Catholic Charity Complaining and Maintaining that Rome is Uncharitable, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Wherein are discussed divers false inferences from some Protestants doctrine, urged by the Cavalier in the Conclusion of his Booke, to seduce men to Popery; and encountred with some true inferences drawne from Popish doctrines, the better to perswade men from that Sect.
SECT. I.
The Protestants denyall of Merit no principle of corrupt living.
THis Authour having lost, or rather given away his cause in the premisses of his discourse, the conclusion sutable to such losing premisses should have been a meere surrender: and accordingly he should have said, That, notwithstanding all improbabilities, it is very probable that Romists want charity to Protestants, when they take them for odious persons, fall foule on them, blow them up, burne them, and damne them. And secondly, That though it be true that there is but one Church, and one Faith, wherein is salvation: yet Protestants being of this one Church, and having this Faith, and so being in the way of salvation, it is not an untruth but a truth, that they want charity who hate and damne the Protestants which are saved.
Yet our Authour goes on like Pharaoh, and to him (as to Pharaoh) may be said, Knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? Doth he not know the citie, which is spiritually Egypt and Sodome, is going to destruction? and the probabilities and reasons are dead, by which (as by garisons) this Egypt is maintained and defended? Wherefore it were good, that both he and Rome would let the men goe, that they may serve the Lord their God.
But Rome still goes on in her purpose of holding the Church in bondage; yea, shee sends forth Souldiers and Cavaliers to fetch back those who are gone out from her yoke, whereof this Champion is one. And now, that the sonnes of Rome may imitate the infirmities of Saint Peter, wherein especially their Fathers are his Successors, hee comes with a piece of that pitie wherewith Saint Peter would have Christ to have pitied himselfe; but so, that (without pitie) hee should have lost the salvation of the whole world; so would this Authour have Protestants to pity themselves, even to the danger of their salvation; and by a deadly Apostacie to turne from the living God to Romish Idolatry: But hee doubts his pitie will prove but a sleight and empty perswasion, and therefore to a vaine pitie hee addeth some reasons which want nothing more then truth to make them forcible; Hee saith, That Protestant doctrine (under his false Title of heresie) is a Nursery of corrupt principles concerning life: and when hee hath said it, hee brings (as hee is wont) proofes that do not prove it; yet thus hee begins even in his Conclusion; When they teach men that there is no merit belonging to good workes (though they bee confess'd by us to flow but from the grace and goodnesse of Christ our Lord) what courage doe they give men to bee frequent and chearfull in doing of good works? But is not this speech unworthy of a noble Cavalier, much more of a Christian? For, were it not ignoble in a Knight, when his Father commands him to doe some valiant service for his honour or defence, to answer him, hee hath no courage to doe him service, because thereby he cannot merit any thing from him, seeing hee oweth all his service, and himselfe unto him? Thus, because his Father hath deserved all, therefore hee will doe nothing. Againe, If a Father should tell his Sonne, Doe what thou canst to please mee; or as Isaac, Goe kill mee some venison, and I will freely give thee a blessing, though the venison deserve it not: should the Son wisely returne this answer to his Father, Sir, I have no encouragement by your free promise or gift of this blessing, except I can merit it from you by my venison? But ingenuous Christians, Saints, and Sonnes of God, whose understandings and wils are truely ennobled by the Divine Spirit, are farre of another minde; they have indeed the divine gift of Love, and thereby love God as a Father, that hath already so merited of them all that they are and have, that his merit is to them a most sufficient motive to serve him heartily, even with all that might and being which they have received from him.
