the gift of God It is not of him that runneth but of Fulke vbi supra Vvhitaker loco citato 1. Cor. 2. v. 14. ad Phil. 2. God who hath mercy on vs. He maketh vs willing to imbrace it he as M. Whitaker argueth out of S. Paul teacheth vs to vnderstand the things of God by him the will and deed is wrought in vs but not without the concurrence of our Free-will especially it being a vitall act which cannot be produced but by a liuely and vitall faculty Also I confesse that without God we can do nothing We can not speake we cannot moue we cannot liue yet with Act. 17. ver 28. his generall concourse we speake we moue and liue In ipso viuimus mouemur sumus So without the speciall helpe of Gods grace we can neither performe nor as much as thinke any worke of piety with it we can and doe atchieue many vertuous deeds His Grace destroyeth not but perfiteth awaketh cherisheth and reuiueth the liberty of our will For which cause S. Augustine saith Aug. tom 3. de spir litt c. 30. Aug. tom 7. de pecca mer remis l. 2. c. 18. Doe we euacuate Free-will by Grace God forbid But we rather establish it Likewise We ought not to so defend Grace that we may seeme to take away Free-will as the Manichies and our Protestants doe nor so maintaine Free-will that we be iudged through proud impiety vngratfull to Gods Grace as the Pelagians were but we ought to ioyne both togeather giue the preheminence in euery action to Gods Grace 28. After this sort we read the same actions which in way of our conuersion are ascribed vnto God to be attributed also vnto man To God King Dauid praied Psal 50. 12. Ezech. 18. 31. 1. Cor. 12. v. 6 Phil. 2. 12. Psal 84. 5. Eccies 17. 22. Psal 118. 59. Psal 118. 38. Psal 118. 112. White § 40. disgres 42. fol. 282. 1. Cor. 4. 7. Create a cleane hart in me ô God and renew a right spirit in my bowels To man Ezechiel said Make to your selnes a new hart and a new spirit Of God S. Paul writeth All in things he doth worke of Man with seare and trembling worke your saluation To God the Royall Prophet crieth out Conuert vs ô God our Sauiour To man King Salomon saith Returne vnto our Lord forsake thy sinnes And of himself King Dauid writeth I haue conuerted and turned my steppes to thy Commandements To God he prayeth Incline ô Lord my hart vnto thy lawes And of himselfe he witnesseth I haue inclined my hart to keepe thy Lawes 29. But if this be true saith M. White when the Apostle demandeth who hath seperated thee what hast thou which thou hast not receiued I may answere I haue seperated my selfe by doing that which was in my selfe to doe No Syr we can not make any such reply because we being fast asleepe in the lethargie of sin it is God only who first stirreth awaketh reuiueth vs it is he who after cooperateth and concurreth with vs it is he who supporteth and strengthneth vs he finally who accomplisheth and putteth in executional our blessed desyres Therefore from him we receiue and to him as the originall fountaine we ascribe whatsoeuer good there is in vs. In so much as there is no worke ordained to the attaining of euerlasting life to which we affirme not the grace of God many wayes necessary 30. First it is necessary for God to moue inspire and apply our thoughts to the good intended which the Deuines Psal 58. 11. Rom. 8. 16. Psal 69. v. 1. ad Rom. 8. 26. Ibid. 28 call his exciting or preuenting Grace whereof King Dauid spake Misericordia eius praeâ—eniet me His mercy shall goe before me And S. Paul It is not of the willer nor of the runner but of God that sheweth mercy Secondly it is necessary that God assist and helpe vs voluntarily imbracing his holy inspirations this is called his aiding or concomitant Grace whereby he accompanieth and cooperateth with vs when we yeald to his calling the free assent of our will This King Dauid implored saying Incline vnto my ayde ô God â— Lord make hast to helpe me Of this S. Paul speaketh The spirit helpeth our infirmity Agayne To them that loue God all thinges cooperate vnto good And this together with the former is souÌ„dly proued and fitly explained by S. Iohn in the Apocalips I stand at the doore and knocke If any man shall heare my voyce and open the gate I will enter into him c. To stand knocke at the doore of our harts is the office of Gods preuenting exciting or illuminating Grace to open the dore is both the worke of man worke of God Mans it is in giuing his free consent and concurring to the opening of his heart Gods in that he supporteth worketh and helpeth him also to open Apoca. 3. 20. the same by his cooperating Grace 31. To these many adde a third Grace distinct from the former which they call a Subsequent or following Grace mentioned by King Dauid His mercy also will follow me by S. Psal 22. 26. August in Enchi c. 32. Fulgâ—n l. 1. ad Monimâ—m c. 9. Conc. Trid. ses 6. 26. Augustine Fulgentius and by the generall Councell of Trent The diuine vertue or influence of grace deriued froÌ„ Christ our head goeth before accompanieth and followeth all our good workes The prerogatiue of this last Grace is to affoard oportunity of executing the good we intended before which is a greate benefit by reason that thereby our desyres are longer continued more inflamed perfitted and increased These three Graces are necessary for euery one be he iust be he sinner to the due accomplishment of pious vertuous and supernaturall workes The first God is said to worke In vs without vs that is without our free and deliberate consent The second In vs with vs because he cooperateth worketh with vs freely consenting to his heauenly motions The third In vs by vs to wit putting by vs as his free-working instruments our holy purposes in execution 32. Thus then I may conclude against M. Fulke and all our Protestants with the same words which S. Augustine vpon vide Aug. l. de gra l. arb c. 16. â— 17. Vasquiâ— in 1. 1. Disput 185. c. 6. Aug. l. de gra l. arb c. 9. Aug. de natu gra c. 33. the like occasions vsed against the Manichies Not because the Apostle saith It is God that worketh in you both to will and performe must we thinke he taketh away Free-will For if it were so then would not he a little before haue willed them to worke their owne saluation with feare and trembling For when they be commanded to worke their Free-will is called vpon but with trembling and feare is added least by attributing their well-doing to themselues they might be proud of their good deedes as
