largitas Where grace is there is not reward of workes but the largesse and bounty of the giuer h Leo Epist 84. Gratia nisâ— gratis dâ—tur non est gratia sed merces retribâ—tion meritorum Grace saith Leo except it be freely giuâ—n is no grace but a reward and recompense of merits leauing it consequent that if it be the reward and recompense of merits then it is not grace Thus they determine grace and merit to be things incompatible and of so perfect opposition eaâ—h to other as that the one cannot stand where place is yeelded to the other Sith then the Apostle teacheth that eternall life is a matter of grace and free gift we must conceiue that it is not to be hanged vpon mans merit or if in any respect it be to be ascribed to the merit of man it is not grace because it is not free in euery respect M. Bishops respects thereof of originally and principally are to be sent to the Pelagian schoole where they would be admitted as well as they are amongst the Papists but in the schoole of Christ they are exploded as derogatory to the grace of Christ and yeelding so much glory to man as is the manifest impeaching of the glory of God And yet so impudent is he that he would make St. Austin the author of his respects whom i Of Merits sect 8. before I haue shewed to be farre off from approuing any such Originally forsooth eternall life is the gift of God because we must receiue grace by the free gift of God befâ—re we can doe any thing that doth deserue the ioyes of heauen So then eternall life it selfe is not the free gift of God but only grace which enableth vs to worke by our free will and so to deserue eternall life And did St. Austin conceiue this to be the meaning of the Apostle Surely in the place before mentioned I haue shewed that St. Austin attributeth our good workes not originally only but fully and wholly to the gift and worke of God and thereby disclaimeth the merit of man because what shall man be said to merit by that that is wholly and only Gods Therefore he saith that God in rendering eternall life to good workes doth but giue k August de Grat. lib. Arbit cap. 8. Gratia est pro gratia grace for grace one grace after and for another M. Bishop would haue him say that God rendereth merit for grace but St. Austin will acknowledge no other but only grace for grace And the more to beate downe the pride of merit he saith l Ibid. cap. 7. Si Dei dona sunt bona merita tua non Deus coronat merita tua tâ—nquam merita tuâ— sed tanquam dona sua If thy good workes be the gifts of God then God crowneth not thy merits as thy merits but as his owne gifts Yea he plainly testifieth that therefore the Apostle saith m Ibid. cap. 9. Maluit diâ—â—re Gratia Dei vitâ— aeterna vt hinâ— intellâ—gâ—râ—mus non pro meritis nostris Deum nos ad vitam aeternam sed pro â—iseratione sua perducere Eternall life is the grace or gift of God that we should vnderstand that God bringeth vs to eternall life not for our merits but for his onâ—ne mercies sake alleaging to that purpose the wordes of the Psalme n Psal 103. 4. He crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnesse As touching his second limitation that eternall life is principally the gift of God because the whole vertue and value of our merits proceedeth of the dignity of Gods grace in vs which doth eleuate and giue such worth to our workes that they thereby deserue life euerlasting the nullity of it is plaine by that that hath beene said because if the whole value of the worke bee to bee assigned to the grace of God then can no merit bee reputed thereby to man for what should man merit by that in the worth whereof hee can chalenge nothing to be his I haue o Of Merits sect 3. before shewed that that whereby a man should be said to merit must be of himselfe If the value of the thing be of another let the merit be ascribed to him of whom it is but vainly doth he claime merit who hath no propriety of that whereby he should merit As concerning the value of good workes I shall haue occasion further to speake in the thirteenth chapter and therefore I forbeare to stand vpon it in this place Only I wish M. Bishop to consider that which St. Austin briefly saith that p August de Temp. ser 49. In comparatione resurrectionis illius stercus est tota viâ—a quam genimus paulò priùs Vnusquisque metiatur se quid est modò quid erit tunc inueniet in comparatione illiâ—s iustitiâ— ista damna esse stercora in comparison of the resurrection all the life that here we leade is but dung let euery man measure himselfe saith he what he is now and what he shall be then and he shall finde that in comparison of the righteousnesse that shall be then all now is but drosse and dung Now tell vs M. Bishop your opinion may we thinke drosse to be worth gold or the dung of this earth to deserue that righteousnesse and glory of heauen What madnesse is it to imagine such a value of desert in that worke which is but dung in comparison of that that it should deserue But at once to ouerthrow all that M. Bishop hath here answered I will set downe what Fulgentius hath deliuered concerning the place here in hand q Fulgent ad Monim lib. 1. Gratia autem etiam ipsa non iniustè dicitur quiâ—â—â—on solâ—â—â— donis sâ—is Deus doâ—â—a sua reddit sed quia tantum etiam â—bi gratia diuina retributionis exuberat vt incomparabilitèr atque inessabilitèr omne meritum quamuis bonâ— â—â— Dâ—o datâ— humanae voluntatis atque operationis excedat Therefore is eternall life saith he not without cause called grace not only for that God rendereth his owne gifts to his owne gifts but also for that the grace of Gods reward doth there so much abound as that incomparably and vnspeakably it exceedeth all the merit of the will and worke of man although it be good and giuen of God himselfe By which wordes he plainly giueth vs to vnderstand as on the one side that God in bringing vs to eternall life doth but proceede in giuing and consummate thereby the gift of saluation which from the beginning he freely intended to vs and by calling and iustifying and glorifying vs as by degrees acteth that which he intended so on the other side that in the intermediate gifts of God there is nothing to take away from the finall gift the name of grace because there is no comparison betwixt the one and the other that the one should be said in any sort to merit and deserue the other But here it is
