sin than Schisme yet adds this exception It may happen that some Schismatike may commit a greater sin than some infidell either by reason of greater contempt or the greater danger which he brings or for some like thing If this Angelicall Doctour S. Thomas say this comparing Schisme with true infidelity much more may we affirme it if we consider true Schisme on the one side and on the other only a false appearance or meere externall profession of errour or heresy As for those limitations of S. Thomas they may seeme to be prophecyes if we apply them to Luther and his fellowes in regard of the contempt which they shewed of all Prelats and the whole Church of the not only danger but reall and vnspeakable mischiefes which their Schisme did bring and of moreand greater inconveniences than could haue been believed or imagined if the world did not see and lament them So as we may well speake to them in the words of Ch Ma P. 1. P. 187. N. 23. What excuse can you faine to yourselves who for Points not necessary to salvation haue been occasions causes and authors of so many mischiefes as could not but vnavoidably accompany so huge a breach in Kingdomes in Commonwealths in private persons in publike Magistrates in Body in soule in goods in life in Church in the state by Schismes by war by famine by plague by bloud shedd by all sorts of imaginable calamityes vpon the whole face of the Earth wherin as in a mapp of Desolation the heaviness of your crime appeares vnder which the world doth pant 135. Some learned Divines speaking of invincible Perplexity giue this Doctrine that if I must either committ a veniall sin in a matter which of it selfe and per se loquendo is only veniall for example an officiously or expose my selfe to danger of a mortall sin I am obliged to chuse the lesser evill which in opinion of great Divines were in that case no sin at all rather than put my selfe in danger of the greater evill a deadly sin O into how certaine danger doth a Schismaticke precipitate himselfe beside the sin of Schisme of committing innumerable deadly sins and of being cause that innumerable other persons fall into the like offences against God and his neighbour And therfore men are obliged rather to vndergoe a less evill than to make themselves obnoxious to infinitly greater mischiefes and rather to profess exteriourly an errour not distructiue of salvation than to forsake the Communion of Gods Church within which God hath confined Remission of sins and Salvation Consider what we haue cited out of your owne words Pag 163. N. 56. If by adhering to the Church we could haue been thus far secured not to erre in Fundamentalls this Argument that in wisdome we must forsake the Church in nothing least we should forsake her in some thing necessary had some shew of reason and what you say N. 55. We never annexed this Priviledge of not erring in Fundamentalls to any one Church of any one denomination Which if we had done and set vp some setled certain society of Christians for our Guide in Fundamentalls then indeed and then only might you with some colour though with no certainty haue concluded that we could not in wisdome forsake this Church in any Point for feare of forsaking it in a necessary Point In these words you grant that if any Church of one denomination were knowne to be infallible in all Fundamentall Points we might conclude though not certainly yet probably that you could not in wisdome forsake her in any Point for feare of forsaking her in a necessary Point If the inference of Charity Maintayned be probable by your confession vpon that supposition of infallibility in some determinate Church for Fundamentall Points then you must grant that all objections to the contrary may be answered which I pray you doe and tell vs whether in that case it should be damnable to profess any knowne errour If it be damnable then you must forsake the Church in such Points which yet you say in wisdome one could not doe If it should not be damnable you must shew how it was not so and whatsoever you alledge for the defense of professing knowne errours and adhering to the Church even in that case will serue for defense of vs and a confutation of your owne objections against vs. Besides you say Charity Maintayned might haue some colour and reason in the case proposed of some determinate Churches infallibility in Fundamentalls to conclude that we could not in wisdome forsake such a Church in any Point for feare of forsaking her in a necessary Point From which confession I inferr first that if in wisdome one ought not forsake in any Point a Church infallible in fundamentalls for feare of forsaking her in a necessary Point much more they ought to conforme themselves to her in externall profesion and consequently that it is a greater evill to forsake her communion than to profess externally some vnfundamentall errour and Secondly that for feare of incurring a greater evill that is in our case a Fundamentall errour one may and ought to chuse the less which is the thing I haue endeavoured to proue and which vtterly evacuates the ground for which you pretend to excuse Luther and his followets Morover If you meane that one is not to profess any errour against his Conscience but that also he ought his submitt to judgment in all Points to a Church lieved to be infallible in Fundamentalls then you overthrow your owne ground and words N. 57. that it is impossible to adhere to the Roman Church in all things having no other ground for it but because she is infallible in some things that is in Fundamentalls because in reason no Conclusion can be larger than the Principles on which it is founded And therfore if I consider what I doe and be perswaded that your Infallibility is but limited and particular and partiall my adherence vpon this ground cannot possible be Absolute and vniversall and Totall Thirdly vpon this your owne grant it followes clearly that Luther could not in wisdome forsake all Churches because Protestants grant that all Churches or the whole Church cannot erre in Fundamentall Points and therfore in wisdome could not be forsaken in any thing at all not that your first Protestants can be excused from Schisme in doing so But againe if they were obliged to submitt their judgment to the Church and had done so as indeed they ought to haue done their professing a Faith contrary to that of the Church as Luther did had been also to profess an errour contrary to their owne conscience and so whatsoever you say you are confuted by your owne grounds which appeares more by these your express words Pag 280. N. 95. What man of judgment will thinke it any disparagement to his judgment to preferre a field not perfectly weeded before a field that is quite over-runne with weeds and thornes And therfore though Protestants
still goes vpon that ground that there are no Degrees of perfection in Faith which I haue demonstrated to be euidently false and that all Faith is of the same kind but not of the same Degree besides that it hath the imperfection of obseurity and for that cause doth not so conuince the vnderstanding but that it may be resisted and the contrary belieued And therfor you cannot inferr vpon equality of faith in all true Belieuers that our victory of the world must be equally perfect in all 60. Thirdly if you had cited the testimony of S. Iohn as you ought the weakness and impertinency of your Argument would haue clearly appeared His words are 1. Ioan 5. V. 3.4.5 This is the Charity of God that yee keepe his commandements and his commandements are not heauy Because all that is borne of God ouercomes the world and this is the victory that ouercomes the world our faith Who is it that ouercomes the world but he that belieues that Iesus is the son of God Where it is cleare that S. Iohn speakes of faith with Charity which is called by Diuines Fides formata faith informed with Charity by which we keepe the commamdements as he sayth V. 3. This is the Charity of God that yee keepe his commandements And V. 4. All that is borne of God ouercomes the world Now we are borne or regenerated to a new life or Being by justifying Grace and the Gifts which are giuen with it of Faith Hope and Charity and therfor he adds This is the victory which ouercomes the world our faith that is such a faith as the Regenerate or they who receyue a new life haue or a liuing faith working by Charity 61. Fourthly according to this true sense your Objection is wholy impertinent as speaking of a naked faith taken alone as it goes before Charity as like wise it doth not proue that such a naked faith doth necessarily bring with it Charity and so is the victory ouer the world For what consequence is it to say Faith as informed with Charity cannot be without Charity or is the victory ouer the world Therfor Faith taken by it selfe and considered only according to its owne nature and essence and abstracting from Charity is inseparable from Charity and the victory ouer the world An Argument no better than this The Body with the soule liues and makes a man Therfor the Body of it selfe liues and makes a man which is directly against S. Iames C. 2. V. 26. saying Euen as the body without the spirit is dead so also faith without workes is dead This appeares also by what S. Iohn sayth V. 5. Who is he that ouercometh the world but he that belieueth that Iesus is the son of God Which must be vnderstood of him who so belieues in our Sauiour as that he loues him and keepes his commādements For meerly to belieue Christ is the son of God is but that Faith which Protestants call Historicall and unanimously teach that it doth not justify nor is inseparable from Charity nor is the victory ouer the world And therfor interpreters vnderstand this Text of a liuing Faith or joyned with Charity And so this place makes against you and proues that Faith of it selfe though neuer so infallible is not the victory ouer the world But the weakness of this mans Socinian probable Faith forces him to reele from faith to faith From Historicall to Faith of working Miracles From justifying faith to Historicall From both to a No-faith that is to a faith so weake that by it a man may belieue Christian Faith not to be true as we noted against you by occasion of the text of S. Paule about receyuing him who is Weake in faith 62. Fistly the whole force of your Argument must rely vpon the truth of this Proposition Whatsoeuer the vnderstanding proposes to the will with absolute certainty as a thing to be done the will cannot but follow the prescript of the vnderstanding and therfor if Christian Faith be infallible certaine our will must embrace what it proposes and so ouercome the world and sinne and be perfect in Charity which Principle to be palpably false is euident by Reason Experience Faith and by the Doctrine of all Protestants at least for as much as concernes that kind of Faith wherof we speake that is Historicall Faith Reason dictates that notwithstanding the certainty of Faith the vnderstanding may propose profitable and delightfull objects For these thinges haue no repugnance but do consist togeather It is certaine that this object is honest and that the same object is vnpleasant repugnant to sence honour profit c and therfore the will placed betweene these different motiues the vnderstanding which proposeth them all hath no power to necessitate the will to any of them it being represented with as great certainty that such an object is difficult vnpleasant or vnprofitable as it appeares honest and Vertuous Neither doth certainty in the vnderstanding necessitate vs more to embrace it as honest than the like certainty doth necessitate vs to fly from it as vnpleasant especially considering that Faith is obscure and alluring objects are cleare euen to sense Faith respects things to come or els aboue the reach of our vnderstanding humane objections and objects are of things present or not farr of Befides if certainty did impose a necessity it must follow that at the same tyme we must effectually embrace the same object as honest and fly from it as vnpleasant which is impossible We must therfor say that it remaynes in the will to determine it selfe to which part it pleaseth hauing sufficient direction from the vnderstanding for either side Sinnes were wont to be diuided into sinnes of Ignorance and of Knowledg that is committed by Ignorance or with knowledge but now if certaine knowledg of good necessitate our will to embrace it no sinne can consist with certaine Knowledg of good and so all sinnes are sinnes of ignorāce and that old distinction of Philosophers and Diuines must be corrected by this your new Philosophy and Diuinity 63. As for Experience who knowes not or rather who teeles not that vulgar saying Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor I see that which is better and like it well but follow that which is worse 64. Lastly Faith teaches that we are indued with Free-will which may embrace or reject what is proposed by the vnderstanding Wherin all Protestants for our present purpose agree with Catholikes both in regard that they yeald Freedom of will to Angels and Adam before their fall who yet belieued by an infallible assent that there was a God and other mysteryes reuealed to them as also because they profess that Historicall Faith and of that Faith we speake doth not justify nor infallibly bring with it Charity Therfor it doth not necessitate our will Yea euen those Protestants who deny Free-will hold not that the will is necessitated by the Act of Faith which directs but by the effectuall