Accordingly, the man according to Gods owne heart calls upon all mankinde for their service, as due to God for making them;Psal. 100. Come let us kneele and worship before God our Maker. Againe, the love of God in redeeming us hath deserved all our love and service; and accordingly the Apostle rap'd into the third heaven, saith, The love of Christ constraineth us: 2 Cor. 5.14.2.15.and why doth it constraine? because wee thus judge, that if Christ dyed for us, wee should live to him. Gods merits in creating and redeeming us are strong motives to serve him, though wee cannot merit of him: though Gods merit is so great, that it hath swallowed up all our merits; we are therefore to serve him not the lesse, but the more, the more hee hath deserved beyond our requitall. A good Sonne would serve and obey this heavenly Father for that which hee hath done, though hee gave him nothing hereafter. And surely, if there were not such an affection even in humanitie, how should thee sonne of a poore father ever doe him service? But yet wee doe not stop here, because the bounty of our heavenly Father doth not stop, but enlargeth it selfe further; for though God hath already deserved of us all that we can doe, so that all that wee can doe were but our dutie: yet hee goes on, and promiseth to give rewards even for doing our duty: And doth not this reward move us as much, being given by free promise, as if it were gotten by the workers merit? yea, much more in a noble worker: For, such a one will reason thus; My heavenly Father freely gives mee infinite rewards, even an excessively exceeding weight of glory for small and moment any passions and actions;2 Cor. 4.17. hee gives mee that which hee is not bound to give, hee gives that which I can never deserve; and shall I not couragiously and affectionately serve him who is so freely gracious and bountifull to mee far beyond my deserts? But indeed, much rather (and that contrary to Romish Divinity) out of a right consideration of Gods great rewards, and our great unworthinesse, (wee being, if Iacob say true,Gen. 32.10. lesse then the least of Gods mercies) wee may truely affirme, That we can have no courage to good workes, if wee will not worke without a true confidence of Merits:Gen. 15.1. For, if Gods rewards be beyond all merits (as it needes must bee, since hee himselfe, whom all that we have and are cannot merit, is our exceeding great reward) how should there bee good works raised from the confidence in that merit which is not? And though there be an excellency in the grace of the Spirit by which wee worke; yet even that grace is a free loane, and wee are debters to God for it, and how can wee merit of him by growing in debt unto him? especially, because the money wherewith we should pay those debts is of a baser Alloy, by the mixture of our corruption, then that which wee received, and whereby wee became debtors? And wee cannot pay debts, much lesse become meriters by paying ten borrowed Talents of pure gold, with ten Talents of the metall of Nebuchadnezzars Image. Therefore the Saints aSancti totam spem referunt ad misericordiam Dei. Lorca m. 22. Sect. 2. Disp. 3. num. 12. Summum malum est in operibus nostris & meritis confidere; hoc enim est me itum Christi blasphemare, Ferus in Eccles. 4. licet renitente Indice Exp. Sandonal. At Ferus etiam in Ionae cap. 2. Q…i in tentatione vel in scipsum, in sua scilicet sapientia, consiliis, v…u…, justitia, vel in quacunque creatura finaliter confidit, is verè vanitates observa…, in arenam aedificat, & mise…ic…diam suam frustia relinquit, hoc est, Deum, qui est Misericordia nostra.—trust perfectly in the grace of God, and not in their merits, and from that grace, as from a boundlesse and bottomelesse Ocean, fetch most sufficient motives of good works: While they have grace that enables them to worke, and grace that forgives the imperfection of their workes, and grace that rewards whatsoever goodnesse is in their workes; yea, even the will for the deede, they are mightily encouraged to continue in good workes, knowing that Their labour thus is not in vaine in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.58.And herein their hearts agree with the heart of him that rewardeth them; For his eyes are on them that feare him, Psal. 33.18.and trust in his merciemercy. They feare God,Facit Potentiam in brachio suo: In quo animadverte, quod beatam se esse dicat (beata Vi…go) non proprio merito, atque virtute, sed Dei in se habitantis element â Hi…ronymus advers. P…lag. l…b. 1. Psalm. 147.24. Tum ergò justi sumas quando nos p…ccatores fatemur, & justitia nostra non ex proprio m…rite, f…d ex Dei consistit misericordia. Hieronym. Ib. Joh. 17.23, 24. Heb. 11.5. and by good workes keepe his Commandements; but they trust not in the merits of their workes, but in Gods mercy: And in such God takes delight, and loves to behold them; and if God love to behold them, hee will also bring them to behold him in a beatificall vision.
SECT. II.
Wherein are contained these two Tenets: 1. That the best workes of Gods children are mixed with some sinne. 2. That no man doth, or will perfectly fulfill the whole Law; And yet (contrary to the Cavaliers lame Inferences) there are encouragements sufficient to good works, and to use our best endeavours toward the fulfilling of the Law.