worthy to be noted how M. Bishop trippeth and crosseth himselfe who hauing first told vs that the whole value of our merits whereby we deserue eternall life proceedeth of the dignity of Gods grace in vs presently altereth the case and saith that we must concurre with grace to the effecting of good works and this our working with the grace of God deserues heauen Surely if the whole value of our merits doe proceede of the dignity of Gods grace then the desert of heauen ariseth not of our working with grace or if the desert of heauen doe arise of our working with grace then it doth not wholly arise from the dignity of grace But hereby wee may see that all the wordes which they vse as touching grace are but hypocrisie and deceipt and that their true resolution is that the desert of heauen issueth out of the free will of man vsing grace as a toole or instrument for the doing of workes whereby to deserue the same Thus of gift they make no gift and turne all wholly into merit and by the free will of man doe vtterly ouerthrow the grace of God carrying notwithstanding in the meane time a conscience of shame of that they teach and colouring all with good workes as Pelagius the Heretike and his followers in the same case were wont to doe But M. Bishop will proue all that he saith by another sentence of the same Epistle to the Romans r Rom. 2. 6. God will render to euery man according to his workes c. where he saith we may see in expresse termes eternall life to be rendered and repaid for good works Where wee rather see his pertinacy in errour who rather chooseth to make the Apostle to contradict himselfe then to yeeld to the truth plainly deliuered by the Apostle But nothing can be deuised more fit for answere to him or more effectuall to stoppe his mouth then that which Gregory Bishop of Rome hath purposely set downe for satisfaction to those wordes f Gregor in Psalm Poeâ—itent 7. Quòd si illa Sanctorâ— soelicitas miserecordia est nö meritis acquiritur vbi erit quod scriptum est Et tu reddes vnicuique secundum opera sua si secundum opera redditur quomodo miserecordia a stimabitur sed aliud est secundum opera reddere aliud propter ipsa opera reddere In co enim quod secundum opera dicitur ipsa operum qualitas intelligitur vt cuiâ—s apparuerint bona opera eius sit retribut o gloriosa Illi namque beatae vitae in qua cum Deo de Deo viuitur nullus potâ—st aquari labor nulla opera comparari praesertim cùm Apostolus dicat Non sunt condignae passiones c. If the felicity of the Saints bee mercy saith he and be not obtained by merits how shall it stand which is written Thou shalt render vnto euery man according to his workes If it be rendered according to workes how shall it be esteemed mercy But it is one thing saith he to render according to workes and another thing to render for the works themselues For in that it is said according to workes the very quality of the workes is vnderstood so as that whose good works shall appeare his reward shall be glorious For to that blessed life wherein we shall liue with God and of God no labour can be equalled no workes can be compared for that the Apostle telleth vs The sufferings of this time are not comparable in worth to the glory to come that shall be reueiled on vs. Where we see how he setteth it downe as a thing without question to be confessed that eternall life is mercy only and is not to be purchased or gained by merits and that the Scripture in saying that God rendereth to euery man according to his workes doth not import that God in giuing reward vnto good workes doth any thing for the workes sake as if he regarded the merit or value thereof but respecteth only the quality of our workes as vsing the same for a marke only wherby he will take knowledge of them to whom he intendeth to shew mercy At these wordes of Gregory me thinks I see how M. Bishop biteth the lippe and chafeth in his minde to heare him thus distinguishing like a Protestant and seriously approuing that which he with scorne hath reiected being spoken by M. Perkins t Of Merits sect 17. O sharpe and ouer-fine wit saith he doth God render according to the workes and doth he not render for the workes What M. Bishop will you mocke Gregory in the same sort and twite him with a sharpe and ouer-fine wit He hath taught vs to distinguish thus he telleth vs that it is one thing to render for workes another thing to render according to workes which sith you admit not why doe you dâ—ale so impudently in chalenging to your selues a full and perfect agreement with the ancient Church of Rome I might further enlarge this matter out of Gregory by sundry speeches tending to the disabling of all humane works but that it followeth more properly to speake thereof in the thirteenth Chapter CHAP. XI That concupiscence or lust is sinne euen in the very habit and first motions of it ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE HE telleth vs againe and againe that concupiscence is sinne to lust is to sinne c. to S. Paul saith of the spirit of adoption c. W. BISHOP THe Apostle telleth vs againe and againe that our Sauiour Christ Iesus was made 2. Cor. 5. v. 21. sinne and yet no Christian is so simple as to take him to be properly sinne but the host or satisfaction for sinne so when the Rom. 8. vers 3. Apostle calleth concupiscence sinne wee vnderstand him with S. Augustine that it is not sinne properly yet so called not vnaptly both because it is the effect L. b. 1. cont duas Epist Pelag. cap. 10. Lib. 1. de Nupt Concupisc cap. 23. and remnant of originall sinne and doth also pricke vs forward to actuall sinne but if by helpe of the grace of God we represse it we are deliuered from the infection and guilt of it Which S. Paul in the very same Chapter declareth when he demandeth Who shall deliuer me Ibid. vers 25. from this body of death he answereth presently the grace of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. And againe that profound Doctor S. Augustine argueth very soundly out of the same sentence where concupiscence is called sinne but now not I worke it any more but the sinne that is in me that the Apostle could not meane sinne properly which cannot saith he be committed Lib. 6. cont Iulian. c. 23. without the consent of our minde but that had no consent of the minde to it because it was not the Apostle that did worke it Now how can that be the euill worke of a man if the man himselfe doe not worke it as the Apostle saith expresly not I doe
