and accordingly produceth in life and actions the cursed workes of a bitter roote The other Acquisite renewed according to the Spirit vnto the state of perfection with God Of Nature wherein Of Grace whereto In Nature there is nothing cleane or pure that
can please God or be accepted of him Hee is not iust that is in this state In that of Grace a man is iust when hee is changed which must haue concurrence of two things Priuation of being to that which was the Body of sinne A new constitution vnto God in another state In which hee that is altered in state changed in condition transformed in minde renewed in soule regenerate and borne a new to God by Grace is iust in the state of iustification ceasing to be what hee was becomming what he was not before Thus to be changed is to be a new Creature The act is saide by Dauid Psalm 51. To create Which being a worke of Omnipotent power exceedeth the indowment of any Creature It is not therefore of our selues from or by our selues But this change is the worke of the right hand of the most high operating powerfully as hee can and actiuely as hee will Wrought it is by God by God alone Man or Mans free-will is not author hereof Therefore no merit interveneth therefore not to be ascribed to our selues None here but Christ preuenting vs the Author of our integritie crowne of our felicitie and consummator of our glorie Secondly to iustifie is to giue increase and augmentation vnto that first Article as to be more iust in processe and profectu by increase of Grace and the fruit of that Spirit by which they are renewed in the inner man In naturall action and passion it plainely appeareth Cold water is made warme vpon the fire heere is an alteration of the propertie Warme water is made hotter by continuing on the fire with an augmentation and accesse of that heate So I vnderstand it Apoc. 22. Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc Hee that is iust let him become more iust by accesse of Gods Grace euer day by day Thirdly to iustifie is to declare and pronounce one iust as Prou. 8. He that iustifieth the wicked and condemneth the righteous is alike abominable before the Lord. So againe in the 50. Psalme That thou mayest be iustified in thy sayings and cleare when thou art iudged God is not otherwise iustified but by being knowne acknowledged and confessed iust in all his wayes As he is said to be magnified when his noble acts are made knowne and men doe praise him for his mercy goodnesse and saluation Iustification properly is in the first acceptance A Sinner is then iustified when hee is made iust that is translated from state of Nature to state of Grace as Colos 1. 13. Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse and hath translated vs into the Kingdome of his deere Sonne Which is motion as they say betwixt two termes and consisteth in forgiuenesse of sinnes primarily and Grace infused secondarily Both the act of Gods Spirit in man but applyed or rather obtained through Faith which representeth first God willing and ready to forgiue and renew Draweth neere vnto him closeth in fast with him Adhereth vnto him inseparabâ—y with I will not let thee goe except thou blesse And God doth returne I will blesse thee pardon thy sinnes for my names sake and accept thee as mineowne in Christ my sonne whose Bloud hath made attonement for Man So that properly to speake God onely iustifieth who alone imputeth not but pardoneth sinne Who onely can and doth translate vs from death vnto life renueth a right Spirit and createth a new heart within vs. Causally and actiuely God doth it But because God was drawne thereto by our Faith which laying hands vpon his mercy in Christ obtayneth this Freedome and newnesse and renewing from him Faith is saide to iustifie instrumentally And Faith alone to doe it without copartners in the act which is in instanti as Gods immediate workes are all done and not long adoing as wee know The Soule of man is the subiect of this act In which vnto which are necessarily required certaine preparations and preuious dâ—spositions to the purpose As knowledge of God our selues his Law his iustice iealousie iudgement c. Feare Hope Contrition Loue desire of purpose for a new life and such like But these are all with and from Faith which in the very act of iustification are not actiue though habitually there then before and after at least some of them perhaps not all Iustification is not but in the Church Faith is the life and originall of the Church as appeareth by the Scriptures by the Subiect and performance of Faith So that worthily may the principall indowment of Grace be ascribed vnto the roote and originall of Christian Piety Faith Fides prima datur saith Saint Augustine ex qua caetera impetrantur In the first signification then of iustification the which properly is iustification wee acknowledge instrumentally Faith alone and Causally God alone In the second and third beside God and Faith wee yeeld to Hope and Holinesse and Sanctification and the fruits of the Spirit in good workes But both these are not Iustification rather Fruits and Consequents and effects appendants of Iustification then Iustification which is a solitary act So that well and truly and according to the tenet of Antiquity is it resolued by our Church Artic. 