so thou takest it not vnworthily or art any wayes guiltie but shalt obtaine grace thereby so that thou belieue The Apostle teacheth Examining of conscience Luther affirmeth that in receauing the Sacramēt with guiltie conscience a man receaues grace if he but only belieue to goe before but Luther and the rest teach only faith to suffise and belieuing doth assure him self of grace and that he doth obtaine the same in the Communion and so by disswading men from the examen and probation of themselues before they receaue the holy Sacrament and teaching them only faith to looke only on the mercyes of God and not on his iudgment doth make men guiltie of iudgment and so throwes them into perdition Moreouer this doctrine of only faith doth subuert ouerthrow the preaching of true repentance Only faith disanulleth repētance conuersiō to God and of our conuersion to God for the Scripture saith Psal 84. Conuert vs our God of saluation and turne away thy wrath from vs. And Isai 1. Let the wicked leaue his way the iniust man his cogitations and returne vnto the Lord and he wil be merciful vnto him Againe VVash you and be ye cleane take away your euil cogitations from before myne eyes cease to doe euil and learne to doe well come and reason with me saith the Lord. If your synnes were as scarlett as snowe they shal be made white Again Do pennance and be baptised enery one of you Pennance and conuersiō are before remission of synnes in the remission of synnes Act 2 Seeing the Scripture is euident witnes which declares and shewes true pennance and conuersion to God to goe before remission of synnes Contrarywise by this doctrine of only faith remission of synnes is obtained But the Protestants make remission of synnes to anticipate all meanes without any other meanes going before only by faith and then followeth forthwith true repentance and conuersion to God this Luther affirmes in Bulla Leon art 11.12 Who belieueth himself to be absolued saith he is absolued whatsoeuer be spoken of contrition and pennance Only faith disannulleth the iurisdiction of the Church concerning the loosing and binding of synne Moreouer the doctrine of only faith is contrary to the power of binding and looseing in remitting and retayning of synnes which power our Lord gaue to Peter and the other Apostles for our Lord did auouch synnes to he remitted to those to whome they remitted synne and those to be loosed in heauen whome they loosed vpon the earth Matth. 26. Ioan. 20. But this onely faith teacheth that synnes are remitted by only faith yea though no looser nor remitter be present or cōdescend thereto yea that hauing this faith euen when they shall come to the Pastors of the Church to be absolued their synnes be remitted to them and they haue obtained and purchased now already by only faith remission of their synnes that it is now ridiculous to stand to the promisses and wordes of our Lord which he hath said to his disciples VVhose synnes ye remitt they are remitted to them seeing their synnes are remitted to themselues before they come to the Apostles or their Successors Yea also no more power is left to the Apostles at the least in this parte then to any Christian man yea also children for after the foolish opinions of these Rabbies that belieuing the preaching of only faith anone receaues forgiuenes of synns Therefore of this maxime is that wonderfull saying of Luther Luthers absurd iudgmēt that women children and ech lay man may remitt synnes aswell as the Priestes of the Church That in the Sacrament of pennance and in the remission of the fault no more doth the Pope or Bisshop then the lowest Priest and when there is not a Priest each Christian may doe the same yea women and children may doe the same if they be present aswell as Pope Bisshop or Priest in Bulla Leon. sent 13. Moreouer the doctrine of this only faith is contrary to it self for no man agreeth and consenteth to any thing This doctrine is contrary to it self No man condescendes and Yeildes to any vnknowne thing but onely faith is belieued as an vnknowne thing which is contrary to al reason The gospell was not belieued without trial and miracles except he iudge it true first before he condescend to it for out of a natural loue of veritie and the hatred of falsehood moralitie teacheth that before we condescend to any thing we doe trye it whether that which is reported to vs be true and when we haue found the same to be in it self true then next we giue consent The same argument appeareth in the Gospell that many receaued and belieued the same by reason of the sygnes and miracles which they sawe done and likewise in searching of the old scriptures found the same thinges prophecyed to be fulfilled in the time of the gospell and to be true miracles but this doctrine of only faith and assured confidence that a man belieues his synnes to be remitted to him is by the same only faith which he belieues so it followes of necessitie that he hath remission of synnes before he belieued by the same faith and therefore the remission A filthie absurditie the effect to be before the cause is behinde the remission which is beliued to be of this only faith so that the effect is first before the cause which is very absurde For truly the Christian faith goeth before iustification as the Apostle sayes The hart belieues to richteousnes Roman 10. Likewise a man is iustifyed by faith Gal. 2. An other absurditie that only faith goeth before the word of God But it is most absurde that faith goeth before the word of God and the self same word of God faith to giue credit to the word it self seeing the word of God is not faith but faith dependes vpon the word of God it is therefore necessary that the testimony of God precede before his testimony may be belieued But the Christian Catholique Church knowes