Discovery of a False Detection, Chapter 3

Discovery of a False Detection · Chapter 3

p. 142THE THIRD CHAPTER OF pretended falsifications.

The 1. Falsification.

SYnops. pag. 219. Bernard saith, The beast in the Apocalypse, to the which a mouth was giuen speaking blasphemies, doth sit in Peters chaire: epistol. 126. Bernard here calleth not the Pope Antichrist, which was then Innocentius, p. 143but the vsurper, that intruded himselfe.

The Iustification.

1. WHat Bernard faith in other places▪ where he cōmendeth either Eugenius or Innocentius, it is not to the purpose, neither was this place produced to proue Innocentius or any other particular Pope to be Antichrist, but that Peters chaire should be the seate of Antichrist: which whether these words doe shew, any poore Grammarian, that can but translate a sentence of Latine, will easily iudge.

2. But to make Bernards minde more fully appeare, hee reporteth of one Norbertus, that did hold, that Antichrist should be reuealed,Antichrist began in Bernards time. ea, quae nunc est generatione, in that very age, & non visurum se mortem; and that he should not see death, till hee saw a generall persecution in the Church: epistol. 56. Though Bernard there saith he was not bound, certò credere, certainly to beleeue it to be so, yet he commendeth this Norbertus, and speaketh reuerently of him, calling his mouth, caelestem fistulam, an heauenly pipe. Again, Serm. Cantic. 33. speaking of the prelates of the church, that vsed gold in their bridles, saddles and spurres: Ministri sunt Christi, & seruiunt Antichrist…: They are the ministers of Christ, and yet serue Antichrist. But to whom …ls I p. 144pray you were the great prelates subiect (for they were no small birds, that thus glittered in gold) but to the Pope. We hauehave then both the time of Antichrists comming, the persons, among the Clergie, and the place described, y^e chaire of Peter: I report me now to any indifferent Iudge, whether Bernard either in word or sense bee misreported. I trust, that whosoeuer readeth your vncharitable accusations, will do as Alexander did, who when a complaint was made against one of his familiars, laid his hand vponupon one eare, reseruing it for his defence, that was absent: So I hope they will suspend their iudgement, till they heare your cauils and sophistications answered. And I say with Ambrose: Non erit longi subsellij ista iudicatio, facile est tibi de nostris iudicare: This matter will require no long iudgement, the discreete Reader will soone iudge betweene vsus: epist. 40.

The 2. Falsification.

SYnops. pag. 293. Augustine is alleaged to proue that the vow of obedience promised in Baptisme, is a generall vow of necessity to be kept, in Psal. 75. the Libeller crieth out, that Augustine is falsified, because the rest of the words that follow are not alleaged, wherin he maketh mention of other vowes, as of virginitie, of distribution of our goods to the poore. pag. 217. 218.

p. 145The Iustification.

FIrst, whereas Bellarmine denieth that our promise of obedience and of pietie in Baptisme is no vow, Augustine is cited as a witnesse, not to proue it to be the onelyonly vow: for in the same place it is confessed, that there is another kind of vowes that directly concerneth not the worship of God, Synops. pag. 292. what cause was there then to alleage Augustine impertinently for that which was not in question? We doe not vse to paint whole pages with long sentences for want of matter, as you doe: the question then was this, whether to vow, to beleeue, to hope in God to liue well, be the generall vow of Christians, which Augustine there affirmeth, not whether there were any other vowes beside, which Augustine also in the same place sheweth, but it belongeth to another question.

Secondly, whereas S. Augustine, as he saith, taketh a vow in the largest signification, when he calleth these vowes, to beleeue, to liue well, &c. as though they were improperlie called vowes: I will shew Augustines opinion further for that in Psal. 115. Quisquis bene cogitat, quid voueat Domino, seipsum voueat, seip-Sum reddat; hoc exigitur, hoc debetur: Whosoeuer thinketh well, what he should vow vntounto God, let him vow himselfe, let him render p. 146himself; this is exacted, this we owe. Againe,Which are the best vowes. de tempor. serm. 7. One voweth a cloake, another oyle, another waxe for the lights, another that he will drinke no wine: Non est istud votum optimum, neque perfectum, aliud melius volo &c. ipsum offer, hoc est, animam tuam: This is not the best or a perfect vow, I would hauehave a better thing, offer thy selfe, that is, thy soule.

Origen also is a plentifull witnesse herein: Hom. 13. in Exod. Non vult Moses, vt offeras aliquid, quod extra te est, &c. Moses will not hauehave you offer any thing without you: take from your selues and offer to God, as eueryevery man hath conceiued in his heart: doth gold grow within me or siluer, &c. thou hast therfore offered gold to the tabernacle, that is the faith of thy heart.

Again, Hom. 24. Scio diuersa vota in scripturis referri, &c. I know there are diuers vowes rehearsed in the Scripture, Anna vowed to God the fruit of her wombe, Iepthe his daughter, some Calues, some Rammes: but he that is called the Nazarite, doth vow himselfe vntounto God: this is the vow of the Nazarite, quod est super omne votum, which is aboue all vowes: he that doth this, imitateth Christ, which gaue himselfe for vsus, &c.

If then for a man to vow himself, his soule, his faith to God, be the vow which wee owe, and God exacteth; if it be a perfect and the best vow, as Augustine; if it be that which the p. 147Scripture requireth; a vow aboue all vowes, as Origen testifieth: then is it most properly and truly called a vow. And the Libeller is found to be the falsifier, that saith neither theVntruth. Scripture nor Augustine properly do call it a vow. What cause then had this intemperate and impatient man to crie out here against malicious dealing, pag. 220. whereas himselfe is the man, in these vnfriendly words, that sheweth malice? But God forgiue him, I will not render euil for euil, reproch for reproch. Demosthenes well said, I will not enter intoforeign. that combate, where hee that is ouercome is better then he that ouercommeth. And Ambrose saith: Haec sunt arma iusti vt cedendo vincat, sicut fugientes grauioribus sequentem solent vulnerare ictibus: These are the weapons of iust men, to ouercome by giuing place, as they that flie away vse to hurt them worst that follow them: de offic. libr. 1. cap. 5. I will therefore giuegive way to his reuiling speeches, that wherein hee thinketh to conquer, himselfe may be ouerthrowne.

The 3. Falsification.

SYnops. pag. 297. It was the heresie of the Pelagians and Manichees to perswade men to cast away their riches, they were not noted of heresie, for that they did perswade men to cast away their riches, but for that they maintained p. 148that all rich men were bound to forsake all their goods, and that otherwise, they could not goe to heauen: Libel pag. 221.

The Iustification.

FIrst, all that labour might hauehave been spared, which the Libeller taketh in citing Augustine at large, epist. 106. and lib. 5. contra Faust. c. 10. to shew that to be the opinion of the Pelagians and Manichees, seeing he was not ignorant, that Synops. pag. 304. (which place hee himselfe quoteth in the margin, pag. 223.) it is further said, this is the right heresie of the Manichees and Pelagians, that promised the kingdom of God not to any, but to those that cast away their riches. How then is this denied to be the heresie of the Pelagians and Manichees before, being so directly affirmed here?

2. By the way this falsifier of others, hath here plaied a tricke of falsification himselfe: for insteed of these words, they promised the kingdome of God not to any, he readeth, not to one: which though it were a scape in the first edition, is amended in the second. Againe, he saith, the Pelagians are noted of heresie, for that Falsification.they did perswade men to vow pouertie, or as hee speaketh to cast away their goods, p. 210. where these words, they did perswade men to vow pouertie, are of his owne putting in.

p. 1493. Doth not he I pray you, that saith, none but they which cast away their riches shall enter into heauen, consequently perswade men to cast them away? If a man shall heare one of your Seminarie priests to auouch, that none can be saued, vnlesse hee be a member of the Romane Church, doth he not in effect perswade him to be reconciled to it? It is not said, that this is the whole heresie of them to perswade rich men to cast away their riches: but this was their heresie, because it was an effect and consequent of their heresie: The other assertion that none can be saued, except they cast away their riches, is but an inducement to this perswasion.

4. That is shewed to be the heresie of theRich men not bound to cast away their riches. Manichees and Pelagians, wherein they were contrarie to Augustine; for he no where perswadeth all rich men to cast away their riches, but to vse them well: as in that sentence of his alleaged: Si diuitiae adsunt per opera bona seruentur in coelo: If riches be present, let them by good workes be stored vp in heauen. And in many other places: …s Enarrat. in Psa. 85. Tantum meminerint diuites, quod aijt Apostolus &c. OnelyOnly let rich men remember that which the Apostle saith, Charge them that are rich, that they be not high minded. Likewise in Psal. 136. What is commanded rich mē, that they be not proud: Quod faciunt diuitiae, hoc caueant in diuitijs, caueant in diuitijs superbiam: p. 150Let them take heede of that in riches which riches make: let them take heede of pride in riches. Seeing then Augustine perswadeth not rich men to cast away their wealth: the contrarie was shewed to be practised by the Pelagians and Manichees, that perswaded al so to doe: if this be not true, that these heretikes did so, or if it were affirmed, they did onelyonly so, and not further held, that rich men vnlesse they did so could not be saued; then he might hauehave had some reason to crie out of falsification: which crime he himselfe only in this place hath committed, as I trust doth appeare: his vncharitable words: they are by him malitiously suppressed, Libel. p. 220. and pag. 223. cunningly and malitiously: we regard them not: it is better to heare euill, then to foreign.speake euill, as the old saying is. And I say with Ambrose: Ne aestimet quis plus ponderis esse in …lieno conuitio, quam in testimonio suo: Let no man think, that there is more waight in another mans slaunder, then in the testimonie of his owne conscience.

The 4. Falsification.

SYnops. p. 319. the Councell of Colen is alleaged against the begging of idle Monks and Friers, part. 11. c. 5. it is falsified saith the Libeller, because that Councell alloweth the foure orders of begging Friers, pag. 4. c. 7.

p. 151The Iustification.

