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
3. instit c. 2. §. 2. Luc. 18. v. 41. persons had not at the first any thought or imagination vnles it were in a couert implicite as the Schoolemen call it and vnexpressed Fayth which Protestantes deride with Caluin their forerunner but they all specify the Fayth of miracles grounded on the power of God which our Reformers deny to be sufficient for saluation For what was the fayth of the womaÌ„ healed of her bloudy fluxe but the fayth of miracles by which she beleeued such power and vertue in Christ as she sayd in her hart If I shall touch only his garment I shal be safe What was the fayth of the blind man but the fayth of miracles that Christ could restore him his sight What wilt thou that I do â—o thee He sayd Lord that I may see What the fayth of the Prince of the Synagogue but the fayth of miracles that Christ could recall to life his deceased daughter The same I auerre of the rest yet this later was not the proper fayth of the reuiued daughter but the fayth of the Father So the Fayth which Christ chiefly regarded in pardoning the man sicke of the palsy was the â—ayth of those that carryed him brought him vp vpon the roofe through the tyles let him downe Iesus seeing their fayth whereby Matth. 9. v. 2. Luc. 5. v. 19. though we Catholikes proue that the Fayth of one may preuaile to obtaine health and safety for another yet no Sectarye graunteth that the fayth of one can iustify another Therefore not one of these places serueth to rayse but all pluck downe the rampire of their iustifying fayth in so much as they labour to vnderprop it by some other testimonyes crowded into the selfe same rancke as the iust liueth by Fayth Abraham beleeued and it was reputed him to iustice Being iustifyed by Fayth let vs haue peace towards God Likewise Abac. 2. v. 4. Rom. 4. v. 3. Rom. 5. v. 1. Act. 13. v 39. 1. Ioan. 5. v. 1. Gabr. Vasq in 1. 2. disp 210. c. 7. Clemens Alexand. l. 2. Strom. Orig. in 4 ad Rom August serm 22. de verb. Dom. de hono perseu c. â— serm â—6 de verb. Apo. In him euery one that beleeueth is iustifyed whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is Christ iâ— borne of God 15. All which haue so many true and litterall expositions as it can betoken no lesse then grosse dulnes in Protestant Ministers who either for want of reading did not find or finding conceaued not some one of them The first is that by Fayth we liue are iustifyed and are made the children of God inchoatiuely as the Deuines speake because fayth is the first supernaturall seed roote or beginning from which our iustification springeth and the first foundation or ground-worke vpon which our whole spirituall building relyeth as Gabriel Vasquez solidly proueth by the authority of Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and S. Augustine Secondly Fayth iustifyeth by way of impetration excyting our will by the consideration of Gods goodnes and other beleeued mysteryes to aske and obtayne the remission of our faults iustice of our soules Thus S. Augustine often interpreteth those and the like wordes of S. Paul saying Therefore by fayth the Apostle affirmeth man to be iustifyed not of workes because sayth is first giuen by which the rest are impetrated by the law the knowledge of sinne by fayth impetration of grace against sinne by grace health and saluation of the soule The same in diuers other places Not workes but fayth doth inchoate merit Aug. l. de praedestin Sanctor c. 7. de spir lit c. 30. Idem epist. 105 106 Idem l. de gra lib arbit c. 14. defide oper c. 21. August l. de grat lib. arbitr cap. 7. Thirdly all the former places may be vnderstood of liuely fayth formed with Charity and accompanyed with the retinue of other vertues which wholy and intierely iustify vs in the sight of that infinite Maiesty So also S. Augustine Men not vnderstanding that which the Apostle sayth we count a man to be iustifyed by Fayth c. did thinke that he sayd Fayth would suffice a man though he liued ill and had no good workes which God forbid the Vessell of Election should thinke who in a certaine place after he had sayd In Christ Iesus neither circumcision nor prepuce auayleth any whit he straight added but fayth which worketh by loue Fourthly fayth as all other vertuous and laudable acts flowing from Grace doth likewise iustify meritoriously by procuring increase of former iustice Therefore S. Paul to the Hebrewes sayth of holy men and Prophets That by fayth they ouercame kingdomes Hebr. 11. v. 33. Cypr. l. 4 ep 6. wrought iustice obtayned promises And S. Cyprian teacheth That God in the day of iudgment payeth the reward of Fayth and deuotion These foure wayes the forenamed Texts may be truly vnderstood howbeit our Reformers stupidity was such as they could not light on them euery Apo. 22 v. 17. Isa 55. v. 1. Rom. 3. v. 24. Ephes 2. v. 8. where obuious to the diligent searcher 16. The second bande of Obiections are those which affirme our iustification to be freely made by the benefite of grace therefore without the supply of works viz. He that thirsteth let him come and he that will let him take the water of life gratis All yee that thirst come to the waters c. come buy without siluer without any exchange wine and milke Aug. l. de spir lit c. 10. 16. Cent. 5. c 4. Colum. 505. Againe Iustifyed gratis by his grace By grace you are saued thorough Fayth I answere our first Iustification is free gratis because fayth which first beginneth and stirreth vs vp vnto it is freely giuen vs Charity which after accomplisheth it is likewise freely imparted not due to nature or hauing any connexion or dependance with our naturall actions be they neuer so good or commendable in themselues which is not my exposition but the interpretation of S. Augustine confirmed by the diuine sentence of the thrice holy Councell of Trent By grace man is iustifyed Similia habet Aug. in psal 18. exp 2. ep 106. de praedest Sanctor c. 15 praef in psal 31. Concil Trid sess 6. c. 8. Ioan. 6. v. 2â— that is no merits of his workes going before and which the Centurists reprehend the Apostle will haue nothing els vnderstood in that which he sayth gratis but that workes do not precede Iustification The Councell of Trent hath defyned the same Therefore we are sayd to be freely iustifyed because none of those thinges which go before iustification whether it be fayth or workes do promerit the grace it selfe of iustification But if our Aduersaryes by reason that iustification is free and of the grace of Christ will renounce all workes they must euen renounce true fayth itselfe of which S. Iohn sayth This is the worke of God that yee beleeue