that before any belieue in Christ that he is a child of wrath and the wrath of God to abide on him Ephes 2. Ioan. 3. And also knowes that the vngodly man should leaue his wayes and the wicked man his cogitations Isai 55. and turne vnto God by true pennance and faith in Christ in hope and prayer and by frequent receauing of the Sacraments that so at last God may haue mercy on him This Catholique faith is farr from the other only saith which only doth belieue synnes to be remitted excluding all mediation apprehending the effect before the cause Onely faith doth peruert the word of God Again this doctrine of only faith peruerteth the word for this assured persuasion to belieue doth procede from the vnderstanding of a strange gospell and not of the word of God So that by the same doctrine of only faith the word of God is peruerted wherefore it is to be reiected which
of firme and assured hope that they receaue in the present remission of synnes and in the futur eternall lyfe ANSVVER I Deny the assumption for nothing is to be belieued of vs rightly and Catholickly which may be any way false for faith is the substance of things hoped and an argument of no appearance because the reason of faith is placed in the veritie reuealed of God which for that cause may neither deceaue or be deceaued Yea also we hope these things rightly which otherwayes may happen for the cheifest reason of hope consists in the possibilitie of the acquiring and seeking of these things which we haue hoped according to the commandement and promise of God and for this cause we are exhorted after the exemple of Abrâ—ham that in hope against hope we should labuor and belieue to mak our caling and election sure 1 Pet. 2. The differeÌ„ce betwixt hope and faith For many vnder pretence of this only faith being loaden with the weight of ther synnes and charged in conscience vnthankfull to their Creator and yet apeare externally to work the workes of the righteous and walk securely perswadinge them selfes to be in grace and fauour of God and at last to obteine eternall lyf when without hope they are condemned Because hope lookes to the promisses and coÌ„mandement of God which only faith annulles And therefore we are more commanded and exhorted to hope then beleue because hope hath euer actuall rychteousnes adioyned with him and only faith is lyk an Irishmans in his trowses which is without any conformity to the habit of any other nation so for conclusion only faith is no faith and is playne opposit anu contrary to the article of our creed I beleeue the remission of sinnes QVESTIO IIII. Of the informall fayth of Synners WHerfore doe the Papistes affirme teach fayth to remaine in Synners seperated from loue contrary to the tenour of the Scriptures Fathers Caluin lib. 3. inst cap. 2. § 8.9.10 in Antid Con. Trid. ANSVVER IT is the vniuersal doctrine of holy Church that trew fayth which the Apostles defynes to be the substance of thinges which are hoped for Faith may be without loue aswell as with it and the euidence of things which are not seene may successiuely stand with loue and charity or without it soe that fayth may be in the same specie and nomber notwithstanding with diuersity of tyme formall or informall Faith is formall and informall Calu. Scornes all diuyne and humane sciences Howsoeuer to the contrary Caluin laboures but to no effect albeyt he goeth about to scorne this distinctioÌ„ of faith made in the Theologicall Schooles but if this scorner of diuyne and humane sciences would approach to the fountayne of holy wryt and gust with wholsome taste truely he should fynde the same habit of fayth and nomber to haue the place of merit and of demerit that the scorner may be at rest For first Christ Matth c. 7. vers 22. acknowledgeth fayth in Synners for in the day of iudgment or in the hour of death as in a particular iudgment many shall say to him Faith may be in great sinners to the working of myracles Lord we haue prophesied in thy name and in thy name we haue cast out diuels and haue wrought many miracles to whome he shall answer saying I neuer knew yow For this nunquam giues to vnderstand that euen then when they wrought miracles in fayth and by faith in my name euen then I knew you not because you lyued a wycked and deformed lyfe with your faith Sinne is opposite to the merit of faith and was so defyled in sinne lyke to the conditioÌ„ of a most expert Phisitian who is not ignorant of art and science which he professes and vnderstandes and yet notwithstanding by fragility of nature by intemperancy and bad liuing a similytude doth violate the science and medecyne albeit he doth not loose and quitte the science of medecine euen so a Christian man a Prophet Religious Faythfull or els whatsoeuer morall man instructed in the faith sinning in the precepts of fayth Fayth profits nothing without workes doth not loose or is destitute of his faith nether faithfulnes or ceases to be a Christian and yet notwithstanding is excluded from the Kingdome of God for onely want and defect of charity good workes The naughty banquetter had faith with out his garment Secondly he who entered to the banquet of the King not hauing his weddinge garmeÌ„t Matth. 