§ I. What is meant by the Rocke. MAT. 16.

IN Petra Ecclesiae, hoc est, Lib. 3. Epist. 33. in confessione beati Petri. In the rock of the church, that is, in the confession of Peter.

Tu es Petrus, In 5. Psal. poe­nit. in illa ver­ba, Initio tu Domine ter­ram fundasti. By Ro [...]ke is meant Christ. They say Peter, and then the Pope. & super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam) Ipse est enim Petra, à qua Petrus nomen accepit, & super quam Ecclesiam se aedificaturum di­xit. Thou art Peter, and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church. For hee is the Rocke, from whence Peter received his name, and vpon whom hee said he would [Page 2]build his Church.

In sacriloquio quandò in singulari nu­mero fundamentum dicitur, Lib. 28. in c. 38. Iob. c. 6. Christ the foun­dation. They say Peter, and then the Pope. nullus alius nisi Christus designatur. Wheresoeuer in holy Scripture, this word Foundation is found in the singular number, it signifieth Christ.

§. 2. Perfection and sufficiency of the Scripture.

QƲid cor & animam Dei nisi sacram eius Scripturam accipimus. In 1. Reg. l. 2. c. 3. Mor. l. c. 16. The holy Scrip­ture containeth the minde of God to vs. Ibid. lib. 18. cap. 14. All doctrine must be confir­med by Scripture. Per eam Deus loquitur omne quod vult. What is the holy Scripture but the Heart & Soule of God; by it God speaketh all that hee will.

Eos ad sacrae authoritatis paginas vocat, ut si verè loqui desiderent, indè sumere de­beant quid loquantur, &c. He calleth them to the Bookes of the holy Scripture, so that he that desireth to speake or preach truly, must take from thence that which he speaketh, and fetch the grounds of his matters, out of the sacred Bookes, that he may bring all that he speaketh, to the foundation of divine authority, & there­vpon [Page 3]settle the buildings of his speech.

Sancti viri se consilijs Scripturae ex toto addicunt, ut videlicet nihil agant, In Cant. cap. 5. & in Ezech. hom. 15. & 9. All matters concerning faith and godlinesse are conteined in the holy Scrip­ture. They say, we must look for a part thereof in traditions. All our armour against our ghostly enemies. nisi quod ex responso Scripturarū audiunt, &c. Holy men doe wholly addict themselues to the counsels or directions of the Scripture, namely so as to doe nothing, but they heare by aunswere of the Scripture, be­cause of whatsoeuer doubts, aduice is sought for in the Scripture, it is there fully found, of all things without exception. And all our munition or armour, yea all things that doe edifie, all things that doe instruct, are contained therein.

§ 3. No merit in this life, but death.

IVsti perituros se abs (que) ambiguitate prae­sciunt, Moral. lib. 8. cap. 9. No meriting of heaven by man. They say, yes, by good workes. si remotapietate iudicentur, &c. The just doe know before-hand, that they shall perish without doubt, if God set mercy aside in the judging of them, because even that which seemeth our just life is but sinne, if Gods mercy when hee judgeth it, doe not excuse the same.

Quod si illa sanctorum foelicitas miseri­cordia [Page 4]est, In Psalm. poenit. 7. & non merit is acquiritur, ubi e­rit quod scriptum est, & tu reddes unicui (que), secundum opera sua? Eternall life is mercy only, and is not to be purcha­sed or gained by merits. &c. If the felicity of the Saints be mercy, and be not obteined by merits, how shall that stand that is written, Thou shalt render vnto euery man according to his workes? If it bee rendred according to workes, how shall it bee e­steemed mercy? The Papists mocke at this distinction in vs: but blush at it in Gregory. But it is one thing to rē ­der according to workes; and another thing to render for the works themselues. For in that it is said, according to works, the very quality of the workes is vnder­stood, so as that whose good workes shal appeare, his reward shalbe glorious. For to that blessed life wherein we shall liue with God, and of God, no labour can bee equalied, In Ezechiel, hom. 7. O [...]riustice is the imputation of iustice or righteousnesse without works: for we know & confesse our selues to be vn­iust as touching workes. no workes can be compared, for that the Apostle telleth vs. The sufferings of this time are not comparable in worth to the glory to come, that shall be revei­led on vs.

Iustus Advocatus noster justos nos de­fendet in judicio, quia nosmetipsos & cog­noscimus & accusamus injustos. Non ergo in fletibus, non in actibus nostris, sed in ad­vocati nostri allogatione confidamus. Our [Page 5]just Advocate, will in judgement defend vs for just, because wee know and accuse our selues to be vnjust: and therefore let vs not put confidence in our teares, or in our workes, but in our Advocates allega­tion or intercession for vs.

§ 4. No true faith without workes.

In Ezech. hom. 22. No separation betweene Faith and Workes saith Gregory: yes, say they, a man may haue true faith, with­out good workes. The true name of Faith is not appliable, where there is not Charity ioyned with it, neither can there be true beliefe. FIdem, spem, charitatem, atque operatio­nem quamdiu in hac vita vivimus ae­quales sibi esse apud nosmetipsos invenimus. &c. We finde that faith, hope, charitie, & good workes, so long as here we liue are equall in vs: For looke how much we be­leeue, so much also we loue, and how much we loue, so much wee presume of hope: Of faith and workes also, S ^t Iohn confesseth, saying, He that saith, he know­eth God, and keepeth not his Comman­dements, is a lyar. For the knowledge of God appertaineth to faith, the keeping of the Commandements to workes. When therefore power and time, and place of working serueth, so much doth a man worke, as he knoweth God, and so much [Page 6]doth he shew himselfe to knowe God, where there is no loue. Justification before God, con­sisteth not in proceeding from Faith to Works, but in the conti­nuation of Faith to Faith, yet this Faith cannot be separated from Charity and good Workes. as he worketh good things for Gods sake. Every one that is conversant in the exer­cise of this life, beleeueth so much as hee hopeth, and loueth; and looke how much he beleeueth, hopeth, loueth, so much hee worketh.

§. 5. Concupiscence is sinne in the first motions of it.

Moral. lib. 14. c. 9. Concupiscence or Lust is sin, e­uen in the very habit, or first motions of it. ROm. 6.12. Let not sinne raign in your mortall bodies, that yee should there vnto obey by the lust of it. Non ait non sit, sed non regnet, quia non esse non potest, non autem regnare in cordibus bonorum po­test. The Apostle saith not, let it not bee, but let it not raigne, because it cānot but be, but it may be without a kingdome in the hearts of good men. Moral. lib. 21. cap. 3. The motion or sting of concu­piscence, which is heere called vnlawfull de­sire or lust can­not bee avoyded of the Faithfull in this life, yet hath it not do­minion ouer them, so that that motion or sting, euen the very temptation of Sin is Sin in vs, but without dominion. But contrary to this heere of Grego­ry, do they teach, that concupis­cence is not Sin properly, but on­ly called so by the Scripture. Mor. lib: 18. c. 5. Evill cogitation before consent, and without consent is sinne. They say no, not before consent come. To decline in thought is to fal into sinne. And againe. Pec­catum in mortali corpore non esse, sed reg­nare probibuit, quia in carne corruptibili non regnare potest, sed non esse non potest. The Apostle for biddeth not sin to be, but not to raigne in our mortall bodie, be­cause [Page 7]it may be without raigning in cor­ruptible flesh, but it cannot but be there. For even to bee tempted of sinne, is sinne vnto it; which because we cannot bee al­together without so long as we liue here, the holy preaching▪ for that it cannot ful­ly expell and driue it out, taketh away from it the kingdome out of the habita­tion of our hearts, that albeit vnlawfull desire, as a theefe doe privily thrust in it selfe many times amongst our good thoughts, though it enter into vs, yet may not haue dominion ouer vs.

Sciendum est quod sunt peccata quae à iustis vitari possunt, & sunt nonnulla quae etiam à iustis vitari non possunt. &c. Wee are to know, that there are sinnes which the iust may avoid, and there are sinnes which cannot be avoided in them. For whose heart is their abiding in this cor­ruptible flesh that doth not fall by sini­ster thought, though he be not drowned so farre as to the pit of consent: and yet the very cogitation of evill things is sin, albeit whilest the cogitation is resisted, the minde is deliuered from its own con­fusion. The mind therefore of the iust, al­though [Page 8]it bee free from evill worke, yet sometime falleth by evill thought; it fal­leth into sinne, because there is a decli­ning, at least in thought, and yet it hath not whence afterwards with teares to re­proue it selfe, because it first recouereth it selfe, before it fall by consent.

In 1. reg. l. 6. c. 2. prope finem. Here is the root, originall sin still dwelling and a­biding in vs, and the motion of the flesh, the imme­diate effect there of it self also sin. They teach con­trary, that origi­nall sinne doth not remain after baptisme; and also that that which remain­eth is no sinne. Rom. 7.17. Now it is not I that doe it, but sinne that dwelleth in me. Peccatum, quod se non operari perhibuit motum car­nis intellexit; Peccatum autem in se inhabi­tans originalem culpam &c. By the sinne (saith Gregory) which the Apostle saith he worketh not, hee meaneth the motion of the flesh; and by sinne dwelling in him he meaneth originall sinne; and of origi­nall sinne is caused the sinne of the motiō of the flesh; that sinne continuing in vs, cannot now by the power of any teacher be destroyed.

Psal. 51.5. Behold I was shapen in ini­quitie, and in sinne hath my mother con­ceiued me. Nam cum Propheta dicat ecce in iniquitatibus &c. In Evang. hom. 3 Wee are not in the world with­out the sinne, we brought into the world. Sine culpa in mundo esse non potuit, qui in mundum cum culpa venit. The Prophet (saith Gregory) could not be without sinne in this world, who [Page 9]came with sinne into the world; and ex­poundeth his words to this effect. Opus est domine vt miserearis quia ab ineunte vitae primor dio in peccati foveam incidi, In Psal. poenit. 4. We haue stil that remaining in vs for which wee must craue par­don at Gods hands. How tea­cheth the church of Rome now: that in the re­generate there is nothing that God hateth; nothing to stay them frō entring into hea­ven. & concupiscentiae carnalis sordibus inquinata nativitatis meae initia contraxi. Lord I haue need that thou haue mercy vpon me because even from the beginning of my life, I am fallen into the pit of sinne, and haue drawne my first breath, defiled with the vncleanesse of carnall concupiscence, not only that iniquitie which I haue late­ly committed abideth in me; I haue also in me for thee to pardon of the iniquity of old.

§. 6. The certaintie of salvation in the elect.

Mor. lib. 28. c. 7. The spirit of a­doption giueth witnesse to the faithfull, that they are the sons of God. INter haec etiam qui redemit, non relin­quit &c. Novit enim conditor noster quando exurgere persecutionis procellam sinat, quando exurgentem reprimat &c. A­midst persecutions (saith Gregory vpon 1. Cor. 10.13.) he that hath redeemed vs, doth not forsake vs, our creator knoweth when to suffer the storme to arise, & whē [Page 10]to stay it from rising. Hee knoweth how to restraine that for our safegard, Ibid. l. 29. c. 12. Against the do­ctrine of doubt­ing and the vn­certainety of sal­vation. But they teach that the holy spirit doth not beare vs witnes absolutely and assuredly, that we are the sonnes of God, but vnder a con­dition which is not certain viz. if wee continue suffering. which he suffereth for the exercising of vs to go forth against vs, that the raging storme may wash vs, and not drowne vs. Againe, God so dispenseth & ordereth (saith he) the temptations of the adversarie, as that they come not too many at once, or that those onely which may bee borne, doe touch the soule which God hath inlight­ned, that albe it by the heat of the touch thereof they torment vs, yet they may not by burning wast and consume vs.

Propheta intuens tantos hoc Ecclesia tempore specie tenus credere quantos nimi­rum certum est electorum numerum sum­mam (que) transire &c. Etiam hiad fidem spe­cie tenus regniveniunt. Ibid. l. 25. cap 8. They that fall a­way though in respect of out­ward shew and profession they be said for a time to beleeue, yet be­cause their faith hath no roote, they never haue true faith. The Prophet per­ceaued so many in this time of the church to beleeue only in shew, that verily they passed the number of the elect; For they who are not of the number of the elect, doe beleeue bur in shew, and come to the faith of the kingdome in shewe. And a­gaine. Aurum quod pravis eius persuasio­nibus sterni quasi lutum potuerit, aurum antè Dei oculos nunquam fuie. The gold, Ibid. l. 34. c. 13. We must not as­sure our seluer only by cōfidēce of outward cal­ling, but the as­surance must a­rise from the ef­fect and testi­mony of inward grace. [Page 11]which by Sathans wicked suggestions, commeth to bee troden vnder foote like dirt, was never gold in gods sight; For they that can be seduced never to returne againe, seeme to loose holinesse which they had after a sort before the eies of men, but indeed never had it in the sight of God.

Quorum casus vtilitate non modica ele­ctorum profectibus seruit, Mor. l. 34. c. 13. When we see the falls of thē that fall away we are moued thereby not to trust in our selues but to depend vpon God only. quia illorum lap­sum dum conspiciunt de suo statu contre­miscunt & ruina quae illos damnat istos hu­miliat, &c. The fall of which (worldlings, or carnall men) yeeldeth no small benefit for the furtherance of the elect, because while they see the fall of them they trem­ble as touching their owne estate, & the ruine which condemneth the one, is the humiliation of the other. For they learne to trust in the defence of him who help­eth frō aboue, In 1. Reg. lib. 1. c. 1. moral. This is the assu­rance of the faithfull, even an vndoubted beleefe, and knowledge that the heavenly ci­tie is theirs. whilst they see others fall by resting on their owne strength.

Quam familiariter diligit, suam esse indu­hitanter credit; suam nam (que) hanc civitatem esse cognoverat quidicebat, scimus quia si terrestris nostra domus &c. Which heavē ­ly citie Ierusalem, which is aboue, who­soever [Page 12]intirely loueth, doth vndoubtedly beleeue it is his owne; for hee knewe this citie to be his that said, we knowe that if our earthly house of this habitation bee dissolued, we haue a building which is of God, a house not made with hands eter­nall in heauen.

§. 7. The good works and sufferings of this life are not meritorious, The like is be­fore in the que­stions of merit. § 3. or worthy of the blesse of the life to come.

A Pud eum districtè iudicati, ipsi quoqui maculas inquinationis habent, quiper munditiam sanctitatis lucent. Even they who shine in puritie of holinesse, Our merit is the Lords shewing mercy. haue al­so their spots of filthinesse, if they bee strictly and narrowly iudged.

Quantalibet iustitia polleant, Ibid. cap. 21. ne quaquā sibi ad innocentiam vel electi sufficiant, si in indicio districte requirātur. The Papists now talke of nothing so much, as of meriting or de­feruing of hea­ven. Ibid. l. 9. c. 18. Heauen is the reward, hire, & repaiment for good workes say they. No, saith Gregory, whom will yee beleeue. The very elect howsoever they exell in righteousnesse, haue not sufficient in them for innocency if in iudgement they bee strictly dealt withall.

