de VeroÌ„ apolog pro Ioh. Castell a booke written by a Papist in defence of him that did this wherein his deed is not onely iustified but extolled u Pag 40. as a most noble deed ioyned with vertue and heroicall to be compared with the greatest and commendablest deeds that euer were done or are mentioned in any storie Afterward as we all know this noble Prince was miserably slaine by a popish miscreant HENRIE the 8. of England was w Sand. de scis Anglic. â— â—8 excommunicate by Pope Clement about the matter of his diuorce x See Guâ—cciar l. 19. pag. 891. which in his owne iudgement he thought to be lawfull GEORGE the King of Bohemia y Bonfin deca 4. l. 2. sab init Mart. Crom. rerum Polo pag. 776 was excommunicate by Pius the second and Matthias the King of Hungary armed against him IOHN the King of Nauarre z Plat. in Iul. 2. was bereft of halfe his kingdome by the practise of Iulius the second a Bin. vit Iul. 2. who was wont to say It was not fit the Leuites should serue others who ought to beare rule ouer others The VENETIANS lastly b See Botter comment l. 12. p. 267. inde Gallo Belgie an 16â—6 about the maintenance of their State against the Cleargie were excommunicate by the Pope that now is saue that he shrunke in the wetting and durst not go forward For c Papit Masson annal Franc. pag. 289. since the time that Popes haue bene so prodigall of their curses they haue lost their sting and no maruell for rare things are admired when that which is daily done is contemned QVEENE ELIZABETH of most happie memory since the tenth yeare of her raigne d See Sand. schism Angl. pag. 182. about which time Pius Quintus excommunicated her till her dying day was neuer free from their malice e See the answers that the priests in the Tower made in their examinatioÌ„s an 1582. Maij 13. as they are set downe in Concert ecc Cathol in Angl adu Caluinop pag. 241. ind the Popes and their Cleargie by treasons inuasions rebellions conspiracies infamous writings and all the furie that the diuell could suggest assailing her the whole declaration whereof would fill large volumes And now finally HIS MAIESTIE that is succeeds her in the tasting of the same and worse practises wherein the Iesuites and Masse-priests haue bene the Popes principall executioners f Breuia Pont. the defence thereof by Bellarm. Less Coquae Capel Sticiop Suar. Becan Eudaem and others his alleagiance refused the Popes omnipotencie maintained his Person disgraced reuiled conspired against the Powder-treason plotted by these men Yet there is an old prophesie in * Telesphor de tribulat pag. 31. Antichristus non poterit subiugare Venetias nec Parisios nec Ciuitatem regalem Angliae Telesphorus that Antichrist shall neuer preuaile against these cities Venice Paris and London 4 Here are vpon 40 instances giuen in iustification of that I said now the Reader may iudge as he please In answer whereof my aduersaries will pleade a right the Pope and his Cleargie had to do all this but the fact it selfe they will not denie And as all States in the world know his right to be none so g Parisienses de eccl polit potest Blackw Widdringt Barkly the Diuines of Venice yea many large bookes written against it by great Diuines old and new in the Church of Rome Many whereof may be seene printed together by Goldastus in the three tomes of his Monarchia not a few disdaine it in the Church of Rome it selfe CHAP. VII Concerning the doctrine of Merits taught in the Church of Rome and touching the Bull of Pius and Gregorie against Michael Baius the Deane of Louane A. D. To passe therefore from this his epistle Dedicatorie Pag. 26. to his Preface to the Reader § 1. he falsely chargeth the Church of Rome to hold doctrine which it doth not hold but expresly condemne Concerning merit of workes saith he it holdeth that when men hauing conuersed godlily and righteously in this mortall life to the end obtaine eternall life this is not to be deputed to the purpose of Gods grace but to the ordinance of nature appointed presently in the beginning when man was created neither in this retribution of good things is it looked to the merit of Christ but onely to the first institution of mankind wherein by a naturall law it was set downe that by the iust iudgement of God the keeping of Gods commandements should be rewarded with life as the breaking of them is with death Thus farre is M. Whites relation But how false this relation is may appeare not onely in that the contrarie doctrine is ordinarily taught by our Diuines as may be seene in Halensis 3. part 9.69 mem 5. art 3.5 D. Thom. 1.2 q. 109. art 9. Roffensis refut art 36 Tapper de lib. arbit Bellarmine l. 5. de Iustif c. 12. 14. 15. and others Conc. Trid. Sess 6. c 16. Wherunto may be added the Councell of Trent sess 6. c. 16. where it is expresly defined that to those that worke well vnto the end and put their hope in God life euerlasting is to be propounded both as a Grace note the word Grace mercifully promised to the children of God through Iesus Christ and as a hire faithfully to be giuen to their good workes and merits by the promise of God himselfe By which definition of the Councell we may learne that by our doctrine life euerlasting is not obtained by nature but springeth of Gods grace and mercie and the merit of our Sauiour Christ And although our good workes doe merit yet it is not our workes as done by nature but as done in and by the grace of Christ as is further declared by the said Councell which saith that Christ Iesus doth as the head into all the members and as the vine into the branches continually infuse vertue to those that be iustified Ibidem The Church-vertue doth alwayes go before accompanie and follow their good workes without which vertue these their workes could not by any meanes be gratefull to God and meritorious This loe is the doctrine of our Church and not that temerarious and hereticall proposition which M. White relateth out of one Michael Baio who is so farre from being an approued author sufficient to declare what is the doctrine of our Church as that he is disallowed and this his proposition expresly condemned by Pius Quintus who was in his time chiefe Pastor of our Church 1 IN the fifth place he accuses me for charging the Church of Rome with that which one Michael Baius a popish Doctor and the Kings professor at Louane writ touching merits But I answer three things First that I know no reason why their Church may not be charged with that which Baius writ as well as ours is charged with this and that which any