1. Instit. c. 17. §. 11 cap. 18. lit 2. cap. 4. lib. 3. c. 23. God to hate vndeseruedly the workes of his handes who link his diuine Maiesty I dread to report it in the same lease with sinners who giue him the sterne to direct and commaund their naughty proiects whiles they as Oar-men row at his pleasure who faigne him to pursue and intend their sinfull ruine in giuing them ouer to a reprobate sense And thou O bound lesse piety O immeasureable bounty to whose vnstayned breast no thought of sinne or cogitation ascendeth thou who neuer permittest any euill but to turne it vnto good neuer omittest any good which may be strayned out of euill strayne I beseech thee out of the euill weeds of my deere Countrimen the good of their conuersion turne their stubborne harts bend their froward wills to loue imbrace thee the center of ioy and seate of true repose that they may at length beleeue and confesse with vs how farr thy mercifull hart and sacred will hath euer bin from working their obduration or contriuing their blindnes who with long patience expectest with great lenity sustainest with sweet callinge often inuitest with many teares and groanes of thy beloued sonne earnestly intreatest both them and all rebellious sinners to returne vnto thee THE XXX CONTROVERSY IN WHICH The Merit of Good VVorkes is supported Against Doctour Abbot and Doctour Fulke CHAP. I. GREAT is the slaunder and intollerable the reproach with which our opponents as in many other so likewise Abot in his defence c. 4 5. Fulk and al other Protestants in this controuersy are wont to vprayd vs. viz. That we pull downe the merites of Christ to vp our owne debase his honour to glory in the dignity of our owne desertes that we make our owne workes of themselues worthy of reward gratefull of themselues and pleasing to God Whereas we neuer affoard them any such priuiledge as they are deriued from our veines of earth but as they take heaâ— and are conueyed from the springes of heauen For we hold three things necessary to eleuate and aduance them to the excellency of merit all flowing from the celestiall and deified streames of our Redeemers bloud The first is that no worke of man can truly merit or deserue reward vnles being wrought with ayde from aboue it also proceed from inherent grace from the spirit of adoption inhabitant in our soules The second is that God adioyne the seale of his promise and oblige himselfe to remunerate the worke For although it be not dignified by the vertue of his promise or benigne acceptatioÌ„ as some conceaue but by the prerogatiue of Grace from whence it springeth yet his promise is requisite that he be engaged to recompense our labours who cannot be otherwise indebted to his creatures The third is that all meritorious deedes be freely and sincerely done freely from the necessity or violence of compulsion sincerely from the nakednes of sinister intention These things presupposed we constaÌ„tly mainteyne with the thrice holy and Oecumenical Councell Concil Trident. Sess 6. c. 16. of Trent against M. Fulke D. Abbot and all the Sectaries of our time a true worthines dignity in all such actions as shal be accompanied graced and enobled with the three forementioned conditions not that these conditions enhaunce them to the perfect value Arithmatical equality with the promised reward which in rigour of iustice one shilling for example hath with another or the corne sold in the market hath with the common taxed price thereof but that they infuse virtuall equality and due proportion thereunto as the seed sowed in the ground hath vertuall proportion to the statelines of the tree and accidental qualities are sufficient and equiualent dispositions to the introduction of a substantiall forme Such equiualent proportion or dignity of merit the holy Scriptures Fathers acknowledge in our workes achieued by the helpe and inspiration of the holy Ghost as Apoc. 3. v. 4. Sap. 3. v. 5. ad Coloss 1. v. 12. 2. ad Thess 1. v. 11. appeareth first by these places of holy Writ where our good deedes and patient sufferinges are expressely sayd to be worthy of God worthily to deserue the fruition of his sight as They shall walke with me in whites because they are worthy God hath tempted them and found them worthy of himselfe Giuing thankes to God and the Father who hath made vs worthy vnto the part of the lot of the Saintes in the light We pray alwayes Fulk in ca. 1. 2. ad Thess sect 1. Fulk in Ep. 2. ad Thess c. 1. sect 1. Iâ— c. 1. ad Coloss sect 3. Abbot in his defence c. 5. sect 7. 8. 14. for you that our God make you worthy of his vocation so in the auncient Protestant translatioÌ„ it is That our God would make you worthy which errour escaped them as Fulke acknowledgeth saying I confesse it is an imperfection in our translations Therfore it is since corrected in the renewed Bible by his Maiesty to bolster the euasion by which M. Fulke D. Abbot and their fellowes seeke to delude the former textes Their euasion is That we be counted worthy through Gods free acceptation by grace imputation of Christs iustice Not of the merit of our constancy 2. But neyther will the wordes beare that violent raking nor God endure so great a wrong that he should account those worthy call them worthy who haue no worthines in them Then S. Paul there writeth of the Thessalonians who were counted worthy by true beliefe and imputation of Christes worthines long before Therefore it had beene lost labour for him alwayes to pray for that which they had obtayned and could not by Protestants Sophismes euer loose or be further perfected and enriched therewith It was the increase of inherent Godlines and holy conuersation for which he offered his prayers that profiting heerein from day to day they might be made Ad Heb. 1â— v. 16. Primas in eâ—m locum worthy of the creation and society of Saintes to which they were called as many other Textes euideÌ„tly perswade which ascribe vnto our workes the dignity it selfe and worthines of merit S. Paul to the Hebrewes Beneficence and communication do not forget For with such hostes God is promerited So Primasius scholler to S. Augustine By such sacrifices ChrysostoÌ„ Oecumen Theophil Erasm in eum locuÌ„ and giftes of almes Deus promeretur adipisci God is promerited or vouchsafed to be gayned The greeke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is well pleased The Syriake scaphar pulchrescit that is God waxeth faire he becometh more amiable louing and fauourable vnto them S. Chrysostome Oecumenius Theophilact and Erasmus read God is pacified reconciled by meanes of these workes which could not be vnles they had some thing in them that procured his fauour In Genesis also where our Translation hath in latin and English I am inferiour Gen. 32.