Siremota pietate discutimur, opus no­strum [Page 13]poena dignum est, quod nos remune­rari praestolamur. Restat vt post quam bonū opus agitur lachrymae expiationis exquirā ­tur quatenus ad aeterna praemia meritum recti operis subvehat humilias postulation­nis. If wee bee iudged without mercy, Mans workes done by Christs grace, doe con­dignly, or wor­thely deserue e­ternall ioy. No, saith Gregory, our best workes are worthie to be punished, and subiect to perish if God deale se­verely & strict­ly with vs. If a­midst our good workes, it be by humble prayer and request that wee obtaine the eternal reward? what religion haue the Papists that plead for the worthines of our works? and deride vs when we say that our good workes are not worthy of the glory that is to come. Ibid. l. 9. cap. 11. for Iob. Ibid. in Psalm. poenit 1. for David, our worke is worthie of punishment; which we exspect to haue rewarded, and there­fore the teares of expiation are to be re­quired, that humility of prayer may lift vp the merit of good worke to the obtai­ning of everlasting reward. And to the same effect hee maketh the holy man Iob to say, Et si ad opus virtutis excrevero, ad vitam non ex meritis sed ex venia conva­lesco. Albeit I growe to the worke of ver­tue, yet I availe not to life by merits, but by pardon and favour. And so he bringeth in David, saying, Non de meis meritis con­fidens vt me falvum facias supplico, sed de sola misericordia tua praesumens impetrare quod misericordia tua praesumens impetrare quod de meis meritis non spero. I pray thee to saue me, not trusting in my owne me­rits, but presuming to obtaine that of thy [Page 14]mercy only, which I haue no hope of by my owne merits.

Mot. l. 1. c. 17. Quid est quod in hac vita sine quavis tenuissimi contagij iniquitate peragatur? Lib. 31. Cap. 5. Electi quamdiu in hac vita sunt sine quan­tulocun (que) culpae contagio esse non possunt. Lib. 32. cap. 4. Nullus in hac vita ita perfectus est vt quamlibet Deo devotus sit, inter ipsa quan­tumcun (que) pia vota non peccet. Lib. 35. cap. 16 Si de his di­vinitus districte discutimur, quis inter ista remanet salutis locus quando & mala ne­stra pura mala sunt, If our good works cannot be purely good, if all that we doe be pollu­ted and defiled with the conta­gion of sinne, if God by the eye of his severe iudgement doe strictly view and behold the same, then cannot any good workes of ours bee truely said to bee wor­thie of the hea­venly glory. Bernard de grat. & lib. arbit. in fine. & bona quae nos habere credimus pura bona esse nequaquā possunt? What is there that can bee done in this life, without some defilement of secret contagion? The elect so long as they are in this life cannot be without some con­tagion of sinne. There is none so perfect in this life howsoeuer devoted vnto God, that doth not sinne amidst his most holy and religious desires. If God doe narrow­ly sift our doings, what place is there left for salvation, when our evill doings are meerely evill, but the good things we be­leeue we haue, cannot be purely good.

2. Tim. 4.8. Henceforth is laid vp for me a crowne of iustice, which God that iust [Page 15]iudge will render vnto me at that day. Est ergo quam Paulus expectat corona iustitiae, Contrary to this, doth the Church of Rome now teach saying, that if God as a just iudge ren­der the ioyes of heauen as a crowne of iustice then were they before iustly de­serued, and the suffering of them that deserued them were in iust proportion worthy of them. Is not this wor­thy doctrine? Greg. Mor. l. 24. cap. 5. sed iustitiae Dei non suae; Iustum est quippe, vt reddat quod debet. Debet autem quod pollicitus est, & hac est iustitia, de qua prae­sumit Apostolus, promissio Dei. It is a crowne of Iustice which S ^t Paul expect­eth, but of Gods iustice, not his owne; For it is iust that God pay that which he ow­eth, and he oweth that which hee promi­seth, and this is the Iustice whereof the Apostle presumeth, even the promise of God. Againe. Iustitiae nostra dicitur, non quae ex nostro nostra est sed quae divina lar­gitate fit nostra. It is called our instice (saith Gregory) not which is not ours as of our owne, but which by the gift of God be commeth ours.

Qui nihil boni sibi, sed toutum gratiae Dei tribuunt, In crowning our iustice, it is ve­rified which is said in holy scrip­ture: Hee crow­neth thee in mer­cy and louing kindnesse. In Psalm Poenit. 7. It is not grace that doth all, say the Papists now. The iust doe attribute all to grace, faith Gregory. scientes se nihil habere quod non acceperunt; hac enim operatus est in eis, is qui vasa misericordiae fecit eos. The elect and faithful attribute no good to themselues, but all wholy to the grace of God; know­ing that they haue nothing that they [Page 16]haue not receaued, for hee hath wrought it in them, who hath made them vessells of his mercy.

Praeveniens gratia liberum in eo arbitri­um focerat in bono, In Ezec hom. 9. This did Grego­ry speake of S. Paule, and the same is true in vs. libero arbitrio eandem gratiam est subsecutus in opere. The preventing grace of God maketh the will free in that that is good, & then we by free will doe in worke followe the same grace.

§. 8. There is no freedome in the will, to good & holy actions, except it be made free.

SVperna pietas prius agit in nobis aliquid sine nobis, Greg. Mor. lib. 16. cap. 10. We haue no pow­er in nature to follow when grace doth lead. Idem. ibid. When God by conversion hath reformed our wil and wrought in vs the loue of righteousnesse, we by this work of grace in vs doe thenceforth apply our selues to worke with grace, and the worke that wee do is Gods work and it is our worke, yet no o­therwise ours but that by the gift of God it is wrought in vs, and so becom­meth ours. vt subsequente quo (que) nostro libero arbitrio bonum quod iam appetimus agat nobiscum. The heavenly grace doth first of all without vs worke somewhat in vs that our freewill following, he may do with vs that good, wherevnto wee are now become willing.

Divina nos bonit as vt innocentes faciat praevenit, eandem gratiam nostrum liberum arbitrium sequitur. The goodnes of God preventeth vs to make vs innocent, and [Page 17]our freewill followeth the same grace.

Quod verba praedicationis Dei ab auri­bus ad corda descendunt, solo divino mune­re agitur &c. Per internam gratiam solus omnipotens Deus praedicantium verbis ad corda audientium invisibiliter aditum prae­stat. Insomuch that the words of the prea­cher, doe descend from the eare to the heart, it commeth to passe by the onely gift of God who by inward grace invisi­bly giueth passage for the wordes of the preacher to the harts of them that heare.

Ipsa perfectio nostra culpa non caret nisi hanc severus iudex in subtili lance exami­nis misericorditer penset. Mor. lib. 5. cap. 9 All our righte­ousnesse if it bee narrowly sifted, is found vniust, and defective. Our very perfec­tion is not free from blame, vniesse God in the precise ballance of his merciful ex­amination do mercifully weigh the same.

§. 9. Our righteousnesse is Christs righteousnesse. Mor. lib. 3. c. 11. The righteousnes of the law, is not fulfilled in vs, but vpon our true repentance, God reputeth vs innocent for Christs sake

PEr hoc cuncta iustificat quod eum qui si­ne peccato est pro peccatoribus damnat. God through Christ doth iustifie vs, be­cause for vs sinners, hee condemned him [Page 18]who was without sinne.

Iustus advocatus noster iustos nos defen­det in iudicio quia nosmet ipsos & cognosca­mus & accusamus iniustos. In Ezec. hom. 7. idem in Evang. hom. 25. The Papists now speake of a righ­teousnesse inhe­rent: which Gre­gory never thought of. Paratus est De­us poenitentiam nostram nobis ad innocen­tiam deputare. Our iust advocate will in iudgement defend vs for iust, if we know and accuse our selues to be vniust; God being ready for his sonnes sake to repute vnto vs our penitency for innocencie.

§. 10. Faith excludeth not all feare and doubt.

FIdes ipsa quae ad bona alia capescenda nos imbuit, Mor. l. 22. c. 14. There may bee a godly feare which is a di­strust of our selues but the godly cannot haue a doubtfull feare which is distrust full of God. plerunque in exordijs suis nutat & solida est; & iam certissimè habetur, & tamen de eius fiducia adhuc sub dubitatio­ne trepidatur: Pars nam (que) eius prius acci­pitur ut in nobis postmodum perfectè com­pleatur. Faith it selfe which seasoneth vs to the receiuing of other graces, com­monly in the beginning thereof is both wavering and sound; wee already most certeinely haue it, and yet of the assu­rance thereof we feare and doubt: For we first receiue a part of it, that it may bee af­terward [Page 19]perfectly fulfilled in vs. Greg. Ibid. Faith and vn­beleefe, certain­tie and vncer­taintie, assurāce and doubt may be blended toge­ther in one and the same man, why doth the Church of Rome now teach the contrary, saying that faith ex­cludeth all feare and doubt. The Scripture indeed commen­ding a feare vn­to vs, doth not meane a doub­ting feare, such as is contrary to assurance of faith, but such as is contrary to presumption & pride, and trust in our selves, & imparteth hu­mlity, lowlines of mind, distrust of our owne strength, that we mày relie vpon the strength and power of God. Mor. lib. 10. c. 8. Idem ibid. He bring­eth for example hereof, the poore man in the Gospell to whom Christ said, Marke 9. v. 23.24. If thou canst beleeue, all things are possible to him that beleeueth. And he answered; Lord I beleeue, helpe my vnbeliefe. Vno eodemque tempore cla­mabat se etiam credere & adhuc ex incre­dulitate dubitare. At one and the same time (saith he) he cryed that hee did be­leeue, & yet still did doubt by vnbeliefe. Vno eodem (que) tēpore is qui nec dum perfectè crediderat simul & credebat, & incredulus erat. At one and the same time (saith hee in another place) hee which did not per­fectly beleeue, did both beleeue, and was also vnbeleeuing. And yet in another place he saith. Saepè conting it ut fides jam in mente vigeat, sed tamen ex parte aliqua in dubietate contabescat. Vnam eandemque mentem & certitudo solidae fidei roborat, & tamen ex aliquantula mutabilitate perfidiae aura dubietatis versat. It often falleth out, that faith now is growing in the minde, and yet by doubting it languisheth in in some part; that certainery of sound faith strengthened one and the same [Page 20]mind, which notwithstanding the winde of doubtfulnesse shaketh by some muta­bility of vnbeliefe, as namely saith hee of the man before mentioned. Per fidem spe­rans, & per infidelitatem fluctuans dicebat, &c. et exorare certus iam per fidem coepe­rat, & adhuc incertus undas perfidiae ex in­credulitate tolerabat. Hoping by faith, and wavering by vnbeliefe, he said, Lord I be­leeue, helpe my vnbeliefe. He hoped in faith, yet wave­red in vnbeliefe. He beganne to pray (saith he) certaine now by faith and yet being vncertaine hee bare the waues of vnbeliefe.

§. 11. There is no Purgatory or third Place after this life.

HOc de igne tribulationis in hac nobis vi­ta adhibito potest intelligi. Dial. 4. c. 39. Then it is no proofe for war­rant of a Purga­tory after this life. Mor. super Iob lib. 8. c. 8. If after death there be no de­liverance, if there bee no change, but as the Angell ei­ther good or had receiveth the Soule out of the body, so it con­tinueth for euer, either exalted in ioy or drow­ned in punish­ment: then there can bee no Pur­gatory, then there can be no­thing but either heauen or hell, where they that come shall abide for ever. Lib. 7. indic. 2. epist. 111. Heere is no place for Pur­gatory, for heere he teacheth vs to beleeue, that the faithfull in death do attaine to true life, and that their pas­sage from this world is to a better, neither doth he acknow­ledge any vse of Prayers, Masses, Trentals, and o­ther offices and obsequies for the dead, who saith that our devotion and loue yeeldeth no fruit or profit to them. The fire spo­ken of in S. Paul. 1 Corinth. 3.13. may be vnderstood of the fire of tribulation, ap­plied vnto vs in this life.

Quem nequaquam modò misericordia e­ripit, sola post praesens seculum iusticia ad­dicit, &c. Whom Mercy now deliuereth not, him Iustice onely after this world [Page 21]imprisoneth. Heereof Salomon saith, that in whatsoeuer place the tree falleth, whe­ther toward the South, or towards the North, there it shalbe; because at the time of a mans death, either the good Spirit, or the evill spirit, shall receiue the Soule go­ing from the Body, he shall hold it with him for euer, without any change, that neither being exalted, it can come downe to punishment; nor being drowned in e­ternall punishments, can thence-forth rise to any remedy of salvation.

Gregory writeth an Epistle to his friend Aregius a Bishop, to comfort him, where­in it is worthy to be observed, how con­stantly hee carrieth himselfe to the do­ctrine of the Scriptures. Amongst other words we reade these, Indecens est de illis taedio afflictionis addici, quos credendum est ad veram vitam moriendo pervenisse, &c. It is vndecent for vs to giue our selues to long affliction of sorrow for them, whom we are to beleeue to haue come by death vnto the true life. They haue haply iust ex­cuse of long sorrow, who know not any other life, who doe not beleeue the pas­sage from this world, to bee to a better [Page 22]World, but we who know, who beleeue and teach this, are not to be too heavy for the dead, lest that which with others car­rieth a shew of piety, be to vs rather a ma­ter of blame. For it is in a maner a kind of distrust to be tormented with heavinesse, contrary to that which hee himselfe doth teach. And then citing the words of Saint Paul, 1. Thess. 4.13. addeth. This therfore seeing we know, we are to haue a care, as I haue said, not to bee afflicted for the dead, but to bestow our affection vpon the living, to whom our piety or devoti­on may be profitable, and our loue may yeeld fruite.

§ 12. No carrying about of the Reliques of the Saints.

IN Romanis & totius Occidentis partibus omninò intolerabile est atque sacrilegum, Lib. 3. epist. 30 Is the doctrine of the Church of Rome, the same that it was of old? They now pull the Reliques frō the bodies of their imagined Saints and mar­tyrs: they vnbu­ry them out of their graues, kisse them, and carry them a­bout, all which Gregory heere misliketh. si sanctorum corpora tangere quisquam for­tasse praesumpserit, certum est quia haec te­meritas impunita nullo modo remanebit. In the Romane Church, and the whole We­sterne parts, it was a thing altogether in­tolerable, [Page 23]and a matter of sacriledge, to presume to touch the bodies of the Saints; and if any man doe presume so to do, cer­taine it is, that his rashnesse shall by no meanes remaine vnpunished. And then hauing shewed divers examples of them, who adventuring too neere to the stirring or touching the Bodies of some holy Persons, were thereupon greatly frighted, or by death miscaried, he concludeth, Who then know­ing these things can be so rash, as that he will presume, I will not say, to touch the Bodies of such, but in any sort to looke vpon them.

§. 13. The Faith and Religion of the New Testament, differeth not in substance from the Old.

In Evangel. hom. 19. The church be­fore Christ, was a part of that Church which hath beene called Catholike since Christs time If our faith be the same with the faith of the fathers of the old testament, then must it needs bee the Catholike faith. Idem in Ezec. hom. 15. The catholike Church is now vnderstoode to containe all the faithful from the beginning of the world to the end. Of the catholike Church, there is but one body and one spirite which quickneth that body, and one faith wherby we are all partakers of that spirit. In psal. paenit. 5. Whether we re­spect them that were before the incarnation of Christ, or them that come after, they both make but one body, and therefore the holy Ghost as the Soule is but one and the same to both. In Ezech. hom. 16. HAbet vineam universalem scilicet Ec­clesiam, quae ab Abel iusto, usque ad ul­timum electum, qui in fine mundi nascitu­rus est quot sanctos pertulit, quasi tot palmi­tes misit. God hath his Vineyard, even the Vniversall Church, which yeeldeth so many branches as it bringerh forth Saints [Page 24]from righteous Abel, vnto the last Elect that shalbe borne in the end of the world.

Vna est Ecclesia electorum praecedenti­um at (que) sequentium. Praetered omnes fideles qui ab Adam, in hunc usque diem fuerunt, quive futuri sunt quamdiu mundus dura­bit, veram fidem profitentes ad candem Ec­clesiam pertinent. There is but one Church of the Elect, both before and since the time of Christ: moreover, all the Faithfull who haue beene from Adam till this day, and shall bee to the Worlds end, profes­sing the true Faith, doe belong vnto the Catholike Church.