FIrst, in that place the Synod alloweth the orders of begging Friers, that were preachers: Quo parochorum in verbi ministerio cooporarij forent, quos absit vt repellamus: That they might bee fellow helpers to the parish priests in the ministerie of the word, whom (God forbid) we should put by. But what is this to the allowance of sturdie begging Friers, that could not preach? for of such Monks is the question, that are fit for no other seruice in the Church.

Secondly, that this Synode prouided not onelyonly against lustie common beggers (as hee beareth vsus in hand) but against idle begging Friers, it is euident by these reasons: First, the words are generall: Mendicantibus validis, &c. publice & ostiatim mendicare penitus sit interdictum: To sturdie beggers let it be wholy forbidden to begge from doore to doore. Secondly, they speake of beggers subiect, legalibus nostris que constitutionibus, not onelyonly to the Ciuill lawes, but to the constitutions of the church: but to the Canons of the church regular beggars were more properly subiect, then lay secular. Thirdly, the reason of the constitution is generall: Vtilius esurienti panis tollitur, si de ci…o securus, iustitiam negligat; quam eidem frangitur vt seductus iniustitiae acquiescat: p. 152Bread is better taken from the hungrie, if taking no care for his meate hee neglect iustice, then is broken to him, that by this meanes being seduced he should doe iniustice. But it is a point of iniustice as well in begging Friers, as in others, to liue idly vponupon the sweate of other mens browes. Fourthly, other ancient Canons hauehave prouided against wandring Monkes: as Caus. 16. qu. 1. c. 11. Monachi circumuagantes, Monkes gadding about, are called, pseudomonachi, false Monks. Caus. 18. qu. 2. c. 10. Monkes wandring in cities, speciem monachicam prae se ferentes: but bearing a shew of Monkes. It is like that this prouinciall Synode herein agreed with former Councels. Fiftly, but begging Friers are not receiued into Hospitals, if they be sicke, but into their owne Couents. Ans. This is more then he knoweth, or more thē is likely: for if the begging Friers wandring somewhat farre from home, did suddenly chance to be sick, where else could they be relieued, then in such Hospitals? Againe, the Canon as well forbiddeth them to begge, ostiatim, from doore to doore, as to be receiued into Hospitals: then though one clause concerne them not, I am sure the other doth concerning begging.

3. The Libeller maketh himself some sport, because the Canons of the Councel of Colen are called ancient, &c. which was held not p. 153much aboue 60. yeers agoe: where he againe plaieth the falsary: for the Councel of AquisgraneVntruth. is first alleaged, which was celebrate almost 800. yeeres agoe. There is also cited the decree of Pelagius, caus. 16. qu. 1. cap. 18. who liued aboue a thousand yeere since, and a Canon of the Chalcedon Councell, almost a thousand yeere before: and in regarde of these, the Canons are called ancient: against the antiquitie whereof I hope he can take no exception.

What cause now had this Calumniator, to crie out of false dealing, and that he doth concontrarie to his conscience, if any be left: hee sheweth what small cause hee hath vniustly and vntruly thus to slaunder his brethren. But we hauehave met with another Diogenes, that called himselfe, the trumpet of railing speech: foreign.and I had rather he should be a Diogenes, to be lowd rather in sound, then such as Antisthenes, that compared himselfe to the wasps,foreign. whose wings made but a small noise, but they had a sharpe sting. But this Zoilus carrieth all away with a lowd sound of words, he woundeth neither vsus, nor our cause. And as Ambrose saith: Lutum cito colligit amnis exundans, de offic. lib. 1. cap. 3. So hee with a raging streame of words, doth nothing but gather filth to himselfe.

p. 154The 5. Falsification.

BEcause these words being cited out of the Councell of Colen, part. 9. c. 9. Ad audiendum sacrum & communicandum, are translated, to heare and receiue the sacraments, and not to heare the Masse. Libel. pag. 227.

The Iustification.

1. HEre is no one word of the Masse, but only, Sacrum, which is in the neuter gender, but Missa is in the Latin, and cannot be the substantiue to it: Now iudge good Reader, which of vsus doth translate more truly, he in construing, Sacrum, Masse, or the other in Englishing of it Sacrament.

2. What this Councell elsewhere determineth of the Masse, it is not to the purpose: we know it is popish enough in other points and places: the question is, whether this place be falsified: where he hath rather plaied the falsarie, in thrusting in Missa, the Masse, in steed of sacrum, sacred, or holie, which by the word following, communicandum, to communicate, doth shew that it may well be referred to the Sacrament.

Wherefore the crime obiected here offalsificationforeign. is vniust, and as Plato saith, wee count his reuiling as smoake that vanisheth: p. 155he doth but belch out his owne shame, as Hierome saith: Vt ructus è stomacho erumpit, & vel boni, vel mali odoris flatus indicium est, ita ex abundantia cordis os loquitur: As belching breaketh from the stomacke, and the breath is a bewrayer of good or bad smell: so the mouth speaketh of the abundance of the heart. As a stinking breath bewrayeth a bad stomacke: so foule words shew a corrupt heart.

The 6. Falsification.

SYnops. pag. 623. the Councell of Colen is alleaged to prooue the name of penance rather to betoken the chaunge of the minde and inward contrition and sorrow, then any outward satisfactorie worke: hee crieth out the Councell is falsified, because it maketh three parts of penance, contrition, confession, satisfaction. pag. 227.

The Iustification.

1. WHether this Councell maketh 3. parts of penance, is not the question, neither is it denied: and therefore hee might well hauehave for borne that large citation of the Canons of this Councell, being altogether impertinent.

2. The question being then about the vse p. 156and signification of this word penance, not about the parts thereof: this Councell is alleaged to shew that penance signifieth inward sorrow and contrition: the words are these: Penance is then truly preached, when sins are reproued by the word of God, & incutitur populo timor irae, &c. and there is smitten into the people a feare of the wrath and iudgement of God. And afterward, ex animo vere que contritis ac conuersis promittatur gratia: To them being truly and in the soule contrite and conuerted, let grace be promised. In this place no mention is made of satisfaction, and yet this inward sorrow & contrition is called penance: whether this place now doe proue, without any falsification at all, such vse of this word poenitentia, repētance, or as they say, penance, a simple and meane iudgement may easily discerne: and this hard Censor might hauehave acknowledged it, if he had not been disposed to cauil. Whom I may compare with Plutarke, to hard harted nurses: Dum sordes detergunt, carnes foreign.sauciant: While they take away the filth, they teare the flesh. So Chrysostome saith, that hee which raiseth a crime against his brother, doth as it were eate his brothers flesh: No better isforeign. this slaunderer, which feedeth himselfe by gnawing vponupon others good name, as their flesh, with his biting teeth.

p. 157The 7. Falsification.

SYnops. pag. 957. S. Augustine is alleaged, to shew that there was no such strict necessitie of fasting in his time, serm. 62. Augustine is said to be falsified, because he thought it necessarie to obserue the prescript fasts of the Church, when as he noteth Aerius of heresie for denying the same, heres. 53. he also saith it was a sinne not to fast in Lent, in the same Sermon. 62.

The Iustification.

1. IT is not true that Aerius was counted no heretike, for holding, statuta solemniter ieiunia non esse celebranda, that fasts solemnely appointed ought not to be kept: but Augustine saith, Aerius in Arrianam haeresin lapsus, propria dogmata addidisse nonnulla fertur; Aerius being fallen into the Arrian heresie, did adde some opinions of his owne: he was an heretike, because an Arrian, for the rest, he was held but a Schismatike and dogmatizer. And Augustine speaketh onelyonly of the set fasts and fasting daies of the Church, not insinuating any merite or religion to be therein: And such prescript fasts for order sake and ciuill vses, whosoeuer contemneth, is but a dogmatizer with Aerius.

p. 1582. That in Augustines time there was no such strict necessitie of fasting, as in the Popish Church (for all kind of … is not simply denied to hauehave been then, but comparatiuely such strict and superstitious necessitieExceptis diebus dominicis. as they vse) it may be easily shewed: first, because the Lords daies are exempted from the fast; but in Poperie all daies are alike tied to the Lenton fast. Secondly, they were dispensedDifference betweene the fast in Augustines time and Popish fasts. Fox 1184. withall, which by reason of their infirmitie could not fast: but in Poperie there was no such libertie, as may appeare by the storie of Frebarnes hard handling, for rosting a pigge in Lent for his wife, that longed for it, which pigge was buried by the Sum…er in Finsburie field, Fox 1184. Thirdly, Augustine saith, that where a man could not fast, almes might suffice without fasting: but in Poperie they would not …ffer a man to be released of fasting in Lent, for al…es deedes. Fourthly, Augustine saith, Nullus prandere praesumat: Let no man presume to dine in Lent. Their abstinence was the whole day, to giuegive themselues to prayer and hearing the word, not from some kinde of meates, but wholy from all meates: but this is not obserued in Poperie, and therfore their Lenton fast is not like that in Augustines time. Fiftly, then was not the fast so strictly prescribed from cheese, butter, egges, but onelyonly from flesh, as Serm. de tempor. ser. 64. Qui abstinemus à carnibus: We p. 159which abstaine from flesh, which it is lawfull to vse at other times, &c. Sixtly, they did not then fast in Lent with any opinion of merite, but to humble their bodies, and make them more fit to serue God: Tum ad Dominum &c. mens purior festinat, cum nulla crapula crassatur; Then the minde is readier for God, when it is not incras…ate with meate: but popish Lenton fast is held to be meritorious. I trust by this it appeareth, that Augustines Lent was farre differing from the popish, neither with such strict necessitie inioyned: that we may well conclude vponupon Augustines sentence: What is now become of your Lent and Ember daies, &c. for the Church knew none such in Augustines time.