rendred to him that well did The same is taught generally in the Church of Rome by all them that hold h Vasq 1.2 tom 2. pag. 803. c. 4. in these words deliuers his opinion of merit when a man being in the state of righteousnesse through the grace of God doth good workes then the said workes merit eternall life and are equally worthy of the reward though God make no couenant in Christ to accept them and that they haue no increase of dignitie coming to them by the merits or person of Christ but before God make any promise to vs in him they are in iustice worthy the reward and though God haue made a couenant to accept such workes done by grace yet the merit and worthines thereof arises not nor is founded on that couenant but the promise is founded on the merit of the worke because it were iniustice if God should not reward a good worke And thus the greatest Diuines in the Church of Rome teach a Panopl pâ—g 110. Lindan I thinke they do not worthily enough set forth the grace of Christ in our good workes who thinke God rewards the good workes of iust men with eternall life of free grace and the vouchsafing of his owne clemencie because the reason of true merit which is ingendred in good works through the dignitie of Christs Spirit their author seemes to deserue GREATER praise then that God should only VOVCHSAFE it the reward FREELY Anard b Artic. 9. pag. 126. Far be it from vs that we should waite for eternall life AS A POORE MAN DOTH FOR ALMES for it is MORE GLORIOVS for vs like conquerers and triumphers to possesse it as the garland and crowne that is DVE to our labours Suarez c Tom. 1. pag. 645. B. It must not be denied but our merits are true merits in such sort that the workes of the godly proceeding from grace haue in themselues an inward dignitie and the same proportion to the reward which they should haue vnderstanding a man to be iust and to worke well without the merits of Christ as many thinke of the Angels and of man in the state of innocencie d 12. disp 214. c. 4. n. 17. Vasquez Although God haue made a promise to the workes of iust men yet neither that promise nor any couenant or fauour of God belongs any wayes to the reason of the merit Bellarmine e De iustif l. 5. c. 17. pag. 993. A The workes of the iust merit eternall life condignely by reason of Gods couenant and the worke together NOT BECAVSE THE GOOD WORKE HATH NO PROPORTION TO ETERNALL LIFE WITHOVT GODS COVENANT TO ACCEPT IT but because God is not tied to accept it to the reward though it be equall thereto vnlesse his couenant come betweene D. Stapleton f De iustificat pag. 237. We are said to please God and to be acceptable to him in and for Christ and our iustice is said to leane vpon Christs iustice because the beginning and progresse thereof is of Christ and depends thereon as on the efficient cause and Christs iustice supplies our defects NOT BY SVPPLYING ANY VNPERFECT ACT THAT IS IN OVR RIGHTEOVSNES and so making it perfect that it might stand before Gods iudgement seate but if such imperfection of our righteousnesse be without sinne it is admitted for true righteousnesse and admitted in the iust iudgement of God g Alph. Virvés Andrad Horát Caiet BonaueÌ„ Mart Distor Thom. Ricard Romae Conrad Capraeol Dried Clictouae Tilet Vincent Soto all cited for this opinion by Vasq 12. disp 214. n. 9. 18. The most of our aduersaries hold this and teach a condignitie in our workes arising out of THEMSELVES abstracting from the merits of Christ and promise of God which promise is founded on the worke and which merits of Christ adde nothing to the value of the worke but onely eleuates the person of him that workes Whence it followes that the reward must needs be giuen by the first couenant made with Adam which is as much of Baius his opinion as I alledged 4 Thus I haue shewed that Baius in his words by me quoted teaches no other doctrine then is ordinarily taught by other Diuines in the Church and the Iesuites arguments to the contrary are easily answered To the first there can be no more shewed out of their writings but that life eternall is obtained by grace and the merit of Christ inasmuch as they are the roote of merit which h Quicquid ad humani generis reparationem pertinet id non nostris moritu propriis neque iusto Dei iudicio tribuendum est quia alioqui saltem ex parte essemus nostri redemptores sed tantum proposito gratiae Dei per redemptionem quae facta est in sanguine Christi Pag. 12. Baius denies not but yet for all that holding that workes so done haue in them an intrinsecall righteousnesse and worthinesse of their owne they must needs hold consequently that God in iustice is bound to reward them in the same maner that he rewards Angels or would haue rewarded Adam if he had neuer fallen which was by the couenant of workes And it should seeme the Iesuite by his manner of citing them saw not the bookes theÌ„selues but borowed the quotations of his friends For first touching Alexander he quotes 3. part 9.69 which I presume is mis-printed in stead of qu. 69. memb 5. art 3. 5 whereas in the 5. m. there are only 4 articles and in the 3d art i Pag. 249. he speakes expresly against him that if a man do that which is in himselfe to doe God necessarily giues him grace In which words he plainly ascribes merit to workes done by nature which is Pelagianisme The best that he sayes against nature for grace is in k Concedendum est ergo necessariam esse gratiaÌ„ indistincte ad merendum consequendum beatitudinem m. 1. art 1. another place but that Grace whereby he sayes we merit he expounds to be our owne worke wrought by the power of Gods grace which is the very point that Baius holds Bellarmines opinion is vncertaine he doth nothing but chop and change a man of no resolution but a very weather-cocke yet he hath one good saying on the Iesuites side l De iustif l. 5. c 7. By reason of the vncertaintie of a mans owne righteousnesse and for feare of vaine-glorie it is the safest way to repose our whole confidence in the sole mercie and goodnesse of God But m See Vasqu 1.2 tom 2. pag. 794. c. 7. his fellowes whip him for it The other three Tapper Fisher and Thomas say no more but that our workes merit by grace in which point they crosse not Baius for he also allowes grace and sayes not that they merit by nature but that being done by grace the reward is giuen not by a new couenant in Christ but by the same that God made with Adam in pure nature from
mans will is the constant iudgement of the most of our aduersaries I will not ground this authoritie vpon the Scripture or r See his last chap. de praedest grat Ambrosius Catharinus vehementer in eos inuohitur qui dicunt Deum ex se aliquos reprobare excludere à vita aeterna non quidem propter eorum praeuisa mala opera sed quia ipse vult non dare illis vitam eternam Et hanc opinionem vocat ipse durissimam intolerabilem causam desperationis hominum impiam eamque assignat ipse Luthero CVMEA TAMEN SIT IPSISSIMA B. AVGVSTINI SENTENTIA Peter selâ—ct disp in Rom. 9. n. 31. And that the iudgement of S. Austin is that neither election nor reprobation is for workes foreseene is affirmed by Grego Arimin d. 40. Dom. Bann 1. p. q. 23. art 5. Sixt. Senens biblioth l. 6. annot 251. Tolet. in Rom. 11. annot 4 Suar. opusc de auxil l. 3. c. 16. 17. tract de diuin praedest l. 1. c. 8. pag. 179. Zumel var. disp part 3. pag. 358. S. Austin because I intend no solemne discourse about the question and haue to do with an aduersary whose arrogancy p Rom 9 11. 