Sicut est una anima quae diversa corporis membra vivificat: ita totam simul Ecclesi­am unus Spiritus Sanctus vegetat & illu­strat. As it is but one Soule which quick­neth the divers members of the body, so one holy Spirit giveth life and light to the whole Church.

Eadem fides, spes, charitas in antiquis patribus quae in novis doctoribus fuit. In the old Father was the faith, hope, and chari­ty, [Page 25]as in the new teachers, namely the A­postles and the rest.

Quod apud nos valet aqua baptismatis, Mor. l. 4. c. 3. hoc egit apud veteres vel pro maioribus vir­tus sacrificij, vel pro his qui ex Abrahae stirpe prodierant mysterium circumcisionis. Looke what the Water of Baptisme avai­leth with vs, The Fathers of the Old Testa­ment had the grace and effect of Baptisme as well as we. the same with the old Fathers did either faith onely for Infants, or for them of elder yeeres the power of sacri­fice, or for them that came of the stocke of Abraham, the Sacrament of Circumci­sion.

Sive hi qui electi in Testamento Veteri fuerunt, sive hi qui in Novo Testamento se­cuti sunt, nimirum constat, In Ezech. hom. 16. quia omnes ex amore Trinitatis accensi sunt, &c. Ad ve­ram speciem ex Trinitatis sunt cognitione decorati. Whether we respect or reckon the Elect in the Old Testament, The Fathers of the Old Testa­ment in the V­nity of Godhead, did see distinctly three Persons, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost. In Cant. cap. 5. or they that followed in the New, they were all enkindled with the loue, and adorned vn­to true beauty, through the knowledge of the holy Trinity.

Apostoli à Prophetarum dictis vt fortes persisterent, fidem integram acceperunt. The Apostles received the whole faith, to [Page 26]the end they might stand firme, In Ezech. hom. 6. The law & the prophets and the Gospells and the preaching of the Apostles, haue all deliuered only one and the same thing. Ibid. Christ confirmed the same faith and religion, which the Iew­ish Church be­fore receiued, & added nothing touching the substance of do­ctrine. The Apostles in preaching the Gospell said no other things but those which the prophets and Moses did say should come. from those things, that were spoken by the Prophets. And again. Quod praedicat Lex, hoc etiam Prophetae; quod denuntiant Pro­phetae, hoc exhibet Evangelinin; quod exhi­buit Evangelium, hoc praedicaverunt Apo­stoli per mundum. Looke what the Law preacheth, the same also doe the Pro­phets teach, the same the Gospell hath exhibited, and what the Gospell exhibi­bited, the Apostles preached through the world.

Vira (que) testamenta in nullo à se discrepāt &c. Inest testamento veteri, testamentum novum &c. Prophetia testamenti novi, te­stamentum vetus est, & expositio testamen­ti veteris, testamentum novum. The two Testaments differ not in any thing one from the other, the new Testament is cō ­tained in the old. The old Testament is a prophecie of the new, and the new Testa­ment the exposition of the old.

§, 14. What was said to Peter Mat. 16. whatsoe­ver thou bindest &c. was spoken to the whole Church.

VNiversali Ecclesiae dicitur, In 1. Reg. lib. 6 cap. 3. The Pope is an vsurper against God and the Church. Quod­cun (que) ligaveris, &c. It was said to the Vniversall Church, Whatsoeuer thou bindest in earth, shall be bound in Hea­uen, &c.

§. 15. How farre God suffereth Sin, and guideth the wicked actions of wicked men.

OMnipotens Deus quod fieri prohibet, Mor. l. 11. c. 2. & lib. 16. c. 23. There is much good wrought out of evill, which could not be without evil. Hereupon the malicious Pa­pists say, that we make God the author of sin. Ibid. lib. 6. c. 12 To God we at­tribute no more but that he vo­luntarily per­mitteth, & wise­ly ordereth, and iustly vseth to his purposes the sin of man: and so much their owne Pope Gre­gory saith. Consider the act of sin in it selfe, it is properly and only the worke of man: but if we consider it in the circum­stances and or­der, it is rightly called the worke of God. Moral. lib. 18. cap. 17. Mor. lib. 2. c. 6. It was the Spirit of the Lord, that vexed Saul. Ibid. l. 18. c. 3. Ibid. l. 2. cap. 6. iust um est ut fieri sinat. Inulium abire non sinit iniustum, quod iustè fieri permisit. It is iust, that the Almighty God suffer that to be done, which notwithstanding he forbiddeth to be done, neither suffe­reth he that vniustice to go vnrevenged, which he iustly suffered to be done.

Miro modo fit, ut quod sine volūtate Dei agitur eius voluntati contrarium non sit, quia dū in bonū usum malafacta vertūtur, eius consilio militant, etiam quae eius consilio repugnant. It commeth strangely to passe, that that which is done without the will of God, yet is not against his wil, because whilest evill deedes are turned to good [Page 28]vse, those things shew the Counsell and Will of God, which notwithstanding are repugnant vnto it.

Ab iniquis facta ne inordinatè eveniant ipse disponens. God disposeth the doings of wicked men, that they may not befall vnorderly.

Ʋnus idem (que) Spiritus & Domini appel­latur & malus; Domini per licentiam po­testatis iustae, malus per desiderium volun­tatis iniustae. It was the spirit of the Lord (that vexed Saul) by leaue and licence of iust power; but an evill spirit by desire of vniust will.

Omnis Diaboli For potestas, reade volun­tas. potestas * iniusta est, & tamen permittente Deo, omnis potestas iu­sta. The will of the divell is altogether vniust, but his power which of Gods per­mission only he hath, is altogether iust.

Deo ad usum iusti indicij & iniusta Dia­boli voluntas servit. The vniust will of the divell serveth GOD for the vse of iust iudgment.

Inde coacti sunt Dei voluntatem pera­gere, Moral. lib. 6. c. 22. Albeit God by his wisedome & power doe turne the evill of wic­ked men to his good purpose & vse; yet they do it not as with any purpose therein to serve God, but to fol­low the sinfull lusts of their owne wicked hearts, & ther­fore are iustly punished for the doing of it. As is seene mani­festly in these examples. Wickednes issu­eth wholly out of mans heart: but God by his secret hand guideth it to go one way rather then an other. unde hanc moliti sunt astutè commu­tare. Cum se aestimant cius miracula per­sequendo abscindere haec nimirum compulsi [Page 29]sunt nesciendo dilatare. Hoc ad pietatis suae obsequium redigit, quod contra illum hu­mana crudelitas exarsit. Cüi cognitae debet nostra actio devotè famulari, ne ei etiam no­cens serviat, si hanc superbiens declinat. Thereby Iosephs brethren were compel­led to doe the will of God, whereby they subtilly thought to defeate the same. The Iewes by persecuting, thought to cut off the miracles of Christ, but were compel­led vnwittingly to spread the same fur­ther. God forceth that to the service of his piety, wherein humane cruelty burneth or rageth against him. Our acti­on even against our will serveth the hea­uenly will of God, when in our pride it shunneth the same.

§. 16. The auncient Church knew not the idolatry used now in the Church of Rome, in worshipping of Images.

INdico dudum ad nos pervenisse, Lib. 7. Ep. 109. quod fra­ternitas vestra quosdam imaginum ado­ratores [Page 30]aspiciens easdem Ecclesiae imagines confregit at (que) proiecit. Et quidē zelū vos ne quid manu factum adorari possit habuisse laudavimus, sed frangere easdem imagines non debuisse iudicamus, &c. I certifie you (saith Gregory, to Serenus Bishop of Mas­silia) that it came of late to our hearing, that your Brother-hood beholding some worshipping Images, did break the same Church-images, and threw them away. And surely, I commended you that you had that zeale, that nothing made with hands should bee worshipped. But yet I iudge, that you should not haue broken those images. For therefore is the picture vsed in the Church, that they who are not learned by Booke, may yet by sight reade vpon the walles, those things which they cannot reade in Bookes. Therefore your Brother-hood should both preserue the images, and forbid the people the wor­shipping of them, that both the ignorant may haue whence to gather the know­ledge of the History, and the people may not sinne in worshipping of the Picture. Convocandi sunt dispersi Ecclesiae filij eis (que) Scripturae Sacrae est testimonijs ostendendis, Idem. l. 9. ep. 9. [Page 31] quia omne manufactum adorare non liceat, quoniam scriptum est, Dominum Deum tuū adorabis, & illi soli servies. The Children of the Church are againe to bee gathered together, and it must be showen by testi­monies of the Scriptures, that it is not lawful to worship any thing that is made with hands, because it is written. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, & him onely thou shalt serue.

Frangi non debuit quod non adorandum in Ecclesijs, Greg. ibid. sed ad instruendas solummodo mentes fuit nescientium collocatum. That ought not to be broken, which was not set vp in the Church to be adored, but on­ly to instruct the ignorant.

Scio quidem quod Imaginem Salvatoris nostri non ideo petis ut quasi Deum colas, Lib. 7. epist. 54 Heere we see that Gregory doth not instruct Secundinus, as the Papists now adayes doe their Schollers. As to worship the I­mage, or to kneel to it, for that he condemneth; But willeth him to vnderstand that these deuo­tions belong only to God, & there­fore that he must beware not to put the image in the place of God to doe to it those duties of religi­ons humiliation which are proper to God alone. Ibid. lib. 9. e­pist. 9. Not to worship images, but to haue them for remembrance, not to fall downe before them but to worship christ whome we re­member by thē. sed ob recordationem filij Dei, ut in eius a­more recalescas, cuius te Imaginem videre consideras, &c. I know verily (saith Gre­gory to Secundinus) that thou doest not therefore desire the Image of our Saviour that thou mayst worship it as God, but for a remembrance of the Sonne of God, that thou mayst become fervent in his loue, whose Image thou considerest thy [Page 32]selfe to behold. And wee verily fall not downe before it, as before the Godhead, but we worship him whom by the Image we remember, either as borne, or hauing suffered, or now sitting vpon his Throne; and whilest the Picture, as it were a wri­ting, bringeth to our remembrance the Sonne of GOD, either it reioyceth our mind as touching his resurrection, or ap­peaseth it by his passion.

Si quis imagines facere voluerit minime prohibe: adorare verò imagines omnibus modis devita; sed hoc solicite fraternitas tua admoneat, ut ex visione rei gosta ardorē compunctionis percipiant, & in adoratione solius omnipotentis sanctae Trinitatis humi­liter prosternantur. If any man will make images, forbid him not: but by al meanes avoide the worshipping of Images: But this let your Brother-hood carefully ad­vertise them, by the sight of the story, to gather fervency of compunction, but humbly to fall downe or kneele in the worship of the holy Trinity onely.

§. 17. The Bookes of the Machabees are not Canonicall Scripture; of the easines of the Scriptures, and fulnes without traditions.

NOn inordinatè agimus, si ex libris, Mor. lib. 19. c. 16. aut. 13. The church of Rome now doth accurse all those that refuse the bookes of the Machabees (of which Gregorie heere speaketh) for canonicall Scripture. In Ezech. l. 1. hom. 9. ad finē. The church of Rome now ac­curseth all those that doe not re­verence traditi­ons vnwritten, as they doe the written word. Mor. l. 18. c. 14. in princ. The Papists are these heretickes: from the writté word, they fly to traditions vnto them. Lib. 4. epist. 40 ad Theod. Medicum. Gregory ex­horteth Lay men to the reading of the Scriptures. The Papists for­bid them. licet non Canonicis, sed tamen ad aedificatio­nem Ecclesiae editis testimonia proferamus. We doe not deale disorderly, if we doe bring forth testimonies out of bookes that are not canonicall; yet are published for the aedification of the Church.

In hoc volumine, omnia quae erudiunt, cuncta quae aedificant scripta continentur; libri sacri ad loquendum nobis quasi quaedā argenti venae sunt. In this volume are all things which doe instruct, and which doe edifie conteined. The holy Bookes are vnto vs to shew vs how to speake, as cer­taine veines of siluer, &c.

Saepè haeretici dum sua student perversa astruere, ea proferunt quae in sacrorum li­brorum paginis non tenentur. Hererikes doe vsually for the confirmation of their [Page 34]perverse opinions suggest such proofes as are not found in the Scriptures.

Sicuti terreni Imperatoris scripta acci­peres, non quiesceres, nec somnum oculis da­res priusquam scripta illa agnovisses; Im­perator coeli, Augelorum ac hominum Deus tibi pro vita tua epistolas suas transmisit, & tamen eas ardenter legere negligis: Stude ergo quaeso, & Creatoris tui verba medita­re, disce cor Dei in verbis Dei. And a little before, Quid est autem Scriptura Sacra, ni­si Epistola omnipotentis Dei ad creatu­ram suam? Wheresoeuer thou receiuest the Letters of an earthly Prince, thou do­est not rest, nor giue sleepe to thine eyes, before thou doest vnderstand those Let­ters. The Emperour of Heauen, and God of Angels and men, sendeth his Writings vnto thee for direction of thy life: & yet thou doest neglect to reade them earnest­ly. Study therefore, I pray thee, and me­ditate on the words of thy Creator. Learn the mind of God in the word of God; for what is the holy Scripture, but an Epistle of the Omnipotēt God vnto his Creature.

Magnae vtilitatis est ipsa obscuritas e­loquiorum Dei, Lib. 1. hom. 6. super Ezech. quia exercet sensum—vt [Page 35]exercitatus capiat quod capere nequit, oci­osus habeat quo (que) adhuc maius aliud; quia si in cunctis sacrae scripturae intelligentia esset aperta, vilesceret, quae in quibusdam locis obscurioribus in venta animum reficit. The very obscuritie of the Scriptures of God, is of great profit and commoditie, To oppose the obscuritie of the Scriptures to de­terre men from the reading of them is a very frothy argument and condemned by Gregory. because it exerciseth the vnderstanding, that he that is exercised in them may vn­derstand that which he could not; he that is idle may haue also some more occasion to search them because if the meaning of the holy scripture were plain in al things, it would be of no account, which being found out in certain obscure places, doth refresh the minde.

Scriptura quasi quidam fluvius est, Epist. ad Leand. cap. 4. sup. mor. vt dixerim planus & altus in quo & agnus ambulet & Elephas natet. The Scripture is as it were a certaine river as I haue said shallow and deepe; wherein the lambe may goe or walke, and the Elephāt swim.

§. 18. The Catholike Church in the Creed, is be­leeued, not seene: and consisteth of all the elect only, and excludeth the reprobate out of it.

IN carne Dominus ad Ecclesiam veniens —fines Ecclesiae occulti iudicij distinxit. Mor. l. 28. cap. 6 The distinction of visible & in­visible Church, must not be take away. Gregory denieth that wicked mē, and such as are the limbs of Sa­than, may bee truely members of the body of Christ, or that they belong to the Catholique Church. The Pa­pists affirm they may. In. Ps. 5. poenit. post principiū & in principio Intra has mensuras sunt omnes electi, ex­tra has sunt omnes reprobi, etiamsi intra fi­dei limitem esse videantur. Our Lord com­ming in the flesh vnto the Church, sepa­rated the bounds thereof, by the inward­nesse of his hidden iudgement, within whose limits are all the elect, and without those limits are all the reprobate, al­though they seeme to bee within the bond of faith.