3. But Augustine saith, it is a sinne not to fast in Lent: that is, as he expoundeth himselfe, when a man is knowne, non pro infirmitate non posse, sed pro gula ieiunare non velle, not to be not able to fast for his infirmitie, but not willing for gl…ttonie. This we also grant, that he which of a greedie appetite and gluttonous minde shall breake the set fasts of the Church, instituted for the exercise of prayer and hearing the word, doth sinne. Now what small cause the Libeller had to say, he malitiously, and notably abuseth Saint Augustine, I hope it is euident, he rather abuseth himselfe in suffering his tongue to range so at libertie. Plutarke could hauehave tolde him, that an euill p. 160mouth is a signe of an euill mind. Origen saith,foreign. They that speake the words of God, God openeth their mouth: qui falsum testimonium dicit, diabolus aperit os eorum: but they which vtter slaunders, the Diuell openeth their mouth. Hom. 3. in Exod.

The 8. Falsification.

WHere Bellarm. doth charge the Protestants with the heresie of Proclus: who should say, peccatum in renatis semper viuere, that sinne doth alwaies liue in the regenerate: because it is translated, that sinne doth raigne &c. in the regenerate or borne anew, he saith, that this sentence is foisted in of his owne: Libel. pag. 236. 237.

The Iustification.

HEre is neither whole sentence, nor yet a whole word foisted in, as this foister saith: but only one word translated contrarie to his humour, peccatum semper viuere, sinne alwaies to raigne, for alwaies to liue: the sense being the same. For first, I aske him what Proclus heresie was, whether that sinne did liue, that is, remaine in the regenerate, or did liue, that is, raigne in them. To say that sinne remaineth in the regenerate, is no heresie, but catholike and sound doctrine agreeable p. 161to the Scripture. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. If we say wee Sinne remaineth in the regenerate, but liueth not.hauehave no sinne, we deceiue our selues, and the truth is not in vsus. And this was one of the errors of the Pelagians: Posse esse hominem sine peccato: That a man may be here without sin: which Augustine confuteth, epist. 89. quaest. 1. by that place of Iohn: and further he saith, Omnibus est necessaria oratio Dominica: The Lords Prayer is necessarie for all, where wee pray, forgiue vsus our sinnes. This doctrine is confirmed by your owne Decrees: Distin. 25. c. 3. in gloss. out of Hierome: Res contra naturam pene est, vt sine peccato aliquis sit: It is almost against nature, that a man should be without sinne. Likewise, Distin. 81. c. 1. caus. 33. distinct. 2. de poenitent. c. 40. how then could Proclus be iudged an heretike, in saying that sinne remained in the regenerate, which the Catholike Church did also hold?

Wherefore his meaning was, that sinne did liue, that is, raigne in the regenerate: much like to the heresie of the Eunomians, that did teach, that the committing of neuer so great sinnes should not hurt a man, if he were of their faith, Augustin. haeres. 54. and so they did suffer sinne to raigne in their disciples.

Secondly, in Scripture for sinne to raigne or liue in vsus, is taken for all one: as Rom. 7. vers. 9. Sinne (saith the Apostle) reuiued, which he expoundeth vers. 14. I am carnall and sold vnderunder sinne: the Apostle here speaketh of p. 162himselfe, when he was yet vncalled: for sinne then to liue or reuiue in vsus, is to be sold vntounto sinne. And againe, Rom. 6. 1. We that are dead vntounto sinne, how shall we liue still therein? And afterwardThe liuing of sinne, and raigning of sinne, all one. hee expoundeth what it is to liue in sinne: vers. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies. So then to liue in sinne, or sinne to liue in vsus, is for sinne to raigne in vsus. Thus Augustine interpreteth the Apostle: Qui mortui sumus peccato, &c. eum describit, qui est sub gratia constitutus: cui autem dominatur peccatum &c. adhuc sub lege est: We that are dead to sinne, how shall we liue therein? He describeth him which is vnderunder grace, but he, in whom sinne ruleth, &c. is vnderunder the law, not vnderunder grace, in 6. ad Roman. He then which is vnderunder grace, or regenerate, liueth not in sin, nor sinne liueth in him: he that is not vnderunder grace then hath sinne both liuing and raigning in him. The Apostle also saith, Rom. 12. vers. 11. Ye are dead to sinne, but are aliue to God. There cannot be both a death of sinne and a life of sinne together in the regenerate. It is then I trust sufficiently cleered, that the liuing of sinne and raigning of sinne is all one.

Now (thou accuser of the brethren, whosoeuer thou art) take your choise, if Proclus by the liuing of the sinne in the regenerate, meaneth raigning, then are wee no heretikes, for so wee hold not: if by liuing, he vnderstandeth p. 163the being of sinne: then are you heretikes, if you denie it. Your hereticall liuerie then take to your selfe, it is fittest for your shoulders, that first shaped it and cut out the cloath: your liuerie may well be heresie, and your cognisance, hypocrisie: be not offended, if you carrie away that you bring: Si dixeris foreign.quod vis, audies quod non vis: If you speake what you will, you shall heare what you would not: as Homer saith, What you speake, the same shall you heare againe. The Pelagians obiected against Hierome, that he was an heretike: I answere you, as he answered them: Egone haereticus, quare ergo me haeretici non amant? Am I an heretike, wherefore then doe not heretikes (such as you are) louelove me? lib. 3. aduers. Pelagian.

The 9. Falsification.

WHereas Augustine is alleaged, Tetrastyl. pag. 97. in these words: The pompe of funerals, the rites and solemnities of buriall, are comforts of the liuing, no helpe to the dead: let men therefore performe this last dutie to their friends. Serm. de verb. Apostol. 34. to shew, that though Augustine seemeth somewhat to be infected with the error of prayer for the dead, yet sometime his speech soundeth to the contrarie: hereupon these outcries and exclamations are made:

p. 1641. That prayer for the dead is Catholike doctrine, seeing it was beleeued in the pure time of the Primitiue Church, and the contrarie opinion by Epiphanius and Augustine sentenced for heresie in Aerius, Libel. p. 239.

2. That Augustine is pitifully mangled and maimed, many of his sentences being left out. pag. 240.

3. That the words are wickedly peruerted by false translation.

4. It is a most plaine place against the Protestants, to prooue prayer for the soules departed. pag. 242.

The Iustification.

FIrst, neither was Aerius held an heretike by Augustine, for denying prayer for the dead: but thus he said of him, as I hauehave shewed before, that, in Arrianorum haeresim lapsus propria quoque dogmata addidisse nonnulla fertur: That hee is reported to hauehave fallen into the heresie of the Arrians, and to hauehave added certaine opinions of his owne, Haeres. 53. He calleth it not heresie, but dogma, an opinion or sentence: he was counted an heretike because h… was an Arrian.

Neither yet in the pure time of the Primitiue Church was prayer for the dead generally beleeued, as I hauehave proued before in the answere to contradict. 8. 4. p. art. 2. And this p. 165may further appeare, because Bellarmine citeth no Canon more ancient for this matter, then from the third Carthaginian Councel, Can. 29. which was aboue 420. yeeres after Christ: but so long wee hold not the pure time of the Primitiue Church to hauehave continued, which extended not much beyond the age of the Apostles, if you speake of the purest times thereof. And that Canon maketh no mention of prayer for the dead, but onelyonly of the commendation or commemoration of the dead: Si defunctorum commendatio facienda est, &c.

Secondly, it is confessed, y^t many sentences of Augustine are left out, that seeme to make for prayer for the dead. But what then? first, whereas it is graunted that Augustine held that error, to what purpose should his words be alleaged to proue that which was not denied. Secondly, whereas it was affirmed, that sometime his speech soundeth to the contrarie, was he bound to alleage any but these words, which seemed so to sound? Thirdly, and further whereas the reporter of Augustine, breaketh off the sentence at these words, they are the comforts of the liuing, no helpe to the dead, and leaueth the rest that followeth: hath he not herein Augustines owne example, who repeating the same words and sentence himselfe, with very little alteration, libr. de cur. pro mortuis cap. 2. proceedeth no further, but then p. 166addeth other words: for there he saith thus: Curatio funeris, conditio sepulturae, pompa exequiarum magis viuorum solatia sunt, quam subsidia mortuorum: The manner of sepulture, pompe of exequies are rather comforts of the liuing, then helpes of the dead. And there hee breaketh off, no further following the course of his speech in the 34. Serm. Fourthly, but what if the Libeller himself hath mangled Augustines sentence, clipping off that which maketh against him: as these words that follow: Non ergo mortuis noua merita Falsification.comparantur, cum pro eis boni aliquid impendunt sui, sed eorum praecedentibus consequentia ista redduntur: Therefore new merits are not obtained for the dead, when their friends bestow some good vponupon them, but these merits following are rendred for the other going before. And againe, Et ideo istam finiens quis que vitam, nisi quod meruit in ipsa, non poterit habere post ipsam: And therefore eueryevery man ending this life, cannot hauehave after it, but that hee wrought or merited in it. What reason had this (Carper) now to leaue out all these words, which shew that nothing is added vntounto the state of the dead, but what they procured while they liued: which sheweth that prayer for the dead is vaine and superfluous, if nothing thereby be obtained for the dead, which they had not before. Is not now hee himself become a clipper of Augustines coine, p. 167and a falsifier of him, and so is truly guiltie of that crime, wherewith vntruly he chargeth another?

Thirdly, he crieth out of false dealing, because agmina exequiarum, is translated, the rites and solemnities of buriall, wheras he thinketh he plaieth the better translator to say, the multitude of people attending vponupon the funerals. Now sir, let vsus see who hath translated best. Againe, you interprete, companies or multitudes: but the other rather readeth solemnities, as Augustine elsewhere interpreteth himself, saying, pompa exequiarum, the pom… or solemnitie of the exequies, de cura pro mortuis cap. 2. and yet the word solemnities implieth also companies or multitudes, without whom there can be no solemnitie.