those Protestants who affirme the Roman Church to haue lost the Nature and Being of a true Church do by inevitable consequence grant that for diverse Ages Christ had no Visible Church an earth From which Errour because Dr. Potter disclaimeth he must of necessity maintaine that the Roman Church is free from Fundamētall ād damnable Errours and that she is not cut off from the Body of Christ and Hope of salvation And if saith he ibidem any Zealops amongst vs haue proceeded to heavyer Censures their zeale may be excused but their Charity and wisdome cannot be justifyed Thus Charity Maintayned in that place and then immediatly proves clearly that the Grecians Waldenses Wicklef Huss Muscovites Armenians Georgians Aethiopians or Abissines either held damnable Heresyes confessed to be such both by Catholiks and Protestants or els that they agree with vs Catholiks in the particular doctrines wherin Protestants haue for saken vs. This being so who can deny but that if Luther and his followers were Schismatiks for leaving the externall communion of all visible Churches which for the present you are content to suppose the Roman Church taken in this sense which you haue heard Charity Maintayned declare was that visible Church seing there was no true Church of Christ but the Roman in that sense in which she is not a particular but the vniversall Church including all true Churches And yet by way of supererogation Charity Maintayned said N. 55. Pag 229. that Luther and his followers had been Schismatiks though the Roman were but a particular Church because Potter Pag 76. saith Whosoever professes himselfe to forsake the communion of any one member of the Body of Christ must confesse himselfe consequently to forsake the whole Since therfore in the same place he expressly acknowledges the Church of Rome to be a member of the Body of Christ and that it is cleare they forsooke Her and professe to haue done so it followes evidently that they forsooke the whole and therfore are most properly Schismatiks for leaving the Roman Church whether you take it for a particular or for the vniversall Church that is for all Churches which agreed with Her and so your instance P. 263. N. 27. that the foote might say to the head I acknowledg there is a Body and yet that no member besides you is this Body nor yet that you are it but only a part of it hath indeed neither head nor foote Because when we say the Roman Church is the vniversall Church we speake not of Her as a particular Church or part of the whole but taken with all other Churches and consequently as a Whole and then you are not to aske whether the foote be the whole Body but whether head foote and all other parts taken together be not the whole Body which if you cannot deny you must confess that your owne instance is against yourself and for vs. 85. By this also is answered what you say that Protestants make not the true preaching of the word and due adminstration of the Sacraments the Notes of the visible Church but only of a visibble Church Not of the Church Catholique or the whole Church but of a particular Church or a part of the Catholique But out of what we haue sayd this appeares to be a plaine contradiction For if they be Notes of every particular Church or of every part of the whole they must also be Notes of the whole which is nothing but every part as joyned with all the rest or the parts taken collectiuè that is the whole number of parts which is nothing but the whole Body consisting of such parts As if vitall actions be a Note or signe of the presence of our soule or life in every part of our Body it must also be a signe of life in the whole Body consisting of all its parts Will you haue the whole an Idaea Platonica separate from all parts how then can the true preaching of the word be a signe of every part of the Church and not of the whole Or will you haue the whole or vniversall Church want an essentiall note of a true Church But as every where so here you take more vpon you in behalfe of Protestants than you haue commission from them to doe The English Protestant Church Artic 19. saith The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred Where you see the visible Church is called a congregation and therfore no such necessary difference passes between the Church and a Congregation or Church as you confidently affirme Will you say that the Church which you will haue to signify the vniversall or whole Church is a congregation that is a particular Church And yet the sayd 19. Article saith The Church of Christ is a congregation that is according to your Divinity a particular Church Or by what Logick can you say that the Subjectum in a proposition can be of a larger extent than the Praedicatum and the vniversall Church affirmed to be a particular Church Also if preaching of the word be not a Note of the visible Church how comes it to be put in the very definition of it Willet in his Synopsis Pag 71. saith These markes eannor be absent from the Church it is no longer A true Church than it hath these markes And Pag 69. The only absence of them doth make a nullity of the Church Behold Preaching of the word c Markes both of the and a Church And these markes are sayd to be essentiall to both yea both the and a are applied to the same Church And as I sayd it is strang in you to imagine that what is essentiall to every part must not necessarily be essentiall to the whole or that the whole must participate of the parts and not of that which is essentiall to them or that the parts by being vnited to compound one whole must loose that which was essentiall to them before such an vnion or composition that is that they must loose themselves by loosing that which was essentiall to them But if these cleare reasons will not serve at least be content to be convinced by your owne words Pag 294. N. 93. Where you must suppose that it is a good Argument to make an inference from every one of the parts to the whole What is say you this Catholique Church but the society of men wherof every particular and by consequence the whole company is or may be guilty of many sins dayly committed against knowledg and conscience Now I would fame vnderstand why one Errour in Faith especially if not Fundamentall should not consist with the holyness of the Church as well as many and great sins committed against knowledg and conscience And why then do you not make the like consequence and say the visible Church is but a society of men consisting of diverse Churches wherof every particular and by consequence the
be probably true as it is certainly most false In so much as D. Jeremy Tailor In his Liberty of Prophesying Pag. 252. speaking of some Doctrines of vs Catholikes which he saith lead to ill life he specifyes this that Attrition which is a low and imperfect degree of sorrow for sin or as others say a sorrow for sin commenced vpon any reason of temporall Hope or feare or desire or any thing else is a sufficient disposition for a man in the Sacrament of Pennance to receiue absolution and be justifyed before God by taking away the guilt of all his sins and the obligation to eternall paines So that already the feare of Hell is quite removed vpon conditions so easy that many men take more paines to get a groat than by this Doctrine we are obliged to for the curing and acquitting all the greatest sins of a whole life of the most victous persons in the world How contrary in another extreme is this Doctour to the chosen champion of English Protestants Mr. Chillingworth But as for our Doctrine concerning Attrition the Doctour is extremely mistaken to say no worse as will appeare to any that reads the sacred Councell of Trent declaring what sorrow is required to obtaine pardon of our sins or Catholique Divines writing on this subject For if the sorrow be conceyved vpon any Reason meerly of temporall Hope or feare as the Doctour speakes we teach that it is in no wise sufficient to make meÌ„ capable of Absolution or forgiveness of sins but it must proceed from some motiue knowne by supernaturall Faith for example the Feare of Hell or desire of heaven Secondly it cannot be produced by the naturall forces of men or Angells as being the Gift of God and requiring the speciall moon inspiration and grace of the Holy Ghost And therfore his examp of gaining a groat is so farr from being to he purpose or true that â—ontrarily all the wit paines and industry of all men that haue bee are or shall be yea or are possible to be created cannot arriue to it by all the naturall forces of them all though they were assisted with the heâ—â— of all Angells created or creable or of all other naturall Creatures contayned in the Omnipotency of Almighty God Thirdly such sorrow must extend itselfe to all deadly sins in order to which it is to be so effectuall that it must exclude all affection to them and the Penitent mâ—st be resolved rather to vndergoe a thousand deaths than once consernâ— to the least mortall sin And therfore Fourthly he must resolue to abyde for tyme to come all proximas occasiones or imminent danger â—f falling into any one mortall sin As also if he haue injured any man by â—aking away his good name or goods or limme or life he must effectâ—ally and speedily procure to giue satisfaction or make restitution according as the case shall require yea and somtyme if it be justly fearâ—d that delay will cause a failing in his purpose Absolution may prudâ—ntly or must be differred till he haue actually satisfyed all obligatioâ— the neglect wherof would proue to be a deadly sin And in a word thâ—t sorrow which we call Attrition differs from Contrition in the Motiuâ— only because contrition is conceived for sin as it is against the infinite Goodness of God Attritition as it is repugnant to our eternall Salvation and therfore contrition is an Act of the Theologicall Uertue of Charity Attrition of the Theologicall Uertue of Hope which as it moves vs to desire and hope everlasting happyness so it incites vs to feare the loss therof and out of that holy feare not to feare any other temporal loss with the prejudice of our soules according to those words of our Blessed Saviour do you not feare those who kill the body but cannot kill the soule but rather feare him who can punish with Hell fâ—re both the body and soule Which words declare that as I sayd a naturall feare meerly of temporall loss though it be even of our life iâ— not a sufficient disposition for pardon of sins as is signifyed by Do you not feare those who kill the body but cannot kill the soule but it must be conceyved for some losse knowne by supernaturall Faith as for the loss of heaven or paines of Hell as is signifyed by the second part of our Saviours speech and the adversatiue particle sed but feare hin who can c. This mistake of the Doctour being cleared I shall not nâ—d nor is it for my preseÌ„t purpose to confute his other following worâ— full of mistakes about Purgatory Indulgences c especially havâ—â—g spoken of the like subject in Answer to Mr. Chilling Objection â—bout Indulgences c But it is here sufficient for me to conclude tâ—â—t seing there is no certainty among Protestants what contrition is ecessary for salvation as we haue seene by the disagreeing doctrine of this Doctour Chillingworth Kemnitius Luther c it followes tâ—â—t they cannot be sure but that they erre in a point necessary to saâ—ation and that this your errour is very pernicious and prejudicious tâ—oules 4. Your second Errour is set done Pag 391. N. 8. Fine Where you say that although we pretent to be rigid defenders and stout champions for the necessity of good wores yet indeed we do it to make our owne functions necessary but Oâ—dience to God vnnecessary which will appeare to any man who conside what strict necessity the Scripture imposes vpon all men of essectuall mortisation of the Habits of all Vices and effectuall conversion to newnes of â—e and vniversall Obedience and withall remembers that an Act of Atâ—tion which you say with Priestly Absolution is sufficient to salvation is not mortification which being a worke of difficulty and tyme canno be performed in an instant Which reason proves that perfect Conâ—ition which is an Act produced in an instant is not sufficient foremission of sins Also Pag 292. N. 91. You call it a doct iâ—e of Licetiousness that though a man liue and dy without the practise of Christian vertues and with the Habits of many damnable sins vnmortifyed yet if â—e in the last moment of his life haue any sorrow for his sin this any is buâ—n vntruth of yours as appeares by what I sayd even now against Dr. â—aylor and joyne confession with it certainly he shall be saved And Pg 379. N. 70. You speake to Catholikes in this manner If I follow te Scripture I must not promise my selfe salvation without effectuall derelicton and mortification of all vices and the effectuall practise of all Christian vertues But your Church opens an easyer and a broader way to Heaven and though I continue all my life long in a course of sin and without the â—ractise of any vertue yet gives me assurance that I may be let into Heave at a poslerne gate even by any Act of Attrition at the houre of death if it be joyned with Confession or by an Act of Contrition