Sanctam Ecclesiam de sanctis in aeternū permansuris constructam, nullis huius vita persecutionibus superandam, ipse super qui aedificate est evidenter ostendit, cum ait, Portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus cā. Vnum corpus est tota sancta vniversalis ec­clesia sub Christo Iesu capite suo constitu­ta. &c. He vpō whom the Church is buil­ded doth evidently shew, The glorious ti­tles of Spowse & Catholike Church, doe pro­perly belong and appertaine vnto the faithfull and elect of God. The Church of Rome now saith that the Catholike Church is visible and palpable, as is the kingdome of great Brittain and of France. And that one & the same man may be a mem­ber of Christ, in respect of out­ward profession; and a member of the divell, in respect of his wicked life. Horrible doctrine & most contrary to that taught here by S. Gregory. For tell me Pa­pist, what society is there between Christ and Beli­al, that both they should share in one Man. In Iob. l. 18. c. 27 & l. 12. c. 5. in principio. Gregory excep­teth none from being conceaued in sinne but our Saviour Christ; The Papists ex­cept the Virgin Mary. that the holy Church which is gathered together of Saints who shall continue for ever, & not be overcome with any the persecutions of this life, when he saith, The gates of hell shal not prevaile against it. The whole ho­ly vniversall Church is one body, establi­shed [Page 37]vnder one head Iesus Christ. Christ therefore with his whole Church whe­ther that which is conversant at this pre­sent in earth; or that which raigneth with him in heauen, is one person; and as there is one soule which quickneth divers mē ­bers of the body, so one holy spirit doth at once quicken and illustrate the whole Church. For as Christ who is head of the Church was cōceiued by the holy Ghost; so the holy Church which is his body is filled with the same spirite to life euerla­sting; wherby the whol body vnderprop­ped and framed, doth grow to an increase in God. That is the body out of which the spirite doth not quicken.

§. 19. Only Christ was conceiued by the holy ghost without any touch of sinne.

ILle solus veraciter sanctus natus est, qui vt ipsam conditionem naturae vinceret, ex commixtione carnalis copulae concep­tus non est. nullus homo sine peccato est, nisi ille qui in hunc mundum non venit ex pec­cato. He only indeed was borne holy, who [Page 38]that hee might overcome that condition of nature was not conceaued by the mix­ture of carnall copulation. No man is without sinne, but he who came into this world through sinne.

§. 20. The Pope vsurpeth the title of vniversall Bishop, which Gregory refused.

EGo fidenter dico, quisquis se vniversalē Sacerdotem vocat, Lib. 40. epist. 30. He that claim­eth the title of the Vniversall Bishop, is the forerunner of Antechrist, but the Papists giue that title to the Pope. Ergo. vel vocari desiderat in elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit; quia superbiendo se caeteris praeponit. I speak it boldly, whosoever calleth himselfe Ʋ ­niversall Bishop, or desireth so to bee cal­led, is in his pride the forerunner of Ante­christ, because in making himself proud, he setteth himselfe before other.

Hac in re à fratre & consacerdote me [...] contra Evangelicam sententiam &c. Lib. 4. Epist. 34. Here­in my Brother and fellow Bishop doth a­gainst the meaning of the Gospel, against S. Peter the Apostle, against all Churches, and against the ordinance of the Canons. In this pride of his, what other thing is there betokned, but the time of Ante-Christ [Page 39]is even at hand? For hee foloweth him, that despising the equalitie of ioy a­mong the Angells, laboured to breake vp to the top of singularitie, saying thus, The Pope in ad­vancing him­selfe aboue all other Bishops, imitateth Luci­fer in his singu­laritie, setting himselfe aboue the rest of the Angells. Lib. 4. Epist. 38. I will advance my throne aboue the starres of heauen, I will sit in the mount of the Testament even in the corners of the North; I will get me vp aboue the light of the cloudes, and will bee like vnto the highest. Rex superbiae in foribus est &c. The king of pride is even in the gates; and an horrible thing to speake Sacordotum est paratus exercitus, an army of Priests is made ready, for now they play the souldi­ers, and beare their heads of high that were ordained to be captaines of humili­tie.

Nether may you say, Lib. 6. Epist. 28. that the vsing of this title is nothing; for if wee beare this matter quietly, we overthrowe the faith of the whole Church. The agreeing vnto this wicked title is the losing of the faith.

Nullus Romanorum pontificum hoc sin­gularitatis nomen assumpsit. Lib. 4. Epist. 32. None of the Bishops of Rome ever receiued this name of singularitie: nullus decessorum meorum hoc tam profano vocabulo vti voluit: None [Page 40]of my predecessors ever consented to vse this vngodly name. Nos hunc honorem nolumus oblatum suscipere. Lib. 4. Epist. 36. We being Bi­shops of Rome will not take this honour being offered vnto vs.

Quid tu Christo vniversalis Ecclesiae ca­piti, in extremi iudicij dicturus es examini qui cuncta eius membra tibimet conaris v­niver salis appellatione supponere? What answere wilt thou make vnto Christ, that indeed is the head of the vniversal church at the triall of the last iudgement, that thou goest about vnder the name of Vni­versall Bishop, to subdue all his members vnto thee?

§ 21. The Bishop of Rome acknowledged the Emperour to be his Lord and Soveraigne.

ECce per me servum ultimum suum, Lib 3. epist. 61 ad Mauritium Imperatorē. & vestrum respondebit Christus sacerdotes meos manui tuae commisi, &c. Ego quidem vestrae iussioni subiectus, legem vestram per diversas terrarum partes transmitti feci. Behold (saith Gregory to Mauritius the Emperor) thus will Christ answere you by mee, beeing both his and your most humble servant; Gregory acknow­ledgeth the Em­perour to bee his Lord and Souc­raigne. I haue committed my Priests into thy hand, &c. As for my part, I being subiect to your Maiesties com­mandement, haue caused your order to bee proclaimed thorough divers parts of the world.

Christus dominari Imperatorem, non so­lum militibus, sed etiam Sacerdotibus con­cessit. Lib. 3. epist. 64. Bellarmine wrot a booke of the freedöe of priests from temporall Lords. Ad Mauritium Imperatorem. Christ hath given power vnto the Emperour to beare rule, not onely ouer souldiers, but also ouer Priests.

Et Imperatori obedientiam praebui, & pro Deo, quod sensi minime tacui. I haue shew­ed my duty towards my Lord the Empe­rour, and touching God I haue not con­cealed what I thought.

Valdè mihi durum videtur, ut ab eius (Christi) servitio milites suos prohibeat, Lib. 2. indict. 11. epist. 103. Who seeth not that the power which Gregory acknowledgeth to be in the Em­perour is as es­sentially ouer the Clergie, as ouer the souldiers. qui ei Imperatori Mauritio) & omnia tri­buat, [Page 52]& dominari non solum militibus, sed etiam Sacerdotibus concessit. It seemeth ve­ry hard vnto mee, that he should forbid his souldiers the seruice of him, (viz. Christ)▪ who hath giuen him (the Empe­rour Mauritius) all things, and granted him not onely to rule ouer souldiers, but also ouer Priests.

De qua re, lib. 7. epist. 1. ad Sabinianum diaconum. isnum est, quod breviter sug­geras serenissimis dominis nostris, quia si ego servus eorum in morte Long abardorum me miscere voluissem; hodie Longabardorum gens, nec Regem, nec duces, nec comites ha­beret. at (que) in summa confusione divisa esset; sed quia Deum timeo in mortem cuiuslibet hominis me miscere formido. Touching which businesse (saith Gregory) there is one thing which you may quickly deli­ver to our noble Lords, because if I be­ing their servant, would haue mingled my self in the slaughter of the Lumbards; the people of the Lumbards had had at this day neither King, nor Duke, nor Earle, and had beene divided into great confusion. But because I feare God, I do tremble to mingle my selfe into the death of any man.

The Catholike Church which we beleeue in the Creede, is the whole company of the Elect only.

SAne secundùm praedestinationem nunquā Ecclesia electorum penes Deum non fuit. Super Cant: Serm. 78. Simiratur hoc infidelis, audiat quod magis miretur, nunquam non grata extitit, nun­quam non dilecta. Nec dubium, quin voce omnium electorum ista dicantur, ET IP­SI ECCLESIA SƲNT. Surely (saith he) according to Gods predestina­tion, The Church of the Elect was predestinated by God through Christ, before the foundation of the world. And all the E­lect are that Church. Ephes. cap. 1. Serm. 79. the Church of the Elect was alwaies with him. If he that beleeueth not, marvel at this, let him heare that which he may more marveil at, it was never but pleasing vnto him, never but beloved. Neither is there any doubt, but those things are spo­ken by Saint Paul, (Eph. 1.) in the voyce of all the Elect, And they are the Church. In the next following he saith, Non defi­cit genus Christianum, nec fides de terra, nec charitas de Ecclesia, &c. Christian Re­ligiō doth not faile, The Church of the Elect is heere described, which onely is built vpon a Rock. And Ber­nard calleth Christ the Rock, on which the Church is built, not Peter, or the Pope. Can these words bee vnderstood to be spoken but of the Elect, and of them onely. In Iob. lib. 28. cap. 9. neither doth faith frō the earth, nor charity from the Church. The floods came, the windes blew, and [Page 56]rushed against it, and yet it did not fall, because it was built vpon a Rocke, for the Rocke was Christ. Therefore, neither by pratling of the Philosophers, nor cavils of Heretickes, nor swords of Tyrants, can it, or shal it at any time be separated from the loue of God, which is in Iesus Christ; so strongly doth his soule hold him, whó it loueth, so good it is for him to cleaue vnto God.

The like is taught by Gregory the great, who within the circuit of the Ca­tholike Church comprehendeth all the E­lect, and excludeth all the reprobate. And draweth a similitude from the Temple of God, and the court without the Temple. Revel. 11. verse 1.2. The one whereof Saint Iohn in the Reve­lation was bid to meete and to cast the o­ther out. For the Iewish Temple was di­vided into three parts, 1 the body of the Temple, which is called the court, where­into every man entred; 2 the holy places where the Levites were, 3 and the holiest of all, So when wee speake of the ho­ly Catholike Church, we cast out the repro­bate, and num­ber onely the Elect. whereinto the High-Priest entred once a yeere. In respect therefore of the two later, the first is said to be cast out, because as a thing prophane it is neglec­ted, [Page 57]when the Temple is measured.

There are no passions nor satisfactions of the Saints, whereby themselues can merit; or that belong to the treasure of the Church, to be communicated by Indulgences to others.

This devout & religious man writing de quadruplici debito of a fourefold debt, Bern. serm. de quadruplic. officio. which all men are liable vnto, and none able to satisfie; And after speech had, of the loue of Christ to sinfull man, and of the Ioyes of Heauen prepared for man re­penting, breaking out against all satisfa­ction, entreth into these words. O si cog­novisses & in quam multa & quam multis debeas, videres quam nihil sit quod facis, quam nec inter minima numerandum ad comparationem debitorum tuorum. O if the case so stand, that we owe more then we are able to performe, how shall it goe with our workes of supererogation? O man (saith hee) if thou diddest know how much, and to whom thou owest, thou wouldest see that that is nothing which thou doest, neither not to bee reckoned a­mong the very least, in comparison of thy [Page 58]debts. As there is no proportion, between something and nothing; so hath our life no equality to our Saviours, seeing there is none worthier then his, nor none more wretched then ours. How shall I satisfie, when I am constrained to pay my debt to the vttermost farthing? All therefore that I am, I owe to him, from whom as from a Lord, who made me, I haue all; Remember Ia­cob Genes 32.10. he confesseth that he was not worthy of the least of Gods tempornll mer­cies: how much lesse are the Saints worthy of eternall. who doth me good, who ministreth vn­to mee the influence of the Starres; the temperature of the Aire; the fruitfulnesse of the Earth; and the plentie of Fruit. Let no man thinke that I am carried with so great madnesse as heere to make mentiō of my small mite, much lesse to reckon it. And then concludeth. Quis amplius ergo grunniet dicens; nimium laboramus, nimi­um ieiunamus, nimium vigilamus, cum nec mille simae imo nec minimae parti, debitorum suorum valeat respondere? No mans suffe­rings do abound, or over flow to satisfie for ano­ther. Who therefore dare from henceforth complaine and say, wee labour too much, faste too much, watch too much, when hee cannot an­swere the thousand part, nay not the least part of his debt.

Againe speaking of the tenne Virgins in the Gospell, expounding these words, Bern. Serm. de virginibus. Mat. 25.8. Giue vs of your oyle, saith, Stulta petitio, vix iustus salvabitur, vix sanctis iustitiae suae oleum sufficit ad salutem, quanto minus & sibi & proximis. A foolish request, the righteous shall scarce be saved, The virgins iū ­stice or righte­ousnesse, is little enough for the­selues. the oyle of their owne righteousnesse hardly suffi­seth the Saints to salvation, how much lesse themselues & their neighbors. Noc, Daniel, Iob, shall not deliver a sonne or daughter, Ezech. 14.18: but like as the soule, that sinneth, shal die. Ezech. 18.20. Sic anima quae institiam fecerit, sola sal­vabitur. So that soule that doth righte­ousnesse, onely shall be saved.

De verb. lib. lob. cap. 5. in sex tribulat.Againe, speaking of the first and secōd Adam, saith, Sola nimirum secundi Adae tribulatio purgat, quos contaminavit offen­sio sola prioris, non quod propria cuiquam sufficere possit satisfactio. Quid enim est omnis poenitentianostra, nisi quod si non co­patimur, omninò non possumus conreguare. It is the onely suffering of the second A­dam, that purgeth vs, whom the onely of­fence of the first Adam did defile. I say not that any mans owne satissaction can [Page 60]suffice him; for what is all our repen­tance, but onely In the middest of our repen­tance or penance wee must hope sor pardon only by the saith of Jesus Christ: yet in weeping for our sinnes, in bearing our crosse, in mortifying our members, in offering our selues a sacrifice to God, we become like vnto Christ in suffering, and so are fitted to raigne with him: but the purging vs from sin, must be reserved to the blood of Christ alone. that if we suffer not with him, we cannot raigne with him.

Man now in his corrupt nature, hath of himselfe no power of freewill, in good and holy actions; but there is from A­dam laid vpon him a neces­sity of sinning; but yet without con­straint.

Curet autem haec agere non minus suavi­ter quam fortiter, De grat. & lib. arbit. post me­dium. hoc est non ex tristitia aut ex necessitate, (quod est initium non ple­nitudo sapientiae) sed prompta & alacrivo­luntate, quod facit sacrificium acceptum, quoniam hilarem datorem diligit Deus. Let a man so regard these things, that he doe them no lesse willingly than resolvedly, not grudgingly, or of necessitie, which is the beginning, not the fulnesse of wise­dome) [Page 61]but with a ready & willing mind, because GOD loueth a chearefull giuer. And shall he in all things follow wisdom, while hee re solutely withstandeth vices, and sweetly obtaineth peace in consci­ence: But certainely looke, by whose ex­ample we are stirred vp to those things, euen his aide and helpe we neede, where­by wee may bee made conformable to him through it, and be changed into the same Image from glory vnto glory, 2. Cor. 3.18. as by the Spirit of the Lord. Ergo si à Domini Spiritu, iam non à libero arbitrio, &c. Therefore, if by the Spirit of the Lord, The will of man by nature, can not chuse but to doe evill, which is a necessitie not of coaction, but of deprava­tion. then not by freewill. Let no man then thinke it is called freewill, because it hath equall power to good and evill; since in­deede it may fall of it selfe, but not rise without the Spirit of God: Otherwise nei­ther God nor the holy Angels, being so good, that they cannot be evill; nor the Angels that fell, who are so evil, that now they cannot bee good, could be said to haue freewill. But therefore it is called free, because none can be good or evill nisi volens, but willingly. Againe. Porro, ube voluntas, ibi libertas; Super Cant. Serm. 81. quod tamen dice [Page 62]de naturali, non de spirituali, qua libertate (ut dicit Apostolus) Christus nos libera. vit. Where will is, there is libertie, which yet I speake of the naturall, Galat. 4.31. and not of the spiritual; by which liberty (as the Apostle saith) Christ hath made vs free; for of that he himselfe saith the same, 2. Cor. 3.17. Where the Spi­rit of the Lord is, there is libertie. So is the soule by a wonderfull and vnhappy free necessitie, Thereremaineth no freenesse of will vnto good in man, but only a voluntary promptnesse and inclination to evill without constraint. In Festo Pen­tecost. serm. 1. both bound, and free, bound be­cause of necessity, free because it is volun­tary. And that which is more wonderfull and more miserable; the more guilty, be­cause free; and the more free because guilty, and by this the more bound be­cause free.