All the difference then is about this word exequiarum, you English it, attending vponupon funerals: the other, the rites of buriall. Now sir, is there any, not word, but syllable here that signifieth attending? Then attend what I say, your selfe, and no bodie els (sir Corrector) hauehave falsely translated. But let vsus now briefly see, whether this word exequiae, doe signifie the rites of burial, and prayer among the rest. Concil. Toletan. 3. c. 22. Cum Psalmis tantummodo & psallentium vocibus debere ad sepulchra deferri, &c. They that are departed must bee brought to the graue with Psalmes and voyces of singers. Arelatens. 3. in fine: Si quis cantare p. 168desideret Kyrieleson, cantet: If any man desire to sing Kyrieleson, Lord hauehave merciemercy on vsus, let him sing. This was one rite of the solemnitie th…re prescribed for the funerals of the dead. Sext. decret. lib. 1. tit. 6. c. 3. Gregor. 10. Vt solemnibus pro eo celebratis exequijs &c. humiles preces fundantur ad Dominum: That …olemne exequies being celebrate (for the Pope deceased) humble prayers should bee powred out. I hope these places doe cleere this point, that exequies are the rites of buriall, and that prayer and thanksgiuing be…ng to those rites.

Fourthly, this place hee saith, maketh not for the Protestants, but against them.

First, hee hath not answered those arguments from hence enforced: the rites and solemnities of the buriall are comforts of the liuing, they helpe not the dead, prayer is of the rites of buriall: Ergo, it helpeth not the dead. To this he answereth nothing: but see good Reader, pag. 244. where our intent is not to denie the scope of Augustines discourse, but onelyonly to shew, that some of his speeches sound otherwise. By the same collection, officia postremi muneris, the offices of the last dutie, erga suos, toward theirs, not suorum corpora, the bodies of theirs, may carrie a sound contrarie to the discourse, that prayer being one of the rites of buriall, is one of the last duties to be performed.

p. 169Secondly, neither is this so pregnant a place as he thinketh, for popish praier for the dead: for it shall appeare that there is great difference betweene this kinde of commemoration for the dead, which Augustine here speaketh of, and that which they vse.

1. He saith, Fideles quando moriuntur paululum No Purgatory beleeued in Augustines time.à nobis abire, & transire ad meliora: That the faithfull that die, goe away for a while, and passe to a better place: Ergo, not to purgatorie: for that is no better place: neither is it, fidei gaudium, a reioy cing or ioy of faith, as Augustine also saith, that our friends goe to be tormented in purgatorie: they thē praied not for the soules of the dead as broyling in purgatorie, as the Church of Rome doth.

2. Whereas Augustine saith, This receiued from our fathers the whole Church obserueth, that for those which die in the communion of the bodie and blood of Christ, when as they are rehearsed, commemorantur, in their place, ad sacrificium ipsum, at the sacrifice, it should be prayed for. He gathereth from hence, that this was the generall practise of the Church toDifference betweene commemoration, and commendation of the dead, and prayer for the dead. pray for the dead: whereas this onelyonly is shewed, that their names that were departed, were commemorated in the sacrifice, or Sacrament so called (because then they offered vp the spirituall sacrifice of praise & thanksgiuing, whereof it is called the Eucharist) and this commemoration, and commendation p. 170of the dead (both which words Augustine vseth here) was as the common prayers, requests and desires of the Church for them.

3. He saith here, that mortuis noua merita No new merits obtained for the dead, by the prayers of the liuing.non acquiruntur, that new merits are not by these prayers obtained for the dead. If the simple people were so taught in the popish church, they would not greatly care for their Masses and Dirges, when they are gone: but Augustine for that, thus answereth, that while they liued they obtained, vt possint eis haec vtilia esse post mortem, that these things may profit them, when they are dead. But I pray you, if the worthines of the dead, while they liued, do make the prayers of the liuing auaileable; was it not much more effectuall to make their own prayers auaileable for themselues, while they liued, that they should not neede any prayers, when they are dead? This deuice will slake the prayers of the liuing one for another for if it bee so that my acceptance with God maketh another mans prayers acceptable for me, and he rather doth not make me better accepted with God, what neede should I hauehave of his prayers, seeing my acceptance with God will as soone make mine owne prayers acceptable as the prayers of another? Yea further let this be marked, that their Masses are not auaileable for the dead absolutely, but with a condition, if they were worthie while they liued, to hauehave Masses p. 171said for them when they are dead: then the vertue and worthines of your Masses must depend vponupon the vertue and worthines of those for whom they are said or sung. If you would open this secret to your blind ignorant people, they would little regard your Trentals, Obites, Masses of Requiem, when they are gone.

4. It then appeareth, that if the Church vsed to pray for the faithfull gone to heauen, if they made commemoration and rehearsall of them, yet thinking that they procured no new merit or fauour for them: then it followeth, that those prayers were not made vponupon any necessitie, but rather of a tender compassion, piety and pitie toward the dead: as Augustine here calleth them, piae chordae Prayer for the dead of pitie, rather thē necessitie in Augustines time.charorum: the tender and deuout hearts of their deare friends. Thus much Augustine sheweth, Confess. lib. 9. cap. 13. that his mother dying, Tantummodo memoriam sui ad altare tuum fieri desyderauit: OnelyOnly desired that remembrance of her might bee made at thine altar, and no otherwise. And though Augustine prayed for her: he saith, Credo, quod iam feceris, quod rogo, sed voluntaria oris mei approba Domine: I beleeue, that thou hast alreadie done, that which I pray for, but approue the voluntaries of my mouth. He therfore prayeth for his mother rather to shew p. 172his pietie and dutie toward her, then of any necessitie.

Thirdly, now because, this (vncharitable Censor) vaunteth of Augustine, as being wholy theirs for prayer for the dead, I will therefore at large shew what may be gathered out of that learned Fathers workes concerning this matter, and draw from thence most strong and inuincible reasons against this superstitious vse.

First, it is superfluous to pray either for theReasons out of Augustine, against prayer for the dead. blessed in heauen or damned in hell: as Augustine saith, Qui orat pro martyre iniuriam facit martyri; qui orat pro damnatis, nequaquam impetrabit: Hee that prayeth for a martyr, doth wrong to the martyr; he that prayeth for the damned, shall not obtaine: ad fratres in erem. serm. 42. But after this life all are either in heauen or hell, blessed or damned, because there are but two places after this life:Augustine knoweth no third place beside heauen and hell. Duae habitationes, vna in igne aeterno, altera in regno aeterno: There are but two habitations, one in euerlasting fire, another in the euerlasting kingdome, de verb. Apost. ser. 18. Beside these two places: Tertium penitus ignoramus, imo nec esse in scripturis sanctis reperimus: The third place wee are vtterly ignorant of, nay we finde it not in the holie Scriptures. But it will bee obiected that Augustines meaning is, that there shall be but two places at the p. 173day of iudgement, not presently after this life. Ans. Augustine saith: Sub omnipotentis manu tria sunt facta habitacula, primum regnum coelorum, imum infernus, medium mundus praesens: There are three tabernacles made by the hand of the omnipotent: the first, the kingdome of heauen; the lowest, hell; the middest, this present world, cap. 1. de triplie. habitac. He speaketh of the places, that are now present: but if this book shall be doubted of, he saith in another place, in Psal. 57. Est quaedam poena futura ignis gehennae, ignis aeternus: futura enim poena duas habet species, aut inferorum est vbi ardebat diues ille, &c. & altera est in fine, de qua audituri sunt, &c. There is a certaine punishment to come, the fire of hel, fire euerlasting: this punishmēt to come hath two kindes, either it is hell, where the rich man burned, &c. another shall be in the end, whereof they shall heare which shall be placed at the left hand, goe into euerlasting fire. What now is become of your third kind of fire and punishment in purgatorie?

The conclusion followeth, that it is in vain and superfluous to pray for the dead, seeing they are either in heauen or in hell.

Argum. 2. If nothing profit the dead, but what they did themselues, when they were aliue, then the prayers of the liuing cannot profit them now they are dead, for it is none of their acts, neither are they now aliue.

p. 174But the first is true by the testimonie ofNo man profited being dead, but by that which he did in his life. Augustine: Ad spiritus mortuorum non peruenit, nisi quod viui secum fecerunt, &c. Nothing commeth to the spirits of the dead, but what they did with themselues being aliue: if then they did it not when they were aliue, nothing commeth to the dead: in Psal. 48. con. 1. Ergo, the prayers of the liuing doe not profit the dead.

Argum. 3. If the state of the dead cannot be altered, but in what condition soeuer they die, in the same they rise to iudgement: then it followeth, that prayer is in vaine for the dead.

But the first is affirmed by Augustine: Vnusquis que cum causa sua dormit, cum causa sua surgit: EueryEvery man sleepeth with his cause, and riseth with his cause. Tract. in Ioann. 49, Redimite vos ipsi dum viuitis, quia post mortem nemo vos redimere potest: Redeeme your selues while you liue, for after death no man can redeeme you. De rectitud. Catholic. conuersat. tom. 9. Quales in die isto quisque moritur, talis in die illo iudicabitur: As a man dieth in this day, so shal he be iudged in that day, epist. 80. ad Hesych.

Ergo, prayers are not auaileable for the dead.

Argum. 4. That which a man hath obtainedThe soule at rest presently after death if euer. already, if euer hee shall obtaine it, is in vaine prayed for. The soules of the departed p. 175are presently at rest, if they be counted worthie. August. Requiem, quae continuo post mortem datur, si ea dignus est, tum accipit quis que cum moritur: Rest, which is presently giuen after death, eueryevery one euen then receiueth, if hee be worthie, when he dieth, tract. in Ioann. 49. Ergo, it is in vaine to pray for the rest of their soules.