Christ by water and the holy Ghost in the regenerate it is wholy cleansed and washed away against our Protestants who stifly contend Originall sinne to be an inheritable peruersnes an vniuersall corruption spread ouer the whole man and defiling him in all parts powers both of body and soule Whereby from the head to the foote he is so ouerwhelmed as with an ouerflowing of water that no part of him is free from sinne Neither doth this prauity in their opinion euer cease but like as a burning fornace bloweth out flame and sparkles or as a spring doth without ceasing cast out water So that peruersnes neuer ceaseth in vs but continually bringeth forth the works of the flesh In so much as whatsoeuer we thinke speake or labour to effect is stayned with the floud of this infectious streame and which is worst of al they affirme this cankred corruption to cleaue so fast vnto vs as it can neuer be scoured forth not by the oyle of grace not by the strength of fayth not by the pretious bath of Christs sacred bloud not by any help of vertue or fauour from aboue as long as coÌ„cupiscence the law of the flesh which perseuereth vntill death according to them is formally sinne inordinatly resisteth or stubbornely rebelleth against Greg. de valent 12. disp 6. q. 12. tom 1. Field in his 3. booke of the Church c. 26. f. 131. Feild ibid. Abbot in his defence cap. 2. VVhitaker l. de pecca origin the law of the mind 3. Whose grosse absurdityes concerning this point chiefly spring from these three heades of falshood first that Originall sinne doth nor formally consist in the losse or depriuation of any iustice grace or perfection euer restored by the merits of Christ in this earthly warfare as we maintaine but in the defect and want of the whole righteousnes which Adam enioyed before his fall The property whereof according to M. Field is to subiect all vnto God and leaue nothing voyd of him Not any inordinate appetite not any contrariety betweene the flesh and the spirit which still abyding Originall sinne also remayneth Secondly that this Originall righteousnes was essentially required to the integrity of Nature Thirdly that all declinings and swaruings from that perfect subiection vnto God and entyre coniunctioÌ„ with him which grace worketh are sinnes and decayes of natures integrity and consequently that concupiscence being a declyning from that entier subiection c. is truely and properly sinne Thus they We againe otherwise teach that the former disorders be defects woundes and decayes of Nature but not properly sinnes which that I may more clearely demonstrate I will briefly declare from whence our concupiscence or rebellion naturally ariseth what Originall sin is and what was the originall Iustice of our first Parents before they fell or felt in themselues those dangerous coÌ„flicts 4. Great was the felicity and thrice happy was See S. Iohn Damas l. 2. de fide ortho cap. 11. S. Greg. in prol 3 psal Poenit. Pererius l. 5. in Genes the state and condition of Adam at his first creation when being framed in the terrestriall Paradise by the immediate hand of God he had his soule beautifyed with grace or inherent iustice his vnderstanding endued with the perfect knowledge of all naturall and supernaturall misteryes his will rectifyed by the loue of God and strong bias of his owne inclination directly carryed to the mark of vertue he had the inferiour powers of his soule the motions of his flesh subiect vnto reason the sterne of reason pliable to the spirit the spirit alwayes obedient vnto God he had no ignorance no errour no perturbation of passions in his mind no inordinate concupiscence no Aug. l. 14. de ciuit Dei c. 26. rebellion in his flesh no propension to euill no difficulty to good No corruption sayth S. Augustine in his body no trouble or distemper by his body bred or ingendred in his senses no Read Pererius in Genes l. 5. de statu innocentiae and Gab. Vas quez in 2. 2. q. 8. dis 131. c. 7. intrinsecall disease could breake from within no extrinsecall hurt was feared from abroad perfect health in his flesh and all peace tranquility raigned in his soule There were the admirable effects this the sweet harmony which Original iustice caused betweene the flesh and the spirit Now whether these extraordinary priuiledges flowed from iustifying grace which was formally all one as the best Deuines accord with Originall Iustice or whether they were caused by the seuerall habits of sundry vertues infused to this purpose or whether some of them proceeded from the sweetnes of diuine contemplation or from the speciall care and prouidence of God I will not heere dispute only I say they could not be any naturall propertyes springing from the roots of nature because in some thinges they eleuated and perfected nature far aboue her naturall course in others they stooped bridled and restrained the maine current of her naturall desires and sensuall appetites as God supernaturally suspended the heat Originall iustice no naturall property but a gift supernaturall of fire in the furnace of Babylon or as he tempered and asswaged the naturall and irreconciliable fiercenes of the wild and sauage beastes in the Arke of Noë neither of which could proceed from nature the one being as I say aboue the