11. We are accounted righteous before God onely for the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by faith and not for our owne workes or deseruing Our Iustification in the act thereof is onely the worke of God for Christs sake whose death and Passion apprehended by Faith which is the sole peculiar worke of Faith to doe as it hath made an attonement betwixt God and vs so hath it procured remission of our Sinnes at his hands and thereupon a new state of Grace not for any merit or deseruing of our own which is vtterly excluded in this Act. Thus Thomas 1. 2. q. 114. ar 7. Nullo modo aliquis potest sibi mereri reparationem post lapsum Restauration after fall that is Iustification of a sinner no man can procure or deserue vnto himselfe To whom agreeth the Councell of Trent Sess vi can viij and your owne men confesse it is gratuita And therefore as our Article saith not for our owne workes or deseruings Further our Church proceedeth not to the augmentation or declaration of iustification there But inferreth Wherefore that we are iustified by faith alone is a most wholesome Doctrine and very full of comfort as it is indeede and your long disputes may intangle the simple but not infringe the truth nor indeede discent from it Fides non absoluit iustificationem saith Casalius and wee admit it but sola iustificat and hee admitteth that For so haue antiquitie auouched generally as himselfe and Cassander doe confesse Origen Hilary and many others to haue resolued so But this is contrary vnto our Bible 1 Corinth 13. 2. Though I haue all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and haue no charitie I am nothing Therefore only faith doth not iustifie Why because Faith without Charity doth not iustifie for
the greatest Faith that can be without it is nothing As if it were not in euery Protestants mouth and confessed by these opposers that howbeit Faith alone doth iustifie yet not that Faith which is alone doth iustifie Fides sola but not solitaria Faith that is without Charitie doth not iustifie but Faith may yet iustifie without Charitie They haue their seuerall distinct acts and the act of Faith is to iustifie though both are vertues incident to a iust man As if the Protestants that affirme onely Faith doth iustifie did withall maintaine that all Faith did iustifie or as if hee that proposeth a thing conditionally must needes imply the condition to be reall and true It is a supposition if I had all Faith c. but a supposition of impossibility For it is impossible that all Faith should be without Charitie though some may be and is without it Beside I can answere that the Faith which iustified when it did iustifie to admit the Supposition of possibilitie was not then without Charitie though afterwards it was For in your opinion iustifying Faith may diminish and abolish and be lost Now iustification being in an instant may eftsoones be lost againe Why not and so a seperation of Faith and Loue. Secondly it is contrary to Iam. 2. 24. You see then how that by workes a man is iustified and not by Faith only In this poynt of Iustification as mine and thine are the common barretters of the World so Faith and good Workes haue broken the peace It is the errour of the Protestants say the Papists that Faith onely iustifieth It is the errour of the Papists say the Protestants that Workes doe iustifie Flat ad oppositum at least in tormes And whether should a man belieue Nay more this difference seemeth very ancient and in being when those names of opposition Protestants and Papists were not heard of in the world For Saint Paul saith By Faith without the workes of the Law And Saint Iames saith as positiuely by Workes and not alone by Faith Scripture against Scripture Apostle against Apostle Paul against Iames Iames against Paul Is Christ diuided or the Spirit irresolued or at oddes God forbid At oddes they were then as wee are now I would that wee were at no more oddes now than they then were Controuersies soone might be at an end and Christs Coate diuided soone made vp againe which is dismantled with new rentts daily Saint Paul had great contentions all dayes of his life in the whole course of his ministery with halfe-Christians false-Christians those of Concision as hee termeth them That neged as necessary vnto Saluation workes and obseruing of the Law As if Christ without them did not profit any thing against these hee aduaunceth the excellency and worth of Faith and depresseth the condition of any or all those works of the Law whereupon they insisted on which they relied whereof they gloried Saint Iames on the other side opposeth as much Simon Magus Menander their adherents and that damnable Sect of the Gnosticks that liuing in all brothelry and horrid impieties cast off all care and opinion and account of good workes as being