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A08326	An antidote or treatise of thirty controuersies vvith a large discourse of the Church. In which the soueraigne truth of Catholike doctrine, is faythfully deliuered: against the pestiferous writinges of all English sectaryes. And in particuler, against D. Whitaker, D. Fulke, D. Reynolds, D. Bilson, D. Robert Abbot, D. Sparkes, and D. Field, the chiefe vpholders, some of Protestancy, some of puritanisme, some of both. Deuided into three partes. By S.N. Doctour of Diuinity. The first part.; Antidote or soveraigne remedie against the pestiferous writings of all English sectaries	S. N. (Sylvester Norris), 1572-1630.	1622 (1622)	STC 18658; ESTC S113275	554,179	704

once maliciously abandoneth Christ by willfull heresy or Apostacy can neither be admitted heer by true repentance into the bosom of the church nor which is worse euer heereafter to the mercy of God contrary to these expresse sentences of holy Scripture If the impious shal do pennance for all his sin which he hath wrought c. liuing he shall liue shal not dye Euery one that shall inuocate the name of the Lord shal be saued Let the impious forsake his way the vniust man his cogitations returne to our Lord and he will haue mercy on him Which I might strengthen with the authorityes of S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Augustine but I am to prosecute the matter in hand And touching these Apostata's of whom S. Paul mentioneth I aske our Reformers whether they were euer implanted into Christ by iustifying fayth or by the beames of sactification and renouation only which they impiously distinguish from the beautifull rayes of Iustice graunt they were once vnited vnto him by a liuely fayth as euery member euery verse of the sentence seemeth to demonstrate saying They were once illuminated with the light of Fayth haue tasted the heauenly Chrys in cum lois gift that is as S. Chrysostome interpreteth the remission of sinnes which if Protestants also allow where then is the security they promised to the iustifyed of neuer falling Where is their certainty of saluation when these iust persons after the aboundance of heauenly sweetnes haue tumbled backe into such irremediable Apostacy as they can neuer as long as Protestants may sit in iudgment recouer Gods fauour againe neuer haue any possible means to obtayne mercy or purchase saluation But if Fulke and his fellows cauill and say that they were only sanctifyed and renewed by the grace of the holy Ghost through the merits of Christs passiō yet not truly iustifyed which is impossible at least to proppe vp one they vndermine many ruinous castles of their owne defence to wit that some not predestinate but plainly reprobate may be inwardly regenerated and new borne in Christ that internall renouation is no infallible seale of Gods election that the grace of iustification which Christ purchased by his death is common other while to the reprobate as well as to the elect all repugnant to the principles which they themselues defend 3. Lastly if they answere with Caluin for their replyes are as various and different as their fancyes that C●lu in c. 6. ad Hebr. ● 4. l. 3. Inflit. those Apostata's were neuer truly sanctifyed but only sprinkled withsome smacke or relish of grace shined on with some sparks of light lightly ouerwashed not throughly soaked in the waters of heauenly blessing So he wantonly dallyeth with the oracles of God labouring to peruert them with his simpering speaches let him open his mouth and tell me plainly whether those sparkes of light or relishes of grace were any the least drams or particles of true renouation and inward iustice or not If they were they expelled sinne and iustifyed them for the tyme if not how fell they from that which they neuer enioyed How doth the Apostle teach it impossible for them to be renewed againe who neuer receaued any renouation at all How were they illuminated how tasted they the heauenly * Grecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est supercaeleste donum guift the powers of the world to come how were they made partakers of the Holy Ghost who lay still oppressed with the darknes of vice I am ashamed to see these new Euangelists boasting of Scripture and yet oppose themselues so obstinatly against it and against the Venerable Consistory of all expositors both ancient and moderne heretiks only excepted who albeit they vary in the manner yet all agree in interpreting S. Paul of these Apostata's loosing and recouering iustice their only difficulty variance is in explicating what he meaneth by the word impossible For S. Anselme Hugo Dionysius and Lyranus with many late writers expounding him of true renouation to their former grace through the vertue of pennance by the word impossible vnderstand very hard and difficile for those vngratefull and malicious Apostata's after such lights Chrys in eum locum Hier. l. 3. cont Iou. Ambros l ● de poen August in in●hoatione ep ad Rom. Sedulius Primafius Theod. in eum loc 1. Cor 9. v. 27. Chrys ho. 1. in c. 3. ad ●hilip hom 23. ● ad Cor. August apud Pe●rum Lum●●●● in hunc locū Paulin. ep 58. ad August 2. Pet. 2. v. ●1 Aug. defide oper c. 14. 