The Bee Hive of the Romish Church, Part 2 · Preface · Chapter 7
The vii. Chapter. VVhichWhich doeth treate of full satisfaction for sinnes, of the desertes of good workes: also of the merites of Christes passion, and of Iustification: of the difference betweene mortall sinnes and veniall sinnes: and of the assured hope of saluation.
NOwe,Of merites & iustification. seeing that wee hauehave sufficientlie spoken of the holie Masse, and the Sacrament of the altar, and that our mother the holie Church of Rome doeth moreouer teache and set foorth for an article of the faith, That wee, by desert, hearing a Masse, and receiuing the Sacrament, may make full amendes for our offences, and sufficientlie satisfie for our sinnes: therefore it is now verie necessarie, that we something treate of satisfaction for sinnes, and of deseruing by good works, the rather, because the Heretikes do with their scriptures so trouble vsus, touching this point, as they turne both the spit and the rost meat into the ashes: in so much that wee shall loose both the sheepe and the fleece, if wee suffer this to be so plucked from vsus. And therefore it is necessarie to put all good Catholike children in remembrance, that in no wise they doe giuegive anie eare to the Heretikes, touching this point, for feare lest therby they should be brought out of the right way, and so by receiuing their goodlie reasons & multitude of scriptures, be persuaded from their due obedience to the holie Church of Rome. And to the ende that euerie man should be warned, and not by negligence sodenlie taken in a trappe, therefore shall I set out (something more at large) their meaning touching this point, to the ende that eueryevery one may see, whether our deare mother the holie Church hauehave not iust occasion so bitterlie to curse and banish their doctrine.
Then, to beginne withall, they do take vponupon them to defende and mainteine by Scripture, That all sinnes are deadlie & mortall, All sinnes are …eedle sl…nes, 1. Iohn 3.4.because that sinne is the breaking of Gods commaundements, as S. Iohn saith: And, That who soeuer doeth not obserue all, whatsoeuer God hath commaunded in his Lawe, is accursed. D…ut. 27.26. Galat. 2.10.For S. Iames doeth witnesse,Iam. 1.10. That who soeuer transgresseth in one point of the Lawe, is guiltie in the whole: considering that the same God which c…mmaunded the one, did also commaunde the other. In so much that all those which commit sinne,Ephes. 4.18. Col…. 1.21. Rom. 5.12. 2. Cor. 15.56. are through sinne alienated and estranged from the life which is onelie to bee had at the hand of God, and so must fall into the hand of heath, seeing that The recōpense of sinne is death, Rom. 6.23.according to the saying of S. Paule, whereby all men (without anie exception) which are vnderunder sinne,Rom. 3.8.9.10.11.12.22. Roma. 5 2. Gala. 3.21. are likewise vnderunder the bondage of eternall malediction, death, and damnation: considering that all hauehave sinned & are fallen away from that life which is of God, into his wrath, and do thereby become (if the speciall merciemercy of God were not) the children of wrath, of cursing, and of death: yea,Ephe. 2.3. Galat. 1.3. Ephe. 1.5. Colos. 1.21. Roma. 10.2… Ephe. 5.16. & iustlie may be called the verie enimies of God. Out of this they conclude, That in the wide world there is no mea…e, nor counsell to be found for the payment & accomplishment of our satisfaction,Roma. 3.18. Iohn. 1.29. 1. Pet. 1.19. Esaie. 53.5. 1. Pet. 2.24. Esaie. 53.4.5.6.7 Gala. 4.4. Gala. 3.17. Cor. 5.21. Act. 2.24. 1. Pet. 3.18. Colo. 1.15.16. Iohn. 1.1.2. Iohn. 1.4. Ioh. 3.15.16.18.36.4.14.5 24.6.35.40.7 38. Roma 3.22.26.28 30.4.5.24.5.2. Gala. 2 16.17.20 3. throughlie. 5.6. Phil 3.9. Colos. 1.12.23. Roma. 3 24. Ephes. 2.8.9. Roma. 4.4. Tim. 1.9. Tit. 3.5. Ephes. 3.12. Rom. 5 1.8.1.32.33.34. Heb. 10.22. but that all must be discharged to the vttermost farthing: which is as much to saie, that all people are vnderunder the eternall wrath, curse, & damnation of God: considering that the sentence of God being once pronounced, must endure for euer: and a man being dead, and once taken away from life, can neuer restore him selfe againe to life. And thus (say they) there is no more to be said, but al fleshe are debters vntounto God. But hereby is the merciemercy of GOD made manifest, that the punishment of our sinnes, is laide vponupon our Sauiour Iesus Christ, the vnspotted lambe of God: that he hath suffered for vsus, and taken vponupon him our sinnes: that hee, being become man, and hauing put on our nature, hath borne the burthen of this curse, this wrath of GOD, this death, and this hell and damnation, and through his diuine and eternall power (for that hee also was the onelie Sonne of God: yea, euen God him selfe, and the verie authour and well spring of eternall life) hath ouer come and clearelie taken away the same, and hath freelie, and without deserte, by his meere merciemercy, giuen vntounto all those which doe faithfullie beleeue in him, life and iustification. In so much that they nowe, in the person of Iesus Christ, as partakers of his bodie,Roma 2.16. Galat. 4.6.7. 1. Iohn. 4.19. Esa…e. 49.15. Roma. 4.7.8. 2. Cor. 5.19. Roma. 3.25.4.7. Luke. 1.77. Colos. 1.14. Heb. 8.12. Esaie. 43.25. Ezech. 36.22 Psal. 103.12. Iere. 31.34. Esaie. 43.23. Ezech. 36.12. 1 Iohn 2 2. 2 Pet. 1.19. Psalm. 99.5. Esaie 53.5. 1. Timot. 2.5. 1. Iohn. 2.2. 1. Cor. 6.20. Rom. 1.33. Act. 4.12. Colos. 2.10. boldlie appeare before the Diuine Maiestie of GOD, being assured, that God is their good, mercifull, and most louing Father: and doeth no more charge them with the burden of their sinnes, but most mercifullie forgiueth them their olde and odde debtes, and pardoneth them of the punishment which they hauehave deserued, not thorough anie of their good workes, merites, or desertes, but through the power of the merites and desertes of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, wh… hath made restitution for that which he neuer had: and hath not only taken vponupon him to discharge our debtes, but also to suffer our punishment, and hath borne the same wholie in his owne person: so that hee is iusti…e called, Our raunsome, Our Pastour, Our pledge Our full satisfaction, and the costlie p…ice of our saluation, without whom there is no saluation, no raunsome, nor redemption in the worlde. And therefore say they, That who soeuer will beginne to account or reckon with God a newe, and make satisfaction or payment vntounto him,Galat. 5.2.3.4 whether in whole or in parte▪ of that which they are indebted vntounto him, those are wholie quite of Gods merciemercy, and binde them selues soule and bodie to the full obseruing of the Lawe, and doe clearelie take away and renounce (as much as apperteineth vntounto them) the merites of Christ: notwithstanding that (by the iust iudgement of God) sinne is so abhominable, that it can not by anie meanes bee recompensed, or fullie satisfied, but onelie by eternall death and damnation, or els by the sweete and most pretious offering of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ, which is (before God the Father) a sufficient satisfaction and remission for the sinnes of all those that hauehave their full trust and confidence therein.Rom. 8.55. Heb. 9.24. and 10.12. And also they doe acknowledge, That God doth in the meane space correct his children in this worlde,1. Pet. 1.7. 1. Pet. 5.6. and 4.12. Heb. 12.5.6.7. Psal. 30.7.8. 1. Cor. 11.32. Rom. 5.3.4. Heb. 12.2. Colos. 