Againe. Initium revertendi ad Deum poenitentia est, quam sine dubio spiritus ope­ratur, non noster sed Dei, id (que), & certa ratio docet, & confirmat authoritas. The begin­ning of our conuersion to God, is by re­pentance, which without doubt the Spi­rit doth worke in vs, not ours but Gods Spirit, and this both reason doth teach, & authority confirme. Who then, when he commeth benummed or frozen to the fire, and shall bee made warme or hor, [Page 63]doth doubt that he was heated by the fire which he could not haue beene without it. So he that is first dead in iniquity, If we be dead in sin, where is our freewill to good? if af­terward hee bee set on fire by the heate of repentance; doeth know and finde, that another spirit besides his owne, which doth reproue and discerne his, hath come vnto him.

De grat. & li­ber. arbitr. an­te medium.Again, speaking of our first Parent A­dam in Paradise, and both of what he had, and of what he there lost, saith, Corruit autem de posse non peccare, in non posse non peccare, &c. He fell from his not being a­ble to sinne, to his not being able to doe any thing but sinne, hauing altogether lost the libertie of taking aduice & coun­sell, as also that which he had of forbea­ring to sinne. And this losse happened vn­to him by the abusing of the libertie of his will. Being fallen from his will, it is not still remaining free for him to raise vp himselfe again by the same. For although at this day he would doe it, yet the case so standeth with him, as that it is not in his power not to sinne. It must be Christ that must inspire him, and indue him with new vertue by his restauration, that the [Page 64]Lord may transforme vs into his Image how be it even then our perfection commeth not in this life, but in the life to come.

Againe. Psalm. 20. verse 4. Vpon this Text. Praevenisti e­um in benedictionibus dulcedin is. Thou do­est prevent him with blessings of good­nesse, saith, Parv. Serm. in 39. Serm. Triplex nobis necessaria est be­nedictio, &c. Three blessings there are, which are necessary for vs, 1. that of pre­venting, 2, that of helping, 3. ending. The first is of mercy, the second is of grace; the third is of glory. He doth prevent our cō ­versation by his mercy, hee helpeth our conversation by his grace, he doth accō ­plish our ending with glory. Vnlesse the Lord doth giue these three blessings, nostra terra. our bodies can bring forth no fruit. Neither can we beginne any good thing, before wee be prevented by mercy; or doe any good thing vntill we be holpen by grace, nor end in goodnesse, vntill wee be filled with glory.

Against the doctrine of Merit, as it is taught in the Church of Rome now.

Testimonium conscientiae nostra in tri­bus consistere credo. In annunt, beat. Mariae Serm. 1. I beleeue (saith he) that the witnesse of our conscience stan­deth in these three. It is first of all neces­sary to beleeue, that wee cannot haue re­mission of sin, but by the mercy of God; Then that wee can haue no good worke, except he giue it. Lastly, Eternall life is freely giuen not purchased by any works. Sins not impu­ted, are as thogh they had never bin commited. that eternall life is purchased by no merits, but is freely giuen. For who can make that cleane, which is conceiued of vncleane seed, but he that is onely cleane; truely that which is done, cannot be vndone: but when hee imputeth it not, it shalbe as though it had not beene done. For touching good workes it is most certaine that no man hath them of himselfe. If mans nature could not stand, when it was yet perfect, how much lesse can it raise it selfe by it selfe being now corrupt. The Rhemists in their anno­tations on the New Testament doe nothing so much as contrary this do­ctrine pleading their merits and workes to be meritorious. In Mathew, c. 6. v 4. in Marke 12. v. 11. that workes are the very cause of salvation, in Rom. 2. v. 6. The Ioyof Heauen is the hire and wages for works, which workes can be no other but the valure, desert, price, worth and merit of the same. In 1. cor. 3. v. 8. Heaven is our owne right, bargained or wrought for, and accordingly paid vnto vs as our hire, at the day of iudgement. In 2. Tim: 4. v. 8. Neither are [Page 66]the merits of men such, that life euerla­sting is due for them by right, or that God should be said to doe iniury, except he yeeld it them.

Againe he saith, Ego sidenter quod ex me mihi deest, usurpo nothi ex visceribus do­mini, quoniam misericordia effluunt, nee desunt foramina per quae effluant. Surely, whatsoever is wanting to me of my selfe, I boldly take it vnto me out of the bowels of my Lord, because they flow out with mercy, neither wanteth there any wayes by which they may flow. My merit is the Lords mercy. I am not altogether poore in merit. so long as he is not poore in mer­cy. And if the Lord be rich in mercy, then am I also no lesse in merit. And if the mer­cies of the Lord be frō euerlasting to ever­lasting, I wil sing the mercies of the Lord for ever. Imputatiue iu­stice is establi­shed, and inhe­rent over­throwne. De grat. & lib. arbit. in fine. What shal I sing mine own righ­teousnes? O Lord I wil remēber thy righ­teousnes onely. For that is my righteous­nes, because thou art made by God righ­teousnes vnto me. And vpon that Text of S ^t Paul, 2. Tim. 1.12. Scio cui credidi, & certus sum, quia potens est depositū meū ser­vare. I know whō I haue beleeved, and am [Page 67]perswaded, Depositum meum that which I haue committed vn­him. 2. Tim. 4.8. The crowne of glory is the iust re­ward of the righteous man: yet not by vertue of his righteous­nesse and desert, but by the mer­cifull promise of Almightie God. Look those notes of the Rhemists set downe in the margent before, at this marke. and tell me, how they agree with Bernard here. Workes are the cause; the very cause of getting heauen, No saith Bern. They are the way thither, not the cause of our raigning there. that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day. He calleth (saith Bernard) the promise of God his depositum & because he beleeued him that promised, hee doth confidently make mention of the pro­mise. A promise indeed of mercy, but to be paid in iustice. This is therefore that which S. Paul expected, a crown of iustice, but of Gods iustice, not his owne. For it is iust that God paye what hee oweth; and he oweth what hee hath promised. And this is the iustice of which the Apostle presumeth even the promise of God, least despising that, he might establish his own and so bee subiect to the iustice of God. And then in the ende, hee knitteth vp the whole tract with this excellent saying, St proprie appellentur ea qua dicimus nostra merita &c. But if wee speake properly of those things which wee call our merits, they are certaine seed grounds of our hope; incitements of our loue, tokens of our secret predestination, foretokens of our future hap­pinesse, The way to the kingdome, not the cause of our raigning, or of our hauing the kingdome. Furthermore whom hee iustifi­eth, [Page 68] not whom he findeth iust, those he glo­rifieth.

In dedic. Eccles. Serm. 5. Mat. 16. Thou art Christ the sonne of the li­ving God.Againe, speaking of Christs speech in the 16. of Mat. to S. Peter Beatus es Simō Barjona, nec multo post, vade retro satana. Blessed art thou Simon Barjona; and a lit­tle after. Get thee behind me sathan, saith unde Barjona? How was it that he was cald Barjona? But because not flesh and bloud but the father by whō he spake it, revea­led it vnto him. How is it that he was cal­led Sathan? but because hee savoured of the things, that were of man, and not of God. Now, if in both these considerati­ons, wee shall diligently looke into our selues; yea how in the one wee are no­thing, and how exalted in the other, I thinke our glorying ought to bee temperate; but peradventure it is more increased, yet is it strengthned, that we should not reioyce in our selues, but in God. Neither am I for­getfull, but with feare and reverence I say Nos sumus. Nos inquam sumus sed in corde Des. Wee are, we are I say, worthy but in the minde of God; we are worthie, but by his acceptance, Gods acceptance not our worthi­nesse. not by our worthinesse. It followes, Quod si nos ex puerili animositate [Page 69]gratis salvari nolumus. If wee of childish stomacke will not bee saued freely, iustly are we not saued at all. The dissembling of our misery excludeth mercy, Read O man in thine own heart say the Rhemists and thou shalt finde that thy workes are fully worthy of ever­lasting life. Rhem testam. annot. 2. Tim. 4. Serm. in Cant. 68. neither hath God (acceptance or) vouchsafing a­ny place where presumption is of our worthinesse. Lege homo in corde tuo &c. Read O man in thine owne heart, read within thy selfe, concerning thy selfe: the witnesse of truth, and thou wilt iudge thy selfe vnworthy of this common light.

Againe, Quid de merit is solicita sit Ec­clesia, cui de proposito dei firmior suppetit se­curior (que) gloriādi ratio. Why is the Church so carefull touching merits, who hath a more sure and secure cause of reioycing by reason of the purpose of God. It is not for thee to aske, by what merits we hope for good things; No say the Rhe­mists, you must knowe that good works be so farre meritorious that God should bee vniust, if he ren­dred not heauen for the same. Annot. Heb. 6. v. 10. seeing thou hearest by the Prophet, Not for your sakes, but for mine owne sake will I doe it, saith the Lord. It sufficeth for merit to knowe that me­rits are not sufficient. Bee carefull to haue merits; when thou hast them, knowe that they be giuen thee, but for fruit thereof hope for the mercy of God. The want of merits is a pernicious povertie, and the [Page 70]presumption of the spirit, is deceitfull ri­ches.

Ser. 73. in Cant. Where are the o­verplus of the sufferings and satisfactions of the Saints to be applied to others when the most righteous must pray, for the for­giuenesse of their owne sinnes? In Psal. qui ha­bitat. serm.Still hee followeth the same doctrine, Opus ita (que) habent & sancti pro peccatis ex­orare, vt de misericordia salui fiant propria iustitiae non fidentes. Omnes enim pecca [...]e­runt & egent misericordia Dei. Even the Saints haue need to entreat for their sins, that by his mercy they may be saved, not trusting to their own righteousnesse; For all haue sinned, and stand in need of the mercy of God. Quid enim stultius quam habitare in domo vix adhuc inchoata? con­summasse te putas? at cum consummaverit homo tunc incipit, &c. What more foolish is it (saith hee) then to dwell in an house scarce as yet begun? Dost thou think that thou hast finished it? But when man hath finished it, then doth he but begin. Fur­ther, this dwelling is altogether ruinous, it hath more need to be vnderset & prop­ped, then dwelt in. Is not our life fraile & vncertaine? It is of necessity that whatso­ever is founded vpon it, Who can thinke to set a sure building vpon a tot­tering foundati­on? bee like vnto it; for who doth trust a sure building vpon a tottering foundation? Dangerous is the dwelling of them that trust in thir merits, it [Page 71]is dangerous because it is ruinous. Serm. ibid. 15. Hoc e­nim totum hominis meritum, si totam spem suam ponat in illo, qui totum hominem sal­vum fecit. For this is the whole merit of man, to put his whole trust in him, who hath wholy saued man. Orate salvatorē, Epist. 310. qui non vult mortem peccatoris, vt tempe­stivum iam exitum non differat, sed custo­diat. Curate munire votis calcaneum nudū meritis, vt is qui insideatur invenire non possit vnde figat dentem & vulnus infligit. I beseech you friends pray the savior for me, who will not the death of a sinner, that he delay not this timely departure of mine, but keepe it. I desire you to streng­then with your prayers my heele (that is the ending of my life) which is void of me­rit, that he that layeth wait may not finde wherein to fix his tooth there by to giue a wound.

To conclude, let that suffice, Serm. 13. super Cant. which this holy man Bernard; (reciting many wor­thy acts done in the olde Testament by the worthies of those times David, Iosua, lepthe, Gedeon, Sampson, Iudith, Iudas Machabaeus; and how that none of these imparted their glory to any other) infer­reth [Page 72]strongly, Quid minus ab his omnibus conditor omnium fecit, quo minus & ipse de­beat gloriari singulariter? What hath the maker of all things done lesse then any of these, that hee should glory alone, lesse then they? He alone hath triumphed over the enemies; hee alone hath deliuered the captiues; and shall hee haue a partner in the glory?

It is impossible for any man how regenerate soever to fulfill the whole law, now in his corrupt nature, because it saith, Cursed is every mā that continueth not in all things that are written therein. Sup. Cant. ser. 58 The Law (if J may so speake) giueth Law to the whole man, to al his thoughts words, & deeds, and taketh ex­ception against any thing either inwardly or out­wardly, whereby we step aside frō the rule thereof.

QVantumlibet in hoc corpore manens profeceris, erras si vitia putas emor­tuae, & non magis suppressa: velis nolis in­tra fines tuos habitat Iebusaem, subiugari potest sed non exterminari. Scto (inquit) quiae non habitat in me bonum. Parum est nisi & malum, inesse fateatur. How much soever thou dost profit whilst thou abi­dest [Page 73]in this body, thou art deceaued, Vices are not dead in vs. As the Rhemists be­fore pleaded no­thing more then their merits: so say they in this question, of ful­filling Gods cō ­mandements through true in­herent iustice. Annot. Mat. 5. v. 21. & 11. v. 30. and, goodmē doe keepe all Gods commaun­dements, againe, the keeping and doing of the Cō ­mendements is properly our iu­stification. In Luk. c. 1. v. 6. It is not impossible to keepe that Commandement of louing God with al our hart. Luc. 10. v. 28. & 1. Ioh. 3. v. 22. Cant. Ser. 50. S. Bernard here doth not only affirme the impossibilitie of ful & perfect keeping of the law, but giueth reasons also, why God notwithstanding held it profitable for vs that he should giue the Law, and in every point speaketh fully and expressely the same that wee doe. if thou thinke that vices are dead in thee, & not rather suppressed. Whether thou wilt or no the Iebusite will dwell within thy coasts, he may be brought vnder, but not vtterly banished. I knowe (saith S. Paul) that in me dwelleth no good thing. That is but a small matter, except hee also con­fesse, that evill was present with him. Hee saith, Not the good which I would doe, that doe I; but I doe the evill which I hate. But if I do that which I hate, it is no more I that doe it, but sinne that dwelleth in me. Ei­ther if thou darest preferre thy self before the Apostle (whose saying this is) or else confesse with him, that thou also dost not want vices.

Quomodo ergo iubenda fuit, quae implē ­da nullo modo erat? Aut si placet tibi magis de affectuali datum fuisse mandatum, non inde contendo, dum modo acquiescas & tu mihi quod minime in vita ista ab aliquo ho­minum possit vel potuerit adimpleri. How [Page 74]was the law to be commanded, What can bee, said more plainly against the Pa­pists now, then this? See the iudge­ment of the Rhemists. If the Cō ­mandements (say they) be im­possible to bee kept, Christ had mocked and not taught the law­yer and others, when he propoū ded the keeping of them, for the meane to obtain life everlasting. Annot. in Luc. c. 10. v. 28. No, saith S. Bernard, God by comman ding things im­possible, doth not thereby make man a trans­gressour, but hū ­bleth him, to the intent that man perceauing his owne defect might in [...] his righte­ous [...]es by works, fly vnto Gods mercy & grace. which cā by no meanes be fulfilled? or if thou ra­ther thinke that the commandement was giuen for the ruling of our affections, I will not herevpon striue; so that thou also doe yeeld vnto me, that in this life it nei­ther can, or over could bee fulfilled of any man. Quis enim sibi arrogare id audeat, quodse Paulus ipse fatetur non comprehen­disse? For who dare arrogate that to him­selfe, which Paul himselfe confesseth, hee had not comprehended? Nec latuit pra­ceptorem praecepti pondus, hominum exce­dere vires. Neither was the commander ignorant, that the waight of the com­mandment exceeded mans strength, but he iudged it to be profitable, that thereby they might be put in minde of their owne insufficiencie, and so might knowe that they ought according to their power la­bour to the end of righteousnesse. Ergo mandando impossibilia non praevaricatores homines fecit, sed humiles, vt omne os ob­struatur, & subdit us fiat omnis mundus Deo: quia ex operibus legis non iustificabi­tur omnis caro coram illo. Therefore by commanding things impossible, he made [Page 69]men not transgressors but humble; that e­very mouth be stopped, and all the world made subiect vnto God, because that by the works of the law, no flesh shall be iu­stified before him; for wee receauing the Commandements, and feeling our owne want, will cry vnto heauen, and God will haue mercy vpon vs: Et sciemus in illa die quia non ex operibus iustitia qua fecimus nos, sed secundum suam misericordiam sal­vos nos fecit. And that wee may knowe at that day, that not for the workes of righ­teousnesse which wee haue done, but of his owne mercy hath he saued vs.