25.15 was cast into vtter darckenes not because of his faith or of his baptisme by which he entered and abode in the Church but because of only the waÌ„t of his wedding garment that is to say the want of charity So expoundes this place all the Fathers of the Church as S. Greg. in euang hom 78. Thirdly to conclud all doubtes the Apostle sayd if I should haue all faith so that I could remoue mountaynes and want charity I am nothing what it is to haue all faith without charity Calu. Glosse discouered to wit not to be in grace neyther auailles the glosse of Rabbi-Caluin in this place saying that the Apostle speakes not of the Catholyck faith but of the faith of miracles or the vertue of confidence to worck miracles but this euation is naught for when the Apostle sayes if he had all faith absolutly he concludeth all both intensiue and extensiue perfect and imperfect for in the end of the same chapter 1. cor 1 he concludeth that there doe remayne fayth hope and charity these three but the cheifest is charity only so out of doubt he speakes of that faith which before in the same chapter he made mention of Faith is compared with charity and charity to faith as he did speake of that same charity before therfore it followes that he hath compared the Catholicke faith with Charity Fourthly S. Iacob c. 2. v. 14. sayd Bretheren what helpeth it if a man say he hath fayth but hath no workes can his faith saue him Is any Christian so absurd of iudgment Faith may be without workes although it profit not that thinkes faith to iustify a man without workes to the defence of the verity the whole Fathers affirme and haue taught faith cannot iustify any man without workes as Iren. lib. 4. cap. 25. expounding the same saying of the Apostle sayth neyther knowledge nor wisdome towards God neyther the comprehension of diuyne mysteries neyther fayth neyther prophesie helpe without charity but are voide and of no merite before God And lykewyse S. Aug. lib. 15. de Trinit cap. 18. sayth without charity faith may be but not to profit What need we yet witnesses seying reason teaches that by true faith the faithfull are distinguished and discerned from Infidels Heretycks albeit defacto they are separated out of the Church yet in name and shew they are within yet damned and yet notwithstanding if synners fall from
Creed what the Protestāts beliue is from the catholicks beliefe by proper definitiō And seeing the first words of our beliefe consist in this forme I Beliue So that after S. Pauls definition Heb. 11. Fayth is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things not seen This faith must be resolute and vndoubtedly belieued of all Christians which all good Catholickes vndoubtedly doe belieue both in hart and mouth without any waueringe or erronious opiniō and this is the Catholikes beliefe such was not the beliefe of Luther saying That he hoped so soone as the curiosity of these tymes should be fulfilled his monuments would decay and perish Serm. conuiualis fol. 158. in praef Tom. 1. Tomo 2. fol. 9 in praef lib. de abusu missae Moreouer he sayes I neuer dismisse these cogitations out of my head that I wishe I had neuer begunne this course In this remorse and distrust is Zuingl epist ad Alberum saying In matters of faith we defyne nothing but only delyuer our opinion Lykewyse how laboures Caluin as reportes Bols invita Calu. cap. 22. Beza Oecolampad Melanch That they haue euer adioyned to their inconstant fayth to bynd it to the compasse of reason For say they Gods word ought not so much to be followed in diuinity as the words of nature in that we should looke with the left eye at the word of Christ but with the right at the natures of things Lykewyse Caluin in Ioh. cap. 6. cap. 7. declareth this of his bretheren what opinion they be of for sayth he That by meanes of their carnall conceipt of Christ they cannot attayne to perceaue him worthely and by corrupt interpretations they are come to a contempt of the Euangely for when the reason of any thing appeareth not vnto them they suddainly dispyse it So that in the beginning they stumble and doubt before they proceed any further How repugnant are the Protestantes in the belieue to say I belife in God who are found lyers And when they say I belieue in God to make a foundation in whom they anker their faith they are found lyers and condemne themselues for how doe they belieue in God who are Atheistes in profession for by the true signification of the word they renounce disclame all from loue or belife of God Moreouer neyther belieue they in God who make him the author of euill who doth atempt none Iac. 1. who in mystaking the effect of the article transforme him into a diuell for sayes not Luther that God doth work euill workes in the wicked Roff. art 36. and Caluin lib. 3. inst cap. 23. § 7. cap. 21. § 7. sayes That it was decreed of God that Adam should sinne And lykewyse in the same booke he sayes whom God hath appointed to damnation by his iust The Protestants misbelieue God and irreprehensible decree he shuts vp from them the way of lyfe Do these men belieue in God who they make author of all euill and iniquity Are they not lyers and their beliefe abominable Is not this defended of Zuingl de prouid dei Tom. 1. fol. 365. when we commit adultery or murther it is Gods works as mouer author and inforcer for the murtherer by Gods impulsion doth kill and is often constrayned to offend Moreouer they belieue not in God who account questions concerning the deity but triffles and indifferent things and no wayes necessary to saluation and such be the question of Christ his office and mediation his consubstantialitie with the Father of the vnity of the Trinity of Predestination and of frewill of iustification of Angeles For in true beliefe the reputation and knowledge of God and what belongs to him is of greater importāce then al other things in Heauen and earth The Protestantes misbelieue God whill rhey cal him Father deny the Trinity Beza de Haeret. a ciuili Magist. puniendis Moreouer as concerning that word of the beliefe in calling him Father truely as they misbelieue God so do they misbelieue the Father whyle they deny and misbelieue the Trinity for sayes not Caluin lib. 1. inst cap. 13. § 5. lib. ad Valent. Gentil Epist. 