15. graces and benefits receaued willfully reuolting to recouer Gods fauour againe by vnfaigned sorrow and perfect repentance But S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Augustine Sedulius Primasius Theodoret and others interpreting S. Paul of renouation by the penitentiall water of Baptisme take the word impossible properly as though the Apostle should extend his speach to all such as fall after they haue beene purifyed by the lauer of regeneration should affirme it impossible for them to be repaired againe in that full and plenteous manner to receaue a new remission and perfect indulgence from all both fault and punishment due to their sinnes by the benefit of that pretious and all-sauing liquour which is most true although the former exposition seemeth more literall and both maintaine the right of our cause 4. Further more the Apostle sayth I chastize my body bring it into seruitude least perhaps whē I haue preached to others my selfe become a reprobate Which reprobation from God vtter extirpation of grace if S. Paul feared how much more we sayth S. Chrysostom Heer may we lambes tremble quoth another when the ramme the guide of the flocke must so labour punish himselfe For in lieu of chastize the Greeke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Paulinus and Erasmus translate liuidum facio I make blacke and blew S. Peter witnesseth the same with S. Paul It was better for thē not to know the way of iustice then after the knowledge to turne backe from that holy cōmandment which was deliuered to them Where according to S. Augustine he writeth of them who once enioyed and were after depriued of iustifying grace And S. Peter explicating himselfe straight way after affirmeth That of the true prouerbe is chaunced to them the Dog returned to his vomit and the 2. Petr. 2. v. 22. Ezech. 10. v. 24. Sow washed into her wallowing in the mire Likewise the Prophet Ezechiel If the iust man turne away himself from his iustice do iniquity according to all the abhominations which the impious vseth to worke shall he liue Yet least Fulke should reply that he may returne away for a tyme but shall be sure to returne before he dye it followeth in the same place All his iustice which he had done shall not be remembred in the preuarication which he hath preuaricated and in his sinnes which he hath

him so he freely and sufficiently satisfyed for al but effectually for such as by penall afflictions by mercy and truth redeeme their iniquity Fulke against pur p. 45. 49. c. Calu. vbi supra Ezeth 18. v. 21. 22. Esay 38. v. 18. 44. v. 22. Micb. 7. v. 19. Psal 3● v. ● 2. after regeneration willfully incurred In the second ranke are mustered the sentēces of holy Writ which mētion no memory but a cleane abolishment of sinne thorough true repentance as by Ezechiel If the wicked do pennance c. I will not remember his iniquityes By Isay Micheas King Dauid where God is sayd to cast our sinnes behind his backe To disperse them like a cloud To sinke them into the bottom of the Sea To hide them To couer them Not to impute them I answere these places are spoken 1. Of most true and perfect contrition which freeth both from the fault and punishment 2. Of imperfect with pennance and Satisfaction which Ezechiel seemed to insinuate saying If the wicked do pennance c. 3. They are vnderstood of the vtter abolishment of the fault and freedome from eternall paine in respect of which God is truly sayd To blot our Ezech. 18. v. 21. sinnes out of his mind to disperse them like a cloud to cast them into the sea to hide them to couer them and not to impute them as S. Augustine elegantly interpreteth the wordes of King August in Psal 3● Dauid If God couer our sinnes he will not see them if he will not see them he will not punish them to wit with euerlasting punishment nor with temporall if we redeeme them with condigne satisfaction 21. Therefore he that pronounced by the mouth of Ezech. 18. v. 22. Num. 14. vers 34. Esay 38. v. 17. Eccles c. 5. vers 5. Haeb. ● v. 3 1. Ioan. c. ● vers 2. Prouerb c. 1● v. 6. Ezechiel he would not remember our iniquityes threatned reuenge in his owne person to some he had forgiuen saying Scietis vltionem meam Yee shall feele the rod of my reuengement He who promised by the Prophet Isay To cast our faults behind his backe commanded vs by the mouth of Salomon Of pardoned sinne be not without feare He who by himselfe purged our offences he who sayd he was the propitiation for sinne auouched also By mercy and truth iniquity is red●emed So that both cooperate to satisfy for our trespasses the Passion of Christ and our workes of Penn●nce his Passion freely plentifully independantly of our merit or Satisfaction cancelleth the fault eternity of punishment our works sanctifyed in his bloud partly concurre by his ordinance to expiate the remaines of temporall chastisement Matth. 2● Luc. 7. v. 48. 50. Luc. 18. v. 15. Luc. ●● Ioan 8 v. 11. M. Fulke against purg p. 43 85. 