Infelix ego home, De advent. dom Ser. 6. quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius? Vnhappy man that I am (saith S. Paul) who shall deliuer mee from this body of death. For hee did cer­tainely knowe that hee could not before be deliuered from that naughty root that cleaueth to the flesh, and from the law of sinne, which is in our members, vntill hee were dissolued from this body, wherevp­on it was that he desired to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, knowing that sin which worketh divorce betweene God and vs, cannot vtterly be taken away, vn­till [Page 76]till we be deliuered from this body: Marc. 9. In Ser. omnium Sanct. Serm. 1. Consider I pray thee Reader, how this text of Bern. agreeth with these notes of the Rhemists. Christians are truely iust, and haue in them­selues inherent iustice by doing Gods comman­demēts in Mat. c. 5. v. 21. The keeping and do­ing of the Com­mandements is properly our iu­stification. in Luc. 1. v. 6. & 75. No, saith Bernard, all our righteousnesse is as a stained & defiled cloth. you haue heard of one whome our Lord dis­possessed of a Deuill, and how tearing & rēting him the Deuill departed. Therfore I say vnto you, that kind of sin which so often doeth trouble vs (I mean our concu­piscence and euill desires) ought indeed to be repressed, & may by the grace of God, that it rainge not in vs, neither that we giue our members weapons of iniquitie to sin, & in that respect, there is noe con­dēnation to those that are in Iesus Christ. Sed non eiicitur nisi in morte: but that sin is not cast forth but in death when we dot so rent it, that the soule be seperated frō the body.

Beati qui esuriunt, et sitiunt iustitiam, que­niam ipsi saturabuntur; sed quid potest esse omnis iustitia nostra coram Deo? Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for right­eousnesse sake, for they shall be satissfied. But what cā all our righteousnesse be be­fore God? shall it not according to the prophet be accounted as a most filthy & defiled cloth? & if all our rigthteousnesse be straitly iudged it shal be found vniust, & haue no force. What therfore shal be­come [Page 77]come of our sins, when as euen our righ­teousnesse it selfe shall not be able to an­swere for it selfe? Therfore earnestly cry­ing with the Prophet, Enter not into iudgement with thy servant O Lord, let vs with all humblenesse run to the throne of mercy which only is able to saue our souls.

That faith only iustifieth; and that there it an infallible certaintie of salvation from confidence of Gods mercy in Christ, knowne to a man in his owne conscience by an ordinary special divine faith.

COrde creditur adiustitiam, ore fit con­fessio ad salutem. In vigil. natal. dom. Serm. 1. in fine. Iustitia siquidem in corde, panis in domo. Est enim iustitia pani & beati qui esuriunt & sitiunt iustitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. Siergo in corde iustitia, est iustitia quae ex fide est. Hac e­nim sola habet gloriam apud Deum. Fit eti­am ore confessio ad salutem, & securus iam suscipe eum qui in Bethleem Iuda naseitur Iesum Christum filium Dei. With the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse, and [Page 78]with the mouth man confesseth to salva­tion. Faith as it is an instrument of apprehēding Christ to righteousnesse and life everla­sting is alwaies alone, but as it is the way to sal­vation, it is not alone. Rom. 10.10. Truely righteousnesse in the heart, is as bread in the mouth, for righteousnesse is bread; and blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied. If therefore righteous­nesse be in the heart, it is the righteousnes that is of faith, for that only hath glory with God: Let the confession bee also in the mouth to salvation, and then being se­cure, receaue him who was borne in Be­thleem Iuda Iesus Christ the son of God.

Nam sibi quidem ipsi fidere, Ibid. Serm. 5. If there were in­herent righte­ousnesse; man might trust to himselfe, but hee may not trust to himselfe, there­fore he hath not inherent righte­ousnesse. non fides, sed perfidiae est. For truely for one to trust in himselfe is not of faith, but of vnbeleefe; neither is it confidence for a man to put his trust in his owne selfe, but diffidence & mistrust rather. But he is faithfull, who neither trusteth to himselfe, nor hopeth in himselfe, but is to himselfe as a lost vessel, so loosing his owne life, that he may keep it to everlasting life.

At vero iustitiae tuae tanta vbi (que) fragrā ­tia spargitur, vt non solum iustus sed etiam ipsa dicaris iustitia, & iustitia iustificans. Tam validus deni (que) es ad iustificandum, quam multus ad ignoscendum. Quamobrem [Page 79]quisquis pro peccatis compunctus esurit, Hunger & thirst after righteous­nesse saith he, not inherent righteousnesse, but that righte­ousnesse which consisteth in the forgiuenesse of sinnes. Idem ibid. Note. Iustificati­on before God is no where in al the Scripture a­scribed to any o­ther vertuesaue only faith, the promise of salva­tion is somtimes adioyned to o­ther vertues, as fruits and marks of them whom God hath saued but never as causes thereof. S. Bernard spea­keth of a righ­teousnesse, that forgiueth sinnes, and that is not inherent righte­ousnesse, I trow. This is the very forme of our righteousnesse, not to remem­ber our offences. Ser. 1. de annun. & sitit iustitiam, credat in te, qui iustific as impium, & solam iustifieat us per fidem pa­cem habebit ad Deum. But indeed so sweet a savour of thy righteousnesse is every where spread abroad, that thou maist not only bee called righteous, but righteous­nesse it selfe, and a iustifying righteous­nesse. Furthermore, thou art as able to iu­stifie, as thou art ready to forgiue. Where fore whosoever inwardly grieued for his sinne, doth hunger and thirst after righte­ousnesse, Let him beleeue in thee who iusti­fied the vngodly, and being iustified by faith only, he shall haue peace with God.

Againe in the same place, speaking of Christ who is our righteousnesse saith, Per iustitiam deni (que) quea ex fide est, solvit funes peccatorum GRATIS iustificans peccatorem. By the righteousnesse which is of faith, he looseth the cords of sinners, FREELY iustifying the sinner. And tea­ching vs to beleeue in Christ speaketh of him, as of a righteousnesse quae delicta do­nat, that forgiueth sinnes; And wherein that righteousnesse doth essentially and really consist, he expresseth thus, Delicta [Page 80]inventutis meae & ignorantias meat ne me­mineris & iustus sum. Remember not the offences of my youth and my ignorances and I am righteous or iust.

Sicredis peccata tua non posse deleri nisi ab eo cui soli peccasti, & in quem peccatum non cadit, benefacis; sed adde adhuc, vt & hoc credas, quia per ipsum peccata tibi con­donantur. Hoc est testimonium quod perhi­bet in corde spiritus sanctus, dicens dimissa sunt tibi peccata tua. If thou dost bele eue, that thy sinnes cannot be forgiuen, but by him against whom thou hast only sinned, and on whom sinne never fell, The faith wher­by a man is tis­stified, is such a faith as where­by I beleeue my owne salvation. thou dost well, but adde withall, that thou should­est beleeue also, that by him thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. This is the witnes that the holy Ghost beareth in thy heart say­ing, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee.

Againe, Epist. 107. Why should not a mā beleeue his owne salvation, when the spirit by faith revealeth to him the purpose of God, that he shal be saued. Iustus est quis, nisi qui amanti se Deo, vicem rependit amoris? quod non fit nisi revelante spiritu per fidem homini aeter­num dei propositum super sua salute futura. Quae sane revelatio, non est aliud quam in­fusio gratiae spiritualis. Who is iust but hee that returneth loue to God who hath lo­ved him? which is not done, but when the [Page 81]spirit by faith, revealeth to a man the eter­nall purpose of God concerning his own salvation to come. Quae sane revelatio &c which revelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace whereby the deeds of the flesh are mortified, and the man prepared to the kingdome of heauē, which flesh and bloud inherit not, recea­ving together in one spirit, both whereby he may presume that he is beloued, and doth also loue againe. And this secret of faith he presently after saith is fons signa­tus, cui alienus non communicat, est sol iu­stitiae qui timentibus deum tantum oritur. A spring and fountaine shut and sealed vp to be private to themselues, the sonne of righteousnesse, which doth not shine but to them that feare God. And if there bee any that feele not that comfort in them­selues, the Prophet (saith he) doth pro­nounce of them that they are gens quae nō audivit vocem Deisui, a people that haue not harkned to the voice of God speak­ing in them.

And before all this, Ibid. in the same Epistle Sic ad ortum solis iustitiae sacramentum absconditum à seculis de praedestinatis & [Page 82]beatificandis emergere aliquanclo incipit ex abysso aternitatis, dum quis (que) vocatus per timorem, iustificatus per amorem prasumit se quo (que) esse de numero beatorum, sciens ni­mirum quia quos iustificavit illos & magni­ficanit. So at the rising of the sun of righ­teousnesse (in our iustification) the secret that was hidden from the beginning cō ­cerning them that are predestinate, and shall be blessed, beginneth to appeare out of the depth of eternitie, whilst a man called by the feare of God, and made iust by loue, presumeth that hee is one of the number of the blessed, knowing that whom he hath iustified, them also he hath glorified. For what? hee heareth himselfe called, when hee is striken with the feare of God, and he feeleth that he is iustified, when hee is all besprinkled with the loue of God, and shall he doubt of his glorifi­cation? he is receaved into favour, hee is advanced, and shall he doubt onely of the finishing? It followeth, habes homo huius arcani indicem spiritum iustificantem, co (que) ipso testificantem spiritui tuo quod filius dei & ipse sis; agnosce consilium Dei in vocati­one Dei. O man thou hast for thy decla­rer [Page 83]of that secret the spirit iustifying thee, and thereby testifying to thy Spirit, that euen thou art the child of God; acknow­ledge therefore the counsel of God in thy iustificatiō. And this euery one receiveth in his iustification, wherein he beginneth to know, as he is known, there being givē to him to perceive somwhat beforehād of his future blisse, even as it hath lien hid from everlasting in God, Saint Bernard establisheth a foresight of fu­ture blisse. by whom hee was predestinate, and shall more fully ap­peare in the same God, when hee shall make him blessed; yet, of which know­ledge of himselfe, now already perceived in part, he for the time reioycety in hope, Although a mā must not at all times reioyce in security, as though there were nothing a­ny more to trou­ble him: but he may be thus far secure, as to be without doubt of an happy issue & deliverance, and this is the hope that we re­ioyce in. but not in security rightly acknowledging himselfe to be the child, not of wrath, but of grace, he hath the triall & proofe of the fatherly affection of Gods goodnesse to­wards him, he perceiveth and considently resolveth that he is beloved of God, and presumeth that he is one of the number of the blessed.

To conclude, this he saith of the sinner casting away the works of darkenes, and putting on the armour of light, Gloriari iam incipit, he now beginneth to glory [Page 84]besides hope, in the hope of the glory of the sons of God; For all his de­niall of glorying in security, yet doth he ever e­stablish our re­ioycing in hope, because much conflict remai­neth for the at­tayning of that which notwith­standing cer­tainly and vn­doubtedly is ho­ped for. which glory now euen neere at hand hee beholdeth with open face, leaping for ioy at this new light, hee considereth and saith, Signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui Domine, dedisti laeti­tiam in corde meo. The light of thy coun­tenance is scaled vpon vs O Lord, thou hast put gladnesse in my heart. Iam si O bone Pater vermis vilissimus & odio dig­nissimus sempiterno, tamen confidit amari, quia se sentit amare▪ imo quia se amari prae­sentit non confunditur redamare. Although most gratious Father, he now bee a most vile worme, & worthy of euerlasting ha­tred, yet doth he assure himselfe that hee is beloved, because he feeleth himselfe to loue; nay because he first feeleth himself to be beloved; therefore hee is not asha­med to loue againe.

Again: Quis poterit salvus esse? dicunt discipuli Salvatoris. Serm. 5. in de­dicatione ec­cles. Apud homines hoc impossibile est, sed non apud Deum. Who shalbe saved? say the Disciples of our Sa­viour. This is impossible with men, but not with God. This is our whole confi­dence; this is our onely comfort; this is [Page 85]the whole meanes of our hope But being sure of Gods ablenesse to saue vs, Although by o­ther meanes wee cannot know whether we be beloved or hated of God; yet by faith and by the spirit of God, that secret is re­vealed vnto vs, that wee are be­loued of God & are his children. what do we to be assured of his will thereto? For who knoweth whether hee be worthy of loue or hatred? who hath knowen the mind of the Lord, or who hath beene his counsellor? Hic iam planè fidem nobis sub­venire necesse est. But heere faith must needs helpe vs; heere Gods truth must needs be our succour, that that which ly­eth hid concerning vs in the Heart of God our Father may by his Spirit be revea­led vnto vs, and his Spirit by the testimony thereof may perswade our spirits, that wee are the children of God, and that it is done by calling & iustifying of vs freely by faith; in which two there is as it were a certaine middle passage, from the eternall prede­stination to the glorification which shall be heereafter.

Againe, vpon this Text, Omnis qui na­tus est ex Deo, non peccat, In Septuag. Serm. 1. 1. Iohn. 5. v. 18. sed generatio coe­lestis conservat illum. Euery one that is borne of God sinneth not, but the gene­ration of God, or he that is begotten of God, doth keepe him, saith. Sed generati­onem istam quis enarrabit? But who shall [Page 86]declare this generation? who can say, I am one of the number of the elect? I am one of the children; The Scripture say­ing, This excludeth all apprehension of flesh and bloud, as iudg­ment of reason or humane knowledge, but the secret of the spirit is exclu­deth not. Man doth not know whethe hee be worthy of loue or hatred: verily we haue not a certainety, but the boldnes of hope doth comfort vs, lest we should be alto­gether grieved with the perplexity of the doubt, Sed propter hoc data sunt signaquae­dam, &c: but for all this there are manifest signes and tokens of salvation, that it is without all doubt that hee is of the num­ber of the Elect, in whom those tokens doe remaine.

Of which tokens or signes he speaketh thus in another place, In Octav. Pasc. Serm. 2. Quomodo sine testi­monio electos suos deserat Deus? How should God leaue his Elect without testi­mony? (of their election) or what com­fort might there bee vnto them floting carefully betwixt hope and feare, if they did not finde the favour to haue some te­stimony thereof? The Lord knoweth who are his, he onely knoweth whom he hath chosen from the beginning; but what man knoweth, if hee be worthy of loue or hatred? But if, as certaine it is, [Page 87]that certainety be deemed vnto vs, The certainety of faith is gathe­red from such signes & tokens as by the Word of God are deli­uered vnto vs, & according to Saint Bernard are such as doe keepe vs from that wauing & wandring, which otherwise might bee be­twixt hope and feare. Idem de E­vang. septem panis Serm. 3. how much the more delightfull shall they bee, if we can finde any tokens of this electiō? For what rest can our soule haue, so long as it hath no testimony of its owne prede­stination? Therefore it is a word to bee beleeved, and worthy by al meanes to be received, whereby the witnesse and testi­mony of our saluation is commended vn­to vs.