1.24. Rom. 8.17.28 2. Tim. 1.8. Mat. 22.23. Mar. 12.29. and proueth their faith by manie and diuerse troubles, crosses, & afflictions: partlie, for that they shall learne to knowe verie well their miserie and calamitie, and thereby be prouoked the rather spedilie to flie to his merciemercy for succour: partlie, that thereby they may become like vntounto their maister & head Christ Iesus: and with him die from sinne, and rise vp in newnesse of life, and hereafter liue and reigne with him eternallie: but they will in no wise consent, that these troubles, crosses, & afflictions, should serue anie thing for satisfaction or remission of sinnes, no not so much as for the least sinne that can be thought vpō. And likewise they clearely dissent & disagree from vsus, saying, That al the good works that anie man can do, during all his life, can not serue him to anie purpose for the remission of the least sinne that euer he committed: considering that al men (without exceptiō) are of meere dutie bound to obey God, to louelove him with all their hearts, with all their might, with all their power, in body and soule, with thanks, & in all that lieth in them: & to louelove their neighbours as thēselues: in such maner, as though they had accōplished al this,Gala. 2.10. 1. Cor. 8.46. Roma. 3.9.10.11.19.22. Roma. 5.12.17.19. Luke. 17.10. (which is impossible for anie man to doe, for that we are dead in Adam, and that all the thoughtes of mans heart, & all the conceites of his mind are meere mischiefe and malice against God, euen from the beginning) in so much that they should yet remaine vnprofitable seruantes,Roma. 8.7. Gene. 6.5.8.21. Iohn. 3.6. and should hauehave done no more than they of verie dutie were bound to do: So farre doeth it differ that they should be able thereby to satisfie God, & make amends for any such offences, as they heretofore hauehave committed. For if they should come in reckoning by works, then wee must make a perfect reckoning,Roma. 4.4.11.6. & not halfe a reckoning (say they:) otherwise works were no works: but contrawise, when men do seeke for merciemercy, & not for iustice,Phi. 3.7.8. Gala. 15.16. then must they (wt Paul) forsake all their works, all their righteousnes, their holines, & all whatsoeuer they hauehave done, & accompt the same as nothing, to obteine iustification by faith, through God mercy: for otherwise merciemercy were no merciemercy.Roma. 11.6. And after this, they proceede on further, & conclude in this forme and manner:
Gala. 2.16.3.11.12. Roma. 10.5. Esaie. 1.12.58 5. Iere. 7.12.13.14.9.13.14.10.8.18, 22.Now, seeing God will not accept any iustificatiō by those works which he him selfe commanded in his Law, how much lesse will he accept these workes which other men hauehave deuised, and fetched out of their owne heades, which hee neuer commaunded? As, to hearing of Masse, to runne from one Church to another, to trudge from one altar to another, to go on pilgrimage▪ to weare hairecloth, to whippe them selues, to pull a Friers hoode ouer their head, to make vowes, which God neuer allowed, with such other like workes, which the holie church doeth esteeme for verie meritorious, & calleth them Opera supererogationis, that is to say, Superfluous workes, Workes of the Catholikes.for that God neuer commanded them: & therefore men may hereby do more than they are of dutie boūd to do. These (say they) shall not onelie be vnacceptable before GOD, for good payement, but shall rather be esteemed for false coyne: yea, bee imputed for verie slandering and blaspheming of God, Esaie. 1.15. as before.and for a flat forsaking and despising of the shedding of the bloud of Iesus Christ. O what a matter is this! O helpe blessed Ladie of the 7. Okes! Help S. Lewen, S. Rombold, S. Iames of Cōpostell, with all your scallop shelles, and pilgrims staues: helpe all you sweet men and women Saints, whose relikes are deuoutly prayed vntounto by our deere mother. How can it be, that she should be so ouerseene? should then all good catholikes hauehave hitherto reckoned, and still do reckon without their host? should our forefathers hauehave deserued none otherwise by building Cloisters, Abbies, Trentals, Masses, and such like deuotions? should all that be lost? O no, I defie that. We will rather forsake the whole Scripture, Peter and Paule, with the whole rable of them, than that such a slaunder should rise and take place in the holy Catholike, Apostolike, Popish church of Rome. For if that were so, then should all our Decrees & decretals, all our Sentences and Se…tentiaries, al orders & ordinances, old customes, vsages, priuiledges, and old proceedings of the holie church, all masses, with the appurtenances, al priests and priestly doings, and so one diuell with another be cleane ouerthrowen. And then it must needes followe, that the Lutherans, Zwinglians, & Caluinistes, shal yet againe beare the swing, & all the shorne swarme of holie shauelings, with all the Sophisters & Theologians of Louen, with all the newe Bishops, Abbats, Monks & Prelats, giuegive place. To what purpose then (I pray you) should the Duke of Alba with his Spaniards serue, hauing taken so troublesome a iournie vponupon him, to stand the Bishops instead of Sargeants & hangmen: and to set vp the ruined Romish church in her authoritie againe? O no, no, we will neuer be giuen to vnderstand & beleeue, that the scripture doth teach this: for otherwise the scriptures must be heretical, & directly against the holie church: & then shuld the scriptures hauehave deserued to be burnt, aswel as the Huguenotes. Wel, surely our Doctors of Louen hauehave likewise perused the scriptures, & our newe Bishops do daily reade their seruice & Masse booke, at lest when they hauehave leasure: but they find not this written there: & therfore it is to be thought, that either the heretikes hauehave other Epistles & Gospels, than is written in our Masse booke, & read in the church: or there is more malt in the mill, than the miller will be acknowen of. For although our mother the holy church is content to graunt the heretiks, that Christ is our right redeemer, & hath sufficiently satisfied for our sins (because it shal not seeme they hauehave vtterlie forsaken Christ, & thrust him out of his seat) yet is not that so to bee vnderstood, that he onelyonly must be taken for our ful raunsome and satisfaction, or that he should hauehave fullie made our peace wt God the Father, through the offering vp of his bodie & bloud: so as we should now (through his merites) be esteemed for righteous, and the children of God, and hauehave an assured belefe, that God hath (for his sake) forgiuen vsus all our sinnes, & is to vsus a good & louing Father (as these heretikes will needes proue by their Bible.) No, no, it wil not go so easilie to worke: we must go otherwise to worke: we our selues must paie our debtes with our owne monie, & satisfie God sufficiently for our sinnes, or otherwise all would be naught. For it doth not beecome the merciemercy of God (saith the councel of Trent) that he should forgiue vsus our debtes for nothing, In the .24. session, de satisfactionis necessitate, &c. Cap. 2.without anie former satisfactiō. And although it be so, that Paul doeth take on him to defend,These are the proper wordes of Paule to the Romanes in the .4. Chapter. 2.5.6.7. that Abraham hath no iust occasion to presume of him selfe before God of any desert or former works: yea, & saith, That he that works not, but doth stedfastly beleeue in him that doth iustifie the vngodly, to him is his beleefe for righteousnesse: as Dauid also saieth, touching the iustification of those to whom God doth impute righteousnes without any works, by these words: Blessed are they, whose vnrighteousnes is forgiuen, and whose sins are couered. Blessed is that man to whō God imputeth not sin: These are the very wordes of the councell of Trent the .6. session. can. de. iustificatione.yet, that holie ghost of the coūcell of Trent hath concluded the contrarie, saying thus: Whosoeuer will defend & mainteine, that the vngodly are iustified by faith only, & that for the obteyning of Gods merciemercy, his works are not needful, let him be accursed. And our Doctors of Louen hauehave once for all acknowledged & iudged, That God may not impute righteousnes to any mā through faith, vnlesse he be righteous of him selfe. For consider, this is the conclusion of the worshipfull & profound learned Magistri nostri, Ioice Rauēstein of Thielt in his booke which he now (a while agoe) did write against the Lutherans of Antwerpe.