for imperfect ones for simple ones and beginners in Christianity not to be regarded or insued of by themselues who would be counted perfect men in their Generations and through Faith alone as they pretended of neete acquaintance and alliance with God Against these Saint Iames opposeth the necessitie of workes But neither doth Saint Paul deny workes to the Regenerate nor Saint Iames deny the act of Faith Secondly I answere here that Saint Paul speaketh of Iustification in attaining it which in respect of man is confessed to be the act of Faith Saint Iames of Iustification now obtayned which necessarily is not seperate from workes Iustus factus through the Grace of Christ is Iustus declaratus by his holy life and conuersation And so Saint Iames is expounded by your selues or else hath accesse of Iustification as it is also taught by your owne men Iames 2. 14. What doth it profit though a man saith hee hath faith and hath no workes Can faith saue him Nothing at all Not at all For a better saith then that which Saint Iames meant the Faith of the Gnostiques the Deuils had Beside it is a faith onely supposed presumed and in opinion If a man say he hath faith A manifest insinuation it was not reall A Faith boasted of but not had So that this Faith and that other of the Protestants Caelo solo disparantur Nor can they be compared as they are For the Faith of the Protestants generall or speciall I dispute not now is a Faith wrought and infused by God through the Grace of Christ Liuing liuely actiue fruitfull declaring the roote by the good fruit they neuer seperate them in their Doctrine And your men doe blame them because they neuer seperate the Spring and water-course Faith and good workes but they professe it must and doth worke by Loue. And therefore it is a lying imputation that good workes are not necessary to Saluation All Writers old and new as Cassander saith in generall doe with ioynt consent teach that Faith must bring forth the fruit of good workes Otherwise It is a dead faith without workes And hee produceth the Confession of the Protestants thus Fatendum est haec opera quae à iustificatis fiunt ad salutem id est regnum Dei vitam aeternam consequendam esse necessaria iuxta illud si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata It must be confessed that the workes which are done of iustified men are necessary to obtaine Saluation that is to purchase the Kingdome of God aâ—deternall life according vnto that If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements And the Church of England expressely teacheth Artic. 12. Albeit that good workes which are the fruits of faith and follow after Iustification cannot put away sinnes and indure the seueritie of Gods iudgement yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and doe necessarily spring out from a true and liuely Faith Insomuch as that by them a true and liuely faith may as euidently be knowne as a Tree is discerned by the fruit I adde as this mans Spirit is discerned by his lying That of Matth. 7. 22. is so farre from being expresse in the point that it is farre from being to purpose It is not for iustifying of a sinner by workes but rather for relapsing of one iustified by Grace See Fathers that affirme the same Namely that which wee doe teach that Faith alone iustifieth For so all these three named doe Origen Hilary and Ambrose Origen saith Cassander clearely declareth in his Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Romans Solâ fide absque operibus aliquos fuisse iustificatos That some haue beene iustified by Faith alone without any workes at all The Theefe vpon the Crosse was not saued by workes which hee had not Faith alone saued him
in the mercies of Christ but this being speciall and therefore extraordinary may admit an exception for common vse Therefore in Rom. 3. he speaketh plaine in generall not with that limitation of some Iustification of Faith alone sufficeth albeit a man hath not done any workes As direct a Protestant as euer wrote Caluin or Chemnitius could say no more But in Rom. 5. he is otherwise minded If so what why vrge you the witnesse of him that saith and vnsaith the same thing But it is not so Origen is wronged by you His words are Faith cannot be reputed vnto Iustice to such as beleeue Christ and yet put not off the old man with his Acts. Doe Protestants say it can be We distinguish Historicall and Iustifying Faith You doe difference Faith in Degree if in nothing else Beliefe may be before without Iustification a generall assent without application or adhesion Origen is in this also a perfect Protestant It is their Doctrine That there is a Faith which iustifieth not It is Origens Doctrine absolutely Origen saith Which beleeueth Christ He doth not say Which beleeueth in Christ Thus per omnia in all points he sideth with the Protestants in their Faith concerning Faith as you propose it Secondly see Hilary vpon Math. 7. And doe See him Protestant to thy confirmation See him Papist to thy confusion The saluation of Nations are his words is