to supernaturall infused justifying Grace which is both absurd and the wicked heresy of Pelagius Lastly It is a certaine truth that whosoever departs this life in any one deadly sin vnrepented cannot be saved And it is also true that some habituall sin may consist with some naturall precedent habits of vertue which are not expelled by every deadly sin seing such a deadly sin may be cōmitted in some matter which hath no connexion at all with the objects of those naturall habits of vertue and therfore such a sin shall not expell such habits of morall vertues as de facto it doth not expell even the supernaturall habits of the Theologicall vertues Faith and hope And if habituall sin may stand with naturall yea and with some supernaturall Vertues what reason can be imagined but that habituall grace and Sanctity may consist with the simple entity or nature of vicious habits being cleared by Repentance from all former relation of being effects of sinfull Acts by which they were produced And consequently true Repentance which is a disposition to the infusion of grace may consist without the extirpation of the habits seing grace itselfe may stand with them 13. The third kind of Habits I call infused Habits of the three Theologicall vertues Faith Hope and Charity which haue for their immediate object God himselfe who is our last End and infused Habits of morall vertues which respect or haue for their Objects the Meanes which bring vs to that End Now for the production or in fusion of supernaturall Habits we may dispose ourselves by voluntary supernaturall Acts produced by the particular Assistance of the Holy Ghost but the Habits themselves are produced and infused into our soules immediatly and only by God and not Physically and really produced by any even supernaturall Acts of ours as naturall Habits are acquired and produced by our naturall Acts. And as our soule which is a spirit and the life of our body is created by God alone so no wonder if justifying Grace which is the spirituall life and soule of our soule be infused by God not produced by vs. This difference ariseth from the diversity of nature between naturall and supernaturall or Infused Habits Naturall Habits do presuppose a Power or Ability to produce certaine Acts and Habits are superadjoyned to the same Power for producing those Acts with greater promptitude and facility But supernaturall Habits not finding in our soule a power to produce of it selfe supernaturall Acts for how could they be supernaturall if they could be produced by naturall forces giue vs such power and Ability and therfore in rigour of speech should rather be called Potentiae than Habitus Powers than Habits For which cause I sayd Three sorts of Habits or as it were Habits ought to be distinguished in this Question For. Habituall sin is as I may say less than an habit being no reall or Physicall Quality the infufed habits are more than meere habits they are Powers as I haue declared Naturall or acquired habits being reall Qualityes on the one side and on the other presupposing in vs a Power to worke without them are really properly and purely habits It is therfore easy to vnderstand the reason why our Acts cannot produce supernaturall habits which giue vs Power to produce such Acts it being a cleare case that no effect can produce that which of its nature is the very Power to produce or the Efficient Cause in respect of such Effects which Cause must be presupposed existent and in being before it can produce such an Effect Otherwise there would be a mutuall causality and dependance between the first production of the Cause Efficient and the effect therof the Cause would be the effect of its owne effect and the Effect would be the cause of its Cause as if the Father should be son to his son and the son father to his owne Father 14. From this Ground That supernaturall habits are Powers without which our soule is not only weake or infirme but absolutly vnable to produce any supernaturall Act and therfore cannot be acquired or produced by any Acts of ours there followes another difference That naturall acquired Habits yield as it were a sensible facility demonstration experience and feeling of themselves by remooving impediments disposing the Organs of our Body and other such wayes But those other Habits giving vs the first Ability and Power and being in their nature essentially supernaturall are not discernable by sensible experience but may well consist with vicious Habits and with the facility or inclination which they affoard towards their severall Objects as it happens not seldome that a man who in the sight of God is more holy by supernaturall Grace is carryed with a more vehement inclination or impulsion to sinfull Objects either by his naturall complexion or vicious Habits acquired before his conversion than another made of a different constitution of body or clogged with fewer vicious Habits which greater propension to sin is so far from being any sin of itselfe that it gives continuall matter of greater merit by frequent combats and victoryes 15. And here I would aske whether if you hold the habits of vice to be habituall sins even after an Act of Contrition or Sorrow with a firme purpose to amend you must not likewise belieue naturall acquired Habits of vertues to be justice and Sanctity in the sight of God And yet this were direct Pelagianisme evacuating the fruite of our Saviours Satisfaction and merit and is in itself manifestly vntrue For the End to which God hath elevated and ordained Man being supernaturall the Beatificall Uision or enjoying God in his Glory the Meanes which bring vs to that End must also be supernaturall and not to be compassed by our naturall forces and therfore naturall Habits of vertue acquired by our owne Acts cannot be true Sanctity and Justice which make vs capable of the Beatificall Uision nor can that Repentance which disposes vs for Heaven consist in the extirpation of vicious Habits in which Habituall sin doth not consist as Sanctity doth not consist in naturall Habits of vertue Neither may it seeme strang that you should belieue Sanctity to consist in the acquired habits of Uertue who hold Christian Faith to be no more than a probable Assent or Conclusion deduced by naturall reason from Premises evidently apt to inferr such a Conclusion As also who speaking of Charity say Pag 368. N. 49. It is against reason and experience that by the commission of any deadly sin the Habit of Charity is quite extirpated By which you giue to vnderstand that you belieue the habit of Charity to be produced by our Acts and to be destroyed by little and little as it happeneth in naturall acquired habits and that the presence of it may be discovered by experience which agrees only to naturall habits working in vs by a kind of experimentall way Wheras if you did belieue the habit of Charity to be supernaturall in essence not
acknowledges to be a most profound master of spirit This holy Father Homil. 11. in EZechiel hath these remarkable words If sinne be not speedily wiped away by repeÌ„tance Almighty God in his iust iudgment permitts the soule of the sinner to fall into another sinne that he who by weeping aÌ„d correcting himselfe would not wash away what he had committed may beginne to heape sinne vpon sinne The sinne therfore which is not washed away with the sorrow of repentance is both a sinne and cause of sinne because from it procedes that wherby the soule of the sinner is more deeply intangled But the sinne which followes out of another sinne is both a sinne and a punishment of sinne because blindnes encreasing in punishment of the former fault it falleth out that increase in vice is as it were a kind of punishment in such a sinner For the most part one and the selfe same sinne is both a sinne and the punishment and cause of sinne These last words he hath also in Iob lib. 25. C. 13. Agreable to this is the saying of the Author Operis imperfecti in Matthaeum C. 21. As when the sterne is broken the ship is carryed whersoeuer the storme driues it so a sinner hauing by his sinne lost the assistance of diuine Grace doth not what he will but what the diuell wills XXXVII The same truth is also deliuered by the Apostle Rom. 8.5 They that are according to the flesh are affected to things that are of the flesh but they that are according to the spirit are affected to the things that are of the spirit and V. 8. concludes they that are in flesh cannot please God But all they who want the spirit and grace of God are in flesh according to the same Apostle V. 9. You are not in the flesh but in the spirit yet if the spirit of God dwell in you Therfor they that want the spirit or grace of God cannot please him which is done only by keeping the commandements Thus we find verefyed by daily experience That he who is once fallen into deadly sinne doth not easily abstaine from coÌ„mitting more vnless he speedily rise againe And in this Gods holy will is most iust not giuing those helps to his enemyes which he bestowes on his friends whose soules as his temples he often visits enlightens inflames and effectually strengthens to keepe his commandements XXXVIII It is the true doctrine of Diuines that an infidell cannot abstaine from deadly sinne so long as one endued with Faith He therfor who hath not Charitie cannot auoide mortall sinne so long as hee who is in state of grace and charity and receyues those particular helps which are connaturall to that blessed condition S. Thomas 1.2 q. 109. A. 8. corp giues as he is wont a solid reason hereof As saith he the inferiour appetite ought to be subiect to reason so reason ought to be subordinate to God As therfor there cannot but arise disordinate motions in the seÌ„sitiue apetite if it be not perfectly subject to reason so if reason be not perfectly subiect to God there cannot but happen many disorders in the reasonable portion of our soule For when man hath nor his hart setled in God as in the last end of all his actions many things offer themselues for the obtaining or auoiding of which he forsakes God by breaking his commandements vnless his disordered will be speedily reduced to due order by grace And indeed he who wittingly and willingly perseuers in sinne is not drawen from it either by considering that it is an offence against God since he out of deliberate choyse and election remains in such an offence or for the infinite and innumerable euills which arise from sinne all which he hath considered and knowes that they or the danger of falling into them are incurred already and yet is supposed not to forsake that damnable state And custome in euill is apt to breede either a secret or open dispaire of amendment or els a pernicious insensibility security and presumption laying the soule open to accept all impressions of spirituall enemyes as in the barren season of winter hedges are broken inclosures become commons and are turned to high wayes for all passengers But now it is tyme to performe what we promised in the beginning of this Section that besides Actuall grace there is also a permanent quality or gift inherent in our soule wherby we are called and are indeed just and Sonnes and Heyres to God and Coheires to Christ our Lord. SECTION IX Of Habituall or justifying Grace in it selfe XXXIX HItherto we haue spoken of Actuall grace necessary to workes of Christian Piety Faith Hope c. Or of Habituall in order to the keeping of the commandements Now we cannot omitt to say somthing of habituall and permanent justifying supernaturall Grace in it self Concerning which heretiques as their manner is fall vpon contrary Extremes Pelagius teaching that we may be saued by the forces of nature consequently must deny that any infused inherent supernaturall Gift was necessary to saluation but that some naturall â—nherent quality was sufficient Contrary to which is the doctrine of Caluin Lib. 3. jnstit C. 11. Num 23. That man is not iust by any justice inherent in himselfe but only because the justice of Christ is imputed to him Catholiques auoiding both these extreames belieue that we are truly just in not by our selues or our naturall forces but by supernaturall Grace infused into our soules for the merits of our Sauiour Christ as the sacred Councell of Trent Sess 6. C. 7. and Can. 11. hath defined XL. This is that diuine gift which makes men holy in this life and happy in the next a Amicus To 3. disp 29. n. 119. Other infused Habits are particular participations of Diuine operations namely Charity and Hope respectiuely of that loue wherby God loues himselfe and other things Faith of that infallible knowledg which God hath of himselfe and all creatures The light of glory lumen gloriae of that sight which God hath of his proper essence the morall infused Vertues of those actions which God exercises towards his creature But Grace is a Gift immediatly participating of the whole Diuine nature as it can be intellectually participated by an intellectuall creature As in our naturall life our soule is the roote of its powers which it requires as propertyes and is more eminent than they so in our spirituall life this Grace is the roote of all supernaturall Habits and farr exceedes them in perfection XLI Of this in a most singular manner are verifyed the Elogiums which holy Fathers giue of grace b Amicus To 3. Proem ante Disp 26. which according to S. Gregory Homil. 27. is the roote of good works which according to S Chrisostome Homil 7.2 ad Thimoth and 1. au Corinth Hom. 40 takes away the rust of sinne makes the soule resplendent and fiery which according to S. Augustine Libro de Spiritu littera Capite