Argum. 5. He that departeth this life without sin, needeth not afterward to be prayedSinne is only forgiuen in this life. for, to be forgiuen his sinne: but eueryevery one that shall be saued, goeth foorth of this life without sinne. Augustin. epist. 89. ad Hilar. qu. 1. He that assisted by the grace of God, doth abstaine from those sins which are called crimes, and those sinnes without the which a man liueth not here, doth not neglect to cleanse by the workes of merciemercy, and godly prayers, merebitur hinc exire sine peccato, quamuis cum hic viueret habuerit nonnulla peccata: quia sicut ista non defuerunt, ita remedia quibus purgarentur, adfuerunt: shall procure to goe out hence without sin, although while he liued here he had some sinnes: for as these things were not wanting, so the remedies, whereby they are purged, were present. But what if a man neglect to vse these remedies while he liueth? certainly he is depriued of them for euer, hee cannot hauehave them afterward. Augustine saith, Noli differre ò homo remedia salutis tuae, quia nescis, quando anima à te repetatur: Deferre not O man, the p. 176remedies of thy saluation, for thou knowest not when thy soule shall be taken from thee.

Ergo, if he that is saued hath his sins forgiuen him before hee goe hence, prayer for pardon afterward is superfluous.

Argum. 6. Where there is no remission of sinnes, nor effectual repentance, there prayer for remission is in vaine.

But after death, there is neither remission,No repentance vntounto remission of sinnes after death. nor yet true repentance. Aug. de temp. serm. 66. Tempus est nunc remissionis poenitentibus, sed tempus erit post mortem vindicationis, negligentibus confiteri peccata: Now is the accept…ble time, the time of saluation, now is the time for remission to the penitent, but after death shall be the time of reuenge to all those that neglected to confesse their sinnes. Serm. 181. cap. 16. Cum abducti fuerimus ab hoc seculo, ibi poenitebit nos, sed nulla est vtilitas poenitentiae: When we are caried out of this world, there it shall repent vsus, but there shall be no vtilitie or profit of our repentance.

Ergo, prayer for remission of sinnes is in vaine, when it cannot be had.

Argum. 7. EueryEvery man dieth either penitentlyNo hope for the impenitent after death. or impenitently: if he die penitently, all his sinnes are forgiuen him. August. serm. 181. cap. 16. Donec sumus in hac vita, quantacun que nobis acciderint peccata possibile est omnia ablui per poenitentiam: As long as we liue in this life, it is possible for all our sinnes how p. 177great soeuer to bee washed away by repentance. For such therfore prayer is superfluous: if a man die without repentance, prayer can not helpe them, because they enter into damnation. Si sine poenitentia mortui fuerint; non veniunt ad vitam, sed praecipitantur ad mortem: If they die without repentance, they come not to life, but are cast headlong to death, sermon. 217.

Ergo, prayer is profitable to none that are departed.

Argum. 8. After iudgement prayers helpe not. August. Non post iudicium patet precum, aut meritorum locus: There is no place for prayer or merite after iudgement, serm. 22. in Matth. But in death eueryevery man receiueth his iudgement. Aug. in Psa. 32. Misericordiae tempus modo est, iudicij post erit: Now is the time of merciemercy, the time of iudgement shall be afterward: Qualis exieris ex hac vita, redderis illi: As you goe out of this world, so shal you be presented vntounto God, in Psal. 36. 1.

Ergo, after death there is no place for prayers.

I could produce no lesse, then an hundred of such places out of Augustine, to shew, that there is no vtilitie or profit comming to the dead by the prayers of the liuing: but these may suffice. Wherefore then (will it be said) doth Augustine allow prayer for the dead? I answere, that they did it in some commiseration p. 178and tender affection, not of any necessitie, as I shewed before: and then prayer for the dead was farre differing from popish Dirges, and Masses of Requiem, as is before declared.

And what if Augustine, or any other Father of the Church, doth seeme to like and approue prayer for the dead? that is no sufficient warrant, vnlesse they can shew their ground out of Scripture. And this iudgement Augustine himselfe would hauehave vsed toward his writings: Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae, procedat in medium codex Dei: audi Christum dicentem, audi veritatem loquentem: Let our writings bee taken out of the way, let the booke of God be brought forth: heare Christ saying, heare the trueth speaking, in Psal. 57. Wherefore neither the opinion of Augustine, nor of any other Doctor ought to bind vsus without authoritie of scripture, which in this point of prayer for the dead, faileth.

Whereas then the Libeller thinketh, that these words, which were sorted out of Augustine, doe little make against prayer for the dead; indeede it may well be, that more pregnant places might hauehave been produced out of Augustine, to that end, as any of these before alleaged: yet howsoeuer, for any thing he hath said for himself, there remaineth some life in those obiections still, and the partie p. 179traduced is cleered of the crime of falsification, which cleaueth fast as pitch to the traducers face. As for his vngodly blasphemies of malicious and wilfull corruptions, shaking hand with death, detest such a malicious Minister, they do as a filthie some bewray his cankred and corrupt heart, with whom he seemeth to hauehave shaken both hand and heart, that is, the father of lies, and accuser of the brethren. And thus we see how this, foreign, sophister of many heads, as Plato saith, turneth himselfe from lying to railing, from railing to falsifying, from that to bragging, and so becommeth at the last audacious & past shame. But as Lysias said: They that often offend are most readie to lie. So it is no marueile that heeforeign. spareth not to vtter so many vntrueths, that maketh no conscience of offending other waies: his booke eueryevery where breathing out nothing els, but vniust accusations, vncharitable surmises, sophisticall cauils, intolerable railings. I would hee had considered well, when his pen was going, that saying of Hierome: Peccare est hominis, insidias tendere diaboli: To sin of frailtie, is of man; but maliciously to lie in waite, is of the diuell.

The 10. Falsification.

WHereas Augustine is cited, Tetrastyl. p. 100. out of libr. 22. de ciuitat. p. 180Dei cap. 10. against the inuocation of Saints, these exceptions are taken.

1. That diuers of Augustines words, that set foorth the sacrifice of the Altar, are left out, lib. pag. 249.

2. Augustine speaketh of that inuocation, which is due onelyonly to God: so that his meaning is, that the Martyrs are not inuocated as God. Libel. pag. 252.

3. Augustine speaketh not of the spiritual sacrifice of prayer, but of the externall sacrifice of the Altar.

4. Augustine is declared to allow inuocation to Saints: lib. 6. de Baptis. cont. Donatist. cap. 1. de cura pro mortuis. cap. 4. lib. 22. de ciuit. Dei cap. 8.

The Iustification.

1. FIrst, if that the rest of the words following in Augustine had plainly set foorth your imagined sacrifice of the Altar, was there any cause to alleage them, seeing the question was onelyonly of the inuocation of Saints? you shew your selfe a fit man to write of controuersies, that would bring in by head and shoulders, whatsoeuer you finde in your way, though neuer so impertinent to the cause.

2. But what if he himself is the falsifier, leauing out the most materiall words, that take p. 181away his hold for the sacrifice of the Altar, may not hee be counted a shamelesse man, that in the same place, where he obiecteth a fault to another, committeth the same himselfe? But this he doth: for whereas Augustine endeth thus: Ipsum vero sacrificium corpus est A Falsifier.Christi, quod nō offertur ipsis, quia hoc sunt & ipsi: But the sacrifice it selfe is the body of Christ, which is not offered to them (the Martyrs) because they themselues are the same (body:) he hath cleane pared away, these last words, because they themselues are the same, and supplieth them with an &c. this hee doth p. 248. and blusheth not a whit at it.

Now in these words lieth hidden the whole sense: the Martyrs are the same bodie (or as learned Viues expoundeth) ex Christi corpore, of Christs body, which is the sacrifice. And that this is Augustines meaning, it doth elsewhere appeare: as libr. 10. de ciuit. Dei cap. 6. Hoc est sacrificium Christianorum, multi vnum corpus sumus in Christo: quod etiam sacramento The Martyrs are Christs body.altaris fidelibus noto frequentat ecclesia, vbi ei demonstratur, quod in ea oblatione, quam offert, ipsa offeratur: This is the sacrifice of Christians, wee are many one bodie in Christ: which in the sacrament of the Altar knowne to the faithfull the Church frequenteth, that in the oblation, which she offereth, she her selfe is offered. So then that bodie of Christ is the sacrifice, wherof the Martyrs are members. p. 182Is this any other then the mysticall bodie of Christs Church? But how is the church otherwise offered vp in sacrifice, then by their spiritual sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing? Thus then standeth Augustines reason: The Martyrs cannot be both the sacrifice, and the partie to whom the sacrifice is offered; but they are the sacrifice, that is, part of the mysticall bodie of Christ, which is commended vntounto God by their spirituall sacrifice of prayer. If hee can shew vsus how the Martyrs are a piece of Christs naturall bodie, then will we beleeue him, that this maketh for the sacrifice which he vrgeth of Christs naturall bodie.

2. Secondly, his euasion is, that they are not inuocated in the sacrifice of Christs bodie, which hindreth not, but in other publike prayers they may: and hee insinuateth, that they may bee inuocated, with an inferiour kind of inuocation, beside that which is proper to God, as we pray men in earth to be int…r cessors for vsus.

Contra. 1. S. Augustine saith, at which sacrifice, as the men of God, that by their confession hauehave ouercome the world, in their place and order are named, but not of the Priest, which sacrificeth inuocated. When is it most like they should be inuocated, but when they are named? if not, when they are named, then sure not at all. 2. And though the very act of the sacrifice p. 183be not offered vntounto them, yet in the publike prayers then vsed beside, they might be in…ocated, but now they are not: wherfore there is no place for this inuocation in publike prayers. 3. And why doe ye popish priests now inuocate Saints and Martyrs in the CanonContradiction. of your Masse, if they are not to bee prayed vntounto in the sacrifice of the Altar? See how wel your sayings and doings, your prating and practise hangeth together: for doth not the priest thus say in the Masse: Worshipping the memoriall of the Virgin, by whose merits and prayers graunt wee may be defended? And say they not likewise in the Masse of Leo: We pray thee Lord, vt intercessione beati Leonis haec nobis prosit oblatio, that by the intercession of blessed Leo this oblation may profit vsus? Decret. Greg. lib. 3. tit. 41. c. 6.