22. In the last place are sorted the examples of Scripture of Peter Mary Magdalen the Publican the thiefe vpon the Crosse and the Adulterous woman whose sinnes were forgiuen without Satisfaction To which they adioyne the authorityes of S. Ambrose and S. Iohn Chrysostome confirming the same I answere 1. To the instances out of Gods word priuate examples are no presidents for publike rules 2. What the maister sometyme doth by prerogatiue of his person the seruant may not vsurpe as the priuiledge of his law 3. I say the teares of Peter the contrition of Magdalen the humility of the Publican the admirable confession of the theese the shame and confusion the adulterous woman endured with the inward sorrow of her hart might be sufficient satisfactions for their enormous crimes albeit the Scripture doth not in plaine termes expresse it As S. Ambrose affirmed of S. Peter when he sayd His teares I read his Satisfaction I read Amb. l. 10. in cap. 12. Lucae L●chrimae veniam non postulant sed merentur not howbeit his teares were both a confession and singular satisfaction which craue not according to him but deserue and merit pardon Or S. Ambrose taketh Satisfaction in that place for the excuse and defence of his fault which S. Peter vsed not but would rather as he affirmeth condemne his sinne that he might be iustifyed by confessing then aggrauate it by denying S. Chrysostome accordingly vseth that word in his Homilyes vpon Genesis Where he likewise graunteth no Amb. ibid. Chrys ho. 10. in Gen. hom de Beato Philogonio satisfaction necessary for the recouery of Gods friendship although he after require it for recompence of the wrong committed against him in the course of his Iustice 32. Two other darke sentences M. Fulke scrapeth out of him the one out of his homilyes vpon the Epistle to the Romans Vbi venia ibi nulla est poena where there is forgiuenes there is no punishment In which place S. Chrysostome speaketh of the forgiuenes giuen to a Iew in Baptisme M. Fulke against purg p. 43. S. Chrysost Hom 8. in Epist ad Rom. who passing from the wrath of the law to the grace of Christ had full remission of all both fault punishment Another out of the booke he wrote of sorrow and compunction God requireth not the burden of shirts of haire nor to be shut vp in the straites of a little cell neither doth he command vs to sit in obscure and darke caues this only it is which he exacteth that we alwayes remember and recount our sinnes Where S. Chrysostome only reproueth the negligence of such dainty S. Chrys de compunct cordis l. 1. sinners as omit the behoofull bewayling and lamenting of their sinnes Quasi quidam intoler abilis labor sit As though it were a thing intollerable And thereupon discourseth that God commandeth not as necessary any such rigorous or insupportable satisfaction as they imagined Not to betake themselues to the strait mourning of Monks not to the inclosures of Anchorets not to be shut vp in caues dungeons which seuere pennances although many voluntarily and laudably vndergo yet God exacteth them not as necessary but he only requireth sorrowfull bewayling and some moderate satisfaction or due chastisement of our sinnes as that Golden Mouth often teacheth other where with whome S. Augustine so punctually agreeth Chrys hom 2. de lapsu primi hom in orat de beato Philogo hom 10. in Matth. Aug. in Psal 50. as I will only recite his wordes for a finall conclusion of this matter If he be iust whome thou inuokest he reuengeth sinnes If he be iust thou canst not depriue thy Lord God of his Iustice Implore his mercy but consider his Iustice His mercy inclineth to pardon the sinner his iustice to punish the sinne What then When thou seekest mercy shall sinne remaine vnpunished Let Dauid answere let the lapsed answere let them answere with Dauid that they may deserue mercy as Dauid did and say Not so O Lord my sinne shall not be vnpunished c. Therefore I will not that thou punish me because I punish my

S. Iohn in the desert with habit with meate with voyce with deeds cryed Yield fruits worthy of Penance S. Paul saith If we did iudge our selues we should not be iudged which S. Chrysostome and Venerable Bede expound of seuere iudiciall affliction of our selues that we may not be punished of God Finally Christ himselfe began his preaching with this precept Doe Penance for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand 7. Diuers euasions M. Fulke and the rest of his faction heer seeke They answere that the penaltyes inflicted by Fulke in c. 2. ● Cor. sect 2. in c. 3. Matth. sect 4. c. Caluin l. 3. Inst ca. 4. the ancient Canons by the Apostles or by the hand of God were 1. For the publike discipline of the Church 2. For the exercise of vertue 3. As the fruits of true repentance 4. As cautions to beware of future sinnes Tet no way to sa●isfy the Iustice of God for precedent faults But the Scripture flatly declareth the affliction I mentioned to haue beene imposed for offences past The Prophet Nathan sayd to K. Dauid Because thou hast made thy enemyes blaspheme the name of our Lord for 2. Reg. 12. v. 14. Exod. 32. v. 34. Hier. epist 12. ad Gaud. this word the Son that is borne to thee shal dye And God himself sayd I in the day of reuenge will visit this their sinne Therfore he meant to punish their offence which notwithstanding was pardoned if we belieue S. Hierome 8. Likewise many innocent