30. Libro ad Simpitcianum quaest secunda enables vs to worke aright which according to S. Hierome Lib. 1. aduersus Pelagianos Capite tertio doth whiten which according to S. Gregory NaZianZen Orat. in sanctum Lavaâ—rum doth cast its beames vppon vs and make vs liketo God which according to N. Austin Epist 85. is the beauty of the internall man and the brightness of mans mynd which according to S. Ambrose Lib. 6. Hexameren Cap. 8. is the picture of God which according to S. Irenaeus lib. 5. aduersus haereses Cap. 8. is the image of God which according to Macarius de libero arbitrio is the garment of heauenly beauty which according to S. Greg. Nyssen de perfecta hominis forma is purity deriued from Christ as the riuer from the fountaine which according to S. Hierome Lib 3. aduersus Pelagianos is the First stole and heauenly dewe which according to S. Gregory Nyssen Homil. 4. in Cantica is the riches of the Diuine essence which according to S. Austin de spiritu litera Cap. 28. is the stamp of God which according to S. Isidore in primum Regum C. 10. is the milke of a mother XLII But if we consult holy Scripture this truth that we are iust by true inherent iustice is so frequently and so clearly deliuered therin that it may seeme a wonder how it can be so much as called in question by any who belieue the Scripture Let vs alledg some few Texts of the many which might be produced Rom. 5.19 As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedience of one many shall be made just Since therfor none can deny but that we are sinners by sin or iniustice truly and really inexistent in our soules it followes that we are just by true inherent Justice And V. 17. If in the offence of one death raigned by one much more they that receyue the aboundance of Grace and of donation and of justice shall raigne in life by one Iesus Christ But death though proceeding from and by one Adam was truly participated by all and not meerly imputed to them Therfore the aboundance of Grace justice and life is really in all though by one Jesus Christ Ioan. 4.14 The water which I will giue him shall become a fountayne of water springing vp vnto life euerlasting And that this fountaine is the Holy Ghost dwelling in vs by Grace or Grace giuen by the Holy Ghost dwelling in vs appeareth in the 7. Chap v. 38. of the same Evangelist where our Sauiour hauing sayd He that beleeueth in me as the Scripture sayth out of his belly shall flow riuers of liuing water adds and this he sayd of the spirit that they should receyue which belieued in him S. Cyrill also Lib. 2. in Ioan Cap. 82 and Theophilact in cap. 4. Ioan. call this fountaine of liuing water the grace of the Holy Ghost S. Hierome in Cap. 55. Isaiae and S. Chrisostome Hom. 31. in Ioan Somtyme call it the Holy Ghost somtyme the grace of the Holy Ghost neither can any man doubt but that a fountaine signifyes a thing stable and permanent Rom. 5.5 The charity of God is powred forth in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs. 1. Ioan 4.7 Euery one that loueth is of God V. 16. God is charity and he that abideth in charity abideth in God and God in him Galat 3.29 You are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus In which words that the Apostle speakes of a liuing faith appeares by the Chap 5. where hauing sayd V 4. you are euacuated from Christ that are iustifyed in the law you are fallen from grace V. 6. he explicates what that grace is saying in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auayleth ought nor vncircumcision but faith that worketh by charity And Chap. 6. v. 15. this liuely faith he calls a new creature saying In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auayleth ought nor vncircumcision but a new creature 1. Cor. 6.15.16.17.18 Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ Taking the members of Christ shall I make them the members of an harlot God forbid Or know you not that he which cleaueth to an harlot is made one body For they shall be sayth he two in one flesh But he that cleaueth to our Lord is one spirit Fly fornication What then shall we say of them who blasphemously joyne the spirit of God with the spirit of satan the spirit of fornication and all other vices XLIII 1. Ioan 4.13 In this we know that we abide in him and he in vs because he of his spirit hath giuen to vs. Ioan C. 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same beareth much fruite Behold a permanency or abiding before fruite or good workes 1. Ioan 3. v. 9. Euery one that is borne of God committeth not sinne because his seed abideth in him v. 24. He that keepeth his Commandements abideth in him and he in him And in this we know that he abideth in vs by the spirit which he hath giuen vs. Tit 3.5.6.7 He hath saued vs by the Lauer of regeneration and renouation of the Holy Ghost which he powred vpon vs abundantly by Iesus Christ our Sauiour That being iustifyed by his grace we may be heyres according to the hope of life euerlasting All these words clearly signify a supernaturall thing permanent and inherent in vs 2. Cor. 1.21.22 He that annointed vs God who also hath sealed vs and giuen the pledge of Spirit in our harts 1. Ioan 2.27 The vnction which you haue receiued from him let it abide in you 2. Pet. 1.4 By whom he hath giuen vs most great and precious promises that by these you may be made partakers of the diuine nature Ioan 15.15 Now I call you not seruants but you I haue called friends 2. Cor. 5.18 If then any be in Christ a new creature 1. Cor. 15.49 As we haue borne the image of the earthly let vs beare also the image of the heauenly Ioan. 14. v. 16.17 I will aske the Father and he will giue you another Paraclete that he may abide with you for euer the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receaue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but you shall know him because he shall abide with you and shall be in you v. 23. If any loue me he will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and will make aboade with him 1. Ioan. 3.1 See what manner of charity the Father hath giuen vs that we should be named and be the sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 Whosoeuer are led by the spirit of God are the sonnes of God V 15.17 If sonnes heyres also heyres truly of God and coheyres of Christ Ioan. 1.12.13 As many as receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God to those that beleeue in his name who not of bloud nor of the will of flesh
nor of the will of man but of God are borne Ephes 1.4 As he chose vs in him before the constitution of the world that we should be holy and immaculate in his sight in charity and V. 13.14 In whom you also when you had heard the word of truth the Gospel of your saluation in which also belieuing you were signed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the pledge of our inheritance This promise is made to vs and so we being the Creditours the pledge must remaine with vs and signed signifyeth a thing both permanent and intrinsecall Like to this we reade Ephes 4.23.24 Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which according to God is created in justice and holyness of the truth and V. 30. contristate not the holy spirit of God in which you are signed vnto the day of redemption And 2. Cor 1.21 He that annoynted vs God who also hath sealed vs given the pledge of spirit in our harts Rom. 6.23 The stipends of sinne death but the grace of God life euerlasting in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8.14 Whosoeuer are led by the spirit of God are the sonnes of God 1. Cor 3.16.17 Know you not that you are the temple of God and the spirit of God dwelleth in you The temple of God is holy which you are 2. Cor 6.16 You are the temple of the liuing God as God sayth because I will dwell and walke in them Ephes 2.21.22 In whom all building framed togeather groweth into a holy Temple in our Lord in whom you also are built togeather into an habitation of God in the Holy Ghost 2. Timoth 1.14 Keepe the good depositum by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs. Ioan 6.57 As the liuing Father hath sent me and I liue by the Father and he that eateth me the same shall liue by me Who can deny but that life signifyes an intrinsecall permanent thing XLIV To these authorityes of holy Scripture which clearly proue that just men are such by a gift inherent and not due to nature but supernaturall we might add conuincing Reasons grounded in principles of faith if it were my purpose to treat this matter at large But I will content my selfe with one taken from the many Texts of holy Scripture which we haue alledged and many more might be brought in this manner God concurres to certaine Actions v. g. Belieuing hoping c. with a particular influence aboue the naturall exigence of humane nature therfore such Actions are both Good and Supernaturall Good because it were impiety to say that God doth or can by speciall motion produce an ill and sinfull Action Supernaturall because no naturall cause alone can produce them nor hath any naturall exigence that they be produced by some more high and powerfull cause as though our soule cannot be produced by any naturall Cause or Agent yet there is an exigence in nature that it be created by God when sufficient dispositions are preexistent in the Body Now it being once granted that there are good and supernaturall Actions it followes that there must be in our soule some supernaturall powers or facultyes as connaturall Principles or Causes of such Actions therfor such Powers must be grāted as in thēselues are supernaturall and absolutely good without any tincture or staine or inclination to sinfulness Which sequeles are so cleare that protestants not deny them but grant at least the supernaturall Habits of the three Theologicall Vertues Faith Hope and Charity which is sufficient for our present purpose though I know not any generall ground or doctrine of theirs for which they doe or must deny the supernaturall infused Habits of Morall Vertues but they denie that either by these or any other quality or Gift we are just in such manner as that we do not still remayne stayned with habituall deadly sinne which heresy is clearly confuted by the Elogiums of the Fathers and Texts of Scripture alledged in this and the former Sections XLV For if deadly sinne still remaine how doth Grace take away the rust of sinne make the soule resplendent whiten it enlighten and make vs like to God is it the beauty and brightnesse of our mynd the picture and image of God the garment of heauenly beauty purity derived from Christ the first stole the riches of the diuine essence the marke of God since deadly sinne is of a direct opposite nature and produces contrary effects XLVI How shall holy Scripture be verifyed in saying that as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made just if we remaine truly sinners by the disobedience of Adam but not truly just by the obedience of Christ who merited for vs iustice and grace How is it true that if in the offence of one Death raigned by one much more they that receiue the aboundance of grace and of donation and of justice shall raigne in life by one Iesus Christ For if sinne remaine Death also remaines with which Life cannot raigne How can the holy Ghost be giuē vs while we persist in sinne How can he abide in God and God in him in whom sinne and satan abides How can Faith worke by charity in him who is voluntarily possesd by deadly sinne than which nothing is more repugnant to charity whose inseparable effect is effectually to detest all mortall sinne how is he a new creature who is in state of sinne which alone makes one a child of Adam or the old man not of Christ How doth he cleaue to God and is one spirit with him who cleaueth to sinne and is one spirit with it vnles men haue a mynd to blaspheme and say that the spirit of sinne and the spirit of God is all one how can he who abides in God and God in him beare much fruite if ioyntly he abide in sinne and sinne in him Yea for this very cause that sinne still abides in man these heretikes teach that all our workes or fruites are deadly sinnes so farr are they from being fruites of Gods abiding in vs And how doth this agree with that saying 1. Ioan. 3.9 Euery one that is borne of God committeth not sinne because his seed abideth in him seing sinne the seed of the serpent abides in him Or how doth the continuall breach of Gods commandements agree with what is sayd V. 24. He that keepeth his commandements abideth in him How can regeneration and renouation of the holy Ghost powred vpon vs aboundantly stand with deadly sinne which is directy opposite to regeneration and renouation How is the seale and pledge of spirit in our harts togeather with the seale and pledge of the diuell How can the vnction which we haue receiued from him abide in vs in company of deadly sinne How are men partakers of the Diuine nature while they remayne in sinne which is most opposite to God and all the Diuine perfections How cā we be called frendes being deadly