vrget Tertul lianus lib. de poenit vsitatâ—s fuisse priuatam confessionem qua delicta cogitata quoque prauâ— confesst sunt ex aliquot Cyp. locis apparet vt exsâ—ron 5. de lapsi l. 3. ep 14. 16. vbi disertè ait in minoribus etiam peccatis c. necesse esse ad exomologesin venire Deuter. 32. v. 31. Exod 8. v. 19. Cyprian that priuate Confession was vsed of deeds thoughts and lesser sinnes that Satisfaction was enjoyned c. and the penitents were absolued with the ceremony of imposing hands 17. Thus thou seest Gentle Reader according to the prediction of the Prophet Moyses in al Controuersyes our enemyes are judges in our behalfe Thou seest how strange our Aduersaryes pretenses against Priests absolution haue seemed to antiquity thou hast heard both Fathers and Councells maintaine our Confession thou hast heard all Christian people imbrace and practise it And can it sinke into the mind of any Iudicious man a thing so hard and difficult so cumbersome vnto sinners and repugnant to nature could be so vniuersally receaued by Greekes Latins Kings Emperours Princes and Subiects vnles it had beene instituted and ordained by God 18. But if thou couldest passe a little further and discouer the manifold fruits and singuler commodityes which plentifully flow from the obseruation thereof thou shouldest be forced to cry out with the Magicians of Pharao Digitus Deiest hic The finger of God is heere Thou shouldst behold a sinner before he repaire to his Ghostly Father sorrowfull pensiue vexed and grieued with the cumbersome load of sinne and yet so soone as he hath receaued the benefite of absolution depart so cheerefull so full of in ward comfort as if some heauenly ioy dilated his hart Thou shouldest behould another who reuiled and iniured his Neighbour come from the Sacrament of Confession go reconcile himselfe vnto him and craue pardon for the wrong he offered Thou shouldst behould by this meaÌ„es him that robbed restore the goods he embezeled away him that cosened leaue his cheating thou shouldest see the proud man humbled the dissolute reclaimed the lasciuious become chast a thousand such Psal 76. v. 11. alterations thou shouldst be wray in the harts of sinners of which thou must needs pronounce This is the mutation of the right hand of God whose instice goodnes mercy could no way be more manifestly shewed then by this humble Confession 19. His instice chiefly â—â—â—â—eth in making the guilty sinner both plaintiffe witnesse and accuser of himselfe making him who by sin rebelled against God his Lord Bern tract de instabili cordis buma c. 6. and maister by sorrowfull repentance humble his hart to his fellow-seruant which S. Bernard pithily denoteth saying It is conuenient that be who by contumacy sinned against God should by Pennance become suppliant to the Priestes his Ministers and that the man who to preserue his grace needed no Mediatour should for the recouery of it once lost implore of necessity the mediation of man Gods mercy like wise and goodnes are heere apparent in that he wresteth not from vs after the fashion of earthly Iudges this secret accusation as a testimony to punish but as an acquitance to pardon vs and therefore S. Angustine most excellently writeth To this end he exacteth Confesion to free and release the humble to Aug in Psal 66. this end he condemneth the sinner not confessing to chastise the proud 20. What shal I say of infinite other benefits which the discreet Confessour and humble Penitent gleaneth from hence The wife and prudent Confessour sayling in this sea of Conscience discouereth the wonderfull Psal 106. vers 230 workes of God as the Prophet sayth In aquis multis In the Psal 106. vers 23. ebbe and sloate of sundry waters In the calmes of prosperity and stormes of aduersity in the admirable change and alterations of minds And in respect of his ghostly children where could he haue fitter meanes to know their diseases then when they open and disclose them vnto him Where could he more fruitfully correct and rebuke their faults then when they repent and plead guilty of Greg. ho. 26. in Euang. quae est de Octa. Pascha them From whence could the Penitent receaue better aduise and sweerer comfort then from them whom God electeth the Church consecrateth the holy Ghost instructeth to be the spiritual Surgeons heauenly Physitians as S. Gregory calleth them Iudges of our soules 21. I can not stand to dilate vpon the generall coÌ„modityes which by this holsome discipline redoundeth to the whole Common-wealth Many publike abuses which neither by seuerity of Lawes nor vigilancy of Magistrates can be hindred are often redressed by help of ConfessioÌ„ In this Court of Conscience many vnlawfull bargaines are dissolued many wronges satisfyed wicked designements stopped good purposes furthered much vertue aduanced much vice suppressed Which the famous Citty of Norinberge in Germany after the abolishing of this holy Sacrament to her griefe acknowledged Dominicus Sotus l. 4. sent dist 18. q. 1. art 1. sent an Embassage as Dominicus Sotus recordeth to Charles the fifth to haue auriculer Confossion by his Imperiall decree restored againe Because they saw by experience their Common-wealth swarme with sundry vices against iustice and other vertues which were vnknowne vnto them before O England England Happy wert thou if God would giue thee like grace to discerne what an inundatioÌ„ of sin ouerwhelmeth thy Land for want of this law Happy if not forced by Princes Statutes but moued by Gods Commandment thou wouldest returne againe to the discipline of Confession which is as thou seest the Hedge of vertue the Bridle of iniquity the Key of iustice and Locke of good life THE SEAVENTH CONTROVERSY Establisheth Satisfaction against D. Field and D. Fulke CHAP. 1. IT sufficeth not we disburden our harts by true Confession to a lawfull Priest of which I spake in the precedent Chapter but to returne into the fauour of God by the benefite of Absolution Contrition also and Satisfaction are necessary Contrition whereby we vtterly detest the offence commited in forsaking God our chiefe and soueraigne good Satisfaction whereby we seeke to recompence the wrong we offered in placing our last end and finall delight in the loue of that we preferred before him For first it is a generall principle amongst all the learned that two thinges are included in the enoâ—mity of mortall sinne a disloyall Scotus in 4 sent dist 46. guaest 4. auersion from Gods vnchangeable goodnes and an inordinate conuersion to his transitory creatures to which a double punishment correspondently belongeth to the auersion that which is called poena damni the paine or penalty of dammage or losle of our chiefest good to the coÌ„uersion paena sensus the paine or punishment of sense By the Tho. 1. 2. q. 76. 87. Gabâ—â—â—l Vasquez ibidem disput 139. 140. former euery sinner incurreth disgrace of God is banished