BUt that which followeth next, requires a patient Reader: For, if the Articles of the Church of England bee but compared with this Authours words, I doubt the Reader will feele some need of patience; The Authours words are these; And what cause can they assigne why men should abstain from sin, when they teach them that the best workes which are performed by the greatest Saints in the world are no better then sinnes, and they in their owne nature mortall? The Articles words are these;Art. 12. Albeit that works which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification cannot put away our sinnes, and endure the severity of Gods judgement, yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ. And the like approbation of good works by the Church of Scotland, and forraine Churches of Protestants is to bee seene in the harmonie of Confessions: Wherefore, I should offend my Reader to say much against this, which appeares so plainely to be a scandall, even one of those coales of Iuniper which comes from devouring tongues; and I wonder it had not burned the tongue or the conscience of the speaker. Briefly, wee hold, that a good tree (made good by Regeneration, and ingrafted by faith into Christ Jesus) bringeth forth good fruit, even this fruit of good works: and these works, as much as they come from the sappe of the roote of Christ Jesus, and partake of his fatnesse, so much are they good; but as much as they partake of us, and our remnant of aYea, their owne Conradus Clinguis writes thus: Opera justificatorum, quam vis ex fide Christi, ad laudem & gloriam Dei, atque dilectionem proximi fiant, quia tamen nos ex carne & sanguine polluti sumus; hinc est quod opera nostra in sua bonitate, natura, & dignitate considerata, sint i…pura & imperfecta, ex se & propria sua virtute; Et quoniam omnia opera nostra, etiam post fidem facta, sunt imperf…cta, & immunda, & involuntaria, ideò non possumus contendere cum Deo, quasi nobis aliquid debeat, & teneatur ex condigno, sicut mercenarius pro laboribus suis cum Domino. Et in eum finem dicimus quòd opera nostra non merentur vitam aeternam, sicut m…la & imperfectà monetâ nihil …mi potest. L…c. Com. lib. 1. cap. 22. Heb. 11.26.corruption, so much are they faulty. This faultinesse hath need of mercy, and receiveth it through Christ, into whom wee are ingrafted; but this being removed by Christ, the goodnesse which the worke hath from Christ shall eternally bee rewarded. And this reward is a very good motive to good works unto all those who, with Moses, have an eye of faith where with truely to see the recompence of the reward.
Hee goes on, and askes, When they teach men that the Commandements of God are not possibly to bee kept by any man, even with the helpe of Divine grace, what reason can they have either to exhort men to keepe Gods Commandements, or to reprove them for infringing the same. The Cavalier is here troubled, and troubles us with an old bDuo à te (Pelagio) proposita sunt: unum posse hominem sine peccato esse si velit, &c. sine peccato esse perpetuo, summae solius est potestatis. Itaque, aut da exemplum qui absque peccato fuerint, aut si dare non potes confitere imbecillitatem tuam, & noli ponere in coelum os tuum, ut per esse & esse, posse, stultorum illudas auribus. Quis enim tibi conceder posse hominem facere quod nullus unquam hominum potuerit? Hieron. in Prooem. lib. 1. advers. Pelagianos. Si dixerimus quod peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos decipimus, & veritas in nobis non est: Hoc qui dixit, sapienter se ad Dei gratiam reservavit. Est enim Christiani hominis quod bonum est velle; & in Deo quod bene voluerit currere: sed homini non est datum perficere, ut post spatia quae debet homo implere, rester aliquid Deo ubi deficienti succurrat, quia ipse solus est perfectio, & perfectus solus Dei Filius Christus, caeteri omnes semiperfecti sumus. Opt. li. 2. Qui autem rectissimè sapiunt, intelligunt quemlibet hominum, quam vis jam pro consortio societatis humanae non absurdè dici possit justissimè vivere, non tamen posse esse sine aliquo vitio quamdiu caro concupiscit adversus spiritum, spiritus autem adversus carnem. Aug. contra Parmen. lib. 1.Pelagian businesse of the possibilitie of keeping the Law, which S. Hierome long since told them, was but to speak of a power which was never brought to effect: For it is affirmed by the Fathers, and too much experience confirmeth it, that how possible soever the keeping of the Law is; yet no man ever brought this possibility to an actuall keeping of the Law. To what end then doth hee talk of this possibility, which gives such small encouragement by being ineffectuall, that his owne words may neer bee retorted against him? For what encouragement doe Romists give to the keeping of the Commandements, when they speake of such a possibility of keeping them, by which no man yet did ever keepe them? So that a man may thus only encourage himselfe by this possibility, that except he do that by it, which never man did before him, hee shall never keepe the Commandements by it.