and subiect to perish if God deale seuerely and strictly with vs if holy men acknowledge and confesse according to truth that they haue nothing to presume of in their owne merits but that they trust only to Gods mercy if amidst our good workes it be by humble prayer and request that wee obtaine the eternall reward where is that worthinesse of workes which M. Bishop pleadeth for and what cause hath he to be angry that we say by the Apostles wordes that our good workes are not worthy of the glory that is to come Or if he will needes be angry let him be angry with Ambrose though not a member yet a neighbour of the Church of Rome who plainly expoundeth the Apostles meaning to be this that k Ambros Epist 22. Vt hortetur ad passionè adiungit quia omnia quae patimur minora sunt indigna quorum pro laboribus tanta rependatur futurorum merces benorum c. all the things that we suffer are too little and vnworthy that for the paines and labours thereof so great reward of future good things should be rendered vnto vs. Which being so we see how vainly M. Bishop dealeth to tell vs a tale how our workes attaine to so great worthinesse when as there is no such worthinesse to be found in them We receiue this dignity saith he by being made members of Christ and by the vertue of Gods grace wherewith our workes are wrought and by the promise of God Where it is wholly idle and impertinent that he mentioneth the promise of God for what hath the promise of God to doe with the merit of man God bindeth himselfe by promise where there is no merit nor any thing whereof to merit yea where there are demerits to giue him cause to forbeare from promising Thus saith St. Austin l August in Psal 109. Quicquid promisit indignis promisit vt noÌ„ quasi operibus merces promitteretur sed gratia à nomine suo gratis daretur quia hoc ipsum quòd iustè viuit in quaÌ„tum homo poâ—est iustè viuere non meriti humani sed beneficij est diuini Whatsoeuer God promised he promised to vs being vnworthy that it might not be promised as a reward to works but being by name grace might accordingly be freely giuen because to liue iustly so farre as man can liue iustly is not a matter of mans merit but of the gift of God And of this promise of God he saith againe that m IdeÌ„ in psal 88. Non secunduÌ„ merita nostra sed secundum miserecordiam illius firma est promissio it is sure not according to our merits but according to his owne mercy Why then doth M. Bishop goe about to build the merit of man vpon the promise of God which is only his free and voluntary mercy As for the grace of God giuen vnto vs by being members of Christ true it is that all our vertue and goodnesse proceedeth therefrom but to say nothing that man cannot be said to merit by that that is the worke of God so farre are we from hauing the iustice of God hereby bound vnto vs in respect of our worthinesse as that God hath rather hereby occasion of quarrell against vs for disgracing those gifts whereby he hath graced vs and for blemishing and staining with our corruptions those good workes which he hath vouchsafed to doe by vs. For as the clearest water hauing a troublesome passage through a muddy and vnwholsome ground contracteth and gathereth the corruption and filth thereof euen so the grace of God hauing a troubled passage through the corrupt nature of man which is continually casting vp the mire and dirt of noisome and sinnefull motions and desires gathereth thereof a soile and filth by reason whereof there proceedeth nothing from man that is not corrupted and defiled Thus Hilary teacheth and is therein approued by Austin that n Hilar. apud August cont Iulian. lib. 2. Memores coÌ„scij corpora nostra vitioruÌ„ omnium esse materieÌ„ pro qua nihil in nobis mundum nihil innocens obtinemus we are to remember that our bodies are the matter of all vices by meanes whereof wee haue nothing in vs innocent nothing cleane o Greg. Mor. l. 1. c. 17. Quid est quod in hac vita sine quauis tenuissimi contagij inquinatione peragatur What is there saith Gregory that can be done in this life without some defilement of secret contagion And againe p Ibid. l. 31. c. 5 Elâ—cti quâ—mdiu in hac vita sunt sine quaÌ„tulocunque culpae contagio esse non possunt The elect so long as they are in this life cannot be without some contagion of sinne Yea q Ibid. l. 32. c. 4 Nullus in hac vita ita perfectus est vt quamlibet Deo deuotus sit inter ipsa quantumcunque pia vota non peccet there is none so perfect in this life saith he howsoeuer deuoted vnto God as that he sinneth not amidst his most holy and religious desires To be short r Ibid. l. 35. c. 16. Si de his diuinitùs districtè discutimur quis inter isâ—a remanet salutis locus quando mala nostra pura malâ— sunt bona quae nos â—abere credimus pura bona esse nequaquam possunt if God doe narrowly sift our doings what place is there left for saluation when as our euill doings are meerely euill but the good things which we beleeue we haue cannot be purely good If our good workes cannot be purely good if all that we doe be polluted and defiled with the contagion of sinne and in all that proceedeth from vs there be found vncleannesse if God by the eye of his seuere iudgement doe strictly view and behold the same then cannot any good workes of ours be truly said to be worthy of the heauenly glory yea they make vs rather obnoxious to censure and punishment if God doe not mercifully remit the defaults of them Neither doe the places by M. Bishop alleaged proue any thing contrary to that we say The first saith only Å¿ 2. Thess 1. 5. That yee may be counted worthy of the Kingdome of God and it is one thing to be worthy in Gods account and acceptation which all the faithfull are in Christ another thing to be worthy by merit and perfection which no man can be Of the former St. Bernard saith t Bernard in dedicat Eccles ser 5 Nos sumus sed ipsius dignatione non dignitale nostra c. Nec dignatio locum habet vbi 〈…〉 rit praesumptiâ— dignitatis We are but it is by Gods dignation or vouchsafing vs aâ— worthy not by our dignity or worthinesse Yea dignation or vouchsafing hath no place saith he where there is a presumption of dignity or worth Of the latter Chrysostome saith u Chrysost ad Coloss homil 2. Nemo talem vitae conuersationem ostendit vt regno dignus esse