other repugnant thereunto for who can think that the dowry of grace is the right of nature or that the gift of immortality is essentially due to a morall body or that contrary qualityes should not naturally resist and oppositely fight the one against the other Who can think that Adam and Eue our first progenitours were essentially iust a prerogatiue only due vnto God or dismantled of that iustice were impayred yea changed in their essence And so not the same after as before their fall in parts essentiall The righteousnes therefore which they lost especially the chiefe and formal part was a diuine accident or heauenly quality not essentially required Feild in his 3. booke of the Church chap. 26. which M. Field misdeemeth to the integrity of nature for that implyeth if nature be taken as it ought to be distinct from that which surmounteth nature but supernaturally added to the perfection thereof and with this couenant imparted to Adam that if he had not trespassed it should haue beene perpetually propagated and transfused Augu. de peccat merit remis l. 2. c. 22. l. 13 de ciuit Dei cap. 13. to his posterity But he transgressing and disobeying the Commandment of his Lord and Maister was iustly plagued with the disobedience of his flesh his hand-mayd vnto him a reciprocall punishment so S. Augustine tearmeth it of his disobedience vnto God Hence proceedeth the rage of concupiscence the commotions of the inferiour and baser parts rebelling against the superiour the auersion from good the proâ—esse to euill hence the disorder of passions the infirmityes of the mind
his spirit which secretly he powreth into Infants also as they then so likewise we are iustifyed not by actuall and imputatiue but by habituall and inhabtant Iustice inwardly cleansing and adorning our soules 8. Sixtly as no man can be truly accounted the obiect of Gods hatred and worthy of damnation by the meere imputation of fault vnles he be faulty indeed and guilty of crime so as Gabriel Vasquez solidly disputeth none can be reputed the obiect of his loue and worthy Gab. Vasquez in 1. 2. disp 206. cap. 3. of heauen by the extrinsecall will of God not imputing sinne or imputing Iustice vnles he be truely free from sin and endowed with Iustice Againe as no man can be made truly and formally wise by the wisdom which is in another or liue by the life which another enioyeth so neither formally iust by the iustice which is in another Abbot in his defence c. 4. fol. 423. 424. and so not by the Iustice which is in Christ M. Abbot in his defence answereth That a man may be formally iust two manner of wayes A man is one way formally iust in quality another way formally iust in law And then he graunteth That it were absurd indeed that a man should be formally iust in quality by the iustice of another But he may be sayth he formally iust in law For in the course of Law and iudgment the forme of Iustice is not to be subiect to crime or accusation he is formally iust against whome no action or accusation is lyable by law c. And this is the state of our Iustice and righteousnes in the sight of God Hath not he shaped a fine answere very sutable to Scriptures and much to the credit of Christ his Maister For did he giue Tit. 2. v. 24. himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all antiquity and might cleanse to himselfe a people acceptable Did he shed his pretious bloud to take away our sinnes purging vs by the lauer of water in the word And hath he only performed it by immunity from punishment not by cancelling and purging Ioan. 1. v. 29. z. loan 3. v. 5. ad Ephes 5. v. 26. Ioan. 17. v. 19. Rom. 8. v. 15 2. Petr. 1. v. 3. ad Ephes 4. v. 14. Feild l. 3. c. 44. of the Church fol. 178. our faults The Scriptures manifestly teach That he sanctifyed himselfe that we might also be sanctifyed in truth giueth vs his spirit of adoption most great and pretious promises that by these we may be made partakers of the diuine nature created a new in iustice and holynes of truth And is all this done in the externall proceeding and course of law remaining in our selues still tainted with the inherence of sinne 9. All Philosophers accord that the denomination of a subiect is more truly and properly taken from the inherent quality which abydeth in it then from the outward forme which is referred vnto it as a Black Moore although he be apparelled in a white liuery is properly notwithstanding tearmed blacke of his innate blacknes not white of his outward habit Therefore if vve be truly sinners by invvard infection If the inherence of sin as Field confesseth be acknowledged in euery iustifyed person notwithstanding his iustification howsoeuer the iustice of Christ be Feild ibid. imputed vnto vs to free vs from the processe of the Law yet we cannot be truly tearmed iust holy innocent and imâ—aculate the children of God and heires of heauen as we are often called in holy Write Being as I say in very deed impure defiled channels of sinne by the inherence therof and consequently in our selues slaues to Sathan worthy hell worthy damnation Neither is it inough to say we may be accounted innocent because no inditement can be drawne no accusation heard no attachement take place against vs for as the guilt of sinne and heynousnes of treason goeth before the desert of punishment much more before the action or accusation which is layd to our charge so the exemption or immunity from the executioÌ„ of the law is no acquittance or freedome from the desert much lesse from the guiltynes or treachery of our harts Therefore the holy Ghost who iudgeth of vs as we are indeed should falsly tearme vs holy iust c. once darknes now light in our Lord if we be still darckned with the mists of sinne and are only freed from the punishment thereof 10. Moreouer what if M. Feild the polisher of the rough and crabbed