2. Where learne you in the Scripture toBut one kind of religious inuocation. make diuers kindes of religious inuocation? I am sure the Apostle saith, How can they call vponupon him, on whom they hauehave not beleeued? Roman. 10. 14. There is no inuocation without beleefe, but wee must onelyonly beleeue in God. Ioh. 14. 1. You beleeue in God, beleeue also in me. As for the request which we make to our brethren to pray for vsus in earth, it is but a ciuill obseruation: if ye demaund no more to be yeelded to the Saints, we shall be soone agreed.

3. Thirdly, here is no mention made at al▪ p. 184of the sacrifice of the Altar, or of any externall sacrifice offered to God. He saith, Sacrificium-immolamus, we doe offer vp sacrifice: which phrase Augustine elsewhere appliethAugustine speaketh of spirituall sacrifice. to spirituall sacrifice: as lib. 5. cap. 24. de ciuitat Dei: Si pro suis peccatis humilitatis, miserationis, & orationis sacrificium deo suo immolar… non negligunt, &c. If they neglect not to immolate or offer the sacrifice of humilitie, sorrow, merciemercy or pitie (we will not striue about words) (it signifieth pitie proceeding of sorrow and griefe) and of prayer, &c. all which are spirituall sacrifices. Yea if you be remembred, or hauehave sung your first Masse, your own mouth then said in the Canon, Offerimus tibi hoc sacrificium laudis: We offer vntounto thee this sacrifice of praise. Your owne Masse booke will tell you why the Eucharist is called a sacrifice, because therein praise and thanksgiuing is offered vntounto God.

4. Fourthly, whereas he would faine win Augustines fauour to be of his side, I will first shew how much without cause they presume of Augustines kindnes, and then answere to the allegations by him produced.

1. Nu…quid aliquis apostolorum dicere auderet, qui credit in me, non credit in me, sed in illum qui misit me? credimus enim apostolo, non We must not beleeue in the Apostles.credimus in apostolum: non enim apostolus iustificat impium, &c. Did any of the Apostles dare to say, he that beleeueth in me, doth not beleeue p. 185in me, but in him that sent me? we beleeue the Apostle, not in the Apostle: for the Apostle doth not iustifie the wicked, but to him that beleeueth in him that iustifieth the wicked, faith is imputed for righteousnesse: in Ioann. 54. If then it bee not lawfull to beleeue in the Apostles, then not to pray to them. Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call vponupon him, in whom they hauehave not beleeued?

2. De ciuitat. Dei libr. 8. cap. 27. Nec tamen Augustine against Prayer to Saints.no… ijsdem martyribus templa, sacerdotia, sacra & sacrificia constituimus &c. honoramus eorū memorias tanquam sanctorum hominum dei &c. quis autem audiuit aliquando fidelium stantem sacerdotem ad altare, &c. dicere in precibus, offero tibi sacrificium Petre, vel Paule, vel Cypriane, cum apud eorū memorias offeratur Deo, &c. quaecun que igitur adhibentur religiosorum obsequia in martyrum locis ornamenta sunt memoriarum, non sacra vel sacrificia mortuorum tanquam deorum: Neither do we appoint Churches, Priests, holie things and sacrifices to Martyrs, &c. we honour their memorie as of holie men, &c. who of the faithful euer heard the priest standing at the Altar built vponupon the bodie of a Martyr to the honour of God, say in his prayers, I offer to thee Peter, Paul, or Cyprian a sacrifice, when at their memories they offer to God: what seruice soeuer then is done of the deuout, in the places of p. 186Martyrs, are ornaments of their memories, not sacrifices of the dead as of Gods.

3. Serm. 14. de natali Domini. Inuoca Virgo sancta Deum tuum, Dauid patrem tuum, non illum Dauid adulterio fuscatum, &c. Holy virgin call vponupon thy God, Dauid thy father, not that Dauid polluted with adulterie, but that Dauid which stroue with the diuell. If Dauid be not to be prayed vntounto, what priuiledge hauehave the Saints of the new Testament more then they of the old?

4. Ser. 6. de Steph. Exaudi me sancte meus, virginis filius, ad me exaudiendum vnus: Heare me my holie Lord sonne of the virgin, one or alone sufficient, to heare me. If Christ alone heare vsus, Saints are not appointed to heare vsus, nor we to pray to them.

5. Cont. Faustum lib. 20. cap. 21. Quis antistitum in locis sanctorum corporum assistens altari aliquando dixit, offerimus tibi Petre, Paule, vel Cypriane, sed quod offertur offertur Deo, &c. Which of the Ministers standing by the Altar in the places of the Saints euer said, we offer vntounto thee Peter, Paul, or Cypriane, but that which is offered is offered to God, &c. And againe, Colimus martyres eo cultu dilectionis & societatis, quo in hac vita coluntur homines Dei, &c. We worship Martyrs with the same worship of dilection and fellowship, wherewith holie men are worshipped in this life. A ciuill p. 187adoration then, such as is due vntounto men, is toHow Saints are to be honoured. be yeelded to the Saints departed, and no other:

6. De vera religion. cap. 55. Non nobis sit religio cultus hominum mortuorum, &c. honorandi sunt propter imitationem, non adorandi propter religionem, &c. quare honoramus eos charitate non seruitute, &c. The worship of the dead is no religion vntounto vsus, &c. they are to be honoured for imitation, not to bee adored for religion, &c. wherfore we honour them with louelove, not with seruice. Here all religious seruice is denied to Saints, and consequently prayer, which is a part of religious worship. By these testimonies then alleaged it appeareth, what Augustines minde was of the inuocation of Saints.

Secondly, to answere to the places obiected.

First, where Augustine saith: Adiuuet nos orationibus suis, &c. Let him helpe vsus with his prayers, speaking of Cyprian, lib. 7. de Baptis. cont. Donatist. cap. 1. (not lib. 6. as he hath erroniously noted in the margin) this sheweth not that Augustine did inuocate Cyprian: hee doth not say, Sancte Cypriane, Holy Cypriane pray for me: for he, as is before alleaged, testifieth, that no priest thus saith in his praiers. But hereby Augustine declareth the communion betweene the Church triumphant and militant, that they wish well vntounto vsus, and do p. 188long to see vsus in their state. And thus Augustine expoundeth himselfe lib. 5. de Baptis. c. 17. speaking of Cyprian: Praesens est non solum per literas, sed per ipsam, quae in illo maxime viguit, An entercourse of louelove betweene the members of the triumphant and militant Church.charitatem, &c. cui ego inhaerere & conglutinari desyderans, orationibus eius adiutus: Hee is present not onelyonly by his letters, but by that charitie which did most flourish in him: which charitie I desire to bee ioyned vntounto, helped with his prayers. This then sheweth nothing els, but a charitable entercourse betweene the members of the triumphant and militant Church, that as we giuegive thankes for their deliuerance, so they doe long for ours, and wish the same. So Augustine in another place: Ergo sancti non petunt pro nobis, &c. Do not then the Saints pray for vsus? doe not the Bishops & ministers pray for the people? yea marke y^• Scriptures, the Apostles pray for the people, the people for the Apostles. Inuicem pro se omnia membra orent, caput pro omnibus interpellet: Let all the members pray one for another, and the head make intercession for all, in epist. Ioann. tract. 1. It is not then all one to say the Saints pray for vsus in their desires vntounto God, and we must pray to them.

Secondly, where Augustine is alleaged, de cur. pro mortuis cap. 4. The affection of him that prayeth and remembreth, doth commend his beloued soule to the Martyr: This sheweth not, that humble supplication was then made to p. 189Martyrs, but that in their affection and desire, they wished to hauehave the assistance of Martyrs: as Augustine elsewhere in Psal. 69. Audiamus Martyres & loquamur cum eis ex affectu cordis: Let vsus heare the Martyrs and speake with them out of the affection of the heart. Wee then no otherwise speake to the Martyrs, then they speake to vsus and we heare them, that is in our affection, denotion and desire.

Thirdly, concerning that place cited out of lib. 22. de ciuitat Dei cap. 8. I answere, that many fabulous reports are foisted into that chapter, and so thinketh Lodouicus Viues in his annotations there: In hoc capite non dubium (saith he) quin multa addita ab ijs, qui omnia magnorum authorū scripta spurcis suis manibus contaminabant: No doubt but in this chapter many things are added by way of declaration by those, which with their vncleane hands defiled all the writings of great authors. This may serue as answere to your counterfiet Augustine: other reasons I could shew, to proue these stories counterfeit, but neither time now, nor place here serueth.

And what if Augustine notwithstanding or any other Father might bee produced directly to speake for the inuocation of Saints, if they hauehave not Scripture on their side, as we are sure in this matter they hauehave not, wee are not to heare them. Augustine himselfe saith, p. 190speaking of humane writings: Hoc genus literarum non cum credendi necessitate, sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est: This kinde of writing is to bee read not with necessitie of beleeuing, but with libertie of iudging, cont. Faust. lib. 11. cap. 5.

Now, as for cunnicatching trickes, monstrous falsification, and your plaine English lie: I say no more but with Hierome: Haec sunt sibila serpentis antiqui: These are the hissings of the old serpent, lib. 1. cont. Iouinian. I hope it now appeareth, which of the two hath best deserued the name of a falsarie: at the length your false packing is discouered, as Men…der foreign.saith: That no lier can long time be hid.

The 11. Falsification.

TEtrastyl. pag. 112. because the Pelagians opinion is reported to be this, that a man may be perfect in this life, and keepe all the commandements: he taketh a double exception.

1. That Augustine is corrupted: because he condemneth not the Pelagians for Heretikes, because they taught that men may bee perfect in this life, &c. but because they said, that iust men in this life were void of all sin, and that the commaundements might bee kept without grace.