through faith and in the Precepts of the Lord the life of all men Doth this man speake against the Iustification of a man by Faith that ascribeth saluation vnto Faith And Can. 8. in Math. vnto onely Faith And else-where as he is cited by Cassander A Christo per fidem remissio est quod lex laxare non poterat Fides enim sola Iustificat Remission of sinnes is from Christ which could not be released by the Law For onely Faith iustifieth Saint Ambrose runneth the same way with Origen and Hilary in Comment vpon the Epistle to the Romans Hoc etiam constitutum est à Deo vt qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere solâ fide gratis accipiens remissionem peccatorum It is so ordained by God that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ is made partaker of saluation by faith alone without workes receiuing forgiuenesse of sinnes In conclusion it is confessed vpon all hands by the most lerned in the Church of Rome that many of the ancient Fathers ascribe Iustification vnto Faith alone Casalius in his second Booke and 16. Chapter allayeth their saying and we approue it but implyedly he giueth to vnderstand that Doctores Sancti doe affirme that sola fides iustificat Faith alone is that which iustifieth No new Gospell therefore as this Goose gagleth XIX That no good workes are meritorious IN the former Proposition the Protestants were belyed in the Case of good workes as excluding their necessity vnto Saluation For though Faith alone acted in the act of Iustification yet there necessarily followed in ordinary course an haruest of good workes Now the valew of those workes is next to be questioned in the point concerning merit and desert wherein this Gagger as else-where lyeth out aloofe in ambiguities for he distinguisheth not of workes nor merit nor the termes how farre they are meritorious nor how they deserue what they haue Workes are considered before or after Iustification In the state of Nature or of Grace workes are not all of one kinde There are some good and so farre good as that they cannot be done to any euill end Such as are directed vnto God immediately to honour him to loue him and to feare him Others so euill that no intent or purpose can make them good to commit Adultery doe murther blaspheme God Others good in themselues and in a generality which may yet be done to an ill intent and purpose to giue Almes to be seene of men euill in a generall notion as to goe to the Stewes yet good in the designment to conuert a sinner Others indifferent euery way Now in the Proposition not any of these are meritorious according to the Doctrine of the Protestants saith the Gagger generally Not meritorious what is that Your Schooles assigne vs a two-fold merit of Congruity of Condignity that where Retribution or reward is not due yet conueniency requireth recompensation this where reward is rightly due and the denying thereof is iniustice and wrong vnto the party Here is no distinction of merit at all We are not giuen to vnderstand whether is intended Merit of Condignity or Congruity We know that in the Doctrine of the Romane Schooles and vnlesse wee did know it otherwise this fellow would not tell vs. Merit of Congruity is not commonly meant as scarce vouchsafed the name of Merit Good workes therefore said to be meritorious are so vnderstood to be ex condigno which that a worke may so be these Conditions are required That it bee morally good Freely wrought by man in this life In the state of Grace and friendship with God which hath annexed Gods Promise of Reward All which Conditions I cannot conceiue that any Protestant doth deny vnto good workes the fruits of Faith liuely and liuing For first euill workes are rewardable but with due desert that is Gods wrath and second death Worke s secondly of compulsion are not worth Gramercy 1 Cor. 9. 17. and thirdly after death working doth cease In the state of Grace to be wrought is the Protestants Tenent that precisely hold first Faith is necessary before good workes can be acceptable to God For God had first respect to Abel say they and afterward vnto his Sacrifice Deus non habet gratum offerentem propter munera sed munera propter offerentem saith Gregor hom 9. in Ezech. and then they maintaine that as God doth Crowne his owne workes in vs so he doth it hauing promised so to doe This is your owne Doctrine in the Romane Schooles And so farre the Protestants for these Conditions goe along with you Now if your Texts doe contrary this expresly or obliquely looke you to it it concerneth you as much as vs. First Math. 5. 12. Reioyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heauen Reward you say is due debt and debt is vpon desert But this desert whence came it and what is it Ex gratia ipsius saith Tertullian non proprietate nostrâ In the state of Grace men onely merit your selues teach then all their merit is of Grace As of Grace so ex compacto God hath promised therefore due to be required This is your fift and last Condition vnto merit Reward in Heauen no man denyeth Reward appointed for our good workes all confesse If this be your merit we contradict it not And this is your merit that you plead for All your Texts of Scripture Math. 10. 42. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Cor. 9. 17. 18. 25. Heb. 11. 26. Psal 18. 20. and many moe in the same course and kinde speake directly this way and no other