speaches of other Protestants the refiner of their impure doctrine what if himselfe auow that sinne still lurketh in the faythfull not wholy exempted from all action in law but only from dominion and Feild 3. l. c. 44. f. 178. guilt of condemnation Read his wordes once againe and returne your verdict of him The inherence of sinne the iustifyed man acknowledgeth in himselfe notwithstanding his iustification which still subiecteth him to Gods displeasure and punishments Feild ibid accompanying the same Againe in the same page continuing his discourse of the iustifyed he sayth They are not already freed actually from the inherence of sinne and the displeasure of God disliking it But how can he be formally iust by course of law free from all crime action and accusation in whose spotted soule sinne still inhereth lyable to punishments and which is worse obnoxious to the disfauour of God hating and disliking it Shall I not thinke these iarring Ministers like the ancient Southsayers of whome Tully reporteth laugh the people to scorne and make merry among themselues in their secret meetinges when they remember with what contrary tales and lying fables they beguile their Readers For shall not I thinke this a cosening deuise a most exorbitant course that the Father of heauen should not absolutly extinguish but wincke at our faults cloake our iniquityes fauour whome he hateth wrong his Iustice and falsify his word in not punishing sinners according to the rate of their misdeserts for the loue of his Sonne vvho either vvould not or could not offer an equiualent ransome for Cal. 4. v. 6. the cleansing of our soules heere vpon earth 11. The seauenth is that we all participate of the same spirit with Christ our Sauiour Because you are sonnes Ioan. 1. v. 16. God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into your harts We liue with his spiritual life of his fullnes we all haue receaued We receaue of the same fullnes life of grace in substance although not in perfection that in substance which the Angels enioyed in their state of merit for all the members of one mysticall body partake of one life the members enioy the same property of life with the head the branches are nourished with the sapp or iuyce which springeth from the vyne but the spirituall life and Iustice of Christ both is and was heere vpon earth inherent the Iustice of Angells inherent and pleasing to God therefore ours must of necessity
k Chrys hom 7. in 2. ad Tim. feruour of Charity destroyeth all thinges The l Gregor hom 33. in Euang. fire of Charity burneth and consumeth the rust of sinne Only m Aug tract 1. ep Ioan. Abbot c. 4. sect 22. Aug. despir lit c. 17. Aug. l. de nat gra c. 63. qua vna iusti sunt quicumque iusti sunt Abbot c. 4. sect 22. fol. 477. 478. Charity extinguisheth sinnes Which places I more willingly and diligently cyte because they cannot be passed ouer with that common answere which the Aduersary vseth That Charity is the chiefe and principall vertue for outward vse as the instrument of Faith for mouing or stirring abroad Fayth the only vertue which worketh our iustification For that which is the life the health the beauty of our soules is not the outward instrument but the inward quality which iustifyeth vs before God that which vniteth weddeth vs vnto him maketh vs his friendes conuerteth and conformeth vs vnto him couereth our iniquityes extinguisheth our sinnes that which is the head life of Religion the spirit which quickneth the louer cannot be a signe or effect but the cause the soule of iustification Which intrinsecally iustifyeth sayth S. Augustine By which one Charity they are iust whosoeuer are iust 7. Besides if Charity as M. Abbot confesseth Giueth the outward and accidentall mouing and working to fayth c. is the performance of all dutyes recommended vnto vs both to God and men that is touching all externall actions of righteousnes or iustice it cannot be denyed but that Charity also is the inward guift the heauenly quality which maketh vs iust for so we see in all both naturall and morall thinges the faculty which giueth external power and ability to worke is the inherent forme vertue or accident which worketh within For example the grauity or heauynes which causeth the stone outwardly to descend and couer the center is the innate property which indueth it also with inward heauines The quality which affoardeth power to the fire to warme and send forth the ardour of heate abroad is the inward accident which maketh the fire hoate and ardent it selfe In man that which enableth his body to stir moue that which ministreâ—h ability to performe all externall offices and function of life is the inward soule the internall life which quickneth the body In morall affaires the habit which facilitateth vs outwardly to exercise the actes of temperance is the vertue it selfe which maketh vs temperate That which readily exciteth and stirreth vp the souldier to enterprises and exployts of valour is the inherent valour which incourageth his hart Therefore in thinges supernaturall that which rayseth and eleuateth vs externally to accomplish the workes of iustice is the internall vertue the internall iustice wherby we are iust And seeing Charity ministreth power euen in our Aduersaryes opinion to atchieue all outward dutyes acceptable to God Charity also must needes be the ornament it selfe and splendour of our soules which maketh vs acceptable For as Vega wittily argueth from Vega l. 7. in Conâ— Trid. c. 2â— the deriuation of the word If whitenes maketh white wisedome wise valour valiant Faciet nimirum Charitas charos Charity vndoubtedly shall make vs deere and gratefull vnto the highest Hence it is that Charity is the heauenly spring or spirituall fountaine from whence the riuers of all good workes the streames of all vertues Gal. 5. cap. 2â— August