11.33 Eph. 1 11. and ignorance is fittest to be buffeted with the authority of his owne side but I will make it appeare that going about to confute Caluine and expound his antecedent will he is fallen into that grosse opinion about predestination that scarce any of his owne Doctors hold That predestination therefore to eternall life was according to the doctrine of Caluine without and before the foresight of workes so that it was made without any respect of them so freely and in that manner that grace and good works rather are effects of it is affirmed by diuers of the principall Schoole Doctors in the Church of Rome Gregorius Ariminensis and after him the Cardinall of Cambray lay downe r Arim. 1. pag. 163. Camerac 1. pag. 175. their iudgement in fiue propositions the first No man is predestinated for the good vse of his freewill which God knew he would haue howsoeuer the goodnesse thereof be considered The second No man is predestinated for that he was foreordained to perseuere in habituall grace without let to the end The third Whomsoeuer God predestinated he predestinated onely freely and of mercy The fourth No man is reprobated for the euill vse of his freewill that God foresaw he would haue The fift No man is reprobated because it was foreseene that he would finally hinder grace Andreas Castrensis Å¿ Andrae Castrens 1. d. 40. pag. 179. inde sets downe fiue conclusions The first God from eternity neuer predestinated to giue to any iustifying grace that should make him worthy eternall life because he foresaw any merit of theirs to come whereby they should either of condignity or congruity merit that grace The second God from all eternity foreordained to giue grace and charity to some in time not therefore because he foresaw they would vse that grace well The third God from all eternity predestinated to giue euery one of the elect some grace and supernaturall benefit of his meere free goodnesse and not because he foresaw any merit of that man whereupon he should either condignily or of congruity merit the gift The fourth God from all eternity predestinated none of the elect because he foresaw his good works or merits nor for his good workes to come or merits foreseene The fift God from all eternity ordained to giue eternall life to none of the elect BECAVSE HE FOREORDAINED TO GIVE HIM GRACE CHARITY AND IVSTICE IN THIS LIFE BVT CONTRARY therefore he foreordained from all eternity to giue him grace in this life because he freely and purely predestinated to giue him eternall life Dominicus Bannes t Dom. Bann 1. p. q. 23. art 5. â— Pag. 634. b. layes downe diuers conclusions but fiue to this matter 1. There can none cause be assigned not onely of the act of Gods predestination but neither any reason or motiue on the behalfe of the creature 2 Pag. 6 32. b. or of God himselfe 2. It cannot bee said that merits preexisting in this life are the reason or cause of the effect of predestination 3 Ibid. d. 3. It cannot be said that merits following the effect of predestination are the reason of predestination the meaning is that therefore God should be vnderstood to giue any man grace or predestinate to giue him grace because he foresaw he would vse that grace well 4 Pag. 650. b. 4. No cause of predestination is giuen on our behalfe 5 Pag. 664. c. cum 665. a. 5. It is the opinion of Thomas that speaking simply there is NO CAVSE OR REASON OF REPROBATION ASSIGNED ON THE PART OF THE REPROBATE AS NO CAVSE OR REASON OF ELECION IS ASSIGNED ON THE PART OF THE ELECT and the sense is not speaking comparatiuely why he should reprobate Esau rather then Iacob but absolutely considering the reprobate themselues THERE CAN NO CAVSE BE ASSIGNED ON THEIR OWNE PART OF THEIR REPROBATION AND THIS IS THOMAS HIS MEANING and this is proued c. Capreolus shews his owne and Aquinas his iudgement in 7. conclusions u Capreol 1. d. 41. q. vnic whereof the first is Neither merits nor demerits are the cause of predestination on the part of the act of him that predestinateth The fourth is The merits which follow the effect of predestination are not the cause of the effect of predestination in that manner that some say that God therefore giues a man grace and predestinated to giue it him because he foresaw he would vse it well as when the King giues a horse to him that he foreknowes will vse him well The fift Though some particular effect of predestination haue cause on our behalfe yet the totall effect of predestination in common hath no cause on our behalfe The sixt The goodnesse of God is the cause of the totall effect of predestination The seauenth The reason of the election of some and reprobation of other some is takeÌ„ out of the goodnesse of God whose diuine will alone is the reason why he reprobates these and elects them * Aâ—t 2. arg 2. There is no cause in speciall why this man is reprobated and that man elected but the simple will of God These conclusions of Cameracensis Andreas Castrensis Bannes and Capreolus are extracted out of x 1 d. 41. qu. 1. 1. p. q. 23. art 2. 3 4. 5. cont Gent. l. 3. c. 1 61. Lect. in Ro. 9. Aquine followed for substaÌ„ce y Magist 1. d. 40. 41. Altisiod sum l 1. c. 9. 〈◊〉 1. 2. Scot. 1. d. 41. q. 1. Mayron ibi qu. 4. art 1 Maisil art 2. Concl 4. Duran qu. 2. Egid qu. 1. art 2. Dionys qu. 2. Maior d. 40. qu. 2. Ferrat contr Gent. l. 3. c 61. §. pro solutione Gerson consol
no such antecedent will at all 19 He replies secondly that they haue the meanes yea all aswell infants as others r Pag. 165. 171. at least in potentia remota Å¿ Pag. 170. 171. and mediatly whereby he might come to that which is sufficient Which I take to be the same that some say how God giues euen these sufficient helpe in actu primo which is some inspiration as a beginning which if men would obey they might successiuely and by degrees rise vp to faith and iustification as t THE WAY pag. 95. in the marg I noted out of Paul Windeck But this will hardly be maintained for I demand first touching these inspirations or motions that are said to be thus offered and stirred vp in the Gentiles are they supernaturall or naturall If supernaturall by what meanes are they wrought for the word of God to produce them they haue not and Gods Spirit doth neuer sufficiently inspire when it doth not sufficiently reueale it selfe to be his spirit Are they narurall arising onely from naturall knowledge then I demand againe whether being harkened vnto and pursued they may be able to bring him that hath them to iustifying grace if they be not they are insufficient if they be then this is u CoÌ„cil Diospol nu 10. 11. Pelagianisme that a man by naturall strength may eleuate himselfe and obtaine the grace of God Secondly I demand what he meanes by his potentia remota media for if the meaning be God giues meanes sufficient of themselues but no meanes to vse them * â—es in esse potentiali in causis secundis antequam sit in proprio genere est simpliciter non esse then he giues no sufficient meanes as I noted out of Vasquez If the meaning be that God prepares them for some no otherwise then the Physition * In the Reply vbi sup mentioned doth his physicke so as he neuer offers it them nor discouers himselfe or his arte to them what is this but to mocke the world with Sophistrie If the meaning be that God offers at the least such motions of nature and of grace that by degrees he may arise from knowledge to knowledge till he come to sufficient knowledge this is confuted before for motions of nature are not sufficient and motions of grace cannot be proued to be giuen infants and Barbarians as appeares by the difficulty of conuerting the wisest and ciuillest Philosopher or Barbarian that euer was or if they be yet they are not of that eleuation that they can fulfill the iust measure of sufficiency 20 Thus I haue shewed three sorts of people to be perpetually destitute of sufficient helpe in regard of all outward and ordinary meanes so far as we can perceiue yet it is certaine that some of these are saued and some reprobated their saluation therefore and reprobation neither beginnes in nor arises from the foresight of their good or ill vse of the meanes but from some higher will and purpose in God