Besides, S. Paul saith, ‖Gal. 5.17.That the flesh so lusteth against the spirit, that Christians cannot do what they would; which is as much as if he had said, They cannot be perfect if they would: for even cQ…ae potest alia major esse …em…ritas quā Dei (non dicā similitudinem sed) aequalitatē vendicare, & brevi sentent…â omnia hae…tcorum venena complecti.— Hoc est enim hominē ex homine colere, & in co…pore cō stitutum esse sine corpore, & optare potiùs quàm docere, dic…nte Apostol…, Miser ego hom…, qui… meliberabit de corpore mortis hujus? — Si quod non vult (Paulus) operatu…, qu… modo sta… potest hoc quod dicitur, p…sse hominem esse sine peccato si velit? Quâ ratione potest esse quod velit, …ùm Apostolus asserat se quod cupiat implere non posse? cumque ab eis quaerim…s, qui sunt illi quos absque peccato putent; Nova stropha eluder… cupiunt ve…itatem, se non eos dicere qui sint vel fuerint, sed qui esse possint. Eg…egii Doctores dicunt esse posse, quod nunquam sui…le demonstrant, dicente Scriptura, Omne quod suturum est, ita sactum est in priore tempore. Hieron. ad C…phon…. Apostoli una hora vigilare non possunt, somno, …, & carnis fragilitate superati; & tu p…tes longo tempore omnia peccata superare. Id. advers. Pelag. l. 2.Paul saith of himself, †Rom. 7.18, 23.That the good which he would do he had not power to effect, neither had he yet attained a full *Phil. 3.12.13, 14.resurrection from the dead; and yet no doubt he improved the power which he had beyond any Romist: For hee saith, he did reach forth, (a terme of straining, and mighty indeavour) yea, hee did presse towards the marke; yet, notwithstanding all this he confesseth, that hee had not attained, he was not already perfect. And now let Romists encourage their disciples by proposing a perfection of righteousnesse to which S. Paul attained not.
And the question lies not in this, what the grace of God can do; but what man can do, having grace only in measure, and withall a great measure and remainder of concupiscence and law of the members. For, though the foot of grace would go upright, yet the other foot of corruption addeth a lamenesse; and so the best Christian, like Iacob, goes halting. Neither therefore is it a just reason for a son that goes halting, yet with halting is able to perform some messages of his father, not to performe what hee may, being commanded by his father: yea, he may be hereby encouraged to indeavour the more to do his fathers *Psal. 103.14.commands, because he hath a father that knowes his infirmity, and his striving against it, and the more he strives, the more hee will reward him. dQui ad summum nititur, aliquoties in med…o subsistit; at qui medium destinavit nimio saepenume…ò residet. Eraesm. in Scholiis Epist. Hier. ad C…esiphont. Est quoddam prodire tenus si non datur ultra. Item, Nam vitiis nemo sine nascitur, optimus ille Qui minimis urgetur. Horat. Arduos agressus virtutis suspice: etiam si decidunt, magna conantes. Generosa res est, respicientē non ad suas, sed ad naturae (gratiae) vires, conari alta, tentare, & mente majora concipere, quā quae ingenti animo adornatis effici possint. Senec. de vit. B…a…. cap. 20.A learner that cannot write so well as his coppy, yet is to bee encouraged to write so well and so like it as he can. And surely, if it were otherwise, the Cavaliers reason might discourage most Schollers from the study of Philosophy, because they cannot bee so good Philosophers as Aristotle. And it might have discouraged the Cavalier from writing Controversies, because there was no possibility for him to do it so well as Bellarmine.