tract 87. in ep Ioan. receaue their purity and perfection whereupon the Apostle S. Paul as S. Augustine teacheth when against the workes of the flesh he wovld recommend vnto vs the fruit of the spirit he beginneth with this The fruit sayth he of the spirit is Charity and the rest be receiueth after August ibidem as flowing and depending of this head which are ioy peace long animity benignity goodnes Fayth c. For who doth solidely reâ—oyce that loueth not the good from whence he ioyeth Who can haue true Abbot in his defence cap. 4. Hier. in c. 5. epist ad Gal. Aug. loc citato August tract 5. in ep Ioan. Haec est margarita pretiosa Charitas sine qua nihil tibi prodest quod cumque habueris quaÌ„ si sola habeas sufficit tibi Aug. ser 50. de verb. Domini peace but with him whome he vnfeignedly loueth Who is long animous in good workes constantly perseuering vnles he burne with louing Who is benigne and mercifull vnles he loue him to whom he exhibiteth mercy Who is good except by louing he be made good Who is profitably faythfull but by that fayth which worketh by loue So that not Charity as Abbot dreameth from fayth but fayth it self I meane liuely Fayth and all other vertues deriue their chiefest dignity and preheminence from Charity For what other vertue sayth S. Hierome ought to hold the primacy among the fruits of the spirit but Charity without which other vertues are not accounted vertues and from which all things that are good take their beginning 8 Worthily therefore I returne againe to S. Augustine our good maister so often commendeth loue as if that alone were to be commanded without which other good things cannot profit And in another place I take this to be the margarite for which the merchant is described in the Ghospell who found one pretious stone and sold all that he had to buy it This Charity is that precious margarite without which whatsoeuer thou hast it profiteth nothing which only if thou hast it sufficeth thee Likewise add Charity all thinges profit thee take away Charity other things auaile thee naught a Aug. ser 42. de temp Charity is the light the oyle which surpasseth all other vertues b Aug. tract 17. in Euang. Ioan. By Charity only the law is fullfilled c Greg. hom 38 in Euang. Charity is the nuptiall garment which adorneth our soules d Ruper Hugo Card. in eum locum Charity is the fire-tryed gould which maketh vs rich with al celestiall treasures e Chry. de incomp Dei nat hom â— Richard de sanct Vict in psal 44 Charity is the Queene of vertues f Richard in eum locum Chrys in psal 232. hom de Char. The mother and mistresse of heauenly vertues g Augu. serm 42. de tempor By which the soule is happy and blessed that deserueth to haue it It is the height and consumation of spirituall life Origen I thinke that the beginning or ground worke of our saluation is Fayth the increase or augmentation Hope the perfection and top of the building Charity S. Clemens Clemen Alexand. l. 2. Strom. Aug serm 20. de verb. Apost Cent. 4. â— 4. Colum. â— 92. Ephrem l. de vera poenit c. 1. Cent. 5 c. 4. Colum. 505. Sedul in c. 5. ad Philip. of Alexandria Fayth precedeth Feare rayseth the building Loue doth consumate or end it S. Aug. The house of God by beliefe is
remayneth behind to satisfy God displeased Where sinne sayth M. Abbot is forgiuen there is no punishment because there is no imputation of that to which the punishment is due Strange men who can neuer pursue the game in hand but euery foot hunt counter to themselues counter to their owne companious 3. Moreouer if Protestants do not desire nor aske forgiuenes of sinnes for any feare of condemnation to which they may be subiect then they cannot pray at least to auoyd that danger of perdition they cannot pray they may not be vtterly abandoned by God swallowed vp by Sathan or cast with the miscreants into outward darkenes They cannot say with King Dauid Destroy not O Psal 25. v. 9. Psal 50. v. 13. Psal 6. v. 1. Psal 37. v. 1. God my soule with the impious and my life with bloudy men Cast me not away from thy face Lord rebuke me not in thy fury nor chastize me in thy wrath that is torment me not in thy fury with eternall nor punish me in thy wrath with Purgatory flames which they fall into who depart this life not perfectly cleansed as S. Augustine expoundeth that place whose testimony S. Gregory cyteth and following his interpretation willeth euery faythfull soule to consider Greg in 1. psal poeâ— vers 1. what she hath done and contemplate what she shall receaue saying Lord rebuke me not in thy fury nor chastize me in thy wrath as if she sayd more plainely This only with my whole intention of hart I craue this incessantly withall my desires I couet that in the dreadfull tryall thou neither strike me with the reprobate nor affict me with the purging and reuenging flames So he so Manasses so the ancient Fathers so the whole Church of God hath euer prayed to haue the guilt of condemnation remoued from them Therfore they were neuer acquainted with our Protestants presumptuous fayth who do not aske forgiuenes of sinnes in this sort M. Abbot therefore not satisfyed with this answere of Feilds windeth about three other wayes to creep out of the mudd in which he and al Abbot c. 3. fol. 289. 