necessity of an infallible certaine Faith as I haue shewed as also that your Objection and endeavour to proue that a fallible Faith is sufficient for the exercise of good workes is nothing to the purpose since Char Maintayned spoke of sufficiency to obserue the precepts of Faith and if you belieue S. Iohn Chrysostome cited aboue that according to S. Paule it is a harder matter to belieue the high mysteries of our Faith than to exercise good workes you will easily inferr that although you could proue a probable Faith to be sufficient in order to Obedience or exercise of good workes yet it would not therfor remaine proved to be sufficient for believing as we ought And S. Chrysostome saying that it is so hard a thing to belieue supposes Christian Faith to be more than probable 108. Fourthly I say That although the words of Char Maintayned be taken in the sense which you would put vpon them yet your Arguments are of no force to confute them or to prove that a fallible Faith is able to overcome our will ād encounter with humane probabilityes backed with the strength of flesh and bloud And First I must intreat you not to cosen your Reader as a Minister foold his Auditours who after he had spoken much of Gods Commandements in the close of his discourse desired not to be mistaken as if he belieued that those Commandements of which he had spoken could be kept for it was very certaine they could not which if he had told them in the beginning he might haue spared his owne paynes and the exercise of their patience in hearing his prating and praysing an impossible thing Our Saviour sayd if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commādemēts Matth 19.17 These men tell vs if thou wilt enter into life belieue firmily as a matter of Faith that thou canst not keepe the commandements But to our purpose least Mr Chilling loose his labour and deceaue his Hearers I must beseech him to deale plainly and before he goes about to moue their wills he would in forme their vnderstandings by letting them know that he is to speake of infinite and eternall happyness provided for all those that obey Christ Iesus and of vnspeakeable eternall torments to be inflicted on all such as break his commandemēts but withall he must assure them that although both Papists and Protestants teach that all must belieue with absolute certainty there is a Heauen a Hell Eternall rewards and punishments a Sauiour a Resurection working of miracles and the like yet that with men considering discoursing and vsing rationall deductions according to the never failing rules of Logick which are his words in severall parts of his Booke such as He and his fellowes are the matter passeth farr otherwise For they belieue that the teaching a necessity of such a certaine Faith is a Doctrine most presumptuous and vncharitable Pag. 328. N. 6. and a greate errour and of dangerous and pernicious consequence Pag. 325. N. 3 And that indeed the Articles which all Christians belieue may for ought they know Certainly to the contrary in the end proue false and no better than dreames Thus I must intreate him to prepare his Auditours and then let vs heare how he will goe about to perswade yea oblige them vnder payne of eternall damnation to the observance of things most difficult and repugnant to humane principles naturall inclinations flesh and bloud self-loue and in a word which are To the Gentils foolishness to the Iewes a scandall 1. Cor 1.23 and besides are not present and within sight as things of this life are but remote and of an other world Let vs thē heare him preaching rather than prouing in the words which I cited in the Objection who sees not that many millions c 109. To which your loose kind of disputing diverse would giue different answers Perhaps some hearing from others your so many changes of Religion and from your self that your present belief is but probable they would take tyme for tryall how long you would persever in your sect of a late Date for tyme and strange for the nouelty as being contrary both to Protestans with whom you liued so long tyme and against Catholiques to whom you joynd your selfe not by any force for who or what except evidence of truth could force you to a Religion lying vnder the burthen of a long and cruell persecution but vpon due consideration of Reasons on all sides and not taking things at a second hand or vpon credit but by examination made immediatly by your selfe or by conference with others who gaue you all freedom and encouragement to propose your difficultyes And for this their delay in resolvinge they might perhaps make vse of a saying of your owne Pag 330. N. 7. He who requires that I should see things farther than they are visible requires I should see something invisible and apply it to this sense That you who flitted from a Faith which you believed then to be certaine to a belief confessedly not certaine and perswade others to do the same may in tyme passe from a non-certainty to a non-entity or non-existence of all Faith and so by degrees bring your proselytes to plaine infidelity 110. Others will answer That indeed if men were once infaliibly certaine of the great promises and threats you mention of Heaven Hell Resurrection from death c. They could excogitate no satisfying reason to avoide Obedience and keeping the commandements Yet while we suppose them to be deliberating about the election of their Faith and actually enjoying or in a way or possibility and freedom to enjoy things of profit and pleasure in this world which are present and certaine and proportionable to their naturall inclinations and powers of Body ād soule ād thē heare you telling thē that no Religion is certaine and talking of things to come a farr of and in another world which to humane reason not assisted by certainty of Faith looke like the spatia imaginaria before the world was created you ought not to wonder if notwithstanding all the fayre words in your Objection men would be apt to pleade the possession of their Freedom and liberty which they will not easily bring vnder so strict obligation and seeming heauy yoke meerly vpon a belief concerning which your selfe profess to have only this certainty that it is not certaine Christians firmely belieue by Faith know evidently by reason see dayly by experience that dye they must they heare all men say and themselves belieue Death to be Omnium terribilium terribilissimum the most dreadfull of all dreadfull things and yet we see they more apprehend the danger of wetting their cloathes by a gentle shower threatned instantly to fall than death it selfe And why because the one is apprehended as almost present the other is looked on as farr of for space of tyme as the vast body of the sun seemes to be a small thing by the great distance of place Besides divine
probability be alledged on both sides that men of vpright harts may some goe one way and some another 30. What words more cleare than those of our B Saviour Matth 26. V. 26. This is my Body Insomuch as Luther in his Booke Defensio verborum Coenae saies against the Sacramentaryes who deny the Reall presence This Heresy doth not impugne doubtfull opinyons and doubtfull Testimonyes of Scripture but plaine and express sentences of Scripture yet many Protestants deny this Mystery of the Reall presence vpon pretence that other Texts of Scripture are contrary to it and in particular that in S. Iohn's Gospell Cap 6. V. 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing Which is a strange kind of interpreting words most cleare by a Text very obscure But God in his holy Providence permits these men to fall vpon such impertinences for their owne confutation as happens in this occasion For as they deny the Reall presence of our Saviours Body in the Eucharist so they deny or elude the reall Presence or Descent of his soule into Hell interpreting those words of the Acts 2.27 Thou wilt not leave my soule in Hell Non relenques cadaver meum in sepulchro Thou wilt not leaue my dead Body in the sepulcher So Beza vpon that place And Vorstius in Antibellarm Pag 42. Nihil vetat per Animam synecdochicè intelligere ipsum corpus quidem jam mortuum We may well by a synecdoche vnderstand by the soule the body even the dead body Serranus contra Hayum sayth that per animam Act 2. V. 27. non intelligitur anima marke soule not the soule sed mortuus homo siue cadaver but a dead man or a dead body And which is strange he assirmes that this interpretation is cleare For the present I will not examine this strange interpretation of an Article of our Creed Descendit ad inferos He descended vnto Hell Of which Potter Pag 240. sayth The words are so plame they beare their meaning before them nor will I obserue even by this example how far Scripture is from being evident to these men who faine such glosses vpon words so cleare and yet say that their interpretation is cleare But I will only say if the soule which is a spirit may signify flesh and flesh be taken for the soule or spirit those words Spiritus est qui vivificat caro non prodest quicquam It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh prositeth nothing may be inverted and taken thus against themselves caro est quae vivificat spiritus non prodest quicquam It is the flesh which quickeneth the spirit profiteth nothing For if the soule may signify the body why may not the body signify the soule by the same new kind or Figure In the meane tyme these men should consider that their owne Divines assirme S. Iohn in that sixth Chapter not to speak of the Sacrament and it is a strange kind of proofe to argue out of Scripture for that of which that Scripture is confessed even by him who so argues not to speak But because many examples or instances may be alledged to proue the difficulty of Scripture even in the most Principall and Fundamentall Articles of our Faith we will touch some in the next Reason for to speak of all would be endless 31. Fiftly The same is demonstrated by these particulars What can be more cleare to proue the Consubstantiality of the son of God with his Eternall Father than Ego Pater vnum sumus Ioan 10. V. 13. I and the Father are one And yet the old and new Arians with Chilling and other Socinians deny it pretending falsly that it is against Reason and contrary to other Text of Scripture What can be more expressly delivered if we respect the bare word than that there is one God Creatour of Heaven and Earth And yet for the signification of the words to omit old Heretiques as the Simoniani Menandriani Basilidiani Valentinistae Marcionistae Manichaei and the whole rabble of the Gnostici who taught that there is not one God Omnipotent Creatour of Heaven and Earth haue we not in our dayes Socinians who indeed destroy the true God by making him a Subject of Accidents and depriving him of his Immensity Omniscience of futura (a) Crellius Lib 1. de vera Religione Cap 24. Contingentia or the future Actions which are to proceed from Freewill although nothing be more cleare in Scripture than that God is every where filling Heaven and Earth and that one distinction of the true God from false ones is that he can infallibly foretell things to come and that he inspired Prophets to prophecy with absolute certainty things remote for Tyme and Place which being denyed the books of the Prophets must be rent from the Bible as deluding men and worse than Apocriphall Tertullian Lib 2. cont Marcion Cap 5. ait Deum quot facit Prophetas tot habere testes suae praescientiae God hath as many witnesses of his Prescience as are the Prophets whom he makes Doth not Calvin depriue God of Mercy and Justice in teaching that he predestinates men to eternall damnation and punishes them for sins to which they were necessitated by the same God What can be more cleare in our Creed and scripture than that Christ was conceyved of the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary suffered dyed rose agayne and ascended into Heaven if we looke vpon the words And yet for the sense which is the life and soule of scripture there are most different and contrary doctrines concerning these Poynts I let pass those Heretiques who taught that Christ suffered not really but only in appearance or shew And why might not they as well say that the words he was crucifyed and dyed are not to be taken litterally as our Sacramentaryes teach the words This is my body are to be vnderstood figuratively But these I let pass and only reflect that for the thing signifyed by those words according to our moderne Sectaryes there is neither certainty who he is that was borne suffered dyed rose agayne c nor of the End for which he was borne suffered and dyed nor of the Effect and Fruite of his life and Death For Socinians deny that he who was borne suffered c was true God and Man or that the End for which he suffered was to redeeme vs by satisfying and paying the ransome of our sins but only by way of instructing or giving vs exāple And Calvinists teache that the Effect or Fruite of our Saviours Actions and sufferings is not any true remission or washing away our sins but only a not imputing them their guilt and deformity still remaining as Calvin in 2. Corinth 5. V. 21. declares Quomodo justi coram Deo sumus Qualiter scilicet Christus fuit peccator How are we just befor God in such manner as Christ was a sinner O injury to men as if none were otherwise just than Christ was a sinner of whom