it is manifest and our consciences force vs to confesse that we are not doers of the law For to be a doer of the law requireth the doing of all that the law commandeth to be done For b Iam. 2. 10. he that keepeth the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is guilty of all that is he is a transgressour of the law which commandeth all and because he is a transgressour of the law therefore cannot be called a doer of the law We therefore who are all transgressours of the law cannot be said to be doers of the law and because we are not doers of the law therefore cannot by the law be iustified before God And thus the Apostle telleth the Iewes that c Rom. 2. 13. not the hearers but the doers of the law shall be iustified but chargeth vpon them that they were d Vers 17. c. not doers of the law and groweth to this conclusion that e Chapt. 3. 9. all both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne and hence inferreth further f Vers 20. Therefore by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified in the sight of God Hath not M. Bishop now brought vs a goodly proofe that wee are iustified before God by workes when as the Apostle vseth those very wordes to enforce the contrary that we are not iustified by workes As handsomly doth he deale for the proofe of free-will There is much for free-will saith he witnesse this g Rom. 6. 12. 13. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that you obey the concupiscence thereof c. Hence he inferreth that it is in the power and will of euery man endued with Gods grace to doe well And who denieth but that it is so who maketh doubt but that the grace of God giueth vs a power and will to doe well The question only is whether there be in vs any such power of our selues which is not the effect of the grace of God Thereof we say with St. Austin h August de Peccat Merit Remiss l. 2. c. 18. LaboraÌ„t homines inuenire in nostra voluntate quid boni sit nostrum quod nobis non sit ex Deo quomodo inueniri possit ignorâ— Men labour to finde in our will what good is ours which is not in vs of God and how it may be found we doe not know Otherwise we deny not free-will for vve say that vve are i Rom. 6. 22. freed from sinne and that k Iohn 8. 36. the sonne of God doth make vs free We deny not the power and vvill to doe well for vve say that l Phil. 2. 13. God doth worke in vs both to will and to doe But because we say that God doth worke it in vs and God doth make vs free therefore vve deny Popish free-will vvhich is a faculty and power of nature vvhereby by an act of our owne vvhich is not of God wee apply our selues to the grace of God and adioyne our selues to vvorke vvith it He againe collecteth that sinne hath no such dominion ouer vs but that we may doe well if we will concurre with Gods grace True it is but still the issue is vvhence we haue this vvill or vvhose worke it is that we doe concurre vvith the grace of God We say as St. Austin saith m August in Psal 77. Gratia facit sibi cooperantem hominis spiritum in opere bonorum factorum It is the grace of God that maketh the spirit of man concurrent with it in the doing of good workes and vvith St. Bernard n Bernard de Grat. lib. Arbit Coadiutorem facit cùm facit volentem hoc est voluntati suae conseâ—ticuâ—em God maketh a man concurrent when he maketh him willing that is consenting to his will It is true then that man doth concurre vvith the grace of God but it is grace it selfe that vvorketh it in man to concurre vvith grace But to open himselfe further he saith that it is not grace which doth all but a man must worke with grace and exhibit the powers of his soule as instruments to the producing of good workes Where againe we admit the latter part of his wordes that we must worke with grace and exhibit the powers of our soules as instruments of good workes but we say againe that so to doe is the gift of God o Leo de ieiun ser 1. Vt in nobis formaÌ„ suae bonitatis inueniat dat vnde ipsi quoque quod operatur operamur Who saith Leo that he may finde the image of his goodnesse in vs giueth vs whence to worke or doâ— the same that he doth But in the first part of the words he bewraieth his hereticall meaning taken out of the schoole of Pelagius when he saith it is not grace that doth all For hereby he will haue it vnderstood that man hath somwhat of his owne which is not any worke of grace and that by this power which he hath naturally of himselfe he worketh with grace and exhibiteth the powers of his soule vnto good workes But Gregory Bishop of Rome was not of this minde who saith of the elect and faithfull p Gregor in Psal Poenit. 7. Qui nihil boni sibi sed totuÌ„ gratiae Dei tribuunt scientes se nihil habere quod non acceperunt hoc enim operatus est in eis qui vasa misericordiae â—ecit eos They attribute no good to themselues but all wholly to the grace of God knowing that they haue nothing which they haue not receiued for he hath wrought it in them who hath made them vessels of his mercy It is not grace that doth all saith M. Bishop â—â— the iust doe attribute all to grace saith Gregory See how well the doctrine of the new Church of Rome agreeth with the old What the old Church of Rome taught in this behalfe the same also we teach not that we haue a power of free-will in nature whereby we can follow whither grace doth leade but what Gregory saith of Paul the same is true in vs that q Gregor in Ezech. hom 9. Praeueniens gratia liberum in eo arbitrium fecerat in bono libero arbitrio eaÌ„dem gratiam est subsecutus in opere the preuenting grace of God maketh the will free in that that is good and then we by free-will doe in worke follow the same grace For r Idem Moral lib. 16. cap. 10. Superna pietas priùs agit in nobis aliquid sine nobis vt subsequente quoque nostro libero arbitrio bonum quod iam appetimus a gat nobiscum the heauenly grace saith he againe doth first of all without vs worke somewhat in vs which is that which St. Austin saith Å¿ Aug. de grat l. arbit c. 17. Vt velimus sine nobis operatur Without vs he worketh in vs to will and St. Bernard t Bernard de grat lib. arbit