2. ad Polonos That he would the name of Trinity were buryed that these words in the Litanies rehearsed of Christiās Holy Trinity one God haue mercy on vs is a Barbarous and vnproper prayer Lykwyse Ochim Dial. lib. 2. dial 19.20 Calleth the name Trinity a sathanicall and diuelish name Wherupon the family of loue hath reiected the name Trinity as a papisticall fiction Edw. Roger. cont fam Lond an 1578. Art 24.25.26 Lykewyse Luther in enchired Praecum ann 1543 he saies That his soul abhorreth that prayer Holy Trinity one God haue mercy on vs and lykewyse that word Homousion that is to say the consubstantiality of Christ betwixt the persones in the holy Trinity To animate this detestable hatred the more the Seruetians called the Trinity a thre headed Cerberus and hel hound Beza epist 81. And moreouer to this effect was not the Embassadge of the Caluinistes of Poll and sent to Zurick and to Geneua to haue this Article abolished out of the beliefe and that the name Trinity should not be mentioned Wherupon the Caluinian Synod ensued at Vilnaan 1589 11. May where it was ordeyned by publick decree that all Ministers in their Sermons should not make mention of the Trinity Symler an 1560 in vitae Bulling fol. 33. Brendenbachl 7. cap. 19. Lykewyse they misbelieue the Father who with Caluin lib. 1. inst cap. 13 § 13.23.24 vlt. doe affirme it folishnes to belieue or think that God doth cōtinually beget his Sonne Wheras by this continuall vnderstanding he must euer produce a word which is the wisdome of the Father his Sonne Lykewise all they misbelieue the Father who exclude the Sonne holy Ghost from infinit Diuinity and coequality with the Father Melan. loc com ann 2539. fol. 8. 10. ann 1545. fol. 53. an 1558. loco defilio How the Protestants denye God almighty In calling and attributing to him Almighty amongst the principall protestants this Article is denyed Caluin lib. 2 inst cap. 7. § 5. 24. lib. 4. cap. 17. § 24. in psal 37. v. 4. Moreouer whereas we Catholickes professe him maker of Heauen and earth the which right beliefe doth confesse that the Sōne holy Ghost created asmuch as God the Father seing they are not dinstinguished one from an other as they are God and consequently their doings are and must be all one in externall operations such as in the creation of the world Against this article fightes Calu. cont Valent. Gent. lib. 2. inst cap. 14. § 3. saying that the name of God peculiarly doth belonge only to God the Father and that Christ considered according to his persone may not be called Creator of Heauen and earth Which vngodly assertiō being allowed to be true besydes all other absurdities it followeth that
their faith and be separated froÌ„ the Church as Ethnikes and Infidels dâ—facto neuerthelesse in name and externall showe they are within as holy Scripture makes mention as Matth. 13 in the feyld of corne was togeather tares and wheat in the net good fysh and bad in an hous foolish and wyse virgines Euen so such persones hauing faith without workes not obscurly but plainly doe pertayn to the Church howbeit they are damned therefore it happeth to faith without charity eyther to be formall or informall but the effect and Vertue depends in his will in whome charity is and for this cause The effect of faith depends in his will in whome is charity the Heretickes forceing falsy the contrary are deceaued for whilst they presuppose and iudge with themselues that trew faith cheifly is placed in only persuation by which a man may persuade certainly assure himself because of the imputatiue righteousnes of Christ de facto that his sinnes be remitted to him and that graces and charity concomitanter are infused into his soule with his assured persuasion of only faith The hereticks folish persuasion concerning faith that this persuasion in their iudgmeÌ„t is a most trew thing neyther think they euer at any tyme that this can be separated from grace charity which is false and absurde as we haue before proued for they lay great weight vpon a weake foundatioÌ„ and build castelles vpon a sandy-mount for it is not only fayth that iustifyes a man nether is it euer annexed conioyned with charity grace but is separated OBIECTIO FAith consists in the knowledge of Christ but Christ cannot be knowne but by sanctification of his spirit Therfore faith can no way be separated froÌ„ charity For the Apostle sayth Rom 10 v. 10. VVith the hart man belieueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation ANSVVER THE Apostle vnderstandes not in these words sanctification of the spirit including charity but he sayth the hart belieueth to ryghteousnes in which wordes he plainly signifyeth that faith is way and mean to gett and obtaine righteousnes but this faith doth not euer include necessarily the actuall stat of righteousnes and charity and therefore the knowledg of Christ may be in man without charity and so it is separated Other expounde this place of the good affection of will requisit in man to belieue and not annexed absolutly to the action of loue and charity OBIECTIO FAict without workes is dead as the Apostle sayes Iac. 2. Therfore as a dead man is not a trewe man so neyther is fayth in sinneres a true faith without workes and charity ergo faith and charity cannot be separated ANSVVER THE Apostle to the contrary assimilated and compared faith not to a dead man but he assimilated and compared such to a dead body as v. 26. for as the body sayth he without the spirâ—t is dead concerning the vitall operatioÌ„s whereby it failes not to be a trew body euen so without workes faith is dead concerning the vtility meryt and saluation albeyt it failes not to be trew faith for the Apostel affirmeth the Diuels to belieue albeyt not to saluation how much more a sinner may belieue and haue true faith and yet not to his saluation Because it is without workes which are the operations of the vytall spirit and so faith is separated from charity and compared to a dead man without the spirit when he