and replenished with grace through the merits of Christ haue notwithstanding their former sins truly abiding in them or no Your answere is That sinne in it selfe and in it owne nature continueth such that setting aside the pardon it were sufficient still to make him guilty Is not this to flye from the question to destroy the supposall to forsake the helpe and defence of your clyents For example I conuince a Sectary of grosse ignorance open repugnance and contradiction in his writinges if some Atturney after excuse him thus that set aside his ignorance set aside his maleparte and flat contradictions no such foolish or repugnant saying hath beene diuulged by him should not he deserue a good fee at his handes The same doe you deserue who speaking of the regenerate pardoned of their sinnes doe proue them sinnefull setting aside their pardon Howbeit these wordes that follow may challenge the fire rather then a fee. The pardon acquiteth Abbot in the place aboue cyted the man but yet it cannot alter the nature of the sinne it setteth a barre against the effect but take away the barre and the cause is as strong as it was before So he As ill as Proclus worse then the Messalians Proclus held that sinnes by Baptisme were not cleansed but couered the Messalians taught they Abbot ibidem were shaued clipped and pared of M. Abbot auoucheth them not pared but barred curbed hindred only like a violent stream whose current is stopped not water dimished Proclus added take away the couer and the sinnes appeare M. Abbot affirmeth take away the barre and the cause is as strong as it was before Wherefore if they for that blasphemous doctrine were iustly censured amongst the rancke of Heretiks shall not he receaue the same doome who is returned guilty of the same if not more deeper heeresy Beare with me M. Abbot I write not this to touch your person whome for your good parts I honour loue but only to refell these errours which zeale of truth and desire Abbot c. 2. sect 1. fol. 171. of your safety moueth me to hate And so with your good leaue who are also willing that truth should preuayle I go on The pardon say you acquitteth the man but it cannot alter the nature of the sinne No doth it not alter the nature of sinne when it taketh it away blotteth it out and extinguisheth it quite as I haue shewed aboue Doth it cancell in man the guilt of sinne and not alter in him the nature of it For we speake not heere of the destruction or alteration of sinne seuered and abstracted from the subiect in which it inhereth because in that sort sinne is not altered neither in this nor after this life not altered as I may say in the Saints of heauen the murder and adultry K. Dauid committed the vsury of S. Matthew the theft and other faults S. Augustine bewayleth in his bookes of Confessions are truely thefts vsuryes murders and adulteryes if we conceaue them apart in the nature of sins yet when God of his mercy pardoned and forgaue them he did not only alter the nature but expelled the bane of the for named offences 16. Againe how ouerthwartly doe you write the pardon acquiteth the man and setteth a barre against the effect for Abbot in his defence cap. 2. sect 1. if it set only a barre it acquiteth him not if it acquite him the barre is needles to no purpose at all And who did euer heare sinnes banished from the soule taught to be stopped or barred from raigning therein The Phisitian who hindreth or abateth the furious increase of his patients disease cannot be auouched to free him from it or if he free him if he acquite him they wrong his art and abuse his patient who should contend that a stop onely is layd a barre applyed against his sicknes which once remoued the rage therof will be as great as euer The like wrong do you to our heauenly Phisitian the like iniury Abbot in his defence c. 2. and abuse to vs his patients when not without contradicting your selfe you peremptorily vtter that he hath set but a barre against the diseases of our soule acquited by Field in his 3. booke of the Church c. â—6 Abbot in his defence â— c. 2. pag. 176. Perkins in his Refor Catho p 37. his pardon or rather cured by the salue of his heauenly grace 17. The last euasion our Reformers vse to auoyd the vnanswerable proofes aboue alleadged is That Originall sinne by Baptisine looseth his dominion looseth his command is abated and the strength therof broken because it rageth it preuaileth not as it did hauing receaued a deadly wound and being resisted condemned by vs. Faire wordes but let me scan the sense and meaning of them let me know whether this sin bereft of his raigne and dominion abated by this mortall wound doth loose thereby either the whole or any part of the deformity with which it blemisheth your soules not the whole for then the whole fault were cancelled as the Scriptures and Fathers define against you not any part for it is indiuisible it cannot be seuered into parts or if it could why should one part be vtterly extinguished and not the other God is magnificent and liberall in his guifts he neuer bestoweth vpon vs any mangled or broken fauours The author of the booke of true fayned pennance attributed to S. Austine sayth It is the crime of infidelity Author de falsa vera poen apud Ang. c. 6. to expect from God halfe or imperfect saluatioÌ„ How then can he be so imperfect as brokenly by peece-meale to pardon one the same default partly in this partly in the life to come S. Thomas our Angelicall Doctor teacheth it impossible in them that are pestered with many grieuous offeÌ„ces to haue any one forgiueÌ„ without the rest And can one part of a deadly crime which hath no parts S. Thom. 3. par q. 86. art 3. be washed away according to your new Theology the other remaining But if neither the whole nor any part of the foule impurity be abolished then I may draw to an end and leaue my Aduersaryes branded with this note of reproach that they haue been dipped as they say in the water and bathed in the bloud of the Sonne of God yet no staine of vncleanes no wart of deformity no wrinckle of sinne hath that most soueraigne and celestiall lauer taken from their soules an infinite price hath beene offered and no true redemption procured no true saluation or perfect deliuerance from the bondage of Sathan And therefore as S. Augustine vpon a quite contrary occasion scornefully pursued the ancient Pelagians so Aug. l. 3. contra Iâ—l c. 3. I may now prosecute them with these his wordes Trudg â—n trudge on and of your followers say as you are wont In the Sacrament of our Sauiour they are baptized but not saued ransomed but not deliuered