290. his adherents are stabiled First sayth he Our prayer obtayneth pardon at Gods hands therefore we pray and by Fayth do rest assured that vndoubtedly we haue that for which we pray Secondly we pray for forgiuenes not that we haue no assurance thereof but for that we desire greater assurance and more confortable feeling thereof The third reason of our praying continually for the forgiuenes of our sinnes is for the obteyning of the fruit thereof to wit a freedome from all miseryes and sorrowes 4. Neither of these fetches can rid him forth of the mire For the first that prayer obteyneth pardon is refuted aboue in the Controuersy of only fayth against M. Field by M. Abbots owne discourse and can no way be verifyed ProtestaÌ„ts pray like the proud Pharisee according to their principles The second third as little auayle for who did euer read so idle an interpretation Forgiue vs O Lord our trespasses pardon our sinnes that is giue me greater assurance they are forgiuen they are pardoned or graunt me full freedome from all earthly misery which is the expected fruit of their forgiuenes Is this to accuse your selues of sinne to sue for mercy with the humble Publican or rather to say with the haughty Pharisy I acknowledge O Lord thy fauour in hauing remitted my offences yet yield me more comfortable feeling of this thy remission free me I beseech thee from all miseryes as thou hast freed me from my faults O proud oraison O Pharisaicall prayer far from the humility of K. Manasses I am not worthy to behould and looke on Manasses in orat sua the height of heauen for the multitude of myne iniquityes c. Forgiue me O Lord forgiue me and destroy me not togeather with my offences neither reserue thou for euer being angry euills for me neither damne me into the lowest places of the earth Far from his humility who durst not approach to the Altar nor lift vp his eyes to heauen but standing a loof sayd Lord be mercifull to me a sinner These men I hope beleeued aright and yet they were not assured of the remission of their Luc. 28. v. 13. sinnes they knew not for certaine that the guilt of condemnation was remoued from them and you no sooner beleeue but you presently receaue a warrant that your faults are cancelled you need not craue further pardon at the hands of God but only that he would seale vp your haâ—â—s with more assurance of his graunt you incontinently not only approach to his Altar heere vpon earth but euen to his throne and presence in heauen instantly asking without more adoe the fruit and consummation of your happynes begun the fulnes of redemption which there is prepared after this life What is arrogancy what is presumption if this be not 5. Besides your second kind of petition wholy proceeds Abbot ibidem f. 289. sect 4. fol. 283. 284. Abbot sect 4. f. 283. 284. from imbecility of Fayth For Our fayth say you being weake giueth but weake assurance and therefore we begge of God that our harts may be enlarged that the testimony of the spirit may more freely sound into vs Yet you affirme That some speciall men with the like assurance belieue their owne saluation as they do the doctrine of fayth expressed in the articles of the Creed Then at least after you obtaine the enlargement of your harts after you be once in the number of those speciall men then you enioy that security as you cannot aske a surer certificate of the remission of your sinnes then at the least you can say no longer Forgiue vs our trespasses for as we cannot without blasphemy desire more assurance of the Incarnation and Passion of Christ then that they are proposed in our Creed as articles of our beliefe so if you as infallibly beleeue your owne saluation and consequently the remission of your sinnes as those reuealed mysteryes it can be no lesse then horrible impiety to craue more assurance of them or if you may still craue for more by reason of the weaknes of your wauering fayth why do you boast and glory so much in the prerogatiue of your fayth when neuer any Protestant could yet arriue to this strong and stedfast Fayth 6. Thirdly your assurance of saluation is noysome and pernicious to the progresse of vertue it expelleth So S. Gregory calleth it feare the nurse of wisedome the anker of our soules the guardian of good life It looseth the reynes of careles liberty engendreth pryde arrogancy presumption breedeth a neglect of holesome discipline and many other weeds of dissolute and wanton demeanour Whereas the vncertainty whether we be worthy of loue or hatred whether our workes be acceptable to God or no as long as we haue a morall confidence and stedfast hope that they be cherisheth the seeds of sundry
pride or any other then loue so it is impossible the staynes of those sinnefull actions should be intermixed in the act it selfe of loue Doth it proceed from some other fleshly motion or rebellious inclination But the The corrupt motions of the flesh infect not the work e of the spirit motions of the flesh do not a whit defile the operations of the spirit they are distinct and seuerall actions and these without consent do not partake of their infection What is the spot then of vncleanes what is the muddy water this christall riuer of loue hath drawen from our foule attainted nature Is it nothing els then the defect and want of greater perfection which might be in that act But thus the loue of many Saints and Angells in heauen should be stayned with impurity because none of the inferiour or lower orders arriue to the burning flames or loue of the highest Thus the sinnefull spots should not grow from any casuall and accidentall necessity but from the substance it selfe of the act and make the act of loue as it is substantially lesse perfect so substātially euill substantially naught both which M. Abbot notwithstanding stoutly gainesayeth 6. Besides these spots which destayne our good workes what be they sinnes you graunt but what sins veniall or mortall Veniall you vtterly reiect in so much VVhitak cont ◠q. 6. c. 3. fol. 582. 