babes after the spot of Originall infection is cleansed by Baptisme are daily afflicted with the panges of sicknes with the agony of death not for the exercise of vertue nor for Penitentiall correction or future amendment of which they are vncapable but for the reuenge and chastisement of our first Fathers sinne Neither can we say that the death of King Dauids child was principally sent vnto him as a fruitefull caution or token of sorrow because he with teares with fasting with lying on the ground sought to shun it as much as he could which so vertuous a Prince would neuer haue done if it had beene any profitable caution or fruit of repentance much lesse could it be any Penitentiall correction for the publike satisfaction and discipline of the Church because he was so vnwilling to haue it Psa ● v. 7. Psa 34. v. 1● Psal 101. ver 10. 3. Reg. 21. ver 27. Ionae 3. v. ● 7. 8. Hiero. in his comm vpon the 3. of Ionas Ionae 3. v. 9. 10. Vid. Fran Riberum in cap. 3. Ionae in cap. 1. Na●um Aug. hom 5. ex 50. homilij●● 5 Non sufficit moresin melius c. nisi etiam de his quae facta sunt fatis●ias Deo c. Aug. in En●hyr ad Laurent ● 70. Cyp. ser de Lapfis Cyp. tract de oper Ele●mosyn Ch●ys hom 41. ad Popul Antio Lact. l. 5. di● i●sti ca. 13. Orig. ho. 3. in l. ludic Amb. l. 2. de Poenit●n cap. 5. come to passe vsing so many meanes to pacify God another way neither is it likely that the Church would haue inflicted such a punishment vpon him the teares likewise he shed in so great aboundance as he washed with them euery night his Couch the humbling of his soule in fasting the mingl●ng of his bread with ashes the wearing of sackcloth and meruailous humility which King Achab shewed the afflictions and voluntary fastings which the Niniuites their King their children their cattell endured were neither vsed for example to others or for amendment of their liues heereafter or for any other cause to asswage the wrath of God recompence the wrong their sinnes had done already pardoned by the secret Contrition sorrow of their harts as togeather with the interpretation of S. Hierome vpon this place the very wordes of the Niniuites Gods answere vnto them do both make manifest The Niniui●es intention was to satisfy God saying Who knoweth whether God will turue and pardon and returne from the fury of his indignation The Prophet replyeth in his person And God saw their works not the repentance only of their inward harts but the Pennance and Satisfaction of their outward workes and Herepented him of the euill he spake against them Howbeit they after slyding back into their former wickednes the subuersion of their Citty ensued which the Prophet foretold 9. Besides the authorityes of the Fathers are also pregnant that the punishments of which they speake were not only inflicted for exercise of present vertue or preuenting of future euills but also to satisfy God and redeeme offences past as nothing can be more euidently recorded S. Augustine pronounceth It is not inough to chang our manners to the better and decline from euills vnles God be also satisfyed for those things which be past by the gri●● of Pennance by the mourning of humility by the sac●ifice of a contrite hart almesdees cooperating thereun●o And in another place By almesdeeds for offences past God is to be made propitious and fauourable S. Cyprian God is to be implored our Lord is to be pacifyed with our Satisfaction Againe By good-workes God ought to be satisfyed by merits of mercy sinnes should be purged S. Chrysostome Let vs take reueng of our selues so we shall appease our Iudge Lactantius It is lawfull to satisfy God Origen As much tyme as thou hast spent in sinning so long humble thy selfe to God and satisfy him in Confession of Pennance S. Ambrose He that doth Pennance should not only wash away his offence with teares but with perfecter workes ought to couer and hide former faults that sinne may not be imputed vnto him ●asil interro 12. in eg breuioribus Psal 100. 10. S. Basil sheweth the reason heereof saying Albeit God in his only begotten Sonne as much as lyeth in him hath granted remission of sinnes to all yet because mercy and iudgement are ioyned togeather by the holy Prophet and he witnesseth God to be both mercifull and iust it is necessary that those thinges which are spoken of Pennance by the Prophets and Apostles be performed by vs that the iudgments of Gods iustice may appeare and his mercy Greg. Na zian orat insancta lu●ina be consumated to the condonation of sinners For as S. Gregory Nazianzen sayth It is a like euill remission without chastisment and chastisement without pardon because the one letteth go the raines too far the other restraineth them too much Wherefore that God may carry ouer vs an euen hand that his clemency may be mingled with some seuerity his iustice and mercy may meete togeather although he alwayes of mercy pardoneth the iniquity of repentant sinners yet he often bindeth them ouer to some temporall chastisement to satisfy thereby the rigour of his iustice as in the partiall iudgment of our professed enemyes all antiquity heerein Caluin l. 3. Inst c. 4. §. 8. Calu. 4 c. 12. §. 8. Kemnitius 2. par exam p. 181.