eS. Augustine hath written a book de persectione justitiae, especially to answer this Pelagiā question. Ratiocinat. Pelagianorum 6. Cur praeciperetur quod fieri omnino non posset? Respondetur, consultissimè homini praecipi, ut rectis passibus ambulet, ut cum se non posse perspexerit, medicinam requirat, quae interioris hominis ad sanandam peccati claudicationem, gratia Dei est per Jesum Christ. Dom. nostrum. Ratioc. 8. Tunc erit plena justitia, quando plena sanitas; tunc plena sanitas, quando plena charitas, plenitudo enim legis charitas; tunc autem plena charitas, quando videbimus eum sicuti est. Ratioc. 9. Quia peccavit voluntas secuta est peccantem, peccatū habendi dura necessitas, donec tota sanetur infirmitas, & accipiatur tanta libertas, in qua, sicut necesse est, permaneat beatè vivendi voluntas; ita ut sit etiam benè vivendi, & nunquam peccandi voluntaria foelixque necessitas. Ratioc. 11. Frustra non prohiberetur aut juberetur, quod vel caveri, vel impleri non possit. Respondetur— Ad hoc enim lex ista praecepit, ut cùm in his implendis homo defecerit, non se extollat superbia tumidus; sed ad gratiam confugiat fatigatus, ac sic eum lex terrendo, ad Christum diligendum Paedagogi perducat officio. Ratioc. 15. Si est aliquod peccatū quod vitari non posset, quomodo justus Deus dicitur, si imputare cuiquā creditur quod vitare non posset? Respondemus, Jam olim cōtra superbos est clamatum, Beatus cui non imputavit Dominus peccatum, non enim imputat his qui fideliter ei dicunt, Di…itte nobis debita nostra. Ratioc. 17. Dicit Apostolus, Non quia … acceperim, aut jam perfectus sum, &c. Quotquot ergò perfectè currimus, hoc sapiamus quod nondū perfecti sumus; ut illic per…iciamur quo perfectè adhuc currimus.—Cur ergò non praeciperetur homini ista perfectio, quā vis jam in hac vita nemo habeat? Non enim rectè curritur, si quo currendum est nesciatur. Quomodo autem sciretur, si nullis praeceptis ostenderetur? — Testimonia, inquit, quibus probatur praeceptum esse homini, ut absque peccato sit. Ad hoc respondemus: Non utrum praeceptum sit quaeritur, quod valdè manifestū est; sed hoc ipsum quòd praeceptū esse constat u…um in corpore mortis hujus possit impleri, ubi caro concupiscit adve…sus spiritum, & spiritus adversus carnem, ut non ea quae volumus faciamus.—Haec est nunc nostra justitia quâ currimus, esurientes & sitientes ad perfectionem plenitudinemque justitiae, ut eâ postea saturemur.But to give this point a more serious conclusion; This state of imperfection, wherein with the new man begotten by grace, there is left a remnant of the old man begotten by nature, doth not lessen the power of Gods grace, but sets forth the wisdome of Gods dispensation. God, whose Spirit bloweth where, and how hee listeth, for many wise ends, and especially for his owne glory, dispenseth his grace in this manner, and measure, and mixture. For first, the corruption remaining with grace, doth humble man before God, and cause him to have a low conceipt of himselfe, and an high estimation of Gods grace, of which hee hath continuall need; the sufficiency whereof alone can forgive his falls, and raise him from falling, and enable him to stand, and walke in the pathes of holinesse in such a manner as the same grace will accept. Secondly, This life being appointed to the Church militant for a warfare, and the warfare for a way to the Crowne; this contrariety of the flesh to the spirit is not the least part of this warre; and to those that fight the good fight of faith, it serves for a way of advancement to the Crowne: For, the more combates of the flesh, the more conquests of the spirit, and so the greater enjoyings of the celestiall Crowne. And thirdly, God is mightily glorified, who by a little grace, even a graine of mustard-seed, opposed by a strong concupiscence, and that backed by a world of tentations, and by those Tempters which are Principalities and Powers, (though through many foyles, faintings, and failings) the little graine becomes a tree, the smoking flaxe becomes a fire, and judgement is brought to victory. Though wee lose in some single combats, yet wee are gainers in the whole