The Ancient Faith of the Romans and the Romish Religion, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
NOw as concerning the powers of our nature, we humbly acknowledge, that by our hereditarie corruption they are ſo ſtayned and polluted, that nothing but ſinne, nothing but euill can come from vsus, or be in vsus, vntill God by his ſpirit of regeneration hath made vsus new men:De tempore ſer. 48. for we cannot raiſe our ſelues from the death of ſinne, as Saint Auſten teacheth. And being regenerate, yet there are in vsus two men: The new man weak and féeble,The newman. better (in truth) in hart and courage, then in hand or power: called a new man when it is compared with the old man. But when Gods ſpirit will in déed ſet forth, how litle our ſtrength is to ſtand againſt our ſpirituall enemies, in this our ſpirituall battell, then we are called children in reſpect of our weaknes. Then alſo there is in vsus the old man,The old man. luſty and ſtrong, come to his full groweth. Betwéene theſe two, in the godly there is a continual ſtrife. As for the vngodly they are altogether old, there is in them nothing new, no new hart or affections, no new mind or vnderſtanding, no good deſires, no godly motions. Now this old man although in the regenerat he be but faint harted: yet hath he ſo many helpes, and ſo many oportunities and occaſions to do euill, and to annoy the new man that he is ouer doing, neuer quiet, alwaies ſtriuing againſt the ſpirit: Inſomuch, as he neuer ſéeth the new man, the ſpirituall man, the man that yeldeth it ſelfe to the ſpirit of God to be led therby, indeuouring or attempting any good thing, but ſtraight way this old man oppoſeth himſelfe with might and main, ſo that he will neuer ſuffer the new man quietly or fréely to do any good. But be the ſpirit neuer ſo willing, yet will the fleſh alwaies be found not only weak, but alſo rebellious. By this meanes it commeth to paſſe, that although God of his great merciemercy, by his good ſpirit, hauehave wrought in his new borne babes, a will readie to ſerue him, and a deſire or readynes to obey him: yet is not this will of ours, at any time frée or at libertie to performe the ſame, either as we ſhould, or as we would. For as Gods children are by the godly motions of the ſpirit ſtirred vp to do his will, euen then preſently doe the luſt… 1. Pet. 2. 11.of the fleſh, which fight againſt the ſoule, make a mutinie or commotion, prouoking the members thereof, to wreſtle and ſtriue againſt ſuch holie cogitations. So that it commeth many times to paſſe,Gen. 38. 29. as it was in the birth of Tamars children: For Zarah being firſt néere the birth, yet Phares his brother came forth before him. So theſe godly motions béeing firſt thought vponupon, yet euen in Gods good and obedient children, ſuch corrupt and vngodly affections will firſt ſhew themſelues. Of which dangerous battell, commeth this troubleſome effect, troubleſome (I ſay) to Gods children, that their louelove eyther of God or man, is not without want, their faith, not without feare, their obedience, not without blemiſh, their ſeruice, not without negligence, to be ſhorte in any good thing that we will attempt, we ſhall not be without euil to hinder the ſame. Which thinges being well conſidered of, I truſt it wil eaſely appeare that our will though it be good in the regenerate, yet is not at any time altogether free to doe as it would, in reſpect of theſe corrupt luſts of the fleſh. And that this is the auncient faith of the Romans, that was in S. Paules time, it is more plaine then that with any good ſhew of reaſon it may be denied. For the Apoſtle teacheth the Romans thus much euen by his own example. Who féeling within himſelfe, this ſpirituall battel betwéene the ſpirit and the fleſh, (which onelyonly Gods children do féele) & ſo by experience being taught, that when he had done what he could, he was notable to doe that which willingly he would hauehave done,Rom. 7. 19. he plainely confeſſeth, The good that I would, do I not, but the euill which I would not, that do I. Now I truſt no man will anſwere that he ſpeaketh not of that he could doe, but of that he did: I truſt no body wil imagine but that the Apoſtle did what he could to doe good, and not to doe euill, and yet when he had ſtriuen therein to the vttermoſt, his regenerate and godly will, was not of power to performe his godly deſires. But if any man would iudge ſo groſly of S. Paule, as that he might hauehave done more then he did to ſtand againſt ſinne, yet would they be ſufficiently confuted by that which the ſame apoſtle addeth almoſt immediately, whereby he ſheweth by what meanes it came to paſſe, that he was ſo driuen and drawen to doe againſt his will.Rom. 7. 22. 23. Euen becauſe There was a Lawe in his members rebelling againſt the Lawe of his minde, and leading him captiue to the Lawe of ſinne, although concerning the inward man, he had delight in the Lawe of God. Now if S. Paule had not free will as no doubt in theſe wordes he plainely teacheth the Romans, that hee had not to doe good, ſhall we imagine that we, who are much leſſe fréed from corruption of ſinne then he was, hauehave any ſuch fréedome or power in vsus? Shall we that are in compariſon, drye ſtumpes, and fruitleſſe plantes, deceiue our ſelues in this vaine conceit, that we are better able to bring forth the fruit of good works then he was? God forbid. No I am verily perſwaded, that whoſoeuer doth but conſider what a good work is, according to that I hauehave before ſaid, eſpecially in the viii. Chapter: and on the other ſide how weake wee are of our ſelues, becauſe our regeneration is not heere perfected, and how ſtirring and ſtriuing our luſtes are whereby we are hindred in our good indeuours: he wil vtterly deteſt that deceitfull doctrine of mans free will to doe good, and abhorre it as a proud preſumption. And hee will not onelyonly with Saint Paule humbly confeſſe his owne weakenes, but with S. Peter alſo heartely giuegive thankes vntounto our gratious God who hath Kept vsus by his power, 1. Pet. 1. 