Further, speaking of the seuenth Loafe. and the three peeces belonging vnto it: & expressing this certainety in himself saith, Septimus quo (que) panis est spes obtinendi, cu­ius nihilominus teneo fragmenta tria, & co­rum sapor dulcis admodum gutturi meo. The seuenth Loafe saith he, is hope of ob­taining pardon for my sin; of which Loafe I hold three pieces, the taste of which is very sweet to my throat. There be three I say, which doe so strengthen and con­firme my heart, as that no want of merits, no consideration of mine owne vilenesse, no estimation of the heavenly blisse can cast mee downe from the height of my hope being fast rooted therein. Saint Bernard affirmeth a cer­tainty of faith, built, not vpon his owne imme­diate knowledge and apprehensi­on, but vpon the loue of God in adopting him the truth of his promise, and his power to per­forme the same. These 3 I say, wherein my hope wholly consisteth [Page 88] charitatem adoptionis, veritatem promissi­onis, potestatem redditionis; the loue of God in adopting me; the truth of his pro­mise; & his power to performe the same. Let my foolish thought now repine and murmure as much as it will, saying, Who art thou, and how great is that glory; and by what merits doest thou hope to ob­taine the same? & I will boldly answere. I know whom I haue beleeved, and I am certaine and sure of it, because he hath a­dopted me in great loue, because he is true in his promise, and because he is of power to make good the same.

Further. Serm. 8. in Cant. Quae in vobis anima sensit ali­quando in secreto conscientiae suae spiritum filij clamantem, Abba Pater, Ipsa, ipsapa­terno se diligi affectu praesumat, quae eodem se spiritu, quo & filius affectam sentit, con­fide quaecun (que) es illa, confide nihil hasitans. What soule amongst you soever doth sometime feele in the secret of his consci­ence, the spirit of the sonne, crying Abba Father; that soule, euen that soule may presume that it is beloued with a Fatherly affection, which doth feele it selfe belo­ved by the same spirit, that the sonne is; [Page 89]bee bold how foule soever thou art, bee bold, doubting nothing at all. In the spi­rit of the son, acknowledge thy selfe to bee the daughter of the wife and sister of the son. Non est quod iam talis anima di­cere vereatur, dilectus meus mihi: In Cant. 69. Serm. quod ex eo quod se diligere, & vehementer diligere sentit, etiam diligi nihilominus vehementer non ambigit, ac de sua singulari intentione, solicitudine, cura, opera, diligentia studio (que) quo incessanter & ardenter invigilat quem­admodum placeat Deo, aeque haec omnia in ipso indubitanter agnoscit, recordans pro­missionis eius; Ergo ex proprijs, quae sunt pe­nes Deum agnoscit, nec dubitat se amari, qui amat. There is now no occasion that such a soule should be afraid to say, my Welbeloved is mine, which out of that, that it perceiveth it self to loue, & vehemently to loue, doth nothing doubt, but that it is beloved againe vehemently; & out of its owne speciall diligence, care, study, inde­vour, whereby it doth earnestly & with­out intermission take good heed, how it may please God, it doth vndoubtedly ac­knowledge all these things to be in him, remembring his promise. Therefore from [Page 90]those things which are properly Gods it doth acknowledge, nor at all doubt, but that it is beloved, which doth loue.

Mens quae divino Spiritu impletur, Greg. dial. lib. 1. cap. 1. hà­bet evidentissima sua signa, virtutes scilieet & humilitatem, quae si utra (que) perfectè in u­namente conveniant, liquet quod de prae­sentia Spiritus Sancti testimonium ferant. The mind that is filled with the holy Spi­rit, hath its most evident signes & tokēs, that is to wit, grace and humility, both which if they meet together in one soule, it is certaine, that they beare witnesse of the presence of the holy Ghost.

Deum sitiens anima prius timore com­pungitur, Greg. lib. 6. registri c. 187. post amore &c. at verò quum lon­ga moeroris anxietate fuerit formido con­sumpta▪ quaedam iam de presumptione veniae nascitur securitas. The soule that thirsteth after God, is first pricked with feare, then with loue; but when feare through long heavinesse of sorrow shalbe consumed, there is then a certaine security bred of obtaining mercy.

Iustiviri securitas recte Leoni compara­tur, Greg. Moral. lib. 31. cap. 23. quia contra se cum quoslibet iusurgere conspicit, ad mentis suae confidentiam redit: [Page 91]& scit quia cunctos adversantes superat, quia illum solum diligit, quem invitus nullo modo amittat. The cōfidence of a iust man may rightly be compared to a Lion; be­cause when he seeth any to rise vp against him, retireth to the assurance of his owne mind, & knoweth that he doth overcome all that oppose, because he onely loueth him, whom vnwillingly by no meanes he may lose.

There is no inherent righteousnesse in man, whereby he may be iustified before Gods Tribunall; But the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed being apprehended by faith.

Quòd si dixerit, Patertuus addixit te, respondebo, sed frater meus redemit me, Bern. Epist. 190. cur non aliundè iustitia, cum aliundè reatus? Alius qui peccatorem constituit, alius qui iustificat à peccato, alter in semine, alter in sanguine. An peccatū in semine peccatoris, & non iustitia, in Christi sanguine? sed iu­stitia. inquiet, si cuius est, quid ad te? Esto, sed sit etiam culpa cuius est, quid ad me? An [Page 92]iustitia iusti super eum erit, & impiet as im­pij non erit super eum? Adam bound vs. Christ hath set vs free. The matter of our condemna­tion is in Adam, and the matter of our salvation is in Christ: so that Bernard heere plainely affirmeth both the imputation of Adams sin to condemnation, and the imputa­tion of Christs righteousnesse accordingly to iustification. The Rhemists in their notes on the New Testament do nothing so much as mock & scoffe at this doctrine of the imputati­on of Christs righteousnes; blasphemously calling it, a new no iustice a phan­tasticall apprehension of that which is not, a false faith and vntrue impu­tation. in Rom. 3. verse 22. we are not onely by acceptation or imputati­on partakers of Christs benefites, but are by his grace made worthy thereof, and deserue our salvation condignely. Col. 1, v. 13. in margine. this is lofty & hye doctrine, and worthy the buskin, but far from S. Bernards humility. But if he shall say, thy father hath bound thee over, I wil an­swere, but my brother hath redeemed me. Why should not righteousnesse bee of an other, seeing guilt is of another? It was a­nother that made me a sinner, it is another that iustifieth from sinne, the one in his seed, the other in his bloud. Is there sin in the seed of a sinner, and is there not righ­teousnesse in the Blood of Christ? But he will say, if there be a righteousnesse of any ones, what is that to thee? Let it be so. But then let the fault be whose it is, what is that to me? Shall the righteousnesse of the righteous be vpon himselfe, and shall not the wickednesse of the wicked be v­pon himselfe? It is not meete that the son should beare the iniquity of the father, & be denied to be partaker of the righteous­nesse of his brother.

And before in the same Epistle, Assig­nata est homini aliena iustitia, quia caruit sua, nam si unus pro omnibus mortuus est, ergo omnes mortui sunt: ut videlicet satis­factio unius omnibus imputetur, sicut omni­vm peccata unus ille portavit. There is ap­pointed to man, an other mans righte­ousnesse; because he wanted his owne. For if one did die for all, then all were dead, that so the satisfactiō of one, might be imputed to all, even as that one did beare the sinnes of all.

Againe. In Cant. serm. 61. Genes. 4. Et ideo liquet errasse illum qui ait Maior est iniquitas mea, quam ut vene­ammerear, nisi quod non erat de membris Christi, nec pertinebat ad eum de merito Christi, ut suum presumeret, suum diceret quod illius esset, tanquam rem capitis mem­brum. And therefore he did erre who said, My sin is greater than it can be forgiuen, & he spake it in that hee was not one of the members of Christ, neither did any thing pertaine vnto him of the merit of Christ, that he should presume it was his, The righteousnes that is assigned vnto us, is an o­thers, and not our owne. or that he could say, that was his which was Christs, as a member of the riches of the Head.

After, Domine memorabor iustitiae tua solius. Ipsa est enim & mea, nempe factus es mihi in iustitìa à Deo. Numquid mihi verē ­dum ne non una ambobus sufficiat? non est pallium breve quod non possit operire duos. Iustitia tua iustitia in aeternum. Quid lon­gius aeternitate, & te pariter, & me operiet largiter largae & aeterna iustitia. Et in me quidem operit multitudinem peccatorùm, in te autem Dominé quid nisi pietatis thesau­ros divina bonitatis? Here is no men­tion of inherent righteousnesse, but onely of Christs righte­ousnes imputed, apprehended by faith. O Lord, I will remē ­ber thy righteousnesse alone, for that is mine also; for thou art made vnto mee righteousnes by God. And shall I feare that one righteousnes will not serve two? It is not a short Cloke (as the Prophet faith) such as cannot cover two. Thy righteousnesse is righteousnesse for ever. What is longer than eternity. Thy large and everlasting righteousnesse will cover both thee & me fully, in me it will indeed cover a multitude of sinnes; but in thee O Lord what but the Treasures of Piety, the riches of goodnesse.

Again, In Cant. serm. 25. vpon that speech of the Church, Niger sum, sed formosa, filia Hierusalem. I am blacke. but welfavoured, daughter [Page 95]of Ierusalē, saith, Videamus iam quid illud fuerit dicere, nigrasum, sed formosa. Nulla ne in his verbis repugnantia est? Absit, non omne quod nigrum est, continuò deforme est, &c. Let vs see what it is to say, I am blacke, but comely, This is the beau­ty of the church, not her being without sin, but remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes by the righteousnesse of Christ, imputed vnto it, & ap­prehended by faith: so that as the Church is blacke, but faire through Christ, so Christ is faire in himselfe, but he seemed blacke for the Churches sake. Esay 53. Is there no repugnā ­cie in these words? God forbid. Every thing that is blacke, is not straightwayes ill-favoured. Blacknesse (for example) in the ball of the eye is not vncomely, and some blacke haires serue for ornament. After this manner perhaps may the Bride (or Church) with the beauty truly of her feature, not want her mole or spot of blacknes, but then it is in the time of her pilgrimage. It shall bee otherwise in her country, when the Bridegroome of glory shall make her to himselfe a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinckle, or any such thing. But now if she should say, she hath no blacknes, she should deceive her selfe, and there were no truth in her.

And to the same effect hee saith else­where, In Cant. serm. 38. The Church is but begun in this life to purged from iniquity, & framed in con­versation to de­part therefrom: & so is every one that is iu­stified by faith in Christ, having Christs righte­ousnesse imputed vnto him: In Cantie. 38. Serm. shewing how the Church (or Bride is said to bee faire among weomen, Spiritualis autem anima, &c. The spiritual soule although it be now so far faire, be­cause [Page 96]it walketh not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. But yet in respect that it continueth in this body, it doth tend to the perfection of fairenes, and therefore is not at all hands faire, but faire among weomen, that is, in respect of earthly mindes, & those that are not spi­rituall, as she is. Tunc audies. Tota pulchra es amica mea, & macula non est in te. Nunc vero etsi ex parte iam similis, ex parte tamē tamen dissimilis &c. sed & ego te dico pul­chram, sed inter mulieres, id est, ex parte. Then (that is in the Countrey of Heaven) thou shalt heare these words, Thou art all faire my Loue, Partly faire and partly black: the white garment of Christ must cover this black­nesse. and there is no spot in thee. But now although thou art in part like, yet in part thou art vnlike. I say thou art faire, but it is among weomen, that is to say, in part.

Touching the lawfulnesse of mariages in Ministers where the gift of continency is not giuen.

Ʋtinam qui continere non valent, perfe­ctionem temerariè profiteri, Deconvers. ad Cleric. serm. 29. aut coelebatui dare nomina verentur. Would to God that [Page 97]those that cannot containe would stand in awe to professe single life: for doubtles it were much better to marry then to burne. But there are many, and so many, that they cannot bee hid for multitude, & for impudency do not seeke it, who vse their libertie, as an occasion to the flesh, abstaining from marriage, and flowing from thence into all manner of filthines, fornication, adulteries, incests, Sodome­try, and that which filthy Sodome never knew.

And touching those that haue vowed a right vow (suppose chastitie) and finde they cannot containe, or performe it, the bond is not absolute, but of conditionall necessitie. Ego non arbitror minora vota impedire maiora, Epist. 47. nec Deum exigère quod­cun (que) bonum sibi promissum, si pro ea meli­us aliquod persolutum. I doe not thinke (saith he) that lesser vowes can hinder the greater, neither that God doth require, every good that is promised him, if for those any thing better shallbee paid him, &c. In turpi voto muta decretum, Lib. 5. ad so­rorem. In a filthy vow, change thy minde.

Againe. In Cant. serm. 66. Tolle de Ecclesia honorabile cō ­nubium, & thorum immaculatum: nonne reples eam concubinarijs, incestuosis, simi­nifluis, mollibus, masculorum concubitori­bus, & omni deni (que) genere immundorum? Take from the Church honorable marri­age, & the vndefiled bed; and doest thou not fill it with keepers of concubines, in­cestuous persons, seed-loosers, & all man­ner of vncleane persons.

There is no fleshly and orall eating of the naturall body of Christ in the Sacrament, neither doe the wicked eate him at all.

Cum audirent dicentem, In Psalm. qui habitat. serm. 3. nisi manduca­veritis carnem filij hominis, & biberitis e­ius sanguinem dixerunt. &c. When they heard him say, Except you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man, & drinke his blood. They said, This is that which wee call the eating of Christs flesh, and drinking of hish loud. it is an hard saying, and they went from him. But what is it to eate his fiesh and drinke his blood, except to re­member his sufferings, and to imitat that conversation, which he led in the fiesh? [Page 99]whereto hee appointed that pure Sacra­ment of the altar where wee receaue the Lords body, that as the forme of bread doth seeme to enter into vs; so wee shall knowe by the conversation which he had in the flesh that hee doth enter into vs to dwell in our hearts by faith.

Againe. Sacramentum dicitur sacrum signum, Inserm. de [...] sive sacrum secretum. Multa qui­dem fiunt propter se tantum; alia vero prop­ter alia designanda, & ipsa dicuntur & sunt signa. A Sacrament is said to bee an holy signe, or an holy secret. The nature of a signe doth cōsist in setting forth another thing. But many signes are ordained for themselues onely, yet some signes are ordained for other things & those are called, and so are signes. That therefore we may take example from vsu­all things. A ring is given as a ring abso­lutly, in that there is no similitude. A visible signe is like a ring, or an earnest peny. It is gi­ven also to invest one into an inheritance & then it is a signe; so that hee that recea­veth the ring may now say. The ring avai­leth nothing, Grace is consi­dered in respect of those that vse it; not that it is really in the signes. but it is the inheritance that I seeke. In the same manner our Lord ap­proaching neere to his passiō, tooke care that his (members) should bee clothed with his grace, that the invisible grace [Page 100]might be exhibited by some visible signe. To this purpose are all Sacraments insti­tuted, to this purpose was the receauing of the Eucharist, and Chrisme; to this pur­pose also was Baptisme, the beginning of all Sacraments; in which wee are planted together with him into the likenesse of his death. For as in outward things there are divers signes, These examples fight directly a­gainst the corpo­rall presence and yee proue with­all, that the Sa­craments are not bare signes. In serm. de pu­rificat. The Priest alone doth not conse­crate nor sacri­fice, but the peo­ple with him: therefore there is no reall tran­substantiation of the bread into the body of Christ, nor reall sacrifice of that body. that we may tarry vpon the example first taken. There are many ornaments wherewith wee are adorned, for example, a Bishop by his staffe, and his ring. As it is in these things, so are the di­versities of gifts deliuered in divers Sa­craments.