wanted the operatioÌ„ of the vitall spirit and yet cannot be called otherwyse then a body Ergo and so is fayth OBIECTION THE Fathers in whose doctrine thow Papist so oft dost boast teach faith without workes not to be true faith as S. Cyp de simplic pral Beda in cap. 2. Iac. c. Ergo â—rew faith is neuer without workes ANSVVER THE Fathers deny such to be true faith that is not liuely and perfyt and to be such as it ought to be as laughter is not full ioy yet it is accounted for ioy and gladnes So S Hier. cap. 5. ad Gal. When charity is farr of and suchlyke fayth is remote and absent we say it is not perfect charity and true faith not that it is farr of and absent as concerning his essence but concerning his perfection operation and lyfe And hereupon the Fathers teache the verity and the Heretikes lye and teache false doctrine QVAESTIO V. Of the necessity of myracles WHerefore require the Papists myracles of vs for confirmation of our reformed faith seyng long since it was maruelously confirmed of the Apostels Martyres Confessores So that there is no neede of newe myracles Caluin praef instit ad Franc. gal reg ANSVVER Luther atteÌ„ptâ— to rayse the dead He also attemptes to cast out diuels If their doctrine be trew from the Apostles how flee they to extraordinary things Caluin makes for a myracle of a liuing maÌ„ a dead He would haue wrought a myracle for confirming his doctrine of predestination I Aske wherefore Luther that great Prophete Elias and a cheif Apostle yea the Angel of God so called of his successores for confirmation of his Euangel made his recourse to myracles whilst he assayed and attempted to rayse from death one William Nesone drowned in the ryuer of Albus as Staph. in respons vlt. beareth witnes Also he attempted to work a myracle in the casting out of a Deuill out of the possessed but in vayne Wherfore I say went Luther to vse an extraordinary meane if his doctrine be the doctrine of the auncient tymes that myracles are not now necessary Lykewyse to the same effect wherfore attempted Caluin to work a myracle to rayse a dead man who by caluines policy dissembled himself dead for the confirmation of his doctrine of predestinatioÌ„ and the preordination of God concerning the fall of man as Bols in vita Calu. lib. 13. Againe I ask if Caluin was scrupulous to sowe the doctrine of the Catholyk faith yet wherfore induces he a new faith and if he hath purged the error of the Paptsts Church wherfore runnes he to working of a false myracle wonderfull to the world Lykwyse a certayn ringleader of the Anabaptists attempted to worke a myracle in the kingdome of Polonia who inuyted all his fellow compagnions to be present at his baptisme promysing to them that they should see the holy Ghost come downe from the heauen to confirme his baptisme An Anabaptist in Polonia attempted to cause the holy Ghost appeare to proue his doctrine from heauen to be from heauen the day is prefixed the place is appointed the rumor spred abroade all are desyrous to see this myracle and first of all this Arch-heretick entreth into the water but in place of the holy-Ghost and of the spirit of truth anone the Diuell appared with a horrible and fearfull countenance offering himself to them all The Anabaptist is beaten of the diuell and taking the Heretick by the hair of his head lifteth and caryeth him in the ayre letting
nothing they were of no force but only the death of Christ redeemes promerits for vs and that his preaching is lesse a vaylable then other mens who by preaching do cancell the multitude of sinnes Lykewyse his fasting and prayers werelesse worth then the Niniuites who thereby eschewed the wrath of God likewyse lesse worth theÌ„ Moyses who purchased to the Israelits gods fauour more ouer his voluÌ„tary pouerty his innocent lyfe his circumcision his workes of mercy are of noe value and benefit Wheras in any other all and euery one of these had been a sufficient pryce for Heauen which caÌ„not be denyed to be of infinit pryce in Christ and consequently of sufficiencie all and euery one of them to redeeme a thowsand worlds vnlesse Christ be denyed to be of infinit dignity Wherfore all divynes belieue that Christs death was a demonstration of excesse of loue because he so loued his that of the end and consummation of all loue he left them aboundant proofes and that his merites were sufficient to redeeme a thowsand worldes if Christ would haue ben coÌ„tented with that which was sufficient omitting what was aboundant D. Thom. 3. part de Christs mers is 1.2 quaest 114. rota Wherupon it followeth that neyther his death was sufficient satisfaction of sinne and consequently neyther Christs lyfe nor death are allowed to be meritorious and sufficient to redeeme vs. Morouer a great absurditie followeth because they euacuate Christs death who make Christ vnuoluntary to haue suffered for vs for as euery sinn is voluntary so is euery merit But Calu. in cap. 26. Mat. v. 39 sayes that he refused to discharge the office of a mediator reputed Christ at the tyme of his passion to haue had no sufficiencie aboue other men and that in his prayer did not appeare a temperate moderation et Caluin lib 2. inst cap. 13. § 10 11.12 sayth that he was tormeÌ„ted with doutfulnes of his conscience and that he was astonished with the horror of Gods malediction and tormented with the fear of the bottoÌ„les pit of horrible destruction and he burst out into a voice crye of desperation and being ouerwhelmed in desperatioÌ„ he ceased to pray long to God Which doctrine also coÌ„firmeth Beza in cap. 27. Matth. Marlor in Psal 22. Morouer they euacuate the passion of Christ who affirme him to haue been our deliuerer only and not our redeemer Heâ—lius apud Cleâ—itium in Victoria part 2. And lykewyse also they who reiect the name of merit and with Caluin affirme lib. 2. inst c. 17. § 1 If any would sayth he oppose Christ to the iudgement of God there would no place remayne to any merit because there is not in man that dignity to deserue any thing of God And so for conclusion of Caluins assertion the merit of Christs death is naught Christ is only affirmed to be but man not God For in expresse tearmes all Hereticks saye Christs blood Death and passioÌ„ to haue nothing auayled to the redeÌ„ption of mankynd and that Christ with all his workes deserued not heauen or at the least to say that his death and passion are profitable only for the predestinat and that no other haue any benefit thereby Calu. cont Heshus pag. 39. Beza in colloq Mompel 1. pag. 522. Bucc sup Ioh. pag. 34. Musc in loc Theol. fol. 363.367 Zanch. in miscellam pag. 3. 