This pretended righteousnes (saith he) doeth tend first against naturall reason: In the booke called confessiones siue Doctrina q…ae nuper aedita est a ministris ecclesiae Antwerp. Imprinted at Louen per Petrum Sanguam. 1567. and is written in the .24. leafe.for it cannot stand with any natural reason▪ that one which had no wisedome in his head, should yet notwithstanding be called wise: either else righteous, who hath no inwarde righteousnesse in him selfe.
Secondarilie, it is slaunderous against the holie Ghost, who hath testified and witnessed of manie men in the scripture, that they were righteous before God: & so should the holy Ghost be attached for a false witnesse.
Thirdlie, it doeth differ from the doctrine of the Catholike Fathers.
Consider now, here we hauehave a clere iudgement & irreuocable sentence: wherevpon it must rest, That Paule hath spoken amisse, in saying, that God doeth ascribe righteousnes to the vngodlie without any works. For, what is the meaning of this asc…ibing our alowing? Our sharpwitted Magistri nostri of Louen can not by their naturall reasons, nor wt al then Syllogismes, Quotlibets, nor other speculacions, conceiue the same: no nor will permit that God should impute righteousnes, or yet couer sinnes through the merites of Christ, to one that were not righteous of him selfe by deeds, & that had sufficiently satisfied for his sinnes by his deeds: so that God is not licenced to name things that are not, as though they were, as Paule ascribes vntounto him: or to deck vsus with a righteousnes and obedience which we hauehave not deserued our selues:Rom. 4.17. our deare mother the holie Church of Rome doeth esteeme it for a foolishnes, vntowardnesse, and blasphemie against God, that Christ onelie should be our wisedome, our righteousnes, our holines, and our only redemption. Shee will hauehave it, that we shall euen of our selues, and by our selues, hauehave our owne wisedome, righteousnesse, holinesse, and redemption before God, at least, if we will be esteemed for righteous. She doth esteeme it for a foolish and faithlesse trust, that one should trust to the righteousnesse of anie other than him selfe. She will hauehave it, that euerie one shall be iustified by his owne righteousnesse, and by his owne merites, and therewithall satis…e and pay all the sinnes and offences, wherewith hee may bee by anie meanes iustly burthened. It is true, That originall sinne hath some preeminence, and that it may not be tried to the vttermost point. For notwithstanding that originall sinne,Rom. 5.12.17.18. 1. Cor. 15.21. Ephe. 2.3. is that which makes vsus the children of wrath, and brings vsus to death, yet will our mother the holie Church stay a little, and pale in Gods determination,They are the wordes of the Councell of Trent, in the 7. ses. titul. de satisfactionis necessitate & finctu. c. … and persuade the best betwixt both, saying, That it doth not well become the righteousnesse of God, that he should deale with those which before baptisme hauehave (through negligence) fallen into sinne, in the same maner, as with those which after the baptisme hauehave willingly and wittingly defiled the Temple of God, and made sad the holie ghost.
She doth plainly acknowledge, that euen at the first houre of their birth, they hauehave deserued death, and are fallen into the curse and wrath of God: yet for all that, she will take vponupon her to be a meane betwene parties at variance, and be like vntounto Butter which bettereth althings, & therfore wil hauehave this hold, That God as touching originall sinne, shall bee satisfied by washing away the same by baptisme, not receiuing or requiring anie other satisfaction or raunsome for that matter, and for this hath shee also named Baptisme, The first plancke whereby we are saued in our shipwrack. But I assure you, as touching all other sinnes, shee doth sing vsus a new song, as followeth:
In the 7. session at the councell of Trent de bapt. cano. 10.Si quis dixerit, peccata omnia, quae post baptismum fiunt, sola recordatione & fide suscepti baptismi▪ vel dimitti, vel venalia fieri, Anathema sit: That is to say, Whosoeuer will maintein, that all sinnes cōmitted after baptisme, Sinnes committed after baptisme.should either be forgeuen, or at least may be forgeuen onelyonly through faith and power of Baptisme, let him be accursed.
Here you may see now, that this planke alone is too weake, to beare vsus out of the water, so that Baptisme is not (in anie wise) the Lauer or bath of those that are borne a newe, wherein Christ shoulde hauehave purged and cleane washed his spouse, that she might become without spot or wrinkle, as Paule goeth about to teach:Tit 3.5. Ephe. 5.26. but onelie forsomuch as doeth apperteine to the first spotte wherewith we are borne,Math. 3.11. Mar. 1.4. Luke. 3.3. Act. 13.24.19 4. Rom. 6.3. In the .14. session, can. 2. de sacramentis poenitentiae. and no further. Neither is nowe anie more a Baptisme of conuersion & penance, as it was in the Apostles time. For the holie Fathers assembled in the Councell of Trent, hauehave accursed all those that shall call it a Lauer or bath, and Sacrament of conuersion and repentaunce. And therefore hauehave they prouided an other planke for vsus, wherewith wee may swimme out of this water, (as lustily as with a couple of Hogges bladders:) to witte, the Tree of penance, consisting of three braunches: namely, Confessio, that is Shrift: Contritio, that is Heartes sorrow: and Satisfactio, In the 4. canon of the same session, and in the booke of sentences. lib. 3. dist. 4that is Full satisfaction, and a plenarie payment for our sinnes. For this is the Saint Christopher that can carrie vsus ouer the Sea: and through this shall wee receiue once at our Baptisme the garment of innocencie, and being afterwardes bespotted with sinne, wash the same off again, & bring all into the right way. Therefore it will be said, according to the vnderstanding of our deare mother the holie Church, as manie holie Catholike Champions hauehave both said and written, That Christ hath made full satisfaction for originall sinne, and hath fed vsus when we coulde not yet slie, but now that our fethers are ful growen, we must slie of our selues out of the nest, and helpe our selues: That is to bee vnderstood, We must from henceforth satisfie and sufficiently recompense for all our sinnes our owne selues, For this is the opinion and meaning of manie holie Champions and pillars of the holie church of Rome, as doth euidently appeare by the before written example of the two pillars. But yet notwithstanding, when all is well considered, this is not yet the verie right tune and harmonious noyse, which the holie Church commonly vseth in this daunse: for out of this might follow, That God should impute righteousnesse to those which are not righteous in them selues: and through Christs merites, and for his sake, forgiue sinnes without any other satisfaction. I tell you, our mother the holie Church will not meddle with this pretended righteousnes: She will not remaine in Gods debte, but will clere the score, and cut off all the nicks of the tallie. Therefore hath she a little patched vp this, and concluded, That men shall likewise satisfie for some part of originall sinne, and so fully satisfie God, because he shall not hereafter report, that hee hath forgeuen and pardoned the same, for nothing, but for Iesus Christes sake onelyonly. For weigh this wel, this is the vtter determination and conclusion of our maisters of the Sentences,These are the very woordes of the schoole writers, like as they are sette by Gabriel in the .3. booke of Sentences. dist 20. in the .5. cō clusion. That although the merits of Christ are the most speciall desert, through which Gods merciemercy, and the way into the kingdome of heauen is graunted vntounto vsus, yet this notwithstanding, is in no wise to be reckoned for the only, whole, and full satisfaction and deseruing: Whereby it doth euidently appeare, that alway with the merites of Christ, there must be ioyned some deeds and workes of those, which receiue the merciemercy and rewarde, whether it be for themselues, if they be of age: or for another which is not yet come to full yeeres of vnderstanding: which deedes are called Meritum de congruo, vel condigno, that is to say, A deseruing worthily obteined, or, A l…ke worthie deseruing.