we attribute lesse power of imputation to their merits then to the merits of Christ when we vtterly deny the imputation of theirs and absolutly graunt the imputation of his yet that it sufficeth not to make vs truely iust But concerning Saints we only hould that their merits may by way of impetration obtaine for vs increase of grace We teach that the surplusage of their satisfactions may by holy indulgences be applyed vnto vs but that their merits should be thus applyed we neuer teach Christ only say we hath merited for himselfe and vs his obedience his humility his iustice hath beene only the efficient and meritorious cause of our Iustice and not the merit of any Saint or Angell whosoeuer 20. Therefore that which M. Abbot reciteth out of Abbot loc citato Matth. Paris in Hen. 3. Matthew of Paris of the Cistercian Friers who communicated vnto other the participation of their good workes is only vnderstood of their penall and satisfactory works which by reason of the neere coniunction and mutuall intercourse that is betweene the members of Christs mysticall body are not only profitablle to the doers but appliable also to the benefit of any their fellow-mem-bers after which sort we graunt that the PassioÌ„s of Christ are far more forcibly applyed vnto vs and the sufferings of Saints as dedicated and consecrated by the dignity of Coloss 1. v. 24. 2. Cor. â— v. 6. Cypr. ep 13. 14. 15. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraum â—ag 60. Abbot in hâ—s 〈◊〉 cap. 4. Perkins in his reforms Cath. c. 4. his pretious bloud So S. Paul reioyced in his tribulations one while for the Colossians another while for the Corinthians And the Martyrs of the primitiue Church often communicated vnto others the fruit of their bands chains and afflictions for although one cannot as I say properly merit for his friend yet he may beare the burden and discharge the debt which he oweth Hence our Aduersaryes picke a new occasion of quarrell for say they as one may be truly freed from his debt released out of prison by the payment which another disburseth for him so we may be truly made iust by the iustice of Christ by which he intierly pleased and fully satisfyed the law of God But the difference and disparity is cleare for to discharge the foresayd debt is an extrinsecall actioÌ„ which may be performed by another and accepted of by the creditor as the payment of the debter but to be made iust is an intrinsecal thing which requireth an intrinsecal forme and cannot be truly wrought by any outward denomination Secondly as the payment which is made for a captiue is not his releasement out of prison or the liberty to which he is restored but the procurement and cause thereof so the ransome which Christ gaue for our redemption the Iustice which he purchased to himselfe in our behalfe is not the liberty of Iustice or freedom from fault which he imparteth to vs but the true cause which meriteth and procureth those effectes by inward grace infused into our soules Auant therfore you accursed Sectaryes auant you enemyes of Christ and cruell robbers of men who rob and despoyle them of the chiefestiewell of their soule Auant you pleaders for contagious sinne And thou O faythfull Christian washed with the bloud and enamelled with the beauty of thy celestiall spouse admire the brightnes of thy inward iustice admire the splendour of thy wedding garmeÌ„t triumph with the glory of that heauenly weed thy stole of ioy thy mantle of honour thy dowry of blisse pleadge of immortality yet triumph with humility for feare of loosing it triumph with gratefullnes praysing the giuer of so faire a liuery And with the cooperation of his grace who hath clad thee with it labour to keep it from all staine and infection labour to preserue it heere vnblemishhed and present it after white immaculate before the throne of mercy THE EIGHTEENTH CONTROVERSY IN WHICH It is proued that Fayth Hope Feare Loue Sorrow c. precede as dispositions to Iustification in such as are arriued to the vse of Reason against D. Fulke and Maister Abbot CHAP. I. HAVING inuincibly demoÌ„strated that our Iustification is not imputatiue but inherent adorning and dwelling in vs three other questions heereupoÌ„ Fulke in c. 2. Iacobi sect 9. Abbot in his defence c. 1. sect 5. cap. 4. sect 1. sect 20. fol. 467 arise First how we may be disposed and prepared to attaine this heauenly grace pretious gemme of oursoules Secondly in what vertue it principally consisteth whether in Fayth orin Charity Thirdly by what meanes it may be afterwards nourished and increased Of all these in their due place Now concerning the first Fulke peremptorily denyeth all dispositions and preparations of mans hart by prayer or other meanes to procure his first iustification And M. Abbot in his defence of Perkins most bitterly inueigheth against them as the reliques of Pelagianisme and stifly contendeth that man before Iustice can no more intreate aske or dispose himselfe to grace no not by the ayde of God then a dead man only helped can prepare himselfe to his resurrection Notwithstanding we constantly teach that sinners endued with the vse of reason do vse the help of sundry vertues as preparations or manuductions to guide and bring them to the fauour of God as the holy Scripturs manifestly teach Be prepared O Israel Amos 4. v. 12. 1. Reg. 7. v. 3. Prouer. 16. v. 1. to meet thy God And Prepare your harts to our Lord. It pertayueth to man to prepare his hart Which holy and behoofull preparations commonly proceed in this manner He who by the inspiration of God beleeueth in him and considereth the seuerity of his iustice depth of his iudgments riches of his mercy goodnes benignity patience c. and remembreth withall the multitude and enormity of his sinnes first conceaueth a Feare of his most terrible dreadfull punishments Feare stirreth vp hope of mercy pardon and forgiuenes Hope enkindleth loue of so good and bountifull a Lord Loue breaketh into sorrow and repentance of former defaults Sorrow accompanyed with the precedent vertues and full purpose of amendement inclineth the hart of our heauenly Father to cleanse Hebr. 11. v. 6. Habac. 2. v. 4. Ecclesiast 1. v. 28. Prouer. â—4 v. 27. Prouerb 1. v. 7. Rom. 8. v. 24. Psal 36. v. 40 and remit all our iniquityes And that these vertues doe not follow as sequels but go before as preparations necessary to iustification we proue by the same arguments by which they conuince the precedency or necessity of fayth for as fayth is required because it is written Without fayth it is impossible to please God And The iust man liueth by fayth c. so feare of God is likewise necessary because of that it also sayd The feare of our Lord expelleth sinne And he that is without feare cannot be iustifyed Againe The feare of our Lord is the