5.(not by the power or free wil that we hauehave) vntounto ſaluation. Cap. 20. Aura. Concil.So that we ſee we to acknowledge this weaknes in our ſelues (yea although we be regenerate) to doe good, and the power whereby we are preſerued to ſaluation, that we ſhould not quite fall from it, to be from God, and in him, is the Catholicke doctrine, that then when theſe Apoſtles taught, was receiued at Rome? According to the which alſo the fathers in the Aura…ican counſell did affirme, That many good thinges are wrought in man which man worketh not: But man doth no good at all, but that God giueth (power) that he may worke it. And Theophilact moſt plainely, ſpeaking of the workes that we doe after baptiſme,In Galata… cap. 2. wherein the papiſtes eſpecially brag of their fréewill, Our will (ſaith he) is dead, but his (that is Chriſtes) liueth, and doth gouerne this our life. If then our life be gouerned by Chriſtes will, where is the power of our owne will, which our aduerſaries ſo much extol?Ad probam de Virginitate. I ſaid (ſaith Fulgētius) that thou waſt preuented, not onelyonly with that louelove wherewith GOD loued thee, but with that alſo which hee freely powred into thee, that he might be loued of thee. Therefore all euen whatſoeuer holy louelove thou haſt towardes thy husband, thou haſt it in deede in thee, but not of thy ſelfe. Much might be alledged out of the fathers to this ende, whereby it might appeare how they did follow this ancient faith of the Church of Rome but I will take my leaue with Arnobius his wordes. You (ſaith he) repoſe in your ſelues the ſaluation of your ſoules, Arnob. aduerſus Gentes. li. 2.and hope to be made Gods by your owne inward indeuour. But we promiſe not to our ſelues any ſuch thing of our infirmitie ſeeing our nature to be of no ſtrength, and that it is ouercome by the affections thereof whenſoeuer it ſtriueth.
But now would they teach vsus to ſpeake with new tongues, not the wonderfull workes of God, but the ſtraunge ſtrength that is in vsus to ſerue God: ſtraunge (I ſay) becauſe we hauehave neither ſeene it in the godly, nor heard it in the pure and auncient Roman Church, nor can finde or feele it in our ſelues, vnleſſe it be, when wee are paſt feeling,Trident. Concil. Seſſ. 6. cap. 6. that wée feele not our ſelues. But thus they teach vsus that being once ſtirred vp and holpen (for theſe are their owne termes) by grace, man hath afterwardes ſuch power,Ibi. cap 4. Cenſ. Colonient. pag. 33. dial. 2. that hee is freely moued to God, to diſpoſe and prepare himſelfe, to obtaine the grace of iuſtification. Yea that our luſtes or deſire of ſinne, are ſubiected to reaſon and free will, with ſuch ſubiection, as ſcarſely there can be any greater. And thus whereas God becauſe the olde heart of man is naught, and hath nothing in it that will further, nay that will not hinder vsus,Iere. 32. 39. to walke vprightly in the wayes of godlineſſe, promiſeth to giuegive vsus another heart,Ezech. 36. 26. A newe heart (ſaith God) will I giuegive you, and a newe ſpirite will I put within you: they woulde make vsus beleeue, that this olde hearte of ours will ſerue with a little chaunge. And yet that wee may know, that to ſtirre vp and to helpe our olde heart, will not ſerue the turne, God by Ezechiel in the place alledged ſaith, I will take away the ſtony heart out of your body, and I will giuegive you a heart of fleſh. By which wordes of giuing a newe hearte, taking away that we hauehave of ſtone, giuing vsus one of fleſhe, God woulde hauehave vsus to learne, that we muſt not onelyonly be ſtirred vp and holpen as they ſay, but euen made newe before wee can doe that which pleaſeth God. And as for thoſe that are ſo caryed away, with the plauſible and pleaſaunt ſounde of free will, I woulde requeſt euen for Chriſt his ſake, that they woulde take a viewe of their owne waies, and enter into their owne ſecrete thoughtes, wordes, and deedes, and if at duplicate page duplicate page home they finde all well, if they can as they wiſh and woulde (if they be not ſenceleſſe and ſecure in ſinne) keepe Gods commandements, then let them ſtil beleeue that doctrine, and followe ſuch blinde guides. But if they finde, that the greateſt ſhew of godlineſſe that they can make, can be but the performance of ſome externall worke, whether it be in prayer or prayſing of God, or doing of any duety towardes our neighbours (wherein euen the moſt wicked will perchaunce ſometime ſhewe themſelues more deuout then they) let them not then be deceiued by any of theſe ſeducing wordes: Cannot I abſtaine from euill? cannot I doe that which is good? cannot I be occupied in good workes? For although thou canſt doe that worke, which may in another be a good worke, yet becauſe the worke is not good, that is, not commaunded by God, done by a godly man, and directed to Gods glory, and the doing of our own duety, that worke I ſay which may in an other be praiſe worthy, in thee may be ſinne. Thus therefore I ſay that it is no more in thy power to worke a good worke, then, to make new thy owne heart, but both muſt be of God of whome we hauehave all our ſufficiencie.2. Cor. 3. 5.