Originall Sinne.Consider then, now doth it followe, that for the redeeming of originall sinne, some meritorious works are adioyned: and specially the merites of the Sacrament, which (as our mother the holy Church saieth) doe giuegive vntounto men merciemercy, Ex opere operato, that is to say, For the worthinesse of it selfe, Concilium Tridētinum ses 7 de Sacramen. can. 8.and deseruing by woorkes. For whosoeuer will say and defend, that the Sacraments shoulde not Ex opere operato, or by their owne worthinesse, present and giuegive merciemercy vntounto vsus: but that faith or beleefe in Gods promises, should be sufficient for the obteining of mercy, (as Paul saieth that Abraham did beleeue the promise of God, Rom. 4.8.12.and it was imputed vntounto him for righteousnesse, and did then first receiue the Sacrament of Circumcision for a seale to this freely giuen righteousnesse) hee is by the Councell of Trent accurssed, and excommunicated. And because it shall not seeme, that the Sacrament of baptisme is not sufficient to deserue the forgiuenesse of sinne, Ex opere operato, considering that the childe which is christened, doth not there worke,The deseruing by the Godfathers in Bapt…sme. whereby it may deserue any thing: therefore doth our dere mother the holie Church say, That the Godfathers deserue it for the child. And to the end that this deseruing may the more freely be put in the reckoning against the accusations of the diuell, therefore hath our mother the holy Church deckt it trimly, and hanged much costly ware about it, as specially strong and mightie coniuring,Christening of children papistically. and commaunding of the diuell, wherethrough he is forced to remoue streight way, and giuegive place to the holy ghost. Item, with manie holie crosses, which the Priest doeth make ouer the foreheade, ouer the eyes, the nose, the eares, the mouth, the breast and the shoulders of the children so christned: by the might & power whereof, the diuell & originall sinne, are chaced seuen mile frō thence, so that his accusation is not esteemed worth a straw. After this is the child gresed on the nose and eares, with the priests snot & spittle: which spittle doth bring a maruellous strength with it, as men may wel cōiecture: so that of necessitie it must thereby receiue the merciemercy of God. And in the end is giuen vntounto it a white cloth, or a coyfe, and a waxe candle burning, which the Godfathers do receiue in the name of the childe, which surely is maruellous acceptable & welcome vntounto God, as the holy Church doeth beare witnesse, euerie Easter eeue, singing vntounto the waxe Candle, whiche the Priestes do at that time hallow:This is in the Masse booke. in oratione ad bene dicendum ignem in Sabatho sanct. pasch. Talia igitur Domine digna sacris altaribus tuis munera offerimus, quibus te laetari religio Christiana non ambigit: That is to say, Therfore Lorde doe wee offer vntounto thee, such worthie presents and giftes vponupon thine altar, wherein (as Christian Religion nothing doubteth) thou doest greatly delight and reioyce, &c.
How must he then reioyce herein, when hee shall see all these precious giftes and goodly ceremonies together, whereby deuout persons hauehave greatly refourmed, and trimly set forth the ordinances of his sonne Iesus Christ? Will not he with a good will forgiue both originall sinne, and also the rest of the whole debte, seeing hee is so w…rshipful…y pa…ed with wax, with tallow, with creame, and with spittle? And then doeth not hee forgiue for nothing, and onelie for the merites of Christ (as the Heretikes say) but he is satisfied with redie paiment. And if he will not yet be therewithall content, then we will fill his hands with a heape of deseruings of holie Saintes of both kindes, for which onelyonly he must vndoubtedly forgiue the whole debt, yea although it were asmuch more, insomuch as there shall not be left one iot vnsatisfied.
But howe nowe, may some deuout Catholike heart thinke, is Christ then nothing at all accounted of, nor regarded, by our deare mother the holie Church? O yes by Saint Marie, for shee doeth vse him specially to stoppe all holes withall. For if so be that neither our paiments and satisfactions, nor the merits of saints would be sufficient to discharge the whole debt, but that there should remaine some behind vnpaid, then that must be laide on his necke. But if we be of our selues sufficiently furnished to satisfie all that resteth, or if wee can by some of the Saintes, to whome wee hauehave good deuotion, get a good suretie or pledge which will answere for all: then wee shall hauehave no neede to trouble Christ much, wee can spare him well enough. Then onelie, if we hauing done our best to satisfie all our selues, or to finde a sufficient suretie, and yet can not bring either of both to passe, then saieth our deare mother the holie Church, that Christ must come foorth, Vt suppleat nostros defectus, that is to say, To supplie our defaultes, and to stoppe all holes. But nowe, because all this doeth seeme verie vnhandsome, and that Christ might perhaps take this in euill part, and perchaunce forsake vsus, and cast vsus cleane off, and send vsus back againe to our Baalim, and other Patrones, at whose handes wee hauehave first sought help, as he hath oftentimes giuen warning by his Prophetes,Iere. 11.11.12. so as then by that meanes we should fall betwixt two stooles in the ashes, and so be forsaken on all sides: To auoid this daunger, the catholike doctors hauehave a little strengthned the rampier, and baked the cake after another maner, as may appeare in the said booke of Iodocus of Rauenstein, where he writeth:
Whereas men do charge vsus, that we teach that Christ shoulde hauehave satisfied only for originall sin or other sinnes cō mitted before baptisme, In the .80. leafe of the before specified boke of Iodocus Rauenstein written against the confesion of ye preachers at Antwerp.& that then the Masse should satisfie further for the other sinnes, our meaning is not so: and if there be anie such which do so vnderstād, or hauehave any such opinion, we vtterly renounce their doctrine.
And truely their particular iudgement ought not to be applied to any former iudgment of the Catholike doctrine touching the Masse: for the verie meaning of the holy man Thomas de Aquino, was neuer such: as appeares plainely out of that which hee writeth in the third part, vponupon the first question in the 4. …rticle whereof he writeth:
It is most true, that Christ came into this world, not onelyonly to take away that sinne, wherein naturally all the posteritie of Adam are borne, but likewise to the cleansing of all other sinnes.
And in the 49. question of the said thirde part: Christ (saith he) hath released vsus frō our sinnes, Causaliter, that is, Cōcerning the cause, to wit, for that he is the onelyonly cause of our releasment, through which all our sinnes are to bee forgiuen, as well those past, as these present, or to come. And then againe: Forsomuch as the passion of Christ, is a sure▪ generall, or common cause of the forgiuing of sinne, it must needes follow, that it bee annexed to the washing away and purging of the sinnes which we our selues hauehave cōmitted, which is don by baptisme & penāce, and other sacraments which hauehave power through the passion of Christ, &c.