Dei c. 27. Neuer did any man heare the Priest stāding at the Altar vpō the holy Body of the Martyr say Offero tibi sacrificium Petre vel Paule haue mercy vpon vs to them O Holy Saint N. pray for vs. Christ vve inuoke as God himselfe to bestovv his giftes and graces vpon vs Saints only as the friendes of God to purchase by their prayers his fauour and mercy To Christ vve offer our dayly Sacrifice to Saints vve neuer say I offer to thee Peter to thee Cyprian Christ vve make our only Mediatour vvho by himselfe in his ovvne name and person confidently dealeth in our behalfe Saints vve vse as mediatours to Christ vvho by his gracious fauour may affoard vs helpe For tvvo sundry vvayes a man may be a meane to deliuer his friend out of prison eyther by intreaty to his Creditour or supplication to the King to obtayne his inlargement another is by an absolute discharge and full payment of the vvhole debt for vvhich he is imprisoned The Saintes are Mediatours after the first Christ after the second a more excellent manner The Saintes are such mediatours as God required when he sought a man to interpose himselfe betwixt him and his people Such as Moyses is tearmed by Saint Paul to the Galathians by himselfe in Deuteronomy I was a Mediatour betweene our Lord and you Ezech. 22. Galat. 3. Deut. 5. 1. Tim. 2. Greg. de Valen. l. de Christ Red. Med. p. 2. cap. 3. Chrys in hunc loc Hil. l. 9. de Trinit Cyril l. 12. Thesaur Aug. l. 9. de ciuitate Dei c. 17. Christ such a one as the same Apostle describeth One God and one Mediatour of God men the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a Redemption for all 23. Out of vvhich vvordes one of the chiefest Deuines of our age hath gathered fovver extraordinary propertyes of mediation belonging to Christ alone First that he is an Aduocate or Mediatour not only in regard of his office but in respect of his nature also vvhich vvas a meane as it vvere betvveene God and man perfectly partaking the nature of both and so tearmed The man Christ Iesus to vvit Christ our Sauiour both God and Man After vvhich manner S. Chrysostome S. Hilary S. Cyril S. Augustine acknovvledge him our only Mediatour Secondly who gaue himselfe that is vvho by the dignity of his ovvne person vvithout the assistance of any other maketh intercession for vs. Thirdly A Redemption to vvit vvho offered a full and generall discharge ransome and satisfaction for our sinnes such as his Father in the extreme rigour of iustice ought to accept Fourthly For all that is for all sorts of men both present past and to come Accorcording to any of these conditions if eyther Saint or Apostle or Angell should be equalled to Christ as Parmenian Aug. cont Parm. l. 2. ● 8. the Donatist equalled the Bishop vve conclude vvith S. Augustine in no other vvordes then those with which Mayster Fulke sounded his retrayte and vauntingly ended the triumph of his section What good and faythfull Christian could abide him Who would behould him Fulke loc citato as an Apostle of Christ and not as Antichrist that should thus be placed a supreme Mediatour in the roome of Christ 24. Neuerthelesse in a farre inferiour degree Many Saintes as Saint Cyrill teacheth haue vsed the ministery of mediation As Saint Paul himselfe Crying vpon Cyr. in Io l. 3. c. 9. men to be reconciled to God And Moyses was a Mediatour c. And Ieremy a Mediatour and all the Prophets and Apostles were Mediatours without any inpeachment to the peculiar mediation and aduocation of Christ For so sundry rare priuiledges and speciall tytles which in most excellent manner appertayne to him in a different and meaner acception of the wordes are attributed vnto men Christ is our only Sauiour our only Redeemer the only Rocke and foundation of his Church the sole and only Iudge of the quicke Iud. 3● Vers 9. Act. 7. Vers 35. Matth. ● Vers 13. M●tt●h ●9 Vers 28. and dead Yet Othoniel is graced in holy Write by the tytle of Sauiour Moyses by the name of Redeemer S. S. Peter is tearmed the Rocke and foundation of the Church the Apostles and others shall sit as Iudges with Christ iudging the 12. Tribes of Israel Well then as it is no disparagement to our supreme Iudge the Saintes ascend his Tribunall seate and exercise this chiefe and Royall action in giuing the last doome sentence with him so it can be no derogation or wrong to our sole Mediatour the Saintes should vse mediation to him Reyn. l. de ido Ro. Ec. c. 3. 6. In his confer with M. Hart. c. 8. diuis 2. p. 411. Fulke loc citatis by him to his Father in a farre lower degree then he They he mediation of prayerand intreaty he of pardon and absolute Redemption 25. But we make the Saintes likewise sayth Mayster Reynoldes and Mayster Fulke Mediatours of Redemption when we desire them to haue mercy on vs saue vs reconcile vs to God when we call them Our hope life refuge c. To which I reply that albeit we often vse that phrase of speach yet the truth of our meaning is apparently knowne that we beseech them only to saue vs c. by their prayers vnto Christ We call them our hope life c. because they may procure by intercession our hope and saluation or if we speake to our Blessed Lady because she also brought forth our hope life our true Redeemer And it is M. Reynoldes in you and your Complices an abuse intollerable reproued by Saint Augustine condemned in the Law to wrangle about the Aug. ep 274. ● Contra. ff de leg Sen. tusq Consult Iob. 19. v. 21 Aug. in his annot vpon Iob. ● Tim. 4. Vers 16. 