200. 206. Aret. apud Schlus lib. 1. art 6.25.26 lib. 2. fol. 42. Theol. Calu. Wherby it followeth that Christ is not redeemer of all or mediator for all offences and offenders neyther intending their saluation Against the 6. Article How the protestants deny Christ to haue descended into Hell Moreouer as concerning that Article He descended into Hell the third day he rose againe froÌ„ the dead It is mightely impugned of the Protestantes for Carlil in his book that Christ descended into Hell sayes it is a pernicious Heresie to say that Christ descended into Hell and Beza in Apol. 2. ad Zantes pag. 385. These wordes sayes he entred into the creed by inaduertisement Or otherwayes by glossing these wordes that his descending was only the suffering of the panges of death on the crosse wher not only his humanity but also his diuinity indured paynes yea and death Luth. conc pag. 276. sayes that he would not acknowledge Christ to be his Sauiour if only his humanity had suffered Yea Caluin backes Luther in Cataeches cap. de fide This is Christ descention to hell that he suffered that death which God in his angre inflicteth on the wicked And againe lib. 2. inst cap. 16. § 10 cap. 26.27 Matth. That he suffered all the paynes in his soule which by God in reuendgmeÌ„t are exacted of the damned thus he In which doctrine is contayned besyde the death of Christs body the death of his soule Calu. blasphemies against the holy Ghost and of his diuinity that after he had endured such deaths to haue suffered all punishments of the damned Morouer they impugne this article by making his descentioÌ„ nothing els Christ descention to Hel how it is vnderstood of the Hereticks but Christs buriall in the sepulchre as Zuing Oecol Buc. Calu. inst Trem Marel Beza doe affirme And because the common name for Hell in Hebrue doth signifie somtyme a graue or ditch And yetnotwithstanding Caluin confesseth that the sayd name more vsually properly doth signifie Hell the place and state of the damned also many of the ProtestaÌ„t professors oppose Beza shewing by manifold passages of Scripture that the Hebrue word Scheol the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin Infernus doe signifie an Infernall proper place of the damned And yet neuerthelesse some are not ashamed to deny Christs descention to heel thereby to maintayn their former blasphemies They intend to deny limbo and purgatory by denying Christs desceÌ„tion of his suffering the paynes of the damned on the Crosse and to euacuate the delyuerance of the Fathers out of the Limbo and purgatorie And therfore to remoue these blockes out of way Beza in cap. 2. Act. He traÌ„slates by his owne confession and contrary to the opinion of his fellow compagnions contrary to the Greeke Latin interpretors and Fathers Wherupon D. Humfrey lib. 2. derat interpret pag 219 220. saies that the forsayd Hebru word should not be traÌ„slated graue but hell if the authority of the holy Ghost be obserued For this hath been Bezas inteÌ„tion to traÌ„slate graue for hell and Christ soule for body to deny hell Hell is taken metaphorically of the Protestantes and all infernall torments and that mention is made of hell metaphorically Albeit forgetting himself proueth by Scripture and Fathers the coÌ„trary saying in cap. 16. Luc. That Christ descended into the earth into the receptacle of those who were there long retained Moreouer Bullinger in 1. Pet. cap. 4. impugnes this article that Christ descended no otherwayes into hell then as he dayly
was absolutely defyned from eternity and that truly before all for sight and preuision ANSVVER IN the crucifying of Christ first there is the action of Iewes in crucifying Christ which because it was euill could not be preordinat of God in particular but only permitted Secondly the passion which is good of Christs part and in the presupposed mediat knowledge of God by which he knew of the hypothese what should be future absolutly was willed and predefined of God as also of absolut will of Christ and loued for the redemption of mankynd OBIECTION PRedestination from eternity is made decreed without vs of vs neyther may we obtayn the end but by mediat efficacies which are included in predestination from eternity cōcerning vs without vs therefore of necessity and with preiudging humane freewill is the infallible euent ANSVVER THe Sequell is false for who hath forseen hath preordinat glory to the predestinat also truly before hath forseen and preordinat mediates by which such endes are acquyred and obtayned with frewill for this disposition in it self includes a congruall cause of predestination by which God so cōueniētly moueth the wil of mā euē as it is apt and disposed to follow the mouer who by his preuening grace knoweth how to dispose that the called contemne and refuse not the caller but to consent and accord which all consist in the freewill of man QVAESTIO XXVI Of the Keeping of the Commandements WHerefore sayth the Papists that the Commandemēts of God are possible to be keept seing the