ouerwhelmed the glorious Maiestie of the Grace of the Gospell did of an incomparable shamelesse excessiue Impudencie extoll aboue Moone and Starres yea beyond all compasse of reason the force of mans Freewill in such wise that nothyng might beare palme besides mans merites onely and the workes of Freewill the mercy of God beyng vtterly banished and exiled Or if they did at any tyme admitte Grace to be cape marchaunt as it were with Freewill least they might seéme vtterly to exclude Grace Yet did they so admitte her as they dyd the Article of Iustification Wherein as they did with most vayne practize enforce this one point cōtinually to witte That fayth onely without workes could not Iustifie euen so and in lyk◠maner in this question of Freewill they would neédes haue this to bee graunted that the Grace of God was not the onely foundresse of good workes and of our Electiō but a seruaūt rather or at the most a companion of Freewill Whose vnmeasurable errour forced Martin Luther to that vehemet sharpnesse of speach and not without good cause And yet in all that his heate of wordes what can any man I pray you finde beyng not otherwise lead by corrupt affection that is cōtrary to the naturall truth of thyngs or that is not in all respectes faithfully agreable with the very spirite wordes of Gods Scriptures Freewill is denyed to be of any value not bycause it is of it selfe nothyng if you respect the substaunce of it but in respect of the operation therof it is sayd to be altogether vneffectuall to that worke whereunto it is supposed to be conducible not much vnlike to that figuratiue phrase of speach wherewith Paule doth esteéme of Circumcision and Uncircumcision to be nothyng worth wherewith Esay the Prophet doth tearme Idolles and Idollmakers to be nothyng and wherewith Ieremy beholdyng the earth with open eyes was sayd hee saw nought Or as a man might say that Osorius doth say nothyng at all when as otherwise he is ouer lauishe of toung if you regard his wordes and sillables but nothyng at all to the purpose if ye cōsider his Argumentes Semblably Freewill is called a fayned deuise amongest thynges or a tittle without substaunce from whence ariseth no preiudice to mās nature onely the corruption of nature is discouered hereby For it is vndoubted as Augustine truly teacheth that we do will when we will and that we doe worke when we worke But to be able to will and to be able to worke bee bringeth to passe in vs of whom it is sayd God is hee that worketh in vs both to will and to doe geuing most effectuall power to our will whiche sayd I will bring to passe that you shall doe Aud agayne in other place Thinking sayth he we do beleue thinking we doe speake thinking we doe all whatsoeuer we doe c. Loe here you haue the tittle of Freewill And forthwith in the same Chap. But to the attaining the way of righteousnesse and the true worshipping of God we are altogether of our selues insufficient for all our sufficiencie herein proceedeth frō God c. Where you may easily conceaue the substaūce it selfe which Augustine acknowledgeth to be none at all in Freewill but affirmeth boldly to cōsiste wholy in God Albeit neither doth Luther him selfe when he tearmeth Freewill to be a fantasie or deuise in thyngs simply and barely affirme the same to be so but annexeth thereunto an addition namely Post peccatum ante gratiam That is to say After Sinne and before Grace Whereby the godly Reader may vnderstand that those persones are not noted here whom either the Grace of Christ hath vouchsafed into Freédome or whō after Grace receaued Christ will crowne in glory to come For there be certeine distinct differences of tymes and persons if you know them not Osorius whiche ought chiefly to be obserued wherein if you be as yet vnskillfull ye may repayre to your M. Lumbard who will lead you to a descriptiō of Free-will deuidyng it into foure braunches as it were Wherof the first is The same that was created ioyntly with mans nature at mans first creation sounde and perfect The second whiche after mans fall was throwen downe in them that were not regenerated The third whiche is proper and peculiar to the godly after their conuersion vnto Grace The last which shal be accomplished in those that shal be glorified As touchyng the first and last whereof the Deuines make no question at all as I suppose Agayne if you will assigne Freewill to the thyrd braunche Luther will nothyng gaynsay you whose disputation concerneth those persons chiefly who after Sinne before their conuersion beyng wounded with originall Sinne haue not as yet recouered health in Christ Iesu through the triacle of better Grace In which sort of people if you be of opinion that the state of Freewill ought by any meanes to be defended I would fayne learne of you first whether ye will inueste those persons with Freewill playnly perfectly whole and not diminished or otherwise If you will attribute such a freédome vnto them it remayneth then that by way of definition ye expounde the difference betwixt the state and condition of the first man before his fall and this latter state and condition after his fall But if you will dismember it and will graunt vnto them certeine vnperfect dregges thereof onely neither will Luther vary much from you herein so that ye will yeld some distinctiō thereunto and vtter playnly and distinctly what kynde of libertie you meane in what thynges you settle it and how it ought to be taken what this word Freewill emporteth and to what actions of mans lyfe it ought to be referred and withall will vnlose those crabbed knottes of equiuocatiōs wherewith ye seéke to entrappe the truth For whereas the actions of mans lyfe are not all of one sort or kynde some wherof proceédyng from nature it selfe be naturall others altogether faultie and corrupt others politique and apperteinyng to maners are morall called good Agayne some other spirituall and consiste in the worshyppyng of God It behoued you here to make manifest vnto vs whiche of those actions you do meane If you speake of the first kynde certes euē vnto these by the very law of cōmon nature it selfe we are all fastened boūde of necessitie wherby we are bereft of the greatest part of our freédome For what freédome can bee so mighty in mans wil as to preserue mā so that he neuer neéde to sleépe but be alwayes watchfull that he neuer be sicke but alwayes healthy neuer receaue sustenaūce not to disgest the foode receaued not to prouide for his houshold not to be carefull for him selfe his family not to be busied abroad not to rest at home not to enioy the commō ayre not to lyue not to dye not to performe the other dueties apperteinyng to mans lyfe whereunto we are forcibly drawen by course of
of the Grace of God and so should he haue spoken more aptly in thys wise that the remnaunt were saued according to the Election of workes And how then shall God be sayd to haue mercy on whom he will haue mercye and so harden whom hee will harden if that he will nothing but that whiche is due of verye right nor doth receaue any to mercy vnlesse it appeared that he rewarded them both according to their workes forseéne But what kinde of duety can that be called which is freely geuen or what kinde of mercy is it whiche is not poured foorth vpon any but such as do deserue it If it be of Grace sayth the Apostle now is it not then of workes or els were Grace no more Grace Whereunto Augustine doth further annexe Not of workes done already sayth he but where the Apostle vseth this generall phrase of speech Not of works there he doth meane this to be spokeÌ„ both of workes past and workes to come c. Whereof let Osorius beé well aduised lest whiles he immagine in hys mynde vnder the colour of purging Gods Iustice of due reproche to escape the iutte of a moulehill he breake hys neck ouer a Rock by putting Gods mercy out of doores for what place will there be left for mercy or what office will Osorius assigne vnto her If Gods Iustice doe measure all thinges by lyne and leuell of hys foreknowledge of things to come For Osorius in this disputation of Election and of the purpose of God calling backe all things to the foreknowledge of thinges which God doth perceaue will came to passe Osorius doth not in wordes onely professe but with the whole bent of his skill practize that ouerthrowe of Grace Goe to And what be those goodly workes good Syr whiche God doth foreseé shal come If they be good and righteous what is more agreable to equitie then that the workes which be good should be worthely embraced and accompted prayse worthye But if they be euill that then also they should euen of very right be forsaken And what shall become of Mercye in the meane space but that shee sitt mute in a corner with her handes in her bosome like a dumbe stocke play mumme budget in Osorius Stage of merites But here forthwith will Osorius rayse vp hys Bristles and merueile it is but that we shall heare him belching out agayne in most beastly braying noyse Feuers quartanes tertians furies woodnes frensies helhoundes botches shamelessnes and what soeuer outragies els he hath suckt out of the olde tragicall deuises What will he say haue I euer spoken or imagined any thing of Gods mercy otherwise then becommeth me what kynde of foolehardinesse is this what vnmeasurable and disorderous kynde of liyeng Doe I thrust the grace of God out of doores with what face dare you aâ—ow this vpon me where when in what place in what phrase of wordes to whom in whose presence in whose hearing in what booke can ye approue that I euer vttered any such thing who haue alwayes most reuerently esteemed of the Grace of God and do yelde euery where so much to Gods mercy that I haue affirmed that in Gods mercye onely the whole protection of Gods Iustice doth consiste whiche if were not otherwise fortified with the ayde of mercy could neuer be free from reproche And how is it that I am so sodenly accompted a changeling fugitiue a traytor to Gods grace and a cutthroate of mercy I doe heare you well good Syr surely these bee smoothe wordes that you speake But may I be so bolde by your leaue as to cyte your owne wordes before the Inquisition and to rack the same after the maner of an Inquisitour to seé whether ye approue the same man in deéde which you so boldly pronouÌ„ce to be in wordes you say that ye diminish not so much as the value of a myte of Gods grace and that you doe not so exclude Gods mercy out of doores but that ye rather coÌ„clude all things vnder her as vnder the most especiall and onely fortresse of all other Goe to then Let vs take a taste both of your selfe and your doctrine And forasmuch as there be iiij thinges in the whiche all our saluation and doctrine is chiefly conteyned Namely Election Vocation Iustification the Glory of immortalitie forasmuch also as the whole purporte of the sacred Scriptures and the generall profession of Christian doctrine do consent in this one thing aboue all others that the whole hope and confidence of our Saluation consisteth in no one thing els but in the onely mercy of God promised vnto vs in all these now would I fayne learne how much Osorius wisedome doth yeald vnto mercy whiles he ascribeth so much to Gods Iustice. First as touching Election and Predestination if workes foreknowne do beare the whole sway here and that Gods Election falleth vppon no man but whose whole course of lyfe being knowne before hath made not vnworthy of this honorable dignitie of Election what place I pray you then is left here for mercy seéing this whole worke of Election seémeth to be ascribed to Iustice rather For as Iustice vouchsaffeth none but the good and such as deserue it euen so Grace and mercy doe relieue none for the more part but abiectes outcastes such as are altogether vnworthy therof Moreouer as concernyng VocatioÌ„ and CoÌ„uersioÌ„ if the habilitie of mans Freewill be such accordyng to this new Maister Doctour that it may not onely worke together with God but may also as well preuent the grace of God by some good motioÌ„ as follow it and that Grace is none otherwise either offred vnto vs vnlesse we put forth our willes thereunto before or that it is not otherwise effectuall in vs but whiles we stand fast to our tacklyng and hold fast the helpe offred vnto vs yea and encrease it with our owne strength and that no man is holpen of GOD but who that both willyng hopyng and prayeng doth make him selfe apte thereunto truly whosoeuer teach this doctrine let them set neuer so glorious a face towardes the blazyng of mercy in wordes yet in very deéde they be nothyng els but very Rebelles to Gods Grace or at the least manglers and spoylers of the best part and power of Gods Grace whiles they attribute part to grace and part to Nature The same is also to be adiudged of the worke of Iustification from the whiche though you seème not to exclude the Free-mercy of God altogether yet doe you gelde the most forrible partes therof surely and yeld them ouer to workes flowyng froÌ„ out the fouÌ„teyne of Freewill wherein also you make such a myngle mangle that ye will neither graunt onely fayth in the worke of Iustification nor onely Grace on the worke of Election by any meanes Lastly what shall we say of the reward of Glory for if our workes beyng wayed in the righteous ballaunces of Gods