In summe, this is their meaning, That as the sinnes wherein wee fell before baptisme, hauehave not more aduauntage than the other, but must all alike be holpen thorough penance and Sacramentes: which are the right satisfaction, and true raunsomming, through which God is made at one with vsus, and hath forgiuen vsus our sinnes. And yet they hauehave not gotten this power only of themselues: but for that Christ hath (through his merits and passion) deserued the same: so that by this order, Christ hath now his part in all things, seeing that he (in all the merites of the Masse, satisfactions, and other good workes,) is alway by our deare mother the holy Church called to be one. And this office is committed vntounto him, that hee shall alway trudge vppe and downe, to and fro, farre and neere, with the merites of good workes and satisfaction, as a common messenger, & trauell so as they may continue in their full estimation and worship. And for that cause it is, that in all their blessings, hallowings, consecrations, coniuring, and bewitching, in all Collects, Secrets, Complets, and in all Ceremonies of the holie Church, wherein they pray vntounto God for the forgiuenes of sinnes, for euerlasting life, & for all other good gifts, either spirituall, or temporall, which she requires in consideration, & the power of her almes deedes, fasting, and abstinence, through merites, keeping of holidayes, and by the strength and power of her hallowed waters, salt, candles, palmes, hearbes, oyle, tallowe reliques, holie clothes: and also through the might of the Sacraments, the Masse, and merites of Saintes, and such other like things: and yet alway in the end they adde this conclusion, Per Christum Dominum nostrum, that is, Through Christ our Lord. As though they woulde say, that those Ceremonies and creatures, which they offer vntounto God, are the right marke to shoote at: but Christ must giuegive the aime: or else, that those are the true mint or coyne, wherewith they make paiment to God, and doe fullie satisfie for their debtes, and that Christ is he which doth value and allow the monie for currant. And that this is the verie meaning of the holy Church of Rome, it is plaine to be noted out of the decrees of the Councel of Trent▪ Wherin are accursed and excommunicated all those which wil mainteine, In the .6. session, can…. 10. d… ▪ …ustificatione.that the obedience and merits of Christ should be, Formalit…r, that is to say, Euidently, onelyonly, & of themselues, our iustification, so that wee should be fully iustified before God, and esteemed for the children of God onelyonly through the obedience and merites of Christ. For this do they ascribe only to our own righteousnes, whervnto we are moued of God, whē we hauehave prepared & made redy our selues to re…eiue the same: which righteousnes is our owne workes, former deseruings, & satisfactions, and say that we hauehave wo…ne this only out of the merits of Christ, that this our iustification by desertes, as penance, satisfaction, & other good workes which we do, are by God accepted, and so …ntered in his reckoning booke for good wares, and sufficient paiment, with which iudgment Iodocus Tiletanus hitteth iump in this sort:
We denie vtterly that the righteousnes and obedience of Christ, In the foresaid booke written against the Ministers of Antwerp of their confession in folio▪ …1.should bee the onelyonly cause▪ through which we are formaliter, that is euidently & throughly iustified. But like as the first man Adam, through his vnrighteousnes and disobedience was the onelyonly cause, that all wee which are come of him▪ hauehave euerie one his owne sinne within himself, through… which he is of himselfe and apparantly a sinner, and an vnrighteous person: euen so likewise it is to be vnderstood, that the righteousnes and obedience of Christ, is onelyonly a meritorious cause, wherthrough all those which through faith and the sacramentes of faith, are borne anew in Christ, doe now receiue to themselues a righteousnes of the father, to wit euerie one his owne proper and inward righteousnes, through which he is iustified of himselfe, and hath obediently satisfied the righteousnesse of the Lawe, &c.
Whereby is notably to be vnderstood: first that Christ is not our iustification, and likewise that we must forsake and giuegive ouer our owne iustification (as Paul persuadeth) to be partakers in the iustification by faith, which is in Christ Iesus:1. Cor. 1.50. Iere. 23.6.33.16. Phil. 3.8.9. Roma. 10.3. but contrariwise, we must iustifie our owne righteousnesse, as the Iewes did afore time, and so seeke our saluation at our selues, and in our selues, as before we hauehave had sinne and damnation vponupon and in vsus. Secondarily, out of the same we vnderstande, that wee are not borne anew, onelyonly through Christ, but through belief and the Sacraments, in Christ▪ that is to say, That Christ is the only cause that our workes are our full accoplishment, & satisfaction, which are vnderunder this word Sacramēts cōteined & vnderstod: and yet of their owne might (as is before said,) Ex opere operato, can beare vsus anew, and iustifie vsus. For this (by our deare mother the holy Church) is the perfect and naturall description of the Sacraments, That a Sacrament is properly called, not onelyonly that which is a signe or token of Gods merciemercy, The maister of of sentences in the .4. booke .1. dist. cap.but also, Forma, that is, the verie effect and substance of the hidde merciemercy, so that it doeth both signifie the same, and is cause of the same. So that the Sacraments do not onelyonly signifie sanctifying, but also of themselues sanctifie: and doe (as the glosse specially setteth forth) make vsus righteous, Ex opere operato, that is,Henricus Brima…ius. vponupon the same distinct. Out of the merites of our workes, and of our selues. So that the Sacramentes, conteining vnderunder them our deuocions, and our owne workes, are the only naturall and proper cause of our saluation, and do make vsus Formaliter righteous: but Christ onelyonly Causaliter, that is, for that he commeth in as a generall and farre fetched cause. They are the principall, they hauehave the rudder in hand, and stirre the ship: but Christ may yet help to row, as a gr…met or simple mariner. though this friendship bee vsed to him for his credite, that he is called to be one of the Councell, to hauehave his aduice, howe is best to stirre the ship: yea, & m…n report by him, that he (amongst the rest) is one of the most principal occasions that the shippe keepes a good course, where otherwise it might either be lost vponupon some sande, or broken in pieces against a rocke. And therefore, when any good and deuout Catholike man lies a dying, wee doe not vse to breake his head much with Christ, nor to trouble him greatly with faith & hope (which he ought to hauehave in the death and passion or Iesus Christ:) but he must specially be put in remembrance of shrift, to receiue his God; & to be annoynted: and then after to hauehave a waxe candle by him, with a Crucifixe in his hand, and so persuade him to the building of some Chappell or Monasterie, and to appoint a Trentall of soule Masses, and to remember Vigils & annuall or yerelie prayers, and such like. And if Christ bee (by chance) spoken of, that doeth commonlie happen, to the intent the better to set forth and preferre the said Masses, Vigils, and annuals, and the rest of the baggage: for Christ of him self is not set by nor esteemed at all. In summe, Christ is onelie necessarie and fitte to serue the holie Church of Rome, her purpose in this point, & that is to coine good monie of bad & naughtie metal. For if Christ had not died, God would without doubte, that all men shoulde hauehave fulfilled his Lawe fullie in all pointes: hee would hauehave iudged all things according to his woorde and Lawe, without hauing anie respect at all to our deuotions and meritorious woorkes, or to Saint Frauncis, or to Saint Dominikes order. And besides that, hee would in the ende hauehave punished all breakers of his lawe, with eternall maledi…ion, death, and damnation, without hauing anie regarde at all to our merites or satisfaction.