vnknowne to vs but iust and holy in himselfe else were there no such mysterie in the doctrine of predestination that the Apostle should neede to crie x Rom. 11.33 O altitudo O the depth of the riches wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out nor say y Rom. 9.20 what art thou that pleadest with God z Rom. 9.18 he will haue mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth a Rom. 9.11 before the children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euill it was said I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau For my Aduersaries distinction of Gods willing euen the reprobate to be saued by his antecedent will and the rest of his doctrine of predestination leaue no rome for these sayings They say b Aug. ep 105. saith S. Austin that therefore God loued Iacob and hated Esau being yet vnborne because he foresaw their workes to come but who would not wonder that this sence so acute should be wanting to the Apostle for he saw not so much when the question being obiected to him he had not readie this so briefe so plaine so true and absolute answer as these men thinke this to be For when he had propounded a profound matter touching those that were not yet borne and had done neither good nor euill how it could rightly bee said that God loued the one and hated the other he obiects to himselfe a question What shall we say then saith he is their iniustice with God God forbid THIS THEREFORE WAS A PLACE WHERE HE SHOVLD SAY WHAT THESE MEN THINKE THAT GOD FORESAW THEIR FVTVRE WORKES when he said The greater shall serue the lesser but the Apostle sayes no such thing but rather least any man should glory in the merit of his workes he would haue that which he said to bee of force that the grace and glory of God might be commended for hauing said God forbid that there should be iniquity with God as if we should say how shew you this that there is no iniquity with God when you auouch that not of workes but of him that calleth it was said The elder shall serue the yonger He answereth because Moses saith I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy and will shew compassion on whom I will shew compassion therefore it is not in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God that shewes mercy WHERE NOW ARE MERITS * He excludes not onely the works of nature but of grace also WHERE ARE THESE WORKES EITHER PAST OR TO COME PERFORMED OR TO BE PERFORMED AS IT WERE BY THE STRENGTH OF FREEWILL Doth not the Apostle pronounce a plaine sentence touching the commendation of free grace that is to say of true grace Hath not God made the wisedome of Heretiques foolish 21 Lastly this exposition of Gods antecedent and consequent will is destroyed by the doctrine of Gods Predetermination which teacheth that the will of God as the highest and effectuallest cause predefines and determines the will of man to that it wills and applies it to the worke for whose will in all things God predetermines vnto one thing though not by way of necessitation by the influxe of his will their will is no condition or motiue of Gods will for then Gods will were passiue But mans will in all things God predetermines to one thing by the influxe of his owne will Ergo mans will is no condition or motiue of Gods will Therefore God predestinates none vpon the foresight of the good or ill vse of their free-will therefore there is no such antecedent and consequent will in God as my Aduersary maintaines The second proposition is denied by c Martinez de Auxil p. 134. inde Bellar. de Grat lib. arb l. 1 c. 12. §. Est igitur alia Quicquid electuri sumus vidit Deus intuitu aeterno cognitio necessitatem non affert
this worke and by your hand to dedicate it your most Christian MONITORY to the Emperor and Princes performed with admirable learning and inuincible spirit hath made the entrance and as it hath purchased your Highnes that reputation in Gods Church and honour with strangers and authority with aduersaries and admiration with all which few Princes since Constantine haue had before so shall it in time and by degrees Apoc. 18. awaken the Kings of the earth and declare it selfe to be the loud cry and mightie voice of the Angell which God hath sent to raise them vp and to call his people out of Babylon And although the Iesuites their complices by their busie writing would seeme to oppose it yet it so sticks in their crowne that from the Cardinall to the Friar they giue themselues no satisfaction in answering but still as one of them sallies foorth another followes him as if they meant openly in the field to bewray their weakenesse and crie for helpe and though they fight desperately yet is it as the Goth mentioned in Procopius with his enemies weapons stricken and sticking in the top of his pate whereof he died as soone as he returned out of the field And albeit their words be vile and all honest eares abhor so sacred Maiestie to be violated thereby yet the loue of your subiects and the seruice of Gods whole Church toward you for the same shall weigh them downe And God who hath called your Highnesse with Dauid and Constantinē to be reproached and threatned by such as Shemei Doeg Zosimus and Ennapius were will giue you the same honour in all generations to come that they haue had and when the Iesuites haue that opinion that their Lord the Pope is God vpon earth so far aboue Emperors and Kings no maruell if their burthen giue them courage and make them lustie Alchor For the Asse that bare Mahomet in his Nurses lap feeling the pretiousnesse of his loade prickt vp his eares and out went all the company and when some askt if this was the beast that yesterdaie was not able to stand on her legs but was faine to be lifted vp that now went so lustily she answered O that ye knew who I carrie on my backe It was the conceite she had of her burthen that gaue her this courage and lift vp her eares But leauing thē to their presumption who as Isidodorus Pelusiota speaketh beare themselues on their Priesthood as if they had a tyrannie when they haue wearied themselues with resisting the truth offered them are swallowed vp of their owne pride and turbulency your Highnesse throne shall be established and the soule of your enemies shal be cast out as out of the middest of a sling and all their followers of what sort soeuer which so vnthankefully haue bene content to reape the fruite of your peaceable gouernement and gracious fauour and bounty and clemency towards them but will not ioyne in the worshippe of God nor follow your Highnesse in the exercise of the word and Sacraments shall see their turpitude The rest by their praiers to God for your Highnesse safety and sacrifice of their best affection thereunto will make it appeare that your care of their peace and zeale for the truth hath not bene in vaine And let not your Highnesse doubt the good successe of your cause When Luther first began to stirre against the Popes pardons his friends cried he would neuer be able to preuaile Chemnit and bad him go to his Cell and pray Lord haue mercy on him for there was no dealing against the Pope But his fatall houre being come God shewed the contrary and throwing down the Tables of those money-changers made it soone appeare that there is no counsell or power against the Lord. Nazianzen saies that the Emperour Iouian taking the cause of Religion into his hand and labouring to haue the world consent therein