grace the substance and truth being reueiled they ought to cease This was the very reason why the Apostles taught the Church x Col. 2. 17. 20. to be disburdened of those rites because they were shadowes of things to come the body whereof is in Christ. But M. Bishop telleth vs by another spirit that therefore the Church of Rome reteineth them because they were shadowes of things to come because they were types and figures of the law of grace and reproueth them of vndiscreet zeale that are minded otherwise Sith then he can obserue vndiscreet zeale in the Apostles I may not maruell that he deemeth my sore eyes darkened with strange defluxion and distillation of corrupt humours but such indeede is the case of mine eyes that in the law of Moses and in the Prophets I cannot see that religion which we call Popery which standeth in those points of faith whereof the question is betwixt them and vs. The rest of his wordes I passe ouer as idle talke What hee hath declared wee see and we see so much folly in it and so little weight as that we cannot but aduise him to take longer time and goe ouer the same againe W. BISHOP §. 5. ANd much more reprâ—chfull is it to hold as he doth That we worship God after the same manner as they did for then should we sacrifice to him Beefs Muttons Calues and Lambs and our sacrificers should be of Aarons issue and order and we all circumcised I omit all their ceremonies because M. Abbot excepteth them And if the Protestants doe altogether pray as they did and in the same termes as M. Abbot affirmeth them to doe they sometimes then doe pray vnto God to remember Exod. 32. v. 13. Abraham Isaac and Iacob and for their sakes to make mercy on them for to that effect and in those termes prayed the Prophet Moyses and that according vnto those Patriarkes expresse order and commandement Genes 48. v. 16. Whereunto if it please the Protestants to ioyne that other prayer of the Psalmist Remember O Lord Dauid Psal 131. and all his mildnesse let them tell mee whether this small prayer with which they finde so great fault Tu per Thomae sanguinem c. Thou O Lord for that blouds sake which thy seruant shed in defence of thy holy Church take compassion vpon vs be not warranted for good by example of the like recorded in the old Testament For if they then did desire God to remember the excellent vertues of his seruants and for their sakes to shew mercy to others why may not we doe the same now why may we not as well beseech God to remember the constant fortitude of S. Thomas as they did the mildnesse of Dauid I will not dwell vpon these impertinent and loose follies which all that be not babes may of themselues easily discry but doe out of the premises inferre first that no religion was to be called Catholike before the Gospell of Christ was preached or to be preached to all nations and therefore the law of Moyses being peculiar to one people and countrey could not be called Catholike secondly that the Roman faith and religion is very conformable to that of the Patriarks and Prophets as the verity is to the figure whence it followeth that the Protestants new deuices hold no due correspondence with them I haue already confuted this his assertion That Christ at his comming confirmed the faith and religion of the Iewes without any additions of his owne and commended it simply and nakedly only stripping it of types and shadowes to be preached to all nations And here I adde that then Christians may yet haue many wiues together as the Iewes had or giue their wiues vppon any displeasure a libell of diuorse for these were no shadowes nor ceremonies And briefly it should follow thereof that all that part of their law that doth belong to iustice and iudgement stands still in full force and vertue among vs Christians which is most opposite to the determination of the Apostles in the first Councel holden at Hierusalem where it was plainly decided that we Christians Act. 15. vers 28. were not bound to keepe the old law Againe if the Apostles were simply and nakedly to preach vnto the Gentiles the law of Moyses stript of types and shadowes why were they commanded to preach vnto them the Sacrament of baptisme or of our Lords Supper which are no where commanded in the law of Moyses Well let this then passe as a most notorious and grosse ouersight But the Apostles saith he added nothing of their owne which is very false for many things were left by our Sauiour to their disposition whereupon Saint Paul saith Caetera cum venero disponam I will dispose 1. Cor. 11. v. 3â— of the rest when I come and was further bold to say Haec dico ego non Dominus For the rest I say 1. Cor. 7. v. 12. not our Lord. M. Abbot goes on belying the Apostle and saying And they preached only the Gospell Rom. 1. promised before by the Prophets where he corrupteth the Text by adding the word only and weaueth into that Text to the Romans these wordes out of the Acts of the Apostles saying none other things then those Act. 26. v. 22. which the Prophets and Moyses did say should come where he both mangleth the Text and also breaks off in the middest of a sentence that it might seeme applyable to all points of the Apostles preachings which the Apostle applyeth only to Christs death and resurrection and the preaching and carrying of light vnto the Gentiles It is a peece of strange alchymie to distill out of these wordes of the Apostle that they preached nothing but the same faith and religion which the Iewes embraced S. Paul saith that he had preached nothing of Christs death and resurrection and that he was the light of the Gentiles but that which the Prophets did speake should come to passe M. Abbot of his owne head enlargeth this his speech to all other points of our faith Againe all is besides the purpose for the Apostle saith not that hee taught any one article which the common sort of the Iewes did beleeue but such things as the Prophets said should come to passe Who knowes not that they foresaw and fore-told many things that were no articles of faith in their dayes and touching these very particulars how many of the Iewes did beleeue that their Messias should die so shamefull a death or that Moyses law should be abrogated by their Messias and that the Gospell of Christ should be preached vnto all nations all these were great nouels and exceeding scandalous to the body of the Iewes wherefore though some better learned among them and more religiously affected might vnderstand the Prophets speaking of those points yet were they farre from the common reach and perswasion of that people of the Iewes from these points that the Iewes beleeued