doth lye in all his Bookes Hereof therefore canne not be denyed but that he writeth Bookes Or els how could he lye in his bookes if he wrote no bookes at all And yet neither did Luther in that Article affirme symply that the righteous man doth sinne in euery good worke But annexing thereunto an exception conditionall he doth qualifye the sharpenesse of the proposition expounding himselfe with the testimonies of Gregory and Augustine on this wise If God proceed in his iudgement sayth he straightly without all consideration of mercy Meaning hereby not that God should take good workes from righteous men but should despoyle works of that perfection which of it selfe were able to counteruayle the cleare iudgement of God so that the perfection of our righteousnes consist not now in doing well but in acknoledgement of our owne Imperfection and humble confessing the same For this do we heare Augustine speake Vertue sayth he wherewith man is now endued is so farre forth called perfect as the true and humble acknowledgement of mans owne imperfection ioyned with an vnfayned confession of the same doth make it to be accepted for perfect Now what poyson lurketh here I beseéch you worshippfull Syr Unlesse perhappes you thinke thus that because God doth not commaund impossibilities for this cause they that be regenerated may in this life accomplish the law of God fully and absolutely and that your selfe be of the number of them which in this life abcomplish all righteousnes throughly If you thinke thus of your selfe what better aūswere shal I make you then the same which Constantine the great did on a time nippingly to Acesius a Nouatian who denyed that such as were fallen could rise agayne by repentaunce Set vppe your Ladders quoth he and clymbe you vppe to heauen alone Acesius Furthermore where you are wont to obiect in this place impossibilitie of performing the law surely this doth not so much empaire Luthers assertion nor helpe your presumptuousnes sithence Augustine doth aunswere you sufficiently in Luthers behalfe All the cōmaūdemēts of God saith he are thē reputed to haue bene performed when whatsoeuer is left vndone is pardoned And in his booke de perfectione iustitiae debating this question whether the commaundements of God were possible to be kept he doth deny that they be possible to be kept But he affirmeth that neither in this life they be possible to be kept nor to keep them commeth of nature but of the heauenly grace But hereof hath sufficiently bene spoken already before so that it shall not beé needfull to do the thing that is done already It remayneth next now that we enter into the discourse of the holy ceremonyes decreés and ordinaunces of the Church because he complayneth for the suppressing of these also wherein what iust cause he hath to complayne shall hereby apeare If we consider duly and aright the auncient ordinaunces and determinations of the primitiue Church Amongest which auncient ordinaūces of the Church I suppose this was establshed That no man should be abridged from freédome to marry and from eating all kinde of meates fish or flesh as euery man foūd himselfe best disposed It was an auncient ordinaunce also that aswell the lay people as priestes without exception should communicate vnder both kindes the bread and the wine And that nothing should be redde in the Churches besides the scriptures Moreouer that the Scriptures should be read openly to all persons generally in their mother toūg that euery man myght vnderstād it The auncient ordinaūces of the church did neuer admit any more sacramentes then two nor widdowes vnder threéscore yeéres old nor vouchsafed any that were but newly entred into the profession to beare any rule in the congregation nor any els but such as were knowne both godly and prayseworthy aswell for the soundnesse of theyr doctrine as for the continuall course of their liues It was an especiall prouiso of the auntient discipline that no one person should haue any more Cures the◠one nor should receiue out of any Church any greater contribution then should seéme sufficient for necessaryes onely and not to mayntayne prodigality and lust It was also an auncient custome amongst the elders that the newly professed should be applied to reading of lessones and singinge onely And the Priestes in the meane time should apply preaching of the word Amongest other aūciēt ordinaūces that Canon of the counsell of Nyce seémeth worthy to be placed here which prouided that the ouersight of all other churches should beé committed to threé or foure patriarches equally in such wise as that no preheminence of superiority should be amongst them but all to be equall in dignity Adde vnto this the generall discipline of the church which did not hang vpon one mans sleéue onely but was exercised indifferently in all places agaynst all notorions offences without respect of persons Now therefore where Osorius complayneth that the ordinaunces of the auntient and primitiue Church are taken away abolished herein he doth not amisse So do many godly personages more beside Osorius complayne very bitterly of the same But in the meane space I do maruaile much what monstruous deuise this Byshoppe coyneth agaynst vs who neither liketh with the abolishing of the auncient customes of the primitiue Church nor can in any respect disgest those men which do endeuour and desire onely to haue a generall reformation For to saye the trueth whereunto tendeth all the endeuour of those men whome Osorius here wringeth vpon so sharpely but that those auntient decreés and ordinaunces wherewith the Church of Christ was endued at the first might recouer agayne theyr former dignity from which they haue bene lamentably reiected If they could bring this to passe by any meanes nothing coulde please them better But if their harty desires attayne not wished Successe no men are more to be blamed for it Osorius then you your selues who vnder a deceauable and craftie vysor of antiquity practize earnestly and busily alwayes that no Monumēt of auncient antiquitie may remaine but haue forged vs a certeine new face of an vpstart Church with certeine straunge and newfangled Decreés and Decretalles which the true and auncient antiquitie if were alyue agayne would neuer acknowledge otherwise then as misbegotten Bastardes But to proceéde this Rhetoricall amplificatiō waxeth more hotte yet in more choler Moreouer neither contēted sayth he with the lamentable desolatiō of these thynges ye haue dispoyled mā of all freedome of will and haue bounde fast with a certeine fatall and vnauoydable Necessitie all the actoins and imaginations of men be they good and godly or be the perillous and pernitious cōtrary to Nature Reason and the law of God c. Touchyng the freédome of mans will and that fatall necessitie as Osorius tearmeth it bycause aunswere sufficient is made already before It shall be neédelesse to protract the Reader with a new repetition of matters spoken already To be brief and
your owne Doctours and their whole doctrine is yours They were tractable for a tyme in the mariage of Priestes in the receauyng of the Sacrament vsing the necessitie of the present tyme but in all the rest as much as in them was they did gorgiously garnishe their Romish kyngdome And therefore in this last place you were fondly foolishe to affirme that your owne chieftaines displayed banner vnder your enemyes enseignes Truly either your memory is very slipperie or your wittes went a wollgatheryng when you were ouer earnest in your slaunderous imagination Yet are you much miscontented with these men likewise bycause they seéme to varie amongest them selues For they correct I will vse your intricate wordes by your leaue they alter they turne in and out they blotte out the old and make new places c. When you name places I suppose you meane common places of Scriptures or litle bookes of common places If it be so you ought to haue remembred the Grecian Prouerbe The secoÌ„d determinations are accoÌ„pted wiser then the first Neither can any thyng resemble the Christian modesty more nearely then if we amend our selues as neéde requireth We haue a notable example hereof Aurel. Augustine who made a booke of his errours entitled a Retractation But you are in an other predicament That is to say you are apprentices and so addicted bondslaues to these drowsie dreames the dayly practize whereof hath so betwitched your senses that no streÌ„gth of the truth caÌ„ mollifie your harts cloyed altogether in that phantasticall puddle of schoolemyre But howsoeuer you shall remaine stiffenecked your selues you ought not yet reproue the modestie of others whiche fashion them selues nearest to Christian simplicitie Neither was any exaÌ„ple at any tyme more coÌ„mendable in the Church of Christ then this of Augustine was You seé now what a stinckyng reward you haue gotten for this pursuyte of Sectaries and yet as if you had besturred your stumpes haÌ„dsomely you triumph in these wordes What can you Replie to this was there a generall consent betwixt them that sprang out of Luther no disagreement no contradiction in opinions But how much better had it bene for you to haue reuerenced that lead whereat you scorne so much then to haue opened such a gappe to so moÌ„struous pestiferours errours I aunswere that these your metie questions concerne me nothyng at all For I am an English man not a Lutherane I stand for England and not for Luther agaynst you Yet do I pronouÌ„ce this also that there was a generall consent amongest the Lutherans no disagreément no contradiction in opinions For they all sticke fast to Augustines coÌ„fession nor will suffer them selues to be drawen from it But that confession say you I do not allow Neither is this matter now in question what maner of confession that was for howsoeuer that be it is most certeine that the Lutherans did perseuer stedfastly therein As for the rest whiche you heape together are either fayned or coyned by you or banished from all men as well from vs as from you Or els they be your owne sweéte sworne brethren sauyng that they haue somewhat more modestie discretion then you Therfore this is but a slender ArgumeÌ„t to enduce me to reuerence your lead except I were too too leaddish by nature But sithence you haue shronke from your tackle and forsaken the leaden Bulles of your Monarche in so succourlesse a shipwracke without helme or cable in such dispayred perplexitie you are to be esteémed not onely a leadden and woodden but a durtie aduocate also of your Romish Monarchie if at the least any thyng may be more filthy then durte Yet that ye may the better proceéde you spitte on your handes and take hold of my wordes which are these But there came a thundercracke into our eares out of the heauenly authoritie of the sacred Scriptures that made our consciences afrayde and compelled vs to abandonne and forsake all mens Traditions and too putte our whole confidence in the onely freémercy of God Well I acknowledge this speache to be myne owne yea and gladly also And I finde nothyng therein blameworthy But what sayth Osorius to this grace Doe ye not say gramercy to Luther sayth hee that linked you so fast with such a singular benefite to abandonne all fearefulnes from you What is the matter my Lord what Planet hath distempered you I haue nothyng here to do with Luther nor with his doctrine of fayth I shewed that our consciences were terrified with the authoritie of sacred Scriptures and constrained to fleé to the freé mercy of God you say Luther hath written erroniously touchyng fayth forsooth these two hang together like a sicke mans dreame As if a man would argue in this wise Osorius is a most impudent rayler Ergo his companion of Angrence is a perfect Logician Are you not ashamed to cite whole sentences from an other writer beyng vnable to frame any probable obiections agaynst any one of them For as concernyng Luther albeit I haue not vndertaken to defende him as I haue oftentymes protected yet this doe I suppose that neither he nor any other interpretour of that Scriptures ought to bee admitted vpon euery particular Assertion but to haue relation to the whole discourse and meanyng of the Authour If this especiall regard bee had vnto Luther as in deéde it ought he shal be founde a profounde scholemaster both of fayth and a good workes and so farre to excell you in learnyng that ye shall not be worthy to beare his bookes after him howsoeuer you delight your selfe to gnaw vpon a few wordes of his vnaduisedly throwen out in some heate of disputation But by the way you stuÌ„ble also at an other straw of myne bycause I wrate that we haue forsaken and reiected the traditions of men And with many iâ—gglyng wordes challenge vs that we are beholdyng herein to Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Bucer Caluin and Peter Martyr O my ouer tedious and toylesome lucke that hoped to dispute with a learned and discrete Diuine who would without good grounde haue blamed nothyng nor vsed any cauillatioÌ„s but now finde all contrary For I am pestered with a fonde brabblyng clatterer which delightyng altogether in vncessaunt chatteryng snatcheth and snarleth at thynges ratified and approued by all men I am therfore constrayned now to play the child agayne in the principles of Diuinitie as he doth and those questions must be debated wherof no man hauyng any skill can be ignoraunt In the same maner therfore we haue cast away traditioÌ„s of men as our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ hath pronounced in the Gospell vnder the person of Esay the Propet But in vayne they worshyppe me teachyng the doctrine and traditions of men And as our Lord Iesu a litle before rebuked the Phariseis You haue made frustrate sayth he the commaundement of God through your owne traditions We geue eare vnto men as they be men but if they ones teach contrary