earth Hee I say who with Arians and other old and moderne condemned Heretiques denyes Christ to be the sonne of God and consubstantiall to his Father as also his Merit and satisfaction for mankind wherby he is the Saviour of the world The like I say of his resurrection and that all men shall arise againe at the last day seing Socinians teach as I sayd aboue that we shall have bodyes in Heaven in nature substaÌ„ce and essence different from our bodyes on earth Against whom these words of S. Iohn Chrisostome Hom 65. in Ioannem post medium are very effectuall as they were against some others who sayd Corpora non resurgent our bodyes shall not rise againe Nonne audiunt Paulum c Do they not heare S. Paule saying For this corruptible must do on incorruption 1. Cor 15.53 Neither can he meane the soule seing it is not corrupted and Resurrection must belong to that which is dead which was the body only And Serm de Ascensione Domini To 3. Let vs consider who he is 〈◊〉 whom it was sayd sit on my right hand what nature that is to whom God sayd be partaker of my seate It is that nature which heard thou art earth and shald returne to â—arth And Learne who ascended and what nature was elevated For I willingly stay in this subject that by consideration of mankind we may with all admiration learne the divine clemency which hath bestowed so great honour and glory on our nature which this day is exalted above all things This day Angels behold our nature shining with immortall glory in the divine Throne And S. Austine serm 3. de Ascensione saith to the same purpose an earthly body is seated aboue the highest Heaven bones ere while shut vp in a narrow grave are placed in the company of Angels a mortall nature is placed in the bosome of immortality And in the same place he sayth If our saviour did not rise againe in our body he gave nothing to our condition by rising againe Whosoever sayes this doth not vnderstand the reason of the flesh which he assumed but confounds the order and evacuates the profit therof I acnowledge to be myne that which fell that that may be myne which rose I acknowledg that to be myne which lay in the grave that that may be myne which ascended into Heauen From this Secinian Heresy it also followes that indeed they deny his true Ascension since they give him and vs not his and our nature but another essentially different But indeed is the Resurrection of the dead so cleare in scripture for the sense without any help of Gods Church How then doth Dr. Potter Pag. 122. say in behalf of Hookers and M. Mortons opinion A learned man was anciently made a Bishop of the Catholique Church though he did professedly doubt of the last Resurrection of our Bodyes Was he a learned man Then surely he vnderstood the Grammaticall signification of the words and yet he erred in the sense as also many others did who denyed Resurrection as Basilidiani Saturniani Carpocratiani Valentiniani Severiani Hieracitae and others which shewes the necessity of a living judg beside the letter or bare word of scripture Which appeares also by the other example which you alledg as cleare That They which belieue and repent shal be saved That they which do not belieue or repent shal be damned For how is this cleare for the sense of the words if it be not cleare what that Faith and Repentance is without which none can be saved And yet you teach a Faith and a repentance wholy different from that which hitherto both Catholikes and ProtestaÌ„ts haue believed and taught as also Calvinists tell vs of a Faith justifying after a new fashion different both from Catholikes and from Socinians and yet what is more necessary to salvation than true Faith and repentance 34. Neither are you more fortunate in your example that it is clearly against Scripture that the keeping of the Mosaicall Law is necessary to salvation Yea this instance makes against your self and proves the necessity of a living judg For the first determination concerning that poynt was made in the Councell of the Apostles Act. 15. V. 28. and the Scripture only relates what their definition was and so this proves only that the voyce of the Church or Councels may be clear both for the words and sense Or that it may be declared by the Church of succeding ages if it grow in tyme to be obscure which happens in this very Councell For though no doubt but Christians of that tyme vnderstood fully the meaning of the Councell by the declaration of the Apostles yet the contents therof were afterward to be declared to all posterity by the Church how they were to be vnderstood and practised The Councell sayd Act. 15. V. 28. 29. It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to vs to lay no further burden vpon you than these necessary things that you abstayne from the things immolated to Idols and bloud and that which is strangled Doth not this rather seeme contrary than clearly in favour of your affirmation that it is cleare in Scripture that the Mosaicall Law is not necessary For one part and practise and Law obliging the Iewes was to abstaine from bloud and that which is strangled though I grant it was also commanded before but not to last always as the practise of Christs Church declareth and yet in the councell it is sayd to be necessary And for the other point that you abstaine from the things immolated to Idols S. Paule teaches that abstracting from an erroneous conscience it is not necessary to abstayne from them and yet in that Councell it is injoyned as a thing necessary How then is this poynt so cleare if we looke on scripture alone without reference to any declaration or practise of Gods church 35. Besides for Circumcision which as the Apostle sayth brings with it an obligation to obserue the whole Mosaicall Law which observation is you say clearly not necessary although if we take some words or text of Scripture alone without any further reflection or consideration it may seeme cleare that it is not only not necessary but hurtfull S. Paule saying Gal. 5.2 If you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing yet if we also call to mynd the fact of the same Apostle Act 16. V. 3 saying taking him he circumcided him Timothy that other text If you be circumcised Christ will profit you nothing which seemed cleare and vniversall will seeme difficult and to be vnderstood with some explication or restraint For who will imagine that S. Paule would be author of that wherby Timothy should be deprived of all the good he could expect from the Sauiour of the world And the difficulty wil be increased if we add that S. Paule caused Timothy to be circumcised propter Iudaeos c. For the Iewes who were in those places for they knew all of them that his father was
Apostle admonish vs 2. Pet 1.10 to labour the more that by good works you may make sure your vocation And what is this but to diminish in vs even the feare of Hell and increase our hope of Heaven For the greater confidence we haue to be saved the less feare we conceyue of being damned Doth not S. John say Ep 1. Cap 4. V. 18. Charity casteth out feare 3. Againe it is to be wondered that any Protestant can object to vs the Doctrine of Indulgences as overlarge and taking away the feare of Purgatory and so at an easy rate redeeming the temporall punishment which remaynes due to our finnes after the fault or guilt is pardoned since they deny that any such payne remaynes after the sin is forgiven which in the opinyon of many of them is forgiven by one Act of Faith firmely believing that it is forgiven 4. So many conditions are required for gayning Indulgences that we cannot be certaine therof without particular Revelation and so still we haue just cause to feare purgatory and tremble at the consideration of Gods secret judgments To omitt divers other conditions necessary for gaining indulgences one is that we be in state of Grace of which none can be sure in this life nor that he hath so perfect sorrow that it is effectuall and incompatible with any affection to any least Veniall sinne and yet the temporall punishment due to sin can never be forgiven till the guilt be perfectly cancelled I say nothing of the pious and penall works which are wont to be appointed for gaining indulgences as confessing communicating fasting praying visiting Churches pilgrimages giving Almes and other holy exercises wherby God is glorifyed our neighbour edifyed and our soules improved in vertue 85. So that it is not so easy to obtayne the effect of indulgences nor are they so cheape as some out of ignorance or malice are pleased to imagine yea and that the Pope gives pardon for all sins not only past but also to come which is a shameless vntruth and falfly layes on vs that aspersion which truly belongs to Protestants who teach that not only sins past or present but also all sinnes to come are forgiven by Baptisme Kemmit In Exam Concill Part 2. Tit de Baptismo Pag 80. saith Papists haue fayned that the grace of Baptisme avayles only for remission of sinnes past or for remission of those which are found in a man at the tyme of Baptisme Calvin Instit L. 4. C. 15. § 3. We must in no wise beleue that Baptisme is conferd only for tyme past so that for new sins into which we fall after Baptisme there must be sought other new remedyes for pardon by I know not what other Sacraments as if the force therof Baptisme were worne out But we are to believe that whensoever we are baptized we are washt and purged for our whole life As often therfor as we shall fall into sin we must renew the memory of Bapisme and by that remēbrance our soule is to be armed that it be always certaine and secure that our sins are forgiven And § 4. As if for sooth Baptisme it self were not a Sacrament of repentance And seing this Repentance is commanded to vs for our whole life the force also of Baptisme must be extended as farr Perkins in Serie Causar Cap 33. sayth In Baptisme being once administred remission is givē not only of sins past but also present and to be committed through the whole tyme of our life Sanchius in sua Confessione C. 15. Baptisme is not given for remission only of Originall sin or sins past but of all for our whole life Is not this every easy and larg indulgence and an encouragement to all sin for which so facil a remedy is prepared even before they be committed Doth not this indeed take away the feare not of Purgatory but of Hell Which feare of Hell you do very strangely affirme to be taken away by the Doctrine of Purgatory but bring not any reason to proue it and it is certaine no shadow of reason can be brought Purgatory is ordayned to pay the temporall punishment due after the guilt of sin is forgiven In Hell eternall torments are to be indured for deadly sin not repented in this life Now what consequence is this One feares the bitterness of payne to be indured in purgatory though he be sure of salvation if ever he come to that place Therfor he feares not Hell the punishment of deadly sinnes which he is guilty to haue committed and is not certaine whether they be forgiven which certainty alone can take away the feare of Hell neither can the feare of Purgatory affoard any such certainty Contrarily one should rather make ād approue this consequē He that feares the lesser punishment or evill is apt much more to feare the greater Therfor he who feares Purgatory will much more fear Hell vnless he be sure to dy in state of Grace of which none can be sure in this life without some particular Revelation and the feare of Purgatory and Hell may well consist togeather as their Causes or objects haue no repugnance to witt I may be adjudged to Purgatory because I hope to die in state of Grace And I am not sure but I may be condemned to Hell because I cannot know whether I shall die free from deadly sin both which judgments of our vnderstanding may cause proportionably just feare in our will the one of Purgatory the other of Hell If a malefactour be doubtfull whether be shal be condemned to death or onlie to some other milder punishment for example the Gallyes or perpetuall imprisonment or the like may he not feare both death and other punishments till his doubt be cleared Which cannot be cleared in this life in order to be adjudged to Purgatory or Hell Protestants are they indeed who take away all feare of Purgatory by denying it and of Hell by their pretended certaine Faith that they are predestinate to eternall Happyness which certaine Faith must needs exclude all feare of the contrary 86. The want you say of that devotion which the frequent hearing of the offices vnderstood might happily beget in them the want of that instruction and edification which it might afford them may very probably hinder the salvation of many which otherwise might haue been saved But by this manner of arguing what may not be proved or disproved if first one will begg the question and suppose vs to be in errour and then vpon remote consequences rather fetch 't than found and wilde conjectures and panick feares inferr I know not what dangers In such manner as if men were to leade their life according to such a way of direction they could never be free from inextricable perplexityes and run hazard of loosing either their witts or soules We are in matters concerning our soules to governe our selves by such Rules as God hath revealed and not by vncertaine conditionall hidden events and which if we be left