583. as M. Whitaker sayth that they who allow them do not only euert a true but endeauour to set vp a false fundamentall point Mortall then they are deadly crymes howsoeuer you seeke to extenuate them with diminitiue words they be transgressions of the precepts preuarications of the law of God or Nature for euery deadly sinne is a breach of the Law Then I pose you whether these transgressions be actions distinct from the good workes which they defile or not distinct Say they be distinct and you cannot say they be spots intermixed with our good actions you cannot say our pious workes are besprinkled with them seeing their morall bonity is good and commendable deuided both in nature obiect quality and action from the deformity of these transgressions Say they be not distinct but that the same worke which is good is spotted with deadly trespasses then all good workes be the neuer so excellent are deadly sinnes al formal breaches transgressions of the law From whence that manifestly followeth with which many heertofore haue rightly attached and endited your Synagogue That euery one is bouud to auoyd all good workes vnder payne of damnation Secondly Protestāts are bound to eschew all good works because they are damnable crimes by the force of their doctrine it followeth that M. Abbot hath wronged his Reader and abused Doctour Bishop in disgracing his Syllogisme concerning this matter as consisting of foure termes wheras it consisteth only of three For a worke to be a mortal sinne and stayned with mortal sinne is one the same terme How beit least he should cauill with me as he hath done with him I will frame my argument in the same mood and figure he himselfe requireth thus No mortal sinne is to be done vnder payne ofdānation But all good workes are mortall sinnes Therefore no good worke is to be done vnder paine of damnation M. Abbot denyeth the Minor proposition and answereth Though good workes haue some aspersion or touch of our Abbot c. 4. sect 46. corruption yet do not thereby become sinnes But I proue the contrary for either that aspersion is a deadly offence morally separable from the good action as with our infirmity in this life it is acheiued or altogeather inseparable if morally separable we may sometyme exercise good workes pure and vnspotted without that sinnefull aspersion if altogeather inseparable the action which is done stayned as you to soften the fault daintily speake with the touch of corruption defiled as I demonstrate with the contagion of deadly guilt must needes be a mortall and deadly crime For if the actions of stealing killing many others which may be done sometyme without default as by fooles or madmen are notwithstanding alwayes grieuous and horrible offences when to their positiue Entity or Physicall substance which is good and to which God himselfe concurreth any mortall deformity or deadly infection is adioyned by what forrain circumstance or casuall accident soeuer it be how much more those actions which can neuer be wrought without mortall foule and deadly default as all our good workes according to Protestants how much more are they mortall foule and deadly trespasses 7. In fine D. Whitaker D. Abbot and all my adsaryes Abbot in his defence c. 4. c. 2. Feild in his 3. booke of the Church c. 26. VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraum acknowledge that our good works sprinkled with the spot of impurity haue not all things necessary vnder sinne to satisfy the law but by reason of our weaknes and infirmity swarue and decline from the fullnes thereof Secondly they acknowledge that all swaruings all declinings from the full prescript of the law are of their owne nature damnable and mortall crimes Therefore by their owne acknowledgment all our good workes are heynous and damnable sinnes But all men are obliged vnder forfeite of saluation to fly and detest all grieuous sinnes therefore all men are obliged by this hellish doctrine to fly and detest al good workes Yea euery one is bound to auoyd the very duties thēselues he is bound to do For we al bound to performe our duties in obseruing the lawes cōmandments of the Decalogue but euery duety we accomplish is weake raw defectiue euery defectiue and imperfect duty a deuiation Abbot c. 4 sect 46. fol. 588. falling away from the perfectiō of the law euery falling away euery deuiation a mortall sinne euery mortal sinne we are bound to auoyde therfore we are bound to auoyde euery duty which we are bound to performe M. Abbot agayne denyeth my consequence because the VVbitak Abbot vbi supra sinne is not implyed in the duety but ariseth by casuall and accidentall necessity from the condition of the man I perceaue the dint of this weapon pricketh you to the quicke it draweth bloud and forceth you to giue ground at euery blow First all our actions were sinnes if seuerely scanned then our good workes are not sinnefull but sinne is intermixed in them And Abbot in his defence c. 4. sect 43. 44. Fulke in c. 1. Luc. sect 7. in 14. Ioan. sect 1. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum are they now neyther sinnes nor sinnefull nor is any sin implyed in our duty Well I am glad to see you recant so it be sincerely done and from your hart For if sinne be not infolded in this duety then the duety no doubt is conformable to the law it satisfyeth the tye and obligation thereof whereinsoeuer it bindeth vnder the penalty of any blamable default yea quoth he Fulke and Whitaker