to deale with you of the Supper of the Lord whiche beyng of it selfe a most precious and sacred monument of our redemption you haue so defiled and corrupted with your traditiōs that the true vse therof is almost vtterly extinct Yet in the meane space You accuse vs as violatours of the Maiestie of this sacred Sacrament and that we haue in the same I know not how haynously offended Which horrible accusation beyng enflamed with outragious burnyng firebrandes of Sentences if it be vnfolden throughly perused will seéme to sauour of nothyng at all but of malicious smoke of your shameles railing You make a preface hereūto in some leaues with a great rable of wordes but altogether contrary to the matter As that we do not cōceaue all the creatures of God by reason and a litle after you roll in your Rhetoricke commyng downe to the fashionyng of mans body and the whole creatiō of the world and herein bycause you will be accoumpted no small Ciceronian you besturre your selfe packe and stuffe together a whole sarpler full of Tullies owne sentences and at length with a long laboursome talke ye conclude that wherof no sensible man of our Deuines euer doubted That is to say That mās reason onely must not be vsed to the conceauyng of all the creatures of God but that fayth must be many tymes enterlaced withall And last of all you name our Lord Iesus Christ commyng downe vnto vs from heauen and of his infinite mercy takyng vpon him our frayle nature the whiche you preach to exceéde reason aboue measure What say you Osorius what do you meane hereby who hath distempered you you do suppose I thinke that ye write to stones and blockes not to men Who did euer doubt that there are as many thyngs to be woūdred at as be creatures in nature Let vs behold all the workes of God Or what Christian person hath euer bene foūd amongest vs so blockish and so voyde of perseueraunce which doth not confesse the commyng downe of Christ from heauen and all the Articles of our belief to be vnto vs as secrete and heauenly mysteries of our fayth wherfore do you so wastfully lose your own and other mens tyme in so euident approued confessed matters why are you so madde in the introduction onely of so great a matter to make so long a discourse of Maximes already manifest and whereof our children can not be ignoraunt Forsooth to this end I do it you say thereby to display your errour Who doe not comprehend the Sacrament of Euchariste by the mysterie of fayth but esteeme the same by reason onely That is false my Lord it is vntrue we doe earnestly vrge fayth we adioyne the Spirite we do graūt defend it to be both a Sacrament and a mysterie also You on the other side do plucke God out of heauen contrary to the expresse Article of our fayth and beyng pluckte from thence the holy Ghost crying out agaynst you in the Scriptures you shut him vp into bread and beyng shut vp therein ye doe transubstantiate him disguise him with your Argumentes illusions of schooleianglers chopt together framed vpō accidentes substaunces quantities and qualities and to helpe your iugglyng you borow a point of Paule cleane contrary the cause videl He that hath not spared his owne Sonne but hath deliuered him vp for vs all how hath he not geuen vs all thynges together with him I would to God Osorius you did as firmely and sincerely beleue this sentence of Paule as we doe There would not then be such a swarme of ceremonies and superstitions in your Church there would not bee such gaddyng on pilgrimages and lyeng grouelyng before Images neither should we seé the Uicare of God enstalled a Lord ouer mens consciences vtteryng his pardons of sinnes for a fewe pence tossing and turmoyling the poore and wretched soules in the flames of Purgatory not enhaunsing market of the holy Scriptures after hiw owne pleasure Lastly your Confessours and cowled generation of Uipers would not esteéme the worthynes of workes as a portion of our Iustification Yea if you had beleued Paul you would neuer haue admitted those poysoned monsters of Religiō but would haue cōfessed with vs That all thyngs are geuen vnto vs together with our Lord Iesus But I pray you what doth that sentence of Paule auayle to the Exposition of the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord Truely nothyng at all yet this our goodly graue father turmoyleth all thyngs confoundeth all thynges not regardyng what may be agreable to the cause but poureth out all thynges at happe hassard as they come into his vagaraunt quill Now followeth a decreé of your owne stāpe in these wordes I am of this opiniō that those persōs which do professe the true fayth should cōsider nothyng els herein but how that thyng that is decreed vpon to bee beleued may be agreable to the goodnes of God That no man might doubt by any meanes the mysterie of our Redemption What speake you Osorius shall we iudge how agreable any thyng may be to the goodnes of God Who hath made vs iudges of the goodnes of God that we should determine what may bee agreable and not agreable to the same but your toung doth folter for you would haue sayd the will of God or ye should haue so sayd as farre forth as we can vnderstād it as farre forth as the Patriarches Prophetes our Lord Iesus also his Apostles hath reuealed vnto vs by the sacred Scriptures And if your decreé tende to this effect we will accept thereof For we make no doubt of the power of God although you falsely reproche vs herein but do grope after his deuine will in his word and do humbly apply all our actions thereunto as farre forth as the imbecillitie of our frayle and weake nature will permit And therefore teache you I pray you what thyng God would haue to bee made in that Sacrament we will neuer enquire whether God be able to performe it sor whē we are made assured of Gods good will we will acknowledge with all reuerence and humblenesse his power as meéte is Next after your foolish and childish Preface ensueth a very graéuous accusation agaynst Peter Martyr a meéte hotchepot for your Confessours Schoolemē Friers For if they had couchte all their noddles together they could haue vomited out scarsely halfe so much poyson in so short a tyme. To make this matter somewhat playne of all partes what maner a thyng it is we will rippe abroad his Budget of tales euen as Osorius hath patchte it together These therefore are the wordes wherewith Osorius doth challenge the combate agaynst the soule of Peter Martyr O thou most wicked mā how came it into thy mynde to handle that most sacred mysterie I would to God my sweéte Peter were alyue agayne did heare this franticke slaunder agaynst him Forsooth he would easely suppres this
mercyfull indulgence of God And the same sentence hee doth reiterate agayne in an other place in the selfe same wordes or at least doth cōfirme it with wordes not very much differēt from the same For the sinne sayth he that is committed can not be vndone and yet if God doe not Impute the same it shal be as though it neuer were done c. Surely if the sinne shall not be accompted sinne that hath bene committed no more shall the Sinner bee taken for a Sinner that hath committed the sinne And so it followeth necessaryly hereupon that he must neédes be righteous and blessed Whereby you do perceaue I suppose from whence all this sappe or iuyce of our Righteousnesse and Saluation springeth not out of the workes of our righteousnesse which is none at all but from the onely meére mercy of Gods freé pardon as hath bene declared by the testimony of Bernarde Or if the authoritie of Bernarde cā not obteine so much credite with you yet let the Fayth of Basile Augustine Origene and Ierome persuade you or their auncientie moue you for I perceaue that you are much delighted with antiquitie And first what cā be more notable then the wordes of Basile For he that trusteth not to his owne good wordes neither looketh to be iustified by the deseruyng of good deédes all his hope of saluation he reposeth onely in the meéte mercy of almightie God I will adioyne vnto him a companion of the same iudgemēt and auncientie that notable Clarcke Origene Bycause all thynges sayth he are concluded vnder sinne therfore mans saluation consisteth not in merites of workes but in the freé mercy of God Neither doth S. Augustine differre from them who treatyng of the ende of the last Iudgement seémeth to haue setled all the hope of our sauetie in the onely mercy of God God will crown vs sayth he in the end of the world with mercy and compassions Yeldyng the same in the Latine toung almost which Basile before him dyd expresse most manifestly in the Greéke toung in this wise There is Iudgemēt not without mercy bycause here is no such man to bee founde pure and immaculate without some spotte of sinne yea though hee be an Infante dyeng the same day that he is borne And agayne the same Augustine in his booke De Ciuitate Dei 19. booke and 27. Chapter purposing to declare what accompt may be made of our righteousnes in this transitory life affirmeth it to be such as ought rather to be valued by the forgeuenesse of sinnes then by perfection of vertues And agayne the same Augustine in his first booke of Retractations 19. Chap. All the Commaundementes sayth hee are then reputed to be performed when that whiche is left vndone is pardoned And I know not whether Ierome haue declared the same more euidently who referryng all thyngs to the freé mercyfulnesse of God forgeuyng vs speaketh in this wise In Christ Iesu our Lord in whom we haue our hope accesse and affiaunce by the faith of him not by our righteousnes but by him through whose fayth our sinnes are forgeuen vs. But why doe I stand so long vpon a matter that ought to be without all cōtrouersie when as the generall consent and agreément of all learned Authours and antiquitie can not be founde more constaunt nor for the more part more consonaunt in any one thyng so much as in this The matter therefore beyng so playne it remayneth that of two meére contraries we allow the one and vtterly forsake the other that is to say either that which you doe cauill touchyng righteousnesse or els that which they doe teache vs touchyng Gods gracious forbearyng For these two are farre different eche from other and can not be admitted both for it righteousnesse be obteyned by integritie of workes then what neéde haue we of any further forgeuenesse But if this come vnto us by the onely freé benignitie of the forgeuer I beseé you then for the loue ye beare to your Myter where is now that integritie of workes that vprightenesse that may make our righteousnesse perfect For as farre as I can gesse pardon is not geuen to well deseruynges but reward rather offred as of duety Neither can it be truely sayd That pardon must be craued where no offence is committed But ye will say paraduenture that some imperfections doth lurcke secretly in our deédes though they be wrought by the grace of God which yet wanteth the mercyfulnesse of God It is well sayd truely And why then doth your darkyng penne so cruelly rage agaynst Luther Who franckely of his own accorde doth professe the selfe same thing though in other wordes which you are driuē by force to yeld vnto whether ye will or no. That is to say That our deédes are vnperfect lame blynd naked and so altogether barren and hungry that vnlesse they bee clothed and vpholden by the mercy of freé pardon no defence wil be pleadeable before the Iudgement seate of God and shal be accompted rather in place of sinnes then seéme to deserue any reward of vertue If ye be not satisfied with these testimonies but will obstinately persiste in this your opinion still that our workes may be so absolutely perfect as to deserue I beseéch you make proofe therof by some reasonable authoritie either vouched out of holy Scriptures or out of some approued auncient Authours And if ye can make no soūd proofe in that behalfe deale yet somewhat more soberly with vs. For these your reproches rebukes lyes scoldynges outcries spyttynges cursinges glorious hauty speaches and triflyng wordes make nothyng to the purpose On the other part if ye can neither make proofe vnto vs of this perfect Righteousnesse of workes by any demonstration of your owne workes nor any mā els besides you dare presume to offer him selfe in iudgement to tryed by his workes what els doe ye in chargyng Luther so sharpely when ye so condemne him for a franticke and braynesicke mā Then Tertullus did sometyme accusing Paul to bee a seditous person sauyng that he accused Paule but at one tyme once and your penne vomityng out nothyng els besides furies frensies and madnes of Luther doth so continually crawle in ragyng by degreés as will seéme neuer to make any ende at all thereof vntill ye bryng your selfe amongest the Iewes at the last and crye out as they did Crucifige vpon him Crucifige vpon him Iob a most vpright lyuear did stand in doubtfull feare of all the workes of his life Esay the Prophet doth cōpare all our righteousnesse to a foule menstruous cloth Christ him selfe doth pronounce that all our endeuours and workes are vnprofitable Paule as it were loathyng the remembraunce of his owne righteousnes how glorious so euer his works appeared yet did adiudge them so farre distaunt from true righteousnesse that hee esteemed them no better then doung Dauid durst not presume to enter into Iudgement with God Augustine