be that can neuer according to you worke your iustification and yet they all speake of a fayth which by Charity profiteth by Charity iustifyeth 2. And if S. Augustine may construe his owne meaning he expoundeth himselfe to meane of the same fayth not to profit without Charity which hauing Charity Augu. l. 15. de Trin. c. 18. worketh by loue so discerning it from that fayth with which the Diuells beleeue tremble But that fayth which worketh by loue that which is so distinguished from the fayth of Diuels is euen in our Protestants opinion true Fayth True fayth then may be but profiteth not without loue of which loue S. Augustine writeth thus in the beginning Aug. ibid. Nuâ—â—um est isto dono excellentius solum est quod diuidit inter filios regni aeterni filios perditionis aeternae VVhitak l. 1. aduers Duraeum Abbotc 4. August ibidem Dilectio igitur quae ex Deo est diffunditur in cordi bus nostris Dei charitas per quam nos tota inhabitat Trinitas VVhitak l 8. aduers Duraeum August l. de nat grat c. 42. Ibid. c. 70. August tract 5. in epist Ioan. of that Chapter No gift is more excellent then this it is the only thing which maketh a difference between the sonns of the euerlasting kingdome and sonnes of eternall damnation And he affirmeth not that of any outward difference or externall diuision of iustification in the sight of men which is another subtile deuise of the Aduersary but of the internall before the face of the highest for he there concludeth of the same gift of Charity The loue therfore which is of God and is God is properly the holy Ghost by whome the Charity of God is diffused into our harts by which the whole Trinity inhabiteth in vs. But the inhabiting of the Blessed Trinity the infusion or dwelling of the Holy Ghost in our soules is not any outward signe distinguishing vs in the eyes of men but an inward seale or hidden stampe of our harts truly iustifying in the sight of God not imperfectly nor defectiuely only as Whitaker Snake-like finds another hole to creep away stopped vp in my former Treatise of Iustification but intierely perfectly Therfore S. Augustine auoucheth of Charity in another place Ipsa Charitas est verissima plenissima perfectissimaque iustitia Charity it selfe is most true most full most perfect iustice And Great Charity is great iustice perfect Charity is perfect iustice Likewise Only Loue discerneth betweene the sonnes of God and sonnes of the Diuell And a little after They that haue Charity are borne of God they that haue not are not borne of God Enioy whatsoeuer thou wilt and only want this it profiteth nothing other things if thou wantest haue this and thou hast fullfilled the Law 3 S. Paul sayth In Christ Iesus neither circumcision auayleth ought nor prepuce but Fayth that worketh by Charity Gal. 5. v 6. If Protestants would stand to the determination of the Apostle this exposition of his were inough to instruct them that the Fayth which he so often commended before the fayth to which he attributed our iustification is not as they imagine sole fayth but fayth formed with Charity and that Charity is the vertue which giueth fayth it selfe motion and actiuity towards iustice and saluation But M. Abbot and his Complices interpreting Abbot in his defence c. 4. sect 22. Perkins in his reform Cath. c. 4. 1. Tim. 1. v. 5. ad Col. 3. v. â—4 Rom. 13. v. 10. 1. Cor. 13. Abbot c. 4. f. 475. 476. Scripture according to their owne fancy will haue the Apostle to teach that Charity is the instrument of Fayth for mouing stirring abroad yet that fayth by it selfe doth wholy iustify which is notwithstanding refuted by the Apostles plaine discourse prouing Charity to be the end perfection and accomplishment of the Law Therefore not the instrument of fayth or inferiour to it but the chiefe and most excellent of all other vertues without which fayth it selfe profiteth nothing comparing it there with Fayth and Hope he affirmeth maior autem horum est Charitas the greater of these is Charity Wherfore to retort the argument in behalfe of Charity which M. Abbot vseth for the patronage of Fayth Seeing with God we cannot thinke that the greater is accepted for the lesse but rather the lesse for the greater not the Mistresse so to speake for the hand maydes sake but rather Abbot c. 4. sect 22. â— 474. 475. protesteth that neuer any translatour could light vpon this the band-maid for the Mistresse sake we must needs make fayth sayth he cleane opposite to the Apostle Charity say I conformable to the Apostle not the hand-mayd not the instrument but the Mistresse the chiefe and principall cause for which fayth is acceptable to God in the way of iustice as the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth import which signifyeth a hidden energy and inward efficacy force operation which Charity ministreth vnto fayth for the performing of vertuous deeds And the Syriacke Interpreter putteth it out of all doubt who maugre M. Abbots protestation to the contrary readeth it heer passiuely haimonuto deme thgameno ve kuâ—â—o Fayth which is made perfect or consumate by Charity Thus Guido Fabricius passiuely also translateth it Fides quae perficitur fayth which is perfected by Charity Fabric in â—â—s booke dâ—dicated to Henry the third King of Franâ—e prinâ—ed Ann. 1 503. laâ— c 2. v. 26. S. Iames explicating what kind of perfection this is calleth it the perfection of life and resembleth sayth without workes that is without Charity the fountaine from whence good workes proceed to a dead corpes without life soule or vitall operation therefore as the soule is not the instrument of the body but the true forme and principall cause which giueth life and motion vnto it so doth Charity likewise vnto Fayth not that Charity is the essentiall forme of Fayth as it is a Theological habit for so it hath her proper forme distinct from Charity but that Charity first aduanceth it to the state of perfect vertue to the preheminence of iustice giuing it the true forme life of iustification to which fayth only disposeth and maketh way before Secondly it affoardeth it the dignity of true and proper merit by giuing vs the spirit of adoptioÌ„ whereby our workes are meritorious and gratefull in the sight of God Thirdly it directeth and leuelleth it to a supernaturall end ordayning all our actions to the honour of God This is the life actiuity and operation which Charity communicateth to fayth to all vertue Abbot c. 4. sect 23. fol. 494. also To auouch as M. Abbot doth that fayth any one of these three wayes is either the seat or fountaine of spiritual life the nest wherin we lay our workes that we may hatch them the mother which breedeth and begetteth them vnto God is Ibid. sect 26. f. 48â—