Gods sight much lesse pleasing sacrifices to him as in the precedent discourse hath beene shewed if they be defyled with sinne 4. M. Abbot answereth Therefore good works being touched and infected with the contagion of sinne before they can please God must haue some meanes to take away the guilt imputation of the sinne c. which Christ doth perfuming them with the sweet Abbot c. 4 sect 44. fol. 578. 579 incense of his Obedience But how doth Christ take it away By abolishing or not imputing the contagion By not imputing sayth Abbot but thus he taketh away according to them the filth of adultery of murder of sacriledge and all heynous crymes from the beleeuing Protestant And are those sinnefull workes thereby made gratefull hostes and acceptable sacrifices pleasing vnto God No sayth he agayne Our good deedes are not sinnefull workes Are they not What is that guilt then of contagious sinne which must be taken away before they can please God If they be not sinnefull no contagion of sinne is to be pardoned by not imputing if they be sinfull then your sinneful acts inherently in themselues sinnefull by not imputing the guilt of contagion become gratefull pleasing and acceptable vnto God Neyther can M. Abbot any way cuade by his frequent and worm-eaten answere that the action we do is not sinnefull because it is in substance a good Ibid. â—7â— worke and the fruit of the good spirit of God and the default and imperfection is only an accident to the worke Nor Whitaker who to the same purpose replyeth in his answere to Duraeus VVhitk â— in his answere to Duraeus l. 8. pag. 698. We meane not that good workes are sinnes but that they haue some sinne mixed with them For it followeth not that siluer is drosse because it hath some drosse mingled with it Seeing our dispute is not heere of the physicall substance which in euery action euen of murder theft and the like is transcendentally good or in genere Entis to vse the Philosophers tearmes but of the morall bounty or deformity of a worke which if it be tainted with the mixture of any euill how accidenttally soeuer it cannot be good sith it is true which Dionysius teacheth Good ariseth from an entiere cause euill from euery defect So that Whitakers example which Abbot also alleadgeth Dionys de diuin nomin c. 4. par 4. Bonum ex vna tota causa malum ex multis particularibuâ— que proficiscitur defectibus of gold or siluer mingled with drosse is nothing to the purpose because there be two materiall substances really distinct heere we question of one morall act which admitteth no distinction there although one metall be mingled with the other yet by seuerall veynes in seuerall places they are so incorporated as the siluer is not drosse or drosse siluer heere the same act flowing from the same will aymed at the same end must be both good and bad pure and defiled siluer and drosse which is impossible For as it inuolueth contradiction that one and the same assent of vnderstanding should be at the same tyme both true and false in the agreement of all Philosophers and Deuines so likewise it implyeth that one and the same acte of the will should be ioyntly at the same moment good and euill laudable and vituperiall pleasing displeasing vnto God Wherefore if euery action of it owne nature be euil no worke of ours can be in substance good as M. Abbot would haue it none excellent as Whitaker pretendeth but the most excellent must needes in it selfe be wholy marred wholy odious vnto God wholy and substantially naught howsoeuer by outward acceptation it may seeme beautifull and fayre Not so say they for our good workes are not wholy euill not hatefull not sinnes but infected quoth M. Abbot with the contagion of sinne We say not quoth Whitaker to marry a wife is sinne Abbot VVhitak in the places cyted aboue but that they who marry wiues intermixe some sinne in that good action But you say that that intermixed sinne may wholy marre the action make it odious to God if that which is done be weighed in the ballance of diuine iustice Therefore you say that the action of it selfe is wholy euill wholy marred altogeather odious vnto God and hatefull of his owne nature vnles you beleeue that an action weighed in the ballance of diuine iustice becometh thereby worse more odious and abhominable then of it selfe it is and that our supreme highest Iudge who iustly condemneth the wickednes of man maketh it more wicked by the seuerity of his iudgement 5. Moreouer from whence creepeth this spot of sinne into that good and lawfull action of marriage Not from the will of taking a wife for that is laudable no sinne according to the Apostle not from the substance of the act for that M. Abbot also alloweth to be good not from any other accidentall circumstance of end tyme place or person for I suppose they be all guided by the rule of reason How then is sinne intermixed in the good action of marriage By the same act which inseparably draweth the stayne of corruption with it or by some other adioyned The desire of taking a wife for a good end in such as may lawfully marry is free from all sinne as by a wicked intention to which it is ordeyned if by the same one and the same action is both good and euill a sinne and no sinne agreable to reason and disagreable consonant and dissonant to the will of God the often refuted vnauoyded implicancy which you incurre If by some other act or vicious intent either this intention is principall and the cause of marriage as to marry the easier to contriue the murder of his wife or some other then the action of marriage is not good but impious wicked and detestable or it is a secondary intent and followeth the desire of marriage so it cannot vitiate the former good desire nor be termed a sinne intermixed therewith which albeit obstinate and ignorant aduersaryes can hardly be drawn to confesse yet will I make it so cleare as they shall not be able to deny Let vs take for example the act of louing God or dying for his sake what mixture hath it or slyme of euill any stayn that ariseth from the obiect beloued or will which loueth it Not from the obiect for that is infinite goodnes without all spot or blemish therefore no blemish can be intermixed with that act as it tendeth to so pure an obiect nor from the will of louing it for no feare of excesse no danger of impurity can possibly flow from desiring to loue the fountaine it selfe and mayne sea of purity not from the mudd of distraction not from the scumme of vaine glory not from the froath of pride which sometyme may accompany that heauenly loue for as it is impossible the act of loue should be an act of distraction vanity