imbecillity of the flesh withstandes Luth. lib de libert Christian Calu. lib. 2. inst cap. 5. § 6.7 ANSVVER THe keeping and obseruance of the Commandemēts are possible with the helpe of Gods grace which grace is euer ready if we will accept of it The Commādements are possible with Gods help for God propones to vs an easy yock which is both easy and swet fare alienat to impossibility which the Protestants maxime holdes impossible that a man may as easily touch the Heauens with his finger as to kept the commandements belying the holy Ghost With Hereticks are impossible and withstanding the Scripture which beare euidence of the facility of the Commandements of God for first speaken in Deut. 30. v. 11. The Cōmandemēt which this day I command thee it is not aboue thee nor placed fare from thee not in Heauen that thow shouldest say who shall go vp to Heauen bring it to vs and cause vs heare it that we may do it neyther is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say who shall goe ouer the sea and bring it to vs and make vs heare it that we may do it wherby excuses may be pretended but he sayth No excuse cannot be pretended in not keeping the Commandements my wordes are neere thee in thy mouth and in thy hart that thou mayst do it In which expresly he sayth that the commandements are in our possibility to kept thē with the necessary help of Gods grace For if they were impossible and importable they should be aboue vs that we might perceaue their impossibilities and iustly pretend excuse Neyther would God command impossibilities to vs knowing our weaknes but he sayes that his commandements are in thy hart and in thyn mouth to do them therefore what are within vs are possible for vs and seing the commandemēts are in our hart mouth in this they are annexed to our possibility For Christ sayth my yock is easy and my burden is light Matth. 11. v. 30. but what is easy and light must be portable and possible and euen so are his commandements This approueth S. Iohn 1. Epist cap. 3. saying his cōmandements are not heauy what is more heauy then an impossibility no man is commended in obseruing that ruell which is impossible but many are highly commended in the keeping of the commandements as Zacharias and Elizabeth who were both iust before God and walking in all his commandements and iustifications without fault Luc. 1. And Dauid is called a man according to the hart of God walking in all his wills Act. 13. v. 23. Herein they are attributed iust and righteous in keeping and walking in the commandemēts of God which if it had been impossible they should neuer had this commendation of the holy Ghost in his written word For in all the Scriptures we shall find nothing commanded that is not in our possibility Commandements are giuen to be keeped and not contrary Many hath loued God sincerly and their nyghbour so whatsoeuer precept is commanded to be done of man ought to be obeyed for to what end is a commandement giuen if it be not obserued for no man is bound to that which is impossible ergo c. Moreouer it is certayne that the Apostles and others many with syncer loue and affection hath loued God and their neyghbour for the Apostle boosts in that saying Rom. 8. What shall separat vs from the loue of Christ who doubtes but loue is the end and fulfilling of the commandements which the Apostle assured himself to haue Lykewyse making mention of the faithfull Romans cap. 15. v. 14. to be full of perfection of whom he sayth but I am certaine brethren and I my self am presuaded of you that yee are full of loue and to the Coll. 1. v. 4. h. sayes lykewyse hearing of your fayth in Christ Iesu Loue is the end of the Cōmādemēts and loue which you haue in all the Sainctes c. but this loue is not without the keeping of the Commandements because no man can come to the end which is perfection but be mediates and seing the end of the Law is loue Therefore to attayne to this end it followeth that they haue kept the Commandemendts to this sayth S. Iohn Epist 1. cap. 5. v. 3. This is the loue of God that we kept his Commādements and lykewyse Christ sayes Iohn 14. v. 23. If any man loue me let him kept my wordes and S. Paul Rom. 13. sayth He that loueth fulfilles the Law c. Moreouer the Ruell of reason is a sufficiēt witnes which is graued in the hartes of all men that none is obliged to an impossibility for as S. Aug. sayth no man sinnes in that in which he cannot eshew so that God should proceed very iniustly against man if he should oblige him reason is a rule in the keeping of the Commandements to an impossibility how vnreasonable should God be to cōmande vs to doe that no earthly Prince will bidde his subiectes doe for if God command vs what we are not possible to doe he is vnreasonable a tyrant and if he hath made vs impotent and commandeth vs to doe it the fault is his and not ours if we transgresse his Commandements and therfore fore with S. Hierom. let him be accursed who sayes God to cōmand any thing impossible to mā OBIECTION THe precept of loue as in Deut. cap. 6. v. 5. is sayd Thou