protestāts that they haue no certaine meanes to judg whē scripture is evidēt ād consequētly it alone is not sufficiēt to judg evidētly of all poynts necessary to be believed Nay seing they haue no evident Ground to know that scripture is the word of God they cannot be certaine of any one text of scripture though we did suppose that the sense therof were very cleare 89. 16. It is a maine ground with Heretikes that a living judg was necessary till the whole canon of scripture was perfited which being done they say the scripture alone is sufficient But even from this principle of theirs I argue thus seeing they belieue nothing which cannot be proved out of scripture they are obliged to proue out of scripture this very Ground that the necessity of a living judg did expire as soone as scripture was written This is impossible for them to do because no such text is to be found in the whole bible Therfor they cannot hold it even according to their owne principles See what I haue sayd in my nynth reason N. 59 to proue that according to their grounds on text will serue their turne for our presēt purpose vnless it be the last book or text because they teach that scripture alone was not sufficient till the whole Canon was perfited and yet who will vndertake that such a last booke or text hath evidently this Proposition After the Canon of scripture was perfited the necessity of a living judg did cease To say nothing that it is not certaine what part of Holy scripture was written last as also that Protestants do not agree whether some of those scriptures which were the last or among the last be Canonical or no as I sayd aboue 90. 17. I take an argument from the confession of Protestants themselves that the Ancient Fathers stand for vs against them and that therfor the Fathers erred Which could never haue happened to Persons so holy wise learned sincere laborious dispassionate and whom all Christians acknowledg to haue wrought miracles on earth and to be glorious Saints in heauen if the scriptures were so express and evident as our adversaryes pretend Or if they will needs haue scripture to be so cleare every man of Conscience and discretion will stand for the anciēt Fathers ād vs who are acknowledged to agree with them Now that the Fathers are confessed by Protestants to haue taught the same doctrines which we at this day maintayne is diligētly demonstrated by that judicious exact and Faithfull Author of the Protestants Apology for the Roman Church concerning divers poynts which the Reader to be assured of the truth and for the Eternall good of his soule may find in the Alphabeticall Table Verb. Fathers and then examine them vnpartially as the Reall Presence Transsubstantiation Reservation of the Sacrament Masse and Sacrifice Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech Propitiatory Sacrifice euen for the dead Purgatory Free-will the possibility of keeping the commandements justification and Merit of works invocation of Saints Translation of Saints Reliques and their worship Pilgrimage to holy places Grace conferd by Baptisme necessity of Baptisme Chrisme and Confirmation Confession of sinnes injoyned pennance or satisfaction Absolution the Fast of Lent other sett Fasting daves Fasting from certaine meates vnwritten Traditions Hallowing of Alters Churches Water Oyle Bread Candles c More Sacraments than two that Antichrist shal be but one man the great vertue of the signe of the Crosse the worshipping of it Lights in the Church in the day-tyme Images in the Church their Worship S. Peters Primacy ouer the Apostles the Popes Primacy aboue other Bishops Vowed Chastity monasteryes of vowed virgins their consecration their religious habit Mòks that priests might not marry that Bigamus may not be priest the inferiour orders of deacons subdeacons acolyts exorcists c In so much as in regard of these and many mo like premises many of the learned Protestants do deale plainly in making generall disclaime in the Fathers as may be seene in Brierley tract 1. Subdiv 14. where beside other Protestants he names Whitaker Iacobus Acontius Napper Fulk Downham Melancthon Peter Martyr Beza Caelivs Secundus Curio Sebastianus Francus c Besides it cannot be denyed but that learned Protestants do taxe the Fathers of divers errours as is notorious and may be particularly seene in Brierly ibid wherin although they manifestly wrong those Holy and Ancient Doctours yet these their Accusers ought to gather from thence that scripture is not evident since men indued with all ornaments and helps for attayning the true meaning therof were so much mistaken as our sectaryes pretend 91. The same is also clearly demonstrated by reflecting that very many of the most learned Protestāts agree with vs in many points against their Protestant brethren as Brierley Tract 3. Sect 7. lit M. exactly demonstrates For example the Reall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament that Sacraments do not only signify but also conferr grace that Christ after his corporall death did descend in soule into Hell that the Church must continue visible concerning Evangelicall Councells Viz. that a man may do more than he is commanded concerning the vniversality of Grace and that Christ dyed for all that men are not certaine of their election and that he who is in state of Grace may finally fall that in case of divorce vpon adultery the innocent party may not marry againe that to children of the Faithfull dying vnbaptized salvation is not promised Freewill That in regard of Christs Passion and promise our good works proceeding from Faith are meritorious Temporall punishment reserved by God in justice for sin remitted The impugning of the civill Magistrates headship though but of a particular Church Intercession of Angels Intercession of Saints invocation of Saints vowed chastity voluntary Poverty Chastity and Obedience prayer for the dead purgatory Limbus Patrum Images in the Church worship of Images Reverence and bowing at the name of Jesus the power of priests not only to pronounce but to giue remission of sinnes private confession of sins to a priest distinction of mortall and veniall sin in one and the same person the indifferency of communion vnder one or both kinds sacrifice of the New Testament according to the order of Mechisadech that first motions of our concupiscence without our concent therto are not sinnes that the commandements are not impossible Transubstantiation that the Sacraments of the old Testament were not in working and effect equall with ours The visible signe of imposition of hands in confirmation with the grace therby conferred The like visible signe and grace given in Orders yea expressly counted a Sacrament An indeleble character imprinted by certaine Sacraments The baptisme of women and lay persons in case of necessity The knowen intention of the church needfull to the administration of Sacraments Seaven Sacraments implicite Faith that Antichrist is yet to come the patronage and protection of certaine Angels over certaine countries and Kingdomes
necessary to salvation Facienti quod in se est Deus non denegat gratiam God will not be wanting to second his owne Graces with perpetuall addition of more and greater if we be not wanting to them and our selves Which if we be we cannot be sayd to haue done as much as God requires of vs. Deus non deest in necessarijs and we speake in a case of necessity If I say you giue this Answer you answer for vs who can easily transferr the example from one deceyved by a malitious Pastour or Teacher to another defrauded of absolution by a wicked or a fayned Priest that if the Penitent had kept close to Gods Inspirations he would not haue bene permitted to fall vpon such a Priest or els his soule would haue bene raysed to contrition wherby all deadly sins are forgiven 47. This Instance which I haue vrged out if your owne Assertion that there are some Points indispensably necessary to salvation is declared by Potter Pag 243. who speakes thus of Fundamentall Points these are so absolutely necessary to all Christians for attayning the end of our Faith that is the salvation of our soules that a Christian may loose himself not only by a positiue erring in them or denying of them but by a pure ignorance or nescience or not knowing of them And to this purpose among other he cites Dominic Bannez in 2.2 Quest 2. Art 8. saying Invincible ignorance cannot here excuse from everlasting death though we want them without any fault of ours or although it were not in our power to attaine the knowledg of them even as if there were one only remedy wherby a sick man could be recovered from corporall death suppose the Patient and the Physitian both were ignorant of it the man must perish as well not knowing it as if being brought vnto him he had refused it Which words declare how one may be damned by occasion of inculpable Ignorance though not for it but for his sinnes committed and not pardoned The like example may be giuen of one inculpably ledd into an errour concerning Repentance which no man denyes to be necessary for remission of deadly sinnes as if he were taught that no Repentance were necessary or that it did require no kind of sorrow for what is past but only a purpose to amend for tyme to come or that it were sufficient to conceyve sorrow only for some humane motiue or some temporall shame payne or loss or the like which is but tristitia saeculi and makes one rather a greater sinner than a true Penitent Or els That Attrition alone is sufficient without Absolution which is your pernicious errour or That it is sufficient to haue sorrow for one or a few deadly sinnes though it extend not itself effectually to all Or That Faith alone without precedent Repentance is sufficient or the like For as one may be taught an Errour in other Pointes so also in this of Repentance Now of men in these cases I make the same Demand which I made aboue whether they can be saved without sufficient Repentance And it being cleare that they cannot and yet are supposed to haue bene misled without any fault of theirs your Objection turnes vpon yourself how when you haue done as much as God requires for your salvation yet can you by no meanes be secure which is to make salvation a matter of chance c What I haue specifyed in the belief of Fundamentall Poynts and repentance may easily be applyed to other Points of practise necessary for salvation 48. Besides Many Divines teach That Contrition is necessary in Divers Occasions wherby all his sins will be forgiven whatsoever his Sacramentall Absolution chance to be Some say Contrition obliges as often as deadly sins are presented to our mynd vt practicè detestanda Some that it obliges vpon festivall dayes because we cannot spend the day in God Allmightyes service vnless first we be contrite for our sins Others teach That it obliges in occasion of some publike necessity which we haue reason to feare is inflicted for a punishment of our sins Others as often as we are to begin some heroicall worke vpon which the publike weale or profit of the people depends because the forcible and powerfull helpe of God is wont to be denyed to sinners Others and those men of great learning hold That at least all are obliged to Contrition at the true or believed houre of death or in morall danger of death as in warre or a long and dangerous voyage by sea because a morall danger of death is equivalent to the last houre of death and this they vnderstand even though one confess Sacramentally and much more if he want a Confessarius Besides all are bound to Contrition either when they administer Sacraments or receyue those Sacraments which are called Sacramenta Vivorum if they be guilty of some deadly sinne not confessed Vide Amicum To 8. Disp 9. Sec 3. 4. I abstaine from examining difference of Opinions This is certaine that all Catholikes are taught oftentymes to moue themselves to contrition and all of timorous consciences and good life endeavour to doe it and every body at least at the houre of death at which tyme Charitas propria or Charity towards ones self for the salvation of his soule will as it were naturally and effectually incline them to it with the assistance of Gods Grace which is never wanting and so neither the want nor wickedness of any Priest can hurt them Remember what yourself say Pag 277. N. 61. that according to Potter God hath promised to the Church an absolute assistance for things necessary and then you add a farther assistance is conditionally promised vs even such an assistance as shall lead vs if we be not wanting to it and our selves into all not only necessary but very profitable truth For Gods assistance is alwayes ready to promote her farther It is ready I say but on condition the Church does implore it on condition that when it is offered in the Divine directions of Scripture and reason the Church be not negligent to follow it Why do you not apply this to our present Question and say Gods assistance is alwayes ready to promote vs farther from attrition to Contrition vpon condition we do implore it and be not wanting to it and our selves and that when it is offered in divine directions of Christian Faith taeching that no care or even solicitude can be too great in securing the eternall salvation of our soules we be not negligent to follow such directions Will you say God is more ready to direct our vnderstanding for the belief of Poynts not necessary but only very profitable than he is to assist our will for exercising an Act of contrition which is alwayes eminently profitable and in case of deadly sinne and invalid Absolution absolutely necessary To say nothing that as I sayd great Divines hold it to be necessary at the houre of death even