in this corruptible body but which consisteth rather in remission of sinnes and which after this lyfe will supporte the neédy and naked weakenesse of our workes be they neuer so feéble agaynst the importable burden of the rigour of the law Of which mercy Augustine maketh mention in this wise Stand not in Iudgemēt with me O Lord exactyng all thyngs which thou hast cōmaunded me For if thou enter into Iudgement with me thou shalt finde me guiltie Therefore I haue more neéde of thy mercy then thy manifest Iudgement Agayne in an other place treatyng of the last Iudgemēt He shall crown theé sayth he in mercy compassiōs This shall come to passe at that dreadfull day whenas the righteous kyng shall sit vpon his throne to render to euery mā according to his workes who then can glory that hee hath a pure and vndefiled hart or dare boast that he is without sinne And therfore it was necessary to make mention there of the compassions and mercy of the Lord. c. And agayne somewhat more playnly where hee describeth what maner of mercy shal be in the day of Iudgement he doth set it forth in this wise This is called mercy sayth he bycause God doth not regarde our deseruynges but his owne goodnesse that thereby forgeuyng vs all our sinnes he might promise vs euerlasting life Hereunto also may be annexed the testimonie of Basile no lesse worthy to bee noted touchyng the mercyfull Iudgement of God towardes his chosen people you shal heare his owne wordes as they are For if the Iudgement of GOD were so rigorous and precise in it selfe to render vnto vs after our worthynesse accordyng to the workes that we haue done what hope were then or what man should bee saued But now he loueth both mercy and Iudgement that is matchyng mercy equall with him selfe to beare chief rule in the regall seate of Iudgement and so bryngeth forth euery man to Iudgement That is to say if Gods Iudgement should proceéde of it selfe precisely and exactly requityng euery of vs accordyng to the deseruynges of our deédes that we haue done what hope should remayne for vs or what one person of mankynde should be saued But now God loueth mercy and Iudgement And reseruyng mercy for him selfe he hath placed her before the Royall Throne of Iustice as chief gouernesse and so citeth euery man vnto Iudgement You seé here mention made of mercy and the grace of God not that grace onely that doth engender in vs good workes but the same rather whiche doth forgeue sinnes and Sinners through the bloud of his sonne in which forgeuenesse consisteth our whole redemption accordyng to the testimonie of Paule the Apostle In whom sayth hee we obteine redemption through his bloud and remission of sinnes through the riches of his grace c. If I neéded in this matter to vse a multitude of witnesses rather thē substaūce of authority it were no hard matter for me to cite for defence of the Cause infinite testimonies out of Ambrose Ierome Gregory Bernarde others But what neéde I protract the time of the Reader in vouching a nūber whenas it is euident enough already I suppose by those sayinges spoken before that our saluation can by no meanes obteine place in Iudgement without the mercy of God and his freé Imputation The first wherof our Sinnes neéde to be couered withall the next euen our best workes shall want of necessitie Whereupon that saying of Bernarde wherof we made mention before as diuers other Sentences of his to the same effect bee very pitthye Not to sinne sayth he is the righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse of man is the freé pardon of God Of which pardon Augustine very litle differring from Bernarde maketh rehearsall in these wordes Thou hast done no good thyng sayth hee yet thy sinnes are forgeuen theé hitherto thou hearest the worke of mercy Marke now for Imputation Thy workes are examined and they are founde all faultie and forthwith concluding addeth If God should require these workes after their deseruynges he should surely condemne theé But God doth not geue theé due punishement but graunteth vndeserued mercy Thus much Augustine Euen as though hee would say Our best deédes seéme in none other respect good then as farreforth as they be vpholden by his pardon and freé Imputation who if otherwise should searche all our workes euen to the quicke after the most precise rule of his seuere Iustice hee should surely finde nothing sounde in our best deédes many things lothsome and wicked in our workes all thyngs in vs altogether corrupt and defiled Wherein we do not so aduaunce the mercy of God in his Iudgement as though we would haue all the partes of his Iustice excluded from thence But we doe mitigate rather the frettyng wounde of his Iustice which you do so stiffely mainteyne with your speache applyeng thereunto the sweéte and wholesome playster of his mercyfull Imputatiō For who cā be ignoraūt hereof that God shall Iudge the quicke and the dead with Iustice and equitie And who on the other part is so blind that can not discerne this to bee most false that Osorius mainteineth who rakyng all thynges to amplifie the estimation of pure righteousnes doth so stoutly defende this pointe That all our wordes workes are of such force and value in this Iudgement that of their owne nature they are auaylable towardes the purchase of the euerlastyng inheritaunce or els do procure vs a ready downefall to euerlastyng destruction In deede he speaketh truly in respect of the condemnation of the vnfaithful and vnbeleuyng persons and of them which beyng estraunged from fayth haue not acknowledged Christ in this world and of such as abusing their fayth haue despised Christ and of them also which seékyng to establish their own righteousnesse would not submit thē selues to the righteousnesse of Christ. Neither is it any maruell if God doe execute his Iustice somewhat more sharpely agaynst those persōs whenas their deédes beyng foūde guilty haue no ayde to pleade for them that may stand them in steéde besides Christ. For Christ is nothyng elles but a seuere Iudge to them that are not within the fortresse of Fayth as in effect the Gospell doth denounce vnto vs. Who so hath not beleued the Sonne the wrath of God dwelleth vpon him Iohn 3. But the matter goeth farre otherwise with them that are engraffed in Christ by faith of whom we read in Iohn the same Chap. He that beleueth the sonne hath euerlasting life Wherfore as Christ appeareth not a Redeémer but rather a Iudge to them which without the Castle of Fayth seéke to be rescued by the law so on the contrary part Those that shrowde them selues wholy vnder the assured Target of fayth and protection of the Sonne of God shall not finde Christ a rigorous Iudge but a mercyfull Redeémer The whiche sentence he doth verifie him selfe by his own testimony and
his mouth But for as much as no man can enterprise any good action vnlesse he doe first utterly cut of the kyngdome of Sinne. But the kyngdome of sinne can not be vtterly cut of if it be true that Luther teacheth It remayneth therefore that no man is able to worke any good deede As touchyng the forme of this Argument perhappes the punyes in Sophistey may somewhat allow but if ye behold the matter thereof Certes the Doctours of Diuinitie will reiect the same as faultie Vnlesse sayth he the kyngdome of sinne be first vtterly cut of c. Truly I would not much stand with you here Osorius If you will first expresse vnto vs apely and distinctly what you meane by this worde kyngdome For whereas Deuines do agreé that there are two sortes of sinne whiche we call actuall sinne whiche also they doe distinguish two maners of wayes into Sinne reigning and Sinne rebelling you must teach vs whether of those two you meane For it is not all one thyng to suffer thy selfe to be carryed away with sinne to yeld thy selfe willingly captiue into his Tyranny as to be vanquished of sinne through weakenes For the first cōmeth of will the next of Infirmitie We are all many tymes ouercome of sinne neither liueth any in this flesh but offendeth sometymes sondry wayes Yet are we notwithstanding ouercome agaynst our willes and drawyng backe as it were The most chosen seruaunts of God are sondry tymes cast down through Sinne reigning in their mēbers But neuer yeld ouer wholy as subiectes to his kyngdome Uery well therfore doth S. Paule counsell vs Let not Sinne reigne in your fleshly bodies Rom. 6. And yet the same Paule did not alwayes bring to passe the good that he would But did worke many tymes the euill that he would not Not he now but Sinne dwellyng within him These thynges beyng thus opened Let vs search out the pythe of the Argument Hee denyeth that vertue hath any place there where the kyngdome of Sinne is not vtterly rooted out If Osorius do meane the kyngdome of Sinne as a kyng or a tyraunt doth reigne ouer his subiectes The Maior proposition is true but the Minor most false For Luther did neuer teache no not so much as dreame otherwise then that Sinne should bee suppressed as much as were possible But if his meanyng tende to this end That no man can enterprise any good worke vnlesse the tyranny of Sinne beyng first brought vnder yoke he haue so tamed the fleshe that no motion so much may bee felt to rebell within that may wounde or infect the conscience how can Osorius make proofe of that which he verifieth in his Maior or confute that which he doth obiect agaynst Luther in his Minor Or where shall he finde that conquerour of Sinne who hauyng throughly mortified Sinne and vtterly vanquished the ragyng Rebellion of naturall corruption dare promise rewarde of perfect righteousnesse vnto him selfe Iob a man of all other famous for his vprightenesse of lyfe was yet so displeasaunt with him selfe that hee seémed to stand in doubte of all his workes Esay doth condemne all his righteousnesse to be more lothsome then a menstruous cloute Who was more holy or more acceptable to God then Dauid And yet besides that he dare not presume to offer him selfe to Iudgement as beyng dismayed with feare of his secret conscience he doth not spare franckely to pronounce That no fleshe liuyng can bee founde righteous in the sight of God The greate Prophete Daniell doubted not to make his humble Confession together with the people saying That he had Sinned with his forefathers What shall I speake of Ionas and the other Prophetes And to let passe the other Apostles what shall I say of Paule and Peter S. Iohn declaryng That we all are Trespassours in many thinges doth not exempt him selfe out of the same number Next to the Apostles ensued the Age of auncient Antiquitie and learned Fathers who although with all their power might did valiauntly mainteyne cōtinuall battell agaynst the assaultes of sinne yet could they neuer so surely encampe gard them selues in so firme a grounde but they should be vndermined with the countermoyling of her outragious Pyoners that lyke dastardes mistrustyng their owne strēgth they should feéle them selues enforced sometymes to forsake their standyng and fleé for rescue to the onely mercy and forgeuenesse of God as to the onely vnpenetrable rocke of their Saluation And therfore S. Ierome in playne wordes doth note truly that though man did atteine to perfection hee should yet stand in neéde of Gods mercy and that mans full and perfect perfection did depend vpon grace and not vpon deseruynges c. No lesse effectually Augustine writyng to Boniface touchyng perfect righteousnesse or rather of the imperfection of our righteousnesse Uertue sayth he whiche is now in a righteous man is sayd to be so farreforth righteous as vnfayned acknowledgement and humble Confession of his owne imperfection doth admitte the same to bee perfect Agayne the same Augustine in an other place doth accompt that man to haue profited much in this life who by profityng doth feéle in him selfe how farre he is distaunt from true perfection And bycause the Latin Church shall not seéme to want the testimonies of the Greékes Let vs heare the wordes of Basile treatyng of mans righteousnesse This is full perfect reioysing in God when as a man is lifted vp not with any righteousnes of his own but knoweth him selfe empty and naked of true righteousnesse and so to be iustified by Faith Onely in Christ Iesu. Whereby Osorius may perceaue what estimate is to be made of our owne righteousnesse though it seéme neuer so beautyfull which Augustine him selfe adiudgeth worthy of execrable curse if it bee examined besides the mercy of God But bycause sayth he thou doest not narrowly sharpely searche our offences we doe hope assuredly that we shall obteyne some place for pardon in thy sight It is not neédefull to make a Register of all the testimonies of writers the matter especially beyng so euident and so strongly fenced with multitude of authorities whenas the consent and agreément of all writers is in no one thyng more generall and stedfast then in the abacyng of perfection of workes and humbly crauyng pardon of our owne imperfection Whereupon Augustine stand not in Iudgement sayth he agaynst thy seruaūt requiryng of me all thynges that thou hast taught and commaunded For if thou enter into Iudgement with me thou shalt finde me guilty I had neéde therfore of thy mercyes rather thē thy seuere Iudgement I demaunde now what you cōceaue of the wordes of Augustine Surely although I doe not thinke that the man was voyde of wonderfull willyng endeuour yet if he had bene of all partes endued with that integritie of vndefiled lyfe and had vtterly rooted out the whole kyngdome of Sinne with the