2. The Rhemists nor any other Catholike doe hold, that a man may be so perfect in this p. 191life, as to hauehave no sinne at all, and keepe all the commandements without helpe of Gods grace. Libel. pag. 255.

The Iustification.

1. FIrst, the Pelagians did hold these two opinions: first, that a man may be perfect without sin, and keepe all the commandements of God in this life. Secondly, that a man is able to doe all this without grace by his owne free will. These two hereticall opinions Augustine in the place alleaged h…res. 88. toucheth ioyntly together: but elsewhere hee distinguisheth them sunderly: as libr. de perfect. iustit. cont. Celest. ratiocinat. 16. whereas the Pelagian had asked this question, whether a man might be without sinne: Augustine answereth: Posse esse hominem sine peccato, neque nos negamus; quando autem possit, & per quem possit, hoc quaeritur: si enim modo est, non omni animae fideli positae in corpore mortali orandum est, &c. That a man may be without sin, we denie not, but when, and by whom, that is the question: for if now, then it were not needfull for eueryevery faithfull soule placed in this mortall bodie to pray, forgiue vsus our trespasses, &c. And againe, epistol. 89. Augustine handleth these two questions seuerally: first, whether a man may attaine to that perfection in this life to be without all sinne. Secondly, p. 192whether mans free will doe suffice to keepe all the commandements, quaest. 2. Now then seeing the Pelagians held both these erronious assertions, it was impertinent to produce that opinion, which to the aduersarie was not obiected. These being then two errors of the Pelagians, that all the commaundements may be kept in this life, and that by free will without grace: the first onelyonly is obiected, and the other as impertinent omitted.

2. But it will bee obiected, that the Pelagians error herein was not, whether it is possible to keep the commandements, but whether one may be perfect in this life without sinne?

Ans. All these doe depend one vponupon another: for he that can keepe all the commandements is perfect, and consequently without sinne. This first is proued by the Scriptures: Iam. 3. 2. If any man sinne not in word, he is a perfect man: much more is he perfect that sinneth neither in word nor deede. Againe, 1. Ioh. 3. 4. Sinne is the transgression of the law: he then that transgresseth not the law, sinneth not: and he that transgresseth it, sinneth. If a man then keepe al the commandements, he also sinneth not. Augustine saith: Cur non De perfect. iusticiae cont. Celestin. ratio…in. 16.praeciperetur homini ista perfectio quamuis eam in hac vita nemo habeat? Why should not this perfection be commaunded, though in this life no man can hauehave it? The perfection commanded, p. 193is to keepe Gods commandements: as a little before he said; Non omni modo ex tota anima diligitur Deus: God is not here loued altogether with the whole heart. And againe, Tunc homo iustus erit: Then a man shall be iust without sinne (that is in the next life) when he shall with his whole soule louelove God. Thus Augustine confuteth Celestius the Pelagian, that affirmed it was commanded, that man should be without sinne: shewing, that man can neither be perfect in this life, with that perfection which is commanded, nor yet perfectly keepe the commandements. Hierome likewise disputing against the Pelagians that held, facilia esse Dei praecepta, that the precepts of God might be done, thus reasoneth: first, Cur ausus es dicere facilia esse, quae nullus impleuit? How dare you say they are easie to bee done, seeing no man euer kept them? Secondly, whereas they demaunded,The Lawe no man can keepe, though assisted with grace. whether the commandements were possible or impossible: he answereth: Si hoc mihi cum Christo commune, &c. If this bee common to me with Christ, that is, to hauehave no sinne, quid ille proprium habuit, what was then proper to him? Thirdly, Asseris hominē esse sine peccato si velit, &c. You say a mā may be without sin if he will, frustra conaris adiungere, non sine Dei gratia: and after an heauie sleepe to deceiue simple soules, you goe about in vaine to say, not without Gods grace: sic Hieron▪ ad Ctesiphont. p. 194Thus Hierome prooueth against the Pelagians that the commandements cannot be kept, because Christ onelyonly was without sinne: Whereupon it must be inferred, that they which keep the commandements sinne not: yea he seemeth to mislike the Pelagians assertion, that a man may be without sinne, being not without the grace of God.

To be then without sinne in this life, and to keepe the commaundements, is all one question both with Augustine and Hierome: and this differing from the other, whether free will be sufficient thereto without grace. Augustine then is neither mangled nor corrupted, when one opinion is singled from the other, and that onelyonly produced which is obiected.

3. It is one question, whether it be possible by the grace of God to be without sin and to keep all the commandements: another, whether any man, de facto, hath in act liued without sinne and kept the commaundements. The first Augustine seemeth to graunt in these words: Et si non inuenitur homo in ista vita sine peccato, id tamen dicitur posse fieri, &c. Although no man is found in this life to be without sinne, yet it may be said to be done by the helpe of Gods grace: which that it may …, wee must endeuour, we must desire: Tolerabilius in id quisque fallitur, &c. EueryEvery man herein is tolerably decciued: for p. 195it is not diabolicall impietie, but humane error, optanda affirmare, licet, quod affirmat; non possit ostendere, to affirme things to be wished, though hee cannot shew that which is affirmed: epistol. ad Innocent. Augustine seemeth to grant that it is possible by Gods grace to be without sinne in this life: for what is impossible to the grace and power of God? yet he calleth it a tolerable error, so to affirme: epistol. ad Innocent.

But concerning the other point, that the law is impossible to be kept in fact, and that no man euer fulfilled it, Bernard doth euidently witnesse: Ergo mandando impossibilia non praeuaric…tores homines fecit, sed humiles, vt omne os obstruatur, &c. Therfore by commanding things impossible, hee made not men transgressors, but humble, that eueryevery mouth should be stopped, and all the world made subiect to God, because by the works of the law no flesh shall be iustified before him. And againe: D… mihi hominem, qui ante omnia ex toto se diligat deum: GiueGive me a man that with his whole selfe loueth God, & his neighbour as himselfe: sed vbi ille, quando ista? but where is he, and when shall this be? Serm. 50. in Cantic. This was then the Catholike opinion of the Church, that no man euer in this world kept the law of God: The Pelagians held the contrarie, and so doe the Rhemists, as euen now shall be shewed.

p. 1962. Secondly, the Rhemists then are not wronged, for these are their owne words: It is possible to louelove God and keepe his commaundements, Ioh. 14. sect. 1. they make no mention here of Gods grace, though out of other places, that may bee gathered to be their meaning, we will not take them short, as this vnequall and vnfriendly Censurer vseth to do, for the omission of a word. Againe, they say, that good men doe keepe all Gods commaundements, Luk. 1. sect. 7. because the Scripture saith of Zacharie and Elizabeth, they walked in all the commaundements of God without blame: what else in effect doe the Pelagians say, when they affirme, Vitam iust…rū in hoc seculo nullum habere peccatum, that the life of the iust hath no sinne at all in this life, August. h…res. 88. For as I shewed before, to keepe all the commaundements of God, and to be without sinne, doe necessarily the one follow the other. The Pelagians also held, that aThe agreement of the Pelagians and Papists. man might be perfect in this life: alleaging that text, Matth. 5. Be perfect as your heauenly father is perfect, and such other. The Rhemists also say, that a man may be perfect in this life, Though not in respect of the absolute perfectnes in heauen: in Philip. 3. sect. 4. Neyther did the Pelagians so thinke, that a man could bee as perfect here as in heauen: for they speake of that perfection, which is commanded in Scriptures: which doe not bid vsus to be p. 197so perfect: And Augustine confesseth, that such perfection, as in commaunded in Scripture, cannot be had in this life, as I shewedDe perfection. iustit. cont. Celestium ratiocinat. 16. before: but yet it is prescribed; because as he saith, Non recte curritur, si quo currendum est nesciatur: A man cannot run well, vnlesse he know whither to runne, Quomodo autem sciretur, si nullis praeceptis ostenderetur: And how should it be knowne, if by no precepts it were shewne.

3. Thirdly, it will be obiected, that the Pelagians excluded the grace of God, so doe not the Papists.

Ans. First, though therein they ioyne not with the Pelagians, yet in the other point they doe, that the commandements of God may bee kept in this life. Secondly, neither did the Pelagians vtterlie exclude Gods grace: for Pelagius, as Augustine sheweth, being reproued for ascribing so little to the help of Gods grace, afterward qualified his opinion thus, saying, Homines facilius implere posse per gratiam: That men may more easily fulfill by grace what they are bid to doe by their free wil, Haere. 88. And some of y^e Pelagians allowed that saying: Potest homo esse sine peccato pergratiam: a man may be without sin by grace. Whereupon Augustine saith: Laetitia repente perfusus sum, quod Dei gratiam non negaret: I suddenly reioyced, because he denied not the grace of God: de natur. & grat. p. 198cap. 11. And before Hierome sheweth, that they added this to their sentence, non sine gratia Dei, not without the grace of God. And though the Church of Rome in shew seeme to ascribe more to Gods grace then the old Pelagiáns, yet they make grace but a cooperator and fellow worker with mans free will, as Bellarmine distinguisheth grace into gratiam operantem & cooperantem, working grace, and felloworking grace: lib. 2. de grat. c. 2. the Rhemists call Gods speciall motion and grace assistance, Rom. 9. sect. 4.

Now then by this that hath been said, it may appeare, that Augustine is neither corrupted in this place, nor the Rhemists falsely charged.

Therefore is the Libeller found here to be a false witnes: For as it is said in the Prouerbs 14. 5. A faithfull witnes will not lie. Theophrastus foreign.was wont to say, that we should …lie such more then Vipers: and we may say vntounto him with Hierome: Ibiprodidit vera non esse iudicia, vbi sunt mentita negotia, seque in rebus carentibus veritate, carere iudicio vero iudicat: There he hath bewrayed there can be no true iudgement, where the busines is forged, and himselfe to want iudgement, where the matter wanteth truth: ad Geruntij filias.

p. 199The 12. Falsification.