1. Thes 2. v. 18. wordes where the sense is cleare or to seeke by pleading the one to vndermyne the other Chiefly for that we follow heerin the phrase of Scripture Of Iob who praying to Angells according to Saint Augustine sayd Haue mercy on me haue mercy on me c. Of Saint Paul speaking to Timothy This doing thou shalt saue thy selfe and them that heare thee Of the same Saint Paul calling the Thessalonians His hope his ioy his crowne of glory 26. And sith our Sectaryes are so nice and scrupulons in this behalfe so iealous of the tytles names and prerogatiues of Christ as they will haue no mediatours with him least they preiudice his right of mediation no ministeriall Rocke or foundation of his Church least they displace him forth of his fundamentall seate no true Bishops or Priests vpon earth for feare they degrade him of the dignity of his Priest-hood I would fayne haue them tel me how they looke to be coheyres of Christ heereafter 〈…〉 inheritours with him Rom. 8. vers 17. and compartners of his Kingdome without daunger of disturbing him from his

sinne ayded by God S. Augustine which he strengthneth by the authority of S. Ambrose affirming him truly to impugne them who say à man cannot be without sinne in this life And in the same booke Sinne may be auoyded but by his helpe who cannot be deceaued Thus Origen affirmeth that holy Iob and his children were pure and spotles from the fault of transgression in so much as the Magdeburgian Protestants reprehend him for it saying Naughtily doth he attribute so much innocency to Iobs children as Adam and Eue had in Paradise naughtily also doth he ascribe vnto Iob that he was naked and deuoyd of sinne of impietyes of all vnlawfulnes Likewise that he neyther sinned in his cogitations nor in the conferences of his soule or affayres of his hart Besides in Lactantius they taxe this sentence of his If any one be purified from all spot of sinne let him not thinke he may abstayne from the worke of largition or giuing almes because he hath no sinnes to wash away And in the same booke I proceed with their owne words vnfittingly doth he say That one may be acceptable vnto God and be free from all blemish let him alwayes implore the mercy of our Lord c. In Theodoret they reproue and place among his errours that he affirmed Paul therefore not to be hurt of the viper because he was without sinne In S. Hierome they distast this Our soule as long as it abydeth in her infancy wanteth sinn So that Origen Lactantius Theodoret and S. Hierome are by our Aduersaries owne confession wholy with vs in this point of fayth 2. Notwithstanding against these auncient Fathers Isa 64. v. 6. they oppose on their side the Ancient of Dayes euen God himselfe speaking by the Prophet Isay All we are become as one vncleane and all our iustices as the cloath of a menstrued woman Therefore vnles we thinke our selues better then Abbot c. 4. sect 3. Orig. ad Rom. c. 3. Hier. in Isa c. 64. Aug soli●o c 28. Bernar. ser 1. in fest omn. sanct de verb. Isa ser 5. in dedic Eccles ser 5. Aluarez à Medina in eum loc our forefathers all good workes say they are stayned with iniquity which M. Abbot contenaunceth with the like sayings of Origen S. Hierome S. Augustine and S. Bernard I answere first with S. Hierome vpon that place of Isay that there he deploreth the desolation and captiuity of the Iewes in behalfe of those sinners for whose offences they were so miserably afflicted and in their person vttereth those wordes not in his owne Or in respect of the iust and holy men that then flourished amongst them Secondly I answere that the Prophet speaketh not there as Aluarez à Medina well noteth of all the workes of the foresayd offendours in generall but of their sacrifices Holocaustes Kalends and other externall solemnities by which they falsly deemed themselues cleane and sanctified in the sight of God these their iustices he pronounced to be like a menstruous defiled cloath because they consisted only in the pompe of outward ceremony without the sincerity of inward worship after which manner God sayd by the mouth of the same Prophet Offer sacrifice no Isa c. 1. v. 13. 