which is your Highnesse most noble and proper indeauour thereby both strengthened religion and brought strength from religion to himselfe Your Maiestie in our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth hath obserued that no power of the enemie can hurt Gods annointed that honor him and such as haue heard your Princely speeches many times touching this matter can tell you haue fixed your confidence in him that will preserue his seruants when a thousand shall fall at their side and ten thousand at their right hand Psal 91. Your Highnesse is more then an ordinary man God hath set his owne image as it were vpon his gold in an eminent manner vpon you which he hath not done vpon other men your cause is Gods cause your zeale and constancy is for Gods truth they are Gods inheritance and peculiar people you defend it is your right you stand for and a blessed gouernement you maintaine Your enemies are Gods enemies and vphold themselues with the basest dishonesty foulest meanes and detestablest practises that euer were And therefore as God hath suffered you for the manifesting of his glory to be the obiect of their fury so he will make you the president of his mercy to al posteritie His promise made to Iosuah shall neuer faile you Iosh 1.5 Psal 46. I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee We wil not feare though the earth be mooued the mountaines fal into the middest of the sea Though the waters thereof rage and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same Yet is there a riuer whose streames shall make glad the City of God euen the Sanctuary of the Tabernacles of the most high God is in the middest of it and it shall not be mooued Our God shall relieue it early when the nations raged and the kingdomes were moued God gaue his voice and the earth melted the Lord of hoasts is with vs and the God of Iacob is our refuge Our enemies like Arians are ceased to be Christians Lucifer Caralitanus saies Cum sitis Ariani inhumani impij crudeles homicidae non amplius eritis Christiani And your people that obey and serue you Isid Pelusiot being a company holden together by true faith and the best policy are part of the Church of God for which Christ gaue himselfe to die Your Highnesse most happie gouernement is the fountaine of our weldoing when Princes maintaine religion and execute iustice punishing wicked men and rewarding the godly Psal 72. then they come downe like raine vpon the mowen grasse and as showers that water the earth One part of the King of Persia his Title in ancient time was that he did Rise with the Sun and giue eies to the blind night Theophy◠Simocat Lips pol. And the King of Mexicoes Crowne oath had wont to be I will minister iustice to all the Sunne I will make to shine and clouds to raine and the earth to be fruitfull the riuers will I store with fish and all things with plenty For godly Princes procure all these things from God to their people
which must be acknowledged when tyrants and such as feare not God by their euill gouernement and neglect of religion many times darken the aire and hinder the raine and make the fields barren and riuers empty Pliny enquiring the reason why the fields adioyning to Rome in old time were so fruitfull saies It was because they were tilled by the chiefe gouernours such as Fabritius and Cincinnatus were Ipsorum tunc manibus Imperatorum colebantur agri gaudente terra vomere laureato triumphali aratore Which your Maiesty doing so painefully with your owne hands in a more noble field the Church of God all godly minded shall bid God speed the plow and daily waite till the briars and thornes be rooted out and the dew of Gods grace fall on the barren part that the Plowman may neuer be wearie nor his hand weake nor his workmen vnfaithful to him but all that are about him and his Noble seruants by his example may giue ouer sleeping and put their hand without looking backe to the same worke that the enuious man that soweth tares may be driuen forth and their owne houses may be the greenest and cleanest part of the field till he come that shall giue end and rest to euery labour and recompence beyond all that can be thought the workmans trauell and binding the good corne in sheaues cast the tares into vnquenchable fire God euermore continue and increase his mercies to your Highnesse and lay your enemies at your feete that you may see an end of all dissentions and stablish peace and vnity in the Church Your Maiesties most humble subiect IOHN WHITE To the Reader IT is now fiue yeares since I published a booke called THE WAY TO THE TRVE CHVRCH wherein my purpose was nothing else but onely to shew the weakenesse and insufficiency of those Motiues which leade so many to Papistrie and to bring to triall such reasons as the Iesuites and Seminaries ground themselues vpon in perswading their people against vs making it more then plaine that the corruptions of the Church of Rome are maintained and the communion of our Church in the doctrine preaching and the Sacraments thereof is refused by such as follow the Papacy vpon weake and false grounds that cannot be defended This poore booke it seemes hath not a little incensed my Aduersary and discontented many that yet should follow reason and the truth of things and not be transported with rumor and common impression For man being a noble creature endued with reason and faculty to discourse and hauing a rule left him of God whereby to examine things should not tie his faith and conscience to the authority or person of any more then the truth and the reason and euidence of that be saies will beare him out It was neuer heard of in the world till now of late yeares that the Pope and his definitions were the rule of faith or that men were bound to follow whatsoeuer he should appoint but the Church of God euery where till tyranny oppressed it examined his doctrine accepting and allowing that which agreed with the sacred Scriptures and the first antiquity and reiecting the rest and albeit many errors had long prescription yet the godly still held them to that rule of our Sauiour BVT FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO. Mat. 19.8 Our Aduersaries therefore may in some points possible pretend antiquitie but PRIORITIE which is the first and best antiquitie they cannot in any one thing wherein they refuse vs and whether the zealous and resolued Recusants will beleeue it or no yet it is certainely true there is no one point of Papistry Catholicke that is to say such as hath bene from the beginning generally receiued as an article of faith by the vniuersall Church And though it be granted that many parts of his religion haue long continued in the world yet were they neuer the certaine or generall doctrines of the Church but the corruptions of some therein which in time and by degrees obtained that strength and credit which now they haue it being the easiest thing of a thousand for the Pope and his clergie sitting at the sterne when themselues had once imbraced them with their strength and learning to giue them authority in the world when Mahomet himselfe by policy and tyrannie was able in time to spread abroad and a vniuersally the doctrine of his Alchoran which now is 800 yeare old and is followed by many and great nations as close as Papistrie is either in England or Italy But whē the Scripture makes it plaine that FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO and the Histories and monuments of antiquity and the bookes of the elder Papists and such as were chiefe in the Church of Rome beare witnesse that these things were misliked and in all ages complained of and that which the Church of England now professes was the faith of most godly men and holy Bishops though the power of the gouernors in the Church of Rome increasing they were suppresed they do but deceiue themselues that thinke our faith a new faith or the points of Papistrie the old religion I haue as well as I haue bene able and as diligently as I could with an vnpartiall eie and many teares to God for his direction in the businesse and with a heart hating contention and possessed as much as any mans liuing with desire of peace and vnity whereof my 17 yeares residence in Lancashire can giue plentifull witnesse read the Scriptures and trauelled through the writings of the Fathers and obserued the course of former times and well aduised my selfe of that which the learned of the Church of Rome in later times haue written from the elder Schoolemen to the later Iesuites though with all humility I acknowledge my selfe to be the meanest of any that haue taken this course and much lament my owne weaknesse yet am I readie whensoeuer God the Iudge of all secrets and the terrible reuenger of falsehood and partiality shall call me foorth of this world to testifie that my faith and religion and the points thereof maintained in my writings and preaching is the truth agreeable to the first antiquity and the contrary defended by the Iesuites and followed by Romish Recusants error and vncatholicke And if any persons presumed to be learned on the other side haue either in their life or death shewed extraordinary zeale for their Roman faith I desire I may be allowed my owne knowledge both of some such persons and of their iudgement and outward cariage and not be importuned to follow that which vnskilfull and vnable and partiall friends haue apprehended rather then my owne cleare knowledge both of them and their cause And if the Church of Rome haue in it diuers learned betweene whom and vs my Aduersaries will indure no comparison that write against vs yet my certaine experience of their manner of writing one against another and against knowne antiquitie and their strange maintenance of the foulest and
bad vnder pretence of aduancing the Gospell or the glory of God especially if they thinke that they may lawfully maintaine it by writing apparent and knowne vntruthes the better to defend it If I say there be any Protestant writers of such seared consciences I would wish they would plainely tell vs this their minds that so those poore soules who haue bene hitherto seduced may the better see how vnsound the Potestant Religion is which cannot be maintained but with apparent vntruths vttered by their writers either without due care of conscience or against their knowledge and conscience or with hauing such bad consciences as to thinke it lawfull to lie in this their cause pretended by them to be for the aduancement of Gods glory and of the Gospell or which is all one or worse to thinke one cannot lye too much in defence of this their Protestant cause or Gospell 5 This is a poore motion and proceeds from no great conceit yet I will satisfie it vpon condition he will rest satisfied with my answer Let this content you and beare not your selues in hand to the contrary we know our cause to be Gods owne truth which you haue corrupted with innumerable heresies patched thereunto and we not onely defend it as we do with a good conscience against you but wee would thinke it our greatest happines if the cause should so require to shed our blood in defence of it and it ioyes our hearts to see the weapons wherewith you fight against vs lying railing pride rage treason sedition fire and powder which is a signe that you are not of God this our cause we will maintaine with zeale and synceritie which shall be tried not by your calumnies but by the thing it selfe And I am so far from seduâ—ing any that I would giue my life for the reclaiming of those whom you haue seduced and bewitched with meere cozenage and impostures And as I hate lying to defend Gods truth so can I not but vpbraide them that run headily into Papistry afore they know how things stand betweene vs when vpon iust triall it will fall out that in the maine question betweene the Church of Rome and vs our aduersaries vphold themselues with meere imposture To the Reader HItherto reaches that which my Aduersary hath written against the Epistle and Preface of my booke now in the next place before he fall to replying vpon the booke it selfe he inserts an Introduction as he calles it containing a Declaration of the word Faith the which bebeginnes pag. 49. where his exceptions to the said Preface and epistle end And forasmuch as it is a new discourse intended * Since I see M. A Wotton to be either of so dull capacity of wit that he cannot conceiue or rather of so captious disposition of will that he will needes doubt and make a question what I meant by the word faith I haue thought good not onely to declare what I meant by the word but also by this action to set downe certaine points of doctrine pertaining to the thing signified by the word pag 49. of his Reply as it should seeme against M. Wotton and is no Reply to me but a superfluous and impertinent collection rudely and obscurely peeced together for the outfacing of that which he was not able formally to answer I would therefore cast away no time in medling with it but onely defend my selfe against such places thereof as touch my Booke because I will not be in his debt for a word Those places onely I haue here set downe in order as they lie in his Discourse with my Answer to them CHAP. XVI Touching assurance of Grace and Beleeuing a mans owne saluation 1. Perfection of the Scripture and necessitie of the Church Ministrie 2. 3. How the iustified conclude their saluation from the Scripture 4. The iustified haue the assurance of faith This is declared Full assurance voide of doubting taught by the most in the Church of Rome 5. Touching Perseuerance A. D. Now that it doth not at all appertaine to that kind of verities Pag. 57. which are to be beleeued by faith I proue out of the Protestants owne Principles to wit that * That this proofe must be by necessarie consequence without all authoritie of the Church is insinuated by White pag. 46 nothing is to be beleeued by faith but what is expressely set downe in Scripture or so contained that without all Church authoritie it may be euidently and by good consequence proued out of Scripture But the promise of Gods speciall mercie applied absolutely and in particular to Luther Caluine c. is neither expressed nor in manner aforesaid contained in Scripture Therefore it is not a verity to be beleeued by faith by the Protestants owne Principles 1 IN this Chapter where these words lye he discourses of the obiect of faith and inquires what the things are which belong to it and must be beleeued to no purpose intruding himselfe vpon an impertinent question touching the beleefe of a mans owne saluation and in this period he affirmes that it is against the Protestants owne Principles to beleeue it Because by their Principles nothing may be beleeued but what is set downe in Scripture either expressely or by good consequence