R. ABBOT HEre is nothing said but what hath beene a Of Merits sect 10. 19. 20. already so fully and clearely answered as that M. Bishop may iustly be ashamed thus altogether like a Cuckow to sing ouer the same song againe I pray thee gentle Reader to see the places by me quoted and take knowledge how this trifling wrangler laboureth to abuse thee odiously and impudently insisting vpon those things which by testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers are made so manifest against him as that he hath nothing left to say for his owne defence He chargeth me with false translation because I say that our sufferings are not worthy of the glory that shall be reueiled whereas he saith the wordes truly translated are Our sufferings are not worthy to the glory And what is that I pray Our English phrase is saith he they are not to be compared to the glory Well admit it to be so but wherein doth he meane they are not to be compared Forsooth our labours or paines are not either so great and waighty or of so long endurance as be the ioyes of heauen Thus whereas he acknowledgeth that the word signifieth worthy he notwithstanding quite putteth out worthinesse and in steede thereof putteth in length and greatnesse But if where the wordes are they are not worthy to the glory he will needes reade they are not to be compared to the glory we suppose that his discretion should leade him to vnderstand that it is as touching worthinesse that they are not to be compared And doth not their owne translation instruct him so much The passions of this time are not condigne to the glory for what will he make of condigne but comparable in worth where there is as Coster saith b Coster Enchirid cap. 7. Est dignitas quaedam operis ad mercedem a dignity of the worke to the reward that is a worthinesse of the one to merit and deserue the other Which condignity being denyed by the Apostle as by their owne translation is made good it followeth that the passions of this time are denied to be comparable in worth to the glory to come and therefore that we truly translate that they are not worthy of it To adde nothing further to that that formerly hath beene said particularly of the place I will only note in generall what some writers of the Church of Rome haue iudged concerning the worthinesse of workes that according to my maine purpose I may make it appeare that there is great difference betwixt that Roman Church that now is and that that of old was Hierome saith that c Hieron in Esai lib. 6. c. 13. Cum dies iudicij vel dormitionis aduenerit omnes manus dissoluentur c quia nullum opus dignum Dei iustiâ—â—a reperietur non iust 〈…〉 abitur in eius conspectu omnis â—iuens vâ—de Propheta dicâ—â— in Psalmo si 〈…〉 ui taâ—es attendâ—s Domine quis 〈…〉 bit when the day of iudgement or death shall come all hands shall be weakened or loosed because there shall be no worke found worthy of the iustice of God neither shall any man liuing be iustified or found righteous in his sight whence the Prophet saith in the Psalme If thou O Lord wilt marke iniquities who shall endure it To like purpose Leo Bishop of Rome saith d Leo in Anniuers serm 1. Nâ—que enim de qualitate operum nostâ—orum pâ—ndâ—t coelestium mensura donorum aut in iâ—â—o seculo in quo tota vita â—etatio est hoc vmcâ—â—que retribuitur quod meretur vbi si iniquitates Doâ—â—â—aus observaret nullus iudâ—cium suum su 〈…〉 t. The measure of heauenly gifts dependeth not vpon the quality of our workes neither in this world where our whole life is a temptation is that rendered to euery man which he deserueth where if the Lord should marke iniquities none should be able to endure his iudgement Both which places doe plainly disable the workes of men in the iudgement of God and doe charge them with insufficiency to the meriting of heauenly reward but the latter so farre depresseth them as that we cannot be taken thereby to deserue or to be worthy of the benefits of God in this life and therefore much lesse the glory of the life to come But Gregory Bishop of Rome in this point is most cleare affirming that e Gregor Moral l. 8. c 9. Iusti sâ— peâ—â—turos abâ—que 〈…〉 tate praesâ—â—int si remoâ—a pâ—etate 〈◊〉 quia hoc ipsum quod iusâ—â— vidomur viuere culpo est si vitam nostram cum iâ—dicat hâ—â—c apud â—â— dâ—â—ina miserâ—cordia non excusat c. Apud eum districâ—è iudicaâ—i â—psi quoque mâ—culâ—s â—nquâ—nationis habent qui per munditiam sanctitatis lucent the iust know before hand that without doubt they shall perish if they be iudged without mercy because euen that that we seeme to liue iustly is faulty if the mercy of God in iudging our life doe not excuse the same and euen they who shine in purity of holinesse â—â—ue also their spots of filthinesse if they be strictly and narrowly iudged f Ibid. c. 21. Quantalibet i 〈…〉 tia polleant nequaquâ—â— sibi ad â—â—â—oc etiam vel electi sâ—fficiuâ—t si in iudicio districte requiraÌ„tur The very elect saith he howsoeuer they excell in righteousnesse haue not sufficient in them for innocency if in iudgement they be strictly dealt withall Therefore he saith againe that g Ibid. l 9. c. 18. Si râ—mola piâ—tate d 〈…〉 mur opus nostruÌ„ pâ—na dignum est quod nos remunerarâ— prâ—stolamur c. Râ—slat vt postquam bonum opus agitur lachâ—ymae expiatumis exquirantur quatenus ad aeterna praemia meritum rectiopâ—ris subuchat humilitas posâ—â—e lationis if we be iudged without mercy the worke is worthy to be punished which we expect to haue rewarded and therefore that teares of expiation are to be required that humility of prayer may lift vp the merit of good worke to the obtaining of euerlasting reward And thus he maketh the holy man Iob to say h Ibid. l. 9. c. 11. Etsi ad opus virtutis exâ—reuero ad vitam non ex meritis sed ex venia conualesco Albeit I grow to the worke of vertue yet I auaile not to liâ—e by merits but by pardon and fauour So he bringeth in Dauid also saying i IdeÌ„ in psalm Poenitent 1. Non de meis meritis confidens vt me saluum facias supplico sed de sola miserecordia tua praesumâ—ns impetrere quod de meis meritis non spero I pray thee to saue me not trusting to mine owne merits but presuming to obtaine that of thy mercy only which I haue no hope of by mine owne merits Now if our iust life be faulty and in our righteousnesse we finde not sufficient to approue our innocency in the sight of God if in our best workes we be worthy of punishment