shalt loue the Lord thy God withall thy hart c. cannot be fulfilled neyther obserued in this lyfe because it is of necessity that who liueth doth loue some other thing by God Therefore all the commandements are not possible to be kept ANSVVER THe Commandements absolutly may be kept in this lyfe of a man instructed and furnished with Gods grace for that precept of the loue of God intendes not that we should loue no other thing or that all the powers of our soule should be so sommerly and intensiuely impendit to his loue but rather he commandes to loue him apprehensiuely that we preferr no creature to God his loue and to loue nothing repugnant to his precepts in so doing in very truth he loueth God with all his hart who in louing God keipt the rest of his Commandements according to Christ saying Ioh. 14. if any man loue me he will kept my wordes OBIECTION IT is sayd in Exod. 20 v. 17. Thou shall not Couet but this commandement cannot be fulfilled in this lyfe seing the flesh is infected with such concupiscence and coueteousnes therefore the Commandements are not possible ANSVVER TO the minor I say a man with the help of Gods grace may fulfill that Cōmandemēdt because by that precept The first motions are not sinne the first motions of concupiscence or motious preuening reason is not inhibited but the interior consent of will For Dauid and S. Paul in conditions are lyke vnto other men subiect to concupiscences and motions of the flesh notwithstanding are sayd to haue keeped the Commandements of God for it is sayd of King Dauid that he walked after God with his wholl hart 3. Reg. 11. v. 34. And lykewyse it is sayd to S. Paul that Gods power is mad perfect through weaknesse 2. cor 12. v. 9. next with this power he atteanes to strenght saying What is able to separat vs from the loue of Christ c. Rom. 8. And by the grace of God I am that I am and his grace was not vaine in me therfore they haue keeped this Commandements But if the motions of coueteousnes and concupiscence had been forbidden by this precept they should haue been sinners but in the contrary they are no sinners except delectatiō cōsent had ben cōioyned therwith but wheras the Apostle sayth Rom. 7. v. 17. That he doth not the good that he would doe because of the sinne that duelleth in him Wherevpon Hereticks hath builded to call the first motions sinne which indeed are not the true names of sinne but rather an inclination or a defect in nature left for a punishement of originall sinne after baptisme in which signification no man is called a sinner absolutly for as S. Aug. com ad Gal. aliud est peccatum habere aliud peccare one thing is to haue finne and another it is to sinne for the one is an euill obiectiue which when delectation and consent is committed and willed doth fall a sinne and therefore S. Paul speaketh no wayes of a sinne to duell in man as a sinne which is by transgression of the Law and consequently with concupiscence and couteousnes as first motiones the Commandements may be keeped QVAESTIO XXVII Of Reall Iustice VVHerefore doth the Papists deny a man to be iustifyed be imputatiue iustice and apprehended righteousnes in the faith of Christ imputed to vs freely of God seeing this is much more to the confort of the consciences of man then inherent righteousnes Luth. serm de natiu Beatae Virginis Mariae Caluin lib. 3. institut cap. 11. § 11.12.13 ANSVVER I say in the iustification of the wicked from the estate of sinne to the estate of grace and adoption to be the sonnes of God by Iesus Christ is done by some gift really inherent in the soule True iustification is an inherent vertue in the soule The Scripture make a positiue signification by which a man for mally is iust by habituall grace and charity as it is proued by the Scripture foresomuch as men are sayd to be washen purged renewed and made whyt which wordes all signify a positiue splendore and comlynesse neyther can ther wordes be vnderstood without a reall quality following as Isai 1. v. 18. sayth If your sinnes were as crymsome they shal be made whyt as snow and if they were read as scarlet they shal be made whyt as wolne Lykewyse Ezech. 56. v. 25. sayth I shall pouer clean water on yow and yee shal be made cleane of all your filthynes and I shall giue you a new hart and a new spirit and I shall place it in the midst of you But this weshing and clenging of the hart cannot be otherwayes vnderstanded but that therby a reale mutation in the will and hart of man to be righteous Lykewyse it is sayd That we are translated frō death tolyf Sanctifyed in the verity and that we are called the sonnes of God 1. Epist Iohn 3. v. 1. are we so by extrinsecall fauour no but by internall vnction by which for mally we are the sonnes of God for the verification of this the Apostle Paul Rom. 5. sayth That the loue of God is poured in our hartes by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs. In which wordes is vnderstood the habitual loue of God towards vs in vs and by which againe we loue God is infused in vs so that by pouring or infusing is signifyed that the whole soule of man is penetrated furnished with Heauenly graces Things naturall supernaturall work their owne effectes The reason of this forsayd of S. Thom. 1.2 summae Quaest 110. art is deduced for if God to naturall operations works hath giuen granted naturall powers by which those functions may be connaturally accommodated to man euen so to supernatural functions God hath giuen such powers and falculties by which these may be as connaturally accommodated to the soule of man Neyther are we according to the Euangely iustifyed by the essentiall righteousnes of God imputed to vs after the opiniō of Osiāder For those places of Scripture teaches righteousnes and grace by which we are made iust to be some thing flowing coming from the grace and righte ousnes of Christ as witnes S. Iohn 1. v. 16. saying Of his fulnesse we all haue receaued grace for grace And likewyse Rom. 1. v. 5. sayth by whome we receaue grace And Eph. 4. v. 7. To eueryon of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. And so that essentiall imputatiue iustice shall make way to fall into Pelagianisme Imputatiue iustice accordes with the Pelagians who denyed Christ grace necessary to iustification and righteousnes and hereupon the Protestants concludes that we are iustifyed and sanctifyed by the self same iustice wherewith Christ himself is iust which is inherent in him and imputed to vs and apprehended by vs with the reacheing hand of fayth and soe made our owne for in this manner of doing