14. more in vayne Incense is abhomination vnto me the new Moone and the Sabaoth and other festiuities I will not abyde your assemblies are wicked my soule hateth your Kalends your solemnities Thirdly I answere that al our iustices al our pious workes albeit good and holy considered by themselues yet compared and paralelled with the vnmatchable purity and holynes of God are truly termed vncleane and defiled according to the accustomed phrase of holy Scripture which calleth thinges in themselues great in comparison of him litle or nothing All nations as if they were not so are Isa 40. v. 17. they before him and they are reputed of him as nothing Thinges in themselues fayre and glittering foule and vncleane contemplated by him Beholde the Moone also doth not shine Iob. 25. v. 5. 6. the stars are not cleane in his sight how much more mā rottenesse the sonne of a man a worme Things most white and beautifull filthy and loathsome matched with him If I be wasbed as it were with snow waters and my hands shall shine as immaculate yet shalt thou dippe me in filth and my garments shall abhorre me that is as S. Gregory commenteth Although I be Greg. l. 9. mor. c. 19. filled with the groanes of heauenly compunction although I be exercised by the study of vpright operation yet in thy cleanesse I see I am not cleane 3. For this cause the Royall Prophet how innocent Psal 141. soeuer might cry out and say Enter not o Lord into iudgment with thy seruant because no liuing creature shall be iustifyed in thy sight which sentence Abbot vrging against vs exaggerateth Abbot c. 4. sect 47. fol. 590. thus Dauid sayth it a Prophet sayth it a man after Gods owne hart sayth it And what if a Saint in heauen what if a Cherubim should say it might he not truly say it measuring his righteousnes with the infinite sanctity and holines Greg in c. 4. Iob. Hilar. Hieron Arnobius Euthi in eundem psal Aug l. adu Orosium c. 10. Aug. l. de perfect iustie Hier. ep ad Ctesiphou Greg. in eun psal Aug. in eun psal Iob. 4. v. 28. Caietan Eugub Vatablus in eun loc Symmach of God For as S. Gregory writeth Human iustice compared with diuine is iniustice because a lanterne in darkenes is seene to giue light but placed in the sunne beames it is obscured and darkned And thus S. Hilary S. Hierome Arnobius and Euthimius expound that place of the Psalme neyther doth S. Augustine dissent frō them saying By whose participation they are iust by comparison with him they are not iust Another exposition is of the same S. Augustine S. Hierome and S. Gregory vpon that Psalme that the Prophet vttered the former speach in respect of veniall sinnes with which the most iust and holy men are often infected and which God strictly examineth and seuerely punisheth The third interpretation is of S. Augustine also vpon this Psalme That no man can be iustifyed of himselfe before the face of God but the iustice he hath he receaueth from him So Caietan Eugubinus and Vatalbus expound those wordes of Iob In his Angells he found prauity or as Symmachus readeth vanity because they of themselues had no goodnes no verity no essence or being but participated all from the soueraygne bounty of God According to these three last expositions we satisfy al the ambiguous and obscure sayings our aduersaries oppose against vs euen that of S. Bernard which they vainly boast to be vnanswerable Shall not our iustice if it be strictly Bern in fest omn. sanct s●r 1. Abbot e. 4. sect 3. fol. 393. Bern ser 5. de verb. Isa Aug. l. 9. confess c. 13. Idem

S. Fulgentius Because God by foreknowledge saw the sinnes of men he dictated the sentence of predestination S. Prosper The grace of God did not forsake the reprobate before they foresooke him and because he foresaw they would soe doe by voluntarie defection therfore he inrolled them not in the catalogue of the predestinate Otherwise irreuocably to purpose mans endlesse paynes before the fore sight of his default in that necessarie and vnauoydable manner as Protestants teach is as far beyond the immanity and barbarousnes of other tyrants as eternall death exceedeth temporall or the paines of hell surmon● the torments inslicted vpon earth Neyther is this immanity any thing lessened whether that slauery or thraldome wherby the reprobate are enchayned to mischeife commeth from the corruptiō of sinne as Fulke holdeth Fulk in ca. 11. Math. sect 1. Caluin lib. 3. institut cap. 23. § 8. or from the decree of reprobation which is the wil of God necessarily inferring the things decreed as Caluin also auerreth nor yet is that cruelty lessened by the slime of originall infection from whence you conuey this necessary slauery First because that taketh not place in the deuills who were reprobate not withstanding in the like sort with men Secondly because you teach reprobation to haue been decreed before the preuision of original sin Thirdly for that you depriue the reprobate of freewill in respect of all other actuall sinnes for which they are supposing that absurdity without all right and equity eternally tormented 7. Moreouer this infamous doctrine maketh almighty God not only cruell and barbarous but wicked also and vniust For S. Augustine speaking of the infected Aug. epist. 