Clerklike he shall thereby saue his life and shall not a iust Iudge frame his sentence accordingly Will M. Bishop say that he is no iust Iudge in such a case that dismisseth him with life that hath iustly deserued death If he will not say so then let him be so wise here as to vnderstand that iust iudgment proceedeth not alwaies by deserts but it is the part of a iust Iudge to iudge by lawes Now we know that as with men so with God there are lawes of rigour and extremity and there are lawes also of fauour and mercy The law of workes is a law of rigour k Rom. 4 15. a law which causeth wrath because l Gal. 3. 22. it concludeth all vnder sinne by reason whereof m Vers 10. so many as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse for it is written n Deut. 27. 26. Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them and there is no man that continueth to doe all because o Iam. 3. 2. in many things we offend all Therefore the ministery of this law is called p 2. Cor. 3. 7. 9. the ministery of death the ministery of condemnation and the iudgement which proceedeth according to this law is called by St. Austin q August in Ioan. tract 22. Judicium damnationis the iudgement of damnation because no man escapeth damnation that vndergoeth this iudgement Against this iudgement Dauid prayeth when he saith r Psal 143. 2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord c. that is as St. Austin expoundeth it Å¿ August de Temp. ser 49. Ne stâ—â— mecum in iudicio eâ—â—gendo à me omnia quae praecepisti omnia quae iussistâ— Nam me inuenies reum si in iudicium intraueâ—is mecum Opus est ergò mihi miâ—â—râ—câ—rdia tua potiùs quà m liquidissimo iâ—diciâ— tuo Stand not with me in iudgement to require of me all that thou hast willed and commanded for thou wilt finde me guilty if thou enter into iudgment with me I haue need therefore of thy mercy rather then of thy meere iudgment The Apostle St. Paul bearing the same minde and dreading the same iudgement desireth at that day t Phil. 3. 9. to be found in Christ not hauing saith he mine owne righteousnesse which is by the law but the righteousnesse which is by the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith And hereby he leadeth vs to the consideration of another law which hee calleth elsewhere u Rom. 3. 27. the law of faith the tenour whereof is expressed by the wordes of our Sauiour x Iohn 6. 40. This is the will of him that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day This is a law of mitigation and mercy whereby is administred grace and righteousnesse and life which could not be obtayned by the former law To this law are annexed and thereupon depend many fauours and gracious promises which God hath made vnto the faithfull grounded vpon Iesus Christ the Mediatour of the new Testament in y 2. Cor. 1. 20. whom they are all Yea and in him Amen first granted for his sake and for his sake faithfully performed Now these things being thus decreed and established by law God as a iust Iudge dispenseth these fauours and graces accordingly euen by iust iudgment consisting here not in examination of merits but in discerning the markes and qualities whereby God will haue them knowen to whom by law the couenant of this grace and mercy doth appertaine This iudgement St. Austin calleth z August in Ioan tract 22. Iudicium discriminationis a iudgement of distinction whereby God putteth a difference betwixt the good and the euill accordingly as the same St. Austin expoundeth those wordes of Dauid a Psal 43. Vulg. 42. 1. Iudge me O God c. b August in Psal 42. Distet intereum qui in te credâ—t eum qui non credit Par infirmitas sed dispar conscientia Par labor sed dispar desiderium Let there be difference betwixt him which beleeueth in thee and him which beleeueth not There is infirmity alike but the conscience is vnlike They are equall in trauell and labour but they differ in desire And by this iudgement God maintaineth the cause of the righteous against the wicked their cause being iust howsoeuer their merit be nothing and therefore yeeldeth that to the iustification of their cause which yet they cannot claime by desert of workes And thus the Apostle in respect of the faithfull calleth c 2. Thess 1. 5. it the iust iudgement of God whereby he vouchsafith them the Kingdome of God for it is iust with God saith he to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs. It is iust with God and iust iudgement because it is so ordered and decreed in the law of faith that they shall be reckoned worthy of the Kingdome of God that doe suffer affliction for the testimony thereof And so the same Apostle being himselfe to receiue sentence of death as a malefactour at the hands of an vniust Iudge comforteth himselfe in the goodnesse of his cause and the testimony of his conscience that hauing fought a good fight and finished his course and kept the faith he should of a iust Iudge at that day receiue a crowne whereby against that vniust sentence his iustice and vprightnesse in that behalfe should be made apparant and manifest to the whole world This iudgement then proceeding by the law of faith is tempered and mingled with mercy as I haue d Of Merits sect 19. elsewhere shewed God accepting what wee haue done but not requiring what wee haue not done testifying our righteousnesse such as it is but neuer questioning our sinnes For e Aug. Epist 29. Cum Rex iustus sederit in thronâ— quis gloriabitur se castuÌ„ habere cor aut quis gloriabitur se esse immunem à peccato Quae igitur spes est nisi miserecordia superexultet iudicium when the iust King shall sit vpon his throne saith Austin who shall glory that he hath a cleane heart or that he is free from sinne and therefore what hope is there vnlesse mercy surmount iudgement And so in another place f Idem in psal 129. Apud te propitiatio est Nam si non esset apud te propitiatio si iudex soluÌ„ esse velles miserecors esse nolles obseruares omnes iniquitates nostâ—as quâ—reres â—as quis sustineret quis ante te staret dâ—ceret Innocens sum quis staret in iudicio tuo spes ergo vna est quoniam apud te propitiatio est There is mercy with thee for if there were not mercy with thee