producible by our Acts but infused by God for enabling vs to loue his Divine Majesty aboue all things you would easily see that it could not be destroyed by parts but all togeather and that only in case of committing a deadly sin wherby the sinner in fact voluntarily prefers some creature before God his Creatour and therby ceaseth to loue him aboue all things which yet is essentiall to Charity and without which it cannot exist in any least degree Holy Scripture tells vs he that loves not remaines in death which declares that Charity is the life of the soule and de dly sin being the death therof if Charity may stand with deadly sin the life and death of the soule should abide togeather But as I sayd it appeares by this that you discourse of the Theologicall vertrue of Charity as of naturall acquired habits produced by our Acts may be encreased diminished produced and destroyed without any like alteration in the habits of the infused vertues which are of a different nature and higher kind And by this appeares how necessary it was to premise the Introduction concerning the infused habits and necessity of Grace 16. In the meane tyme every one may see that either you make small account of Scripture which yet you pretend to be a totall Rule of Faith or els that it is not cleare even when it seemes to speake most cleare For what principle is more received in Christianity or more evidently set downe in Scripture than that by true and harty Contrition a sinner doth instantly obtaine pardon of his sins And yet you deny this first principle and as it seemes can see no such evidence in Scripture concerning it The Protestant Church of England once so termed at the beginning of their morning Prayer hath this sentence out of the Psalme 51. according to their account a sorrowfull spirit is a sacrifice to God and that out of S. Luke 15.18.19 of the Prodigall child I will goe to my father and say to him Father I haue sinned against Heaven and against thee I am no more worthy to be called thy son who vpon such Repentance was instantly received into favour as S. Basill Homil de penit saith of him Caeperat dicere mox illum Pater complectitur He had searce begun to aske pardon when it was granted him And S. Chrysost priore epist ad Theodor laps In eo momento totius vitae peccata abstergit In that very instant the sins of his whole life were wiped away Thus we reade Ezech 33.12 The justice of the just shall not deliver him in what day soever he shall sinne and the imprety of the impious shall not hurt him in what day soever he shall convert frō his impiety Therfore as a just man doth instantly loosegrace by his sin so a sinner repēting doth presentlyobtaine pardon of his sin and lives by justifying grace God being more ready to pardon than punish And no wonder seing a sinner performes all that is in his power for that instant And god requires of vs no more than is in our power nor can he seriously command impossible things as you expressly confesse Pag 390. N. 7. in these words The Rule of the Law is also the dictate of common reason and equity that no man can be obliged to what is impossible We can be obleged to nothing but by vertue of some command Now it is impossible that God should command in carnest any thing which he knowes to be impossible For to command in earnest is to command with an intent to be obliged which is not possible he should doe when he knowes the thing commanded to be impossible These I say be your words ād they are very true but directly against the common doctrine of Protestants that it is impossible to keepe the commandements of God who surely commanded them in Scripture in good earnest and not in jeast neither is there any moment wherin a man indued with the vse of Reason may not avoide eternall damnation if he cooperate with Gods grace which is never wanting nor can there be any moment wherin a man may not hope to be saved It is a true Axiome of Divines facienti quod in se est c God doth not denye his Grace to him who doth all that lyes in his power assisted by grace I sayd A sinner doth all that lyes in his power at that instant For if he surviue he is obliged to keepe all the Commandements which oblige vnder mortall sin but this observance is not a part of Contrition or Repentance but only the Object therof for as much as Contrition implyes an effectuall purpose of keeping the Commandements And for that cause the same Prophet Uers 14.15.16 saith If I shall say to the impious Dying thou shallt dye and he do pennance from his sin and do judgment and justice and the same impious restore pledge and render robbery walke in the Commandements of life and do not any vnjust thing living he shall liue and shall notdy All his sins which he hath sinned shall not be imputed to him he hath done judgment and justice living he shall liue This appeares in the conversion and justification of David 2. Reg 12. who repenting had scarce vttered two words I haue sinned to our Lord when he heard of the Prophet Our Lord also hath taken away thy sin Where some obserue that the Prophet sayd not our Lord will take away thy sin de futuro but hath taken away thy sin de praeterito to signify that Contrition and remission of his sins mett in the same instant Which David himselfe witnesseth Psalm 31. V. 5. I sayd I will confess against me my injustice to our Lord and thou hast forgiven me the impiety of my sin Vpon which place S. Austine speaking in person of David saith my confession had not come so far as to my mouth and God heard the voyce of my hart My voyce was not yet in my mouth and the eare of God was already in my hart Actor 2.38 Peter sayd to them do pennance and be every one of you baptized in the name of Jesus Christ And Uers 42. They therfore that received his word were baptized But it is cleare that these men could not haue tyme to roote out all vicious habits therfore that cānot be required to true Repentance Prov 8. I loue those who loue me But how cā God be sayd to loue those who loue him if he forgiues not the sin but remaines offēded ād an enemy to one who loves him by true Contrition which implyes the loue of his divine Majesty aboue all things S. Austine in Enchirid C. 65. saith Not so much the measure or quality of tyme as of sorrow is to be considered For God doth not despise a contrite and humbled hart Which last words taken out of the 40. Psalme do of themselves proue our Assertion So that Scripture Fathers and Theologicall reasons do all concurre in this that effectuall sorrow for
Ma cites divers Protestants that say so 49. In your N. 108. There is nothing but a perpetuall begging of the Question and taking that for true which you know we deny and talking of odious matters as of the oath of Allegiance and Supremacy which only shewes your charity to vs and zeale to adde affliction vpon the afflicted if it had beene in your power and which you would haue wished vnwritten if you were now a liue You say our rule out of Uincentius Lyrinensis advers Haere Cap 27. Indeed it is a matter of great moment and both most profitable to be learned and necessary to be remembred and which we ought againe and againe to illustrate ād inculcate with weighty heaps of exāples that almost all Catholiks may know that they ought to receiue the Doctours with the Church and not forsake the Faith of the Church with the Doctours is to no purpos against them that followed Luther seing they pretend and are ready to justify that they forsooke not with the Doctours the Faith but only the corruption of the Church But I pray doe you not teach and proclayme and therby pretend to excuse your Schisme that the whole Church before Luther was corrupted in Faith and so by leaving her pretended corruptions you left her Faith and those doctrines which she believed To your N. 109. it is easy to answer that about interlining Potters words in the pag 209. N. 42. you will finde among the Errata that Ch Ma only askes what the Doctour meanes You do not well to explicate Hooker about externall obedience against ones internall judgment by paying mony vpon the judges sentence which is a thing not evill of it self but in matters of Faith to yeald externall obedience against his internall belief is perse loquendo evill Your N. 110. about the words of Hooker hath bene answered in all those places where I haue shewed that Protestants can haue no certainty out of Scripture against Catholiques as appeares by the agreement of many of them with vs and therefore according to the principles of Hooker Luther and his followers were bound to obey the Pastors of that vniversall Church which he found before his revolt and so you haue no reason to accuse Brereley or Ch Ma of any ill dealing in alledging Hooker as they doe who I do not wonder if sometyme he speak inconsequently seing all Protestants are forced to do so in this matter And heretofore I haue proved at large out of the grounds which Hooker laies that Protestants cannot be excused from Schisme You know your N. 111. is answered by a meere denyall of that which you affirme without any proofe 50. You say N. 112. that Ch. Ma. N. 43. hath some objections against Luthers Person but none against his cause But the Reader will finde the contrary to be true That they concerne his cause in so high a degree as no man desirous to embrace the truth and saue his solue or hath the feare of God can belieue that Luther was a man sent to reforme the world by preaching the true doctrine I beseech the Reader to peruse that whole N. 43. of Ch. Ma. yet I cannot for beare to set downe these words of Luther Tom. 2. Germ. Fol. 9. and Tom. 2. Witt. Anno. 1562. de abrog Missa privat Fol. 244. How often did my trembling hart beate with in me and reprehending me object against me that most strong Argument Art thou only wise Do so many worlds erre Were so many Ages ignorant What if thou errest and drawest so many into Hell to be damned eternally with the And Tom 5. Annot. Breviss Dost thou who art but one and of no account take vpon the so great matters What if thou being but one offendest If God permit such so many and all to erre why may be not permitt the to erre to This belong those arguments the Church the Church the Fathers the Fathers the Councells and Customes the multitudes and greatnes of wise men whome do not these Mountaines of Arguments these clouds yea these seas of Examples overthrow And these thoughts wrought so deepe in his soule that he often wished and desired that he had Colloq Menfal Fol. 158. never begun this businesse wishing yet further that his writings were burned and buried in eternall oblivion Praef. in Tom German Jen. Your glancing at the lives of some Popes makes only against yourselfe considering that God did not vse these men to beginne a new pretended Reformation as Luther did but they continued in that Sea and Place which had beene established by our Saviour and therfore the bad lives of some Popes which had been enough to overthrow that Sea if it were not setled most immoveably by the absolute Divine promise thou art Peter c and the Gates of hell shall not prevaile c. yeild vs an argument against Luther and all those who opposed not the vices of particular Popes but their place and Authority and the Church of Rome The words with which you close this Number containe nothing but calumnie falshood and bitterness and shew with what spirit you were possest In your N. 112. it should be 113. you grant all that Ch. Ma. endeavoured to proue and I haue shewed that in this grant you contradict yourselfe You say that in a Work which C. Ma. professeth to haue written meerely against Protestants all that might haue been spared which N. 45. he wrote against them that flatter themselves with a conceite that they are not guilty of Schisme because they were not the first authours therof But by your leaue seing those men keepe themselves within the Communion of the Protestants Charity Maintayned had reason to write as he did that they might be induced to forsake that Communion in which to persever in them were the most formall sinne of Schisme which consistes in forsaking the externall Communion of Catholicks with whome such men pretend to agree in beliefe Besides perhaps they are not Catholiks so far as to belieue they are obliged to forsake the externall communion of Protestants and returne to vs which if they belieue not they are not Catholicks in all points even of Faith which teacheth vs that it is Schismaticall and damnable to be divided from the externall Communion of the true Church and I pray God this kind of men would reflect on this your grant and consider that their condition is lamentable in the opinion both of Catholiques and Protestants CHAP XV. THE ANSWER TO HIS SIXTH CHAPTER ABOVT HERESY 1. THe neerer I come to an end the swifter the motion of my pen may be in regard that the more is past the more Points I find answered even for that which remaines 2. Charity Maintayned Chap. 6. N. 1. hath these words Almighty God having ordained Man to a supernaturall End of Beatitude by supernaturall meanes it was requisite that his vnderstanding should be enabled to apprehend that End and meanes by a supernaturall knowledg This saying you approue N.