TEtrasty l. p. 142. because Bellarmine thus saying, Augustinus absurdissimum censuit, &c. is translated, Augustine thought most absurdly that the heresie of the Donatists three hundred yeeres after Christ should out of Carthage be propagated into all the earth: whereas Bellarmines words truly turned into English be these: Augustine thought it a most absurd thing, &c. and so Bellarmine is cleered from fathering a lie vponupon Augustine.

The Iustification.

1. HE that noted this out of Bellarmine, might be induced to thinke, that hee made bold with Augustine here, because elsewhere he doth the like, in charging Augustine with that which he writeth not: as libr. 1. de verb. Dei cap. 5. he saith: Augustinus in Psal. 126. & alibi saepe Salomonem à Deo reprobatum fuisse scribit: Augustine vponupon the 126. Psalme and otherwhere often times doth write, that Salomon was reprobate of God. But in that place cited by Bellarm. there is no such thing affirmed by Augustine: for in the exposition of the Psalme I finde not so much as Salomons name, and in the enarration, he onelyonly saith: Quid mirum si in populo Dei cecidit Salomon, in p. 200paradiso non cecidit Adam? &c. What marueile if Salomon fell among the people of God, did not Adam fall in paradise? and did not the Angell fall from heauen and became a diuel? He speaketh of the fall of Salomon, not of his reprobation: for if Salomon fell no otherwise then Adam, he was not a reprobate.

2. The Grammaticall construction of this sentence of Bellarmine, Augustinus absurdissimum censuit, quod haeresis Donatistarum, &c. May seeme rather to yeeld this sense, that Augustine thought most absurdly, or a most absurd thing, then that he thought it an absurd thing: for in this translation two things must be vnderstood, both the verbe, esse, to be, and hoc, or id, this: so that to make a full sense, the words must be supplied thus: Augustinus hoc absurdissimum esse censuit: Augustine thought this to bee an absurd thing, that, &c. But in the other construction there is a full sense in the words expressed, without any supplie. Now any simple Grammarian knoweth this, that the words expressed doe rather make the sense, if they be perfect, then words supplied or vnderstood. If euer the Libeller taught Grammer boyes, hee might hauehave remembred, that they are not in construction, to say, supple, or subaudi, to supplie such or such a word, where the sentence of it selfe maketh a full sense.

3. But this is no malicious dealing (Sir p. 201Grammarian) if Bellarmines sense bee as you say, to mistake his meaning, especially y^• right construction of the words bearing the same. A small ouersight is neither malicious nor shamefull. Bernard saith: Non tam simplex sum, vt simplicem oris prolationem sine cordis duplicitate mendaciū putem: I am not so simple to think the simple pronouncing of the mouth without a double heart to be a lie, epistol. 89. Bellarmine is rather to be blamed, that in such ambiguous termes sendeth his oracles from Rome, as Apollo in time past did propound his Oracles at Delphos so doubtfully, that they might hauehave a diuers meaning.

4. But what hauehave you gained, if it be yeelded to you, that Bellarmine meaneth, not that August. thought an absurd thing, but that it was an absurd thing that the heresie of the Donatists after three hundred yeeres should be propagated into all the world? For in steed of one lie, which Bellarmine is said to father vppon Augustine, now is he chargeable with three: for in that cap. 15. de vnitat. Eccles. neither the word absurdissimum, most absurd, can bee found, neither is there any mention of three hundred yeeres, nor yet is the heresie of the Donatists named: nay Augustine of purpose refraineth to call the Donatists heretikes, and their schisme heresie: Si mihi per alios vestros concederetur, schismaticos vos libentius, quam baereticos dicerem: If your fellowes would giuegive p. 202me leaue, I would more willingly call you schismatikes, then heretikes: cont. Crescon. lib. 2. cap. 7. Yea Augustine saith to him (frater Cresconi) brother Cresconius, lib. 3. cap. 63. so farre is he from calling him heretike.

And as these words are not found in Augustine, so neither is the sense: for he speaketh not of the propagation of the Donatists errors into all the world, but counteth it a ridiculous and mad part to thinke, that all the Churches in the world should faile, Et earum reparationem ex Africa per partem Donati, &c. And the same to be repaired out of Africa by the sect of Donatus.

I say then as Augustine to the Grammarian Cresconius, who contended about a Grammar point with Augustine: In quibus quatuor verbis siue nominibus, quia hoc vel tibi, vel arti Grammaticae placet, &c. primum corrigo & muto: caetera vero tria, quia verissima dicta esse iam, vt puto, sentis, vos corrigite, vos mutate: In these foure words or names, because it so liketh you and your Grammar, I will correct and chaunge the first: but the other three, which (as I thinke) your selfe see to be truly obiected, doe you chaunge and correct. Bellarmine is now much beholding vntounto you, that for one fault before noted, you hauehave caused three or foure more to be descried.

5. Lastly, I marueile at one thing, that he which plaieth here the cunning Grammarian p. 203in construing of words, s…ileth eueryevery where so grossely in letters and syllables: for in steed of (Tetrastylon) he eueryevery where writeth (Tetrastilon) there being no such word, at the least, not in that sense. So likewise in another place this skilfull Grammarian readeth the (Apocalipse) of S. Iohn, for (Apocalypse) pag. 130. lin. 14. But as for this point of Grammar construction, which hee obiecteth, though it be as he saith, I stand not much vponupon it: but as Demosthenes answered Aeschines that found fault with him, for certaine insolent speeches: Non in eo positas esse fortunas Graeciae: That the state of Greece consisted not therein, whether he vsed this word or that. So neither doth the cause of religion depend vponupon these points. And I say againe as Augustine iested with the Donatists: Nuncia vestris securitatem, ne iam timeant tanquam dialecticum, cui vides adhuc necessariam esse Grammaticam: Bid your fellowes be secure, that they feare not him as a disputer, whom they see to faile in his Grammar. And so I end this point with the same Fathers words, In ea re, in qua nihil causae nostrae minuitur, facillimum me praebeo: Wherein nothing of our cause is diminished, I passe not to yeeld my selfe.

The 13. Falsification.

TEtrastyl. p. 113. Because where the Rhemists say, Though the Gentiles beleeued p. 204specially by Gods grace and preordination, yet they beleeue also by their owne free will. The first clause is omitted, and the last onelyonly rehearsed, to fasten vppon them the heresie of the Beguardines, that say, the soule needed not the light of grace to lift it vp vntounto God: he crieth out of malice and wilfull falsification. p. 238.

The Iustification.

1. IF all these words bee put together, the meaning can be no other then this, but that though Gods grace doe more specially make men beleeue, yet they also may beleeue of their own free will, though not so specially. Such a like saying the Pelagians had: Facilius posse implere per gratiam, &c. That they may more easily fulfill by grace, what they doe by free will. Whereupon Augustine inferreth, that their opinion was, a man might worke by his free will alone, though not so easily, Haeres. 88. And this may bee gathered to bee their meaning by the words: though they beleeued specially by grace, yet they beleeue also by their free will: they speake not of the same action of beleeuing, but of diuers, they beleeued by grace, and beleeue also: the one of the time past, the other of the time present.

2. What their opinion is of the abilitie of free will, it may appeare in other places. p. 205Matth. 12. sect. 1. It is mans free will and election The Papists opinion of free will.to be a good tree or euill tree. Matth. 20. sect. 1. Men beleeue not, but of their owne free will. Matth. 25. sect. 5. Men by their free will hauehave receiued faith. Act. 27. sect. 3. God executeth not ordinarily his designements toward men, otherwise then by their free will and actions. 2. Peter 1. sect. 1. The certaintie (of Gods election) and effect thereof is procured by mans free will. If it be in mans free will, procured by mans free will, not but of mans free will, not otherwise then by mans free will; what followeth, but that mans free will can doe it alone, though not so well alone (perhaps they will say) as by grace.

3. That free will is not eleuated, lifted vp by grace, but of it own free consent, let vsus see their iudgement further. Luk. 2. sect. 2. God worketh not our good against our willes, but our willes concurring. Ioh. 1. sect. 5. Free will to receiue or acknowledge Christ, and power giuen to men if they will to be made by Christ the sonnes of God, but not forced or drawne thereunto by any necessitie. Iohn. 6. sect. 3. God by the sweete internall motions and perswasions of his grace maketh vsus of our owne will and liking to consent to the same. All this while grace draweth not the will, nor yet worketh the will, but only offereth motions and perswasions, and the will of it selfe consorteth to them, and concurreth with grace. Then it followeth, that grace p. 206doth not eleuate the will, which is to draw and worke the will, but only giueth the hint and occasion: for if grace did eleuate the will, then it must draw and worke the will, which they denie: so that in their doctrine the will doth eleuate it self of it self, to meete grace and to consent to grace of it owne power, and so consequently without grace: which their opinion is cousin german to that of the Beguardines. Therefore neither are the Rhemists words misreported, nor their sense mistaken, nor yet they wrongfully here charged.

Thus also hauehave we heard the third part of this song plaied, wee want but the fourth to make vp the melodie: but we must looke for no other stuffe, then he hath hitherto vttered. The Ephori among the Lacedemonians punished Terpander the Musition, because heforeign. stretched out but one cord higher of his harpe to varie his voyce: but what is this bold harper worthie of, that hath stretched out so many lying cords to shew his varietie of slaunders? But the further he proceedeth in this kinde, the more hee sheweth his follie. These lines and leaues are but a monument of his intemperate affection: as Crates said of the goldenforeign. image of the harlo… Phrynes at Delphos▪ that it was a monument of the intemperancie of the Greekes. But let him goe on in his kinde, and let vsus heare what hee can obiect: …ay with p. 207Hierome: Etiam tibi furenti satisfaciam: I will shape you an answere, though you be in a mad mood.