so that the man fighteth with his shadow and taketh a ferne bush for a Foxe to hunt As idle in allegation of his Fathers as impertinent in his Texts of Scripture For these places of August Hierome and Ambrose produced by this iugler to be seene are meerely for another matter and so to that end recited by his instructor C. W. B. a man of more learning and better iudgement to proue that all the best workes of the righteous are not sinnes but truly good workes as proceeding out of a good roote That man had this fellow beene but a gagler would haue afforded him Fathers enough from Ignatius along for many ages to purpose as is specified in this point And yet Ignatius wrote in Greeke and could not vnderstand merit and those that wrote in Latine did vse the word but with no such intent as is supposed nor as is put vpon them by these later Tormentors of other mens meaning The Fathers who vse it tooke vp the word as they found it in ordinary vse and custome with men in those times not for to deserue which in our Language implyeth merit ex condigno but to incur to procure to purchase as Tacitus hath it in the life of Agricola Iijs virtutibus iram Caij Caesaris meritus est By these vertues he incurred the anger of Caius Caesar Which vse of the Tongue the inferior Ages mistaking haue built vp I know not what great Towers of Babel vnto themselues in contestation with and presumption against GOD which the ancient Fathers neuer dreamed of whose ioynt vnaminous and orthodoxall Doctrine is that which we will remember in Leoes words Non de qualitate nostrorum operum pendet coelestium mensura donorum In conclusion touching good workes the Church of England considereth them two wayes Artic. 12. 13. First as they are or may be done before Iustification had and obtained done by men meerely naturall and in the state of alienation from God and then as they are done after Regeneration by the inspiration and assistance of Gods Spirit Concerning the first Workes done before the grace of Christ saith Artic. 13. and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasing vnto God for as much as they spring not of Faith in Iesus Christ neither doe they make men meet to receiue Grace or as the Schoole Authors say deserue Grace of congruity Yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they haue the nature of sinne And so our Conclusion is Good workes thus and in this sort merit not at all vnlesse you meane Hell and Gods wrath For good workes done after Iustification which onely and alone are indeed good workes The Church of England in the 12 Artic. concludeth thus 1. They spring from a true and liuely Faith 2. They declare a true and liuely Faith 3. They are pleasing and acceptable to God 4. They cannot put away our sinnes nor endure the seuerity of Gods iudgement to wit not of themselues considered in themselues no not as issuing from their Fountaine Faith because Rem 〈…〉 ssion is in Christ gratuitum and pardon must preceede before that they can succeede Touching their merit and desert here is concluded nothing but the meaning of the Church in the Doctrine of her Schooles is directly this That the workes of Gods Saints in Faith and Charity are rewardable here and in the World to come both in generall as good workes and in particular as such good workes some more some lesse according to measure and proportion it being a rule in Nature and Grace both that whatsoeuer is receiued is receiued as the Donce can receiue it not as the Donor can conferre it Which procuring of reward at Gods hand both for things Temporall and Eternall the phrase of Antiquity hath called merit vpon the vse of the Tongue in those dayes and no otherwise though much mistaken afterward XX. That faith once had cannot be lost THere is no such Conclusion or Article tendred vnto the Church of England or resolued of vnto vs as of Faith Opinions haue varied and may keepe at large each one contenting himselfe with his owne priuate sobeit hee disturbe not the peace of the Church nor impose his priuate iudgement to be held of all It is held by some I grant that iustifying Faith that excellent gift of God is not conferred vnto any but to the Elect and predestinated vnto life The wicked that perish eternally from God as they neuer were in the state of Grace so neuer were they indued with true Faith Secondly as consequent hereunto that Faith once had cannot be lost or shaken out or off wholy from man but continueth inextinguible indefeisable And therfore thirdly those that once haue been indowed with that Transcendent guift are sure to be saued eternally nor cease to be and stand â—ustified before God These are opinions and defended but not of all Protestants not of the Church of England but opposed