warre, and wee become more then Conquerours through him that loveth us. And indeed, this growing nature of the seed of grace, and especially the victorious successe which Gods grace giveth to it, is a most strong encouragement to good works; even such as all objected imperfection of righteousnesse can never overthrow: for, though it bee so little, either at first in the beginning of it, or perchance after in some spirituall desertions, (for there are ebbs and flouds of grace) yet wee are mightily encouraged to good workes, because that seed is not onelyonly a remaining, but a growing seed; the house of Saul growes weaker, and the house of David stronger: wee come still neerer to perfection, though wee doe not fully attaine it; wee grow from babes to young men, from young men to that measure of stature which is appointed to us in Christ Jesus. Lastly, our state of imperfection doth serve for an incentive, to spur up our desires towards the state of perfection: For, when wee draw up hardly and painfully towards Gods holy mountaine, with a weight of flesh pressing downe, and a body of sinne cleaving fast, wee pant towards heaven, and send up grones of the Spirit, which speake in their language; when shall wee come and appeare before God? Wee desire to bee delivered from the body of sinne, unto the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God: our soules being wearied, and parched, and dryed up with the flames and vexations of tentations and sinnes, thirst for the living God, and desire to satisfie their thirst in the River of pleasures, which floweth from his presence, whose streames are perfect holinesse, and perfect happinesse.
SECT. III.
That the doctrine of denying free will doth not abridge the doing of good, and justice of punishment for evill doing.
THere is yet one question more, which must have an answer, rather for some weakenesse which it may meet, then for any strength which is in it, When they profess that men have not so much as free will to doe any good work at all, when they are first moved and assisted to it by the good grace of God, with what sense can they encourage men to do any thing which is good? or with what justice can they punish them for omitting the same? The Cavalier is deceived himselfe, as it seems, and goes about to deliver over his deceipt unto his Reader; For, we doe not say, That men have not so much as free will, being moved by effectuall grace; But, That they have not so little as free will: For, wee hold, that the will being moved effectually by grace, is more then free will; for it is free will fortified, actuated, and animated by grace. So his Reader is deceived by him, if he be perswaded by these words, that wee doe not allow men actuated by grace so much as free will; for we allow them more. And indeed, wee allow them much more then Romists, and they quarrell with us because wee allow them so much: Yet the more power and efficacy we allow grace in the will, the lesse efficacy hath the Cavaliers objection; but the more encouragement have men to good works: For the more God helpeth the will, the more couragiously may the will go on to working; and the more may exhortation call for good works. Indeed, if God did not worke in us to will and to do, but left man to stand only on the motion of his own will, exhortations might have but a cold encouragement, standing meerly at the mercy of the creature for successe and effect. But when God gives what he commands, then may exhortations call for the performance of Gods commands.
As for humane justice in punishing, hee may know that our opinion doth not oppose but approve it. For even your own aHist. of Trent, lib. 2.Vega, in the Councell of Trent, acknowledgeth That Protestants affirme a liberty in Philosophicall justice, and in externall workes of the Law.
But of free will I may here say the lesse, because I have spoken somewhat of it before, and elsewhere is more largely unfolded the truth of the point, and the consent of our Church.Great Oracle, &c.
SECT. IIII.
That the Idolatry and bloud which springs from the Religion of Rome, should deterre men from consorting with her.