for no other but a madde and frantike dreame and yet perforce must vse it because hee knew no better shift therefore he thought good to colour it the best he could by curtolling the wordes alleaged naming only imputation of righteousnesse whereas the Apostle nameth imputation of righteousnesse without workes But let him take the wordes as the Apostle setteth them downe and then giue vs his answere and we shall apparantly see him to be a most impudent man making no conscience of that he saith but studying only to blinde the Reader from seeing that truth which he himselfe knoweth not how with any probable shew to contradict Yet he telleth vs for conclusion that there is only a bare sound of wordes for the Protestants the true substance of the text making wholly for the Papists So then the sound of the wordes by his confession is for vs but inasmuch as the wordes are very plaine and cleare how may we be informed that the true substance and meaning of them is wholly for the Papists when as they containe in shew a flat contradiction to the doctrine of the Papists Wee see here the vse of that caueat which the Rhemists haue giuen to their Reader aduertising him o Rhem. Testam ArgumeÌ„t of the Epistles in generall to assure himselfe that if any thing in Pauls Epistles sound to him contrary to the doctrine of their Catholike Church he faileth of the right sense By this meanes if Saint Paul say it is white yet we must not thinke that he meaneth it to be white if it please their Church to call it blacke And therefore though here he speake of imputation of righteousnesse without works and bring testimony of ancient Scripture for confirmation thereof yet he must not be taken to meane that there is any such or any other but the imputation of the righteousnesse of workes because there is no other approued by the Roman Church Well may we thinke the iudgement of God to be fearefull vpon them who are so blinde as to be led with such fopperies and grosse deceipts CHAP. X. That eternall life is meerely and wholly the gift of God and cannot be purchased by merit or desert ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE PAul teacheth that eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ c. to Hee telleth vs againe and againe c. W. BISHOP IN the same place you had a large solution of this obiection but he that hath made a couenant with hell will not looke vpon that which might helpe him to heauen We teach with the Apostle and with his faithfull interpreter Saint Augustine That eternall life is the gift of God both originally because we must receiue grace by the free gift of God before we can doe any thing that doth deserue the ioyes of heauen and also principally the whole vertue and value of our merits doe proceede of the dignity of Gods grace in vs which doth eleuate and giue such worth to our workes that they thereby deserue life euerlasting Notwithstanding if we take not hold on Gods grace when it is freely offered vs and doe not concurre with it to the effecting of good workes we shall neuer be saued and this our working with the grace of God deserues heauen both which are prouedly this sentence of the same Apostle God will render to euery man according to Rom. 2. vers 6. 7. 8. his workes to them truly that according to patience in good workes seeke glory and honour and incorruption life eternall to them that are of contention and that obey not the truth but giue credit to iniquity wrath and indignation where you may see in expresse termes eternall life to be rendered and repaid for good workes to such men as diligently seeke to doe them and to others who refuse to obey the truth and rather choose to beleeue lies and to liue wickedly eternall death and damnation R. ABBOT WHether M. Bishop or I may bee thought more likely to flatter himselfe in an opinion of hauing made a couenant with hell I leaue it to be esteemed by the whole processe of this worke and the God of heauen shall make it one day more fully to appeare Against his solution of the obiection here propounded he knoweth well that I a Of Merits sect 8. haue returned a replication which sheweth the same to be infirme and vaine and seeing he can fortifie it no further the bare repeating of it is no other but womanish and idle talking The Apostle telleth vs that b Rom. 6. 23. eternall life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free grace or gift of God through Iâ—su Christ our Lord. We teach saith M. Bishop that eternall life is the gift of God originally and principally Thus by his shifting termes of originally and principally he limiteth the Apostles wordes and deludeth a maine Theoreme and Canon of Christian faith leauing it to be vnderstood that though eternall life be originally and principally the gift of God yet totally and absolutely it is not so Which iâ— it be true it must necessarily follow that as the Apostle saith truly that eternall life is the gift of God because in part it iâ— so so a man may truly say against the Apostle that eternall life is not the free gift of God because in part and in some sort it is not so And if no man may dare in this wise to gainsay the Apostle then wee must acknowledge that which Origen saith that c Origen in Rom. 4. Stipendia inquit peccati mors Et non addidâ—â— similitèr vt dicâ— et stâ—pendia aâ—â—â— iustitiae vita aterna sed ait Gratia autem Deâ— vâ—â—a aetâ—rna vt stâ—pend â—m quod vtique debiâ—o mercedi similé est retributionem poenâ— esse docâ—â—â—t mortis vâ—tam verâ— aternam soli gratiae consignareâ— the Apostle hauing said that the stipend of sinne is death did not adde in the like sort that the stipend of righteousnesse is eternall life but eternall life is the grace of God that he might teach that the retribution of punishment and death is a stipend which is like to a debt or wages but might assigne life eternall to grace only And thus the Apostle himselfe teacheth vs to conceiue when he saith d Rom. 11. 6. If it be of grace then it is not of workes otherwise grace is no grace For e August coÌ„t Pelag. Celest lib. 2. c 24. Gratia Dei non eriâ— gratâ—â— vllâ— modo nisigratâ—ita fuerâ—t omni modo grace saith Austin shall not be grace in any respect except it be free in euery respect f Idem Epist 120. c. 19. Haec est gratia quae gratis datur non meritâ—s operantis sed miseratione donantis That is grace saith he which is freely giuen not for the merits of the worker but by the mercy of the giuer Thus Hierome saith g Hieron Epist ad Demâ—trâ—ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non opâ—ruâ— retributio sed donamis est