But nowe, seeing that Christ died, the holie Church of Rome may nowe fill him a hood with hay, they may boldlie cast his commaundementes in a corner, and thrust in, in steade of them, their owne ordinances, good intentes, and deuotions, and with spittle, water, ashes and dust, salte and tallowe, oyle and waxe, fire and smoke, shelles and belles, leaping and running, springing and daunsing, satisfie and pay him: hee must take all in good part. Prouided, that men continually make this the foote of their prayers, namelie: Per Christum Dominum nostrum: for that is the butter that doth better all things. And herewithall he is by and by satisfied and pleased? HaueHave not the Catholikes then a good and a gentle God, which is content that they pay hi… with mussell shelles? But that is not to bee maruelled at, seeing that when they hauehave plaid wt him a good while, he suffereth them euen to eate him vp, and deale with him as the cat with the mouse.
Yet notwithstanding, for that he should not be herewith offended, as though men did mocke with him, because they do make so small account of the breaking of his lawes, they hauehave to eschew that inconuenience, …elt his lesson to him before hand, & verie substantially & cunningly hauehave determined and iudged, That all sinnes are not deadlie, Deadly sinnes.but that there are but senē dead… lie sinnes onelie, which (together with their branches and fruites) hauehave deserued death: The rest are altogether small, simple and venial sinnes, which he may not punish by death, Veniall sinnes.but with a smal rod, such as doth serue to beate children withall. And herevpon she hath valued all hir deseruings & satisfactions, eueryevery one according to his price, to the vttermost penie: and so hath committed the balance to S. Michael, S. Michael … the ….with open commission & charge that he do iustlie weye all the sinnes and offences of the Catholikes against the troubles which God hath sent them, and likewise against their good deedes & merites, vponupon this conditiō,…hen as the … are too light. that if the said troubles, good deedes▪ and merites, be but an ounce or twaine, or some small weight lighter than the other, then Christ shall make that good by his death and passion. But if the difference in weight should be great, so as it were to be considered vponupon, then must he, to conterueil and make the weight euen, put into that scale some good deedes, &c. as building of Abbies, Masses, Pilgrimages, Pate… nosters, and Aue Maries, waxe candels, holie ashes, holie water, Popes …, pardons, grey friers cowles, girdles, S. Iames shels, & other like stuffe: till both the balances wey alike. But nowe Econtra ▪ When the merites are the heauier.if the good deeds, meri…es, &c. be the heauier then shal the surplusage be kept against another time, to helpe a good friend withall, or to … some … soule one of Purgatorie. And our mother the holie church hath had much a doe … this matter, to bring the balance to a iust …ight and value, to make all things euen, betwixt the offences of men, and the punishmentes of God, and to approue that to be the right way which notwithstāding she hath stronglie fortified with plaine scriptures. And in especially where S. Iohn Baptist saieth, Facite fructus dignos poenitentia, that is to say, Bring forth fruites worthie of repentance. The … the. 4 … 16 … the … chap.For out of this hath she concluded, That the effect and nature of the punishment & scourge of God must be equall with the effect and nature of the crime. Well considered, that the operation of good workes is not needfull to be so great, or so manie in one that hath done …esse sins, as in him that hath cōmitted a great deale more sinne, &c. And therefore, when as God doeth visit anie man in this world with pouertie, sicknesse, hunger, trouble, or anie other crosse, he must likewise hauehave those valued against his sinnes and offences. And if it be found, that the crosse and punishment which God hath laid vponupon him, be of greater importance than his sinnes hauehave deserued, as our mother the holie Church of Rome will suppose that often times it is, then must the surplusage of that be by some honest meane recompensed: or if it be such as cannot well be recompensed by God then it shal be shut vp and kept in the chest of indulgencies and pardon…, to serue the turne of such as shall hauehave neede of it: for that shal at some conuenient time be sealed together with a Bull, and then some profite will come of it: as our deare mother the holie Church hath concluded: alledging for that purpose a plain & euident text of Iob, saying: O that my troubles and sorowes might be weyed, Iob. 6.2. which is to this purpose br…ught in by …ilm…nus in En…h…ir …ck in titu…o de …ndulgenu….& my paines deliuered vp in a paire of balance! They should be found heauier than the sande of the seas, therein is it that my wordes hauehave ouerslipped me. Consider now, out of this hath our deare mother the holie Church gathered, that Iob was contented to come to a reckoning with God, and hauehave his crosse & punishment weyed against his offences: & if his crosse & punishment be greater than his sinnes, (as shee supposeth,) then will she that the surplus of the weight shall be shut vp in the Popes chest, to …elpe s…me other good fellowe withall for a little monie, and so bring him out of daunger. And to the end that hereafter no brabbling, or processe, should happ…n in di…inguishing which are light and ven…all sinnes, and which are heauie and deadlie sinnes:Veniall and deadly sinnes. and how euerie sinne is to bee esteemed: for that purpose hath shee fetched out of her cofer, with her keye, called Allegorica expositio, a trimme scripture,Looke …pon the first ch…pt…r of the secon… …. thereby to declare those things sufficiently, beginning thus:
That like as in the beginning the serpent did first intise the woman ofte to sinne, The maister of the Sentences in the 2. …. 24. dist. 9. c…p.and then the woman brought the man to the same: so hauehave wee now likewise the wittinesse within vsus, which is the serpent: and then more, the wisedome or the principall vnderstanding, which is the man: & last of all the knowledge or the simplest part of vnderstanding, which is the woman: and this man is the same, which by witnessing of the Apostle is called, The image & honour of God: & the woman is the same which by the Apostle is called, The honour or beautie of the man.
Is not this well and profoundly philosophied of our mother the holie Church of Rome? I can not thinke, but that the Maister of the Sentences, was somewhere in the bottome of a deep seller, when hee founde out this profounde speculation. For otherwise it were not possible, that he should hauehave conceiued these profounde secretes of his owne head. But nowe let vsus heare further of the matter.
Nowe there is (saith he) a spirituall mariage & a naturall coniunction betwene the man and the woman: and out of that is to be considered, which is a deadlie sinne, and which is a veniall sinne. For euen as the serpent did by persuasion abuse the woman, and the woman the man, euen so it falleth out with vsus. For as the inward consent is the serpent, which accepteth the accomplishment of sinne, and so persuadeth the woman, that is the knowledge or least branch of accomplishing: and then, when as by such reasons they are brought to consent to the accomplishing, then it commeth to passe, that the woman doth eate the forbidden fruite, and then presenteth or offereth of the same to the man: and so, when she hath entised the vnderstanding, or principall desire, that it doth giuegive consent to the same, then hath the man eaten of the forbidden fruit likewise. But nowe, if the full accomplishing remaine sticking in the minde and cogitation, and taketh not full effect, then it is but a verie small veniall sinne: but when onlie the simple pretence is willing thereto, to witte, the lust and desire of the mind, or thought, without any further full pretence & trauell, to bring the same effectuallie to passe, then hath the woman onelie eaten of the apple, and not the man: who hath by his owne strength subdued his will, that it proceedes not to the performing and finishing of the woorke: and yet in that case it is sometime a deadlie sinne, and sometime a veniall sinne, according to the continuance of the time▪ But if in the meane space there follow a perfect & resolute desire to accomplish the same, then hath the man likewise eaten: principallie in cōsenting resolut…lie with pretence of accomplishment: and in that case it is a damnable and an heauie sinne, &c.