gift of election whereas before there was nothing in the Infantes beyng not yet borne that might eyther deserue to beé aduaunced or to be reiected If you respect the worthines of their workes what had the seély infantes done before they were borne but if this whole matter did depend vpon the determination of Gods vnsearcheable counsell what rewarde here doe mens workes deserue namely whereas God spake to Moyses in playnest maner of speach I will haue mercy on him on whō I will shew mercy and will haue cōpassion on him on whom I haue compassion Whereunto agreéth the testimony of Paule immediately vttered by the same spirite It is not of him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in GOD that sheweth mercy Againe alledging the example of Pharao with semblable reason cōfirmeth the same by the example of Gods seuerity that he debated before of his freémercy And this is the very order of the argument in Paules discourse which neyther Osorius himselfe will deny But it must be diligently considered to what ende Paule applyed those reasons for herein consisteth the whole pithe of our controuersie And whereas Luther Caluine Martyr and their companions bee of opinion that Paule vndertooke this Disputation for this end◠that by settyng downe examples of Gods liberalitie and seueritie he might make manifest that the onely freé mercy and eternall Election of God accordyng to the purpose of his good pleasure did make the true Israelites without any helpe or respect of workes or endeuours◠Osori doth very stoughtly withstand these felowes not denyeng meane whiles Gods Election nor Gods callyng ne yet his Grace as hee sayth but will not graunt this notwithstandyng that the Election of the faythfull consisteth in the freémercy of GOD without speciall respect of workes For this is the whole force of this Prelates Diuinitie Let vs heare his owne wordes as they be This therfore sayth he do we gather out of this place of Paule that neither dignitie of parentage nor worke nor yet the law doth make true Israelites but Gods Election his callyng and his Grace But let vs see whether this so notable mercy of God powred vpon vs without all our deseruynges is geauen vs without any respect of workes No it is not c. First bycause I do not sufficiently conceaue Osorius what you meane by this that you say mercy powred vpō vs with out desertes yet not geauen without respect of workes I would haue you open your meanyng more distinctly If God do powre out vpō his faythfull mercy without merites as you say what other choyse then doe ye want in those that are elect then the very same which cōsisteth of Gods meére mercy good will onely without merites But this you thinke not in any wise sufferable nor to be vttered for this reason as I suppose If Gods Election should consiste of mercy onely without any choyse of such as are chosen Gods Iudgement might be adiudged to be chaunceable and vnaduised Let vs ioyne hereunto the Minor But fortune and vnaduisednesse are not to be imputed to Gods Iudgement For we heare out of Paule Not by workes but of him that calleth who sayth that the elder shall serue the younger Let vs now conclude a Gods name Ergo Gods electiō standeth not by his mercy onely with out some choyse that is say without some especiall discrete regarde of some one thyng in the person that is elected which was not to bee founde in the person that was reiected For in this maner doth Osorius both define and conclude After sūdry ridiculous vayne glorious speaches of his Rhethoricall brauery and vnprofitable scoldyng least he might not seéme to be a Rhetoriciā onely or a leane Logiciā he hath now pyked somewhat out of the Rules of Sophistry wherein he behaueth hym selfe neuerthelesse none otherwise then an Owle amōgest Nightingales For the very principall speciall pointe of that Arte hee either atteyneth not aright or toucheth surely very coldly Which may be easily and playnly perceaued Osorius by this your owne forme of arguyng And I call it playnly your owne bycause no creature cā more nearely resemble his Sire wherein you do neither define rightly nor deuide orderly no lesse foolishly heapyng together false thynges in steéde of true thynges in your maner of arguyng proceédyng from the effectes to causes and as Crabbes crawle backeward so do you for the more part set the carte before the Hoarse First Wheras you say that this word Electiō doth signifie some speciall regard whereby some thyng may be iudged to be in the persons that are Elect that wanted in the reprobate If you define Election in this wise surely we can not allow of it For although no man ought to dought but that God accordyng to his incomprehēsible wisedome euen from the begynnyng was not ignoraunt of the contrary dispositious of all and euery thyng the differences betwixt the faithfull and the reprobate yet is not Election opened sufficiētly hetherto as yet accordyng to the nature of the word These be the effectes of Gods foreknowledge and doe follow Election but make not Election For euen as fire doth not therfore warme bycause it should be whote but bycause it is whote and as a wheéle doth not therfore runne roūde that it may be rounde but bycause it is rounde As August maketh mention euen so the faythfull were not therfore chosen bycause they were lyke to lyue vertuously but they were chosen in Christ bycause they should lyue vertuously beyng thereunto predestinate by God not for the worthynes of their workes that were for seéne should be in them before as Osorius doth dreame but accordyng to the good pleasure of his will If we list to geue credite more to Paule then to Osorius So hath hee chosen vs sayth Paule in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy not bycause we were holy and vnblameable c. What can be more playne then this And yet doth hee not stay there nor so expresse the last maner of Election Whereupon he addeth forthwith Accordyng to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glory of his grace If Gods Election stād accordyng to the purpose of the freé will of God by what meanes will Osorius iustifie that Election cōmeth accordyng to his foreknowledge of workes to come As though Gods Election and foreknowledge did depende vpon our Actions and not rather our actions vpon his Election and foreknowledge Therfore Osorius doth deale falsely whereas he defineth the purpose of God to be a Iudgemēt preordinated before whereby God doth ordeyne some vnto glory and others some vnto destruction accordyng to the choyse of those thynges which he doth see will come to passe First in that he calleth it by the name of Iudgemēt I seé no reason at all why he should so do for as much as Iudgement is properly executed in sinnes
Iudgement shall procure vs lyfe or death as Osorius writeth Pag. 145. Agayne if the righteousnesse onely which consisteth of well doyng doth purchase Gods fauour to mankynde Pag. 142. What soppe I pray you shal be left for mercy here to deale withall or what shall remayne at all wherein the Grace of God may be exercized If these be not your owne wordes Osorius deny them if you dare but if they be with what artificiall Argumēt will you persuade vs not to accōpt you for an enemy of Gods grace whiles ye sight so much vnder the banner of his Iustice Yet will not I be so captious a cōptoller of your wordes as to call you by the name of an enemy of Grace though in very deéde I dare scarsely thinke you to be in any respect a sownde frende thereunto hetherto veryly as yet haue you declared your selfe no better And the same euen your owne writings do more then sufficiently denounce agaynst you in that which it is a wonder to seé how lauish prodigall you be in the aduauncyng of the prayses of Iustice for the amplyfieng whereof you can scarse finde any end but in the meane tyme towardes the commendation of Mercy so sparyng a niggard and hardelaced that ye seéme either not to conceaue of the wonderfully Maiestie therof sufficiētly or els very vngratefully not to be acquainted therewith sauyng that ye begyn now at the lēgth to preach somewhat of the excellency therof also takyng occasion of these wordes of Paule What shall we say then Is there vnrighteousnesse with God God forbid for he sayth to Moyses I will haue mercy on him to whom I do shew mercy and I will haue compassion on him on whom I haue compassion In that which place say you Paule doth render a Reason Wherfore no man cā by any meanes accuse God of vnrighteousnesse And doe annexe hereunto a conclusion agreable enough to your defence For the defence of Iustice say you cōsisteth wholy in mercy And agayne But the mercy of God doth acquite his Iustice free from all reproche Whiche reason of yours Osori although perhaps might be allowed in some respect yet doth it not exactly and substauncially enough discusse the naturall meanyng of the Apostle nor sufficiently aūswere the Apostles question Which will euidently and playnly appeare either by the Apostle him selfe or by Augustine the Expositour of the Apostle if we will first note before the marke and state of the question diligently and truely The scope wherof Augustine affirmeth to be this That the Apostle may lay open before vs that the Grace of fayth ought to be preferred before workes not to the end he might seéme to abolish workes but to shew that workes do not goe before but follow grace and to make the same more apparaunt he alledgeth amongest others the example of Iacob Esau Who beyng not as yet borne into the world hauyng done nothyng worthy either to be fauored or to be hated but that equabilitie of estate had made eche of them equall with the other and betwixt whō was no difference of natures or deseruyngs which might procure aduaūcement of the one before the other Finally whenas by orderly course of byrthe and right of first byrthe the elder might haue challenged the prerogatiue of honour before the younger Almighty God vsing here his vnsearcheable Electiō did make this difference betwixt them whereas was no difference of workes or merites as that for sakyng Esau who by no merite after the rule of Iustice had deserued to bee reiected he gaue the preheminēce to the younger turnyng the common order of nature vpsidowne as it were that whereas the younger are wont to be subiect to the elder now contrary to kynde the elder should become seruaunt to the younger Whereupon whē the Apostle sawe what scrupule might arise in the imagination of the hearer or Reader therof he putteth a question vnder the person of one that might argue agaynst it whether God had done any thyng herein agaynst equitie and right or any thyng that he could not iustifie accordyng to Iustice distributiue whereunto him selfe aunsweryng immediately doth with wonderfull vehemency detest that slaunderous cauill and withall acquiteth God freé from all accusation and suspition of vnrighteousnes this not wtout lawfull authoritie of the Scripture What sayth he do we not read spokē vnto Moyses on this wise I will haue mercy on whō I do take mercy and I will haue cōpassion on whō I haue compassion Besides this also addyng forthwith the example of Pharao he doth conclude at the length on this wise Therfore he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth But if our captious accuser will yet persiste in his obstinacie as though it sufficed not for God to do what it pleased him he doth cōfute him with a most manifest Argument of lyke comparison on this wise The Potter fashionyng his vesselles either vnto honour or to dishonour or to what purpose seémeth him best doth not offend at all And shall it be lesse lawfull or God to shew his power vpon his owne creatures then for the Potter vpon his Chalke or Clay Therfore whether God be willyng to haue mercy or to indurate any man he doth nothyng herein but that which is most lawfull and most agreable with equitie You perceaue therfore Gods Iustice sufficiently enough desended I suppose which in all his workes ought by good right be mightly defēded But how it is defēded is now to be seéen Osorius vrgeth stoughtly that Gods Iustice standeth not otherwise to be defended but onely in respect of his Mercy which albeit might be graunted after a sorte yet is not altogether simply and absolutely true and the reason therof is pyked out of Osorius credite rather then out of any Argument of S. Paule Whereas Paule seémeth to referre all this whole defence of Iustice not to mercy but to onely will of God Saying God taketh mercy on whom he will and hardeneth whom he will Albeit I will not in the meane whiles deny but that the Election of the faythfull doth consist vpon mercy alone yet surely the defense of Election is not vpholden but through the will of God onely Likewise also albeit the castyng away of the Reprobates do proceéde from the onely Iustice of God yet will no man say that the defence of this reiection consisteth in Mercy but in the onely will of God And therfore it is the onely will of God which doth defende Mercy in Election and Iustice in reiection For otherwise how could this come to passe that the onely Mercy of God should defēd his Iustice either in the Reprobate in whō scarse one sparckle of Mercy is discernable or els in the Predestination of the faithfull wherein appeareth no execution of Iustice therfore what is it then that may defend Iustice in these Mercy in those other but onely the purpose of Gods will onely wherof S. Paule maketh