founded erected by hope and perfected or finished by Charity The Centurists among the stubble rubbish or errours of S. Ephrem reiect this â—aying of his What doth it auaile if we haue all things and only want Charity that saueth vs Among the drosse of Sedulius they report this All iustice consisteth of Fayth and Charity 9. Innumerable others do they reprehend for houlding with vs in this point of iustification who partly in the former partly in the ensuing Chapter are recounted Yet I thinke it not amisse to knit vp this discourse with two or three Theological reasons borrowed from S. Thomas and his followers by which they demonstrate the excellency of Charity euen in this life beyond Fayth or Hope The first is that Charity in more noble and perfect S. Thom. 2. 2 q. 23â— art 6. 1. part q. 82. art 3 q. 108. art â— 1. 2. q. 65. art 6. Lorin Bannes â—â—iet â—s haec loca manner aymeth and inclineth to the incomparable bouÌ„ty and goodnes of God then either of those vertues for Fayth hath reference vnto him according to some speciall and restrayned manner as he is reuealed vnto vs. Hope as he shal be the goale or center of our Beatitude But Charity imbraceth him as he is in himselfe infinite illimited the soueraigne good and mayne Ocean of all perfection for although the supernatural knowledge of fayth be required as a condition to propose the amiablenes of the beloued obiect vnto vs yet loue is not bounded within the limits of our knowledge but extendeth it selfe to all the perfections of the thing proposed without any exception restriction or limitation which apparantly conuinceth the precedency of Charity because that vertue is more noble and worthy which after a more noble and worthy manner expresseth tendeth and draweth neere to the dignity of her obiect as all both Deuines Philosophers agree Secondly in this life the loue of thinges superiour which exceed the compasse of nature is more perfect then the knowledge or vnderstanding of them because we know them only answerable to the proportion of restrained formes which represent them vnto vs. We loue them according to the full sea of goodnes which Porphir is included in them In so much as Porphiry the Philosopher writeth That to speculate diuine things doth purify the soule Aug. ser 28. de teÌ„p Est 27. in append tract 2. in 1. ep Ioan. Dionys de diuin nomin c. 4. Plato to loue them doth deify or turne the same as it were into God S. Augustine agreably If thou louest God I dare say thou art God Thirdly loue weddeth conioyneth vs with the thing we loue it transformeth to vse S. Dionysius his word the louer into the bowels of his beloued Maketh sayth that Diuine Philosoper Plato the soule more where it loueth then where it liueth Howbeit Fayth and Hope suppose a disiunction and separation from their reuealed or desired obiects for Hope expecteth not the thing possessed and Fayth giueth not assent to the mystery clearely or manifestly proposed Hence S. Thomas inferreth the preheminence S. Thom. 1. 2. q. 66. art 6. of Charity aboue Hope or Fayth because the property and nature thereof consisteth in a more perfect vnion coniunction or marriage with God by reason of which it must needes more effectually concurre to our iustification then either of them 10. Therfore M. Abbot after much adoe to the contrary yieldeth to Charity so great a prerogatiue as he contenteth himselfe if Fayth may haue some part with Hier. in c. 22. Matth. it in the worke of iustification For in answere to that saying of Hierome The wedding garments are the Commandements of our Lord and the workes which are made vp of the Abbot c. fol. 610. 611. Law and the Ghospell and do make the garment of the new man M. Abbot replyeth Why doth he M. Doctour Bishop alleadge these words to exclude Fayth from being a part of the wedding garment Then The workes that are made vp of the Law Abbot ibidem the Ghospell consist not only in Charity but in Fayth also c. Lastly Though any do by occasion name Charity for the wedding garment as men by diuers occasions speake diuersly therof yet no man Ibidem was euer so absurde as expresly to exclude Fayth from being one part thereof I thinke so that neuer true Catholike was so absurde but so absurd are you as to accept that for a part which you and your companions haue hitherto challenged to be the only cause of Iustice For I cannot iudge that you should account this wedding garment which only admitteth vs to the banquet of heauen which only is acceptable to the Maister of that heauenly feast any other then the robe of true Iustice so pleasing vnto him wherein if Fayth haue only a part if it consist in Charity not excluding true Fayth why put you this question in suite in behalfe of Fayth alone Or if the wedding garment be not the true liuery of Iustice gratefull vnto God how is any part thereof wouen by Fayth which only concurreth according to you to iustify before God THE XXI CONTROVERSY IN WHICH It is discussed how good workes do iustify against Doctour Abbot Doctour Whitaker and D. Fulke CHAP. I. AFTER the first Iustification which iâ— accomplished by Charity there followeth the second that is the increase and augmentation of the same by good works in which holy men dayly walke and go forward vntill they arriue to the supreme degree of that finite perfection which God foreseeth they will climbe vnto by the concurrence of his grace as the wiseman teacheth â— Prouer. v. 2â— in the fourth Chapter of the Prouerbs The path of the iust as a shining light proceedeth euen to perfect day That is as the dawning appeareth more bright and bright vntill it approach to noone tyde or to the fullnes of the day so the iust man aduaunceth himselfe forwards in the way of perfection vntill he come to his determined pitch or state of vertue in which course euery step that he treadeth truly augmenteth his former iustice For as S. Iohn sayth He that doth instice is iust And he that is iust let him be iustifyed yet Doctour Whitaker D. Fulke and Doctour Abbot 1. Ioan. 3. v. 7. Apoc. 22. v. 11. VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraeum Fulk in c. 22. Apoâ— sect 3. Abbot c. 4 sect 35. 36. Ibidem with one accord reply that S. Iohn speaketh not there of true iustice before God or of that iustice which purchaseth heauen but of inward sanctification or outward iustice before men only But if you distinguish sanctification from iustice as deceitfully you do the proper notion and signification of the word maketh against you which sayth not a man is sanctifyed only but iustifyed more iust by doing iustice Then S. Iohn expoundeth himselfe adding He that doth iustice is iust euen as he is iust But he to