and refelled at home abroad as this fellow cannot but know if he know any thing in these points which for the maior part are fitter for Schooles then popular discourses and may be held or not held without heresie either way That Faith once had the propounded Conclusion cannot be lost may be interpreted and is moe wayes then one Whether not lost at all whether totally or finally lost Men are diuided in this Tenent Some suppose neither totally nor finally Some totally but not finally Some both totally and finally Which is indeed the assertion of Antiquity and your Schoole Some perceyuing the current of iudgements for the losse thereof totally and finally and considering also at least probability of Scripture consenting put in a new distinction of God and Man of the first and second causes of Faith and Iustification In regard of Man his weakenesse insufficiency and opposition against him in respect of second causes concurring in this action Faith once had may be lost they say But in regard of God considering his counsell and purpose vnchangeable reflecting on his absolute decree irreuersable faith once had cannot totally or finally be lost nor they perish eternally that were endowed therewith Now which of all these waies will you vnderstand the position Faith had may be lost For my part I know your meaning well enough but you should haue explayned it and not haue couertly rested in ambiguities You meane it may be lost totally and finally in regard of God who made no such absolute irreuersable decree as also in respect of second causes in man both without him and about him and against him I determine nothing in this Question positiuely which the Church of England leaueth at libertie vnto vs though the learnedst in the Church of England assent vnto Antiquity in their Tenent which the Protestants of Germany maintaine at this day hauing assented therein vnto the Church of Rome in the Diot at Ralisbone by Bucer and others vpon these
in that sort as our Masters tender it vnto vs to bee beleeued at this day XLII That there is no Purgatorie fire or other prison wherein sinnes may bee satisfied for after this life NOt resolued of by Antiquity out of Scripture nor determined by Scripture olde or new as certaine and necessarily to be beleeued You say Yes therefore we contrary the expresse words of our owne Bibles 1. Cor. 3. 13. The fire shall try euery mans work of what sort it is Is this so expresse in your opinion Sir Gagger It seemeth not for neither haue wee your Therefore c. for the conclusion nor your ordinary expresse words but barely thus Contrary to their owne Bible Your conscience checked you or did Bellarmine stumble you or what is the cause you faint in your Euidence Bellarmine confesseth it is one of the hardest places in Scripture And such are not expresse Directors or Concluders therefore no good proofes in points of faith without euident conspiring of some more perspicuous place For points of faith must haue manifest assurance to proue obscurity by more obscurity your Logick can tell you if you haue not forgot it is a fault Wee doubt and make a question vnto you of Purgatory Your Euidence for it is from that of which wee more doubt at leastwise as much as wee doe of Purgatory For beside the confession of the Master of controuersies and the diuers senses and expositions by him confessed and produced the latest I think I am sure one of the learnedst of your owne expositors Estius both confesseth as much and resolueth against your intent for Purgatory out of this place The Fire saith hee which the Apostle in this discourse hath named three seuerall distinct times is variously expounded by diuers men Augustine and Gregory vnderstand it of the afflictions of this life as in the 65. Psal We haue passed through fire and water Others take it for Hell fire Some for Purgatory Some for the fire of Conflagration which shall eyther proceed or accompany Christ the Iudge at the day of Doome Others imagine a threefold fire answerable vnto fire thrice named by the Apostle The first that fire of Conflagration The second the fire of Gods seuere Iudgement The third of Purgatory an absurd interpretation saith your owne Estius the fire is the same in all places saith hee That fire is eyther that of Conflagration or Gods seuere Iudgement or both according to the opinion of Caiâ—tan no Protestant in his owne opinion rather that of Conflagration which shall set the world on fire at the last which hath a threefold effect vpon three different sorts of men for probation vpon the throughly cleane for Purgation vpon the yet defiled for reuenge vpon the cast-awayes vngodly For which exposition hee citeth Basil in three seuerall places Hilary in second Canon vpon Mathew Ambrose Lactantius Eucherius and others but in no case your Purgatory fire because Purgatory receiueth men after Iudgement particular and is vtterly amolished before the generall Iudgement finished Secondly because Purgatory trieth no mans worke but punisheth the euill works of such as shall bee saued If such men your