mention God taketh mercy sayth he on whom he taketh mercy and hardeneth whom he will harden As who neither reiecteth of Mercy nor yet taketh coÌ„passion of Iustice but executeth both accordyng to the absolute good pleasure of his will Let vs make this more manifest by exaÌ„ples Whenas God is sayd to hate Esau to loue Iacob beyng not yet borne both which had done as yet nothyng worthy to be loued or to be hated what kynde of mercy can you shew in the hatred of that one whiche may defende his Iustice or what kynde of Iustice in the loue of the other which Mercy as you say may deliuer cleare from all reproche It followeth hereupon therefore that the whole defence of Iustice consisteth not in mercy alone but that the onely will of God rather doth acquite not onely the mercy of God but his Iustice also withall froÌ„ all accusatioÌ„ of vnrighteous dealyng Be the same spoken likewise touchyng the hardenyng of the hart of Pharao Which beyng decreéd vpon in the secrete counsell of God long before any droppe of mercy was extended vnto him how then doe you referre the Iustice of his induration to Mercy onely But you will say God did call Pharao to fayth and obedience but when as he did despite that so great bountie and lyke a wilde Colte would licentiously raunge out of all order it was agreable not onely with Gods seueritie but with his mercy also to scourge him with most iuste plagues accordyng to his deserte that so by his exaÌ„ple othersmight be reclaymed to do their duety I do know the suÌ„dry singular Presidentes of Gods clemency and callyng were ministred vnto him in deéde but as all those tokens of Mercye be outward meanes which God vseth in the outward calling of men so the same do appertayne to calling onely and touch Election and Reiection nothing at all nor do in this respect expresse any defence of his Iustice for to admit that the hardning of Pharao and the casting away of Esau did happen most righteously yet this Iustice is not therefore defended agaynst the quarelling aduersary because they did abuse the lemty of God afterwardes And why so because they were first reiected from God before any Mercy which they did abuse was powred out vpoÌ„ theÌ„ And these things thus alleadged by me doo not tend to this end as though I were of opinion that this Iustice of their reiectioÌ„ were boyd of all defeÌ„ce for it hath her certeine peculiar most iust defence but not that wherof Osorius doth dreame If we seéke for the right defence of Gods Iustice what can beé more Iust the Gods will which apperteining to God as hys owne properly and effectually as the Deuines do tearme it can do nothing of her owne nature but that which standeth with equitie and Iustice neither standeth in neéde of an other defence For what soeuer God doth decreé vpon though it be neuer so farre hidde from our vnderstanding yet is it of it self defensible and absolutely perfect enough And therfore S. Paule seéketh no place of refuge els where agaynst the most terrible assaults of the aduersary then the will of God which he accompteth the strongest surest fort of defence Where he sayth God taketh mercy on whom he hath mercye and will haâ—den whom he will He doth not say he doth harden that person on whom he taketh no mercy but he doth harden whom he will And agayne he that hath predestinated vs through Iesus Christ according to the purpose of his will He sayth not of his Iustice. Ephes. 1. hauiÌ„g in deéd no one thing of greater maiestie to alleadge for hys defence agaynst the aduersary then the onely will of God wherewith alone the Aduersary might be throughly satisfied But Osorius will take exception and say that this will ought to be vpright and agreable to it selfe Who is eyther ignoraunt hereof or who can deny thys But I demaund likewise of Osorius whereas weé confesse that this will is moste righteous and lawfull whether in Reiection Mercy do sufficiently acquite this Iustice of Gods will agaynst the quarelling Cauiller or Gods will rather As for example If a vayne babling Sophister or some capciouse busibody do demaund of you what the cause should be that Esau was forsaken without all desert of euill fact committed and why also Paraoes hart was hardened before that Moses was sent vnto him why the eares of the Iewes were stopped that they might not heare before the Prophet opened his mouth vnto them All which thinges considering you cannot deny were wrought by Gods most righteous Iustice by what meanes will you defeÌ„d his Iustice herein you will say perhaps that God did therefore forsake and cast them off because he forknew by their wickednes that would ensue what they should work in after tyme. But he will tell you here that this proceéded not here of Mercye but of Iustice wh doth reÌ„der to euery man according to his desert so that now the defence of Iustice may not seeme to depend vpon mercy by this meanes but vpon Iustice it selfe Not so say you but I do affirme that the defence of Iustice hangeth wholy vpoÌ„ mercy which will acquite it cleare from all Reproche I do see what you do affirme but I do not seé yet how this will stop the mouth of the cauiller for in this wise will this wrangler replye if so be that God were pleased with Iacob of his owne meere mercy how could it be then that he should be displeased with Esau by meane of the same mercy for it hys wickednes that was yet to come were layd vnto his charge then did this reiection now belong to hys Iustice not to his mercy but if the same hys offences not yet done were pardoned through mercy by what meanes then is he sayd to be reiected Certes how this manner of defence delighteth you Osorius I know not sure I am that S. Paule tooke a farre other manner of course treating of Induration and reiection alleadging none other argument in the defence of Gods Iustice against the Aduersary then the onely decreé of Gods deuyne will what art thou o man sayth he that doest contend agaynst God Doest thou not heare the Lord himselfe declaring the reason of his Election in the propheticall scriptures I will haue mercy on whom I haue mercy And to make the same more euident S. Paule debateth the matter after this manner Therefore sayth he God doth take mercy on whom he taketh mercy doth hardeÌ„ whom he will hardeÌ„ As though he might say God in choosing or refusing hys own creatures is tyed to no Necessitie neyther is there any law to the contrary but that he may according to his good pleasure do therin what himself liketh lusteth If he dochoose thee thou hast great cause to be thaÌ„kfull vnto him for it If he cast theé of thou hast no iust cause to quarrell with hym therfore for
creator himself in destroying hys creature may well be adiudged to haue condemned now not his creature which he made but the creature of Sathan which the Serpent destroyed But you will say Then was the Image of God deformed as soone as it was created I know it but by whose default by Gods default or mans default but why did not the good creator of the world forbid it to be done when as he foresaw it would come to passe As though he gaue not an especiall commaundement to the same effect in playne wordes Nay rather if your reason be so captious as will not be satisfied but with naturall reason I might more reasonably demaunde this reasonable question of you why dyd not man obay the expresse restraynt of God For what do ye reade was not Adam forbidden to touch the vnhappy Apple of vnlucky knowledge was he not carefully admonished and forewarned by denouncing the daunger that would ensue thereupon And beyng sufficiently armed with the power of Freewill hadd he not strength enough in him selfe to take heéde why thē did he not looke to him selfe at the least in season if he were not willyng to beleue and obey Gods aduertizement Certes as lōg as her reprosed him selfe his whole sauetie in the saue keépyng and custody of the Lord he was in no daunger at all But settyng Gods commaundement at naught once whenas he chose rather to become the bondslaue of Sathan aspyring to be as wise as his Creator and God here what should Gods Iustice doe now which was not bounden to be any more carefull for an other bodyes Seruaūt And yet for all this God of his mercy did not so forsake and yeld ouer his creature although his Creatour most vnkyndely forsooke him beyng his Creature He did beautifie this runneaway with the light of Reason whereby he might know what ought to be eschued and what ought to bee embraced Furthermore to make him more carefull to regard vertue he planted into him very deépe rootes and prickes of conscience hee added moreouer Statutes and Lawes not onely emprinted within euery ones hart but engrauen also outwardly in spectible Tables Finally besides these written ordinaunces of the law he did euer now and then among rayse vppe Prophetes vnto them who with liuely voyce and teachyng should neuer cease by aydyng by promising by terrifieng by obtestyng by sweéte exhortyng briefly by all maner of meanes should neuer cease to reteine the people in an vniuersall obedience accordyng to order duetie What shall we say to this also that he furnished the very Gentiles them selues though they were neuer so beastly and barbarous with the doctrine of Philosophers oftentymes with coūselles of grauen men with wonderfull helpes of good letters and preceptes of Philosophy persuadyng them to all thynges and withall not sparyng to pricke them foreward to the embracing of vertue and eschewing of vyce with horrible examples oftentymes as it were with a spurre I beseéke you now what wāted to be added more either to Gods Iustice to expresse mercy or to his mercy to expresse Iustice or to his diligēce to expresse his continuall fatherly carefulnesse But here wanted naturall strength you will say Yet was not God to bee blamed for this but mans folly rather And yet neither in this behalfe did Gods fatherly goodnesse deny his assistaunce for euen for this so are also he made a playster And to Cure this vniuersall poyson of nature he gaue as vniuersall a Mythridatū made with the precious bloud of his onely begotten Sonne wherewith the weakest Creature in the world and the most ouerwhelmed with Sinne might easily atteyne remedy of eternall lyfe For as much therefore as mankinde was of euery side so wōderfully fensed with so many and so great benefites of Gods gracious mercy what is there that any man may eyther want to be supplied by thys our most bountifull God and Creator or what could this good and mercifull God haue done more liberally for hys creatures but here bursteth out more contention and quarreling amongest the deuines wherein they plunge thēselues to much For whereas this fayth in Christ is not pertinent to all persons and that the greater sort of people do not acknowledge the sonne of God and that he is not so faythfully Reuerenced as becommeth and that they repose not the safety of their imbecillitie in this Christ as they should now commeth here the question what the cause should be then of this hys reiectiō from whence it proceédeth from out the will of men or or from out the decreé of God or out of both causes beyng coupled together Osorius here grounding hys authoritie vpon his fine Cicero doth very mightely affirme That they were therfore made the vessels of wrath because they would not be made the vessels of mercy But how this may be true I can not conceaue sufficiētly Although I do not deny this that those which eare made vessels of wrath are altogether replenished with a rebellious will wherewith they do voluntarily forsake the offered grace of their vocation yet this same will is not the cause of reprobation but the effect rather doth follow and not go before it and it selfe is made rather then maketh reiectiō For neither such as be razed out of the booke of Election are therefore become the vessels of wrath because they did forsake mercye but they doe therfore throw away mercy offred vnto thē bycause beyng excluded from the grace of Electiō they were foreappoynted to be the Uessels of wrath castawayes so that Osor. might haue spoken more truely on this wise that such were made the vessels of wrath whō God would not haue to be the Uessels of mercy And for thys cause those Pharaonicall persequutors of the church were subiect to wrath not onely because they will not be partakers of Gods mercy but also because they cannot Besides this also in as much as all the Mercies of God are contayned in Christ onely and in the knowledge of Christ as as it were fast lockt in the Ark of God in what sense will Osor. say that they which will not beleeue are made the Uesselles of wrath as though the sinne of Infidelity did not rather proceéde of the ignoraunce of Iudgement then of any motion of will of purpose For it consisteth not within the compasse of naturall strength for euery man that will to be able to know Christ as him listeth But such as it is geuē vnto frō aboue that they may be able to know and haue a will also to know Christ. Otherwise in what sense do the scriptures teach that Christ shal be the stone of offence and Rock to stumble vpon to them who doe not beleeue and do stumble vpon the worde of fayth whereunto they are marked if the whole matter were atchieued not by the decreé of God but did hang vpon the determinatiō of man euē as the Apostles doth testifie in an other place that