Againe. Neque enim credere debemus quod soli sacerdoti supra dictae virtutes sint necessariae &c. Neither (saith he) ought we to beleeue, that those fore recited ver­tues belone only to the Priests: as though he alone did consecrate and sacrifice the bo­dy of Christ; Hee doth not sacrifice alone, hee doth not consecrate alone, but the whole company of the faithfull which stand by, doe consecrate & sacrifice with him. Therefore the standers by ought to haue of their owne, as well as the Priest, [Page 101] firme faith, pure prayer, godly devotiō. And in the same sermon expounding the Text of S. Paul, The cup of blessing which wee blesse &c. saith, Heare bretheren, not mee but the Apostle, The cup of blessing which we blesse, This is the ap­pointed end of these mysteries; there is a secret dispensation of grace in their vse, that is a par­taking of the bo­dy and bloud of Christ: but this inferreth not, nor doth the na­ture of the my­stery require that the truth meant in the mysteries, should by any corporall presence be con­tained, or lye hid vnder the signer. In caena domini. is it not the communiō of the blood of Christ? The cup, that is to say, the par­taking of the cup maketh vs to haue a certaine fellowship with Christ: And the bread which we breake is it not a parta­king of the body of Christ? As if hee should say, the bread which wee breake maketh vs one body vnder Christ our head; because as one bread is made of many cornes, which afterward is turned in­to the body of Christ, both by faith, and by the holy words which Christ taught his (Church) so, many participating of that body in the vnitie of faith, hope, and charitie, are one body with Christ.

In his next tract of the Lords supper speaking plentifully of this argument a­mongst many other, he hath these words, In hoc Sacramento, nō solum quaelibet gra­tia, sed ille à quo est omnis gratia sumitur. In this Sacrament (saith he) not only eve­ry grace, but he frō whom all grace flow­eth [Page 102]is had. For Christ was once made a sa­ving oblation for the life of the world, a generall reconciliation, and gaue to all Sacraments as well those of the old Te­stament, as of the new, vertue and efficacy that by such and so great an offering, all mē might be sanctified that were to besaued. He is the lamb slaine from the beginning of the world, that is, to the faithfull that were from the beginning; And in that it is said, from the beginning, not the time of his death is set forth, Prins enim mors cius pro­suit quam fu­it. If Christ spake of the bread, as certainely he did and S. Bernard acknowledgeth, then sinely tran­substantiation is vtterly over­throwne, as all Papists knowe, that knowe the difference be­tweene them & vs. but of his bringing salvation. For his death did profit before it was. After describing the order of the administratiō of the Lords supper. Christ (saith he) spake of the bread, saying, Take eate, this is my body, and so of the wine, drinke you all of this, this is my blood which shall bee shed for many to the re­mission of sinnes. Now touching the effi­cacie and communion of the body & blood of Christ; We (saith he) are knit in an vn­speakable vnion with Christ, and Christ with vs, as he himselfe saith, he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, remaineth in mee, and I in him. And this is to bee thought of those that receaue worthily, [Page 103]and not of the wicked. Surely at one ta­ble, at the Lords supper, Iudas and Peter receaued both one consecrated bread; Peter to life, Iudas to damnation. And vpon the words, Hoc facite in meam com­memorationem. Doe this in remembrance of me. Hee mentioneth no reall sacrifice of Christs body and bloud, such as is made in the Masse; But a thank full remembrance of his death and passion. Ʋoluit Christus ve iugiter coleretur per misterium, quod semel efferebatur in precium, & illa perennis vi­ctima viveret in memoria, Loe! the death of Christ is al­waies present in grace, away with the masse then. & praefens esset semper in gratia. Christ appointed that he should be alwaies worshipped in a myste­ry, because He was once offered for redemp­tion, and that everlasting offering should liue in memory, and bee alwaies present in grace, nay it is a sufficient medicine for all, Here he plainely divideth remem­brance from pre­sence, attribu­ting the one to this life whereins we be, and the other to the life to come. 2. Cor. 5.7. if through faith and imitation the me­mory of his forepassed death be kept. Nō enim pariomnino iucunditate sumitur cor­tex sacramenti & medulla frumenti &c. Hic pereat physicale nutrimentum. Cibus iste nō est ventris sed mentis. The outward barke of the Sacrament, is not receaued with like pleasure, as the fatnesse of the [Page 104]corne, faith & shew, memory & presence, eternitre & time, the visage & the glasse, the image of God, and the fashion of a servant. But here we walke by faith, and not by sight. In the meane time we ought to take delight and reioice, in the sacra­ment of the altar, in the making whereof the faithfull minister doth finde himselfe in the midst of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost; the higher orders standing about on every side. Here let naturall nourish­ment cease. This is meat, not for the belly but for the soule.

To conclude, Sacramentum enim, sine re sacramenti niors est sumenti. Vt supra in ser. de coma. Res vero sacramenti etiam praeter sacramentum vita aeterna est accipienti. The Sacrament with­out the thing of the Sacrament, Speake Papist. Tell plainely, what is the Sa­crament, & the thing of the Sa­crament, & how the body of Christ can bee eaten even with­out the Sacra­ment? is death to the receauer; but the thing of the Sa­crament, even without the Sacrament, is everlasting life to the receauer. As often as thou art godly and faithfully affected, and devoted to imitate Christ in comme­moration of him who suffered for thee, thou eatest his body, & drinkest his bloud and as long as thou remainest in him by loue, thou shalt be counted vnto him by [Page 105]the working of righteousnesse and boly­nesse in thee, of his body and of his mem­bers.

S. Bernard perswadeth Pope Euge­nius from clayming tempo­rall iurisdiction.

PRopheta cum ait (vt evellas, & destruas; De consider: ad Eugen. lib. 2. Ie­rem, cap. 1. & disperdas & dissipes, & adifices & plantes) quid horum fastum sonat? The Pro­phet Ieremy saith. Behold I haue appoin­ted thee over nations, to plucke vp, & to root out, and to destroy, & throw downe, to build & to plant: which of these words doe savour of pride? nay rather the spiri­tuall labour is expressed by termes bor­rowed of from husbandmen. And wee therefore may perceaue, there is much gi­uen vs in charge, a ministry, not a rule, Let it be that you are a Prophet, but are you more then a Prophet? But if you be wise, you will bee content with that measure, which God hath allotted vnto you, for what is more proceedeth frō evill. Learne by the example of the Prophet, to haue a charge; not so much to Lord it, as to prac­tise [Page 106]that which the time requireth.

In his 42 Epistle, thus hee writeth In­telligit is quae dico? &c. Doe you vnder­stand what I say? Let honour be giuen to whom honour belongeth. Let every soul (saith the Apostle) be subiect to the high­er powers. If every soule, then yours; for who hath excepted you, from this gene­rality. If any man doth indeavour to ex­cept you frō the obedience of the Prince, he deceaueth you. Doe not rest on their counsells, for notwithstanding they are Christians, yet they thinke scorne, either to follow Christs deeds, or obey Christs words. Those are they that say vnto you Maintaine Sir the honour of your Sea, There were flat­terers of the Pope in S. Ber­nards time, and haue they bani­shed them since? &c are not you so good as your predecessours? If your Sea be not advanced by you, yet let it not be abased by you. Haec isti. Thus say they. But Christ both taught and did far otherwise; for he saith, Giue to Caesar the the things that belong to Caesar, and giue to God the things that belong to God,

Lib. 1. de consid. ad Eugenium.In his booke of Consideration written purposely to the Pope himselfe, hee hath divers passages to this same effect. In cri­minibus, non in possessionibus potest as vestra [Page 107]&c. Your power (saith he) is touching of­fences, and not possessions, because you receaued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, to deale in the one but not in the other, shutting out offenders, but not possessioners, that you might know (saith Christ) that the sonne of man hath power in earth to forgiue sinnes &c. Which doth seeme vnto you, the greater dignitie, and power; to for giue sinnes, or to divide in­heritances? But there is no comparison. Those meane and inferiour things haue their Iudges, Kings, and Princes of the earth. Why doe you invade other mens bounds, why doe you put your sickle in other mens corne?

Againe in his third book, Lib. 3. de cons. ad Eugen. Ps. 49 he hath these words Non tu ille de quo Propheta. Et erit omnis terra possessio tius &c. You are not he of whom the Prophet spake And all the earth shall be his possession. It is Christ who challengeth it for his possession. To whō but to him is it said? Psal. 2. Aske of me and I wil giue thee the heathen for thine inheri­tance, & the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Giue Christ the posses­sion and Lordship, take you the care of it. [Page 108]This is your part, stretch not your hād a­ny further. Yea, but you will say, Thou deniest me not to be aboue others; Non negas prae esse, et do­minari vetas? Plane sic. and dost thou deny me to haue soveraigntie? indeed even so. Who gouerneth by ta­king care; you are exalted to profit others you gouerne as a faithfull wise servant, whom the Lord hath set over his family. But to what end? Preach the word depose noe prin­ces. that you may giue them meat in due season. That is, to distribute the meat, not to command with authori­tie.

And in the fourth booke speaking (as before) of those flatterers, that belike were very neere him, and therefore very likely to thrust too much greatnesse on him, saith, A te tamen mos iste, vel potius mors ista non coepit, in te vtinam desinat. But they say, this custome, or rather this destruction began not in you, I would yet it might end in you. Doe you not see, that all your Ecclesiasticall zeale & care standeth only in maintenance of honours vpon honour all is bestowed; vpon holy­nesse, either nothing or very little. If vp­on occasion you would somewhat sub­mit your selfe and deale familiarly. O doe [Page 109]not so, say they, it is not meet: Thus doe the Ie­suits schoole his holines at Rome now. it is not agree­able to the time, it is not cōvenient for your maiestie. Consider well what state you heare.

And in the second booke, lib. 2. de consi­der. speaking of worldly honour and wealth, and pompe, saith. Nihil horum tabula testatoris adsig­navit: None of those doth the holy Scrip­tures allow or giue you. But what? If you be content with their evidence, you shall rather inherit care and paines, then Glory and riches. Blanditur cathedra? Doth your chaire flatter you? you are in a watchtow­er, Inde denique superintendis. from thence you carefully looke over all, the name of Bishop sounding vnto you not Lordship, but service. Planum est Apostolis interdicitur dominatus. It is plaine, that soveraigntie was forbidden the Apostles; take heed therefore that you vsurpe not, either as a Lord the Apostle­ship, or as being Apostolike, Lordship, because you are forbidden both. If you will haue both alike, you shal loose both. Otherwise doe not take your selfe to bee exempted from the number of those, of whom the Lord God doth thus com­plaine, They haue raigned, but not by mee. Hosea. cap. 8. vers. 4. [Page 110] They were Princes, but I knewe them, not. But if it further any thing to rule, without God, you haue glory, but not with God. The Apostolike forme is this, so­veraigntie is forbidden; service is comman­ded.

In his Epistle vnto Lewis the younger King of France, Ad Ludonicū iuniorem Re­gem Francorū epist. 170. thus he writeth, Si totus orbis adversum me coniuraret, &c. If the whole world (saith he) should conspire together against me, that I should vnder­take any thing against the Kings authori­ty, yet would I haue God in my mind, and durst not foolishly doe any thing against the king who is ordeined by him. Neither am I ignorant where it is that I reade, He that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordi­nance of God And after some expostulati­on of matters that then went not well, he addeth, This truth shall never be lessened in vs, The honour of the King & the profit of his Kingdome shall neuer bee impaired by vs.

In the 45. Epistle, Epist. 45. ad Ludou. regem Francor. Stephan the Abbot of Cistercense, writing to the same Lewis thus, Rex coeli & terrae regnum vobis in terra donavit, donaturus & in coelo, si id [Page 111]quod accepistis, iustè & sapienter admini­strare studueritis. The King of Heauen & earth, Then doe not Princes holde their scepters of the Pope. hath given you a Kingdome vpon earth, and will giue you one in Heaven, if you doe endeavour to governe that, iustly and wisely which you haue recei­ved of him. Doe you consi­der when you please, O ye Pa­pists, by teaching the contrary do­ctrine? not the Lord of Para­dise, but the Pope of Rome. Epist. 221. If soveraigne Maiesty should doe any thing to the Churches de­triment, either in oppressing it, or winking at the oppressing thereof: Saint Bernard in this case will not dis­semble the wrongs of his mother, but would take armes, yet such as should be­come the Lords Priest, Christs Champion, and the Churches Child, Prayers and teares pow­red out to God. Attenditis iam cui & ex hoc infensum vos redditis? Doe you consider whom you haue offended and displeased by this deede of yours? Verily, not the Bishop of Paris, but the Lord of Paradise, who is to be feared, who taketh away the liues of the Princes.

To conclude all, I finde in the 221. E­pistle to the same king Lewis these words, At quicquid vobis de regno vestro de ani­ma & corona vestra facere placeat: nos Ec­clesiae filij, &c. But howsoever it please you to esteeme of your life, crowne, and dignity: yet wee that are sonnes of the Church, cannot at any hand, hide the cō ­tempts, wrongs, and the treading vnder­foot of our mother. Profectò stabimus & pugnabimus us (que) ad mortem, si ita oportue­rit pro matre nostra, armis, quibus licet, non scutis & gladijs, sed precibus, fletibus (que) ad Deum. Surely we wil stand and fight even [Page 112]vnto death, if it were expedient, for our mother (the Church) with such weapons as is fitting not with swords & bucklers; but with prayers and teares powred out to God.

Of vnwritten Traditions which the Councell of Trent, made e­qual with the written word of God.

Epist. 91. ad Abbates Suis­sione congre­gatos. If the Councell of Trent had bin thus religious, they would ne­ver haue equal­led Traditions vnwritten, with the written Word of God, nor have fathe­red their mas­sing ceremonies & vestments on the Tradition of the Apostles, such as the miter, the stole, the albe, amice, girdle, chisible, and fane. Adistud concilium toto desiderio feror in quo traditiones, &c. I haue an exceeding great desire to bee at a Councell where Traditions may not be obstinately defen­ded, nor superstitiously observed, but where it may be with diligence & humi­lity inquired, what the good, & accepta­ble, and perfect will of God is. Let them depart from you & from me, that say, wee will not bee better than our Fathers. Ei­ther we must ascend, or descend. If thou wilt stand still, thou must needes fall. Hee is not good, that will not be better; and when thou wilt not become better, then [Page 113]thou beginnest to grow worse.

Againe, Nonne iustissimum esse liquet, De praec. & dispensat. pag. 290. a. fine. &c. doth it not appeare most iust (saith he) that those things, which were ordei­ned for charitie, may for charitie also where it seemeth necessarie, be either o­mitted or deferred, or peradventure bee changed more commodiously into a bet­ter. If those traditi­ons, which are brought in for a good intent, may be laide a­side: how much more the Church of Rome of its owne accord thrusteth vpon the Church of God. As on the other side, it would be out of doubt very vniust, if those things which were ordeined for meere charitie, should be retained against charitie; but whatsoever is ordeined by God, is not to be violated or broken. And then citing Pope Gelasius, saying, Vbi necessitas non est, inconvertibilia maneant patrum sancto­rum decreta. Where necessitie doth not require, let the decrees of the holy Fa­thers remaine vntouched. Ʋbitamen Deo contraria non praecipit homo, but it is where man doth not cōmaund contrary things to God. For where the authenticall scrip­tures doe speake, wee must there neither looke for a commaunder, nor hearken to a forbidder.