owne bee not resolued for it nay resolued against it would you haue vs instantly professe a Purgatory because you say Saint Paul meant so and cannot prooue it Prooue it you can out of Saint Ambrose Ser. 20. in Psal 118. Bellarm. saith that Idem habet on the place of S. Paul in his Commentaries and Estius Ser. 3. vpon the same 118. Psal Which testimony hee alleadgeth for against the Conceit of Purgatory extracted hence so that if these testimonies are all one Ignis Conflagrationis is intended at the end of the world to beginne not the fire of Purgatory which is to bee consummated at the worlds end Post consummationem saeculi are Saint Ambrose words missis Angelis qui segregent bonos et malos hoc futurum est Baptisma quando per caminum ignis Iniquitas exuretur vt in regno Dei fulgeant iusti sicut Sol in regno Patris sui et si aliquis vt Petrus sit vt Iohannes baptizatur hoc igni This is a purging fire as well as a proouing and consuming fire as your Estius hath well obserued In which sense Saint Ambrose speaketh vt per ignem purgatus fiat saluus So you bely Saint Ambrose for explicating this very place of Purgatory in your sense Secondly you prooue it out of Hierome vpon the fourth of Amos 11. You were as a firebrand plucked forth of the burning where what Hierome hath for Purgatory I would willingly vnderstand of your Gagger-ship for I professe my disability to conceiue Hierome compareth that place of the Prophet with the other of Saint Paul and onely compareth it no more Hierome doth not determine Fire in eyther place to be your Purgatory fire all that can bee collected is That by fire Saint Hierome meant the seuere Iustice of God Cùm subuer si fuerint ob similitudinem criminum Sodomae et Gomorrhae pessimaque in ijs aedificia diuinus ignis exusserit ipsi liberentur quasi torris raptus de incendio Et quomodo Lot Sodomâ pereunte seruatus est amittens substantiam et partem corporis sui quam intelligimus vxorem sic omnes isti Sodomorum diuitias amittentes euadunt nudi iuxta illud quod in Apostolo legimus Si cuius opus arserit c. Si ergo saluatur per ignem quasitorris de incendio rapitur If there bee no fire but that in Purgatory I confesse this fire must bee that of Purgatory but if there bee many fires beside this of your Imagination it is rather any fire then that of Purgatory For I neuer yet heard that an Heretick dying an Heretick may haue his Heresie purged in Purgatory and so leauing that there as a snake her slough himselfe may stie vp to Heauen but without all controuersie out of that fire in Saint Hierome Hereticks be saued into Heauen Postquam in eo opera arserint in antiquum restituatur locum See the place Reader and tell mee thy opinion of this Gagger Saint Augustine cannot possibly vnderstand this place of your fire of Purgatory except hee will and doe contradict him For by your owne confessions Saint Augustine conceiued it of the Tribulations of this life therefore not of Purgatory after this life The words you meane in Saint Augustine vpon 37. Psal are It is said Hee shall bee saued yet as it were by fire And because it is said Hee shall bee saued therefore that fire is not regarded No maruell and yet that fire is more vnsufferable then any torment which a man can possibly vndergoe in this life Heere no doubt the game is vp for Saint Augustine Fire after this life and yet not eternall therefore of Purgatory no question Yes Sir a question Indeed no question what Saint Augustine meant For first he calleth it plainly Emendatorium ignem fire that correcteth men and
maketh them better Purgatory is not so it is penall onely There is no merit in Purgatory soules cannot sinne nor deserue there in the resolution of your owne men Secondly the fire which Saint Augustine meaneth doth then in his opinion performe that office when the sheepe are separated from the goates that is when your Purgatory in your owne opinions is no more for euer Thus the ordinary Glosse vnderstood Saint Augustine Wee read saith the Glosse of two fires that shall come The one eternall which eternally shall torment the reprobate This fire is to insue the Iudgement The other fire shall goe before which shall burne vp the surface of this world and shall amend them that haue builded wood hay and stubble But such as haue builded gold siluer end precious stones shal be secure safe from eyther fire And in like sort doth Salmeron conceiue of Saint Augustine and Augustine could not meane your Purgatory in Saint Paul For such as build gold c. come not within your Verge at all but into Saint Paul's Fires as saith Saint Augustine commeth both one and other Ignis de quo locutus est eo loco Apostolus Paulus 〈◊〉 debet intelligi vt ambo per cum transeant id est et qui aedificat supra hoc fundamentum aurum c. et qui aedificat lignum c. Lastly Saint Gregory doth explicate this very place of Purgatory Dial. 4. and to help you out for you could not tell Cap. 39. sed tamen are his words de quibusdam leuibus culpis esse ante iudicium purgatorius ignis credendus est And to this sense hee saith that