which the saluation or remission of sinnes to Luther Caluine White or any particular man is not And to shew this to be our Principle he saies in the margent that M. White in such a place insinuats that nothing may be receiued as a point of faith vnlesse it can be proued by necessary consequence of Scripture without all authoritie of the Church meaning as I suppose that I require no Church authoritie to assure a man any thing but intend such things onely to be beleeued as may be proued at least by consequence of Scripture without the authoritie of the Church I answer 2. things First that in the place alleadged I deny no authority of the Church that is dâ—e vnto it but onely against them that charge the Scripture with insufficiency as if they wanted many things needfull to be beleeued which must be supplied by the Tradition and Authority of the Church I affirme that whatsoeuer is needfull to be knowne beleeued or done is contained in Scripture and by the same ALONE may absolutely be determined The meaning whereof is that what Ministrie and power soeuer the Church hath to teach and rule vs in the vse of the Scripture and points of faith which authority no Protestant will deny to belong to the true Church or to be needfull yet all things whatsoeuer belong to faith and the Church by any authoritie may propose vnto vs are contained in the Scripture and may be proued thereby alone the said Church authoritie being onely a requisite condition subordinate for the readier attaining to the sence and vse of the Scripture but no rule or principle either aboue or with the Scripture whereinto any mans faith in any point is resolued so that it
may be said This I must or I may beleeue vpon the tradition and authority of the Church though it be not any way reuealed in the Scripture The which assertion of ours hath 2. parts the one affirmatiue that the Scripture alone and absolutely considered in it owne Latitude and extent containeth all things belonging to faith without defect This is proued a Digr 3. 1 2. in the way The other Negatiue that the Churches authoritie is neither needfull nor able to supply any necessary or new point of faith that is not contained in the Scripture I deny it not to be ordinarily a necessary condition for the knowing and beleeuing that which the Scripture reueales for b Ro. 10.14 How shall they heare that they may beleeue without a Preacher c Act. 8.31 How can we vnderstand except we haue a guide d Mal 3.7 for the Priests lips should preserue knowledge and at his mouth they should seeke the Law for he is the Messenger of the Lord of hoasts I onely deny it to be the rule and foundation of faith or so much as the last infallible and cleare ground whereupon the beleeuer in any point that he beleeues restes himselfe The which to hold proportion with the Iesuit in this place I onely proue by the Papists owne principles to wit that the proposition of the Church is e Grego Val. tom 3. disp 1. q. 1. punct 1. pag. 32. §. sit nunc Sexta neither the last and clearest motiue whereupon our faith staies but there are higher and clearer then it which can be nothing but the immediate supernaturall light of the verities beleeued themselues shining vpon our hearts from the Scripture whereunto the light of Church authority when it hath reuealed the doctrine contained in Scripture to vs giues place as all lesser lights do when a greater begins to shine 2 Secondly I answer that from this Principle of ours Nothing may be beleeued but what is set downe in Scripture expressely or may be gathered from thence by good consequence it doth not follow that a particular man as Luther or White cannot beleeue the promises of Gods speciall mercie touching his owne saluation because though Luther or Whites name be not expressely set downe in the promise yet that which is set downe is so offered to vs that being penitent beleeuers and iustified and standing in grace whereof there is an infallible assurance f THE WAIâ— Digr 43. by our aduersaries owne confession we may conclude our owne particular Saluation from thence and must indeuour to beleeue it This part of my answer affirmes 2. things First that a penitent sinner iustified and eleuated into the state of grace may infallibly proue or gather the assurance of his Saluation by good consequence from the Scripture Secondly that this assurance thus to be gathered appertaines to those verities which are beleeued by the habite of faith I do not say any man can at all times so firmely and without feare of the contrary beleeue his owne reconciliation with God as he can the first articles of faith that are expressely and immediately reuealed I onely affirme that he beleeues it by the habite of supernaturall faith and is bound to endeuour and vse the meanes that he may beleeue it 3 The first point I haue purposely shewed g Digr 40. n. 39. 4â— n. 10. in the THE WAIE and confirmed by the confession of diuers of our Aduersaries whither I referre the Iesuit that he may see how and in what manner this assurance is gathered Onely I will here admonish the reader that if the penitent beleeuer could not by necessary consequence of Scripture and true application of the generall promises of the Gospell to his owne particular person conclude his saluation he were in no wise bound to beleeue it but now when he hath receiued the Testimony of Gods Spirit within him crying Abba Father the power of the same Spirit in his body and soule renuing him and producing the effectes of sauing grace the Faith of Christ whereby he giues consent to the Gospell the life of Christ whereby he liues not himselfe but Christ liues in him the power of his death whereby he dies to the world and sinne when finally in truth and conscience he performes all the conditions that the Scripture requires and feeles within him those very signes whereby the Gospell describes the elect it may not be doubted but by good consequence both in matter and forme he may conclude his owne saluation It is no where written in the Bible that Luther or Caluine shall rise at the last day yet the Reply will allow them to beleeue it by consequence from that which is written All men shall rise It is no where written that this Iesuite shall come into Iudgement and giue an account of this his faith and the waies wherein he walkes yet I presume he beleeues it by faith in that by consequence it necessarily followes of that Article He shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead In the same manner a penitent sinner examining himselfe concludes his owne saluation from the Scripture that sayes h Marc. 16.16 Rom. 10.9 Euery one that repents and beleeues shall be saued Therefore if there be any certainty of a mans owne repentance of his being in Grace of the testimony of Gods Spirit and i Paret Lombarâ—um nec vâ—luâ—sse nec doâ—â—isse vt doâ—erentur Christian de peccatorum remissione gratia Dei vita aeterna perpetuo dubitare aut diffidere quemad modum re vera nec vllus Orthodoxus sani iudicij Ecclesiastes inter Pontificios quod equidem sciam vnquam illud docuit Mart. Eisengren defens Concil Trid. de cert grat p. 216. fie vpon that mouth that will say there is none when the Scripture k 2. Co. 13.5 biddes vs Try our selues touching them it must needes be yeelded that there is a certainty likewise of his saluation 4 The second point that the remission of our sinnes and eternall life is beleeued by Faith is cleare vpon 4. points 1. because in the Creed those 2. Articles are made the obiect of Faith therefore the penitent sinner applies them to himselfe by the same habit 2. l Aliqui Catholici existimarunt posse vnumquemque credete fide diuina sine peculiari reuelatione dimissa sibi esse peccata Vasqu 12. disp 200. n. 5. Many learned Papists confesse so much Fisher of Rochester m Roffenf opusc de fid miserecord dei axiom 10. If we will enter into heauen we must not come with a double heart or wauering Faith but with that which is ALTOGETHER VNDOVBTING and MOST CERTAINE For to doubting minds there is no way open Gropper and the Diuines of Collen n Antididag c. de iustif §. proditum est p. 29. We are iustified by Faith whereby WITHOVT DOVBTING we firmely beleeue that our sinnes who are truely penitent are forgiuen vs for Christ