Iudge them not worthy to be heard in any wise whiche will affirme that God doth chuse whom he will vnto Saluation out of the whole masse of mankynde for none other cause but bycause it so pleaseth hym Pag. 163. First where hath Luther any such Assertion Why do ye not set it downe good Syr and admit that he hath what is it that your carpyng cauillation cā gnaw at here if you interprete it aright For although Luther seéme in your goodly conceipt to be more then a thousand tymes madd whom ye can neuer name without some gall of raylyng speache yet was he neuer hetherto so foolish as to haue a will to spoyle the most wise workes of God of Reason and counsell in any wise There is with God a most perfect stable vnchaungeable knowledge of all the workes of his owne handes but such a knowledge as doth altogether surmount the greatest reach of our nymblest capacities and seémeth rather to be wōdered at then to be searched out by vs. Surely it is farre beyond the Reason that you make vnto vs. For deliberately notyng with my selfe and entring into a very deépe viewe and consideration of the thynges which are spoken of Election of purpose of Gods prouidēce for this word Predestination as scarse fine enough for a Ciceronian you abhorte neither dare ye so much as once to name in all your bookes hereūto all your drifts seéme to tende that ye suppose that Gods Iustice can by no meanes be defended in makyng a differēce betwixt them whom he reserueth to be saued those whom he adiudgeth to be damned but by foreknowledge of those workes which God doth behold shall be in them As though Osorius would seéme to argue with God with such an Argument as this is There must be alwayes with God a stable assured and vpright reason in euery choyse to be made There can be none other iust cause of Reason of Gods Election and Reprobation but in respect of the merite that must follow Ergo To the attainyng the grace of Election some preparation of merite must needes go before First I do aunswere out of Augustine that it is a most pestilent errour to say that the Grace of God is distributed accordyng to merites this is one of the errours of Pelagius Then as touchyng the Maior There is in deéde with God a perfect sounde vnchaungeable Reason of all his workes But by what reason be ordereth his workes may not be subiect to the Iudgement of the claye as Augustine sayth but of the Potter Now I come to the Minor Which we do vtterly deny for where you make a definition of Gods prouidence in chusing or refusing whom he will to be none other then such as dependeth vpon the foreknowledge of workes this is altogether most brutishe and vnreasonable For albeit that preuēting for eknowledge of things which out Deuines doe call foreknowledge is vnseparably knitte together to the will of him that doth Predestinate yet do we not graunt the same to be the cause of Predestination For first as concernyng the cause efficient for as much as the will of God is the very substaunce of God aboue the which there cā be nothyng more highe there can be no efficient cause thereof rendered either before it in limitation of tyme or aboue it in Maiestie but the materiall and finall cause therof may after a sort be assigned The materiall cause about the which it doth exercise her force is mākynde and those thynges which God doth geue vnto men by Predestination namely Vocation Faith Iustification Glorification The finall cause is two maner of wayes either that which forceth him to doyng by the preuentyng will and reason of the first Agent or els that which is produced out of action And bycause there may be many endes of one thyng it may be that there is one end of Predestination an other end of him that is Predestinated and an other of him that doth Predestinate As for exāple As Saluation and life euerlastyng is the end of Predestination the end of him that is Predestinated is to beleue and to lyue well and the end of him that doth Predestinate is his owne glory and the manifestation of his Iustice power and mercy As we do reade in Salomons Prouerbes God doth make all thinges for himselfe and the wicked man also for the euill day And therfore if it be asked whether God do predestinate for the workes sake it may be aunswered with S. Paule that the holy ones are predestinated not for their good workes but to do good workes so that now the respect of workes be vnderstanded not to be the cause efficient of predestination but the effect rather For thus we heare the Apostle speake Euen as God hath chosen vs in hys sonne frō eternitie that we should become holy to the prayse of hys glory c. not because we were or should be holy sayth he but that we should become holy to the prayse of hys glory c. So that no reason of Election may appeare but that which is to be sought for in the freé liberalitie of hym that doth make the Election neyther that any other last end may be conceaued but the prayse of the manifestation of hys heauenly grace So that as without God there is no cause efficient which may enforce predestination so if weé seeke for the very beginninges of eternall predestination we shall perceaue that S. Paule doth reduce them to iiij principall heades chiefly 1. to hys power Where he sayth hath not the Potter power c. 2. to hys purpose or hys good pleasure For so we reade in the Epistle to the Ephesianes where he vseth both these wordes because he hath predestinated vs sayth he according to the good pleasure of hys will c. And immediately after whē we were predestinated sayth he according to hys purpose c. 3. to hys will Rom. 10. he will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy and will harden c. 4. to hys mercy or loue Where he sayth Rom. 10. It is neyther of hym that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that taketh mercy Last of all if you demaund further for some reason of Gods Election who shall more liuely expresse the same vnto you then the Apostle Paule writing to the Romaynes on this wise If God sayth he willing on the one side to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne did with much lenity beare with the Vesselles of wrath prepared to destructiō and on the other side to make knowen the riches of hys glory towardes the Vessells of mearcy which he hath prepared to glory c. Unlesse you haue ceased long sithence to be a reasonable man Osorius what more perfect reason can be made vnto you or more manifest of Gods workmanship then this that is here set downe in Paule Whereby you may playnly perceaue that all these councells and workes
the people to be taught on this wise rather That God of hys goodnes and mercye would haue all men to be saued And that the cause why all are not saued is for that all will not receaue the grace indifferently offered vnto them And this maner of teaching they do suppose to be sound On the contrary that the other doctrine of predestinatiō doth take cleane away all force vse of wholesome preachinges exhortations and disciplines c. If we onely eyther were alone or were the first that were vrged with these slaunders and cauillationes there were lesse cause to wōder at the wickednes of this our age But I do seé now no new thinge here neuer spoken of before nor any other thinge but such as many notable learned men haue bene sundry tymes combred withall long sithence Emongest whom cōmeth first to hand Augustine whom beyng occupyed in thys cause sometyme the Pelagianes but most of all the Massilianes did molest much with the very same obiectiones as appeareth playnely by the transcript of Prosper and Hillary their letters to Augustine euen the which obiections our deuines are now a dayes pressed withall which if were true then might he seeme to haue vndertaken this quarrell not rashly nor altogether in vayne as our men haue done also But let vs aunswere to their complayntes Such as are appoynted teachers in the congregation of God if they should beate into the grosse eares of the rude multitude this part of doctrine which treateth of the secrett predestination of God so nakedly and barren of it selfe as not doyng ought els nor respecting any other thing ne yet applying wtall any wholesome exhortations and allurementes to vertue shold stirre and prouoke none to vertues endeuour honest carefulnes and godly lyfe these reasons might carry some showe of truth perhapps But this matter ought to haue bene foreseene Osor. how these preachers behaue thēselues what they preach how in what maner and to what end they do lay this doctrine open before the people before you should haue burst out into those cruell accusacions and slaunderous reproches If some yoūglings peraduenture may be found not so modestly and soberly to demeane themselues as may beseeme them allured either through delight of noueltie or caryed thereunto through lightnes of witte or to braue out their knowledge and learning it is not conuenient that the lowse and vncircumspect dealing of some particuler persons should be preiudiciall to the truth of the doctrine Godly and modest wittes surely as they conceaue the true reason of this doctrine so doe they Iudge it no lesse necessary to be applyed to the end they may pluck downe that pernicious opinion of yours treating of merites of confidence in workes and of doughtfulnes of Saluation For the ouerthrow whereof what more necessary doctrine to edifie the congregacion withall may be applyed in the Church of Christians And therfore to conclude briefly For asmuch as all the doctrine of Predestination doth tend to this ende chiefly that men may be forewarned not to trust to much to their owne strength but to repose all their hope and affiaunce in God It is vntrue that you do obiect That the doctrine of predestination doth perswade rather to desperation then to godly lyfe For what is this els as Augustine sayth then as that you should say that men do then dispayre of their owne safety when they beginne to learne to repose their hope and affiaunce in God and not in themselues in any wise c Whosoeuer therefore shall instruct the ignoraunt people in the true doctrine of predestination of the holy ones discretly and modestly and in due season when case so requireth and shall ioyne withall godly and wholesome exhortations the same shall he do profitably enough without anye inconuenience seeing that the preaching of both may be well coupled and agree together according to the testimony of Augustine who affirmeth that neyther the preaching of fayth profiting in godly fruits ought to be hindered by the preaching of predestination that they which are taught may learue how to obey And agayne that the preachīg of Predestinatiō ought not to be hindered by the preaching of fayth profiting in godly fruites that they which obey may know in whom they ought to reioyce not in thoir owne obedience but in him of whom it is written he that doth reioyce let him reioyce in the Lord. Will you vnderstand Osorius how the coupling of these too doctrines is not preiudiciall to the preaching of the one to the other Paule the Apostle of the Gentills did many tymes sette forth the doctrine of predestination to the Rom. Ephe. Timot. The same did Luke in the Actes of the Apostles Christ himself likewise doth make often mencion of the same in hys sermons all which did not cease to preach the word of God neuerthelesse and do notwithstanding withal entermixt diuers good and godly exhortations to liue well Paule when he sayd it is God that doth worke in vs to will and to bring to passe according to hys good pleasure did he therefore abate any thing of hys godly lessons to make vs lesse carefull to will and to worke the thinges that are acceptable vnto God In like maner where he sayth he that hath begonne a good worke in you will bring the same to effect euen vntill the day of Christ Iesu Yet did he not cease to perswade them earnestly in the same Epistle written to the Phillippianes that they should not onelye beginne but perseuere vntill the end Beleue sayth Christ in God and beleue in me yet is thys neuerthelesse true that he speaketh in an other place No man commeth vnto me or beleeueth in me vnlesse it be geuen him from the father Christ sayth also he that hath eares to heare let hym heare Yet doth God speake in the scriptures these wordes also that he will geue them a hart frō aboue that they may vnderstand eyes that they may see and eares that they may heare c. And although it were not vnknowne vnto hym who had eares to heare and who had not that is to say the gifte of obedience Yet doth he exhort all men to heare Although Cipriane did both know and wryte that fayth and obedience were the gift of God and that we ought not reioyce in any thing because we haue nothing of our owne yet this was no hindraunce at all vnto his earnest preaching but that he taught Fayth and obedience neuerthelesse and most constantly perswaded to good life When we heare S. Iames teach vs that euery good and perfect gift commeth downe from the father of lightes yet this preaching of grace nothing withstoode but that he continued to rebuke such as troubled the cōgregation saying If you be bitterly zelous and your hartes be full of contencion doe not reioyce nor lye not against the truth for this is not the Wisedome that came from aboue but earthly beastly and diabollicall