Text of the Apostle may be applied But Sir Gagger this Gregory the Author of the Dialogues is no authenticall writer with mee I doe not hold him for the man whose name hee beareth But at this time I will not question him for your sake though I owe you little Hee telleth vs of a purging fire Good but euery purging fire is not that you dreame of which hath made the Popes Kitchin smoke so much heeretofore Saint Augustine acknowledgeth another so do many of your owne men And this of Saint Gregory is no other then that of Fire which goeth before the Iudge Ante iudicium saith your Author which wee deny not and helpeth you nothing Saint Augustine led Saint Gregory the way Videtur euidentius apparere saith hee in illo iudicio quasdam quorundam purgatorias poenas futuras No such matter then in their opinion for the present Many trying Fires there may bee there are both literall and metaphoricall which will clayme interest in Saint Paul's meaning 1. Cor. 3. 13. before your Purgatory can find admittance there Toby 4. 17. Powre out thy bread vpon the buriall of the iust that is Offer for those which are in Purgatory no doubt For Saint Chrysostome Hom. 32. in Math. vnderstandeth this very place of Purgatory Vnderstandeth And what of that Vnderstanding will not serue our turne we must haue expresse words in our own Bibles for it else Olle quid ad te Purgatory and Buriall are all one with you or Purgatory will not appeare hence As for your warrant from Saint Chrysostome you bely Saint Chrysostome and your Author both I say it because the man you would remember is not Saint Chrysostome but the Author of the Imperfect worke vpon Saint Mathew who indeed was wont to goe vnder Saint Chrysostomes name but is acknowledged by euery Smatterer amongst you not to bee Saint Chrysostome Did you not knowe this I pitty then your case which hath such poore companions for Patrons Did you knowe it the more to blame you that would not distinguish him from Saint Chrysostome who in his 32. Homil. hath not any thing looking that way You might haue beene challenged for forgery euery way had I not found you out as you may for folly or ignorance or dissolute security beeing found out But neither doth your Saint Chrysostome that is the Author specified so vnderstand or talke of the place of Toby For Homil. 26. not 32. vpon 41. verse of the tenth of Mat. hauing expounded these words of Toby not ill telleth vs a tale out of Clemens concerning Saint Peter and this Doctrine deliuered by him out of Tradition Sed audi mysterium c. But heare a secret and mysticall meaning giuen by Saint Peter remembred by Clemens If any beleeuer shall doe a good work it is profitable vnto him in this world by deliuering him from euill and also in the world to come to attaine the Kingdome of heauen rather there in that world than in this But if an vnbeleeuer doe a good worke it will profit him heere by deliuering him from euill and God will returne vnto him good for his worke But in that world to come his work will profit him nothing For neither is hee ranked for that his worke with other beleeuers and that deseruedly because hee did that good out of naturall good motions and not for Gods sake Wherefore hee receiueth his reward both in and for the body not in or for his soule Also if a Christian shall giue vnto no Christian hee shall therefore receiue no great reward because hee gaue it not vnto a Christian nor as vnto a Christian Toby saying Poure out thy wine vpon the sepulchers of the iust and giue nothing vnto the sinner Whoso giueth a little to an vnbelieuer hath his reward but he that giueth any thing to a beleeuer hath a double reward first in as much as hee is Gods Creature secondly because hee is iust before God But whosoeuer giueth vnto an vnbeleeuer hath onely a single reward in as much as the vnbeleeuer is Gods Creature though in will opposite vnto God If a Christian doe receiue no Christian but an Infidel in the name of a Christian haue his reward notwithstanding appointed for him hee shall because as much as lieth in him he receiueth indeed no Christian but as a Christian It was necessary I should as I haue done set downe the whole place at large both that the Pamphleter may direct mee to that passage or those words in which or by which Saint Chrysostome vnderstandeth this place of Purgatory which I professe such is my dulnesse I cannot see nor imagine As also that I might deale vprightly in the cause and sincerely with him that dealeth honestly in nothing and lastly that the Reader may pick out if hee can where or how hee may ground Purgatory or if hee cannot may see and knowe and take notice of a forlorn cause so vpholden by false shews and collusion Finde Purgatory fire or not fire prison or not prison state or not state of the deceased in expiatory torments or pains heer and I will instantly professe and beleeue Purgatory without more adoo 1. Cor. 15. 29. Else what shall they doo which are baptized for the Dead Vpon this Text the Gaggers Glosse is An euident place concerning the succour which the souls