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
vs who willfully conculcate his heauenly fauours 11. Heere our Aduersaryes make a new sally out against vs and contest that we being once quickned with the seed of life and throughly soaked with the dew of heauen cannot waxe barren with the sterility of sin cannot renounce or disgorge these waters of life For euery one that is borne of God committeth not sin because his seed in him abydeth A good tree cannot yield euill fruits I will mak an euer lasting couenant with them and will not cease to do them good I wil put my feare into their harts that they shal not depart frōme So M. Abbot aduantagiously readeth it whereas the passage it selfe truly translated hath no difficulty at all For it is either vnderstood of the Church in generall which God will neuer cease to protect or of his forwardnes as much as lyeth in him to affoard sufficient meanes to all the members thereof that they * The Hebrew Lebilti surmehalai ad non recedere à me The Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latin vt non recedant à me That they reuolt not from me Aug. de na gra c. 54. l. 2. de pec mer. rem c. 7. de gra Christ cap. 21. tract 5. in epist Ioan. Hier. l. 1. aduers Pelag 2. ad Iou. l. 1. comm in 7. c. Matt. Dydim Beda in illum locum Ioan. Aug. de nat grat c. 14. Possumus si volumus non peccare propter vim gratiae in quātum in ea manemus Chrys in c. 5. ad Rom. VVhitak in his answere to the 8. reason of M. Campian l. 8. aduers Duraeum fol. 625. reuol◠not from him as the Hebrew Greeke and Latin wordes manifestly betoken To the former two which Iouinian pressed for the bolstering of his heresyes that the faythfull once regenerated could neuer si any more I answere with S. Austine S. Hierome Dydimus Venerable Bede that he who is borne of God cannot sin ne whilest he perseuereth the child of God and retayneth in his soule the fire of Charity which is repugnant to all sinne or rather that he cannot sinne as long as he liueth and worketh according to his new and diuine regeneration receaued from aboue and that the good tree cannot of his owne nature produce euill fruits no more then the sower and vnsauoury crab affoard from his owne naturall iuyce or radicall disposition any other then vnsauoury yet as by some other accidentall quality or forraine graffe the one may yeild sweet fruits the other sower so albeit as S. Augustine sayth We may if we will not sinne through the force of grace as far forth as we abide in it notwithstanding by the infirmity of the flesh malice of will or corruption of nature it is in our power grieuously to offend and slide backe from God 12. That which Whitaker and his fellowes oppose out of S. Chrysostome The grace of God hath no end it knoweth no full point but it maketh progresse vnto greater choaketh an heresy of their owne that true iustice increaseth not but standeth at a stay c. maintaineth the truth of our contrary doctrin that seeing grace iustice are beames participated from the illimited fountaine of Gods iustice they may be dayly augmented by new meritorious deeds with new accesse of grace after which manner it is true that it had no end knoweth no full point still maketh progresse to greater by multiplying greater store of good workes The rest of the Fathers to whome our Reformers lay claime are semblably quitted otherwise they speake of the certaine perseuerance of the election in generall or els they mean that grace fayth and iustice are perpetuall of their owne natures and alwayes flourish with the spring of vertues vnles we blast them in their buds or suffer them to be ouergrowne with the weeds of sinne THE XXIIII CONTROVERSY AVOVVETH Freewill against D. Fulke and D. Whitaker CHAP. I. BEFORE I begin to enter the list and combate with my Aduersaries concerning the liberty of mans Freewill I thinke it expedient exactly to set downe the whole state of this question what Protestants hold and what we in all things vphold against them First then they distinguish with vs a fourfold estate or condition of man 1. The state of Innocency which Adam enioyed before his fall 2. The state of Corruption which he and all his posterity incurred Foure estates of man Perkins in his refor Catho 1. Chapter of freewil by sinne 3. The state of vprising and Entrance into Grace And 4. the state of Iustification which the Righteous enioy by the merits of Christ. Secondly they deuide the actions of men into three sorts Into Naturall or Ciuill as to eate sleepe walke discourse buy sell c. Into Morall as to be temperate iust liberall mercifull c. And into Diuine or Supernaturall which appertaine to the spirituall good of oursoules and gaining of eternall life as to belieue to hope to loue God aboue all thing c. 2. These diuisions premised they all accord about the first estate granting therin at least in shew of words a liberty as they terme it of Nature of which I will not Calu. l. 1. Inst c. 16. §. 8. l 2. c. 4 § 6. Bucer l. de concord art de lib. arbit now dispute About the second they vary amongst themselues For Calum Bucer and their Adherents with the auncient Heretikes a Clem l. 3. Recog Simon Magus b Tert. lib. de anima cap. 10. Marcion Hermogenes c Aug. l de Hares cap. 46. the Manichees and d Wiclisse vtterly deny the liberty of Freewilll to any action whatsoeuer Which Luther and Melacthon defended at the beginning but after forced by our arguments to recant that point of Heresie they grant Freewill to actions Naturall and Ciuill whom Whitaker Perkins White and many of our English Protestants seeme to follow Neuerthelesse they all close againe and comply with Caluin that man in this case hath no freedome to any Morall good worke Man sayth Whitaker lost his freedom by sinne the will of man according to Fulke is bound to Sinne and not free Is thrall and sliue to Sinne It auaileth to b Conc. Const ses 8. art 26. Luth. in as sert art 36. Melancth in loc communib editis an Domini 15 1. VVhitaker l. 1. contra Duraeum p. 77. 78. and in his answere to M. Camp first reasō Perkins in his Reform Catho in the Chap. of Free-will White in the way to the true Church §. 40. fol. 277. Fulke in cap. 6. Ioan sect 3. In ◠10. ad Rom. sect 1. In c. 7. ad Rom. sect 7. in c. 2. ad Philip. sect 4. nothing but to Sinne. In the Regenerate it hath some freedome and strength against Sinne which it hath not at all in them that are not Regenerate Likewise Free-will is seruile Captiue lost vntill by Grace it begin to be enlarged