BUt here I may give this returne to the Romists: Upon the love of God and man depends the whole Law; And in the love of God a principall place is given to the worship of God in spirit and truth: And in the love of man a chiefe place is given to the preservation of his life. Idolatry and murder being contrary to these, are maine breaches of this royall Law of love: Now Rome permitting the doctrines and practice of idolatry and murder, (the maine breaches of the Law of God) with what face can she require the keeping of other lawes and lesser duties, that gives such encouragement to the breach of these greater ones? aPrincipale crimen generis humani, summus seculi reatus, tota causa judicii idololatria: Nam, etsi suam speciem tenet unumquod que delictum, & si suo quoque Nomine judicio destinctur, in Idoloterriae tamen crimine expungitur. Tertul. de ….Tertullian proves idolatry alone to be a breach of every Commandement; and besides, it will not bee hard to prove that Rome, jointly with idolatry, gives encouragement to the breach of every Commandement: but I especially fasten on these two, whose eminent guilt is haunted with the continuall out-cry of the Prophets, and at length avenged with heavie judgements by the Judge of the whole earth: And indeed, commonly these sins are twins, the same evil spirit first working by idolatry, as it were a not being of God in the faith and worship of man, and then provoking man to destroy the Image of that God whom he hath formerly abolished. But most fearfull sinnes they are, and their hideousnesse may be seen in the horrid face of the judgements, which have beene the counterparts and representations of them. He that would behold painted unto the life the lamentable countenance of these judgements, let him with an heart of life and sense read over the Lamentations of Ieremy;Lam. 4.13. And he that will see Idols and bloud to have been the maine meritorious causes of these judgements, let him reade the words both of other *Jer. 25.4, 5, 6. &c. 2 King. 17.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. 2 King. 21.10, 11, 12, 13, 16. 2 Chr. 36.14, 15, 16. Ezek. 36.18.Prophets, and the same Ieremy. But if for these Jerusalem hath been judged, what shall become of Rome? For, Rome is the mother of spirituall fornications, and in her is found the bloud of all that are slaine on earth: The power of Rome crucified the Lord Jesus, it slew millions of the Martyrs of Iesus under the heathen Emperours, it hath added to these millions the multitudes of those who have been slaine under the beast with hornes of a Lamb.Rev. 11.8. And how loud is the cry of all this bloud being united in one voice? Wherefore, let my counsell be acceptable to you, (I speake to the children of Rome, that they may be saved) Heare the voice of Gods Spirit, Come out of her my people, before God heare the voyce of this bloud, and then ye be partakers of her judgements: Rev. 16.6. Rev. 17.6.For she that is drunk with the bloud of the Saints shall vomit it up againe, and her owne bloud with it; shee shall fall and never rise againe,Rev. 18.21. for the word of God hath spoken it. Wherefore, do not joyn with that idolatrous company of Mourners, which shall lament for her when they shall see the smoake of her burning; but bee found among the heavenly company of Rejoycers,Rev. 19. which sing Alleluia, Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power unto the Lord our God. For, true & righteous are his judgments, for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, & hath avenged the bloud of his servants at her hand.
And thus the Man of sinne, and all the enemies of Christ being made his foote-stoole, wee will hope that the kingdome of grace shall bee speedily changed into the kingdome of glory. And for the hastening of that glory, wee will pray for the speedy subduing of these enemies; For this glory being come, wee shall by the King of glory and peace bee translated into that peace, where we shall be free from the vexations of enmity. There shall be no controversies, emulations, factions, and schismes for Religion, but without controversie the great mystery of godlinesse shall appear unto us in a perfect discovery, light, & glory: Yea, there the Church shall be made capable of seeing the highest glory, and in this sight shee shall be glorified: The Father and Fountaine of glory shall shine into her, and in his light she shall see light, and by his light shee shall be light; And hee that filleth her with light, shall also fill her with joy; for the light of Gods countenance is the joy of the soule, and yet with it will hee powre into the soule the new wine of the kingdome, the oyle of gladnesse issuing from his Spirit, which shall make up the joyes of a consummate marriage, and fill the Spouse with extasies, and overflowings of joy unspeakable and glorious. And thus tasting how sweet the Lord is in the joies of a most fruitive union, these joyes shall enflame her loves, and her loves shall kindle her joyes; shee shall taste and see God, who is the chiefe object of her love; shee shall rejoice in seeing and tasting him whom she loveth, and shee must needs fervently love him, in whom shee findes and feeles such exceeding joy. Thus shall shee run in a circle of Love and Joy, and this circle of Love and Joy shall bee for all eternity: for the same God, who is to her a Fountain of joy, shall be also to her a Well of life; and so shall shee live, and love, and rejoice for ever. An eternall God shall be seene, tasted, loved, and enjoyed by an everliving Church in everlasting blessednesse. Amen, Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Francis Rous, Catholic Charity Complaining and Maintaining that Rome is Uncharitable (1641)