Surelie this will trie Saint M…chaels wittes, and put him to his trumpe,A great trouble to S. Michael for to weigh the merites. howe to obserue this rule in weying and iudging these sinnes, vnlesse he come first for a while into the Vniuersitie of Louen, or to the Sorbonistes of Paris, there to loiter, read ouer, and learne to vnderstand the glosses and expositions of the Maister of the Sentences: I knowe no other meane for him howe to deale, vnlesse he can find out in one place or other, some subtil Doctour of diuinitie, and make him so much his friend, that hee will helpe him through with the matter: & yet notwithstanding, the principall knowledge and speculation may well be brought to passe and considered, as, That we are not (of dutie) bound to louelove God with all our hearts, with all our minde, and with all our might: in such sort, as he by his lawe hath commaunded: seeing that the soule can separate her selfe from him, and so giuegive ouer her selfe to sinne, and yet not plunge so deepe therein, as to fall throughly into Gods wrath▪ yea, there is great recōpense deserued at Gods hand, when as a man is prouoked to sinne, and to fall from God, & that by his wisedome hee doeth withstand the same: so as the serpent onelie doth eate of the forbidden fruite:In the 7. chap. of ye same dist. vponupon the last Can. as the Maister of the Sentences hath in another place written.
Therefore it is that our mother the holie Church of Rome hath expounded that which our Sauiour Christ set foorth in the fift Chapter of S. Matthewe, (As to louelove our enimies, not to doe euill for euill, not to desire another mans wife, and such other like sayings more:) after the Pharisaicall manner: As, that it is no speciall commaundement, but onelie a counsell and aduise: and that therefore no man is bounde to obserue and keepe the same, but such as hauehave professed and vowed chastitie, as Monkes, Ankers, and other such like. Whereby doeth euidentlie appeare, either that GOD hath wholie created and shapen the soule, and hearte of man, or at the least, that his Lawe is not altogeth…r spirituall, considering that he hath not the full gouern…ment of the spirite, onelie through this occasion, that reason did not consent and agree wholie to sinne. For in conclusion, you may not esteeme sinne thus, as though all that is done against Gods lawe and commaundement, were a deadlie sinne, and could not bee recompensed by dese…uing or satisfaction: but all sins & offences must be weighed in the balance of our mother the holie church of Rome, who saieth thus: That for all ordinarie and light sinnes and offences, a man may sufficientlie satisfie with saying a Pater noster, and an Aue Maria, In the 4. … of the Sent. in the 4. can. the 16. dist▪with knocking vponupon the breast, and saying, Peccaui, with holie water, and especially with hearing of a Masse: as for deadly sinnes, the like must be done, but yet with much more force, efficacie, and deuotion. And to say all in all, satisfaction is necessarie and requisite for all sinnes, according to the qualitie and quantitie of the same. And although a man shoulde wholie returne to God, yet can not that helpe, vnles hee make full satisfaction. For whereas these Heretikes doe say, That when soeuer a sinner doeth conuert and repent him of his sinnes, God doth pardon and forgiue him: Ezech. 18.21. 1. Iere. 33.34. Heb. 8.12.10.17. Psal. 103.12. Miche. 7.19. Esaie. 44.22. Iere. 50.20. Eze. 18.24.yea, in such sorte, as he doth wholie forgette the sinnes committed, and casteth them as farre from him, as the East is from the West: yea, and sinketh them down euen into the bottome of the sea: yea, maketh them consume to naught, euen as smoke, or as a cloude, in so much as they are not once more thought vponupon, euen like as he doeth also vtterlie forget all the good deedes that a man hath done, which in the end doth giuegive him selfe to mischiefe.
Take heede of that saying, for it smelleth of a faggot. For our mother the holie Church of Rome hath speciallie concluded, That GOD doeth not forgiue anie sinnes, vnlesse a man doe first make full satisfaction and payment for the same to the vttermost and last farthing: shee can allowe that hee forgiueth the sinne, but not the punishment: and for that cause must hee likewise bee well recompensed, doing after this manner:Christ shoulde pardon the offence, but not the punishmēt. As if a man should pardon his debter all whatsoeuer hee did owe him, and giuegive him to vnderstande, that hee cancelled his obligation, and in the meane space caused him to be arrested and cast into prison, there to remaine and lie till the whole debte were paide, euen to the vttermost mite. Were not that great merciemercy vsed, and a liberall pardoning of debters? After that manner will our deare mother the holie Church of Rome hauehave that remission of sinnes vnderstoode, which wee hauehave obteined through the bloud and passion of Iesus Christ. For the bloud of Iesus Christ (saieth shee) hath washed away the sinnes: but holie water, the Masse, and such other like satisfactions, doe deliuer vsus from the paine and punishement. Or rather, the bloud of IESVS Christ hath troden the path, by the which Masses, Pilgrimages, Holie water, and other satisfactions may runne post after our Lorde God, to put him in remembrance, to pardon vsus of the punishment which we by our sinnes hauehave deserued. And if they perhaps should come to late, then are the merites of Saintes in a readinesse, to shut vp and make euen the rest of the reckoning and accompt. For our deare mother the holy church of Rome saieth plainlie, by speciall textes of the Scripture, That God doeth neuer clearelie forgiue and pardon the punishment for sinnes, through the merites of the bloud and passion of Christ, without a former satisfaction. For all the Scriptures and examples, which the Lutherans▪ and Huguenotes; alledge and bring in, to proue, That God doeth chasten his children with plagues and punishmentes, to the end, to bring them to perfect knowledge and vnderstanding of their miserie and calamitie, and to proue their faith, or that hee will (thereby) bring them from the diuelishe dissimulations of this worlde: all this doeth our deare mother the holie Church of Rome alledge, to proue; that God hath onelie forgiuen them the offence, but not the punishment: as appeareth by the example of Adam, who although, after his fall, hee receiued comfort againe at Gods hande, yet was hee well punished, euen by bodilie death, and with manie calamities, sorrowes, and troubles, by the which hee made satisfaction.
And likewise, take example of the Prophet Dauid, who hauing grieuouslie offended God, and afterwardes returned by repentance, obteined forgiuenesse of his sinnes: and was yet afterwardes, notwithstanding this, sharplie punished, & so forth of manie other examples. For our mother the holie church wil in no wise allow, That God did so punish them, onelie to the ende they should so feele his mightie hande, as they should euer after walke in feare and obedience: and acknowledging their owne weaknesse, should learne with more expedition to call on him for helpe: as the verie words of the scripture do set forth: for that is altogether Caluinistrie: but shee will hauehave it plaine, That those punishementes were as a raunsome and payement made, wherewith they did paye or satisfie God: and make full recompense for their faultes and offences: yea, and that they thereby deserued, that such as now call vponupon them, shoulde bee released from their punishment. So that it helpeth not now, what soeuer these Heretikes alledge out of the Scripture, to proue, that if God should enter into iudgement with men, by their deedes,Psal. 143.2. Psal. 130.3. Iob. 9.3. Psal. 19.13. Ioh. 15.10.14.4. Psal. 40.1….38.5. 1. Cor. 8.46. no fleshe should be saued: nor that one man amongst a thousande were able to answere him: for that man doth dailie: yea, continuallie and euerie minute, fall into so manie sinnes, ouer and besides those whereof his owne conscience doeth incessantly accuse him, if God shuld once begin to punishe according to the greatnesse or multitude of sinnes,Esaie. 64.6. there should be neither end nor measure in punishment: yea, that all the righteousnesse of the holiest men, is nothing else but as a stayned cloth: in so much that their good workes can not in them selues stande in anie steade before the iudgement seate of GOD:Psal. 143.2. Rom. 3.20. Galat. 2.16. howe much lesse are they sufficient to make full satisfaction for sinnes and transgressions? Also, where they saie, that God doth not punishe vsus according to the desert of our sinnes,Psa. 103.10. thereby to make full satisfaction for the same, but as a good father doth chastise his child,Psal. 103.10. Heb. 12.6.7. Iob. 5.17. to the intent he may be warned & amend: & many such like places they bring in, to long to bee rehearsed: for they are all but litterall sentences, and therefore can not serue the purpose of our deere mother the holie Church of Rome.