of him of no deepe iudgement but giuen to beleeue reports for he was not so carefull to attend what was written by the Apostles as to gather together the reports and traditions of such as had bene conuersant with the Apostles and Apostolicall men he was deceiued thereby himselfe and deceiued many that followed him That it is no maruell if some among the Fathers taking that course vented in their bookes that which is not so sound and vnawares writ some things which the Church of Rome declining into heresie and following Antichrist afterward would lay hold on to maintaine their errors Thus Origen Tertullian Lucifer Lactantius Hilary Cyprian and all the Fathers till it come to good S. Austin the most orthodoxall of all the Fathers Greeke or Latine partly seduced by reports and tradition as was Papias partly transported by the subtilty and learning of Philosophers and heretickes that liued euery where among them and partly * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil pag. 314. ouercharged with zeale or passion in contending against them deliuered diuers things that were not the vniforme doctrine of the Church whereof some perhaps may belong to the now errors of the Church of Rome but that is not much and what can be shewed concernes but the smaller points of Popery wherein there is no great moment and euen in such aduantages they are vnhappy that haue nothing in the Fathers to pleasure them but the parings of their nails and excrements of their writings And if our aduersaries be impatient hereat the field is open let the resolutest among them chuse any point determined against vs in the new creed of the Trent Councell and shew out of his Coccius or whence he will this vnanime consent of the Fathers for it and he shall be answered in such sort that it shall euidently appeare there in no such matter 3 His third argument is the testimony of his ProtestaÌ„t apology such another author as Coccius was a Seminary Priest yet liuing and of the same stamp the Repliar himselfe is Which brings to my mind a iest that I read in Cyrill of the Emperor Iulian a Mâ— certe sanauit saepe Aesculapius aegrotantem subministrans remedia horum testis est Iupiter cont Iulia. l. 7. p. 1â—2 Aesculapius verily hath often cured me when I haue bene sicke and I call Iupiter to witnesse He brings his testimony to proue the deity of Aesculapius who himselfe was no lesse an idoll then Aesculapius as my Repliar alledges Coccius and Briarly whose writings are mistrusted no lesse then his owne Reply That which he hath said is answered by b Protest App. p. 1. inde the D. of Winch. to whose booke I refer the Repliar as he refers me to Briarly That the first conuersion of English men was not By Austin I c §. 49. shewed in THE WAY and whether Gregory professed the faith now holden in Rome the Reader may see in the D. of Winch. booke His holding of some things superstitiously which the Church of Rome hath entertained proues not that he professed the same faith the Church of Rome now doth because the faith of the said Church comprehends much more then he held and what he held is now otherwise expounded and applied then by him it was For example in the matter of images he was superstitious d Lib 7 ep 54. Secundino sub sin and would haue them vsed to put vs in minde and to be lay mens bookes but e L. 9. ep 9. in no wise to be worshipped It is reported to me that being inflamed with inconsiderate zeale you haue broken in peeces the images of Saints with this excuse that they ought not to be worshipped And verily we do altogether commend you in that you forbad them TO BE WORSHIPT but we reproue you for breaking them for it is one thing to ADORE a picture and another thing by the historie of a picture TO LEARNE what is to be adored For what writing performes to them that can reade the same doth a picture to idiots beholding it now that which was placed in Churches NOT TO BE ADORED but ONELY to instruct the ignorant should not haue bene broken Now f Tho. 3. part q. 25. art 3 Capre ol 3. d. 9. q. vnic ad 1. concl 2. imagines porto Christi Deiparae virginis aliorum sanctorum in templis retinendas eisque debitum honorem venerationem impertiendam per imagines quas oscul â—mur coram quibus caput a perimus procumbimus Christum adoramus sanctos quorum illae similitudinem gerunt veneramur conc Trid. sess vlt. vbi verbum Adoramus Latriam verbum autem Veneramur duliâ—m significare videtur Suar. tom 1. d. 54. â— 4. imagines Christi sanctoruÌ„ venerandae sunt non solum per accidents vel impropriè ita vt ipsae termineÌ„t vâ—nerationem vt in se considerantuâ— non sulum vt vicem gerunt exemplaris Bell. de imag c. 21. the faith professed by our aduersaries is that they are to be worshipt and adored with diuine honour and properly which Gregory condemned So likewise g Moral l. 4. c. 42. l. 18. c. 24. l. 25. c. 1. his wordes are alleadged for the merite of workes yet the condignity thereof now maintained and wherein merite properly consisteth he neuer dreamt of but saies plainely h Explan in Psal poemt p. 7. v. Auditam fac mihi the contrary If that happinesse of the Saints in heauen be Gods mercie and not obtained by merits where shall that be which is written And thou shalt reward euery man according to his workes If it be giuen according to workes how shall mercie be esteemed This is the obiection now marke his answer But it is one thing for God to render according to works and another thing to render for the works themselues For in that which is said According to works the quality it selfe of the works is vnderstood that the glorious reward shall be his whose good works shall appeare because vnto that blessed life wherein with God and of God we liue no labour can be equalized no works compared specially when the Apostle saies The sufferings of this life time are not condignely worthy of future glory which shall be reuealed in vs. it is certaine therefore that to whom he mercifully giues to worke well in this life to them he more mercifully giues that to them in eternall blessednesse an hundredfold fruite shall be rewarded This profession of Gregory is farre from that which a Before §. where M. Baius his doctrine is laied downe I haue shewed the Church of Rome now professes touching the merite of our works Secondly whereas our of Briarly he saies the Faith professed by Gregory and taught the English men by Austine at our first conuersion agreed for substance with the first faith whereto the Brittans were conuerted in the Apostles daies and was the same which vniuersally was professed We