106. ad Paulinum masse or corrupted lump of humane nature out of which he deliuered some leauing others saith If that masse were so between both that as it meriteth no good so it deserueth no euill not without cause should it seeme iniquity that vessells of dishonor should Fulgent lib. 1. ad Monim cap. 21. be framed of it S. Fulgentius cōformably saith If when man was created of God he was so in his present worke good that in his predestination he should be euill without doubt he was to be euill by the worke of God by whome he was predestinated to sinne whervpon he inferreth that God shold haue in himselfe the origē of iniquity he shold be author of euill his iustice should become iust with other like Atheismes with which our Reformers are Ibid. c. 22. incombred although they giue out that God doth soe to manifest his power glorie and almightines because if the meanes be ill the end cannot be good or if it could it implieth contradiction his power should achieue any thing which crosseth his mercy and impayreth his iustice he cannot decree that to the glory of his name which derogateth from any other attribute or perfection of his nature Then what glorie can redound to God by that ignominious act of abandoning his creatures without their desert Or what mercy on the other side by decreeing mās fall into sinne that he might after rayse him vp What mercy by making him miserable to the intent he may haue mercy on him For he that is sincerely mercifull according to S. Augustin had rather there were nothing for him to pitty c. then to wish men wretched to the intent he might pitty them Aug. l. 3. Conf. cap. 2 8. Againe if God determined to create the reprobate to proclayme his power as he doth the elect the shew the riches of his mercy both originally flowing from his Echlus in Chrysopasso praedest cent 3 nu 52. Psal 144. v. 9. Eccles 15. v. 22. will and purpose it must needs ensue as learned Eckius notably disputeth that there should be many more chosen to blisse then abandoned to damnation because god is more prone to mercy then to iustice to doe good then to procure euill Our Lord is sweet to all and his mercies or commiserations are ouer all his workes he desireth not a multitude of faythlesse and vnprofitable children Therfore the huge hoast of the reprobate surpassing by so many degrees the small number of the elect proceed not from his mercifull wil but from their owne way ward and rechelesse disposition in which he foreseeth they will finally persist and depart this life 9. Besides these detestable errors which attend on the aforsaid phrensy of our Sectaries there is yet another reason à priori why God can not reiect cast away any Rom. 9. in such sort as they affirme because reprobatiō is as act of hatred as the Apostle doth insinuate but God of himselfe cannot hate his owne workes vnlesse they be defiled Aug. lib. 1 ad Simplie 9. 9. 2. with sinne God as S. Augustine Writeth hated not Esau a man but Esau a sinner that is he hated him not in that priority in which he ordeined to creeate him a reasonable man but in that after-sight in which he foresaw the contamination of his sinne Thou sayth the Wiseman vnto Sap. 10. 25 God louest all things that are and hatest nothing of those which thou hast made for thou didest not ordayn or make any thing hating it Yea he himselfe doth not only loue whatsoeuer he hath made but ingendreth in all creatures the like loue to their of spring he teacheth the Tyger to fight the Lyon to prey all beasts and birds to venture their liues in defence of their yonge ones What sauage mind then can thinke him so sauage as to hate and destroy the works of his owne hands without any cause or default of theirs Beza in tract theolog is meruailously perplexed with this argumēt and after much a do rather blasphemeth then answereth it What doth the author of nature so much degenerate from the course of nature as not to beare to his owne the affection he begetteth in all creatures to their of-spring Do you thinke that he doth communicate the perfection of loue which he hath not or by communicating it to others looseth it himselfe both wayes you detract from Gods infinite goodnes Do you thinke he naturally loueth that which he eternally hateth or cherisheth as his owne what he abandoneth as none of his Both wayes you approue a contradiction in God 13. Lastly if God hate the reprobate and determine their ruine before they be seen to be euil whence shold that art of hatred arise Not from the person hated for he we suppose deserueth it not nor yet from God he is vncapable of any such act he is the Ocean of charity wel-spring of loue Deus Charitas est God is charity he is ● Ioan. 4. 8. loue it selfe Therfore as no clowd of error can arise from the prime origen of truth no sparcke of folly from the Oracle of wisedome so no streame of hatred can flowe from the fountaine of loue Hate then his creatures God cannot by any act of hatred which shold be in himselfe but only by