And likewise, whereas these Heretikes doe alledge the theefe hanging vponupon the Crosse, to whome Christ did not once make an… mention of satisfaction and recompense: and also of Paule, and of a multitude of such other, which hauehave obteined only by Gods mere merciemercy forgiuenesse of their sinnes, through Christ, and for his sake, being pardoned as well of the punishment, as from satisfactiō for the same: for that Christ had not only taken vpō him our sinnes, but likewise the punishment for the same: We passe not a point for all that: for they are all nothing else, but particular & special examples and priuiledges, wherof we will make no account, nor esteeme them for anie perfect rule. For this rule established at the Councell of Trent, must needes remaine stedfast for euer, to witte, that God doeth not pardon any sinne entirely, vnlesse a man hauehave first made full satisfaction, and suffered condigne and deserued punishment for the same. And this will we proue wonderfully by an inuincible argument. Heare now a little and mark well, for here the ewe lambs. These Hexetikes must needs (whether they will or no) graunt this, That no mans sinnes are forgiuen him without penance. And now you must consider, That penance is nothing els but a punishment for sinne. For looke, thus the Master of the Sentences doth write: Poenitentia dicitur a puniendo, In the .14. booke of Sent. in the first cap. dist.qua quis punit illicita quae commisit: that is, Penance commeth of punishment, or pyning, whereby a man doth punish the euill which he hath cō mitted. Ergo, this matter is clere, and the Heretikes catched in a snare. For whereas they will (perhaps) say, to wind themselues out of the nette, That this is a starke lie, & an asseheadly dulnesse, considering that this worde,Poenitentiae. Poenitentia is nothing else in good Latin, but Penitentnesse or repentance: and is deriued, not of the worde Punire, To punish, but of the worde Poenitere, that is to say, Penitent, or sorie: all this can not helpe them. For to that we answere, That our deare mother the holy Church hath nothing to do wt their new heretike Latin, she hath Latin of herself, which is called Monkish Latin, or Scullarie Latin. In such latin a Spanish chaplein of the Emperour Charles 5. did speak to a Germain at Ausburge, & said: Latinū nostrū non est sicut vostrū, Our Latin & yours is not all one. And therfore it is sufficiēt for vsus, that Poenitentia is so to be taken in our Latin, and so it must be, though the Crowe should be no bird. And therfore is this certein, & wtout all doubt, as was cōcluded at the councel of Trent, that whosoeuer wil say, In the .4. sessiō can. 12. de sacramento poenitentiae.that aswell the punishment as the offences are forgiuen, & that ful satisfaction is nothing els but a perfit faith, wherby we faithfully beleue that Christ hath fully satisfied for vsus, he is acursed & excōmunicated: so that in cōclusion no sin is forgiuē wtout ful satisfaction. And now cōsidering that so long as we liue, we are neuer assured, whether our satisfaction is of our God fully accepted & allowed, because it may happen that the Receiuers hauehave kept the same in their hands, or else that our paiments be not currant in heauen: or some other such thing, by reason wherof our tallie should not be allowed by Gods auditors: therefore hath our holy mother, vpō this point cōcluded, That no man can assuredly know, or say, that his sinnes are forgiuen him, or that he shall be iustified before God without any doubt, or to be assured of his merciemercy. For this was the determination and conclusion of the holy fathers at Trent, as followeth:
Whosoeuer saith▪ that to the remission of sinnes, The councell of Trent.it is needfull for all men steadfastly to beleeue, that all his sinnes are clearely forgiuen him, not hauing anie doubt of his owne weaknesse and insufficiencie, let him be accursed.
Iere. 31.34. Heb. 8, &c. as before.For, notwithstanding that our Lorde hath promised this vntounto vsus, without anie doubt, and confirmed the same by his promise, that he will (for Christes sake) be our mercifull God and father, and that he will no more thinke vponupon our sinnes, but will clearely forgiue and wash away the same, for his owne names sake, and not for any of our desertes: yet may not wee credite him fullie so farre. For, although he say plainely, That he wil not think vponupon our sinnes to iudge vsus according to the same: yet will the holie Church of Rome hauehave vsus take good heede to the matter, least it should happen and chaunce otherwise: and therefore will hauehave vsus to consider well before hand, and make good prouision of our merits, and supererogatorie or superfluous good workes, to fill his hand with those, and so to content and please him, as men please children with puppets and counters. Notwithstanding, all that Paule saith,Rom. 8.14.15 That all they that are the children of God, hauehave the spirite of God, and are ledde by him, and he beareth witnes of them, that they are the children of God, and therby they crie, Abba, Father: and saith, That those which hauehave not this spirite, are not of Christ, considering that all those which are in Christ, and do faithfully beleeue in him, and hauehave their recourse to him, with perfect and steadfast hope through their beliefe in him:Ephes. 3.22. Ephes. 2.4.4.6 8. and That God who abounds in merciemercy, hath (through his inestimable louelove wherewith he hath loued vsus) when we were dead in sin, made vsus aliue againe in Christ, through whose merciemercy wee are beecome holie: yea, and hath raised vsus vp againe, and placed vsus in the heauens by Christ Iesus, iustifying vsus of his meere merciemercy through faith: not through our selues, but through the gift of God: not by workes, least anie man should boast himselfe: so that from henceforth none can charge or blame the elect of God: Rom. 8.33.34 39.for it is he only which doth iustifie them, who therefore can condemne them, seeing that Christ hath suffered for them? So that they are assured, that neither death, nor life, nor Angel, nor rule, neither might, nor power, neither anie thing present, nor to come, neither hight, nor depth, nor any other creature, can separate them from the louelove of God, shewed in Christ Iesus our Lord: With manie such other like thinges which Paule speaketh of. But all that cannot helpe. For our mother the holie Church will hauehave that vnderstood onelyonly of such,The Councell of Trent, 6. session .9. cap de…et. de iustificati…ne. in the Interim of the Emperour Charles in the 8. Chap. as hauehave and are assured of the same by some speciall reuelation, and of such as trust simplie vponupon Gods worde and promise. For she hath resolutely concluded, that such a manner of beliefe should be nothing else, but a flat and vaine-glorious presumption. But when a man doth trust to his owne merits, good works, and satisfactions, then he is assured to come out with his iust reckoning: or at the least, if there hauehave not bene ynough done here in this worlde, that shall bee after in another worlde accomplished and paied to the vttermost farthing: insomuch that he shall not remaine one mite in Gods debt. For to that ende and purpose, hath our deare mother the holie Churche of Rome ordeined the blessed Purgatorie: whereof wee will nowe make further declaration, and proue it to bee as well grounded on the Scripture, as the merits and satisfactions, whereof we hauehave now alreadie spoken.