accomplished once and in one place onely It remayneth therefore that this propheticall sacrifice of Malachy must signifie the vnbloudy sacrifice of the Masse according to the Testimonyes of the Ecclesiasticall writers Irene Augustine Ierome Damascene c. The same Argument in a forme Logicall In the new testament suche a sacrifice must remayne as may be dayly and perpetuall and celebrated in euery place as appeareth by the wordes of Malachy There can be no suche kynde of Sacrifice els but the sacrifice of the Masse proued by the Reasons before mentioned Ergo The sacrifice of the Masse is that perpetuall sacrifice whereof Malachy doth prophecy and which can not be dissolued The words of the Prophet do so throughly expound the meaning of the Prophett as that they neéd none other interpretation A pure offering sayth Malachy is offered vnto my name because my name is great amongest the Gentiles The Prophet doth playnely prophecy of the Church which is to be gathered together from out emongest the Gentiles of the enlarging of the Gospell of fayth of the knowledge of God of calling vpon his name of confessing his name and geuing of thankes And this pure and acceptable offering of the Gentiles by how farre it is outstretched and proclaymed ouer all the world so much the more euidently it doth disclose the meaning of the Prophet The Sacrifices of the Synagogue and of the Leuiticall worshipping which were ministred with outward Ceremonies be abolished to the end that spirituall Sacrifices wherein God doth take greater pleasure should supplye theyr place who as he is himselfe a spirite doth delight to be worshipped in spirite and trueth And because this heauenlye and celestiall kinde of worshipping must be proclaymed euery where ouer all the face of the earth therefore the Lord doth foreshew by the mouth of the Prophet that it shall come to passe that the great name of god should waxe mighty in all places should be generally worshipped with worthy sacrifices true honor And by what meanes can this saying vphold this outward applicatory Sacrifices of the Masse as they call it And yet if they will neédes haue it so what shall this be els thē to descēd frō flesh to flesh to make a chaūge of the old Iewishnes with a new Iewishnes S. Paule doth testifie playnly of this Propheticall Sacrifice Rom. 15. That the Gētiles may glorifie God for his mercy as it is writtē For this cause will I prayse thee emongest the Gentiles c. Prayse the Lord all ye Gētiles Psal. 117. And there shall spring a braunche out of the roote of lesse in him shall the Gentiles trust Esay 11. That the offeringes of the Gentiles sayth Paule might be acceptable Of the same Sacrifice let vs now heare what Epiphanius and other writers doe write in their Commentaries vpon these wordes of Malachy Sacrificing the Gospell sayth Epiphanius ouer all the face of the earth Agayne Tertullian agaynst Marcion in his 4. booke I haue no pleasure in you bycause from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same my name is glorified in all places a Sacrifice is offred vnto my name yea and that a pure Sacrifice what kinde of Sacrifice he doth not say the Sacrifice of the Altar but pure prayer powred forth of a cleare conscience c. And in his thyrd booke he doth him selfe expresse what kynde of Sacrifice this is Namely the proclamation of glory thankesgeuing and prayse and Psalme c. The same Tertullian also Contra Iudaeos Fol. 4. Wherfore thē doth the spirite Prophecie afterwardes by the Prophetes that it shall come to passe that ouer all the earth and in all places sacrifices should be offred vnto God as he spake by the mouth of Malachy I will not accept the sacrifice of your handes doubtles bycause the sounde of the preaching of the Apostles should be heard ouer all the world Because God must be worshipped not with earthly sacrifices but with spirituall we read this where it is written A contrite hart is a sacrifice vnto God And in an other place Offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayse and paye thy vowes to the highest After this maner therfore are the spirituall sacrifices of prayse noted such an acceptable sacrifice to God is a contrite hart knowen to be c. Moreouer if you will learne what kynde of sacrifice of the Church this must be Let vs heare the wordes of the same Tertullian to Scapula And therfore we do offer sacrifice for the good preseruation of the Emperour but we do sacrifice vnto our God and his but how euen as God hath commaunded vs namely with pure prayers Thus much out of Tertullian Irene is his fourth booke agaynst the heresies of Valentine and other like vnto him cityng this place of Malachy doth say that by these wordes he made a most manyfest demonstratiō that the first people did cease to sacrifice vnto God but in all places a sacrifice is offered vnto God yea and that a pure sacrifice But his name shal be glorified emongest the Gentiles And in the 33. Chap. Iohn in his Reuelatiō sayth he doth call the prayer of the Sainctes by the name of Incense vnto the Lord. And in his 34. Chap. expoundyng the same place of Malachy And therfore he will haue vs offerre an offryng at the altar without intermission This Altar therfore is in the heauens for vnto that Altar must our prayers and oblations be directed and to that Temple c. What shall we say to Augustine Who writyng vpon the same place doth affirme the Incense there is taken for the prayers of the faythfull And immediately annexyng thereunto When he sayd I will not accept the Calues of thyne house Offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayse The same God by the mouth of this foretelling the thing that should come to passe as though it were done already doth say From the rising of the sunne to the going down of the same my name is glorified emongest the Gentiles and in euery place Incense is offered to my name and a pure oblation c. You seé therfore Osorius by the testimonie of Augu. what kinde of pure sacrifice this is in Malachy namely That Prayse and Thankesgeuing is the continuall and dayly sacrifice of the Christians but especially when we doe represent the death of Christ wherewith he redeémed us and the cōioynyng of his mysticall body by the partakyng of the holy Communion of the bread and wyne Of the same mynde also is Eusebius who doth interprete this sacrifice of Malachy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is as much to say Incēse of prayer What shall I say of Ierome Whose Exposition upō the same place of the Prophet doth not vary from the Expositiō of Tertullian affirming that the prayers of the faithfull must be offred vnto the Lord not in one onely prouince of Iury but in all places
142. Osori ExpositioÌ„ vpoÌ„ the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romaines Pag. 142. Wherin the sauetie of a Christian consisteth accordyng to Osorius Pag. 142. Phil. 3. The true vnderstaÌ„dyng of iustification accordyng to S. Paule Rom. 7. Rom. 4. Rom. 3. Ephes. 2. Pag. 143. Deut. 4. 5. Rom. 2. A double obseruation of the law Deut. 27. Gallat 3. Iames. 2. Galat. 3. Wherefore the law iustifieth not What workes doe signifie by Paule Rom. 4. 5.2 3.7.9.13 The righteousnesse of the Iewes Pag. 143. The fayth and righteousnesse of Abraham Rom. 4. Gene. 15. Rom. 4. The fayth and righteousnesse of Dauid Psal. 142. The righteousnesse of Iob. The fayth and righteousnesse of Paule Phil. 3. The fayth and righteousnesse of Cornelius before god The riche young man in the Gospell The Pharisie praying in the temple Nathaniell the true Israelite The scope of Paules disputation to the Romaines Workes of the Ceremoniall and Morall law both are excluded froÌ„ IustificatioÌ„ Osori doth take the workes excluded froÌ„ Iustification for the Ceremonies of the law Pag. 142. â— 140. â— Fayth hath no place almost with Osorius Pag. 143. Osori obiection confuted Osori doth erre in the rules of Logicke Osori Paralogisme from the insufficient enumeration of partes The Ceremonies of the law very hardly abrogated in the primitiue church Actes 15. The morall law abrogated not in respect of the vse but in respect of IustificatioÌ„ Psal. 142. Galat. 3. Rom. 4. Osori Iudgement of IustificatioÌ„ The fruite of good workes betwixt the Papistes Protestates to be wayed indifferently The markes of true righteousnesse among the Papistes An exhortatioÌ„ to the Readers The prayse of Cicero and other auÌ„cieÌ„t Philosophers discoursing vpoÌ„ vertue The difference betwene Morall and Christian Philosophy The end of Christian Philosophie Whom Osorius doth chiefly imitate Vertue to be embraced of all men True innocencie in mankynde loste long sithence Osor. obiection coÌ„futed By what meanes we doe recouer true innocencie Psal. 31. How the grace of God doth geue righteousnes to men Bern. in Sermo 23. super Cant. Basil. in Psal. 32. Orig. ad Rom. Lib. 9. Cap. 12. Aug. Epi. 105. Ad Sixtum BauÌ„l in Psal. 32. Aug. de Ciuit Lib. 19. Cap. 27. Aug. Retra Lib. 1 Cap. 19. Ierome Our saluation consisteth not in our owne righteousnesse but in the free mercy of God Iob. Euen the most perfect workes of men of no valew with God Paule Dauid August in Psal. 94. Ier. in Esay Cap. 64. Luther defended agaynst Osorius Osori pag. 141. Cicer. Tuscul Lib. 3. Osori accuseth Luther to be an Epicurean Pag. 141. How absurdely Osorius doth coÌ„pare Luther with Epicurus Osorius Rom. 3. Luther falsely accused to bee the Authour of wicked boldnesse The opinioÌ„ of SchoolemeÌ„ and Papistes touchyng the waye of righteousnes is false wicked Hosius Osorius Rosfenfiâ— against Luther Congruum CoÌ„dignum Conueniencie and worthynes Pag. 141. â— â— Thess. 5. Osori ibid. Oâ—or cauill agaynst the Lutherans workes A threefold lye of Osorius Disablyng of workes DesperatioÌ„ ConfideÌ„ce After what maner Luther teacheth Confidence and DesperatioÌ„ and how not Pag. 141. marg The marke of Osorius accusation coÌ„sidered Pag. 145. Two lyes vttered by Osorius Onely faith doth Iustâ—tie The testimonies of most auncient writers touchyng Onely Fayth An Argument from the propositioÌ„ exponent to the exclusiue The vocable Onely Ambr. in 1. Cor. 1. Chrisost. in Epist. Paul ad Galat. Cap. 3. Chrisosto Homel 4. in Timoth. Basil. in Homel De Humilit Basil. in Psal. 32. Theophil in Epist. ad Rom. Cap. 3. Thom. Aquin in 1. Tim. 1. Lect. 3. Rom. 3. Pag. 145. Osori his Obiection framed out of the Epistle to the Galat. Cap. 5. The Aunswere Bernarde Rom. 2. The summe of Paules disputation compreheÌ„ded in one Syllogisme Gallat 3. Rom. 4. Galat. 2. Right of inheritauÌ„ce is not promised to workes as Paul affirmeth Osori takeÌ„ tardy That is â—o say a scourger Fallacia a dicto secunduÌ„ quid ad Simpliciter Fallacia a non Causa vt Causa Fayth doth iustifie both the persons and the workes Pag. 141. 146. A double lye made by Osorius Pag. 146. Workes are not examined a part by theÌ„ selues in gods IudgemeÌ„t Tit. 3. Collos. 2. Rom. 3. Dauid terrified with the terrour of the law Pag. 146. Osor. obiection in the behalfe of righteousnes by workes agaynst righteousnes of faith Rom. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Iohn 5. Pag. 146. Collos. 3. Iohn 11. The Obiection coÌ„futed Fallacia a noÌ„ causa vt causa The words of Christ expounded The person accepted not for the workes sake but the workes for the persons sake An Obiection The Aunswere * Pag. 146. The words of Christ not wel vnderstoode but crookedly wrested by Osorius Osor. fallax a Concreto ad Abstractum Mercy forgeueth our ill deedes Imputation acknowledgeth our well doynges for good An other ObiectioÌ„ of Osorius In what wise Osori doth ascribe SaluatioÌ„ of Gods mercy Hosius August de temp 49. August de Spirit Liter Cap. 33. Basil. in Psal. 32. Ephes. 1. In what thyng our redemption chiefly consisteth Remission Bernard Serm. 23. in Cant. August in prima quinquagena in Prolog Psal. 31. ImputatioÌ„ The defeéco of mercy doth not abolish Iustice Ill workes whom they do condeÌ„ne and whom not Iohn 3. How christ is called a Iudge how a Redemer Luce. 21. Iohn 5. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 1. Gods iudgement two fold according to August De Consens Euang Lib. 2. Cap. 30. The Innocencie of Christ is the righteousnesse of Christians Gods Imputation in respect of Christ and in respect of vs. Of the reckonyng to be made in the last Iudgement The diuersitie of theÌ„ which shal reÌ„der an accompt is distinguished In Osorius writynges order wanteth and in distinguishyng thinges Methode Accordyng to workes For the works sake Osori doth deny that good works to followe Luthers fayth Pag. 146. What maner of workes doe follow Osori fayth Pag. 146. Luthers fayth yeldeth no good workes accordyng to Osorius Pag. 146. Ibidem The fayth and workes of Osorius A shewe of Osorius fayth Iohn 6. Iohn 1. 3. Math. 9. Math. 8. Mar. 5. A comparison betwixt the fayth of Osorius and Luthers Fayth The righteousnesse of sayth accordyng to the Scriptures Osori doth neuer name in his booke this worde ImputatioÌ„ A playne demonstration that Osori geueth small credite to the wordes of Christ. 2. Thess. 2. Apoc. 13. Pag. 146. Osori doth discusse the sayth of Luther Note here the cauill of Osorius The doctrine of Luther touchyng good workes Rom. 14. Aug. in prima quinqua gena ex Prologo Psal. 31. August Workes are not in any other respect accoÌ„pted for good in the sight of god then in respect of Christ thorough faith Good workes are Iustified by fayth Pag. 146. The Argument recoyleth backe vpon Osor. him selfe Pag. 146. Pag. 147. Osori Argument faultie in the forme A twosold kyngdome of Sinne. Rom. 6. The substaunce of the Argument is discussed Iob Esay Dauid Daniell